ception was given to the Portuguese
emissary than to himself. Ismail Shah had many conversations with
Ferreira, and declared 'the desire which he cherished for the
destruction of the Grand Sultan and the house of Mecca.'[6] After the
departure of his ambassador, Albuquerque sent the son of his cousin,
Jorge de Albuquerque, a young man of much promise, named Pedro, in
command of four ships, with instructions to visit Aden, to winter at
{136} Ormuz, and to explore the Persian Gulf. The young commander, on
his arrival at Ormuz, found that the new King was entirely under the
influence of a young Persian named Rais Ahmad, who had taken
possession of Cogeatar's goods and endeavoured to occupy his
position. Pedro de Albuquerque first demanded that the half-finished
fortress commenced by the Governor should be handed over to the
Portuguese. When excuses were made, he desisted from this demand
owing to the weakness of his squadron, and contented himself with
requesting that the tribute due to the King of Portugal for the last
two years should be paid. He obtained 10,000 xerafins (under 750
pounds), and after exploring the Persian Gulf he returned to India.
On hearing his report, Albuquerque resolved in the succeeding season
to proceed himself to Ormuz.

[Footnote 6: Albuquerque's _Commentaries_, vol. iv. p. 88.]

On February 20, 1515, Albuquerque left Goa with twenty-six ships,
after appointing Pedro Mascarenhas Captain of Cochin, and Dom Joao de
Eca Captain of Goa. This was his last campaign, and it is interesting
to notice that it took place in the same quarter as his first Asiatic
enterprise. But Affonso de Albuquerque, the great Captain-General of
India, the conqueror of Goa and Malacca, was a very different person
to the Affonso de Albuquerque of seven years before, the commodore of
a small squadron, holding an ambiguous position, and at issue with
the Viceroy and his own captains. The terror of his name had now
spread abroad, and his captains no longer dared to oppose his wishes.
In the month of March he anchored off {137} the island of Ormuz, and
at once demanded that the half-finished fortress should be handed
over to him. After much negotiating the King of Ormuz gave way, and
the Portuguese landed to complete their fortress. But Albuquerque did
not feel safe as long as Rais Ahmad preserved his influence at Court;
he therefore had the young man assassinated before the King's eyes.
This murder terrified the King, who th