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.
were obliged to stand on the tack and yield to its fury, preserving what
they had gained with the greatest difficulty.
Camoes - Lusiades
James, they had seen no shore, and now on November the
4th they were happily relieved by the sight of land. The fleet anchored
in the large bay,[54] and Coello was sent in search of a river where
they might take in wood and fresh water. Having found one, the fleet
made towards it, and Gama, whose orders were to acquaint himself with
the manners of the people wherever he touched, ordered a party of his
men to bring him some of the natives by force, or stratagem. One they
caught as he was gathering honey on the side of a mountain, and brought
him to the fleet. He expressed the greatest indifference about the gold
and fine clothes which they showed him, but was greatly delighted with
some glasses and little brass bells. These with great joy he accepted,
and was set on shore; and soon after many of the blacks came for, and
were gratified with, the like trifles; in return for which they gave
plenty of their best provisions. None of Gama's interpreters, however,
could understand a word of their language, or obtain any information of
India. The friendly intercourse between the fleet and the natives was,
however, soon interrupted by the imprudence of Veloso, a young
Portuguese, which occasioned a skirmish wherein Gama's life was
endangered. Gama and some others were on shore taking the altitude of
the sun, when in consequence of Veloso's rashness they were attacked by
the blacks with great fury. Gama defended himself with an oar, and
received a dart in his foot. Several others were likewise wounded, and
they found safety in retreat. A discharge of cannon from the ships
facilitated their escape, and Gama, esteeming it imprudent to waste his
strength in attempts entirely foreign to the design of his voyage,
weighed anchor, and steered in search of the extremity of Africa.
In this part of the voyage, says Osorius, "The heroism of Gama was
greatly displayed. " 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.
4th they were happily relieved by the sight of land. The fleet anchored
in the large bay,[54] and Coello was sent in search of a river where
they might take in wood and fresh water. Having found one, the fleet
made towards it, and Gama, whose orders were to acquaint himself with
the manners of the people wherever he touched, ordered a party of his
men to bring him some of the natives by force, or stratagem. One they
caught as he was gathering honey on the side of a mountain, and brought
him to the fleet. He expressed the greatest indifference about the gold
and fine clothes which they showed him, but was greatly delighted with
some glasses and little brass bells. These with great joy he accepted,
and was set on shore; and soon after many of the blacks came for, and
were gratified with, the like trifles; in return for which they gave
plenty of their best provisions. None of Gama's interpreters, however,
could understand a word of their language, or obtain any information of
India. The friendly intercourse between the fleet and the natives was,
however, soon interrupted by the imprudence of Veloso, a young
Portuguese, which occasioned a skirmish wherein Gama's life was
endangered. Gama and some others were on shore taking the altitude of
the sun, when in consequence of Veloso's rashness they were attacked by
the blacks with great fury. Gama defended himself with an oar, and
received a dart in his foot. Several others were likewise wounded, and
they found safety in retreat. A discharge of cannon from the ships
facilitated their escape, and Gama, esteeming it imprudent to waste his
strength in attempts entirely foreign to the design of his voyage,
weighed anchor, and steered in search of the extremity of Africa.
In this part of the voyage, says Osorius, "The heroism of Gama was
greatly displayed. " 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.
