_ 273 _ was. The pursuit continued until nightfall when the galley lost sight of the foist. Whereupon, finding himself relieved of pressure, Simão da Costa changed direction and, as soon as it was dark, moved in the direction of the coast of Persia and sailed along it to reach Ormuz. The news he gave there about the five galleys caused such a panic that everyone began to desert the city, the common people making their way to the Moghistan shore and the rich and important people to the island of Qishm, which is near Ormuz. The king and the guazil withdrew to the fortress with their wives and riches. Dom Alvaro de Noronha took shelter inside it with all the Portuguese. He began to build fortifications as best he could, and when he made a head-count of all the people, he found nearly 900 men, as there were more than 300 there from the carrack “Caranja do Reino” whose captain was Aires Monis. He had put in at Ormuz, because he did not have time to sail to India. Dom Alvaro de Noronha had more than 1,000 muskets and many arms and munitions, which were shared among all the men in the fortress.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTg0NzAy