upon all goods exported from them.
Hitherto there had been all manner of bickerings between Venice and Egypt, but this common danger brought them together.

The Sultan represented to Venice the need of common action in order to drive away the new commerce; but Egypt was without a navy, and had indeed no wood suitable for shipbuilding.

The Venetians took the trouble to transmit wood to Cairo, which was then carried by camels to Suez, where a small fleet was prepared to attack the Portuguese on their next visit to the Indian Ocean.
The Portuguese had in the meantime followed up Vasco da Gama's voyage with another attempt, which was, in its way, even more important.

In 1500 the king sent no less than thirteen ships under the command of Pedro Alvarez Cabral, with Franciscans to convert, and twelve hundred fighting men to overawe, the Moslems of the Indian Ocean.
He determined on steering even a more westerly course than Vasco da Gama, and when he arrived in 17 deg.

south of the line, he discovered land which he took possession of in the name of Portugal, and named Santa Cruz.