. ▁In ▁ 1 5 5 7 ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁acquired ▁Mac au ▁to ▁develop ▁this ▁trade ▁in ▁partners hip ▁with ▁the ▁Chinese . ▁That ▁trade ▁continued ▁with ▁few ▁inter ru ptions ▁until ▁ 1 6 3 8 , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁prohib ited ▁by ▁the ▁r ul ers ▁of ▁Japan ▁on ▁the ▁grounds ▁that ▁the ▁ships ▁were ▁sm ugg ling ▁Catholic ▁pri ests ▁into ▁the ▁country . ▁ ▁The ▁Japanese ▁called ▁Portuguese ▁car ra cks ▁" Black ▁Sh ips " ▁( ku ro f une ), ▁referring ▁to ▁the ▁colour ▁of ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁h ull s . ▁ ▁This ▁term ▁would ▁eventually ▁come ▁to ▁refer ▁to ▁any ▁western ▁vessel , ▁not ▁just ▁Portuguese . ▁ ▁Fam ous ▁car ra cks ▁▁ ▁Santa ▁María , ▁in ▁which ▁Christopher ▁Columb us ▁made ▁his ▁first ▁voyage ▁to ▁America ▁in ▁ 1 4 9 2 . ▁ ▁São ▁Gabriel , ▁flags hip ▁of ▁Vas co ▁da ▁G ama , ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 4 9 7 ▁Portuguese ▁expedition ▁from ▁Europe ▁to ▁India ▁by ▁circ umn avig ating ▁Africa . ▁ ▁Flor ▁do ▁Mar ▁or ▁Flor ▁de ▁la ▁Mar , ▁as ▁it ▁was ▁called , ▁served ▁over ▁nine ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean , ▁s inking ▁in ▁ 1 5 1 2 ▁with ▁Af onso ▁de ▁Al bu quer que ▁after ▁the ▁con quest ▁of ▁Mal ac ca ▁with ▁a ▁huge ▁boot y , ▁making ▁it ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁legend ary ▁lost ▁tre asures . ▁ ▁Victoria , ▁the ▁first ▁ship ▁in ▁history ▁to ▁circ umn