and people of better inclination than those islanders, naturally
inconstant, and as ready to forsake the faith, as they were easy to
receive it.

Xavier submitted to these reasons of the viceroy, which on this occasion
seemed to interpret to him the good pleasure of Almighty God. Instantly
they hoisted sail; but the saint was pierced with sorrow to behold those
poor creatures, who followed him with their eyes, and held up their hands
from afar to him; while the vessel was removing into the deep, he turned
his head towards them, breathing out profound sighs, and looking
mournfully upon them. But that he might leave nothing upon his conscience
to upbraid him concerning the Socotorins, he engaged himself solemnly
before Almighty God to return to them, so soon as possibly he could; or
in case he could not, to procure for them some preachers of the gospel,
to instruct them in the way of their salvation.

This last part of his navigation was not long. After having crossed the
sea of Arabia, and part of that which belongs to India, the fleet arrived
at the port of Goa, on the 6th of May, in the year 1542, being the
thirteenth month since their setting out from the port of Lisbon.

The town of Goa is situated on this side of the Ganges, in an island
bearing the same name. It is the capital city of the Indies, the seat of
the bishop and the viceroy, and the most considerable place of all the
East for traffic. It had been built by the Moors forty years before the
Europeans had passed into the Indies; and in the year 1510, Don Alphonso
de Albuquerque, surnamed the Great, took it from the infidels, and
subjected it to the crown of Portugal.

At that time was verified the famous prophecy of St Thomas the apostle,