_ 86 _ that there was none to be found in that land, which was very dry. In spite of the great pressure, they were under some who went to see if there was water and the first to do this were Gaspar da Silva, Cristovao de Sousa and Aires da Silva; who found water in plenty, as rain had recently fallen; almost in fountains. The people of the land received them peacefully, and they sold them some goats and sheep. After them went the other captains, some of them only finding half a barrel of water. One of these was Dom Alvaro da Silveira who decided to go alone to search for water, he failed to find any and had entered the Strait so far that he could not get out again for lack of wind to help him, the monsoon having ended. He therefore had to stay in the Strait and went from one end to the other in search of a place to stop, which cost him much effort and fatigue. He was treacherously treated on many occasions and some of his men were killed. He went into a certain port, where he found an Arab called Adam, and he stayed there, having then only twentyfour men left of the hundred and thirty four with whom he had left Jidda, alI the others having died of thirst. Whilst he stayed there one day Dom Alvaro went on land to obtain water, with him he had only Jeronimo
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