_ 52 _ give it to him, whether it was pilots or anything else. The captain-major sent a message to him that he would come into the harbour the following day, and by his messengers he sent him a burnous, two strings of coral beads and three basins, a hat, some bells and two pieces of striped cloth. So on Tuesday we came in closer to the town. The King sent the captain six sheep and a great deal of cloves, cumin, ginger, nutmeg and pepper, and he sent word that he wished to meet him at sea on Wednesday. He would go in his zavra and the captain-major should go in his boat. After lunch on Wednesday, the King came and approached the ships in a zavra. The captain appeared in his boat, which was very well rigged, and when he reached the King, the latter engaged him in conversation. They exchanged many fine words in a friendly fashion and the King, among other things, requested the captain to accompany him to his house and rest, while he went aboard the ships. The captain told him that he had no authority from his Lord to go ashore, and that if he did so it would send an unfavourable message to the person who had sent him there. The King answered that if he went aboard his ships, what message would that give to his people, what would
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