O f
Ax b u q u e r q u e .
1497, to the important command of the fleet deftined for the
difcovery o f the Indies. We have fucceffively mentioned his
name, on feveral glorious occafions; our bufinefs now is only
to trace him to his end: He furvived to the reign of John III.
to be appointed to a third voyage, and to finiih his days on that
fhore, where he had begun his career of glory. He failed from
Lijbon on April 10, 1524. Prodigies attended his voyage; on
his arrival off the coait o f Cambay, in the ftillnefs of a calm, a
dreadful fwelling of the fea, the then unknown fymptons of an
earthquake, appalled the boldeft. Gama difcovered the phceno-
menon: “ Courage!” fays he, “ India trembles at our approach 1”
Another danger followed this. From the defcription, his ihip
was nearly foundered by the fall of a water-fpout. He arrived,
at length, at this port, where he gave up his great foul, on December
24, 1525, to be judged according to unerring juftice;
for, amidft all his fine qualities, he was deeply tainted with the
character of his nation, cruelty. His body lay depofited at
Cochin till 1538, when it was brought to Lijbon, where it was
received with greater honor than was ever before paid to any
perfon, excepting thofe of the blood royal.
A f a t e fimilar to that o f Gama attended Alpbonfo Albuquerque,
defcended illegitimately from the blood royal of Portugal.
He was fent out by his prince, for the firft time in 1503, and in
fucceffive voyages ihewed himfelf to have been fuperior to any
one of his nation, before or after him, both in the military and
political line: he was fitted by his talents to be the founder o f a
great empire. We trace him almoft every where from the Red
Sea to the utmoft limits o f his Indian expedition, as far as Sumatra,
fHatra, and the diftant Malacca: on his laffc voyage he was
ftruck by the hand of death. He direited his pilot to fteer for
Goa, the fcene of many o f his glorious ait ions. He was informed
on the way that he was recalled, and two perfons, moil
difagreeable to him, were to fucceed to the government o f
India. “ Lopez SoarezJ exclamed he, “ Governor of India!—
“ it is he! it could be no other! Don James Mendez, and
“ James Pereyra, whom I fent prifoners for heinous crimes,
“ return, the one governor of Cochin, the other fecretary! It is
“ time for me to take fanituary in the church, for I have incur-
“ red the King's difpleafure for his fubjeits’ fake, and the fub-
9 je£ts’ anger for the King’s fake. Old man, fly to the church,
it concerns your honor you ihould die, and you never omit-
“ ted any thing that concerned your honor.”
He died in 1515, aged 63, off the bar o f Goa, and was interred Dies.
there, but his corpfe was not removed to its native country for
numbers of years, as is faid, at the inftances of the citizens o f
Goa, who venerated his memory. He died with the higheft
fentiments of p iety; even the Gentoos and Moors, through devotion
vifited his tomb, fo highly and univerfally was he efteemed.
He was an inflexible lover o f juftice, and of mod polilhed manners
; yet'his actions at Ormus, at Calajate*, and other places,
ihew how impoflible it is to fupprefs an inborn and national
barbarity.
A l l the trail o f country from Cranganore almoft to Anjenjo,
a trail of about 3 hundred and twenty miles, confifts of multi-
* Oforio i. p. p. 338, 339.
Z 2 tudes