spring up that would have served for the voyage.

At length a favourable wind sprung up unexpectedly, and in sixteen days
they came in sight of land on Wednesday the 2d of February 1499, at which
the mariners were much rejoiced, and soon forgot all their past troubles
and dangers. As they came near the land towards evening, the general gave
orders to keep their heads out to sea during the night, to avoid rocks or
shoals. As there were no person on board who knew where they were, a Moor
alleged they had steered direct for Mozambique; saying there were certain
islands 300 leagues from the shore, and directly over against that place,
where the natives were continually subject to the disease which had been
so fatal to our men. When morning came, they stood towards the land, when
they came before a large and goodly city, surrounded with walls, having
fair and lofty houses, and a large palace on a height in the middle of
the city, seeming to be a magnificent building. This city is called
Magadoxo, and stands on one side of the Gulf of India on the coast of
Ethiopia[71], an hundred and thirteen leagues from Melinda, the situation
of which I shall explain hereafter. Knowing this to be a city of the
Moors, he would not stop at this place, but commanded many shots of
ordnance to be fired as he sailed past. Not being sure how far it was to
Melinda, and fearing to overshoot that port, he lay too every night; and
on Saturday the 5th of February, lying over against a village of the
Moors, named Pate[72], 103 leagues from Magadoxo, there came off eight
_terradas_, or boats of that country, filled with soldiers, and making
direct for our fleet, from whence we shot off so many pieces of ordnance,
that they soon fled back to the shore, and our people could not follow
for want of wind. Next Monday, being the 7th of February, the fleet
arrived at Melinda. The king immediately sent off his congratulations to
the general on his arrival, with a present of fresh provisions. De Gama
sent Fernan Martinez on shore to return the compliments of the king, to
whom he sent a present. On account of the great number of sick on board,
the fleet stopped here for ten days, during which time he caused a land-
mark to be erected on shore, with leave of the king, as a token of
friendship. Having provided provisions and water for the ships at this
place, he departed on the morning of Wednesday the 17th of February,
taking with him an ambassador from the king of