_ 229 _ When they were at sea, he put all the sailors in irons, which he had secretly brought for that purpose, because he was determined to pass among the Turkish galleys and he did not want them to dive overboard out of fear. He travelled at such a speed that he arrived in Ormuz in twenty days, where he was received with great esteem by the captain, while the Turks were still loitering on the island of Qishm. Estevão Gomes arrived in Goa at the end of August, much to everyone’s surprise because he had crossed that enormous gulf in such a small craft, in really foul weather. He gave the news about the galleys and their number to the Viceroy, for he had counted them very carefully. After giving him due thanks for accomplishing such an important task, the Viceroy decided to attend personally to the matter, and he informed the nobles and captains of the Council about it. He asked them to make themselves ready to accompany him; to which all agreed. They praised him greatly and offered to go with him with great pleasure. The following day, without awaiting the arrival of the Viceroy, Dom Diogo de Noronha and Dom Antonio de Noronha the brother of Dom Alvaro the captain of Ormuz, set sail each in his oared vessel with fifty soldiers apiece, in which their relatives and friends accompanied them.
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