_ 23 _ top of a hill near the sea, and they brought many oxen and cows. They collected in two places along the seashore and played and danced as they had on Saturday. It was the custom among these men for the young boys to remain in the bush with their weapons while the men came to parley with us. They carried short sticks in their hands with fox tails, with which they fanned their faces. While we were talking in this way by signs, we could see the young men crouching and moving about in the forest holding their weapons in their hands. The captain-major sent ashore a man called Martim Afonso, who had already lived in Manicongo, and he gave him bracelets to exchange for an ox. When the natives had received the bracelets, they took him by the hand and went to show him the water hole, asking him why we were taking their water. Meanwhile they began to herd the oxen into the forest. When the captain-major saw this, he ordered us to assemble and to recall Martim Afonso because he believed that they were preparing some treachery. Then, when we were all together we went to the place where we had been originally and the natives followed behind us. The captain ordered us to go ashore with lances, spears and armed crossbows and wearing our breastplates. This was more to
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