, who seemed quite irritated,
had regained their calm. Then leaving ashore the sergeant-major,
Juan de Moron, in command, he returned to his ship to have it moored
and set in order.

In the afternoon of the same day, at three o'clock, the Moro Mahomate
asked permission to spend the night among his relatives, and the
master-of-camp granted his request. During the day the Moros came
to look at the soldiers ashore with their arquebuses and lighted
match-ropes. The Moros carried their weapons and showed a rather bold
attitude. They even did things which the Spaniards not often tolerate;
but in order to obey the orders of the master-of-camp, and not give
the appearance of starting hostilities on our side, they overlooked
all the unmeasured boldness displayed by the Moros. At nightfall the
men ashore withdrew to the ships, where they slept. The next morning
the Moro Mahomete returned with the same ambassador who had first
come. The latter bore a message from Rraxa Soliman, to the effect
that he had been informed that a tribute was to be asked of him;
and that, consequently, he would not allow the Spaniards to enter
the river. The master-of-camp--as one desirous of peace, and in view
of the orders of the governor to make peace with the said town of
Menilla--in his answer, requested the messenger to tell his lord not
to believe such reports, for hitherto he had not asked for any tribute
from him. He added that they would see each other again, and make a
friendly settlement, which would be to his taste. Thus he dismissed
the messenger; and he himself, after a little thought, went ashore
with only the Spanish and Moro interpreters, without notifying any one
of what he was going to do. He entered the palisade, whose gates were
guarded by many Moros, and was led by the Moros straightway to a small
house, where he was bidden to await King Soliman. As soon as the latter
heard that the master-of-camp was within the fort, he hastened to him;
and both went to a house where they made a friendly compact, after
the fashion of the land--namely, in this wise: the master-of-camp drew
blood with the two chiefs, uncle and nephew--both called Rraxa, which
in the Malay language signifies king. The Moros drank the blood of the
master-of-camp mixed with wine, and the master-of-camp drank that of
the Moros in a similar way. Thus the friendship was established, on the
terms that the Moros of Menilla were to support the Spaniards who came
to settle t