Notable Voyagers, From Columbus to NordenskioldKingston, William Henry Giles
History
Notable Voyagers, From Columbus to Nordenskiold
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Explorers; Voyages and travels
In 1521 Antonio da Brito was sent from Malacca to take possession of
them. The Portuguese were, however, ultimately driven out by the Dutch,
who hold them to the present day. In the year 1524 Dom Vasco da Gama
was again sent out as Viceroy of India, being the second person who had
held that important post. He now possessed the title of Conde da
Vidigueira and Admiral of the Indian Seas. He was accompanied by his
two sons, Dom Estevan and Dom Paulo da Gama, on board the _Saint
Catarina_, with numerous officials, and everything calculated to
maintain his state, besides a guard of two hundred men with gilt pikes,
clothed with his livery. He kept also a magnificent table, at which all
his officers dined with him. He ruled the country with a stern and
inflexible justice, which was much required, as abuses of all kinds had
sprung up; and so, although he was much feared, he was greatly
respected. Leaving Goa, he went to Cochin, a city of considerable size,
where many Portuguese had established themselves. Here he was shortly
afterwards seized with a mortal malady, of which he died a few minutes
past midnight on the 24th of December, 1524, when he was succeeded in
his vice-royalty by his son, Dom Estevan.
His remains were sent to Portugal in 1538, and buried in a tomb at
Vidigueira, from which town he took his title. It would have been
fortunate for the honour of Portugal had all her Viceroys of India
possessed the same sense of duty as that which animated the renowned
Vasco da Gama.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
VOYAGE OF FERNANDO MAGALHAENS--THE DISCOVERER OF THE STRAITS OF
MAGELLAN--ROUND THE WORLD A.D. 1519-20.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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