_ 30 _ and he saw that at each end of the town there were wooden buildings filled with rubble, with cannon in position; and the streets of the town were barricaded along the shore. When the mate returned with this information it was already the hour of vespers. To be more certain of all this the Captain-in-Chief ordered the other ship’s boats to go ashore with barrels to collect water, and he ordered Gaspar Rodrigues the linguist to go and speak to the sheikh once more and ask for an immediate reply, because he wanted to leave; and ask him to command that water should be given to the boats. The sheikh readily agreed and ordered the people of the town to bring water to skins to the boats, and the sailors also went with their barrels to the wells and brought them back full of water. The arrangements were so good that by nightfall the boats had made three journeys for water because the sheikh gave much help. He sent a message to the Captain-in-Chief that he was glad to give him all he asked, and that soon he would receive the provisions. Then he sent six boats with rice and dates, which the quartermaster saw, noting what was given so that he could make an account. This was done with all possible goodwill; and all day until nightfall the boats fetched and carried more than a hundred sacks of
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