Los Angeles daily herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1873-1876, 1874-03-01

vaSC0 DA CANA.
An Aeeouni Ofthe Faneus Portuguese
- NAVIGATOR RAE -


Navigator. -
Since the arrival of the steamer
Vasco da CANA at this port, we have
heard quite q number OF inquiries
as to who he was, and no doubt O
short sketch of him will be entertain
ing. Vasco da CANA was n Portu-
guese nObleman, and conducted around
the Cape of Good Hope to India the
first European expedition. In 1897,
King Emanuel of. Portugal, fitted out
three Strips under tire command of
Vasco da CANA, for u voyageso dis
covery, and this age obtained the name
of the Golden Age, from the immense
treasure obtained.
After the discovery of America 10y
Columbus, in 1892, Pope Alexander
vi, by a bill dated May 5, 1893, granted
to the King of Spain all the countries
and Islands discovered 100 leagues
westward and southwardof the Azores
and Cape Verde Islands. Previous to
this, the Portuguese discovered the
passage around the Cape of Good Hope
and had obtained grant from Pope
Martin V, in 1442, of all countries dis
covered to the south and east of Cape
Africa, latitude ~ degrees north; and
looked upon the willsof Alexander vi
as an encroachment on their grant,
and to dispute the Spaniards' right.
Both nations, however, came to an
agreement in l494, that all the western
discoveries should belong to Spain,
and all the eastern discoveries to Por-
tugal.
: Europe, for 1900 years, had received
its spices and silks from the Persians,
the Arabians and the Egyptians, who
brought them to the ports of the
Mediterranean, and the Venetians,
Genoeses and Spanish resorted thither.
and sold them all over Europe at most
eXtravagant and almost fabulous
prices; so the spices and silks of the
Indies were the means Of discovery of
America and the Cape of Good Hope.
Da Cana discovered the Cape of
Good Hope on December 90, 1897;
sailed to the northward, and off Mo-
zambique found seven sail of Arabian
ships. These Arabians or Moors had
the mariners compass, sea-charts and
quadrants, which was not known to the
Europeans till about the time that
Columbus ventured to America. At
first the MOors treated Da CANA Kind
ly, but no sooner did they understand
him to be q Christian, than they did
all manners of ill offices, foreseeing
that if the Europeans should proceed
to India, it would be all up with their
trade.
From Mozambique, Da CANA pro-
ceeded to Melinda, in Zanguebar,
where he found some Christians of In
dia, met with kind reception, and
procured pilot to sail with him to
India. On May 10, 1893, he arrived at
Calcutta. The King of Calcutta was
pleased by his arrival, imagining he
should find considerable increase Of
his customs; but the MoOrs, appre-
hending the loss of their India trade,
represented Da CANA and his men as
pirates, who come to discover his weak
ness, and set the King against the
Portuguese, that he ordered some of Da
Gama's men to be seized, whereupOn
Da CANA, for satisfaction, made q
prize of one of the ships in the road,
and a number of persons prisoners,
among them merchant of Tunis.
from whom the Portuguese learnt u
great deal concerning the India trade.
Da CANA returned to Portugal in 1899.
Vasco da CANA, in 1902, was sent
with ten ships; large squadron was
sent out to attack the Moors, and
make himself master of the India seas,
which was easily effected, the Moors
having but few ships of force, mot
needing any till now, having no enemy
to encounter till the Portuguese found
the way to them by the Cape Of Good