_ 87 _ we might do something to them rather than to sell stones. But the captain made them welcome, and sent a letter by them to those ashore. When they saw that we were not treating them badly, many merchants came each day to trade, and others who were not merchants, merely came to watch. We received all of them warmly and gave them food to eat. The following Sunday, about twenty-five men came, among whom there were six men of rank. When the captain realised that, through these, it would be possible to rescue our men who were detained and imprisoned ashore, he seized them and a dozen or so lower-class people. He thus detained eighteen in all and sent the remainder ashore in one of his boats. He sent a letter with them to the Moor, who was the king's factor, in which he informed him that he would return the men he had taken prisoner, if he would free those he had seized. When they saw that the captain had detained some of their men, many people went to the warehouse for our men and took them to the factor's house, but without doing them any harm. On Thursday the twenty-third of that month, we set sail saying that we were going to Portugal but we expected to return soon, and that then they would know if we were thieves or not. We anchored about four leagues
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