al
to treat him as a sincere friend, whom they were always to honour. He
gave him also a hundred cruzados and a hundred testoons, besides the
payment due to him, and goods and other presents, so that the honest
broker departed highly pleased.

As the crews were lifting the anchors, two large boats came off with a
further supply of fowls and other fresh provisions. The sails were then
loosed, and the two ships commenced their homeward voyage on the 20th of
November, in the year of grace 1498. After proceeding some distance,
finding the winds contrary, the pilots recommended that they should put
back; but as Vasco da Gama objected to this, they steered a course for
the island of Angediva, which had a good port with plenty of wood and
water, where they proposed to remain until the monsoon had commenced.
The only inhabitant of the island was a hermit, who lived in a grotto,
and subsisted on what was given him by passing ships.

The people enjoyed themselves much by being able to go on shore without
fear of interruption. Several native vessels came in, not seeing them
until they were round the point. They were of two descriptions, some
having their planks sewn together with coir rope, which had keels, and
others flat bottomed, the planking being secured by nails. Their
anchors were of hard wood, with stones fastened to the shanks, so that
they might sink to the bottom. The rudders were fastened by ropes
passed outside. They had no tops, and only one large sail of matting.
Instead of decks they had compartments, in which the different sorts of
merchandise was stowed, the whole covered with matting of palm-leaves,
which formed a sort of shelving roof so that the water could run off it,
and was of strength sufficient to enable the crew to walk on the top.
They had no pumps, but only buckets of leather. The yards were long and
tapering, two-thirds abaft the mast and one-third before it, with only a
single sheet. The tack of the sail was made fast to the end of a sprit
almost as long as the mast, so that they could set their sails very
flat, and steer close to the wind. When they had to tack they lowered
the sail half down the mast, and then hauled upon the heel of the yard
until they brought it to the foot of the mast, and passed it over to the
other side.

The ships which came in attempted to escape, but the boats were sent
after them with Moorish pilots, who persuaded them to return, assuring
them that the Portug