, an illustrious Portuguese, is immortalized by his discovery of
, an illustrious Portuguese, is immortalized by his discovery of the passage to
the East Indies by the Cape of Good Hope. The maritime town of Sines in Portugal was the place of his birth,
his family was good, but not noble, till made so by the
h.)no;irs he acquired. In 1497, Emanuel king of Portugal,
earnestly desirous of making discoveries in those parts of
the globe, appointed Gama to command an expedition to
endeavour to sail round the Cape, then called the Cape of
Tempests. Vasco highly pleased with this appointment,
which suited his undaunted and adventurous spirit, sailed
from the Tagus, July 8, having two ships besides his own,
and a store ship. At Lisbon he was generally considered
as going to certain destruction, and the whole equipment
as devoted; but though, on his approach to the Cape, he
actually encountered dreadful storms, his perseverance was
not to be conquered. Like Columbus, he had to contend
with the mutinous despondence of his own people, as well
as with the elements, but was superior to all. Having
doubled the Cape on the 20th of November, he sailed
along the eastern coast of Africa, but met with inveterate
hostility and treachery from the Moorish settlers, except
the king of Melinda. He proceeded as far as Calicut,
doubled the Cape again in April 1499, and returned to
Lisbon in the space of two years and alifkost two months.
The king and nation were overjoyed at this success, and
he was created count of Vidiguere, and admiral of the
Indian, Persian, and Arabian seas. Gama now rested a
few years, while Cabral was sent out with thirteen ships;
and John de Nova, with a reinforcement of three more,
visited Calicut; but it was found that greater force was
wanted, and in 1502, he set sail again, having twenty
ships under his command. He returned in September 1503,
with thirteen ships laden with riches. When Emanucl,
kingof Portugal died, the credit of Gama continued unimpaired, and in 1524, he was by his successor, John III.
appointed viceroy of India. He returned thither a third
time, and established his seat of government at Cochin,
but died on the 24th of December 1525, almost as soon as
he was settled. He was honoured with the title of don fof
himself and his posterity, and created a grandee of Portugal. Gama was formed by nature to conduct the most
arduous enterprises. His intrepidity, which was invincible, was not more remarkable than his sagacity and prudence: and the feelings of his heart appear to wonderful
advantage, when we find him, amidst all the extravagance
of public applause, after his first return from India, drooping for the loss of his brother and companion of his voyage,
Paulus de Gama, and unable to enjoy his fame. He had
even sent his flag-ship home before him, under the command of Coello, his next officer, that he might attend and
sooth the death-bed of tbis beloved brother. Such a
victory of tenderness over ardent and successful ambition,
gives a better picture of his heart than the most elaborate
eulogium. The poem of Camoens, entitled “The Lusied,
” on Gama’s first expedition, is now well known in
this country by Mickle’s able translation.