Inasmuch as I have just declared that I would give some account of the Portuguese captives in the power of the Xeque of Adem, who would not take any ransom for them, and would relate how they escaped out of the captivity in which they lay, I thought it fit that I should first of all narrate how they were wrecked. It was in this way. At the time when Duarte de Lemos, chief captain, was lying at anchor with his fleet off the coast of Melinde, a great darkness and storm fell on them one night, and one of his brigantines was driven from her moorings, but no one knew whether the cables snapped accidentally or whether they were cut by design. The captain of this vessel was Gregorio da Quadra, an honourable man, servant of the king D. Manuel. The great current of water, which at that time was running direct towards the entrance of the straits, brought the ship down with it, and when morning broke the crew found themselves opposite Adem.

When the natives of the land saw the brigantine, and perceived that there were Christians on board, they fitted out two fustas and took her, and all those who were on board, and carried these men forthwith before the King of Adem, who dwelt in the city of Zebit, the capital city of his kingdom.