_ 129 _ reached Naband. The pilot was confused by some buildings which, lay ahead of the spot where the village used to be, and where he arrived two hours before dawn. After he saw that this was not Naband he continued along the coast. In the meantime, the captain of the guards at the wells was warned that we were on our way, as were also two of Sheikh Ishmael’s captains, who had come to Naband with 400 archers as was later discovered. They had arrived after Don Antonio had gone to spy the site, and when they heard that our men were approaching, they went into a large mosque which lay opposite the landing site, almost joined to it. Between the mosque and the landing-site they dug a trench in the sand, so that our men might fall into it when they attempted to enter the mosque. This would also serve as protection against our artillery, should we employ it, and as a place from where they could sheet arrows at us. In the meantime, the commander-inchief went along the coast. The two barges were somewhat separated from him, further into the sea. When he arrived in front of the mosque, he gave orders for a grapnel to be thrown from the poop, and for the prow to be put close to the shore, here another grapnel was thrown, and a plank placed to lead from the ship to the shore.
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