_ 52 _ Ras Bardardin sent word to Simão da Cunha that on account of the obligation he felt towards the Portuguese he had to advise them to leave Bahrain soon because the monsoon fevers had arrived and they would all fall sick and die, and it could happen later that when they wanted to leave, they would not be able to do so. Simão da Cunha, at that time, did not want to accept this advice, which was more that of a friend than an enemy, and even with seeing so many of the men fallen sick, the captains (who had made Simão da Cunha begin this folly) said that such a message was from a man who was afraid and wanted to see the Portuguese away from Bahrain. But the Moor had spoken the truth and advised them well and they soon saw that he had not spoken in fear because the fever became so widespread among them that when the ship returned from Ormuz many of them were already dead and the rest of them were so sick that they weren’t able to get up. Simão da Cunha was extremely annoyed by all this, and he now feared that since Ras Bardardin knew their situation he would come out of the fort to attack them; but Ras Bardardin understood that sickness would destroy the Portuguese and he let them stay where they were without wanting to inflict any further havoc on them. Simão da Cunha ordered another shelter to be built close to the sea and he had the sick brought down to it because
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