THE EASTERN COAST* 
natives, De Gama judged it most advisable to set 
sail. The force of currents, however, obliged 
him to anchor at some islands near the shore. 
Being again obliged to land for water, the crew 
were met by a body of two thousand men, who 
poured in upon them clouds of arrows. The first 
discharge of artillery, however, put these assail- 
ants to flight, and caused such terror, that the 
Xeque immediately sent to make an apology for 
"what had passed, and to offer a pilot, who, he 
assured them, was every way qualified to be their 
guide to India. This pilot was accordingly re- 
ceived on board, and the expedition set sail ; but 
they soon found, says the writer, " they had with 
" them a mortal enemy rather than a pilot." It 
was not long till he embarrassed them among 
some islands, from which they could with diffi- 
culty extricate themselves. There was no pro- 
spect of reaching India under such guidance ; 
and Gama therefore readily listened to his pro- 
posal of touching at Quiloa, which, he was assur- 
ed, contained a great number of Abyssinians and 
natives of India, and where there could be no 
difficulty of procuring a proper pilot. The cur- 
rents carried them beyond Quiloa j and it was 
then determined to touch at Mombaca, which 
was asserted to contain an equal proportion of the 
subjects of Prester John. In a few days they ar- 
jfived at Mombaca, the view of which affected th^ 
