14 april $?UMANTARANYA --
April 9, 1898.]
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believed in the interposition of providence in human affairs, was strangely affected by his ap- pearance at such an opportune moment. He was convinced that it was the will of Heaven that he should employ this man for the arduous enterprise which he was about to undertake, and he appointed Vasco da Gama admiral of the fleet. And so it came to pass that Vasco da Gama commanded the expedition that resulted in such splendid achievements, that was destined to explode so many absurd theories respecting the limits of the earth-theories circumscribing, at the same time, the limits of human knowledge and human aspirations-that struck, in Asia, a terrific blow at the growing Moslem power and checked its advance, while in Europe kings and princes forgot their own feuds in a common en- deavour to extirpate the enemy of the religion of Christ.
The fleet sailed from Lisbon on the 25th of March, 1497, and made its way to the Cape Verde islands. Thence the course of the ships was directed towards the Cape of Good Hope, which was then the boundary of navigation. They en- countered terrific storms at the Cape, which they doubled, it is stated, without having seen it. Nor was the fury of the elements the only obstacle they had to contend with. The inclemency of the weather and the privations which they had suffered made the crew desperate. They clamoured to be allowed to return to Portugal; they said they were drifting to certain destruc- tion; the unknown seas they were crossing led orly to the gates of Hell, where Satau was lying in wait for them; their superstitious minds con. jured up all sorts of supernatural visions, and they supplicated Vasco da Gama, with tears in their eyes, to desist from prosecuting a voyage which could only end in disaster.
Vasco da Gama spoke kindly to them. He pointed out to them that their fears were ground less, that they would fail in their duty to the King if they returned to Portugal without an errand from the country they had been sent to discover; besides, he liad sworn when he left Portugal that he would not retrace a single step that he should take in the direction of India. The men, however, were not satisfied; they renowed their demands; they whispered to themselves that Vasco da Gama was one man, and they were many, and they concerted plans to coerce him to tack to. When he saw that soft words and good advice were alike unavailing, be threatened the crew to drag them along to India by the beard, and to throw overboard the first man who dared to speak of returning to Portugal. This did not intimidate the crew. They were willing, they said, to risk their lives in the service of the King, but they would not endanger their souls in a foolhardy under taking; besides, if they returned to Portugal, the King would forgive them, if he only knew of the hardships they had undergone; at all events, if they had to die, it was preferable to face death in their own country, near their wives and children, rather than perish in these monstrous seas, their bodies to be the food for fishes, and their souls damned for ever.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. them with visions of the, untold wealth that would be theirs when they reached land; he exhorted them to patience, and finally he entreated them to grant him three days' grace, on the expiration of which, if land was not sighted, he would return to Spain. Although this concession was merely a ruse to gain time, because Columbus had seen in fallible signs of the near proximity of land, still, if the verdant fields of San Salvador had not met the gaze of his crew on the last day, the famous voyage would have been undertaken in vain.
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of the Portuguese ships, They quickly dis- cerned that these vessels would be followed by others, with corresponding disadvantages to the trade, the monopoly of which they had so long enjoyed, and which enriched every country through which it passed. At the time of the first Portuguese expedition the entire trade of India was centred in the hands of the Moors. The products of India, and of the Spice Islands, Sca to Aleppo and the other ports in the Levant, wore carried through the Persian Gulf or the Red
and to Suezand Alexandria. From these centres, Venetian ships carried the goods to Venice, The weather calmed down shortly after they and thence they distributed them throughout had doubled the formidable Cape; the force of Europe. The Moors could not view with the wind, which blew with hurricane violence, had equanimity the arrival of the Portuguese in now abated, and the mountainous waves no longer India. They foresaw the ruin of their own trade, threatened to submerge the frail vessels. Each if their new rivals were to establish a direct sea- night as it passed into day revived the spirits route from Europe to India, which would divert of the crew, who were now confident that they the bulk of the trade to Lisbon, and they tried were approaching the goal for which they had to avert the impending doom by driving the set out. Ou Christmas day they sighted land, Portuguese ont of the country. They intrigued which was appropriately named Terra de with the Zamorin, they bribed his officials, they Natal." They resumed the voyage, and crept pointed to him that the object of the Portuguese along the south east coast of Africa. Having was not to establish trade relations with his reached the mouth of a large river they kingdom; they were enemies who came to spy cast anchor, in order to repair the weather- the country in order to conquer and to plunder beaten ships. One of the vessels was found to be so badly damaged that it was necessary to outskirts of the city, where he was detained, it. They inveigled Vasco da Gama into the break her up, and the crew were divided between and where he was, practically, a prisoner in the two remaining ships. Mozambique, Quilon, their bands. In the meantime, Paulo da Gama and Mombassa were successively reached. On felt great auxiety as to the fate of his brother. the way they picked up a Moorish broker, A council was held on board the Portuguese Davané by name, who proved of invaluable help vessels at which it was resolved that when all to the Portugnese by his intelligence and, above other means had failed to obtain the freedom of all, by his fidelity. Steering onwards, they | Vasco da Gama and his companions, they would reached Melinde, where they exchanged cour bombard the town. This news was quickly tesics with the King, who supplied them with the brought by the Moors to the Zamorin, who was two best pilots that he could obtain.
at last prevailed upon, in retaliation, to allow Portuguese who had landed with him. How his subjects to kill Vasco da Gama and all the
that fell purpose was not executed remains a mystery. We do not rely on the theory that Vasco da Gama obtained his freedom owing to the intercession of the Nairs whom the Portu-
nephew of the "gazil," whom the Moors had guese had liberated. One of the Nairs was the
bribed, in order the compass the destruction of the Portuguese. We are disposed to think that the clemency of the Zamorin was due to fear, the same sort of paralysing fear that allowed Montezuma, the ruler of a great em- pire, to be arrested and imprisoned in the heart of his capital, at noonday, by a handful of Spaniards whom he could have crushed by the sheer weight of numbers alone.
Vasco da Gama was now certain that he was on the way to India. He sailed across the Indian Oceau, and ou the 20th of May, 1498, he anchored his ships before the city of Calicut, having successfully accomplished one of the most difficult voyages that have ever been undertaken. His energy, his intrepidity, and his firmnes of purpose amidst all the dangers that surrounded hini, enabled him to succeed where his predecessors had failed. When he reached India, and when the minarets and stately edifices of Calicut rose in view like the vision of an enchanted land, he must have felt a thrill of pride in the consciousness of being able to bring to bis King, aptly surnamed the fortunate, the tidings of the glorious discovery he had made, after so many perils braved, and so many obstacles overcome.
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While he was detained at Calicut, Vasco da During his stay at Calicut, events shaped Gama showed that if he could be brave and themselves in a way that left no doubt in bold almost to rashness, he could also be prudent the mind of Vasco da Gama as to the treacherous when circumstances required. "Suffrir y calar' character of the people among whom he had were the words whispered to him by the Casti- come. At Quiloa aud Mombassa his ships had lian whom he met at Calient, and he acted on been nearly wrecked, at the instigation of the that advise with characteristic determination. Moors, by the pilots who had been sent on board No provocation, and no injury, and he was sub- for the purpose of navigating the ships on rocks.jected to many, could ronse his temper, or make At Calicut the same causes were at work.
The policy of the Portuguese at this period was essentially one of conciliation. In order to Happily for them, and for Portugal, Vasco da iugratiate themselves with the natives, they Gama was not the man to be intimidated by the allowed themselves to be robbed in all their threats of foolish children afraid of a ghost. commercial transactions. Thus, in their first at- He gave out to the men that he was willing to tempt to load their ships, they obtained ginger, comply with their demands, provided they gave which was heavily loaded with red clay, and him a written document, stating that in view cinnamon which was old, of a bad quality, and of the deplorable circumstances they were in it quite unserviceable." They paid exorbitant was impossible to continue the voyage. The prices for these goods But the profuse liber- crew were overjoyed at this unexpected de-ality which they displayed admirably served the nouement. They had expected to face the purpose for which it was intended. It excited anger of Vasco da Gama, and they found him the cupidity of the Zamorin, who was favourably amenable to reason. They eagerly followed disposed towards the Portuguese, and inclined him to his cabin, but, no sooner had they done to enter into trade relations with a people who so, than they were arrested, and put in irons. showed such great disregard of the value and Gaspar Correa, the inimitable chronicler of the weight of the commodities which they purchased. events which took place in India during the He sent a message to Vasco da Gama desiring Portuguese rule, puts the following words in him to visit him at the palace. Davane, the the month of Vasco da Grama on that broker whom they had picked up at Mozambique, memorable occasion: "Henceforth, men," he strongly dissuaded the Portuguese from landing said, "you have neither captain nor pilot; at Calicut without having obtained hostages our only pilot is God, and he shall lead us where from the Zamorin. His Majesty assented to he wills, but it is not for Portugal that we are these conditions, and sent three Nairs on board bound." His firm attitude during this crisis the Portuguese vessels. Vasco da Gama there- effectually repressed all further attempts at upon landed in state, and was received in mutiny, and contrasted strongly with the audience by the King, to whom he delivered the attitude of Columbus ou an analogous occasion. letter he brought with him from the King of The latter, when he found that he could not Portugal expressing a desire that the Portuguese control his insubordinate crew, who were fully might be allowed to trade in the country, determined not to allow the great navigator to proceed further on his voyage, tried to allure.
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him, for a single moment, deviate from his line of conduct. It was only when he was safe on board his vessel that he uttered the ominous threat that he would come back to India for love of the Moors. The instances we haré quoted of their dishonesty and treachery were not calculated to favourably dispose Vasco da Gama towards them, and afford a clue to the vengeance that he wreaked upon them when he returned to India in 1502.
If the humane ideas of nineteenth century civilisation do not entirely exonerate him from blame in connection with the cruelties that be perpetrated on that occasion, public opinion, nevertheless, will not condemn him without taking into consideration the splendid services that he rendered to his country, and to the cause of humanity, and without looking at the vast array of facts that can be cited in his defence. His acts were typical of the age in which he lived; hatred of the Moors, whom they had succeeded in driving out of the Peninsula after a struggle of centuries, was ingrained in the Portuguese character; the religious zeal which inflamed the European nations in those days was an impassable barrier between the followers of Christ and the disciples of Mahomed. Finally, the Christians of those days, and the Crusaders of a period not far remote, saw in every infidel, not only a dissenter from their views, but a The Moors in the meantime bad not been idle. | loathsome, object, whom they were in duty They had seen with consternation the arrival' bound to tread upon and to exterminate.
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