urteously received by the King, and conducted about the
city by an old Moor, who took them to the house of two merchants,
Abyssinian Christians, by whom they were courteously received. One of
them was the next morning sent back by the King to give a favourable
report of their treatment on shore, and to request the Captain-Major to
enter without further delay.

On this, not believing any harm was intended, he ordered the anchor to
be weighed; but on the sails being set, the ships missed stays and were
being driven by a current towards a bank, when the anchors were let fall
and the sails furled.

The holloaing and shouting raised by the Portuguese while performing
these manoeuvres so frightened the pilots, that believing their
treachery was discovered, they slipped overboard and swam to the shore.

One, however, was detained, and in order to make him confess, according
to the cruel custom of the times, he was tortured by having boiling
grease dropped on his body until he acknowledged that he and his
companions had been commanded by the King to let the ships drift on the
banks.

Returning thanks to Heaven for their miraculous preservation as it was
considered, as soon as the tide turned, it being moonlight, the
Captain-Major ordered the anchors to be weighed and the ships to stand
out to sea. In weighing, however, one of the cables broke, and the
anchor remained behind. One of the convicts afterwards reported that
the King punished the pilots for running away.

Having left Mombas, they steered northward, along the coast as before,
until they sighted two zambuks, one of which was captured. She had on
board eighty men, and was laden with ivory. The captain had his wife on
board, a very pretty woman, richly dressed, with four women to attend on
her; he had besides a chest full of jewels and money.

The old Moorish captain, to whom the name of Dias was given, with his
wife and her attendants, were brought on board the _Saint Raphael_,
where they were treated so courteously by da Gama, that he completely
won their hearts.

The crew of the zambuk were divided among the two ships, and ten
Portuguese were put into her, with directions to touch nothing, and not
to lose sight of the squadron.

In less than three days the squadron reached Melinda, situated on a
plain close to the sea, and consisting of numerous fine buildings
surrounded by walls. The ships dropped anchor among a number of
vessels, all dressed out in f