1497-1498
These journal entries written by Vasco de Gama relate incidents in his voyage from Africa to India (1497-1498 CE). He and his crew anchored at the Bay of St. Helena, present day South Africa. They remained there eight days to clean and make repairs on their ships. During their brief encounter with the natives of the bay Vasco de Gama and his men showed them a variety of items such as cinnamon, cloves and gold in an attempt to determine if such merchandise could be found in that region, but they soon realized that the natives were not acquainted with such items.
The most interesting entries are the ones where Vasco de Gama narrates his arrival at Calicut and his encounter with King Camolin. He arrived near Calicut on May 20, 1498. The explorers were greeted by several men among whom were two Moors who spoke Spanish and asked Vasco de Game where he came from and the motives for his trip. He told them he was looking for Christians and for spices. Vasco de Gama was quite amazed when he heard one of the Moors speak Portuguese: ‘a lucky venture, a lucky venture! Plenty of rubies, plenty of emeralds! You owe great thanks to God for having brought you to a country holding such riches!’ The following day de Gama and several of his men attempted to speak to the king. They were greeted by the king’s commander (alcaide) and his men who seemed threatening but turned out to be friendly. Large crowds, moved by curiosity came to see the foreigners who were taken to a Hindu temple for prayers before seeing the king. The explorers mistook the Hindu temple for a Christian church.
De Gama and his men finally reached King Camolin’s palace where the king greeted them with hospitality among luxuries and food. De Gama informed the king that he was the ambassador of the King of Portugal, who was a very wealthy man. He added that for sixty years his subjects had been engaged in making discoveries in the direction of India in the hope of finding a Christian kingdom in that part of the world. De Gama emphasized that the Portuguese had so much gold and silver that they needed nothing of what could be found in India. He concluded his speech by saying that he bore a personal message from the King of Portugal who wished to be King Camolin’s friend and brother. The king of Calicut, however, questioned Vasco de Gama’s assertion about the Portuguese King’s riches because he failed to present him with rich gifts worthy of a monarch, having brought neither gold nor silver; the king even put into question the religious motives of the voyage when he asked de Gama if he had come to discover men or stones.
After some quarreling about what to do with the merchandise on the ships (sugar, oil, honey , wash-hands basins, hats, etc.) and some hesitation from the king’s men Vasco de Gama and his crew were finally allowed to leave Calicut after selling part of the merchandise. Vasco de Gama and his crew thanked God for having allowed them to escape alive from such senseless people.
Bibliography
De Gama, Vasco, “Vasco de Gama: Round África to India,” 1497-1498 CE. In Oliver J. Thatcher, ed., The Library of Original Sources Milwaukee: University Research Extension Co., Vol .v: 9th to 16th Centuries, 1907
