_ 113 _ Item: One day the captain-major gave in his honour a feast of figs and comfits and asked him for two pilots to sail with us. And he said he would grant this if they were rewarded. Whereupon the captain-major gave thirty golden meticals and two Turkish coats to each of them, and this upon condition that from the day they received this, one of them would always remain aboard when the other went ashore, and with this they were greatly pleased. On Saturday the tenth day of March we departed and cast anchor one league out to sea near an island, that on Sunday we might hear Mass, and those who wished could go to confession and to communion. Item: One of the pilots remained on the island, and having cast anchor we armed two long-boats and set out for the island. The captain-major went in one of the boats and in the other Nicollao Coelho. And as they set out, there came against them five or six boats with many men carrying their bows and very long arrows, and shields, telling them all the while by signs to return to the town. Upon seeing this the captain-major secured the pilot he had with him and ordered the bombards to fire upon the men in the boats. And Paulo da Gama having remained on the ships so that, in case of need, he might go to their aid, hearing the
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