Now the Moors were about 300 fighting men, who showed well that they meant to defend their land. Many of them were wounded during the retreat of the Christians; but of the Christians, by the mercy of God, not one was wounded, to speak of. And as soon as they had got into their boats with their prisoners, they started for the spot where they had left the caravels, although night had already fallen. CHAPTER XXIII. How they went to Cape Branco, and of what they did there. Then on board it was determined that next day they should start for Cape Branco. The which matter, as soon it was dawn, they put in execution, making sail for the said Cape, where they arrived after two days, and some landed at once--about twenty or twenty-five men--to see what the land was like; and when they were a little distance from where they landed, they saw a number of Moors go by, fishing. And though they appeared to them to be rather great in number, they had a mind to attempt that matter by themselves, without acquainting those who were in the ships with their project; and they made after them. And the Moors, on seeing them, began to fly; but when they saw they were so few in number, they awaited them as men who desired to fight, in the hope of victory. The Christians reached them, and the battle began, without anyone shewing to his enemy any signs of fear; and at last He from whom (as saith St. James) cometh down every good thing, and who had already given our men such a good beginning and middle, as hath been said, was pleased that in the end[N79] they should have a complete victory over their enemies, and that their lives should be saved and their honours increased; for after a little skirmish the Moors began to get the worst of it, each flying as best he could; and the Christians, following them a long distance, took fourteen of them captive, besides those that died; and so with this victory, and filled with great joy, they returned to their ships. And if their fortune was good against their enemies, it was not less good in the refreshment they had afterwards, for they had there many eels and crowfish,[AP] which they found in the nets that the Moors had thrown out. [Footnote AP: Named after their black fins.] Then Lançarote, as a man who did not forget his first purpose, said he thought it well, before they departed from that place, that some men should go along the land and see if they could find any native settlements; and at once five set out, and lighted on a settlement, and returned to tell Lançarote and the others. But although they set off very speedily, their journey was fruitless, for the Moors had caught sight of the first party, and fled at once from that place; so that they only found one girl, who had stayed sleeping in the village; whom they took with them, and returning to the caravels, made sail for Portugal. CHAPTER XXIV. How the caravels arrived at Lagos, and of the account that Lançarote gave to the Infant.