liAKLV 1'0KTI'<;L'1':SK lilSCOVIiKlES IN" AIKU A. J", 



saw the country they live in. It was he who ^ave it the pretty 

 name it has kept to this day, and will probahly always retain, 

 an 1 1 am only sorry that Natal's example was not followed in 

 other parts of the South African continent, particularly in this 

 FiO\'ince of Mozambique, where not a single monument is to be 

 found in memory of the great man or of his followers. 



In January, 1498, da Gama reached the mouth of a river, 

 which he named the River of the Kings, and which was subse- 

 quently called the Copper River on account of the quantity of 

 that metal found in use by the natives. It is to-dav the well- 

 known Limpopo. 



The navigators were then becoming rather disheartened aj 

 the} found everywhere only the most miserable people, whose 

 languages could not be understood, and whose treachery was 

 constantly feared. It was not until they reached Ouelimane, 

 about the end of January, that they began to entertain hopes oi 

 a better turn of things. There they found black nihabitants. 

 It is true, but some of them were of an olive shade, better 

 clothed, and these understood -i few Arabic words, svhich clearly 

 indicated the vicinity of white people. In fact, the Portuguese 

 succeeded in understanding from the natives that, i+' they went 

 further, they would come acioss white people who had ships 

 almost like theirs. 



Da Gama took the tidings as a good omen thai, he would 

 soor. be in possession of information, which w^ould iielp him to 

 reach India. He remained some time at Ouelimane m order to 

 clean, recaulk, and generally to better the condition of his 

 vessels, and also partly because scurvy had ap])eare'l among his 

 men in a very bad form. 



When, a few days later, the fleet reached Mozambique, da 

 Gama learnt that this place carried on a considerable trade with 

 India. The Island belonged to the Kingdom of Ki'wa and its 

 Governor, Zakoeja. an enemy to Christians, paid a visit in State 

 to the Portuguese Commander and promised to supy-ly him witli 

 two pilots, who would take the fleet to India. Mischief and 

 treason, however, were contemplated by the Governor. Da 

 (lama kept him under close observation during the whole of the 

 con\ ersation and noticed some hesitation in his answers, which 

 led him to doubt the man's sincerity. In spite of that courtesies 

 and presents were mutually exchanged, entertainments took place 

 at which the Arabs went so far as to break their law and drink 

 Portuguese wine, and ultimately the two pilots v. ere sent on 

 board. But they soon deserted the ships and hostilities began, 

 a shower of arrows being poured into the Portuguese vessels. 

 Da Gama retorted with a few cannon shots, which killed four 

 men, amongst whom was one of the runaway pilots, who died by 

 the side of the Governor. Zakoeja, in terror, notified his readi- 

 ness to yield to all da Gama's demands. The latter con- 

 tented himself with accepting the services of another pilot, and 

 set sail on the 13th of March. The pilot took the ships amidst 



