_ 195 _ from its nails. After this unfortunate event we again began to sail, but with only a little foresail in order not to suffer more from the weather and so that we should not end up by having everything dashed to pieces and being totally dismasted. As we were still far out to sea from the first headland of the island of Madagascar, we could not make for Mozambique, because there were many islands and shoals on the way. The pilot did not dare to pass that way, nor did he want to risk the ship; and on this point there were different opinions. For there were some sailors who thought it would be very easy, but their view was not accepted by the pilot, who would not abandon his opinion, giving as his reason that at the time we would be approaching the Malindi coast (from which we were very far and separated by great seas), the westerlies would be blowing over our bows, and contrary to us, and there was no way we could reach there, and we should waste as much time doing this as it would take to go to India. The pilot thought that we would suffer many losses, and that we should make for there India immediately, for the time was so short that we still ran the risk that these
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