_ 366 _ Hassan had left Kalhat, the illness became so much worse that Afonso de Albuquerque sent Aires da Silva away. He did not wait for Simão d’Andrade, but pointed the bows of the ship towards the coast of India. On that afternoon they sighted a ship, to which Afonso de Albuquerque sent a brigantine which he kept for sending dispatches, and this brought to him the captain, master and pilot. Once they had arrived, he remained alone with them. Alexandre de Ataide gave him to understand that he had heard from the Moors some intelligence that displeased him concerning a matter which might anger Afonso de Albuquerque. Afonso de Albuquerque made them swear on the Gospels not to conceal anything that those Moors might have said. Then he began to question the Moors, asking where they had come from, and what news there was from India. They replied that they had come from Div, and that twelve ships had arrived there from Portugal with Lopo Soares in command. This news was confirmed in two letters which the Moors delivered to him. Contained in this was certain intelligence that they themselves could not impart to his Lordship, because one was from Cid Ali his humble servants, and the other from Sheikh Ishmael’s Ambassador who was in Kambaye. In the letter from Cid Ali, not only was Lopo Soares appointed commandant and Governor of
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