And here you must note that these blacks were Moors like the others, though their slaves, in accordance with ancient custom, which I believe to have been because of the curse which, after the Deluge, Noah laid upon his son Cain,[N69] cursing him in this way:--that his race should be subject to all the other races of the world. And from his race these blacks are descended, as wrote the Archbishop Don Roderic of Toledo, and Josephus in his book on the _Antiquities of the Jews_, and Walter, with other authors who have spoken of the generations of Noah, from the time of his going out of the Ark.[N70] The will of Antam Gonçalvez to return to that land, for desire of the ransom and profit he would get, was not so great as his desire to serve the Infant his lord--and therefore he asked leave to go on this journey, saying, that (forasmuch as he perceived the great desire his Grace had to know part of that land) if that were not sufficient which he had ascertained from that Moor,[Y] that he should give him license to go and ransom him and the other captive youths with him. [Footnote Y: Adahu.] For as the Moor told him, the least they would give for them would be ten Moors, and it was better to save ten souls than three--for though they were black, yet had they souls like the others, and all the more as these blacks were not of the lineage of the Moors[Z]--but were Gentiles, and so the better to bring into the path of salvation.[N71] [Footnote Z: Mohammedans proper.] Also he said that the blacks could give him news of land much further distant, and he promised that when he spoke about the traffic with the natives, he would find means to learn as much news as possible. The Infant answered all this and said that he was obliged by his offer, and that he not only desired to have knowledge of that land, but also of the Indies, and of the land of Prester John, if he could.[N72] Antam Gonçalvez made ready to go with his captives, and beginning his voyage, met with so great a tempest that he had to return again to Lisbon, whence he set out. And there happened to be there a gentleman of the Household of the Emperor of Germany, who had attached himself to the Household of the Infant with the intention of going to Ceuta, where he desired to be made a knight, but not without first doing so much for his own honour, as merited such a reward. His name was Balthasar, and certainly, as we understand, his heart did not fail him in following out his good purpose; for with great honour he received his knighthood, first performing very notable deeds with his own right hand, as you may read at greater length in the history of the Kingdom. And he said many times that he much desired, before he left that land of Portugal, to see a great tempest, that he might speak of it to those who had never seen one.