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