The depredations which had been committed upon the Spaniards excited no indignation among the Portuguese; for these nations were rivals, and although they did not put their contentions to the test of the sword, each was glad enough to hear of any misfortune befalling the other.
The viceroy now assured the young men that he was proud to welcome the members of so gallant a crew as that of the great English navigator.
"England and Portugal," he said, "did not clash, and were always natural allies." He trusted they would always remain so, and in the meantime he should be glad to treat the boys with all honor, and to forward them home by the first ship which might be sailing.
Apartments were now assigned to them in the palace, and here they were delighted to find a stock of clothes suited for them.
For the next fortnight they passed a pleasant time at Goa.

They were the objects of much attention on the part of the Portuguese, and all vied in the attempt to make their stay pleasant to them.
They found that the town of Goa occupied but a small space, and that it was strongly fortified, and the Portuguese made no attempt to conceal their very high estimate of the fighting power of the natives.

One young officer, who was specially told off to accompany the lads, and who spoke Spanish fluently, was particularly frank in his description of the state of affairs.
"All these gaily dressed natives that one sees in the streets are, I suppose, Christians ?" Ned asked.
"No, indeed," the other said surprised.

"What should make you think so ?" Ned replied that, in America, he had found that the Spaniards insisted on all the natives at once embracing Christianity, on pain of death.
"The Spaniards," the young Portuguese said, "are lords and masters there.

The natives are weak and timid, and able to offer no resistance, whatever.