_ 39 _ They were preparing to leave for Ormuz when Bastião Freire arrived. As we described earlier, Lopo Vaz de Sampaio, the Governor in Cochin, had sent Freire from Cochin to sail along the East African coast and learn the whereabouts of Nuno da Cunha. Freire was welcomed by Nuno da Cunha, who then read the letters from Lopo Vaz de Sampaio that outlined the current state of affairs in India; and because Freire’s was a light vessel, Nuno da Cunha promptly despatched him back to Lopo Vaz with letters of his own in which he gave a report of his journey and asked Lopo Vaz to have the whole fleet made ready because it might be necessary for him to sail at short notice. This ship reached Goa in early May and Bastião Freire gave the letters to Lopo Vaz who greatly rejoiced at the news from Nuno da Cunha, because there was already trouble brewing among the Moors, who thought that da Cunha was lost; and he straightaway ordered the fleet to be fully prepared, As soon as he had despatched Bastião Freire, Nuno da Cunha set sail for Ormuz; with favourable winds he reached Muscat, where he put ashore his sick, of whom there were many. He was on board Simão da Cunha carrack/nau and,
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