eive that he had told him
anything of the kind. With the firm determination which Nicolas Coelho at
once formed to die sooner than allow himself to be seized upon, he became
very vigilant both by day and night, and warned the boy to try to learn
with much dissimulation all that they wanted to do and by what means. The
boy told him that they would not do it unless they could first concert
with the other ships, so that they all should mutiny; at that Nicolas
Coelho remained more at ease, but was always very much on his guard for
himself.

As the storm did not abate, but rather seemed to increase, and as the
cries and clamor of the people were very great, beseeching him to put
back, Nicolas Coelho dissembled with them, saying: "Brothers, let us
strive to save ourselves from this storm, for I promise you that as soon
as I can get speech with the captain-major I will require him to put
back, and you will see how I will require it of him." With this they
remained satisfied. Some days having passed thus with heavy storms, the
Lord was pleased to assuage the tempest a little and the sea grew calm,
so that the ships could speak one another; and Nicolas Coelho, coming
up to speak, shouted to the captain-major that "it would be well to put
about, since every moment they had death before their eyes, and so many
men who went in their company were so piteously begging with tears and
cries to put back the ships. And if we do not choose to do so, it would
be well if the men should kill or arrest us, and then they would put back
or go where it was convenient to save their lives; which we also ought to
do. If we do not do it, let each one look out for himself, for thus I do
for my part, and for my conscience' sake, for I would not have to give an
account of it to the Lord."

Paulo da Gama, who also had come up within speaking distance, heard all
this. When they had heard these words of Nicolas Coelho, who, on ending
his speech, at once begun to move away, the captain-major answered him
that he would hold a consultation with the pilot and his crew, and that,
whatever he determined to do, he would make a signal to him of his
resolution. During this time they lay hove to in the smooth water,
because the wind never changed from its former point. Vasco da Gama, as
he was very quick-witted, at once understood what Nicolas Coelho's words
meant, and called together all the crew, and said to them that he was not
so valiant as not to have the fea