THE OPENING OF THE EAST 



the Navigator, of Portugal, the grandson of John of Gaunt and son of 

 the King John I who freed his country. After distinguishing himself as 

 a soldier he carried out some exploratory work himself down the West 

 coast of Africa, which he was convinced would lead to India. After 

 that he sent out numerous expeditions which greatly increased the 

 world's knowledge of the African coast, and at the same time he 

 colonised the Madeiras and Azores. At this time he appears to have 

 vaguely considered the possibility of a Western route to the East. In 

 spite of discouragement and ridicule he still worked on his schemes until 

 in 1441 his men were able to round Cape Blanco and bring him slaves 

 and gold dust from Guinea. Immediately public opinion changed and 

 everybody was with him, numerous expeditions being sent out manned 

 both by Portuguese and foreigners. The prince died in 1460, beloved 

 by everybody, but the work that he did lasted infinitely longer, for it 

 was entirely due to his encouragement to their predecessors that the 

 work of Vasco da Gama and other explorers was possible. They have 

 aptly been described as Prince Henry's executors. 



Vasco da Gama and his Followers. 



Like many other explorers of his time the origin and early days of 

 Vasco da Gama were the subject of infinite rumour, more or less 

 unreliable. Perhaps the reason of this is that in those days it was far 

 easier for a man of obscure birth but great courage to make a name for 

 himself at sea than on land. He is supposed to have been born about 

 the year 1460 and when he was famous he was attributed with a wonder- 

 fully noble family. It is known for certain that he was the third son of 

 the Governor of Sines, one of the many explorers sent out by Prince 

 Henry the Navigator. Bartholomew Diaz had proved that there was a 

 sea way round the Southern extremity of the African coast and immedi- 

 ately he returned in 1488 it was proposed to follow up his discoveries. 

 This scheme fell through, however, and it was not until 1497 that 

 Da Gama was put in charge of an expedition of four vessels specially 

 designed and built for the work, which sailed from the Tagus. They 

 reached Malindi in East Africa and there found a number of Hindu 

 merchants from whom they obtained a pilot. Da Gama struck across 

 the Indian Ocean to Calicut on the Malabar coast, where he had to meet 

 the jealous opposition of the traders who were already established there. 

 However, he returned to Portugal with golden stories of his discoveries, 

 and a fleet of no less than thirteen ships was immediately sent out under 

 Pedro Alvares Cabral, who by bad navigation discovered Brazil on his 

 way out to Calicut. The traders who were left at the post by Cabral 

 were murdered by the natives and Da Gama was put in command of the 

 expedition of ten ships that was sent out in 1502 to avenge the insult. 

 This was done with appalling savagery, and from thence he proceeded 

 to Cochin, getting favourable trade treaties all the way out bv the terror 

 of his name. Numerous expeditions were sent out to trade in the East, 

 but some of them were so badly bungled that Da Gama was glad to 

 emerge from his retirement to take over their control as Viceroy of 



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