_ 48 _ missionaries. He followed in the squadron of Cristovão Pereira Homem, which was made up of three small ships, probably foists. Cristovão observed that Massawa was then occupied by the Turks engaged in a second attempt to conquer Abyssinia, whom the Portuguese who were still living in the Abyssinian empire (erstwhile companions of Cristovão da Gama and descendants of these and others found there) helped effectively to repel. Cristovão Homem sailed to the island of Kamaran, was beset by rough seas but weathered the storm, and suddenly encountered the four galleys of Zafar. One of these was camouflaged and pretended to be a carrack. Without a shadow of a doubt, there is nothing new. Our ships continued taking evasive action to escape but on the following day Zafar, who was a superior seafarer, managed to board Cristovão's ship. The thirty Portuguese fiercely attacked the Turks but almost all of them were killed. The survivors were captured and taken to Cairo, together with Fr. Fulgencio, where they were ransomed by way of Italy. It is pertinent to relate that despite continuous war in the Mediterranean between the Muslims and Christians,
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