d them. And the Portuguese were glad to sail on to Melindi, where
the tall, whitewashed houses standing round the bay, with their
coco-palms, maize fields, and hop gardens, reminded them of one of
their own cities on the Tagus. Here all was friendly. The King of
Melindi sent three sheep and free leave for the strangers to enter
the port. Vasco, in return, sent the King a cassock, two strings of
coral, three washhand basins, a hat, and some bells. Whereupon the
King, splendidly dressed in a damask robe with green satin and an
embroidered turban, allowed himself to be rowed out to the flagship.
He was protected from the sun by a crimson satin umbrella.

Nine days were pleasantly passed in the port at Melindi, and then,
with a Christian pilot provided by the King, the most thrilling part
of the voyage began with a start across the Arabian Gulf to the west
coast of India. For twenty-three days the ships sailed to the
north-east, with no land visible. Suddenly the dim outline of land
was sighted and the whole crew rushed on deck to catch the first glimpse
of the unknown coast of India. They had just discerned the outline
of lofty mountains, when a thunderstorm burst over the land and a
downpour of heavy rain blotted out the view.

[Illustration: CALICUT AND THE SOUTHERN INDIAN COAST. From Juan de
la Cosa's map, 1500.]

At last on 21st May--nearly eleven months after the start from
Portugal--the little Portuguese ships anchored off Calicut.

"What has brought you hither?" cried the natives, probably surprised
at their foreign dress; "and what seek ye so far from home?"

"We are in search of Christians and spice," was the ready answer.

"A lucky venture. Plenty of emeralds. You owe great thanks to God for
having brought you to a country holding such riches," was the
Mohammedan answer.

"The city of Calicut," runs the diary, "is inhabited by Christians.
They are of a tawny complexion. Some of them have big beards and long
hair, whilst others clip their hair short as a sign that they are
Christians. They also wear moustaches."

Within the town, merchants lived in wooden houses thatched with palm
leaves. It must have been a quaint sight to see Vasco da Gama,
accompanied by thirteen of his Portuguese, waving the flag of their
country, carried shoulder high through the densely crowded streets
of Calicut on his way to the chief temple and on to the palace of the
King. Roofs and windows were thronged with eager spectators an