_ 131 _ allowed them to make war on our ships which might go there to make seizures. When these galleys learnt that the governor was going there, they immediately fled towards Jidda, where they went to deliver the news. Then the governor, learning of their departure, pursued his laborious journey to Jidda in high seas, sometimes heaving to, sometimes raising sails and making very slow progress. At a hundred and twenty leagues from Jidda they were anchored in a contrary wind, some ships in sight of each other, losing hope of being able to move forward, and so he called a meeting of his captains of the fleet. He asked them what they should do in such unfavourable weather conditions. The majority replied that they could not move forward except with great effort and risk, and perhaps finally they would not be able to reach Jidda. As Lopo Soarez, when he had at that time been fifteen leagues from Jidda had taken fifteen days, what should they do when they had a hundred and twenty? It was excusable to want to go ahead, but it was a waste of time. As it seemed that all the captains and navigators agreed on this, it was decided to abandon the voyage to Jidda. They went instead to the coast of Ethiopia, and the port on
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