Page:The Three Voyages of Vasco da Gama and His Viceroyalty.djvu/327

Rh 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