Notwithstanding These Friendly Meetings, Speeches, And Assurances, It
Soon Appeared, After The Departure Of The Governor, That The Moors Had
Learned, during their intercourse with our people, that they were
Christians, on which the former friendship and good will of
The Moors
towards them was changed to wrath and fury, and they henceforwards used
every endeavour to kill our men, and to take possession of the ships. The
governor, therefore, and his people, used every effort for this
mischievous purpose, and had certainly succeeded, if the Almighty had not
moved the heart of one of the Moorish pilots who had been received into
the Portuguese fleet, to reveal the same to the general; who, fearing
lest the infidels might suddenly execute their purpose, as being numerous
in comparison to his small company, determined to remain no longer in the
harbour. Wherefore, on Saturday the 10th March 1498, being seven days
after his arrival, he quitted the harbour of Mozambique, and cast anchor
close to an island, at the distance of a league from that place;
intending, on Sunday, to hear mass on shore, that they might confess and
receive the sacrament, which had not been done since leaving Lisbon.
After the ships were come to anchor in this place of safety from being
burnt by the Moors, which the general greatly dreaded, he determined to
go back to Mozambique in his boat, to demand the other pilot who had been
promised, but who still remained on shore. Leaving his brother with the
fleet, in readiness to come to his aid if needful, the general went
towards Mozambique with his boat, accompanied by Nicholas Coello, and the
Moorish pilot.
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