Unknown Seas: The Portuguese Captains and the Passage to India

by Ronald Watkins

  Again Vasco’s ability to deal on an equitable level with local rulers was brought to bear. He sent his good wishes along with gifts consisting of an ecclesiastic’s cloak, two strings of coral, three water basins, a hat, bells and two pieces of striped cloth. In return, the following day Vasco was presented with ‘six sheep and much cloves, cumin, ginger, nutmegs, and pepper’. He also received a message that the ageing king’s son, who served as regent, would meet with Vasco by small boat out in the water. Each would remain in his own, if that was what Vasco wished.

  On 18 April the regent21

  approached the anchored ships in an ornate boat and, as arranged, met with Vasco, who had ordered his boat to be well decorated in anticipation of the occasion. The regent wore a damask robe lined with green satin, and a rich head covering and sat on a cushioned chair made of bronze. Extended above him was an umbrella of crimson satin, shielding him from the bright sun. Beside him was an elderly man carrying the ruler’s short sword within its silver scabbard as a sign of his office. There were also musicians with beautifully carved trumpets of wood and ivory who made continuous ‘sweet harmony’.214

  Once the two boats were side by side, without fanfare or negotiation, the regent entered Vasco’s boat and it was there the conversation took place. Another account says that it was Vasco who showed his good faith by entering the regent’s boat.

  After some discussion the regent invited Vasco to come to the palace to rest, after which the regent would visit him on board his ship. Given the recent well wishes he had received at Mombasa, only to be followed by secret attack, Vasco was suspicious and declined, saying that his king prohibited him from setting foot on shore during his voyage. What, the regent asked, was he to say to his people when it was learned the captain of these ships refused his offer of hospitality and would not come ashore? Vasco had no direct reply but instead sent word to his ship that those captives seized were to be immediately released as a demonstration of good faith. The regent was delighted, telling Vasco there was nothing greater he could have done to please him.

  Still in the boats the regent and Vasco made a slow circuit of the Portuguese vessels. They were massive, stoutly constructed and carried a large number of cannon, easily outclassing any ship in the region. Vasco gave orders for the cannon to be fired in the regent’s honour, much to the latter’s delight. The regent then directed his young son and a sharif to join Vasco while the Captain-Major sent two representatives with him to visit his palace and report back. The meeting was concluded amicably after some three hours, with the regent saying that the following day he would go to the beach, where his horsemen would put on a demonstration for the Portuguese, and he hoped the captain would join him. The two parted on the friendliest of terms.215

  Events up to this point still indicated to Vasco the need for caution, so the following morning he, joined by Coelho, rowed slowly along the front of the town to watch the display of horsemanship. As a precaution smaller bombards had been placed in the poops of the longboats. A crowd gathered along the shore both to observe the strangers and to witness the show. The regent himself arrived, carried in a palanquin, and from the beach again urged Vasco to come ashore. His ageing father, the king, desired very much to meet personally with him. As a pledge, the regent and his sons were to go aboard Vasco’s vessels as hostages, but again the Captain-Major declined and the entertainment began. The display of mock fighting by the horsemen was well received by everyone.216

  While Vasco was deciding whether he could trust the king and regent, an event took place that was to have a significant impact on what the Portuguese believed they were learning. They had come expecting to make contact with Prester John and been disappointed to learn that the only kingdom matching the description –Ethiopia – was inland. They knew there were other colonies of corrupted Christians in the region, yet thus far they had been unable to establish contact with any of them. Those Christians they had seen were treated as slaves and held in contempt by the Muslims. The Portuguese believed an independent community, especially one possessing a port where they could find safety, fresh provisions and service for their ships, was essential to their success.

  India existed largely as a mythical land to Europeans, and there was much debate as to the nature of its predominant religion. There were many who believed from what little they knew that Hinduism was actually a corrupted version of Christianity. What was to prove significant was the reality that the Portuguese knew only three religions: Christianity, Islam and Judaism. If a people were not Muslims and not Jews, they must be Christian.

  Vasco visited with his brother Paulo not long after arriving at Malindi. The Portuguese had learned there were four ships in the harbour from India belonging to ‘Christians’. On this day several of these Indians, by some accounts the owners of each of the four Indian ships, came aboard the São Rafael. They were dark-skinned men who wore little clothing and had ‘long beards and long hair, which they braid’. The men were escorted about the ship and at one point were shown an altarpiece that represented Our Lady at the foot of the cross with the infant Jesus Christ in her arms, surrounded by the Apostles.

  When the Indians saw the picture they threw themselves on the deck and uttered extended prayers, followed by offerings of cloves and pepper. This was what the Portuguese were expecting, and they took considerable comfort from this display of homage to the cross. Later, when Vasco rowed past one of the Indian ships, the Indians fired their modest bombards in his honour and, leaning over the railing of their vessels, shouted words the Portuguese heard as ‘Christ! Christ!’217

  The reality was very different from what Vasco and his men perceived. The image on the São Rafael bore a close resemblance to one that Hindus in their region worshipped and the Indians were apparently under the impression this was the Western representation of that scene. The words they shouted were actually ‘Krishna! Krishna!’The Portuguese, however, took great comfort in having confirmed, in their mind, that Indians were in fact Christians and when they resumed their voyage it was with that expectation.

  The Portuguese were fascinated by the Indians, and their belief that they were Christians was further reinforced by the amicable treatment they received from them. That same night Vasco was greeted with honour by the Indians, who held a celebration aboard their ships, again firing their bombards, sending up rockets and raising their voices in ‘loud shouts’. The Indians spoke only a smattering of Arabic but during the evening cautioned the Portuguese about going ashore. The good wishes they were receiving from the Arabs, they said, ‘neither came from their hearts nor from their good will’.218

  The Indians were mistaken. The delicate negotiations and contacts here were to prove the most fortuitous encounter of the voyage, for Malindi was in fierce competition with nearby Mombasa and greeted these newcomers as potentially powerful allies. The regent was not about to allow their differences in religion to interfere with what could become a highly profitable alliance.

  Two more days passed, during which the regent ordered celebrations and entertaining displays on shore. The details are not reported, but steady provisioning was apparently taking place. Most importantly, the supply of water was being replenished. Still, Vasco was not satisfied. The Indians had warned him to be cautious, and his experiences with Muslims before arriving here had served to deepen his suspicion. Time was passing, with no progress.

  On Sunday 22 April the regent sent one of his servants to the São Gabriel on a casual errand. Vasco ordered the man to be seized. He sent word ashore that he was to be provided with the pilots he had been promised, at which time he would free the man. The regent immediately dispatched a pilot and the servant was released.219

  Vasco was ‘much pleased’ with the quality of this pilot, who is reported to have been well versed in navigation and a Christian from Gujarat, though the Portuguese decided at once that he was a Moor. But here again is a dispute among historians. Many consider it well established that this man was none other than Ahmad ib
n Majid, an Arab from Julfar, and the greatest Arab navigator of the time. It has been said this was a most fortuitous matching of Vasco, one of western Europe’s greatest navigators, and his counterpart from the Indian Ocean. If this pilot was indeed Ahmad, he would have been well into his sixties when he entered Vasco’s service.

  The evidence, however, does not support such a conclusion, although it does make for a great romantic image.220 What is certain is that the pilot was highly skilled and greatly respected by Vasco and his crew. They learned from him that there was indeed an island (Kilwa) occupied by a population that was half Muslim, half Christian, though it was under the authority of the Muslims. Many pearls could be found there. It was a major commercial centre in the region, more dominant even than Mombasa. The pilot suggested the Portuguese should go there, as they would find friends.221

  In his first meeting with Vasco the pilot unrolled detailed charts of the region which answered many questions for the Portuguese. The maps included an accurate depiction of the west coast of India, and most importantly, bearings, parallels and meridians laid out in the understandable Arabic fashion. Vasco was viewing a map of the final leg of his quest, surely a momentous occasion.

  When shown a Portuguese astrolabe, the pilot demonstrated a great familiarity with it and indicated that such devices were in common use in the region. He made a demonstration of how he and other pilots in the Indian Ocean made their readings of the sun and stars.222 Any reservations Vasco may have had were now completely dispelled. They had their man, and the regent on shore had made him available.

  They had been at Malindi for nine days and despite Vasco’s misgivings his ships had been fully resupplied. Even better, their pilot informed them that the monsoon had begun early and, if the Portuguese wished to ignore his suggestion that they go to Kilwa, passage across the Indian Ocean was now not only possible but relatively easy.

  It may be that Vasco’s mind was still uncertain as to the reliability of the ruler of Malindi, but he possessed all he needed to proceed. Without setting foot in the city he gave orders and on Tuesday 24 April the ships weighed anchor and set sail, passing slowly out of the huge bay and into a strait. By Sunday they had gone so far north along the coast of Africa that the North Star was again reassuringly visible. The monsoon winds now filled the great white sails of the ships and they made steady passage eastward across the Indian Ocean.

  Three uneventful weeks passed, during which time Vasco came to know his new pilot. Through an interpreter they discussed what the Portuguese should expect to find when they reached India. He told Vasco that in speaking to Indians their speech should always be gentle, and they should harm no one unless in retaliation for harm done them without provocation. Most importantly, Vasco should be very careful about whom he allowed to go ashore, and especially about doing so himself. When crewmen did leave the ship, Vasco should be certain he had matching hostages aboard. This was the custom for new traders and no offence would be taken. Finally, the pilot cautioned, he must exercise care in making his purchases so as not to upset current prices. The Portuguese, he said, should trust him, that he knew the weights and measures as well as the prices the Portuguese should expect to pay. Vasco was deeply impressed with the man and his advice and referred to him among his men as the ‘Good Moor’.

  On the twenty-third day of the passage, 18 May, through a thick haze that clung to the water, ‘lofty mountains’–probably Mount Eli in northern Kerala – were observed on the horizon. The pilot altered course but squalls prevented him from accurately determining their position. They sailed on until finally the Good Moor caught a proper sight of land and made his way across the deck to Vasco. ‘We have arrived’, he said. ‘We are north of Calicut! Here is the land where you desired to go.’222

  The outward voyage was complete. For eleven long, weary months the Portuguese had survived storm and calm, hostile attacks and treachery. The full numbers are not recorded but approximately 30 of the 170 to 180 who had left with them that triumphant day in Portugal were now buried at sea or on hostile shores. There was a great deal yet to be accomplished and the most difficult leg of the voyage lay ahead of them, but here at last was India. The men lined the railing of their ships, climbed into the rigging to get a better view and gazed in wonder and anticipation at the promised land.

  On Sunday 20 May, a short distance north of Calicut, off the Malabar coast, Vasco gave orders and the Portuguese ships dropped anchor as dusk gathered.

  15

  ‘The devil take you!’

  The Good Moor had mistaken a smaller town named Capua for Calicut. Four small boats came out to the strange, towering ships and asked where the men had come from and why they were here. There was nothing to be gained from deception at this point, so Vasco replied directly. The men pointed to a spot a few miles further south and told them there was the port they were seeking.224

  The Portuguese sailors came from the poorest country of western Europe. All their lives, and certainly over the many tedious months of this long voyage, they had heard about the wonders of India, of its great riches. Each man had within his personal belongings a cache of valuables with which to make personal trades. With what they would earn from this, and the largesse of the king after their successful return home, every man expected to make his fortune. And why not? India was the land of legendary riches. They had succeeded in the journey to its source and expected to reap the reward.

  What happened next the gawking sailors crowded against the rails found shocking. As night fell, hundreds of small boats of every sort swarmed the three Portuguese ships. Some were offering wares to sell or exchange, but most were simply begging. They were gaunt and clearly profoundly impoverished. The seamen from Europe’s poorest country could hardly believe their eyes. Could this really be the fabled India?

  That evening Hindu fishermen came out into nearby waters and with torches and lanterns gathered in their catch. To the Portuguese, who had never seen anything like this, it looked as though the fish all but leaped into the boats. The rest of the night passed uneventfully as Vasco laid plans with his officers as to how they would proceed the following morning.

  Outside his quarters the crew were already anticipating their long overdue shore leave and the sensual delights they anticipated here in the mysterious and exotic East. The words of one of the most popular songs went:

  How winsome is my beloved!

  How lovely and how fair!

  Tell me, if thou canst, O sailor,

  Thou who hast roamed

  The oceans wide,

  If there be ship at sea

  Or sail, or star in heaven

  As lovely as is she!225

  Early the next morning, when the same four boats came out, hundreds of ships could be seen to the south. Vasco sent for one of the delgradados, a converted Jew named João Nunes, who possessed some knowledge of Arabic and Hebrew. He was given instructions to go ashore with the Indians and return with a report of all he could see and hear. Nunes climbed into one of the boats with the Indians and sailed to Calicut, where a great crowd pressed the shore, eager to see what sort of man came from such strange, alien ships.

  Calicut was the richest and most prominent of the ports in this region and, although there was no harbour to speak of, as many as 700 ships at any time lay at anchor in its waters. A Florentine permitted by Vasco to take part in this voyage recorded what he observed of the city, naturally focusing on matters relating to trade. The leading merchants, he wrote, came from Cambay to the north, and Malmsey, a sweet wine usually made in Cyprus, was available in Calicut. Both Egyptian and Venetian gold coins were in common use.226

  The most common anchorage was at the mouth of a river to the south of the city, although there were other places before the many streams and man-made canals that flowed into the ocean which were also used. The muddy banks were thick with small red crabs. Crocodiles lay in the waters about the streams, while vast flocks of egrets and kingfishers could be seen in the shallows.


  The city itself was not especially imposing, although it and the surrounding region were heavily populated. The crowded houses were clustered along the shore for about one mile, then were spread further apart for another six, extending inland only a short distance. Few structures were of more than a single storey since the soil was inadequate to support heavy buildings. Most houses were of adobe or well-carved wood and there was no doubt that, despite the widespread poverty, many living here were quite prosperous. The city wall was no taller than a man on horseback.

  Along the ocean front were spacious warehouses designed to withstand the pervasive dampness, and housed within were wares from throughout Asia. These included silk from China, spices of every sort including pepper, which was grown and processed locally, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, cloves, camphor and large quantities of local cotton cloth, all bundled and ready for immediate sale and transport. There was also ivory, cassia, unknown medicinal plants, cardamon, copra, coir and piles of sandalwood.227 It was a cornucopia of all that the Portuguese had come to find.

  In the seventeenth century Pietro della Valle recorded what he saw in Calicut, observations that must have been very similar to those witnessed by the Portuguese when they first arrived:

  We went to see the Bazar which is near the shore; the Houses or rather Cottages are built of Earth and thatched with Palm-leaves, being very low; the streets also are very narrow, but sufficiently long; the Market was full of all sorts of Provisions and other things necessary to the livelihood of that people, conformably to their custom; for, as for clothing they need little, both men and women going quite naked, saving that they have a piece either of Cotton, or silk, hanging down from the girdle to the knees and covering their shame; the better sort are either wont to wear it all blew [sic], or white striped with Azure, or Azure and some other colour; a dark blew being most esteemed amongst them. Moreover both Men and Women wear their hair long and ty’d about their head; the women with a lock hanging in one side under the ear becomingly enough as almost all Indian women do; the dressing of whose head is, in my opinion, the gallantest that I have seen in any other nation. The Men have a lock hanging down from the crown of the head, sometimes a little inclined on one side; some of them use a small coloured headband, but the Women use none at all. Both sexes have their Arms adorned with bracelets, their ears with pendants, and their necks with jewels; the Men commonly go with their Swords and Bucklers, or other Arms, in their hands.228