Vasco da Gama

I am not afraid of the darkness. Real death is preferable to a life without living.

I am not the man I once was. I do not want to go back in time, to be the second son, the second man.

From there we sailed so far out to sea, without touching any port, that we soon had no water that we could drink. In order to eat, we had to cook in salt water. Our daily ration of water in fact was reduced to a quartilho. It therefore became necessary to make for port.

Generally the women of this country are ugly and short in stature, and wear much gold jewelry around their necks, and many bracelets on their arms; and on their toes they wear rings set with precious stones.

One day to amuse ourselves, we went to this island and saw about 3000 of them, both large and small. We fired among them with our bombards from the sea.

In this land the inhabitants are tawny colored. They eat only seals and whales and the meat of gazelles and the roots of plants. They dress in skins, and wear sheaths over their natural parts. Their weapons are poles of olive wood to which a horn, browned in the fi re, is attached. They have many dogs like those in Portugal, which bark the same as well. Th e birds of this land are also like those in Portugal: cormorants, gulls, turtle doves, crested larks, and many others.

In search of Christians and spices.

You could cook and eat a curry made from his envoy's limbs.

I have come to seek Christians and spices.

The sea is full of dangers, but also of riches.

For the love of God, do not abandon me!

I would rather die than return without having accomplished my mission.

The king has sent me, and I must obey.

These people are not Christians, but heathens.

We have found the way to India!

I will bring back the wealth of the East to Portugal.

Let us not fear, for God is our guide.

I have come to open a new route, not to conquer land.

These Moors are treacherous, and we must be wary of them.

Give me water, for I am dying of thirst!