_ 252 _ brothers had taken on a man from Rouen, Jean Masson, who knew the Malay language. Their attempt to acquire gold and silver in Madagascar shows that they knew of the reputation of Monomotapa, even if this had reached them in a confused form. The capture by corsairs of Portuguese vessels on their return voyage from Calicut(A) must have acted as a spur to the Normans towards gaining a share in the wealth of the Indian Ocean. The assistance of some Portuguese pilots did the rest. The case of the vessel from the second Verrazzano voyage which went aground off Mozambique shows that these crews had charts and manuals on navigation. The Parmentier brothers were cultured men, and their account was of some significance in the first manifestations of oriental literary exoticism. In the poetry of the Renaissance, the Norman sailor is to be found, bound for the Indies: "From the Caux headland a far-sighted race With map-makers skilled in distant seas, Sets out the route to sail to Calicut, To bring back gold from eastern mines"(B). (A) For example, the "Santa Maria Magdalena", which was captured by Ango's men on its return voyage from Calicut. Torre do Tombo, Gaveta 15, m.24, d.3, n.13 (1524); see also M. Mollat, Le commerce maritime normand.,op.cit., p.502. (B) Bibl. Nat. Paris, ms. fr. 1537, ff.96-97v.
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