196 



HISTORY OF THE SEA. 



And now, descending in a spacious bay, 



Wide o'er the coast the venturous soldiers stray, 



To spy the wonders of the savage shore 



Where strangers' foot had never trod before. 



I and my pilots, on the yellow sand, 



Explore beneath what sky the shores expand. 



Here we perceived our venturous keels had pass'd, 



Unharmed, the Southern tropic's howling blast, 



And now approached dread Neptune's secret reign: 



Where the stern power, as o'er the Austral main 



He rides, wide scatters from the Polar Star 



Hail, ice, and snow, and all the wintry war." 



• Trade was now commenced between da Grama and the natives, 

 and, by means of signs and gestures, cloth, beads, bells, and 

 glass were bartered for articles of food and other necessaries. 

 But this friendly intercourse was soon interrupted by an act of 

 imprudent folly on the part of a young man of the squadron. 

 Being invited to dine by a party of the natives, he entered one 

 of their huts to partake of the repast. Being disgusted at the 

 viands, which consisted of a sea-calf dressed after the manner 

 of the Hottentots, he fled in dismay. He was followed by his 

 perplexed entertainers, who were anxious to learn how they had 

 offended him. Taking their officious hospitality for impertinent 

 aggression, he shouted for help ; and it was not long before 

 mutual apprehension brought on open hostilities. Da Gama and 

 his officers were attacked, while taking the altitude of the sun 

 with an astrolabe, by a party of concealed negroes armed with 

 spears pointed with horn. The admiral was wounded in the 

 foot, and with some difficulty effected a retreat to the ships. 

 He left the Bay of St. Helena on the 16th of November. 



He now met with a sudden and violent change of weather, 

 rand the Portuguese historians have left animated descriptions 

 of the storm which ensued. During any momentary pause in 

 the elemental warfare, the sailors, worn out with fatigue and 

 yielding to despair, surrounded da Gama, begging that he 

 would not devote himself and them to a fate so dreadful. 

 They declared that the gale could no longer be weathered, and 



