_ 33 _ knowledge, and as no one thing they say they fulfil, it is a great labour to await their delays, nor is it any advantage to make any good or bad negotiation with them, nor have they any [in pencil error] by which they can be led, and everyone says that they wish for the friendship of the said fortress, and the warfare is about defending each other, so that no one comes to ransom nor carry away merchandize from the Factory because he that would take them will at once become more wealthy than the others. This is only because they see us and they at once exercise diligence and craft, and this is due according to what I have learnt, that for over two years they have not allowed any ransom to come to the fortress, there being inland much gold, so it is said, and a great want of merchandize which is what they more greatly esteem. Just as I was about to depart for this Moçambique, there came an Ambassador of Benamotapa, who is the most powerful of them all and he always had great friendship with us, and despite that he is far away as his inland parts dominates all the lands and roads up to the fortress, and for the last two years his own vassals rose against him those that lived between him and the safe fortress in such a manner that whereas he desired
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