_ 100 _ appearance he immediately went to embrace the captain and the captains, and he began to claim that he was a Christian from the Levant region. He had come to this country when he was very young and he was now in the service of a Lord who had forty thousand cavalrymen. The latter was a Moor and he was a Moor as well, though in his heart he was completely Christian. While he was at home, news arrived that some men were in Calicut whom no one could understand and they went about all dressed up. When he heard this, he said they could only be Franks, which is the way we are referred to in those parts. So he asked permission to come and see us because if he was not allowed to do so he would die of frustration. His master then told him to come and tell us that if there was anything that he could provide from his domain he would give it to us and he offered ships and food. Moreover, if we wished to live in his country he would be very pleased. The captain gave him many thanks for this, which the Moor considered very acceptable. He then asked the captain as a favour to give him a cheese to send to his companion who had remained ashore, because he had arranged with him that if all was well, he would give him a sign and he would be reassured. The captain then gave orders to provide him with a cheese and two loaves of fresh
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