he pilots, who each received
payment in advance, and he then went back to obtain provisions. The
Sheikh took this opportunity of cross-questioning him, and learning the
force and means of defence possessed by the two ships.

Believing that they were richly-laden, and that he could capture them,
he forthwith laid a plan to effect his object.

Davane did not know the whole plan at the time, but suspecting that
treachery of some sort was intended, on his return on board immediately
warned Vasco da Gama, and advised him to be on his guard. The Sheikh
soon after sent off requesting the Captain-Major and his officers to
visit him, and offering to take charge of their sick. His plan was, as
soon as the boats should go to the watering-place, to seize the crews,
and then, having secured them and the chief officers, to sail out, with
four Moorish vessels in the harbour, and attack the Portuguese ships.

When, therefore, a boat was sent on shore, by Davane's advice, two guns
were placed in her, and a screen fitted which could be raised to shelter
the crew from arrows. Nicolas Coelho went in command of her, with ten
seamen and twelve men-at-arms with crossbows.

One of the Moorish pilots, who was taken in the boat to conduct her to
the watering-place, instead of steering for it, during the whole night
led her through numerous creeks, intending to run her ashore, as the
tide was falling, when, had he succeeded, she and all on board would
have become an easy prey to his treacherous countrymen.

Coelho, on discovering the design of the pilot, was on the point of
killing him, when, just as the boat got into the bay at early morning,
the traitor threw himself into the sea, and coming up again at a
distance from the boat, swam rapidly for the shore. The Portuguese
rowed after him, but he kept ahead, and as the boat approached the
beach, a concourse of people came down, discharging flights of arrows
and stones from slings at her. This being seen from the ships, Vasco da
Gama declared that he would go at once and burn the Moorish vessels; but
he was overruled by his brother, who represented that their men might
thus be exposed to danger, and that though it would be easy to send the
vessels to the bottom with their artillery, should they do so in a new
country, they would be looked upon as pirates, and the help they
required denied them.

In consequence it was resolved to send on shore a complaint to the
Sheikh of the outrage; b