his charge. He went there accompanied by a boy only, and spoke of
the matter to one of the chiefs. The latter received him very kindly
and showed him some gold trinkets, which he wished to exchange for
gold. For each gold piece the Moro asked five of silver, but the
notary would give him only three. The Moro Mahomete, who was present
at this trading, and acted as go-between, told the chief notary to
postpone the bargain until another day; and to return to the ship,
and tell the master-of-camp that King Soliman said that, in order to
celebrate the peace made that day, he was about to pass in review his
people, both on sea and on land, and should fire all his artillery,
at which no offense should be taken, for all was in celebration of the
peace. The chief notary left the port with the message, and found the
master-of-camp receiving information in the above-mentioned vessel
of friendly Indian rowers; they were saying that, having relatives
among the Moros, they had learned that the latter were planning to
fall upon the Spaniards at the first rain, when it would be impossible
for them to make use of the arquebuses. From this news, and from the
preparations which the Moros were making on both sea and land for the
great review they said they were about to give, we saw that they were
anxious to start the affray. At this time the Moro Mahomete arrived
with a message from Rraxa Soliman, to the effect that King Soliman
had learned that the lord of Candola, a town on the other side of the
river, intended to fight the Spaniards on sea and had invited him to
join in the attack; but that he, Soliman, had refused to do so. For
this reason he would get in readiness, and, if the chief really
came to offer battle, he would aid the Spaniards with his people,
since the master-of-camp was his friend. This new message gave a full
understanding of the deceitful plan of the Moros; notwithstanding all
this, the master-of-camp sent his thanks to Soliman for the warning,
saying that he would be pleased to fight any one who desired to fight