l against me, although I commanded them to
make for it and destroy it; {60} but this they would not do, and
well it was that it turned out so, since between thee and them
there was such amity.'[6]

[Footnote 5: Albuquerque's _Commentaries_, vol. i. p. 227.]

[Footnote 6: Albuquerque's _Commentaries_, vol. i. pp. 237, 238.]

Albuquerque then promised to demand a strict account some day from
Cogeatar for his behaviour; he swore not to cut his beard until he
had completed the fortress at Ormuz, and, after capturing a rich
merchant-ship, he sailed for India. He had spent two years and eight
months at sea, and was now to show his capacity in a wider sphere.

While Albuquerque was establishing the power of Portugal on the
coasts of Arabia and in the Persian Gulf, Almeida was being
prejudiced against him. The deserter and rebel captains met with a
favourable reception from the Viceroy. They described Albuquerque to
him 'as a very harsh sort of a man, and very hasty, without bearing
in mind the honour of his men,'[7] and declared that he had exceeded
his orders in attempting to build a fortress at Ormuz. This,
according to Almeida, was the head and front of Albuquerque's
offending. It has been said that Almeida's policy was opposed to the
building of many fortresses in the East, on the ground that it would
not be possible to garrison them. He was afraid of the vast schemes
of Albuquerque, and wrote to the King, alleging that Albuquerque had
disobeyed orders by his conduct at Ormuz. Almeida's opposition to the
policy of Albuquerque was increased by a personal grievance owing to
the news which arrived in {61} 1508, that Albuquerque was his
destined successor at the close of three years of government. When,
therefore, Albuquerque reached Cannanore, in December 1508, he found
that the Viceroy was prejudiced against him and had received the
mutinous captains with honour; and on Albuquerque's requesting the
Viceroy to hand over the government to him, Almeida replied that his
term did not expire till January 1509, and that he desired to defeat
the Egyptian fleet of Emir Husain and to wreak vengeance for the
death of his son, Dom Lourenco. Albuquerque acknowledged the force of
these arguments, and retired to Cochin, where he remained inactive
until Almeida's return, in March 1509, after the great victory off
Diu.

[Footnote 7: Albuquerque's _Commentaries_, vol. i. p. 206.]

Albuquerque again demanded that Almeida should re