_ 189 _ in-chief’s barge, which was carrying all the gold and silver, was thrown against the coast so that all its contents were lost. The vessel itself escaped, and the commander-in-chief was able to go aboard his ship. The fleet then proceeded to Magadaxo, which is a very large and beautiful city, 18 leagues to the northeast from Brava, on the same coast. It is a very busy trading port because many ships from Cambay and Aden go there, bringing textiles of all kinds, as well as spices. These ships acquire gold, ivory, wax and other things in this place, to take them back to their countries. The city also possesses an abundance of provisions. The inhabitants are Arabs, both white and dark-skinned, and they all speak Arabic. They don’t have many weapons and only use some poisoned arrows. They are ruled by a King. The commander-in-chief had sent Lionel Countinho ahead of him, so that he would arrive first and establish peaceful relations with the city. As soon as he arrived Lionel Countinho went towards the shore on his barge, but since he didn’t trust the Arabs on account of what had occurred at Brava he didn’t disembark. Instead, he told one of the captives from Brava to go ashore and ask the Arabs for a safe-conduct and for some hostages. It seems that the Arabs already knew about our approach and were ready for war, since no sooner Lionel
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