_ 489 _ six oars each side and a gun in the prow. Sixty of these ships have been sent to [Zaquia] and another sixty have already been built. The people of Basra are very frightened because it still appears the Turks are much more certain to come than in years gone by, because [Zaquia] is three days' journey from Basra, and it seems they are increasing their forces and they now have greater strength than before, to attack Basra. One of the reasons that makes me believe these people will take this course of action and seize control of the Strait of Mecca is that many merchants, who recently arrived from Cairo and Constantinople, have informed me of it. They are also bringing help to build more galleys, and those that have been repaired are for the protection of the Strait itself. Moreover, it is believed that the Turks never came to Ormuz or to India unless Basra became theirs first, and I believe their argument is sound, because of what I know and understand about this matter. Both for this reason and for many others, there is less trouble and expense following the course that they now propose. I would not be at all surprised if what the Basrans suspect were true, and if it were possible to find some solution before this disaster increases, it would be a great good fortune and service to
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