Thus Commended To God And Good
Fortune, The Officers And Crews Embarked And Immediately Set Sail.
Vasco
de la Gama, the captain-general, took the command in the Angel Gabriel,
of which Pedro de Alenquer was pilot, who had been in the same capacity
with Diaz when he passed the Cape of Good Hope, and discovered the _Rio
del Infante_.
Paulo de Gama went captain of the San Raphael, Nicholas
Coello of the caravel Berrio, and Gonsalo Gomes[1], a servant of Vasco de
la Gama, commanded the large victualling ship. The captain-general gave
out instructions, that in case of separation, they should keep their
course for Cape Verd, which was appointed as their rendezvous.
Proceeding on the voyage, they came in sight of the Canaries in eight
days, whence steering for Rio de Oro, they were separated by a tempest,
during an exceedingly dark night, on which they all shaped their course
for Cabo Verde. Paulo de la Gama, Nicholas Coello, Bartholomew Diaz, and
Gonsalo Gomes rejoined, and sailed together for eight days, when they
came in sight of the captain-general on Wednesday evening, and saluted
him with many guns, and the sound of trumpets, all heartily rejoicing for
their safe meeting and good fortune in this their first essay of danger.
Next day, being the 20th of July[2], the fleet reached the islands of St
Jago, and came to anchor in the bay of Santa Maria, where it remained
seven days, taking in fresh water, and repairing the yards and other
parts of their rigging which had been damaged in the late storm. On
Tuesday the 3d of August[3], the captain-general went on his voyage,
after taking leave of Diaz, who now returned to Portugal. Proceeding for
the Cape of Good Hope with all his squadron, de la Gama _entered the gulf
into the sea_[4], and sailed all August, September, and October,
suffering many great tempests of violent wind and rain, so that they
often expected instant death. At length, on Saturday the 4th November,
they got sight of land at nine in the forenoon, at which they were
greatly rejoiced; and being all together, the captains saluted the
general, all dressed in their best array, and having their ships all
decorated with flags. Not knowing the coasts they sailed along until the
Tuesday following, when they had a perfect view of a low shore, in which
was a great bay, that appeared convenient for the ships to take in water,
into which they all entered and came to anchor. This place was afterwards
named _Angra de Santa Elena_, or St Helen's bay[5]. The people of the
country, as our men afterwards found, were small, black, ill-favoured
savages, clothed in the skins of beasts, somewhat like French cloaks,
having curious wrought wooden cases for their privities; and in speaking
they seemed always, sighing. These natives were armed with oak staves,
hardened in the fire, pointed with the horns of beasts, somewhat burnt or
hardened with fire, which served them for swords.
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