chiefly of roots, cocoa nuts, and figs. Their language was not
understood, but by signs they gave the Portuguese to understand that
there was gold in the mountains, but of which they made no use. They had
no knowledge of iron or any other metal. Leaving this island, which they
named after the pilot Diego Lopez Sequeira, they returned to Ternate,
after an absence of eight months.

Don Enrique de Menezes, died at Cananor about the end of January 1526,
in the thirtieth year of his age. He was a man of large stature, with a
pleasing countenance, just in all his actions, continent, free from
covetousness, a true patron of merit, and of the most unblemished
honour. During his government he refused uniformly to accept any of the
numerous presents offered him by the eastern princes; and conducted
himself with such perfect integrity in every transaction, that at his
death his whole treasure amounted only to thirteen rials and a half; and
he had even expended the whole of his patrimonial estate during the
short continuance of his government of Portuguese India, chiefly in
rewarding the merits of his officers.

SECTION VII.

_Continuation of the Portuguese Transactions in India, from_ 1526 _to_
1538.

At his death in January 1526, Don Enrique de Menezes left a paper sealed
up, by which the succession to him in the government was to be
regulated, in case the person nominated for that purpose by the king
should happen to be absent. That paper was lost, yet it was known that
he had named Francisco de Sa, then commanding in Goa, as his provisional
successor. The second royal nomination was now opened, in which Pedro de
Mascarenas was appointed successor to Don Enrique; but Mascarenas
commanded at Malacca, which was at a great distance, and the season of
the year did not admit of that navigation. On opening the third patent,
Lope Vaz de Sampayo was the person there named, who was accordingly
invested in the government, having, engaged on oath to resign to
Mascarenas on the arrival of that officer from Malacca.

At this time George Zelo and Pedro de Faria blockaded the port of
Cananor, in which lay a fleet belonging to the zamorin. Sampayo
immediately sent orders to Antonio de Sylveria and Christopher de Souza,
then at Goa, to join the other two officers at Cananor to prevent the
escape of the enemy, and went in person with seven ships and a
considerable land force to endeavour to destroy them. _Cutiale_, the
admiral of this