ied
became very uneasy, until Vasco da Gama told them that they were
forgiven, but that he should take them bound into the presence of the
King. Even the stoutest hearted, however, might have doubted whether
they should ever reach the land, for the ships were so leaky that it was
necessary to keep the pumps constantly at work. Frequent calms were
also met with, and they passed through a vast mass of seaweed, to which
the name of Sargarco was given, from its resembling the leaf of the
grape so-called. That part of the ocean has ever since retained the
name of the Sargarco Sea. It is that vast collection of seaweed thrown
off by the Gulf Stream, and prevented from drifting farther south by the
counter-current which sets westward towards Central America.

At length, to the great joy of the pilots, they caught sight of the
north star, almost on the same altitude as it was seen at Portugal.
They thus knew that they were approaching the termination of their
voyage. Steering north, they came to an anchor in the port of Angra, in
the island of Terceira, towards the end of August. So battered were the
ships that it was with difficulty they could be kept afloat. Of the two
crews not sixty men survived. Many of these also died on reaching the
shore, and among them, to the great grief of his brother, was Paulo da
Gama, who survived but one day, and was buried in the Monastery of Saint
Francis.

The authorities wished to discharge the cargoes and place them on board
other ships, but to this Vasco da Gama would not consent; and having
them partially repaired, he again sailed, accompanied by several other
vessels, and arrived safely in the Tagus on the 18th of September, 1499.
Endeavouring to overcome the grief he felt for the loss of his brother,
handsomely dressed, his beard, not cut since he sailed, streaming over
his breast, he landed to present himself to the King, who had come down
to the beach at Cascaes to welcome him. The next day the King received
him at his palace, when he bestowed upon him the honourable title of
"dom," to be borne by him and his heirs. They afterwards repaired to
the Queen's apartments, where Nicolas Coelho, who had charge of the
presents, was summoned, and where, having kissed the hands of the King
and Queen, they exhibited the magnificent jewels and stuffs which they
had brought.

Although the King promised to reward honest Coelho, it does not appear
how this was done. The pilots, having b