How Nuno Tristam went to the island of Gete, and of the Moors that he
took.
So these matters went on increasing little by little, and people took
courage to follow that route, some to serve, others to gain honour,
others with the hope of profit: although each of these two things
bringeth the other with it; that is, in serving they profited themselves
and increased their honour as well. And in the year of Christ, 1443, the
Infant caused another caravel to be armed; and bade embark in it that
noble knight, Nuno Tristam, with some other people, and principally
those of his own household. And pursuing their voyage, they arrived at
Cape Branco.
And trying to go further, they passed the said Cape about twenty-five
leagues, and saw a little island, the name of which they afterwards
found to be[N75] Gete.[AD] And from this island they now saw that
twenty-five canoes, made of wood, had set out and in them a number of
people, but all naked, not so much for the need of swimming in the
water, as for their ancient custom.
[Footnote AD: Arguim.]
And they journeyed in such wise that they had their bodies[AE] in the
canoes and their legs in the water, and used these to help them in their
rowing as if they had been oars, and in each boat there were three or
four of the natives. And because this was a matter where our men had had
so little experience, when they saw them from a distance, they thought
they were birds that were moving so; and though they were rather
different in size, yet they thought it might well be that they were
birds, in a part of the world where other marvels greater than this were
said to exist. But as soon as they perceived that they were men, then
were their hearts clothed with a new joy; and most of all because they
saw them so placed that they were well able to take them. But they were
not able to make a large booty because of the smallness of their boat:
for when they had hauled fourteen captives into it, with the seven man
of the caravel who made up the crew, the boat was so loaded that it
could hold no more.
[Footnote AE: Lit., Over.]
And it booted not to return, for such terror had come upon our
adversaries, and they were so quick in taking flight, that before they
arrived at the island, some had perished,[AF] and the others escaped.
But in achieving this capture they experienced two contrary feelings:
first of all, the pleasure they had was very great to see themselves
thus masters of their booty, of which they could make profit, and with
so small a risk; but on the other side they had no little grief, in that
their boat was so small that they were not able to take such a cargo as
they desired. But yet they arrived at the island and captured fifteen
other Moors.
[Footnote AF: By drowning.]
And very near this island they discovered another, in which there were
an infinity of royal herons;[N75a] which appeared to go there to breed,
as in fact they did, and with these our men found great refreshment. And
so Nuno Tristam returned with his booty, so much more merrily than at
the first, as it had the advantage of being greater than the former, and
had been won further off; and also because he had no companion with whom
he would have to make an equal division of the same.
The reception and reward which the Infant gave him I omit to write down
here, for I think it superfluous to repeat it every time.