I N T R O D U C T I O N .
T H E first arrival of the Portuguese in the Eastern Islands was in the year
1510, when Alphonzo de Albuquerque first visited Sumatra. In the following1
year, Albuquerque conquered the city of Malacca, and sent to announce that
event to those countries and islands which had traded thither, inviting
them to continue their intercourse, and promising them protection and
encouragement.* To Java and the Moluccas he sent Antonio de AbrOW,
having, .however,: previously prepared the Way- by 'à Modr or Mahometan,
of the name of Nakoda Ismael, who Was trading in a merchant
vessel. Antonio de Abrew sailed on I his mission with three vessels, and
took with him several Javans and Malay us who had been accustomed to
trade with Malacca. The first port on Java-at which he'arrived was the
city of Agaçai,t and from thence he sailed"to Amboina, otte Of the Moluccas,
where t he set up his padroes, or p i l l a r s ':discovery and possession,
as he had .done at every port at which he had touched. >(Dne of- the
vessels was, lost in a storm, Eut the people were'Saved and carried by
Abrew to a port in Banda to which, vessels then resorted for trade, and
whither it was that the Javan, vessels used to go; for; cloves, nutmegs, and
c 2 mace,
* Barros, Decada3, chapr^-bookS; 1
f Probably Grésik.
t Barros, Decada S, book 5, chapter 6.
Java first visited
by the Portuguese.