Cochin. ■ Cochin lies in Lat. 90 58' N.-on the fouthern fide of the channel,
on an ifland oppofite to another that ftretches to the fouth.
It is a RajahJJjip, poffibly dependent on that of Travancore, who
feems to have undertaken the defence of the whole tradt fouth-
ward, by eredting the famous lines o f Travancore, which begin
at Cranganore and extend almoft to the foot of the Ghauts,
The coaft is very low, fcarcely difcernible, except by the trees.
The foundings are gradual, and are, at the diftance of two miles
from ihore, ten or eleven fathoms. Ships ufu ally lie three or
four miles from land ; a-dangerous bar is an obftrudlion to entering
the harbour; and a moft furious furge at times beats on
the ihore.
T h i s was one of the firit places viiited by the Portuguefe,
after their arrival at Calicut. It was at that time governed by
a prince, tributary to thz Zamorin, but whoihewed every aCt
o f friendlhip to the Admiral, Cabral, and his companions. At
his time the harbour was capacious and open. While he was
there, two of the Chrijlians o f St. Thomas came and reqtiefted
him to convey them to Portugal, that from thence they might
vifit Jerufahm, and the 'Holy hand.. Gama himfelf afterwards
viiited Cochin, and received every mark of refpedt. The prince
continued faithful to his new allies, and ailifted them with a
confiderable army againft thz Zamorin. At length fortune declared
againit him; the Zamorin burnt his capital, and made
himfelf mailer of his dominions. The Portuguefe under Francis
Albuquerque, fays hafitau, came, in 1503, to their afiiilrnce,
expelled the Zamorin, and Duarte Pacheco, whom Albuquer-.
que had left behind, by his aftoniihing valor and prudence, reinftated
inflated Triumpara, the reigning prince, but only to fit him for
a new mortification. In the tranfports o f his gratitude he permitted
the Portuguefe to build a fort. This gave them full
power over their faithful ally ; and, under pretence of reducing
his rebellious fubjecti, made a conqueft o f the whole country.
In a little time the poor prince found himfelf enflaved. Cochin
became, under its new matters, a place of great commerce, till
the year 1660, fatal to the Portuguefe power in this part o f
India. It was attacked by the Commodore Goem. The gar-
rifon made a moft gallant defence, nor was it taken till after
great lots on both fides. The Dutch found the city much too
large for their purpofe; they reduced it confiderably. The
titular king did not find any improvement in his fituation, and
it is faid, that the prefent prince lives near Cochin, with an income
o f little more than fix hundred pounds a year. Some of
the race of the Jemfh captives, and fome of the Chrijlians o f St.
Thomas, refide here. The laft are miferably poor and ignorant;
but the church of St. Andrea, not far from hence, is ferved by
their clergy.
In this city breathed his laft the great Vafco de Gama, the Of V^eco
difeoverer o f India, and, with the illuftrious Albuquerque, the
founder of the Portuguefe empire in that inexhauftible region
of wealth. Gama was born at Sines, a port in the province o f
Alentejo, in Portugal, of a family rendered illuftrious by the
valour of the individuals. Vafco was only the fifth in heraldic
hiftory, which does not even acquaint us with the time of his
birth. He had ferved in France, and he was Gentleman of the
Bedchamber to the great Emmanuel, when he was appointed, in
i - V o l. I. Z 1497,
DE