_ 240 _ another piece of news arrived that a second Portuguese fleet belonging to Pero de Ataide, was at the mouth of the Strait of Mecca. As the Grand Turk feared that these fleets might make further advances because that Strait was defenseless at that time, he decided to send fifteen galleys, from among those that Piri Reis had taken to Basra, to guard and defend it. On learning this, Moradobec (Barbarossa/Khair-ed-din). A former captain of EI Katiff, who at that time happened to be at court, anxious to heal the rift that he had created by relinquishing that fortress so hastily to Dom Antão de Noronha, used his influence on the Turk and managed to persuade him to entrust him with that expedition. The latter dispatched him forthwith with an order to commandeer fifteen of the galleys that Piri Reis and taken to Basra and to go with them to guard the Strait of Mecca. The rest of the galleys were to remain in Basra, waging war on the Gizares. On arriving in Suez, Piri Reis beached his two galleys and transported all his booty and his Portuguese captives by camel to Alexandria. From there he went by sea to Constantinople, less than a month after the departure of Barbarossa. There, trusting in the riches that he was carrying, he presented himself at the feet of the Turk. But
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTg0NzAy