He Entered Abyssinia In 1488, And In 1521, That Is, 33
Years Afterwards, The Almoner To The Embassy Of John
De Lima found him.
Covilham, notwithstanding he was as much beloved by the inhabitants as by
their sovereign, was anxious
To return to Portugal, and John de Lima, at
his request, solicited the king to grant him permission to that effect, but
he did not succeed. "I dwell," observes Dr. Vincent, "with a melancholy
pleasure on the history of this man, - whom Alvarez, the almoner, describes
still as a brave soldier and a devout Christian; - when I reflect upon what
must have been his sentiments on hearing the success of his countrymen, in
consequence of the discovery to which he so essentially contributed.
_They_ were sovereigns of the ocean from the Cape of Good Hope to the
straits of Malacca: _he_ was still a prisoner in a country of
barbarians."
It might have been supposed, that after it had been ascertained by Diaz
that the southern promontory of Africa could be doubled, and by Covilham,
that this was the only difficulty to a passage by sea to India, the court
of Portugal would have lost no time in prosecuting their discoveries, and
completing the grand object they had had in view for nearly a century:
this, however, was not the case. Ten years, and another reign, and great
debates in the council of Portugal were requisite before it was resolved
that the attempt to prosecute the discovery of Diaz to its completion was
expedient, or could be of any advantage to the nation at large.
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