_ 97 _ these countries pay the lord of Dahlak a hundred ounces of gold every year, and for no other reason than that in the middle of the river there is a Cairo ship belonging to him which has on board four bombards and with these four bombards he subjugates everyone. Item: Zeila and Berbera are two countries which have boundaries with Prester John, and they will soon yield because they have no other course but to obey Your Highness (why should they not?) and the 1sland of Suakin. I undertake with a single ship to seize them and to make them pay tribute to Your Highness, because those lands are full of riches, and of gold...because they are not men of war. Once Your Highness is lord of the strait you will be lord of all India, because he who has the key of the chest is master of all that is inside it; and ha who is master of the Strait of Mecca will be master of all India, for the merchants of India will need to find someone with whom to trade, as I told the Captain-in-Chief. Item: If Your Highness were to consider giving me the chancellorship of India, I would give Your Highnesg a thousand cruzados for it, and no safe-conduct would be given for any ship save by myself, and that in the manner laid down; observing Your Highness's instructions in everything. These thousand cruzados I would pay every
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