opened alive, taking out the bowels, and the king rode over the carcase of the sheep. This is a kind of ceremony that the witches there do use.[16] After this he went to the water side, with all his train on foot, saying in a loud voice certain words of incantation.  The interview with the general took place on the water in great ceremony, and the king gave him a pilot to carry the fleet to Calicut.  Cabral left two banished men at Melinda to inform themselves of all the circumstances of the country to the best of their abilities.  One of these, called Machado, when he had learned the Arabic language, went afterwards by land to the straits of the Red Sea, and from thence by Cambaya to Balagarte, and settled with the sabayo or lord of Goa, passing always for a Moor.  This man was afterwards very serviceable to Albuquerque, as will be seen hereafter.

Leaving Melinda on the 7th of August, he came to Ansandina or Anche-diva, on the 20th of that month, where he waited some days for the fleet of Mecca, which he meant to have attacked.  While there, the whole of the crews confessed and received the sacrament.  No ships appearing, the fleet left Anchediva and sailed for Calicut, coming to anchor within a league of that place on the 13th of September.  Several almadias came off immediately to sell victuals:  And some of the principal nayres, with a Guzurat merchant, brought a message from the zamorin,[17] declaring his satisfaction at the arrival of the general at his city, in which every thing he might need was at his command.  The general made a polite answer to the king, with thanks for his civility, and gave orders to bring the fleet nearer to the city, in doing which all the ordnance was fired as a salute, to the great astonishment of the natives, the idolaters among them saying that it was impossible to resist us.  Next day one Gaspar[18] was sent on shore to the zamorin, desiring to have a safe-conduct for a deputation from the general to wait on his highness; and along with Gaspar the four Malabars who had been carried away from Calicut by Don Vasco de la Gama were sent on shore.  These men were all finely dressed in Portuguese habits, and the whole inhabitants of the city came out to see them, rejoiced to find they had been well treated.  Though the zamorin was well pleased with the safe return of his subjects, he refused allowing them to come into his presence as they were only fishermen, or of a low cast; but he sent for Gaspar, whom he received with civility, and whom he assured that our people might come on shore in perfect safety.  On receiving this intelligence, Cabral sent Alonso Hurtado to the zamorin, intimating that the Portuguese fleet had come on purpose to settle trade and friendship, and that the general wished for an audience in which to arrange these matters with his highness.  But had orders from the king his master not to go on shore without sufficient pledges for his security; among whom he demanded the kutwal of Calicut and Araxamenoca one of the chiefs of the nayres.[19] On this occasion Hurtado was accompanied by a person who could speak the language, to act as his interpreter.