een brought in chains before the
King, as Vasco da Gama had sworn to do, they were pardoned. The old
Jew, the Moorish pilots, and the prisoners taken in the fustas were
landed, and either from the instructions they received from the priests
on board or afterwards, all became Christians, the old Jew taking the
name of Gaspar da Gama, the Captain-Major standing as his godfather.
The King also had frequent conversations with him, and so pleased was
his Majesty with what he heard that he made him many presents from his
own wardrobe and horses from his stables, and gave him the slaves who
had been brought from India. After this he was always known as Gaspar
of the Indies.

The crews were handsomely paid, and each man received a portion of the
cargoes to bestow in gifts on their families and friends, while the
heirs of the deceased also received the wages which were their due.
This memorable voyage lasted, from the day Dom Vasco left Lisbon to that
of his return, exactly thirty-two months, and of the one hundred and
fifty men who left Portugal only fifty-five came back.

This voyage may be considered one of the most notable on record. The
dreaded Cape of Storms, henceforth to be known as the Cape of Good Hope,
had been doubled, a large portion of the east coast of Africa hitherto
unknown had been visited, the Indian Ocean, which no European keel had
ever before ploughed, had been traversed, and India, the great object of
the voyage, had been reached, all the difficulties and dangers to which
the explorers were exposed being manfully overcome. More remarkable
still had been the return voyage in battered ships, the scanty crews
suffering from sickness, yet their brave leaders, with indomitable
perseverance and hardihood, keeping on their course week after week and
month after month over the ocean, guided by the stars and the imperfect
instruments they possessed.

Twice after this Vasco da Gama sailed for India. His second voyage was
commenced in 1502, when he visited many places he had before discovered,
and returned the next year with twelve richly-laden ships. Meantime the
Portuguese had sent out, year after year, numerous fleets with large
bodies of men, who, by force or stratagem, took possession of many
places along the eastern coast of Africa, and on the west of that of
Hindostan. Among the most important were Goa and Cochym and others on
the coast of Ceylon. While penetrating eastward their ships reached the
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