He Arrived At Conception Bay, In Newfoundland, Explored
The East Coast Of That Island, And Afterwards Discovered The River St.
Lawrence.
To the next country which he discovered, he gave the name of
Labrador, because, from its latitude and appearance, it seemed to him
better fitted for culture than his other discoveries in this part of
America.
This country he coasted till he came to a strait, which he called
the Strait of Anian. Through this strait he imagined a passage would be
found to India, but not being able to explore it himself, he returned to
Portugal, to communicate the important and interesting information. He soon
afterwards went out on a second voyage, to prosecute his discoveries in
this strait; but in this he perished. The same voyage was undertaken by
another brother, but he also perished. As the situation of the Strait of
Anian was very imperfectly described, it was long sought for in vain on
both sides of America; it is now generally supposed to have been Hudson's
Strait, at the entrance of Hudson's Bay.
The Spaniards were naturally most alarmed at the prospect of the Portuguese
finding a passage by this strait to India. Cortez, the conqueror of Mexico,
undertook himself an expedition for this purpose; but he returned without
accomplishing any thing. After him the viceroy, Mendoza, sent people, both
by sea and land, to explore the coast as far as 53 deg. north latitude; but
neither party reached farther than 36 degrees. The Spanish court itself now
undertook the enterprize; and in the year 1542, Cabrillo, a Portuguese in
the service of that court, sailed from Spain.
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