ithout waiting for an answer he sheered
off.

Nicolas Coelho felt great joy in his heart on hearing from the
captain-major that he had got his pilot and master thus secured from
rising against him, since he had put them in irons; and without much
dissimulation he spoke to master and pilot and seamen, saying that he was
much grieved at the captain-major's way of treating his ship's officers,
whom he stood so much in need of in the labors they were undergoing, but
what he had done was because of his being of so strong and thorough a
temperament, as they all knew, and he had not chosen to wait for them to
make entreaty for the liberty of the prisoners, but that whenever the
ships again spoke one another he would do this. This all the crew
begged him to do, with loud cries of mercy, since they would follow the
flag-ship wherever it went. This Nicolas Coelho promised them, so they
remained contented.

Paulo da Gama had other conversations with the officers of his ship, with
much urbanity, for he was a man of gentle disposition; he also promised
them that he would entreat his brother on behalf of the prisoners, and
bade all pray God for the saving of their lives, and that all would end
well; so that all remained consoled.

While these things were happening the wind did not shift its direction,
but, the sea being smoother, the ships were more easy, though they let
in so much water that they never left off pumping. The captain-major saw
this and that the ships had an absolute need of repairs; and also because
they had no more water to drink, because, with the tossing about in the
storm, many barrels had broken and given way; under such great pressure,
he stood in to land under sail, for the weather was moderate and was
beginning to be favorable; all were praying to God for mercy, and that he
would grant them a haven of safety. Which God was pleased to do in his
mercy, for presently he showed them land, at which it seemed that all
were resuscitated from the death which they looked upon as certain if the
ships were not repaired. After that the wind came free, and they sailed
along the land for several days without finding where to put in; this was
now in January of the year 1498. Thus they ran close to the land, with a
careful lookout, for they did not dare to leave the land, from the great
peril in which the ships were from the great leakage.

Proceeding in this way, one day they found themselves at dawn in the
mouth of a la