The book tells a lively and fascinating story about the outstanding navigator, pilot of the Vasco da Gama expedition (1498) - Ahmad ibn Majid. The personality traits of the Arab navigator and his accomplishments are described based on the study of 16th-century manuscripts containing little-known data. The prose narrative is interspersed with numerous poetic translations made by T. A. Shumovsky. For a wide range of readers interested in the history of world culture. The illustration on the cover is based on a painting by the artist P. Pavlinov, depicting Ahmad ibn Majid next to Vasco da Gama. CONTENTS: Preface 3 From author 5Eternal life of the word 9Echoes of the distant, ancient 11Restoration of truth 21Wanderings of thought 27Dawn over the bay 29A long step 38Those standing behind the shoulders 58“The hoop of this world” 69Gift of heaven, child of the earth 86Queen of the stars 97Arabian truth 111Tyrannosti 119When rivers merge 128Heart to heart 140Bitter joys 145Royal “barn” 156Pure color 161Test by verse 164Steps down 170In the footsteps of the Arab explorer 189Younger brother 191East under the northern sky 196Arab sea voyages 203