No More Learning

During the few days the fleet stayed at Melinda, the
mutual friendship increased, and a treaty of alliance was concluded. And
now, on April 22, resigning the helm to his skilful and honest pilot,
Gama hoisted sail and steered to the north. In a few days they passed
the line, and the Portuguese with ecstasy beheld the appearance of their
native sky. Orion, Ursa Major and Minor, and the other stars about the
north pole, were now a more joyful discovery than the south pole had
formerly been to them. [57] The pilot now stood out to the east, through
the Indian ocean; and after sailing about three weeks, he had the
happiness to congratulate Gama on the view of the mountains of Calicut,
who, transported with ecstasy, returned thanks to Heaven, and ordered
all his prisoners to be set at liberty.

About two leagues from Calicut, Gama ordered the fleet to anchor, and
was soon surrounded by a number of boats. By one of these he sent one of
the pardoned criminals to the city. The appearance of an unknown fleet
on their coast brought immense crowds around the stranger, who no sooner
entered Calicut, than he was lifted from his feet and carried hither and
thither by the concourse. Though the populace and the stranger were
alike earnest to be understood, their language was unintelligible to
each other, till, happily for Gama, a Moorish merchant accosted his
messenger in the Spanish tongue. The next day this Moor, who was named
Monzaida, waited upon Gama on board his ship. He was a native of Tunis,
and the chief person, he said, with whom John II. had at that port
contracted for military stores. He was a man of abilities and great
intelligence of the world, and an admirer of the Portuguese valour and
honour. The engaging behaviour of Gama heightened his esteem into the
sincerest attachment. Monzaida offered to be interpreter for the
admiral, and to serve him in whatever besides he might possibly befriend
him.
And thus, by one of those unforeseen circumstances which often
decide the greatest events, Gama obtained a friend who soon rendered him
the most important services.

At the first interview, Monzaida gave Gama the fullest information of
the climate, extent, customs, religion, and riches of India, the
commerce of the Arabs, and the character of the sovereign. Calicut was
not only the imperial city, but the greatest port. The king, or
zamorim,[58] who resided here, was acknowledged as emperor by the
neighbouring princes; and, as his revenue consisted chiefly of duties on
merchandise, he had always encouraged the resort of foreigners to his
ports.

Pleased with this promising prospect, Gama sent two of his officers with
Monzaida to wait upon the zamorim at his palace, at Pandarene, a few
miles from the city. They were admitted to the royal apartment, and
delivered their embassy; to which the zamorim replied, that the arrival
of the admiral of so great a prince as Emmanuel, gave him inexpressible
pleasure, and that he would willingly embrace the offered alliance. In
the meanwhile, as their present station was extremely dangerous, he
advised them to bring the ships nearer to Pandarene, and for this
purpose he sent a pilot to the fleet.

A few days after this, the zamorim sent his first minister, or
catual,[59] attended by several of the nayres, or nobility, to conduct
Gama to the royal palace. As an interview with the zamorim was
absolutely necessary to complete the purpose of his voyage, Gama
immediately agreed to it, though the treachery he had already
experienced since his arrival in the eastern seas showed him the
personal danger which he thus hazarded. He gave his brother, Paulus, and
Coello the command of the fleet in his absence.

The revenue of the zamorim arose chiefly from the traffic of the Moors;
the various colonies of these people were combined in one interest, and
the jealousy and consternation which his arrival in the eastern seas had
spread among them, were circumstances well known to Gama: and he knew,
also, what he had to expect, both from their force and their fraud. But
duty and honour required him to complete the purpose of his voyage. He
left peremptory command, that if he was detained a prisoner, or any
attempt made upon his life, they should take no step to save him or to
reverse his fate; to give ear to no message which might come in his name
for such purpose, and to enter into no negotiation on his behalf. They
were to keep some boats near the shore, to favour his escape if he
perceived treachery before being detained by force; yet the moment that
force rendered his escape impracticable they were to set sail, and carry
the tidings to the king. As this was his only concern, he would suffer
no risk that might lose a man, or endanger the homeward voyage. Having
left these orders, he went ashore with the catual, attended only by
twelve of his own men, for he would not weaken his fleet, though he knew
the pomp of attendance would in one respect have been greatly in his
favour at the first court of India.