had been outraged and mangled. Meanwhile Jehangir CHAP. IX. suspected that Asof Khan was implicated in the rebellion, and placed him in close custody. It was reported that Jehangir was marching an army very slowly towards Agra.

to Goa.

Della Valle next proposed going to Goa, the famous Proposed voyage capital of Portuguese India. Goa was nearly four hundred miles to the south of Surat. The distance was too great for a land journey, whilst the voyage was dangerous on account of the Malabar pirates that infested those waters. At last Della Valle arranged to undertake the voyage in the company of a large Portuguese convoy.

At

the converted

At starting there was a domestic difficulty. Della Story of Galal, Valle had taken a Muhammadan boy into his service Mussulman. in Persia, named Galal, and induced him to become a Christian. On arriving at Surat, Galal ignored his conversion, and declared himself a Mussulman. first Della Valle thought the boy was acting through fear of the Moghul authorities; but soon had reason to suspect him of an intention of returning to the religion of the Koran. The custom-house officials interfered, and refused to allow Galal to accompany his Christian master to a Christian country like Goa, where he might be perverted from the religion of the Prophet. Della Valle was so angry that he threatened the boy with death if he ventured to turn Mussulman. On this Galal was so frightened at the prospect that he resolved to remain a Christian; and he accordingly managed to escape from Surat, and eventually accompanied his master to Goa.

the island of

Della Valle left Surat on the 24th of March 1623, Description of and reached Goa on the 8th of April. The city was Goa. the metropolis of all the Portuguese possessions in

CHAP. IX.

City of Goa;

numerous churches and priests.

the East. It was seated on one of the numerous islands off the western coast, which were formed by rivers that separated them from the mainland. It was built on the innermost side of the island, facing the continent; but the whole island, especially near the bank of the river, was adorned with towns and country-houses, in the midst of groves of palm trees and delightful gardens. The island was nearly environed by a wall, especially on the land side, and the gates were continually guarded. This was necessary to repel the attacks of Mahratta and Muhammadan neighbours, and to prevent the outlet of thieves or slaves, who might otherwise escape over the river into the dominions of the Muhammadan Sultan of Bíjápur. On the sea side such precautions were unnecessary. Here there were numerous islets and peninsulas belonging to the Portuguese, which were occupied by towns and numerous churches.

Della Valle entered the river of Goa from the north side. As he reached the inmost recess he saw the city stretched out on his right hand. It was built partly upon a plain, and partly on pleasant hills; and from the tops of these hills there was a charming prospect of the whole island and the sea beyond. The buildings were good, large, and convenient. They were contrived, for the most part, to receive the breezes and fresh air which moderated the extreme heats. The churches were the finest buildings in Goa. Many were held by religious orders, such as Augustines, Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, and Jesuits. Indeed, there were too many priests at Goa; half the number would have sufficed for a much larger city. Besides the religious orders, there

were many secular priests, parishes, and chapels, and, lastly, the cathedral.

tion.

The native inhabitants of Goa were numerous, Native populabut the most part were slaves. They were a black generation, ill clad, and a disparagement to the city.

pride of the

The Portuguese were few in number, and had much Poverty and declined of late years. They used to be rich, but Portuguese. had lost their wealth through the incursions of the Dutch and English, and become very poor. In outward appearance they still lived in some splendour, for the country was very plentiful, and they made a show of all they had. But in secret they suffered great hardships. They were all desirous of being accounted gentlemen; and rather than submit to mechanical employments, they underwent much distress, and even went out begging in the evening. They all professed arms, and claimed to be considered as soldiers, the married as well as the single. Few, except priests and doctors of law and physic, were seen without a sword. Even the artificers and meanest plebeians carried swords and wore silk clothes.

squeamishness.

Della Valle found the Portuguese singularly squeam- Significant ish. He was accompanied by the young girl, Mariam Tinitin, who had been brought up in his house from a little child, and was always treated as his own. daughter; but the Portuguese of Goa held it to be contrary to good manners that the two should be dwelling in the same house. Della Valle accordingly placed Mariam Tinitin in the charge of a Portuguese gentlewoman; but he could not help remarking on the depravity which was often to be found amongst near relations at Goa, and which rendered such pre

CHAP. IX. cautions necessary to prevent public scandal." As regards Della Valle, however, his feelings were destined to undergo an extraordinary change. The story has already been told of his burying his beloved wife with great pomp at Rome, and delivered an oration over her remains. Subsequently he married Mariam Tinitin.

Learned Jesuit missionaries.

Procession of the Holy Sacrament.

Fleet courier from Madrid overland.

Della Valle lodged for a few days in a convent of the Jesuits. Here he found many Italian fathers, besides Portuguese, Castilians, and priests of other nations. The Jesuits employed many Italian fathers on missions to China, Japan, India, and other countries in the East. Many of these missionaries were learned and accomplished men. One was skilled in the languages of China and Japan; another was a great mathematician; a third was learned in Greek and Arabic; whilst one priest was distinguished as a painter.

On the 27th of April 1623 there was a solemn procession at Goa of the most Holy Sacrament for the annual feast of Corpus Christi. The procession was made by the whole clergy, with a greater show of green boughs than clothes. Mysteries were represented by persons in disguise, accompanied by fictitious animals, dances, and masquerades. These things were not to Della Valle's liking. He says that in Italy they would have been better suited to rural villages than to great cities.

On the 11th of May a Portuguese gentleman arrived

16 Other old travellers to Goa bear similar testimony to the vices of the Portuguese in India. The strictest laws were found necessary to keep the sexes apart in ordinary domestic life. The same depraved inclinations are to be found to this day amongst the lower orders of half-caste Portuguese at Calcutta.

at Goa; he had come from the court of Spain overland through Turkey. He was said to have made a rapid journey; he brought letters from Madrid dated the end of October, and landed at Goa in little more than six months. At Marseilles he met the courier who was carrying the tidings to Madrid that the Portuguese had lost their famous settlement in the island of Ormuz in the Persian Gulf. He brought out a variety of news from Europe, especially that five saints had been canonised in one day, namely, Ignatius Loyola, Francis Xavier, Philip Neri, Teresa, and Isidore.

CHAP. IX.

Saint Teresa by

Carmelites.

Saint Teresa was the founder of the order of the Proclamation of barefooted Carmelites. Accordingly, the Carmelites the barefooted at Goa determined to celebrate her canonisation at once, to prevent its being confounded with the canonisation of Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the order of the Jesuits. The ceremonial took place on the 20th of May, being nine days after the arrival of the news. Two Portuguese boys, richly clad in ridinghabits as couriers, were sent to announce the canonisation of Saint Teresa to the Viceroy of Goa in certain appropriate verses. The same boys proclaimed the glorious occasion with the sound of a trumpet throughout the streets of Goa, and scattered the verses amongst the people of the city. Meanwhile the bells in all the churches were ringing with joy; for so the Bishop had given orders. At night there were displays of fireworks throughout the city; whilst all the chief Portuguese of the place paraded the streets in various disguises after the manner of a masquerade. Della Valle went in the garb of an Arab gentleman, and was accompanied by a boy dressed as a Persian soldier.