tuguese, after which event Da Cunha was to proceed to India to
load his ships. Albuquerque was then to assume an independent
command, and after doing what he could to close the Red Sea to
commerce was to go to India and take over the supreme command from
{49} the Viceroy, Dom Francisco de Almeida. These secret orders were
not communicated to the Viceroy immediately, and Albuquerque was
directed not to present his commission until Almeida had completed
three years of government. At the same time a powerful fleet was
despatched to the Mediterranean, under the Prior of Crato, who was
instructed to attack the Turks, and thus to prevent them from sending
sailors to assist the Muhammadans in the Eastern seas. Selim I, who
was then ruling at Constantinople, was at issue with the Mameluke
Sultan of Egypt, whom a few years later he conquered, but the
opposition between them was not understood in Portugal, and it was
believed that the Turks would be inclined to assist the Egyptians.

On April 5, 1506, Tristao da Cunha and Affonso de Albuquerque set
sail from the Tagus. Differences between the two commanders soon
appeared. Albuquerque's own pilot had fled to Castile, after
murdering his wife, and, since Tristao da Cunha refused to give him
another pilot, the future Governor of Portuguese India had to
navigate his own vessel. But the difference between them was not due
alone to this personal dispute--the two men were of essentially
different temperaments. Tristao da Cunha was before all things an
explorer; his hope was to discover fresh countries for his royal
master. Albuquerque was, on the other hand, a statesman, fully
impressed with the importance of the mission on which he was sent and
determined to subordinate {50} everything else to it. This radical
difference soon made itself felt. When the united fleet reached
Mozambique, news was brought to the principal commander by Ruy
Pereira Coutinho that he had discovered an island which seemed rich
in cloves and other spices. This island he had named the Island of
San Lourenco, and it is the island now known as Madagascar. Tristao
da Cunha, in spite of the remonstrances of Albuquerque, who refused
to accompany him, went off at once to explore the new land. But,
after a perilous voyage, he abandoned his purpose and joined
Albuquerque to carry out the first aim of the expedition, the
conquest of the island of Socotra.

As they made their way north along the African coast, they paid