At last I have time for the long-awaited reading of my first article in my oldest National Geographic issue, November, 1927. Here we go!
The title is at once intriguing, "The Pathfinder of the East: Setting Sail to Find "Christians and Spices," Vasco da Gama Met Amazing Adventures, Founded an Empire, and Changed the History of Western Europe."
Vague memories from my history classes emerge of the name, Vasco da Gama, and the voyage, sailing from Portugal south around Africa's Cape of Good Hope to India. I have many questions: What is the big deal about this? Who paid for it? Why was it so important that more than five hundred years later, school children learn about it?
The article is long, 44 pages, but well worth my investment in time. J.R. Hildebrand, the author, led me to know the captain, Vasco da Gama, and consider him to be one of the greatest, most ingenious, most stubborn, and even most intelligent sailors of all time.
Why such a long journey of 23,800 miles? SPICES! The spices (pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, etc.,) which Europe was eating were costly. "In England, at this period, a pound of cloves was worth two cows (p.537)." Simply put, Gama was out to eliminate the middlemen and buy directly from the source in India.
The captain set out from Portugal on July 9, 1497 with four ships loaded with sailors and supplies. The trip was financed by the King of Portugal, partially to compete with the King and Queen of Spain's successful sponsorship of Christopher Columbus' trip to the New World.
Using the crude navigation equipment of their day, they sailed south close to the coast of South America, going "96 days without a glimpse of land (p. 516)." Other perils included violent storms and the loss of one of their ships. The crew was nearly wiped out by the disease of scurvy. Caused by Vitamin C deficiency, scurvy was common among mariners of the time. Those of Gama's men who lived were unknowingly cured by West African fruit.
As the ships approached India, Arab competitors heard of the Europeans and were out to destroy them. The Arab boats were much smaller than those of the Portugese and no match. However, the Arabs tried to influence the Indian rulers against Gama before his entourage even reached the shore. Only Gama's raw determination and 'street smarts' saved them from annihilation many times over. Much to their surprise, most natives and rulers were afraid of them, their ships and their firepower.
The ships, the first from Europe, "anchored off Calicut (Calcutta, India) in May, 1498, ten months and a half after they set sail from Lisbon (p. 536)." Gama had started out expecting to deal with poor, unsophisticated natives such as those who greeted Columbus in 1492 in America. What Gama found was an Indian ruler, the Zamorin, who had wealth undreamed of in Portugal. "The Zamorin lounged on a green velvet divan surmounted by a canopy of brocaded gold. At the moment of their entry he was clasping in his left hand a 4-quart spittoon of solid gold. At his right stood a huge basin of gold, so large that a tall man could barely encircle it with his two arms (p. 504)." There were many fine gems on the Zamorin's clothing and jewelry. "From the middle ring dangled a diamond as thick as a man's thumb (p. 506)."
Vasco da Gama was totally unprepared for this display of riches, having brought "twelve pieces of striped cloth, four scarlet hoods, six hats, four strings of coral, a case of six wash-basins, a case of sugar, two casks of oil and two of honey." The Zamorin was insulted. Gama explained that the fine gifts he brought from the mighty King of Portugal were lost when his fourth ship was lost in a storm. This was true about the ships but not about the gifts. At once Gama presented the Zamorin with a letter from the King of Portugal. Historians dispute whether or not this letter was a complete forgery. Nevertheless, after weeks of negotiations, the Zamorin allowed Gama's small fleet to sail on August 29, 1498, laden with the coveted spices.
When Gama triumphantly entered Lisbon in September of the following year, he was instantly a hero, and his grateful King Manoel conferred on him the title of "Admiral of India," and gave him a pension.
The author concludes, "He had lost his brother, half his ships (the second one was abandoned due to lack of sailors), and two-thirds of his men, but his two years' voyage had accomplished its purpose. He found the "Christians and spices" he sought, and Portugal was mistress of the sea route to India (p. 543)."
Vasco da Gama retired to a life of marriage and wealth. Portugese seamen came to dominate the trade to India for many years. They built fortifications along the coasts of Africa and India. This is most impressive for a country roughly 400 miles long and less than 200 miles wide.
FYI: several interesting, obscure facts: Gama and this article referred to the modern city of Calcutta as "Calicut," which means cock fort. "Tradition says the city got its name when a Malabar King gave the local Zamorin as much land as the area from which a cock crowing from the temple top could be heard (p. 530)." Familiar with the patterned cotton cloth, calico? This name also comes from Calicut, an important manufacturer of the cloth (p. 534).
In my possession is one item from Portugal, colorful six-inch dolls in traditional Portugese dress, joined by a cord at the tops of their heads. It was a souvenir of my parents from one of their European/Mediterranean cruises. I use it annually as a decoration for my tallest Christmas tree.
Daughter #6, Patty, and her fiance, Raj, brought back boxes of items from their month-long trip to visit Raj's family in India. I treasure the jeweled bracelets, a small carved elephant, and a fine set of dishes.
As for the Christians Vasco da Gama found in India, he was confused. He concluded the Indian temples, paintings and statues with many arms must be dedicated to Christian saints.
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