_ 242 _ Meanwhile he decided to sail from Cape Mussendum to the island of Henjam, where the galleys would have to call. At the beginning of the same month of August, the two ships brought news to Dom Diogo that fifteen galleys were following in their wake. A short while later, these began to appear under full sail along the coast of Persia driven by a westerly wind. Dom Diogo, whose entire fleet was anchored off the Arabian coast, set sail and began to cross to the Persian side. When he arrived to within firing distance of the galley, he bombarded them, but he did not dare to go closer inshore, which was where the galleys were heading as best they could, while firing their artillery. A shot from the bridge of a galley hit the falleon of the captain-major at the water line on the leeward side, which the cannon ball entered. It promptly began to spring a leak. The officers of the galleon rushed below and saw that it was sinking, so they requested the captain-major to change direction because they were going down, which he did much against his will and because he was forced to do so. By changing course, the officers had very quickly caused gaping holes. Then at ten o’clock in the morning the wind began to drop, and the galleons remained scattered over the sea
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