Page:The Captivity of Hans Stade of Hesse.pdf/136

named Sehiriffe. This city was formerly occupied by the king of Portugal, but had been taken from him by the said Sehiriffe. It was here that we thought to come upon the above-mentioned ships which were trading with the infidels. We arrived there finding many Castilian fishermen near the shore, and these giving us information that many ships were near the city, we sailed past it, when a ship came well laden out of the harbour. This we pursued and overtook, but the crew escaped us in their boats. Then we perceived an empty boat lying ashore which would serve us well for boarding the captured vessel, so we sailed to it and fetched it.

The white Moors came riding up hard to protect it; but they could not succeed against our guns. We took it and sailed with our booty, which was sugar, almonds, dates, goatskins and gum arabic, with which the ship was well laden, back again to the Eilga de Madera. Thence we despatched our small ships to Lisbon, to report such news to the king, and to learn how to proceed with the said prize, as Valentian and Castilian merchants were among the owners.

We were answered by the king that we were to leave the prize there in the islands, and continue our voyage, meanwhile His Majesty would thoroughly sift the matter.

We acted accordingly, and again sailed to Cape de Gel, to see if we could obtain more prizes. But our undertaking was in vain, and we were prevented by the wind, which near the coast became contrary to us. The night before All Saints' Day, we sailed from Barbary with a strong gale towards the Brazils. Now when we were at sea, four hundred miles from Barbary, many fishes came about the ship, these we caught with fishhooks. Of these some which the sailors named albakore, were big, some bonitte, were smaller, and some were called durado.^[1] Also were there many fish as