Of how they found the other caravels at the Isle of Herons, and of the
counsel that they took.
Great pleasure was theirs when they came within sight of the Ilha das
Garças and saw the four caravels which were lying at rest, in whatsoever
guise they were there; for it mattered not whether they formed part of
their company, since they knew them to be from the kingdom of Portugal,
wherefore they hoped that their assistance would supply the want of the
others which they expected before. The news of this sight ran through
all the caravels, as they came up one after another, and in this all
received great pleasure, and especially the common people, in that they
saw the captains had taken their determination to attempt the
enterprise, and would not now be hindered by the non-arrival of the
others, as hath been written above. And as people who did not know how
to conceal their gladness, they made their instruments to sound, and
raised chants, and so fell to eating and drinking as men full of good
confidence of victory. And arriving at the ships that lay anchored
there, they charged their bombards and culverins, and made therewith a
salute in signal of the pleasure of their hearts, in the which pleasure
the others who were already lying there at rest were not without their
share. But all this increased twofold the sorrow of the Moors who lay,
as they had been put, under the decks of the vessels, for though they
could not understand the language, yet the sound of the voices right
well assured them of the opposite of what they desired. I will not
occupy myself in describing the embracings of our men when they all met
together, forasmuch as reason itself will tell you what they must have
been at such a place and time; only let us imagine that we see them leap
from ship to ship, and that those who had set out from Portugal more
recently, now offered to their comrades who had gone before the food of
which they knew they stood in need. And so, in doing this and in taking
repose at night, they spent their time until the next day, when by the
order of Lançarote they went on shore, in order that all might take
counsel together. And when they were assembled, he said how all could
right well perceive the delay of the other caravels, and how God willed
that they should meet there those three ships which some time ago had
set out from the kingdom, together with one of the five,[AA] which
before they hoped to meet. And he showed them that now there lacked but
one of their complement of fourteen. So that while they had already
resolved to attack their enemies with nine ships, they could the more
readily do so with thirteen, but that they should consider if it were
well to depart straightway, or to wait some little time longer.
[Footnote AA: _I.e._, the ship of Laurence Diaz.]
All said that the delay would be harmful, and they saw no profit in it,
and that they ought to start at once with good fortune, and the earlier
they could begin that action the better it would be; and in this all
agreed, for in such a time and place there was no fear of contrary
suggestions, nor of companions betraying their secrets to the enemy.
"Now, then, that you have resolved," said Lançarote, "to set out upon
this enterprise in any case, it were well that you, who have already
seen many dispositions appertaining to such an enterprise as this,
should remind yourselves of them, and aid me in arranging our
expedition, that we may go on in good order." And omitting all the
various opinions which were mooted in their debate, it was finally
determined that they should proceed on this wise. From the whole company
that was in the caravels they were to choose two hundred and
twenty-eight men, because it appeareth that they needed so many in the
partition that had been ordered of their forces, and of these the
footmen and lancers were to go in the battle of which Alvaro de Freitas
was captain. Behind him followed Lançarote with all the crossbowmen and
archers, and in the rear guard were Sueiro da Costa and Dinis Eannes de
Graã with all the men-at-arms. And they determined to start very early,
so that before dawn they might attack the settlement of Tider Island;
and three boats with pilots in them went before the caravels, the pilots
being men who had already been in that land, and who knew the way.