_ 37 _ consent, provided they were rewarded. The captain-major gave them thirty mitkals of gold and two marlotas [cloaks] each. This was on condition that from the day that they received this remuneration, if either of them wanted to go ashore one would remain on board the ship. They were very pleased with this arrangement. On Saturday, 10 March we departed and we anchored one league out to sea, near an island, so that on Sunday mass would be said, and those who wished could confess and receive communion. One of the pilots had stayed on the island and, after we had anchored, we equipped two boats to catch him. The captain-major went in one boat and Nicolau Coelho in the other. While they were proceeding in this way, five or six boats came out to meet them, full of men, armed with long bows and arrows and shields. These signalled to them that they should return to the town. When the captain-major saw this, he seized the pilot and gave orders to fire the bombards on those who were approaching in the boats. Paulo da Gama remained with the ships so that, should the need arise, he would come to our aid. When he heard the bombards, he set sail in the Bérrio. When the Moors, who had already taken flight, saw
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