_ 126 _ finished and to assist the Portuguese there. Meanwhile he kept behind as acting governor Dom Aleixo de Meneses in order that he could arrange the loading of spices that had to go to Portugal. He went in a galley, accompanied by two others, whose names I do not know nor what occurred in Quilon, save that he spent three months there, finishing the fortress. It was given the name of St. Thomas in honour of that brave Apostle. It has a strong position, in a place which can be well defended, at the entrance to the port. It has a well of very excellent water almost attached to it. The wall around the fortress was eighty-five palms from end to end, and sixty-five wide. It had three towers, the keep and two others, the triangle primed in such a way that the artillery of one did not interfere with that of another. And although the governor was there the work was still not finished until November, making three months, as I said. At the end of November he returned to Cochin, whence the cargo ships having been dispatched he departed for Goa. There he had the whole fleet assembled, which he had decided that year 1520 to take to Jidda to fight the Rumes and burn their gallies and to build a fortress in Jidda or Aden, whichever seemed best, as he had all the ammunition and equipment he needed. From Goa he dispatched
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