every suitable spot he landed
some of his sailors to make inquiries about Covilham and the court
of Prester John. But in every case he found the ports inhabited
by fanatical Moors, who, as soon as they discovered that their
visitors were Christians, attempted to destroy them, and refused
to supply them with pilots for the further voyage to India. This
happened at Mozambique, at Quiloa, and at Mombasa, and it was not
till he arrived at Melinda that he was enabled to obtain provisions
and a pilot, Malemo Cana, an Indian of Guzerat, who was quite familiar
with the voyage to Calicut. Under his guidance Gama's fleet went
from Melinda to Calicut in twenty-three days. Here the Zamorin, or
sea-king, displayed the same antipathy to his Christian visitors.
The Mohammedan traders of the place recognised at once the dangerous
rivalry which the visit of the Portuguese implied, with their monopoly
of the Eastern trade, and represented Gama and his followers as
merely pirates. Vasco, however, by his firm behaviour, managed
to evade the machinations of his trade rivals, and induced the
Zamorin to regard favourably an alliance with the Portuguese king.
Contenting himself with this result, he embarked again, and after
visiting Melinda, the only friendly spot he had found on the east
coast of Africa, he returned to Lisbon in September 1499, having
spent no less than two years on the voyage. King Emmanuel received
him with great favour, and appointed him Admiral of the Indies.

The significance of Vasco da Gama's voyage was at once seen by
the persons whose trade monopoly it threatened--the Venetians,
and the Sultan of Egypt. Priuli, the Venetian chronicler, reports:
"When this news reached Venice the whole city felt it greatly,
and remained stupefied, and the wisest held it as the worst news
that had ever arrived"--as indeed they might, for it prophesied the
downfall of the Venetian Empire. The Sultan of Egypt was equally
moved, for the greatest source of his riches was derived from the
duty of five per cent. which he levied on all merchandise entering
his dominions, and ten per cent. upon all goods exported from them.
Hitherto there had been all manner of bickerings between Venice and
Egypt, but this common danger brought them together. The Sultan
represented to Venice the need of common action in order to drive
away the new commerce; but Egypt was without a navy, and had indeed
no wood suitable for shipbuilding. The Venetians took the