_ 82 _ ship of Mequa which came on here, that there were being made ready in Suez twenty five galleys, and that there were suspicions about they were coming to this fortress: I took these persons who has brought this news to the Captain, where in a more detailed manner they were questioned in respect to this; and they stated what I have said above of these vessels being made ready without knowing where they were bound for; the Captain and Comptroller of the Exchequer Bastiam Lopes Lobato at once commenced to prepare and take in water and food supplies, and other necessaries, and when the time came in which they might be due, which was at the beginning of August. The Captain sent out two caturs to the Cape of Roçalgate, and I sent with them two terraquis which are the lightest craft of this land. The instructions of these caturs were that they should remain at the Cape the whole of September, and should they see up to that time anything passing exceeding five galleys and upwards, one of the caturs was to proceed with the news to the Viceroy and the other to bring word to this Fortress. On the fifteenth of August in the morning three of the galleys came upon the caturs which owing to the foggy weather had not come close together.
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