_ 328 _ Kishm to capture the fortress from the King of El-Shihr’s men and deliver it into the hands of the King of Kishm, who had come from India with the fleet at the order of the Lord Governor, so that if the fortress were in a situation where it would be possible to capture it, they should do so and deliver it [to him], and everyone said that it seemed advisable. He then went ashore with all the fighting men, with ladders made from masts and spars from caturs, for everyone thought that it would be possible to climb up the fortress if he went with all the men into the centre of the city until they reached the fortress, where they saw it, and I ordered all the captains and fidalgos to look at it. When we all saw the great height of the walls and that there were all around it ditches the depth of a lance, and that, even if there had not been ditches, the ladders they had made and brought to climb them would reach only a little more than halfway up the wall, there was nothing more to be done. As they had not brought artillery to knock it down, because the artillery was of the kind carried in catures and foists, in the city, where they stood, with the ladders made, in front of the fortress, he took counsel again with the captains and fidalgos and they discussed what they thought should be done, for the ladders did not serve
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