_ 15 _ back to his ship and Francisco de Tavora stayed to defend with wells with artillery so that the Moors could not get to them; but such was the agony of thirst that they went there at night and cleaned the wells, from which they drew some water, but very little. Khwaja Attar’s cistern was in the open country near the city, guarded by many Moors, but Afonso d‘ Albuquerque told the Captains that he was determined to wreck Khwaja Attar’s cistern so that the King’s palace would know real thirst. Because this would be a difficult task, the Captain-in-Chief waited until the Captains were all together, and then set out his plan. Afonso Lopes and Manuel Telles were to go in the van with a hundred and fifty men, and João da Nova and Antonio do Campo with another company of two hundred men, and the Captain-inChief in the rear with a hundred and fifty men, and Dinis Fernandes de Mello was to collect all the seamen, who made up a company of two hundred men, and some good slaves who would not bear arms but carry many fire-pots and fire-sticks. In all the companies there were noblemen with Afonso Lopes in the vanguard were Nuno Vaz, João Rodrigues Pereira, Jorge Barreto, Jorge da Silveira, Fernão Soares, Fernão Feo, Duarte de Sousa, Brás da Siva, Antonio de Sá,
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