Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstra17181886roya).pdf/218

 We find, according to this historian, that it was in July, 1427, when Vasco started to discover the passage round the Cape. The voyage had been projected eighty-five years before, in 1412, by Prince of Portugal.

The first visit paid to Malacca by the then enterprising Portuguese appears to have been in 1508, when, who had sailed from Lisbon with LEMOS, was entrusted with the discovery of Madagascar and Malacca. Arriving at the port of St. Sebastian in the island of Madagascar, he ran along the coast, using a Portuguese as his interpreter, who had been left there and had acquired the language. In the course of this part of his voyage be had some intercourse with a king or prince of the natives named, by whom he was civilly treated; but being unable to procure intelligence of any spices or silver, the great object of his voyage, and finding much trouble and no profit, he proceeded to India in the prosecution of the further orders he had received from the king. He was well received by, the viceroy, who gave him an additional ship, commanded by , to assist in the discovery of Malacca. In the prosecution of his voyage he was well treated by the kings of Pedir and Pacam, who sent him presents, and at both places he erected crosses indicating discovery and possession. He at length cast anchor in the port of Malacca, where he terrified the people by the thunder of his cannon, so