this city also there are many Gentiles from the kingdom of Cambaya in
India, who are great merchants and trade to this place for gold, which is
found in this country, as likewise ambergris, ivory, pitch, and wax; all
of which commodities the inhabitants of Melinda exchange with the
merchants of Cambaya for copper, quicksilver, and cotton cloth, to the
profit and advantage of both parties. The king of this city is a Moor,
who is served with far more state than any of the kings on this coast to
the southwards. Being arrived over against this city, the general and all
the people of the fleet were much rejoiced at seeing a city resembling
those of Portugal, and gave thanks to God for their safe arrival. Being
desirous of procuring pilots to navigate the fleet to Calicut, the
general commanded to come to anchor, meaning to use his endeavours for
this purpose. For, hitherto, he could not learn from the Moors he had
lately captured, whether any of them were pilots; and though he had
threatened them with the torture, they always persisted in declaring that
none of them had any skill in pilotage.

Next day, being Easter eve, the old Moor who had been made prisoner in
the pinnace, told the general that there were four ships belonging to
Christians of the Indies at Melinda, and engaged, if the general would
allow him and the other Moors to go on shore, he would provide him, as
his ransom, Christian pilots, and would farther supply him with every
thing he might need. Well pleased with the speeches of the old Moor, the
general removed his ships to within half a league of the city, whence
hitherto no one came off to our fleet, as they feared our men might make
them prisoners; for they had received intelligence that we were
Christians, and believed our ships were men of war. On the Monday morning,
therefore, the general commanded the old Moor to be landed on a ledge, or
rock, opposite the city, and left there, expecting they would send from
the city to fetch him off; which they did accordingly as soon as our boat
departed. The Moor was carried directly to the king, to whom he said, as
instructed by the general, what he chiefly desired to have. He farther
said, that the general desired to have amity with the king, of whom he
had heard a good report, hoping by his aid, and with the will of God, he
might be enabled to discover the route to India. The king received this
message favourably, and sent back the Moor in a boat to the general,