666 
The HISTO RT of the Book I. 
and his Religion, it was natural for him to hate them, 
yet he very generoufly offered them his Service, and very 
fincerely fulfilled all that he promifed. He acquainted the 
Samorin , that a certain rich, powerful, and warlike Nation, 
were come from the fart-heft Parts of the Earth to feek his 
Friendfhip, and to defire Leave to trade with his Subjects : 
This Representation had itsEffeds •, Gama was allowed not 
only to anchor in that Port with his Ships, but was alfo ad- 
mitted to an Audience, in which he was treated with all 
the Kindnefs and Refped imaginable. 
But Things however did not remain long in this Pof- 
ture, for the Mohammedans , who were fettled in great 
Numbers in the Dominions of this Prince, feeing that their 
own Commerce mu ft be deftroyed by the coming of the 
Portugueze , took incredible Pains to mifreprefent them, as 
an ambitious, fraudulent, and cruel People, who meant 
nothing lefs than to depofe the Samorin himfelf, and to 
conquer his Country which Stories had fuch an Effedt 
on the Indian Monarch* that he began to form Schemes 
for the Deftrudion of Gama and his People, Don V df- 
quez however, had very early Intelligence of his Defign, 
and therefore haftened on Board his Ships, and quitted the 
Coaft. He wrote, however, a Letter to the Samorin , in 
which he vehemently complained of this Breach of Faith, 
juftified himfelf from the Imputations thrown out againft 
him, and advifed the Samorin to return to his former Sen- 
timents, alluring him that he would find his Account in 
changing his Commerce with the Mohammedans for that 
of the Subject! of the King his Mailer. 1 he Samorin 
wrote him a very polite Anfwer, in which he threw the 
Blame upon his Minifters and the Mohammedans , pro- 
mifing to punilh fuch as were guilty, aflbring him, that, 
for the Time to come, his Nation ihould meet with no 
Reafon to complain. He added to thefe Compliments a 
very relpedful Letter to the King of Portugal in which 
he accepted the Propofitions made him on his Majefty’s 
Behalf, and promifed a free Trade to his Subjeds, without 
Prejudice however to his former Allies. 
Don Vafquez having received the Letters, proceeded 
to the Hand of Angedive , at the Diftance of fifty Leagues 
from Callicut, where having repaired his Veffels, and re- 
frefhed his People, he fet fail from thence in order to re- 
turn to Europe. In his Palfage, he took Care to put into 
Melinda , where he was received with great Friendfbip, 
and the King, according to his Promiie, fent with him 
an Ambaffador to Portugal. Fie fail’d from thence to the 
Ifiand of Zanguebar *, but finding by the Way, that his 
Crew was much diminiflied, he burnt the S. Raphael , 
which was commanded by his Brother Paul Gama , and 
took the Men on Board his own Ship : From Zanguebar 
he fail’d to Mozambique , where he took in a Supply of 
Provifions. 
On the 20th of March following, he doubled the Cape 
of Good-Hope , proceeded from thence to the Azorres or 
Pereiras, and in the Month of September , 1499, arrived 
fafe at Beline , having fpent two Years and two Months in 
his Voyage, and having loft by Sicknefs and Fatigue, 
about one hundred Men, and amongft them his Brother. 
The Captain of his third Ship deferted him in his Paffage 
Home, with a View to get to Eijbon before him, in 
which he fucceeded *, but this proved rather advantageous 
than * prejudicial to Don Vafquez , for King Emanuel fent 
fome of his prime Nobility to meet him, receiving him, 
on his coming to Court, with all imaginable Marks of Fa- 
vour and Efteem, and rewarded him beyond every thing 
but his Merit. He created him Count de Vidiguera , gave 
him the royal Arms of Portugal , charged with two Does, in 
Allufion to his Name of Gama , which fignifies a Doe j and 
tho’he brought no great Riches home, beftowed upon him 
large Appointments. He made alfo great Prefents to all his 
Officers, nor was there fo much as a private Man on Board 
the Fleet, that did not receive the perfonal Thanks of this 
Prince, and with it confiderable Marks of his Bounty. 
So happy a Condufion of the firft Attempt, naturally 
paved the Way to a fecond Expedition, for which the 
King caufed immediate Preparations to be made, but at 
the fame Time declared, that Don Vafquez de Gama 
Ihould enjoy in Peace that Glory he had acquired, and 
-not be obliged to hazard his Perfon again in fo long and 
dangerous a Voyage. It may not be amifs to obferve, 
that this fecond Expedition met with no Oppofition, fo 
much more powerful is Succefs than Reafon, and fo much 
greater the Authority of Experience, than all the Argu- 
ments in the World. All Expences were now thought 
trifling, and thofe who before had treated the Paffage to 
the Indies as a Chimera, were now the loudeft in applaud- 
ing it when performed. 
5, The Fleet therefore intended for this fecond Expedi- 
tion, conflfting of thirteen Sail, fome of which were large 
Ships, was fo effectually victualled, manned and freighted 5 
as to fill Strangers with a high Idea of the Courage, Pow- 
er and Wealth of the People inhabiting that Country from 
which it came. Don Pedro Alverez de Capral , was ap- 
pointed General and Commander in Chief, and carried with 
himPriefts to inftruCt the Natives, if they were fo inclined ; 
but if not, and determined to make ufe of Force, he had fif- 
teen hundred chofen Men. on Board, which was thought a 
Force fufficient to fupport him. In the Month of March , 
in the Year 1500, he failed from the River of DJbon , Ex- 
perience having fhewn, that was much the propereft Seafon 
of the Year fer failing to the Indies. In his Paffage, 
keeping out to Sea, in order to avoid the Storms that hi- 
therto had been met with in doubling the Cape, he found 
himfelf near an unknown Continent, oppofite to that of 
Africa •, and as the Coaft made a very pleafant Appear- 
ance, he thought fit to go on Shore, and took Poffefiion 
of it on the Behalf of the King his Matter, which Coun- 
try he called the LaAd of the Holy Crcfs, but it has been 
fince known by the Name of Brazil. 
This Difcovery appeared to him of fuch Confeqtience, 
that notwithftanding he had loft five Sail of his Fleet al- 
ready, he thought fit to lend Gafpar Lamidos back to 
Portugal with the News, and one of the Natives ori 
Board, as a Proof of this Difcovery, and he likewile left 
twenty condemned Perfons who were put on Board him 
for fuch delperate Services, in this new found Country, 
and then profecuted his Voyage %. 
In a-fhort Time after he left Brazil, he was furprized 
by a nioft dreadful Storm, which iafted twenty Days to- 
gether, in which he loft many of his People, and one of 
his Ships, on Board of which was the famous Bartholomew 
Diaz, who firft doubled the Cape of Good-Hope , and 
who, by this unlucky Accident, periflied with the reft 
that were on Board that Ship. The General, notwith- 
ftanding this Misfortune, continued his Voyage, and re- 
frefhed at Mozambique, where he arrived with no more than 
fix Sail, and thofe too in a very fhattered Condition. The 
Inhabitants remembring the Difputes they had with his 
Predeceffor, received him, if not with Kindnefs, at leaft 
with Refpeft, and furnifhed him with whatever he de- 
manded ; he failed from thence to Vfuiloa, and then con- 
tinued his Rout to Milinda , where he fafely fet on Shore 
the Ambaffador of that Prince, whom Vafquez Gama had 
brought over. 
He proceeded from thence with a fair Gale of Wind to 
the Angedive Hands, where he refrefhed and refitted at 
his Leifure. The Samorin having Intelligence of his Ar- 
rival, fent certain Perfons of Diftindtion to complement 
him thereupon, and to invite him to Calicut , which Invi- 
tation he accepted, provided he had Hoftages fent him for his 
Security. This was in itfelf a pretty bold Demand, but when 
he came to explain himfelf as to the Hoftages he exped- 
ed, it appeared of a much more extraordinary Nature. 
He demanded the Catual, or Commiflioner of the Cuf- 
toms, and fome other of the Samorins Minifters, on 
which that Prince hefitated at firft, but at laft yielded to 
g This Difcovery of Brawl is a plain Proof, that if Ferdinand and Ifabella had not fent Columbus to difeover America at the Time they did, 
it would have been difeovered by the Portugue w ; which Ihews of how great Importance it is ior every Nation that aims at maritime Power, to encou- 
rage and. promote all probable Schemes fox Dilcoveries, which if they do not immediately fucceed, are neceifarily attended with thefe excellent Con- 
feouences. e viss. Breeding up good Officers, and keeping Seamen in A£Uon ; fo tnat in Time of Peace, Attention to inch Expeditions foil always fe- 
cure a fufficient Number of Officers and Seamen fit for the Service of their Country in dime of War, and who, if they are duly paid, and well 
treated, need never be compelled to do their Duty. 
it y 
