Vessels fitted with tanks--Native pilots agree to guide them to India-- Their advanced knowledge of navigation--Another column erected--A convict lad left with the King--Farewells--Ships sail--Mortality--Coast of India seen--Anchor off Capocate--Dark-skinned naked natives appear-- Da Gama's politic treatment of natives--A Nair comes from the King of Calecut--Da Gama fabricates a story to account for his visit--The Moorish traders plot to destroy the Portuguese--A Castilian comes on board--Warns da Gama of the Moors' plot--Nicolas Coelho sent on shore with rich presents for the King--Tired by delays--Coelho received by the King--Arrangements made for trading--Merchandise landed--Damaged spices offered in return--Received by the Portuguese--The Castilian warns da Gama not to venture on shore without hostages--Hostages sent off--Vasco da Gama visits the King of Calecut--Magnificent presents sent by the King. The time for continuing the voyage having arrived, being the 15th of July, 1498, the King assisted his new friends in making all preparations for their departure. He sent on board two experienced pilots, the Mozambique pilot also agreeing to go with them. They had constructed tanks at the bottom of the ships, sewn together with coir thread and covered with pitch in such a way that they were more watertight than casks. Each ship had four of these tanks placed at the foot of the mainmast, containing thirty pipes of water. Their pilots possessed nautical instruments greatly differing from their own, but equally useful; indeed, they were not much inferior in skill to the Portuguese navigators. To each of the pilots, in the presence of the King, Vasco da Gama gave fifty cruzadados to leave with their wives, with which the King was greatly pleased, and still more so when the Captain-Major judiciously presented him, in a handkerchief, with ten golden Portugueses. The King assured Vasco da Gama that the broker Davane would act honestly, and that as he was now fairly acquainted with the Portuguese language, he would be of the greatest benefit. He warned his friends, however, to be on their guard against the people of Calecut, who were noted for their want of faith, advising them not to trust themselves on shore without safe hostages. Like a true friend, he gave them much more faithful counsel. He had also prepared a banquet, at which they were sumptuously entertained, and he sent boats laden with food to the ships sufficient for both crews.