d by Lichefild, probably _al-cotton_,
or some such Arabic word for cotton: The linen cloth, therefore, was
some kind of calico or muslin.--E.

[8] According to De Faria, five great ships and nine paraws were sunk in
this action. De Barros says ten merchant ships and nine paraws.--Astl.
I. 50. c.

[9] On this part of the voyage, Astley remarks, on the authority of De
Faria, that Nueva touched at the island of St Helena, which he found
destitute of inhabitants; though it was found peopled by De Gama in
his first voyage, only four years before. What is called the island of
St Helena in De Gamas first voyage, is obviously one of the head-lands
of St Elens bay on the western coast of Africa. The island of St
Helena is at a vast distance from the land, in the middle of the
Atlantic ocean.--E.

SECTION V.

_The Second Voyage of De Gama to India in 1502; being the Fourth made by
the Portuguese to the East Indies_.

As the king of Portugal felt it incumbent upon him to revenge the
injurious and treacherous conduct of the zamorin, he gave orders to
prepare a powerful fleet for that purpose; the command of which was at
first confided to Pedro Alvares de Cabral, but, for certain just
considerations was taken from him and bestowed on Don Vasco de la Gama.
Every thing being ready, De Gama sailed from Lisbon on the 3d of March
1502, having the command of thirteen great ships and two caravels[1]. The
captains of this fleet were, Pedro Alonso de Aguilar, Philip de Castro,
Don Lewis Cotinho, Franco De Conya, Pedro de Tayde, Vasco Carvallo,
Vincente Sodre, Blas Sodre, the two Sodres being cousins-german to the
captain-general, Gil Hernand, cousin to Laurenco de la Mina, Juan Lopes
Perestrello, Rodrigo de Castaneda, and Rodrigo de Abreo; and of the two
caravels Pedro Raphael and Diego Perez were commanders. In this powerful
squadron they carried out the materials of a third caravel, which was
directed to be put together at Mozambique, and of which Hernand Rodrigues
Badarsas was appointed to be commander. Besides this first fleet of
seventeen sail, a smaller squadron of five ships remained in preparation
at Lisbon, which sailed on the 5th of May under the command of Stephen de
la Gama[2].

When De Gama had doubled the Cape of Good Hope, and was arrived at _the
farther end of the currents_[3], he went himself with four of the
smallest vessels to Sofala, sending on the remainder of the fl