ng the 15th of
July, 1498, the King assisted his new friends in making all preparations
for their departure. He sent on board two experienced pilots, the
Mozambique pilot also agreeing to go with them. They had constructed
tanks at the bottom of the ships, sewn together with coir thread and
covered with pitch in such a way that they were more watertight than
casks. Each ship had four of these tanks placed at the foot of the
mainmast, containing thirty pipes of water.

Their pilots possessed nautical instruments greatly differing from their
own, but equally useful; indeed, they were not much inferior in skill to
the Portuguese navigators. To each of the pilots, in the presence of
the King, Vasco da Gama gave fifty cruzadados to leave with their wives,
with which the King was greatly pleased, and still more so when the
Captain-Major judiciously presented him, in a handkerchief, with ten
golden Portugueses. The King assured Vasco da Gama that the broker
Davane would act honestly, and that as he was now fairly acquainted with
the Portuguese language, he would be of the greatest benefit. He warned
his friends, however, to be on their guard against the people of
Calecut, who were noted for their want of faith, advising them not to
trust themselves on shore without safe hostages. Like a true friend, he
gave them much more faithful counsel. He had also prepared a banquet,
at which they were sumptuously entertained, and he sent boats laden with
food to the ships sufficient for both crews.

The last duty Vasco da Gama had to perform was to set up one of the
marble pillars which he had brought. The King, on hearing of his
intention, requested that it might be placed within the palace, but
Vasco da Gama explained that the object was to let it be visible to all
who entered the port, and it was accordingly placed on the summit of a
hill near the city. It was similar to that they had erected at the
mouth of the River of Mercy. The King sent stonemasons to assist in
erecting it. When it was placed the crews of the ships landed and
offered up prayers, when the trumpets sounded and a salute was fired
from the ships.

The Captain-Major now presented the King with a convict ship-boy, saying
he was left in order, should any Portuguese ships come to the country,
that he might be able to describe the benefits and gifts the King had
bestowed on his countrymen. Vasco da Gama requested also, should the
boy wish to go to any other