_ 237 _ know the land, for fear of being drowned, they allowed themselves to be kept chained inside the galley. As soon as Piri Reis, who was sailing ahead, saw he was a galley short, he turned back and found it in pieces on the sandbank with everyone still aboard. He ordered them to be picked up with everything else on the galley, and continued on his way. Our catureiros who were spying on the galleys, caught sight of the three of them immediately they left Basra, and Gomes de Siqueira was left to spy on them, keeping them always in view. Luis de Aguiar went with a message to Ormuz with the greatest possible speed and having informed Dom Antonio, he stayed just long enough for Dom Diogo and Dom Antonio de Noronha to come aboard. Just as they were leaving Ormuz Gomes Siqueira arrived. He told them that the galleys were sailing along the coast of Arabia, whereupon Dom Antonio turned back to pursue them. The galleons sailed a little way out to sea and the oared fleet inshore. So that they would not be left behind, Gomes de Siqueira and Luis de Aguiar went ahead of everyone else to locate the inlets. This was the month of February [1553] in which the xamais (off- shore winds) blow, which are north-westerlies, and they are very stormy in that Strait. It was
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