The compliments of the Court, and the shouts of the
street, were irksome to him; for his brother, the companion of his toils
and dangers, was not there to share the joy.
street, were irksome to him; for his brother, the companion of his toils
and dangers, was not there to share the joy.
Camoes - Lusiades
Soon after he set sail
his brother's ship struck on a sand bank, and was burnt by order of the
admiral. His brother and part of the crew he took into his own ship, the
rest he sent on board of Coello's; nor were more hands now alive than
were necessary to man the two vessels which remained. Having taken in
provisions at the island of Zanzibar (where they were kindly entertained
by a Mohammedan prince of the same sect with the King of Melinda), they
safely doubled the Cape of Good Hope on April 26, 1499, and continued
till they reached the island of St. Iago, in favourable weather. But a
tempest here separated the two ships, and gave Gama and Coello an
opportunity to show the goodness of their hearts in a manner which does
honour to human nature.
The admiral was now near the Azores, when Paulus de Gama, long worn with
fatigue and sickness, was unable to endure the motion of the ship.
Vasco, therefore, put into the island of Tercera, in hope of his
brother's recovery. And such was his affection, that rather than leave
him he gave the command of his ship to one of his officers. But the hope
of recovery was vain. John de Sa proceeded to Lisbon with the flag ship,
while the admiral remained behind to soothe the deathbed of his brother,
and perform his funeral rites. Coello, meanwhile, landed at Lisbon, and
hearing that Gama had not arrived, imagined he might either be
shipwrecked or beating about in distress. Without seeing one of his
family he immediately set sail again, on purpose to bring relief to his
friend and admiral. But this generous design was prevented by an order
from the king, ere he got out of the Tagus.
The particulars of the voyage were now diffused by Coello, and the joy
of the king was only equalled by the admiration of the people. Yet,
while all the nation was fired with zeal to express their esteem of the
happy admiral, he himself, the man who was such an enthusiast to the
success of his voyage that he would willingly have sacrificed his life
in India to secure that success, was now in the completion of it a
dejected mourner.
The compliments of the Court, and the shouts of the
street, were irksome to him; for his brother, the companion of his toils
and dangers, was not there to share the joy. As soon as he had waited on
the king, he shut himself up in a lonely house near the seaside at
Belem, from whence it was some time ere he was drawn to mingle in public
life.
During this important expedition, two years and almost two months
elapsed. Of 160 men who went out, only 55 returned. These were all
rewarded by the king. Coello was pensioned with 100 ducats a year, and
made a fidalgo, or gentleman of the king's household, a degree of
nobility in Portugal. The title of Don was annexed to the family of
Vasco de Gama. He was appointed admiral of the eastern seas, with an
annual salary of 3000 ducats, and a part of the king's arms was added to
his. Public thanksgivings to Heaven were celebrated throughout the
churches of the kingdom; while feasts, dramatic performances, and
chivalrous entertainments (or tournaments), according to the taste of
that age, demonstrated the joy of Portugal.
Pedro Alvarez Cabral was the second Portuguese admiral who sailed for
India. He entered into alliance with Trimumpara, king of Cochin, and
high priest of Malabar. (See Bk. x. p. 302. )
Gama, having left six ships for the protection of Cochin and Cananor,
had sailed for Portugal with twelve ships, laden with the riches of the
East.
his brother's ship struck on a sand bank, and was burnt by order of the
admiral. His brother and part of the crew he took into his own ship, the
rest he sent on board of Coello's; nor were more hands now alive than
were necessary to man the two vessels which remained. Having taken in
provisions at the island of Zanzibar (where they were kindly entertained
by a Mohammedan prince of the same sect with the King of Melinda), they
safely doubled the Cape of Good Hope on April 26, 1499, and continued
till they reached the island of St. Iago, in favourable weather. But a
tempest here separated the two ships, and gave Gama and Coello an
opportunity to show the goodness of their hearts in a manner which does
honour to human nature.
The admiral was now near the Azores, when Paulus de Gama, long worn with
fatigue and sickness, was unable to endure the motion of the ship.
Vasco, therefore, put into the island of Tercera, in hope of his
brother's recovery. And such was his affection, that rather than leave
him he gave the command of his ship to one of his officers. But the hope
of recovery was vain. John de Sa proceeded to Lisbon with the flag ship,
while the admiral remained behind to soothe the deathbed of his brother,
and perform his funeral rites. Coello, meanwhile, landed at Lisbon, and
hearing that Gama had not arrived, imagined he might either be
shipwrecked or beating about in distress. Without seeing one of his
family he immediately set sail again, on purpose to bring relief to his
friend and admiral. But this generous design was prevented by an order
from the king, ere he got out of the Tagus.
The particulars of the voyage were now diffused by Coello, and the joy
of the king was only equalled by the admiration of the people. Yet,
while all the nation was fired with zeal to express their esteem of the
happy admiral, he himself, the man who was such an enthusiast to the
success of his voyage that he would willingly have sacrificed his life
in India to secure that success, was now in the completion of it a
dejected mourner.
The compliments of the Court, and the shouts of the
street, were irksome to him; for his brother, the companion of his toils
and dangers, was not there to share the joy. As soon as he had waited on
the king, he shut himself up in a lonely house near the seaside at
Belem, from whence it was some time ere he was drawn to mingle in public
life.
During this important expedition, two years and almost two months
elapsed. Of 160 men who went out, only 55 returned. These were all
rewarded by the king. Coello was pensioned with 100 ducats a year, and
made a fidalgo, or gentleman of the king's household, a degree of
nobility in Portugal. The title of Don was annexed to the family of
Vasco de Gama. He was appointed admiral of the eastern seas, with an
annual salary of 3000 ducats, and a part of the king's arms was added to
his. Public thanksgivings to Heaven were celebrated throughout the
churches of the kingdom; while feasts, dramatic performances, and
chivalrous entertainments (or tournaments), according to the taste of
that age, demonstrated the joy of Portugal.
Pedro Alvarez Cabral was the second Portuguese admiral who sailed for
India. He entered into alliance with Trimumpara, king of Cochin, and
high priest of Malabar. (See Bk. x. p. 302. )
Gama, having left six ships for the protection of Cochin and Cananor,
had sailed for Portugal with twelve ships, laden with the riches of the
East.
