AFRICAN FRUIT SAVED GAMA'S CREW FROM DYING OF SCURVY In the market place of Zanzibar, like a native "stock exchange," one sees Arab, Banyan, Senegalese, and half-caste traders, each fighting for his share of the huge East African seaboard commerce that passes this way. These are the fruit dealers of Zanzibar. nounced as a demon; now he was a demigod. Let Castile have all the red Indians of the New World, Lusitania was heir to luxury that Croesus would have envied! Gama experienced the prevailing exaltation. Already the Indian Ocean, from Zanzibar to Hindubar, was his. He met two sambuks (a sort of coastal barge) and one escaped, but when he was in hailing distance of the other he grandiloquently proclaimed to the perplexed Moslems that the S. Gabriel's flag was the emblem of the King of Portugal and ordered them to strike sail in the name of Manoel, else he would burn ships and men and send them all to the bottom. More over, he would do the same for every ship that dared disobey him. Probably the very names of Portugal and Manoel were news to the sambuk's distracted captain. There was plenty more ivory where he got his cargo, and his crew could swim to the near-by shore, but he had aboard his beautiful young wife, who was clutching her chest of jewels and comforting four weeping women in her service. So her husband surrendered. Gama sent ten Portuguese aboard and on the eve of Easter Sunday the fleet and its prize anchored off Malindi. Next morning a dazzling tropical sun gleamed on a wide semicircle of tall, AN ORNATE MOSQUE ENTRANCE SUGGESTIVE OF A MODERN BANK VAULT The spikes on this Mozambique mosque door were originally put there to save it from injury by passing elephants that sought to scratch themselves against it. Zanzibar has been described as Oriental in appearance, Moslem in religion, and Arabian in morals. Publishers' Photo Service AN ARAB TOWN STOOD HERE WHEN GAMA CAME IN 1498: PORTUGUESE FORT, MOZAMBIQUE, EAST AFRICA Publishers' Photo Service Photograph by William Lancaster Jenkins TRADITION SAYS VASCO DA GAMA BUILT THIS MONUMENT WHEN HE LANDED HERE IN 1498: MALINDI, EAST AFRICA whitewashed houses, rimming a beautiful bay, and in the background were more restful greens of coconut groves, fields of maize, and well-kept gardens. MALINDI FIRST MECCA FOR WEARY Flags flew from the city's walls, in obvious welcome, and pennants arose in friendly greeting among the numerous ships of the harbor. "At the sight of it our men experienced great delight and gave great praise to the Lord, who had brought them to such a country," exclaimed the pious Correa. Malindi was not India, but it was Gama's last port of call before Calicut, and it was to become a key colony of Portugal's Indian Ocean domain. There, if ever, Gama displayed the courtesy and adroit tact of a statesman and a diplomat. Scarcely had the elated Portuguese time for a daylight survey of the scene when a canoe came alongside "with a welldressed man," who asked their needs and said his king had ordered their every wish fulfilled. This seemed too good to be true; so the commander sent a red-robed Moor ashore to reconnoiter. Back came the Moor with a boatload of presents and the Rajah's high priest, whom Gama received with ceremony, ordering that preserves be brought him in a silver vase, and also water with a napkin. The latter touch was the ultimate mark of deep courtesy to a guest. Soon a curious, flat craft was seen circling the ships. On it the visitors descried the king wearing royal robes of damask trimmed with green satin. He was seated on two bronze chairs beneath a sunshade of crimson satin. The royal band was aboard, playing sivas, hornlike instruments of ivory, copper, and wood, with a mouthpiece in the middle. They were as long as a man is tall and beautifully |