“We saw a hideous phantom glare;
  High and enormous o’er the flood he tower’d,
  And ’thwart our way with sullen aspect lower’d: 
  An earthy paleness o’er his cheeks was spread,
  Erect uprose his hairs of wither’d red;
  Writhing to speak, his sable lips disclose,
  Sharp and disjoin’d, his gnashing teeth’s blue rows;
  His haggard beard flow’d quiv’ring on the wind,
  Revenge and horror in his mien combin’d;
  His clouded front, by with’ring lightnings scar’d,
  The inward anguish of his soul declar’d. 
  His red eyes, glowing from their dusky caves,
  Shot livid fires:  far echoing o’er the waves
  His voice resounded, as the cavern’d shore
  With hollow groan repeats the tempest’s roar.”

The King of Melinda here interrupts Vasco da Gama’s tale to explain he has often heard of that Adamastor, a Titan transformed into a rock but still possessing supernatural powers.

Resuming his narrative, Da Gama next describes their landing to clean their foul ships, their sufferings from scurvy, their treacherous welcome at Mozambic, their narrow escape at Quiloa and Mombaca, and ends his account with his joy at arriving at last at Melinda.

Book VI. In return for the hospitality enjoyed on board of the Portuguese ships, the king of Melinda supplies Da Gama with an able pilot, who, steering straight for India, brings the Portuguese safely to their goal, in spite of the fact that Bacchus induces Neptune to stir up sundry tempests to check them.  But, the prayers of the Christian crew and the aid of Venus counteract Bacchus’ spells, so Da Gama’s fleet enters Calicut, in 1497, and the Lusitanians thus achieve the glory of discovering a maritime road to India!

Book VII. We now hear how a Moor, Moncaide, detained a prisoner in Calicut, serves as interpreter for Da Gama, explaining to him how this port is governed by the Zamorin, or monarch, and by his prime minister.  The interpreter, at Da Gama’s request, then procures an audience from the Zamorin for his new master.

Book VIII. The poet describes how on the way to the palace Da Gama passes a heathen temple, where he and his companions are shocked to behold countless idols, but where they can but admire the wonderful carvings adorning the walls on three sides.  In reply to their query why the fourth wall is bare, they learn it has been predicted India shall be conquered by strangers, whose doings are to be depicted on the fourth side of their temple.

After hearing Da Gama boast about his country, the Zamorin dismisses him, promising to consider a trade treaty with Portugal.  But, during the next night, Bacchus, disguised as Mahomet, appears to the Moors in Calicut, and bids them inform the Zamorin that Da Gama is a pirate, whose rich goods he can secure if he will only follow their advice.

This suggestion, duly carried out, results in Da Gama’s detention as a prisoner when he lands with his goods on the next day.  But, although the prime minister fancies the Portuguese fleet will soon be in his power, Da Gama has prudently given orders that, should any hostile demonstration occur before his return, his men are to man the guns and threaten to bombard the town.  When the Indian vessels therefore approach the Portuguese fleet, they are riddled with shot.