DOM GAMA AT CALICUT. 299 



would do great harm to those who were not their friends?" The soothsay ers, however, 

 told them that the time had not yet come for the fulfilment of this prophecy. 



" On the arrival of the expedition at Calicut * the Portuguese were well received, 

 for the - king had discovered that the strangers had plenty of merchandise with them. 

 He immediately sent them presents, "of many pigs, fowls, and cocoa-nuts fresh and 

 dry/' and professed to a desire to enter into friendly relations with the king of so 

 great a people. When Da Gama landed, he took with him twelve men of "good appear- 

 ance," and a large number of presents and a display of cloths, crimson velvet and 

 yellow satin, gilt and chased basins, and ewers, knives of Flanders with ivory handles and 

 glittering blades, and so forth. But the Moorish traders, fearing to lose their business, 

 interfered, and the king eventually turned round upon Gama, and endeavoured to 

 capture his ships. Finding it unsafe to remain, the half-laden vessels left Calicut, Da Gama 

 threatening revenge. In the King of Cananore they found a monarch well-disposed to- 

 trade, and the Portuguese ships sailed thence very richly laden for the homeward 

 voyage. 



Their arrival at Lisbon after two years and eight months' absence was a time of 

 great rejoicing. The direct results of the expedition, pecuniarily, were immense. In 

 spite of the cost of the expedition and presents made, the profit was "fully sixty -fold/' 

 Rewards were bestowed on all who had taken part in the expedition, and Da Gama 

 himself received the title of "Dom" with many grants and privileges. He was also 

 created high admiral of Spain. 



The second expedition of Dom Gama had avowedly for its object the punishment 

 of the King of Calicut. Ten large ships, fitted with heavy guns and all the munitions 

 of war then known, with five lateen-rigged caravels, formed the fleet. Arrived at 

 Cananore, he related to the friendly king the manner in which he intended to be- 

 revenged on the King of Calicut. The former "swore upon his head, and his eyes, and 

 by his mother's womb that had borne him, and by the prince, his heir," that he would 

 assist Da Gama to his utmost, and they soon matured a system of trade. Gama then 

 sailed for Calicut, which he found deserted of its shipping, the news of his previous- 

 doings having reached that port. 



The King made one effort at conciliation by sending on board one of the chief 

 Brahmins of the place with a flag of truce, but Da Gama rejected every overture, 

 ordered the Indian boat back, and kept the ambassador on board, while he bombarded 

 the city. While this was going on there came in from the offing two large ships and 

 twenty-two sambachs and Malabar vessels, which he plundered, with the exception of 

 six of the smaller vessels that belonged to Cananore, and barbarously put to death a 

 large number of the captives. The King of Calicut, surrounded with the wives and 

 relations of those who had been so shamefully massacred, bewailing in the most heart- 

 rending manner their loss, and beseeching protection, called a council, and it was resolved 

 to construct armed proas, large rowing barges and sambachs, and as many vessels of 



* Calicut, in the district of Malabar, must not be confounded with Calcutta. Calico derives its name 

 from Calicut, onco a famous manufacturing city. 



