_ 247 _ they were all bedecked with flags they were wonderful to behold. When Ali Chebuli saw that they had gained the coast and that it was now impossible for him to double back, he increased the stroke as much as the galley slaves could stand so as to pass the prows of our ships by hugging the shore and he reached the promontory to escape out to sea from there. Dom Fernando came close in with his galleon until he reached eight fathoms. He ordered the anchor to be dropped and the caravels continued approaching the shore in the direction of the galleys. Ali Chebuli, who was sailing in front, reached the headland with nine of the lightest galleys before our ships arrived, but the six that remained behind were unable to pass. Because the caravels were smaller and required less water than the galleons, they were able to sail well inshore. When Dom Jeronimo de Castelo Branco, who was sailing in his caravel, passed in front of the captain-major’s galleon, he was recognised by Dom Antonio de Castelo Branco his elder brother, who was in the same galleon. On seeing him overtaking all of them, he shouted to him from the bowsprit: “Hey, lad” (because he was still very young), “beach that caravel for me”. This he carried out to the letter, because by bringing the head as close to the
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