The space was but short from where the enemy lay, and they, seeing themselves surrounded, began to run out of their huts; and, like men more full of terror than of courage, put all their hope in flight. And at last they took captive of them forty-six, besides some who were killed at the first shock. And though the action was not one of any great danger, we will not omit to give the advantage of labour to those who behaved the best, and who would not have shown less strength in the fight (had it happened), however great it might have been. Now, besides Mafaldo (who was Captain), Diego Gil, and Alvaro Vasquez and Gil Eannes, (but not that knight of whom we spoke before), toiled manfully, as men who showed well that they were fit for greater deeds than this. And so the booty of that night was fifty-three Moorish prisoners.[[110]]
CHAPTER XXXIX.
How they landed another time, and of the things that they did.
We can well understand, from the hap of these men, that the greater part of the actions achieved in this world are more subject to fortune than to reason. And what man in his right judgment could trust in the motions of the head, or the signs of the hands, which a Moor made him? Might it not chance, too, that that Moor, for the purpose of getting free, or perchance to get vengeance over his enemies, should show them one thing for another, and (under pretence of bringing them to a place where, on his showing, our people might expect to win a victory) should lead them into the middle of such a host of foes that they would escape little less than dead? Certainly no judgment in the world could think the contrary. Yet I believe that the chief cause of these matters lay in the understanding that our men already had of these people,[[CF]] perceiving their cunning to be but small in this part of the world.[[111]]
So Mafaldo arrived with his booty, where he had such a reception from the other captains as the presence of the booty, gained by his toil, required of them. And making an end of recounting his joyful victory, he said he thought they ought to ask each one of the Moors they brought with them if, peradventure, beyond that settlement where they were taken, there was any other in which they could make any booty? And after getting the consent of all, he took aside one of those Moors in order to put him the aforesaid question; and he answered that there was.[[CG]] And they were already so much emboldened, that they waited not to ask if the enemy were many or few, or how many fighting men they numbered, or any of the other matters which it was fitting for them to ask in such a case. But like men who had fully determined upon their action, they started off the same afternoon, where by the signs of that Moor they were guided to a village, at which on their arrival they found nothing they could make booty of. And when they threatened the Moor for this, he made them understand that, as the people were not there, they must be in another settlement not very far from this. But here they only found one old Moor in the last infirmity; and seeing him thus at the point of death they left him there to make his end; not wishing to molest that little part of life that from his appearance was left him. And as it appeareth, the Moors, having already perceived the Christians to be among them, had left that village and moved off to another part of the country. And so our people who were there took counsel not to go further on, because it seemed to be a toil without hope of profit; but they agreed to return there in the future, presuming that the Moors, knowing of their coming and departure, would feel secure and return to their huts. But that was not so, for the Moors that time went a very long way off; where they still felt fearful of being sought out, even though they were so distant. True it is that our men (following their counsel as already taken) went to their caravels, from which they again returned to the village; and seeing they could not find anything, but only that Moor whom they had left before, it now seemed better to them to take him with them. Well might that poor man curse his fortune; that in so short a time it revoked his first sentence, conforming so many wills on each occasion regarding the fate of his happiness. And other times also our men went on shore, but they found nothing of any profit, and so returned to their ships.
[CF] Moors.
[CG] Such a settlement.
CHAPTER XL.
How Alvaro Vasquez took the seven Moors.
Great doubts were spread in the counsel of our men by the caution and preparedness that they perceived in the Moors of that land; and they now saw it would be necessary to seek other parts, in which there was no knowledge of their arrival. And some said that it would be well to go to Tider,[[CH]] because they knew there were many Moors there. Others said that their going to that part would be hurtful; because their enemy was so numerous that the fighting would be very unequal; and to attempt such a matter would be nothing but an insane boldness. For, being so few as they were, such an attempt would appear monstrous to any prudent person; when the injury would not only be the loss of their bodies, but shame before the presence of the living as well. Others again said that they should push on; and if, perchance, they could make no booty in the land of the Moors, that they should go to the land of the Negroes; for it would be a great disgrace to them to return with such small results from places where the others had gained their fill of riches. This saying was praised by all; and so they set out thence, and, going on their voyage for a space of thirty-five leagues beyond Tider,[[CI]] all three caravels waited for one another, and the captains spoke among themselves. And they agreed that it would be well to send some people out to see if it was a land where they could make any gain. And taking out the boats from the ships, Alvaro Vasquez, that squire of the Infant's, said that it seemed to him it would be well to order two or three men to go out on one side, and as many others on another, to see if they could get any sight or knowledge of the Moors; by whom at least they might understand who lived in that land, that they might come and warn the others who had to attack them. All agreed in that counsel, and selected four scouts for each side, among whom Alvaro Vasquez was one; and each party following their path to the end, the former came to a place where were some nets, which the Moors had only just left. And Alvaro Vasquez with the others went on so far that at night they came upon a track of Moors; and do not wonder because I say "at night",—for perchance you think it doubtful if they could tell such a track in the darkness of the night. Wherefore you must understand that in that country there is no rain as here in Portugal, nor is the lower sky overclouded as we see it in these Western parts; and besides the brightness of the moon (when there is one), the stars of themselves give so much light that it is easy for one man to recognise another, even though they be a little space apart. So that track was found; yet, because they saw no reason to put reliance in it, they would not return to their captains until they had a more certain understanding of the matter. And so going on, they came where the Moors lay, and saw them so close that they felt they could not turn back without being perceived. Therefore they went for the Moors with a rush; and with their accustomed cries leapt among them, being twelve in number. And such was their[[CJ]] dismay that they did not look at the number of their enemy, but like conquered people began to flee; though this was of little service to them, for only two escaped, while three were killed and seven taken. And thus, returning to their ships, our men were received as those who deserved honour for their toil and bravery; for although we write some part of their desert, we have not done so as perfectly as they performed it, for the knowledge of a thing can never be so proper by its likeness as when it is known by itself; and yet historians, to avoid prolixity, often summarize things that would be far greater if these were related in their true effects.[[112]]
The captaincy for that turn was in the hands of Dinis Eannes, as we have said already; and he took aside one of those Moors to know if there were any other people in that land. And the Moor answered by signs that there was no other settlement near there, but only a village very far distant from that part, in which there were many people, but few of them men of war. "Now we shall make small profit by our coming here," said Dinis Eannes to his company, "if we are not ready to endure bodily toils; and though this village be so far distant as this Moor maketh me to understand, I should think it would be well for us to go to it, for all the amount of our gain dependeth on our labour." All agreed to go, in any case, where some profit could be got; and taking that Moor for their guide, they went on a space of three leagues, till they arrived at that village which the Moor had named to them before. But they found there nothing by which they could get any profit, for the Moors had already removed far off. So they returned again, not without great weariness; for what they felt most sorely, after going through such great toil, was the finding of nothing that they had sought.
[CH] I.e., Tiger.