The First Meeting at Porto Seguro, 1500

e daly ouvemos vista de homeens que amdavam pola praya obra de sete ou oito, segundo hos navios pequenos diseram por chegarem primeiro aly. Lamçamos hos batees, e esquifes fóra, e vieram logo todolos Capitaaos das naaos a esta naao do Capitam moor, e aly falaram: e ho Capitam mandou no bateel em terra Nicolaao Coelho pera veer aquele Rio: e tamto que ele começou pera la de hyr, acodiram pola praya homeens quando dous, quando tres; de maneira que quando ho bateel chegou aa boca do Rio, heram aly dezoito, ou vimte homeens pardos todos nuus sem nhuuma coussa, que lhes cobrise suas vergonhas.

and from there we had sight of men who were walking along the beach, some seven or eight, as the small ships said, because they arrived there first. We put the boats and skiffs out, and at once all the captains of the ships came to this ship of the Captain-major, and there they talked; and the Captain sent Nicolaao Coelho ashore in the boat to see that river; and as soon as he began to go there, men came running along the beach, now two, now three; so that when the boat reached the mouth of the river, there were there eighteen or twenty men, brownish, all naked, without anything to cover their shames.

From there we saw men walking along the beach, about seven or eight of them, as the small ships reported, since they had arrived first. We put out the boats and skiffs, and all the ships' captains came at once to the Captain-major's ship and talked there. The Captain sent Nicolaao Coelho1 ashore in the boat to look at that river. As soon as he started toward it, men came running along the beach, two at a time, then three. By the time the boat reached the river mouth, eighteen or twenty men were there. They were brownish and all naked, with nothing to cover their private parts.2

1. Nicolau Coelho, captain of one of the ships of the fleet.
2. Caminha's word is vergonhas, "shames," a common Portuguese word for the private parts.

Traziam arcos nas maaos, e suas seetas: vynham todos rijos pera aho bateel; e Nicolaao Coelho lhes fes synaal que posesem hos arcos, e eles hos poserom aly: nom pode delos aveer fala nem emtemdimento que aproveitase polo mar quebrar na costa: soomente deo lhes huum barete vermelho, e huuma carapuça de linho que levava na cabeça, e huum sombreyro preto: e huum deles lhe deo huum sombreyro de penas daves compridas com huuma copezinha pequena de penas vermelhas, e pardas coma de papagayo: e outro lhe deo huum Ramal gramde de comtinhas bramcas, meudas, que querem parecer d'aljaveira: has quaaes peças creo que ho Capitam manda a V. A. E com isto se voltou aas naaos por seer tarde, e nom poder delles aver mais fala por aazo do mar.

They carried bows in their hands, and their arrows; they all came boldly toward the boat; and Nicolaao Coelho made them a sign that they should put down the bows, and they put them down there; he could not have speech nor understanding of them that was of use, because of the sea breaking on the coast; only he gave them a red cap, and a linen hood that he wore on his head, and a black hat; and one of them gave him a hat of long bird feathers with a little crown of red and brownish feathers like a parrot's; and another gave him a large string of little white beads, tiny, that seem to be of [aljaveira? seed pearl?]; which pieces I believe the Captain is sending to Your Highness. And with this he went back to the ships, because it was late and he could have no more speech with them on account of the sea.

They carried bows and arrows in their hands, and they all came boldly toward the boat. Nicolaao Coelho signed to them to lay down their bows, and they laid them down. He could not talk with them or make himself understood to any purpose, because the sea was breaking on the shore. He only gave them a red cap, a linen hood he had on his head, and a black hat. One of them gave him a hat of long bird feathers with a small crown of red and brownish feathers, like a parrot's. Another gave him a large string of tiny white beads that look like aljaveira.3 I believe the Captain is sending these things to Your Highness.4 With that Coelho went back to the ships, because it was late, and the sea kept them from talking any more.

3. Caminha's word, aljaveira, is obscure. Michaëlis de Vasconcelos finds it less unlikely than the other readings, though without documentary proof, that it means the pearly white seeds of gromwell (aljofareira), used as beads. It may instead mean aljôfar, small uneven pearls.
4. King Manuel I of Portugal, to whom the letter is addressed.

E seendo Afonso Lopes, noso piloto em huum daqueles navios pequenos per mandado do Capitam moor, per seer homem vyvo e deestro pera iso, meteo se logo no esquife a somdar ho porto dentro; e tomou em huuma almaadia dous daqueles homeens da terra mancebos, e de boos corpos: e huum deles trazia huum arco, e seis ou sete seetas: e na praya amdavam muytos com seus arcos e seetas, e nom lhe aproveitaram. Troveos logo, ja denoute, aho Capitam, omde foram recebudos com muyto prazer e festa.

And Afonso Lopes, our pilot, being in one of those small ships by order of the Captain-major, for being a lively and skillful man for that, put himself at once in the skiff to sound the harbor inside; and he took in a canoe two of those men of the land, young and of good bodies; and one of them carried a bow and six or seven arrows; and on the beach many were going about with their bows and arrows, and they were of no use to him. He brought them at once, already by night, to the Captain, where they were received with much pleasure and celebration.

Afonso Lopes, our pilot, was on one of the small ships by order of the Captain-major, because he was a quick and able man for such work. He got into the skiff at once to take soundings inside the harbor. In a canoe5 he took two of the men of the land, young and well built. One of them carried a bow and six or seven arrows. Many others were walking on the beach with their bows and arrows, but he got nothing from them.6 He brought the two at once, after dark, to the Captain,7 and there they were received with great pleasure and celebration.

5. A dugout canoe. Caminha uses almadia, a Portuguese word for a light boat made from a single piece of wood.
6. The phrase is unclear. Michaëlis de Vasconcelos takes it to mean that Lopes could not get hold of these men or their bows. It may instead mean that they did not use their bows against him.
7. The captain-major of the fleet, Pedro Álvares Cabral.

A feiçam deles hee seerem pardos, maneira de vermelhados, de boos rostros, e boos narizes, beem feytos. Amdam nuus sem nhuuma cobertura: nem estimam nhuuma cousa cobrir, nem mostrar suas vergonhas: e estam aa cerqua diso com tamta inocemcia como teem em mostrar ho rostro. Traziam ambos hos beiços debaixo furados, e metudos per eles senhos onos doso bramcos de compridam de huuma maao travesa, e de grosura de huum fuzo dalgodam, e agudo na ponta, coma furador. Metem nos pola parte de dentro do beiço, e ho que lhe fica antre ho beiço, e hos dentes, hee feyto coma roque denxadres: e em tal maneira ho trazem aly emcaxado, que lhes nom dá payxam, nem lhes torva a falar, nem comer, nem beber.

Their appearance is to be brownish, in the manner of reddish, of good faces and good noses, well made. They go naked without any covering; nor do they think anything of covering or showing their shames; and they are, as to that, with as much innocence as they have in showing the face. Both had the lower lips pierced, and put through them each a bone, white, of the length of a hand across, and of the thickness of a cotton spindle, and sharp at the point like an awl. They put them in from the inside of the lip, and the part that stays between the lip and the teeth is made like a chess rook; and in such a way they carry it fitted in there that it gives them no pain, nor hinders them from speaking, nor eating, nor drinking.

In looks they are brownish, rather reddish, with good faces and good noses, well made. They go naked without any covering. They think nothing of covering or showing their private parts, and in this they are as innocent as they are in showing their faces. Both of them had their lower lips pierced. Through each lip was a white bone as long as a hand is wide and as thick as a cotton spindle, sharp at the point like an awl. They put these in from the inside of the lip, and the part between the lip and the teeth is shaped like a chess rook. They wear it fitted in so well that it causes them no pain and does not hinder them from talking, eating or drinking.

Hos cabelos seus sam coredios; e amdavam trosquyados de trosquya alta mais que de sobre pemtem, de booa gramdura, e rapados ataa per s ma das orelhas: e huum deles trazia per bayxo da solapa de fonte a fonte pera detras huuma maneira de cabeleyra de penas dave amarela, que seria de compridam de huum couto, muy basta, e muy çarada, que lhe cobria ho toutiço, e has orelhas: ha quaal amdava pegada nos cabelos pena e pena com huuma comfeiçam bramda coma cera, e nom no heera; de maneyra que amdava ha cabeleyra muy redomda, e muy basta, e muy igual, que nom fazia mingoa mais lavajem pera ha levantar.

Their hair is straight; and they went shorn with a high shearing, more than over a comb, of good length, and shaved up to above the ears; and one of them wore, below the hollow [of the skull], from temple to temple toward the back, a kind of wig of yellow bird feathers, which would be the length of a [couto? forearm?], very thick and very close, which covered his nape and his ears; which was stuck to the hair feather by feather with a soft paste like wax, and it was not [wax]; so that the wig was very round, and very thick, and very even, and there lacked nothing but a washing to lift it off [or: it needed no washing to lift it].

Their hair is straight. They wear it cut short, but higher than a comb-cut and of a good length, and shaved to above the ears. One of them wore a kind of wig of yellow bird feathers. It ran behind his head from temple to temple, below the hollow at the nape.8 It was perhaps a forearm long,9 very thick and close, and covered the nape of his neck and his ears. It was stuck to his hair feather by feather with a soft paste like wax, though it was not wax. So the wig was very round, very thick and very even, and only a washing was needed to lift it off.10

8. Caminha's word is solapa, and its sense here is uncertain. Michaëlis de Vasconcelos reads it as the hollow at the back of the head, a meaning she could not find in any dictionary.
9. Caminha writes couto, probably for coto. Michaëlis de Vasconcelos reads it as a cubit, about two hand spans, but Moraes's dictionary (1813) gives coto only as a stump or piece. The length is uncertain.
10. The phrase is unclear. Michaëlis de Vasconcelos reads it the other way, that the wig could be lifted without washing it loose.

Ho Capitam, quando eles vieram, estava asentado em huuma cadeyra, e huuma alcatifa ahos pees por estrado, e beem vestido com huum colar douro muy gramde aho pescoço: e Sancho de Toar, e Simam de Miramda, e Nicolaao Coelho, e Ayres Corea, e nós outros que aquy na naao com ele himos asentados no chaao per esa alcatifa. Acemderam tochas, e emtraram, e nom fezeram nhuuma mençam de cortesia, nem de falar aho Capitam, nem a ninguem: pero huum deles pos ho olho no colar do Capitam, e começou dacenar com ha maao pera aa terra; e despois pera aho colar, coma que dezia que avia em terra ouro: e tambem vio huum castiçal de prata, e asy meesmo acenava pera aa terra, e emtam pera aho castiçal, coma que avia tambeem prata.

The Captain, when they came, was seated in a chair, with a carpet at his feet for a dais, and well dressed, with a very large collar of gold at his neck; and Sancho de Toar, and Simam de Miramda, and Nicolaao Coelho, and Ayres Corea, and we others who go here in the ship with him, seated on the floor on that carpet. Torches were lit, and they came in, and they made no sign of courtesy, nor of speaking to the Captain, nor to anyone; but one of them set his eye on the Captain's collar and began to point with his hand toward the land, and then toward the collar, as if he were saying that there was gold in the land; and he also saw a silver candlestick, and in the same way he pointed toward the land and then toward the candlestick, as if there were silver too.

When they came, the Captain was seated in a chair, with a carpet at his feet as a dais. He was well dressed, with a very large gold collar around his neck. Sancho de Toar, Simam de Miramda, Nicolaao Coelho, Ayres Corea,11 and the rest of us who sail with him in this ship were seated on the floor on that carpet. Torches were lit, and the two came in. They made no sign of courtesy and did not speak to the Captain or to anyone. But one of them fixed his eye on the Captain's collar. He began to point toward the land with his hand, and then toward the collar, as if he were saying there was gold in the land. He also saw a silver candlestick, and in the same way he pointed toward the land and then toward the candlestick, as if there were silver there too.

11. Captains and officers of the fleet. Aires Correia was to be the fleet's chief trading agent in India; he was killed at Calicut with Caminha.

Mostraram lhes huum papagayo pardo, que aquy ho Capitam tras; tomaram no logo na maao, e acenaram pera aa terra, coma que hos avia hy: mostraram lhes huum carneyro, nom fezeram dele mençam: mostraram lhes huuma galinha, c asy aviam medo dela, e nom lhe queriam poeer ha maao: e depois ha tomaram coma espantados. Deram lhes aly de comer pam, e pescado cozido, confeytos, fartes, mel, e figos passados: nom queserem comer daquilo casy nada; e alguuma coussa se a provavam lançavam na logo fóra. Trouveram lhes vinho per huuma taça, poseram lhe asy ha boca tam malaves, e nom gostaram dele nada, nem ho queseram mais.

They showed them a gray parrot, which the Captain brings here; they took it at once in the hand, and pointed toward the land, as if there were [parrots] there. They showed them a sheep; they made no sign of it. They showed them a hen, and they were so afraid of it, and would not put a hand on it, and afterward they took it as if startled. They gave them there to eat bread, and boiled fish, sweets, fartes, honey, and dried figs; they would eat almost nothing of that; and if they tasted anything they at once threw it out. They brought them wine in a cup; they put [their] mouth to it [so unwillingly?], and did not like it at all, nor want more of it.

They were shown a gray parrot that the Captain has with him here. They took it in their hands at once and pointed toward the land, as if there were parrots there. They were shown a sheep, and they took no notice of it. They were shown a hen, and they were almost afraid of it and would not touch it. Afterward they took hold of it, as if startled. They were given bread to eat there, and boiled fish, sweets, fartes,12 honey and dried figs. They would eat almost none of it, and if they tasted anything, they spat it out at once. They were brought wine in a cup. They barely put their lips to it, did not like it at all, and wanted no more.

12. Fartes, Portuguese pastries: a sweet filling wrapped in a crust of dough.

Trouveram lhes agoa per huuma albarada: tomaram dela senhos bocados, e nom beberam; soomente lavavam has bocas, e lançavam na fora. Vio huum deles huumas comtas de rosairo bramcas, acenou que lhas desem, e folgou muyto com elas, e lamçou has aho pescoço, e despois tirou has, e embrulhou has no braço, e acenava pera aa terra, e emtam pera aas comtas, e pera aho colar do Capitam, coma que dariam ouro per aquylo: isto tomavamonos asy polo desejarmos; mas se ele queria dezer que levaria has comtas, e mais ho colar, isto nom queriamonos emtemder; perque lho nom aviamos de dar: e despois tornou has comtas a quem lhas deo; e emtam estiraram se asy decostas na alcatifa a dormir, sem teer nhuuma maneyra de cobrirem suas vergonhas, has quaaes nom heeram fanadas. Ho Capitam lhes mandou poeer aas cabeças senhos coxys; e ho da cabeleyra procurava asas pola nom quebrar: e lamçaram lhes huum manto emcima, e eles cosentiram, e joveram, e dormiram.

They brought them water in an albarada; they took each a mouthful of it, and did not drink; they only rinsed their mouths and threw it out. One of them saw some white rosary beads; he signed that they should give them to him, and he was much pleased with them, and put them around his neck, and then took them off and wrapped them around his arm, and pointed toward the land, and then toward the beads and toward the Captain's collar, as if [saying] they would give gold for that. This we took so because we wished it; but if he meant to say that he would take the beads and the collar as well, this we did not want to understand, because we were not going to give it to him. And afterward he returned the beads to the one who had given them; and then they stretched out so, on their backs, on the carpet to sleep, without having any way of covering their shames, which were not circumcised. The Captain ordered a cushion put under each one's head; and the one with the wig took good care not to break it; and they threw a cloak over them, and they consented, and lay, and slept.

They were brought water in an albarada.13 They each took a mouthful but did not drink it. They only rinsed their mouths and spat it out. One of them saw some white rosary beads and signed that he wanted them. He was very pleased with them and put them around his neck. Then he took them off and wrapped them around his arm. He pointed toward the land, and then toward the beads and the Captain's collar, as if to say they would give gold for these things. We took it that way because that is what we wished. But if he meant that he would take the beads and the collar too, we did not want to understand, because we were not going to give it to him. Afterward he gave the beads back to the man who had given them. Then they stretched out on their backs on the carpet to sleep. They made no effort to cover their private parts, which were not circumcised.14 The Captain had a cushion put under each one's head, and the one with the wig took good care not to spoil it. A cloak was thrown over them. They let it be, lay down, and slept.

13. A two-handled jug, as Casal explains in a note.
14. The manuscript adds here that their pubic hair was neatly shaved. Casal's printed text leaves this out.