DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12673#0064
OLD GOA AS IT WAS.
47
Portuguese in India, you could not have seen a
bit of " iron in any merchant's house, but all gold
and silver." They coined an immense quantity of
the precious metals, and used to make pieces of
workmanship in them for exportation. They were
a nation of traders, and the very soldiers enriched
themselves by commerce. After nine years' service,
all those that came from Portugal were entitled to
some command, either by land or sea; they fre-
quently, however, rejected government employ on
account of being engaged in the more lucrative
pursuit of trade. The viceroyalty of Goa was one
of the most splendid appointments in the world.
There were five other governments, namely —
Mozambique, Malacca, Ormus, Muscat, and Ceylon,
the worst of which was worth ten thousand crowns
(about two thousand pounds) per annum — an
enormous sum in those days.
The celebrated Monsieur Tavernier, Baron of
Aubonne, visited Goa twice ; first in 1641, the
second time seven years afterwards. In his day
the city was declining rapidly,* and even during
* About the end of the sixteenth century the Dutch sent
ships round the Cape, and soon managed to secure the best
part of the Eastern trade, formerly monopolized by the Por-
tuguese.
47
Portuguese in India, you could not have seen a
bit of " iron in any merchant's house, but all gold
and silver." They coined an immense quantity of
the precious metals, and used to make pieces of
workmanship in them for exportation. They were
a nation of traders, and the very soldiers enriched
themselves by commerce. After nine years' service,
all those that came from Portugal were entitled to
some command, either by land or sea; they fre-
quently, however, rejected government employ on
account of being engaged in the more lucrative
pursuit of trade. The viceroyalty of Goa was one
of the most splendid appointments in the world.
There were five other governments, namely —
Mozambique, Malacca, Ormus, Muscat, and Ceylon,
the worst of which was worth ten thousand crowns
(about two thousand pounds) per annum — an
enormous sum in those days.
The celebrated Monsieur Tavernier, Baron of
Aubonne, visited Goa twice ; first in 1641, the
second time seven years afterwards. In his day
the city was declining rapidly,* and even during
* About the end of the sixteenth century the Dutch sent
ships round the Cape, and soon managed to secure the best
part of the Eastern trade, formerly monopolized by the Por-
tuguese.