A NATION REMEMBERS

Southland Times, Issue 19461, 28 January 1925, Page 8

A NATION REMEMBERS

HONOUR TO VASCO DA GAMA. PORTUGAL’S EMPIRE BUILDER. Portugal, Britain’s oldest ally, has invited the British Government to send a cruiser to Lisbon at Christmas, when she commemorates the fourth centenary of the death of Vasco da Gama, the great captain, explorer, and viceroy who founded the Indian Empire which she lost, and the great African Colonies which she still holds. Brazil, which once belonged to Portugal, and still bears to that country the same relationship as the United States bears to Britain, speaking the Portugese tongue and sharing Portugese history and culture, will send a deputation of distinguished men to do honour to her Motherland.. And it is heped that South Africa will also be sending representatives. It was Vasco da Gama who first, on Christmas Day in 1497, sighted a land which he called Natal, which is the Portugese name for Christmas. He had been sent by the King, with a fleet of four ships and 160 men, to explore the road to India • ‘ the Cape, folowing up the venturesom - expeditions of Bartholomew Diaz. He carried letters from his King to the Princes of the East, among them the fabled Prester John, and his voyage took him ten months, during which time he suffered and triumphed over stormy seas, privation, mutiny, and all manner of hardships. MASSACRE AND VENGEANCE. Even when da Gama did reach Calicut, on the coast of India, on May 20, 1498, the Arab merchants made such trouble that he had to fight his way out of the harbour. He returned to Lisbon in September, 1499, and was received with the greatest honour. The King sent out a new fleet to found a factory at Calicut. It was driven out ’of its course to the shores o! Brazil, and half of the 13 ships were lost before they could reach the Indian coast, where the factpry was founded. The Indians murdered the 40 merchants who were left behind, and da Gama was despatched with a fleet cf 20 sail to take vengeance. He weighed anchor in 1502, and broke his journey to establish, the colonies of Mozambique and Sofala, on the east coast of Africa, which are still a source of great wealth to Portugal. Da Gama bombarded Calicut, destroyed the Indian and Arab fleets, and returned with rich, treasure, having laid the foundations of an Empire in India. Da Gama then lived the life of a quiet country gentleman, but after 20 years he was called from his seclusion, for things were going badly in the East, and only he could put them right. His triumph was complete. He re-established order and security, and made the name of Portugal to be respected once again. But death overtook da Gama in the hour of victory and he died at Cochin on Christmas Day, 1524. His body was embalmed and taken back to his native land where he was buried with great pomp at Vidigueira.