466 PORTUGUESE HISTORY ble, and I shall not venture to offer any particulars in this place. Having given this account of the first esta- blishment of the Portuguese in the Archipelago, I shall take a rapid survey of their conduct in the Spice Islands. Albuquerque, while at Malacca in 1511, dispatched a squadron to the Moluccas, un- der Antonia D'Abreu, who touched at the island of Amboyna only, and from thence returned with one of his ships bearing a cargo of spices. Fran- cis Serrano, one of the captains of D' Abreu's squa- dron, was separated from bis commander, and suf- fered shipwreck on a desert island. Some hospi- table fishermen, who observed his situation, carried him in safety to Amboyna, where the Portuguese were received with a friendship and humanity which did honour to the character of the natives, and which formed so cruel a contrast to the requit- al they received. "^ ♦ The hospitality of the people of the Moluccas, towards every class of strangers, was remarkable. All the European nations were received by them with a courtesy and good faith which does honour to their character ; afid the malignant pas- sions of barbarians never displayed themselves in their conduct imtil excited by insult and provocation. The following is the account of the reception of our countrymen by the king of Ternate. ** Tiie fouretcenth of November wee fell with the islands of Molucca ; which day at night, (having directed our course to run with Tydore,) in coasting along the island of Mo- 12
