Information derived from certain Egyptian Jews had reached that government, that it was possible to sail round the continent of Africa, there being at its extreme south a cape which could be easily doubled.

An expedition of three ships under Vasco de Gama set sail, July 9, 1497; it doubled the cape on November 20th, and reached Calicut, on the coast of India, May 19, 1498.

Under the bull, this voyage to the East gave to the Portuguese the right to the India trade.
Until the cape was doubled, the course of De Gama's ships was in a general manner southward.

Very soon, it was noticed that the elevation of the pole-star above the horizon was diminishing, and, soon after the equator was reached, that star had ceased to be visible.

Meantime other stars, some of them forming magnificent constellations, had come into view--the stars of the Southern Hemisphere.