About Eighty
Years After Prince Henry Began His Discoveries, John I. Sent Out Diaz With
Three Ships:
This was in 1486, and in the following year Covilham was sent
by the same monarch in search of India, by the route of Egypt and the Red
Sea.
The king displayed great judgment in the selection of both these persons.
Diaz was of a family, several members of which had already signalized
themselves by the discoveries on the coast of Africa. His mode of
conducting the enterprize on which he was sent, proved at once his
confidence in himself, his courage, and his skill; after reaching 24 deg. south
latitude, 120 leagues beyond any former navigator, he stood right out to
sea, and never came within sight of the coast again, till he had reached 40
degrees to the eastward of the Cape, which, however, he was much too far
out at sea to discover. He persevered in stretching still farther east,
after he made land, till at length he reached the river Del Infante, six
degrees to the eastward of the most southern point of Africa, and almost a
degree beyond the Cape of Good Hope. He then resolved to return, for what
reason is not known; and on his return, he saw the Cape of Good Hope, to
which, on account of the storms he encountered on his passage round it, he
gave the appellation of Cabo Tormentoso. John II., however, augured so well
from the doubling of the extremity of Africa having been accomplished, that
he changed its name into that of the Cape of Good Hope.
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