And so forthwith he made Lançarote a knight, giving him a rich guerdon, according as his deserts and his excellence required. And to the other leaders also he gave increased advancement, so that besides their first profit they considered their labour right well bestowed. CHAPTER XXVII. How the Infant ordered Gonçallo de Sintra to go to Guinea, and how he was killed. It would be an ugly thing in prosecuting our history, if we did not write the misfortunes of our people, as well as their successes; for Tully[N83] saith in his books, that among the great charges that are laid upon the historian, he ought chiefly to remember that of writing the truth, and when he writeth the truth he should not diminish it in aught. And of a surety[AX] he not only doth his duty, but is a cause of much profit; for it oft happeneth that men receive great warnings by the misfortunes of their fellows. And the ancient sages said: "Blessed is the man who gaineth admonishment by the evils of others."[N84] [Footnote AX: If he so act.] But you must know that this Gonçallo de Sintra, of whom at present we intend to speak, was a squire brought up from early youth in the Infant's household--indeed I believe he had been his equerry. And because he was a man who had a good stature of body and a high courage, the Infant greatly increased him; ever laying upon him the charge of great and honourable matters. And some time after Lançarote's return, the Infant caused a caravel to be armed; and gave it in charge of Gonçallo de Sintra as captain, admonishing him, before his start, that he should go straight to Guinea, and for nothing whatever should fail of this. And he, pursuing his voyage, arrived at Cape Branco; and like a man envious of obtaining fame, and desiring to win for himself advantages above the others,[AY] he began to talk of going to the isle of Arguim, which was now very near[N84] them; where he thought that with little trouble he could make some prisoners. The others began to contradict this; saying, that he ought not to do anything of this sort; for, in meddling with any such matter, he would work two evils: to wit, first in going beyond the command of the Infant; secondly, in tarrying there and wasting the time without any profit--but they should rather (they said) make their way straight to Guinea, the land of the Negroes. But he, like a man whom death invited to make his end there, said that the detention would be only short; and that in these matters the injunctions of lords were not always to be strictly attended to; and so at once he gave command to the mariners that they should make their way to the said isle. And it appeareth that arriving by night, they were perceived; so that when they landed in the morning they only found one girl, whom they took to their ship. And thence they went off to another island, that lieth near there; where they caught one woman, being discovered in just the same way when they arrived there.