wander far from the shore; for of a surety, if their numbers are great, when they see we are but few, and that we will not wander from the shore, they will discover themselves; and if we see what people they are it may please our Lord God, when we are not concerned at aught else,[AN] to shew us some grace we do not think of." [Footnote AN: Except his service.] All considered as good what Gil Eannes said, and on the next day at dawn full thirty men started in the boats, and the others remained to clean their ships, that they might be ready[AO]; and so it was agreed that they should start on their voyage home to Portugal as soon as those returned who had just started for the island. [Footnote AO: _I.e._, for return.] They arrived at Tiger at mid-day, and twenty men landed, while the other ten stayed in the boats; and the former went about half a league distant from the shore and constantly explored those places that seemed to them suitable for any people to lie in; and afterwards they took their station on a hillock and began to look carefully over the island. And as they were standing thus, they espied two Moors coming in their direction, who saw them not, or peradventure thought that they were some of the Moors of the island. These they made for and captured, and in taking them they saw, further off, ten Moors coming, with fifteen or twenty asses laden with fish. Some of our men made for them, and although they put themselves on their defence, it pleased our Lord God that this their defence availed little; for they were put to rout and fled, some to one side and others to another, and so the Christians captured them all. And while they were there, two men went further on in front, to see if they could descry anybody else; and they saw many Moors, who made for them as hard as they could. The two men turned and fled, and gave this news to the others who were with the prisoners; telling them to fly as fast as they could, for that a great power of Moors was coming upon them. So they made off all together towards the boats, taking their captives with them; and the Moors came after them as well as they could. And then it pleased our Lord God (who succoureth those who go in His service in their dangers and toils) that the Christians should reach the shore before the Moors came up with them; but before they had all got safely into their boats, the Moors were already among them, and fought with them; and only with sore trouble did the Christians gain their boats. All of our men in that retreat showed their good qualities and their brave and ardent hearts; so that it would be difficult to distinguish who did best. But Lançarote and a squire of the Infant, named Martin Vaz, were the last who got into the boats.