_ 560 _ Yet you do not want the gates from the shore and want to take back some better ones. May the Lord help you, but I can assure you, if you take the road, that the naked pickaninnies who flee in all directions like goats inside there will turn out to drive such a hard bargain that their property will cost you dear, and I mean what they keep in their straw houses, let alone the houses of the King. I beg you for mercy’s sake not to take this road and let us turn back while we have time from here to the houses of the King is a considerable distance and the paths are bad. The men can only move forward in single file, and you will find it very hard work getting there. When you reach them, you will be very tired, and you will encounter lots of those pickaninnies who are rested and are well armed. I have spoken the truth and therefore I beg you for mercy’s sake not to go. The Marshal grew angry again and replied, “For this very reason then I shall go. When I find these armed men that you mention I will have found what I came to Calicut to do. I did not ask for your advice, and I did not ask you to come. Here come your batels, you can go ahead and embark since you are content with the success of your great expedition”. Then he ordered Manuel Falcão, valiant knight, his standard bearer, to go with him carrying his flag, and Gaspar, the interpreter, to go before them to show the
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