Storia do Mogor 181.8

181.8

I gave a favourable reply, and, as I was leaving Goa, Dom Rodrigo da Costa, in command of the fleet, declared that I was on my way to destruction. God was pleased to show the care He had over my person, for one morning in the dark I found myself with my boat in the midst of thirty-seven galliotes belonging to Sambha Ji. As soon as we discovered that the fleet was not that of the Moguls, but of Sambha Ji, we were very apprehensive, and already the master of the vessel and several seamen wanted to jump into the sea. But I laid hold of my matchlock and frightened them, saying that the first who moved was a dead man. If they set to work to row with all their strength, I would give them five hundred xerafins (asharfi, a gold coin) on arrival in Goa. This was in addition to several pieces of gold that I distributed among them on the spot. As the man who guided the helm was very skilful, we feigned to be part of that fleet until we had forged ahead of all the galliotes. Then, putting on a spurt, we drew away from our enemies, who began a chase in the hope of capturing us.