hem, from the
delay in delivery, that the King was preparing some treachery against
them, and the greater part of the ships' crews made an uproar and told
the captains to go, as the delays which the King made were for nothing
else than treachery: as it seemed to them all that it might be so, they
were abandoning everything and were intending to depart; and being about
to unfurl the sails, the King, who had made the agreement with them,
came to the flag-ship and asked the captain why he wanted to go, because
that which he had agreed upon with him he intended to fulfil it as had
been settled. The captain replied that the ships' crews said they should
go and not remain any longer, as it was only treachery that was being
prepared against them. To this the King answered that it was not so, and
on that account he at once sent for his _Koran_, upon which he wished
to make oath that nothing should be done to them. They at once brought
him his _Koran_, and upon it he made oath, and told them to rest at ease
with that. At this the crews were set at rest, and he promised them that
he would give them their cargo by December 15, 1521, which he fulfilled
within the said time, without being wanting in anything.

When the two ships were already laden and about to unfurl their sails,
the flag-ship sprung a large leak, and, the King of the country learning
this, he sent them twenty-five divers to stop the leak, which they were
unable to do. They settled that the other ship should depart, and that
this one should again discharge all its cargo and unload it; and as they
could not stop the leak, the King promised that they, the people of the
country, should give them all that they might be in need of. This was
done, and they discharged the cargo of the flag-ship; and when the said
ship was repaired, they took in her cargo, and decided on making for the
country of the Antilles, and the course from Molucca to it was two
thousand leagues, a little more or less. The other ship, which set sail
first, left on December of the said year, and went out to sea for the
Timor, and made its course behind Java, two thousand fifty-five leagues,
to the Cape of Good Hope.

ANTONIO PIGAFETTA

In order to double the Cape of Good Hope, we went as far as 42 deg. south
latitude, and we remained off that cape for nine weeks, with the sails
struck, on account of the western and northwestern gales, which beat
against our bows with fierce squalls. The Cape of Goo