How the five caravels returned to the kingdom, and of what they did
beforehand.
Thus, as we have already said in our former chapters, these matters
happened according as fortune gave them to happen. And in order that I
may return with all the caravels to Lagos as I have promised, and as it
is necessary, I desire in this present chapter to speak of those five,
which separated themselves from the company of the rest after the
invasion of the isle of Tider. For there was that honourable knight
Sueiro da Costa, alcayde of Lagos, and four other captains, neighbours
and natives of that place; and they, having agreed to turn back, as we
have said, discussed among themselves the prosecution of their voyage,
as it appeared to them that their first booty was a small matter, though
an honourable, in comparison of their great toil and expense.
"We are not able," said some, "to alter our first opinion, in
determining to make our return, both on account of the small size of our
ships, and that we may not seem to be men of many opinions. But it would
be well for us, nevertheless, to prosecute our voyage and try whether we
can, on our course, obtain anything by way of adding to our booty,
though in reason it must be little on account of the many visits which
our ships have already made to this land. Still, we should not omit to
try, and peradventure God may give us some good result. But in order to
direct this matter with some foundation of reason, there is no other
place so fitting, and where our toil may have such good hope of victory,
as that arm of the sea which is at Cape Branco, and into this we will
enter and see whither it leadeth. And it may be that, if it entereth far
into the land, we may light on something near there of which we may make
booty: and if not, we need toil but little in that enterprise."
All agreed that what those first speakers had said was well spoken, and
sailing in that direction they arrived at the said river. And herein
entering a little space, they anchored their ships, and then letting
down their boats, they began to endeavour themselves to reach the end of
the river. And, following the course of this for four leagues, they
arrived at the end of it.[N162] And here they agreed to disembark to see
if they could light upon any inhabited place where they could take some
souls to add to the scantiness of their first booty. But they doubted in
themselves of getting anything, as they knew that the land was prepared
and had been so often invaded; only they toiled in this matter,
constrained at least by the need of telling their companions that they
had been on shore.
And landing thus they sent on ahead to reconnoitre the land, but they
had not followed very far, when they saw before them a few huts. And
upon these they rushed without waiting for any agreement, and there they
came upon some few Moors, of whom they captured eight.
And seeking to learn from them if there were thereabouts any other
settlement, and to this end threatening some of them, they were not able
to learn anything but that in all this land there was no other
settlement. And in this all the eight were agreed, after each one had
been taken aside in turn. And for this reason it was needful for them to
return to their ships, with the intention of now returning to their
homes, without spending any more trouble in the matter, since they
understood that they could not gain any further profit by more toil. And
in agreement with this decision were all the others who belonged to the
Caravels, except only the Alcayde of Lagos, who said that he still
wished to return to Tider in order to make ransom of a Mooress, and of
the son of a lord of that place. And although he was counselled to the
contrary, yet would he never abandon his design, howbeit afterwards he
repented of it sorely. And arriving at the island, he began to make
signs to the Moors, who had come down to the shore as soon as they saw
the caravel sailing towards them.
And of them he had one Moor for his security while he surrendered the
master of the caravel, and a Jew who was in his company. But when the
Moors had them in their power, the Mooress, of whom the Alcayde sought
to make the ransom, threw herself into the water, and like one practised
in that kind of thing very quickly got to land and joined her relations
and her friends. And on account of this the Moors considered that they
ought not to give up the hostages without an advantage over what they at
first had purposed; and finally they refused to surrender those whom
they had until they[BL] should give them three Moors. Which matter,
although it was a hard thing for the Alcayde to do, was yet condescended
to by him, seeing the necessity of the case; howbeit he blamed himself
in that he had not followed the first advice of his companions. And
seeing how he could make no further profit in that ransom, he turned
back to the Kingdom.
[Footnote BL: The Portuguese.]