_ 125 _ In the same year (1499) The description of Indian Ocean by Genevieve Bouchon, during the period of Vasco da Gama:(4) On the eve of the fifth centenary of the discovery of the sea route to the Indies, my intention is not to attempt a full study of the Indian Ocean at the time of the first Portuguese voyages but merely to emphasize some little-known features which cast new light on the history of the conquista in Asia. First one essential difference within the areas of Portuguese expansion must be emphasized. In the Atlantic the Europeans were on their own as masters on the high seas. When the Portuguese entered the Indian Ocean, on the other hand, they were breaking into a maritime world which had been an organized one for centuries, where trade existed (4) Document no. and reference.
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