_ 205 _ Chapter: 42 Once they had received the commander-in-chief's messages, the elders of the people and some clergymen went to speak to him and he repeated the messages himself, through an interpreter. They told him how they were in the King of Fartaq's power, who ruled them through his son and the other soldiers. The commander-in-chief told them why he had come to the island and that he intended to leave some of his men at the fortress, to ensure Socotra remained secure. They agreed to help them acquire the necessary provisions while they stayed at the fortress, and also to become Christians according to the rites of the Roman Catholic Church. They were converted at once in the mosque, which Tristan da Cunha, turned into the church of Our Lady of Victories. Tristan da Cunha himself, together with the other noblemen and captains went in a procession to the church, taking with them those who had been converted first. Once the ceremony was over the commander-in-chief handed the fortress over to Afonso de Noronha who had come from Portugal for this purpose and told him to fortify it. As the commander-in-chief was to proceed to India while Afonso de Albuquerque would take over this region,
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