_ 281 _ With his troops well prepared, he went to await the Turks in the field. He reached the cross outside the city, where he gave orders to spy on the enemy and he learnt that they were all ashore. Taking advice about what he should do, it was agreed that, until it was clear what the enemy’s plans were, they should withdraw to the fortress, which they promptly did. Dom Alvaro de Noronha spent all that day and night keeping careful watch on the Turks and he took precautions with the 40 carracks in the port. So that they would not be captured, he ordered them to be emptied as quickly as possible and moored alongside the fortress below the bastion. The rest were to be dismasted. He issued instructions to have the carrack “Caranjo do Reino”, which was very large, moved in as close as possible. The officers did this by attaching cables beneath the rudder and securing them to the fortress, so that the carrack could not be taken away. He ordered Aires Monis Barreto (who was its captain) to put his boatswain aboard. Known as “Harelip”, he was famous in his job, and with him went all the cabin-boys, the petty officer and the gunners, so as to have the artillery always at the ready
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