But De Gama Took Much Care, And Used Much Diligence For
Their Recovery, And To Comfort Their Affliction; Continually Visiting
The
sick, and giving them such wholesome and medicinal things as he had
provided for his own use; through all
Which many recovered who would have
died, and the rest were thereby greatly comforted, and encouraged.
Having repaired the ships, and provided them with all necessaries that
could be procured at the river of Good Signs, the fleet departed from
thence on Saturday the 24th of February.
"At this period, two accidents occurred which had nearly frustrated all
the hopes of this expedition. De Gama being along side of the ship
commanded by his brother, with whom he wished to speak, had hold of the
chains, when the boat was carried from under him by the force of the
current, but by immediate assistance, he and his boats crew were
providentially saved. Soon afterwards, when the fleet was passing the bar
of the river, the ship of De Gama grounded on a sand bank, and her loss
was for some time considered as inevitable; but she floated again with
the return of the tide, and to their inexpressible joy received no
damage[25]."
As there was little or no wind, the fleet stood out to sea to avoid the
shore, and about vespers on Sunday, they descried three small islands out
to sea, about four leagues distant from each other. Two of these were
replenished with trees, but the third was quite bare. Seeing no cause to
delay the voyage in examining these islands, De Gama held on for six days,
coming always to anchor at night. On the evening of Thursday, the first
of March, they came in sight of four islands, two of which were near the
land, and the other two farther out to sea; and the fleet steered through
the channel next morning, the ship commanded by Coello, as being the
smallest, going first. But endeavouring to enter a certain harbour,
between the mainland and one of these islands, Coello missed the channel
and ran aground, on which the other ships put about and went back. They
soon perceived seven or eight boats under sail coming from the island
which was a good league distant from Coello, at which sight they were
much rejoiced, and Coello and his people received them with much
demonstration of friendship and satisfaction, Coello went along with
these people to the general, and presented them, saying, that here was a
quite different kind of people from any they had seen hitherto. Then the
general commanded _to let them go a seaboard with their boats_[26], as he
proposed to go with them to their island to anchor with his ships, that
he might see what kind of a country it was, and if he could learn any
certain intelligence concerning India. But the boats continued to follow
our ships, making signals, and calling to our people to wait for them;
wherefore the ships came to anchor, and the boats came to our fleet.
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