eral, that he heartily welcomed him
and his people into his dominions, advising him to bring his ships to
anchor near a village called _Pandarane_ some way below where the ships
then lay, as a far better harbour than Calicut which is an open and very
dangerous road for shipping. The zamorin desired likewise that the
general might come by land from that place to Calicut, where he would be
ready to receive him. After this, the zamorin sent a pilot to navigate
the ships to the harbour of Pandarane; but, on coming to the bar of that
port, the general did not think it advisable to enter so far within the
harbour as the pilot proposed, fearing lest he might expose himself to
danger by reposing too great confidence in these people, and placing
himself too much within their power. In this he acted with much prudent
foresight, by which he wisely avoided the injuries which were afterwards
attempted against him at this place.

On his arrival at Pandarane, the general received a message from the
kutwal[57] of Calicut, intimating that he and other nobles awaited him on
shore by order of the zamorin, to conduct him to the city, and that he
had permission to land whenever he pleased[58]. But as the day drew near
a close, the general returned an answer excusing himself from landing
that night. He immediately called a council of the other captains and
principal officers of the fleet, to take their advice on the present
emergency, to whom he intimated his intention of going to visit the king
of Calicut on purpose to settle a treaty of trade and amity. Paulo de
Gama, his brother, strongly objected to his venturing on shore; alleging
that although the natives of the place were Christians, as they still
believed them, yet there were many Moors among them who were much to be
feared as his mortal enemies; since these people at Mozambique and
Mombaza, where they had only passed by their ports, endeavoured to
destroy them all, they were much more to be feared at Calicut where we
had come on purpose to enter into competition with them in trade, by
which their profits would be diminished. It was therefore the more
probable that they would use every effort to destroy the general, on whom
our whole hope of safety and success depended; and, however much the
zamorin might regret the commission of such a deed, he could not restore
him to life: besides which, the Moors were inhabitants of the place,
where they had much interest, whereas the general was