Chapter CVI: Act II: Vasco has fallen asleep in his cell. Beside him watches

_Selika_. In her native land she is a queen. Now she is a captive and a slave, her rank, of course, unknown to her captor, since she and _Nelusko_ carefully have kept it from the knowledge of all. _Selika_ is deeply in love with _Vasco_ and is broken-hearted over his passion for _Inez_, of which she has become aware. But the love of this supposedly savage slave is greater than her jealousy. She protects the slumbering _Vasco_ from the thrust of _Nelusko's_ dagger. For her companion in captivity is deeply in love with her and desperately jealous of the Portuguese navigator for whom she has conceived so ardent a desire. Not only does she save _Vasco's_ life, but on a map hanging on the prison wall she points out to him a route known only to herself and _Nelusko_, by which he can reach the land of which he has been in search.

_Inez_, _Don Pedro_, and their suite enter the prison. _Vasco_ is free. _Inez_ has purchased his freedom through her own sacrifice in marrying _Don Pedro_. _Vasco_, through the information received from _Selika_, now hopes to undertake another voyage of discovery and thus seek to make up in glory what he has lost in love. But he learns that _Don Pedro_ has been appointed commander of an expedition and has chosen _Nelusko_ as pilot. _Vasco_ sees his hopes shattered.

Act III. The scene is on _Don Pedro's_ ship at sea. _Don Alvar_, a member of the Royal Council, who is with the expedition, has become suspicious of _Nelusko_. Two ships of the squadron have already been lost. _Don Alvar_ fears for the safety of the flagship. At that moment a Portuguese vessel is seen approaching. It is in command of _Vasco da Gama_, who has fitted it out at his own expense. Although _Don Pedro_ is his enemy, he comes aboard the admiral's ship to warn him that the vessel is on a wrong course and likely to meet with disaster. _Don Pedro_, however, accuses him of desiring only to see _Inez_, who is on the vessel, and charges that his attempted warning is nothing more than a ruse, with that purpose in view. At his command, _Vasco_ is seized and bound. A few moments later, however, a violent storm breaks over the ship. It is driven upon a reef. Savages, for whom _Nelusko_ has signalled, clamber up the sides of the vessel and massacre all save a few whom they take captive.

Act IV. On the left, the entrance to a Hindu temple; on the right a palace. Tropical landscape. Among those saved from the massacre is _Vasco_. He finds himself in the land which he has sought to discover--a tropical paradise. He is threatened with death by the natives, but _Selika_, in order to save him, protests to her subjects that he is her husband. The marriage is now celebrated according to East Indian rites. _Vasco_, deeply touched by _Selika's_ fidelity, is almost determined to abide by his nuptial vow and remain here as _Selika's_ spouse, when suddenly he hears the voice of _Inez_. His passion for her revives.