r of death like themselves, neither was
he so cruel as not to feel grieved at heart at seeing their tears and
lamentations, but that he did not wish to have to give account to God
for their lives, and for that reason he begged them to labor for their
safety, because if the bad weather came again he had determined to put
back, but, to disculpate himself with the King, it was incumbent upon
him to draw up a document of the reasons for putting back, with their
signatures.

At this they all raised their hands to heaven, saying that its mercy was
already descending upon them, since it was softening the heart of the
captain-major and inclining him to put back, and they said they all would
sign the great service which he would render to God and to the King by
putting back. Then the captain-major said that there was no need of the
signatures of all, but only of those who best understood the business
of the sea. Then the pilot and master named them, and they were three
seamen. Upon this the captain-major retired to his cabin, and told his
servants to stand at the door of the cabin, and put inside the clerks
to draw up the document, and ordered the three seamen to enter; and,
dissembling, he made inquiries as to returning to port, and all was
written down and they signed it. He then ordered them to go down below
to another cabin which he had beneath his own for a store-cabin, and he
ordered the clerk to go down also with them, and he summoned the master
and pilot and ordered them below also, telling them to go and sign, as
the clerk was there.

Then he called up the seamen, one by one, and ordered them to be put in
irons by his servants in his cabin, and heavy irons for the master and
pilot. All being well ironed and bound, the captain-major turned them
out, and called all the men, ordering the master and pilot at once to
give up to him all the articles which they had belonging to the art of
navigation, or, if not, that he would at once execute them. Being greatly
afraid they gave everything up to him. Then Vasco da Gama, holding the
instruments all in his hand, flung them into the sea and said: "See here,
men, that you have neither master nor pilot, nor anyone to show you the
way from henceforward, because these men whom I have arrested will return
to Portugal below the deck, if they do not die before that [for he was
aware that they had agreed among one another to rise up and return by
force to Portugal, and on that account ha