could be bought in any other place.
This message was brought off on Monday to the general; who, hearing the
kings offer to furnish him with a loading of these commodities, was much
rejoiced, and was much pleased with the information brought by the two
convicts, and their good report of the people, city, and country, and
more especially on account of the _two_ Christians whom they had seen in
the house of the Indian merchants. After a consultation with the other
captains, it was determined to enter the port next day, and to accept the
spices offered by the king of Mambaza, after which, to continue the
voyage to Calicut; and, if they could not procure similar articles there,
to return contented with what might be got in this place. In the meantime,
several of the Moors visited our ships, conducting themselves with much
gentleness and humility, and evincing an appearance of friendship and
kindness to our people, as if they had been long and familiarly
acquainted.

When the tide of flood was sufficiently advanced on the following morning,
the general gave orders to weigh anchor, intending to carry the ships
into the harbour. But the Almighty Disposer of events, not willing that
he and his company should fall into the snare which the Moors had laid
for their destruction, interposed to avert the danger, and to work their
safety. For, when the generals ship had weighed anchor, and was about to
enter the port, she touched on a shoal by the stern; upon which, he
immediately let fall his anchor again, which was likewise done by the
other captains. Seeing this, the Moors who were on board concluded that
he would not enter the harbour that day, and instantly took to their boat,
which was alongside, and made for the city: At the same time, the pilot
of Mozambique leapt from the stern of the admirals ship into the water,
and was taken into the boat by the Moors. The admiral called out to them
to bring him back, but all in vain; on which he began to suspect that the
Moors and their king had evil intentions towards him and his people, and
was thankful for the accident which had detained him from the harbour,
and preserved him from the purposed treachery. After explaining his
apprehensions to the other captains, he commanded, in the evening of this
day, that two of the Moors who had been made prisoners at Mozambique
should be put to the torture, to endeavour to ascertain whether any
treachery was intended, and to force them to disclose t