natives on his way back to the ships with the utmost good humour.  Veloso, however, became apprehensive of personal danger, and horridly vociferated for assistance on his approach to the shore.  Coellos boat immediately put off to bring him on board, and the natives fled to the woods.  These needless apprehensions on both sides were increased by mutual ignorance of each others language, and led to hostilities.  While De Gama was taking the altitude of the sun with an astrolabe, some Hottentots sprung from an ambush, and threw their spears, headed with horn, very dexterously among the Portuguese, by which the general and several others were wounded.  On this occasion, the Portuguese deemed it prudent to retreat to their ships[7].”

Having taken in fresh water and provisions in St Elena Bay, the squadron left that place on the forenoon of Thursday the 16th November, with the wind at S.S.W. and steered for the Cape of Good Hope, and on the evening of the following Saturday came in sight of that cape.  But on account of the wind being contrary, he had to stand out to sea all day, and turned towards the land as night set in.  In that manner he continued plying to windward until the following Wednesday, which was the 20th of November[8], when he doubled the cape with a fair wind, sounding the trumpets of all the ships, and making every demonstration of joy, but placing the chief confidence in God, that his providence would guide and protect them in accomplishing the enterprise in which they were engaged.

“In this part of the voyage the greatest proofs of courage and resolution were evinced by De Gama.  While endeavouring to double this formidable and almost unknown cape, owing to contrary winds and stormy weather, the waves rose mountain high.  At one time his ships were heaved up to the clouds, and seemed the next moment precipitated into the bottomless abyss of the ocean.  The wind was piercingly cold, and so boisterous that the commands of the pilot could seldom be heard amid the din of the warring elements; while the dismal and almost constant darkness increased the danger of their situation.  Sometimes the gale drove them irresistibly to the southwards, while at other times they had to lay to, or to tack to windward, difficultly preserving the course they had already made.  During any gloomy intervals of cessation from the tempest, the sailors, exhausted by fatigue, and abandoned to despair, surrounded De Gama, entreating him not to devote himself and them to inevitable destruction, as the gale could no longer be weathered, and they must all be buried in the waves if he persisted in the present course.  The firmness of the general was not to be shaken by the pusillanimity and remonstrances of the crew, on which a formidable conspiracy was entered into against him, of which he received timely information from his brother Paulo.  With his assistance, and that of a few who remained stedfast to their duty, the leading conspirators, and even all the pilots, were put in irons; whilst De Gama, and his small remnant of faithful followers remained day and night at the helm, undismayed at the dangers and difficulties that surrounded them.  At length, on Wednesday the 20th November, all the squadron safely doubled the tremendous promontory[9].”