him to the ships in a parao. Immediately afterwards, with
great haste, the King ordered a wooden bridge to be made,
which advanced into the sea as much as a cross-bow shot,
and very narrow, so that only one man could pass upon it
in front of another, and at its extremity a chamber was
made of wrought wood; thither the King came to sit with six
or seven persons, for the house would not hold more, and
there he could see the ships better, and send everything
which they required. Then he sent word to say that he
begged the captains very much to come and see him in
their boats, since they could do so without any infraction of
their King's commands, because he was waiting for them in
the water where they could come in their boats without
touching land. The captains seeing so great a desire on
the part of the King, disposed matters for complying with
his will, and for making a treaty of peace and friendship,
and an agreement as to merchandise, for they bore in mind
that if Calecut did not make a good settlement, they could
take advantage of Cananor and its capabilities, and from
thence they might gain the good will of Calecut; so that on all
accounts it was very necessary to make an agreement with
Cananor. They sent to tell the King that they would go and
see him whenever he commanded it. The King, with much
satisfaction, sent his thanks, and a request that they would
come the very next day, and that they would get ready for
that purpose. Next day the King came with many people
and music, and in state, very richly dressed, and sat down
in the chamber, which was hung with rich silken stuffs, and
he sat on a dais covered with silk stuffs. The captains
came in their boats: they were gaily dressed, and the
sailors also wore very splendid clothes, which the captain-
major gave them, made of the silk stuffs which the King
had given, and there were carpets in the boats and covered
chairs, and rugs on the thwarts, on which the crew sat;
and the boats carried forked streamers of white and red
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MESSAGES BETWEEN GAMA AND THE KING.
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