take account of their labors, since for that purpose they had ventured
upon them; and that they should put their trust in the Lord that they
would double the cape.

Thus he gave them great encouragement, without ever sleeping or taking
repose, but always taking part with them in hardship, coming up at the
boatswain's pipe as they all did. So they went on standing out to sea
till they found it all broken up with the storm, with enormous waves and
darkness. As the days were very short, it always seemed night; the masts
and shrouds were stayed, because with the fury of the sea the ships
seemed every moment to be going to pieces. The crews grew sick with fear
and hardship, because also they could not prepare their food, and all
clamored for putting back to Portugal, and that they did not choose to
die like stupid people who sought death with their own hands; thus they
made clamor and lamentation, of which there was much more in other ships.
But the captains excused themselves, saying that they would do nothing
except what Vasco da Gama did; and he and his companions underwent great
labor.

As he was a very choleric man, at times with angry words he made them be
silent, although he well saw how much reason they had at every moment to
despair of their lives; and they had been going for about two months on
that tack, and the masters and pilots cried out to him to take another
tack; but the captain-major did not choose, though the ships were now
letting in much water, by which their labors were doubled, because the
days were short and the nights long, which caused them increased fear of
death; and at this time they met with such cold rains that the men could
not move. All cried out to God for mercy upon their souls, for now they
no longer took heed of their lives. It now seemed to Vasco da Gama that
the time was come for making another tack, and he comforted himself very
angrily, swearing that if they did not double the cape he would stand out
to sea again as many times until the cape was doubled, or there should
happen whatever should please God. For which reason, from fear of this,
the masters took much more trouble to advance as much as they could; and
they took more heart on nearing the land, and escaping from the tempest
of the sea; and all called upon God for mercy, and to give them guidance,
when they saw themselves out of such great dangers.

Thus approaching the land, they found their labor less and the seas
calmer,