king, he
and his nobles all in one voice gave thanks to God and Mahomet for
granting them the friendship of so great a prince. During the three days
which the fleet continued here, Correa remained on shore at the kings
particular request, in which he constantly employed himself in inquiries
concerning the customs of the king of Portugal and the conduct of his
government.

The king of Melinda was very anxious to have Cabral to come on shore to
the palace, but he excused himself as having been ordered by his master
not to land at any port, with which the king was satisfied, yet desired
to have an interview on the water. On this occasion, though the palace
was very near the sea, he went on horseback to the shore, having his
horse decorated with the rich caparisons sent him by the king of Portugal,
which were obliged to be put on by one of our men as none of the natives
knew their use. On coming to the shore, certain principal natives waited
at the foot of the stair, having a live sheep, which they opened alive,
taking out the bowels, and the king rode over the carcase of the sheep.
_This is a kind of ceremony that the witches there do use_.[16] After
this he went to the water side, with all his train on foot, saying in a
loud voice certain words of incantation. The interview with the general
took place on the water in great ceremony, and the king gave him a pilot
to carry the fleet to Calicut. Cabral left two banished men at Melinda to
inform themselves of all the circumstances of the country to the best of
their abilities. One of these, called _Machado_, when he had learned the
Arabic language, went afterwards by land to the straits of the Red Sea,
and from thence by Cambaya to _Balagarte_, and settled with the _sabayo_
or lord of Goa, passing always for a Moor. This man was afterwards very
serviceable to Albuquerque, as will be seen hereafter.

Leaving Melinda on the 7th of August, he came to Ansandina or Anche-diva,
on the 20th of that month, where he waited some days for the fleet of
Mecca, which he meant to have attacked. While there, the whole of the
crews confessed and received the sacrament. No ships appearing, the fleet
left Anchediva and sailed for Calicut, coming to anchor within a league
of that place on the 13th of September. Several almadias came off
immediately to sell victuals: And some of the principal nayres, with a
Guzurat merchant, brought a message from the zamorin,[17] declaring his
satisfaction at