No More Learning

" The waves swelled up like mountains, the ships
seemed at one time heaved up to the clouds, and at another precipitated
to the bed of the ocean. The winds were piercing cold, and so boisterous
that the pilot's voice could seldom be heard, and a dismal darkness,
which at that tempestuous season involves these seas, added all its
horrors. Sometimes the storm drove them southward, at other times they
were obliged to stand on the tack and yield to its fury, preserving what
they had gained with the greatest difficulty.

"With such mad seas the daring Gama fought
For many a day, and many a dreadful night,
Incessant labouring round the stormy Cape,
By bold ambition led. "

THOMSON.

During any interval of the storm, the sailors, wearied out with fatigue,
and abandoned to despair, surrounded Gama, and implored him not to
suffer himself, and those committed to his care, to perish by so
dreadful a death. The impossibility that men so weakened could endure
much longer, and the opinion that this ocean was torn by eternal
tempest, and therefore had hitherto been, and was impassable, were
urged. But Gama's resolution to proceed was unalterable. [55] A
conspiracy was then formed against his life. But his brother discovered
it, and the courage and prudence of Gama defeated its design. He put the
chief conspirators and all the pilots in irons, and he himself, his
brother, Coello, and some others, stood night and day at the helm and
directed the course. At last, after having many days, with unconquered
mind, withstood the tempest and mutiny (_molem perfidiae_) the storm
suddenly ceased, and they beheld the Cape of Good Hope.

On November the 20th all the fleet doubled that promontory, and steering
northward, coasted along a rich and beautiful shore, adorned with large
forests and numberless herds of cattle. All was now alacrity; the hope
that they had surmounted every danger revived their spirits, and the
admiral was beloved and admired. Here, and at the bay, which they named
St.
Blas, they took in provisions, and beheld these beautiful rural
scenes, described by Camoens. And here the store sloop was burnt by
order of the admiral. On December the 8th a violent tempest drove the
fleet out of sight of land, and carried them to that dreadful current
which made the Moors deem it impossible to double the Cape. Gama,
however, though unlucky in the time of navigating these seas, was safely
carried over the current by the violence of a tempest; and having
recovered the sight of land, as his safest course he steered northward
along the coast. On the 10th of January they discovered, about 230 miles
from their last watering place, some beautiful islands, with herds of
cattle frisking in the meadows. It was a profound calm, and Gama stood
near to land. The natives were better dressed and more civilized than
those they had hitherto seen. An exchange of presents was made, and the
black king was so pleased with the politeness of Gama, that he came
aboard his ship to see him. At this place, which he named Terra de
Natal, Gama left two of the malefactors before mentioned to procure what
information they could against his return. On the 15th of January, in
the dusk of the evening, they came to the mouth of a large river, whose
banks were shaded with trees laden with fruit. On the return of day they
saw several little boats with palm-tree leaves making towards them, and
the natives came aboard without hesitation or fear. Gama received them
kindly, gave them an entertainment, and some silken garments, which they
received with visible joy. Only one of them, however, could speak a
little broken Arabic. From him Fernan Martinho learned that not far
distant was a country where ships, in shape and size like Gama's,
frequently resorted. This gave the fleet great encouragement, and the
admiral named this place "The River of Good Signs. "

Here, while Gama refitted his ships, the crews were attacked with a
violent scurvy, which carried off several of his men.