_ 115 _ the way he ran aground near the island of Al Masira(A), where as a result the fleet was nearly lost. On the 25th of August he reached Calayate. Since he knew that the city was large and possessed many inhabitants, whilst he had few men, he decided to resort to a trick. When they were at two leagues from Calayate, he sent Nuno Vaz de Castelo Branco who was the captain of a pinnace he had built in Socotra, ahead. If anyone should come to see him from the city he should ask after the King of Portugal’s commander-inchief, if he was in Ormuz and if not where, and whether he had completed the fortress and how many men were in it. He was also to ask after the King of Ormuz. If they should ask him about our ships, he was to say that they belonged to the King of Portugal, and that a great fleet was following behind. He was also to ask if any Portuguese ships had sailed past the city. The commander-in-chief ordered Dom Antonio, Jorge da Silveira and others to go with Nuno Vaz in the pinnace, so that if the people of Calayate tried to capture it they could defend it. When Nuno Vaz had reached halfway to the city, he saw a boat coming towards him which carried two honorable (A) Maceira.
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