Vasco
da Gama's Voyage of "Discovery"

The reason for putting "discovery" in
inverted commas is because the land was not, as so many explorers argue,
discovered by them. The land was already occupied and was being used
by the inhabitants. The reason why groups often state their arrival
on some foreign land as a "discovery" is because, according
to the primitive 'finders keepers' rule, this lends support
to any claim they make to "owning" the land. For an unpacking
of this mystification of the history of exploration, go to The
Myth of Columbus in our History Classroom section.

The Portuguese expedition
set off from the Tagus River on 8 July 1497 with a crew of 148 men
in a squadron of three square-riggers, the Sao Gabriel, the Sao Raphael,
the Berrio, and a supply ship. The commander?in?chief embarked on the
Sao Gabriel accompanied by his pilot, Pedro de Alenquer. Vasco's
brother, Paulo, captained the Sao Raphael. For almost four months they
sailed across the Atlantic without sight of land until, on 4 November
1497, they reached the bay of St Helena, where they had their first
encounter with the Khoikhoi (Hottentots). A misunderstanding arose
between them, and fearing attack, the Khoikhoi threw spears, wounding
Da Gama in the thigh.

The Cape.

In the teeth of a gale, the Portuguese squadron rounded the
Cape on 22 November, and three days later, the battered little ships
sailed into Santa Bras (Mossel Bay), sighting islands thick with noisy
birds. They unloaded their damaged store ship and then burnt it, while
Da Gama traded gifts with the Khoikhoi. However, they offended the Khoikhoi
when they took fresh water without asking the chief's permission,
and the Khoikhoi began to assemble in an armed mass. The sailors hurriedly
took to their boats while a couple of cannon blasts dispersed the hostile
inhabitants.

The east
coast.

By Christmas, the squadron was off the hazardous coast of Pondoland,
which they named Natal. Three days later, they were enjoying good fishing
off a point they called Ponta de Pescaria (Durban bluff). Head winds
blew them out to sea and when they managed to reach the coast again,
they anchored off Inharrime on the coast of Mozambique. They replenished
their water barrels and, finding the iron-working ancestors of the Tsonga
friendly and generous, they named the area Terra da Boa Gente ('land
of the good people').

At Mozambique Island,
they forcefully engaged two Arab pilots and when the Muslim inhabitants
realized the explorers were Christians, they grew hostile. To keep
them at bay, Da Gama bombarded the town and then sailed away. On 7
April, Da Gama anchored off Mombasa. The sultan generously sent them
sheep, fresh vegetables and fruit; but when one of the Arab pilots
jumped overboard as they were entering the harbour, the Portuguese
became suspicious of the sultan's intentions. Da Gama forced
some Muslims on board, tortured them with boiling oil, and learned
of a plot to avenge the Portuguese attack on Mozambique. Thus forewarned,
they were able to stave off an attack and continued on their way. Nearing
Malindi (near Mombasa), they found the sultan much more friendly and
helpful. He provided them with an expert pilot to steer them to India,
thus laying the foundation of a long and mutually profitable alliance.

India

From Malindi the ships sailed for Calicut in India and anchored
on the Malabar Coast on 20 May 1498. There, Muslim traders swayed the
Hindu ruler against the Christian explorers, who again narrowly escaped
death. The Portuguese squadron sailed from India on 20 September 1498,
but on the return voyage, disaster overtook them. First, they were becalmed
for many days, and then, contrary winds and currents dragged out their
crossing. Thirty men died. The survivors arrived at Malindi on 7 January
1499. Here, they erected a padrão (stone cross), which still exists.
Lacking able-bodied men to sail all the ships, Da Gama burned the Sao
Raphael.

On 20 March 1499,
the two remaining ships rounded the Cape and sailed on for the Portuguese
outpost on the Azores where Da Gama delayed sailing because his brother
Paulo had died. The Berrio sailed on to Portugal, where it dropped
anchor at the Tagus on 10 July 1499. When Da Gama arrived at Lisbon
about three weeks later, the Portuguese gave him a hero's welcome.
The king awarded him the grand title, 'Lord of the Conquest,
Navigation and Commerce of Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia and India',
and 'Admiral of the Indian Sea', with the rank of Dom,
and many other rewards. Soon afterwards, he married Catherina de Ataide
with whom he had six sons and a daughter.

The Second Expedition

In order to impose a monopoly on the spice trade, Da Gama sailed with a fleet
from Portugal in 1502, bound for Mozambique and Sofala. There, he obtained
some gold, established trading rights, and forced the new Sultan of Mozambique
to pay homage to the King of Portugal with an annual tribute of gold. In India,
Da Gama attacked Calicut, tortured his captives horribly - we are told
he cut off their noses and ears and sent them to the Sultan of Calicut - and
after preying on Moslem ships, returned to Portugal heavily laden with booty.
From then onwards, the Portuguese made regular voyages using Mossel Bay and
Mombasa as their main replenishing posts. Oriental silks, satins and spices,
and African ivory and gold brought wealth to the Crown and led to Portugal's
dominance of the Cape route. In 1524, Jono III commanded Da Gama to return
to India as viceroy. He reached Goa on 11 September 1524, but died at Cochin
three months later. His remains were eventually returned to Portugal and interred
at St Jeronimos in 1880.

Sources:

1. Howcroft, P. (undated). South Africa Encyclopaedia: Prehistory to the year
   2000, unpublished papers with SA History Online.
2. http://pwp.netcabo.pt/0150669101/CarlosAlberto (image source)