A DISCOURSE OF CHINA
FERNAM MENDEZ PINTO
away ; we seconded the same cry, but heard no answer. Our Barke also the next day, split on a Rocke, and of five and twentie Portugals, eleven were drowned, besides eighteene Christian boyes, and seven China Mariners. This hapned the fifth of August, 1542.
Wee fourteene which escaped, the next day travelled into the Land, alongst a Hill, and discovered a Lake, without shew of Land, which made us returne backe, where wee found our men cast on shoare, to the renewing of our sorrow, and the next day buried them, that the Tigres (of which there are many) should not eate them. In this, having nothing but our hands to doe it, and they thirtie sixe now stinking, wee spent the most part of the day. Thence wee went Northward thorow the Woods three dayes, till wee came at a straight, without sight of any person. In swimming over three men and a boy were drowned, being faint, the current strong, and the water somewhat spacious : the men were two brethren Belchior and Caspar Barbosa, and Francisco Borges Cayciro, all of Ponte de Lima, and of good account. Wee which remayned (eleven men and three boyes) passing that obscure nights winds, raines, and cold, imitated by our disconsolate sighs, teares, and feares, saw before day a fire Eastward, and went right towards it, commending our selves to God our only hope. And travelling along the River, wee came in the evening where five men were making Coles, and casting our selves at their feet, desired them to take pitie on us, and helpe us to some place where wee might finde reliefe. They gave us a little Rice and warme water, and shewed us the way to a Village where was an Hospitall, to which wee came an houre within night, and found there foure men appointed to that charge, which used us charitably.
The next day they asked what wee were, and whence : and wee told them, strangers of Siam *, which came from the Port of Liampoo to the fishing at Nanquim, where by tempest we lost all but our battered flesh. They asked what wee intended to doe, and wee answered, to goe to
91
A.D. 1542.
[III. ii. 264.]
Foure other drowned.
An Hospitall.
"^Malaca is said to stand in the Kingdome ofSiatn^ though now not yeelding
subjection.91
