_ 196 _ two of them with his own hands. He had them tied up while a ship was prepared, and he ordered thirty-four of the Portuguese to be put aboard and sent as present to the Turk. The governor of Cairo, to whom they were delivered so that he could forward this present, took thirty-two of them and he sent the other two, who he thought to know the most about India, post-haste to the Turk in Constantinople. They were to give him information about the fortresses, armies and fleets the King of Portugal had in India and its wealth and greatness, and the Turk learnt a great deal from the accounts of these men. More particularly, the King of Portugal tells me, he has reliable information that the King of Cambay sent the Turk seven galleons, carrying a present of three million in gold. This is thought to be done to enable him to build fleet and take a large army with it to India, because it is hard to see for what other purpose he would send so much money. According to what these Portuguese captives wrote from Constantinople, the Turk then appointed as governor and commander of the fleet, a captain of his named Suleiman, and appointed to go with him a Venetian called Giovanni Francesco, who had been in this kingdom (Portugal), and is said to be very knowledgeable about fleets. On 2 November
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