amage
done to the fort was repaired, and it was furnished with a garrison of
600 men, plentifully supplied with arms and ammunition. Soon after
receiving the joyful news of the glorious and successful defence of
Columbo, the viceroy, Duarte de Menezes, died of a violent sickness in
the beginning of May 1588, to whom succeeded Emanuel de Sousa Coutinno,
in virtue of a patent of succession, being every way well qualified for
the office by his singular bravery and thorough experience in the
affairs of India.

In the homeward fleet of this season Don Paul de Lima embarked for
Portugal in the ship called the St Thome, of which Stefano de Vega was
captain. While off the coast of Natal the ship sprung a leak in the
stern during a storm, and though all the rich commodities with which she
was freighted were thrown overboard, it was found impossible to keep her
afloat. In this extremity 120 persons took to the boat, and had hardly
put off when the ship was swallowed up by the waves. Finding the boat
overloaded, it was found necessary to throw some of the people into the
sea. At length the boat reached the shore, on which _ninety-eight_
persons landed, several of whom were men of note with their wives, and
some friars, one of whom after confessing the people who remained in the
ship wished to have staid with them that he might aid their devotions to
the last. After landing, the women put themselves into mens habits,
after the Indian manner, for the greater ease in travelling, and the
whole company set off on their march in good order, a friar going before
carrying a crucifix on high. The place where they landed was on that
part of the coast of _Natal_ called by the Portuguese the country of the
_Fumos_, but by the natives the country of _Macomates_, being inhabited
by Kafirs of that name. It is in the latitude of 27 deg. 20' S. beyond the
river of _Semin Dote_, 50 leagues south of the bay of _Lorenzo
Marquez_[409]. All the lands of the Fumos belongs to the king of
_Virangune_[410], and extends 30 leagues into the interior, bordering on
the south with the country of _Mocalapata_, which again extends to the
river _St Lucia_, in lat. 28 deg. 15' S. and to the kingdom of _Vambe_,
which contains a great part of the _Terra de Natal_[411]. From thence
to the Cape of Good Hope, the natives have no king, being ruled only by
_ancozes_ or chiefs of villages. Next to the kingdom of _Virangune_ to
the north is that of _Innaca_, towards the N.E