But, As The Portuguese Long Continued To Frequent
These Coasts Exclusively, And Considered Them All As Belonging To Their
Dominions Under The Papal Grant, This Latter Cross, On Which The
Inscription Was Not Legible, May Have Been Erected At A Considerably
Subsequent Period.
At all events, the track of Diaz was far beyond the
usual adventure of any former navigator, as he must have run a course of
from seven to ten degrees of latitude, and at least between two or three
degrees of longitude, in utterly unknown seas, without sight of land.
The
first land seen by Diaz is said to have been forty leagues to the
eastward of the cape, where he came in sight of a bay on the coast, which
he called _Angra de los Vaqueros_, or bay of herdsmen, from observing a
number of cows grazing on the land. The distance of forty Portuguese
leagues, would lead us to what is now called Struys bay, immediately east
of Cabo das Agullias, which latter is in lat. 34 deg. 50' S. and long. 20 deg. 16'
E. from Greenwich. From this place Diaz continued his voyage eastwards,
to a small island or rock in the bay, which is now called Zwartkops or
Algoa, in long. 27 deg. E. on which rocky islet he placed a stone cross or
pillar, as a memorial of his progress, and named it, on that account,
Santa Cruz, or _El Pennol de la Cruz_. In his progress to this place from
the Angra de los Vaqueros, he had set some Negroes on shore in different
places, who had been brought from Portugal for this purpose, and who were
well clothed, that they might be respected by the natives. These Negroes
were likewise provided with small assortments of toys for bartering with
the natives, and were especially charged to make inquiry as to the
situation and distance of the dominions of Prester John. Of the fate of
these Negroes we are nowhere informed, but may be well assured they would
receive no intelligence respecting the subject of their inquiry, from the
ignorant Hottentots and Caffres of Southern Africa.
It would appear that Diaz was still unconscious that he had reached and
overpassed the extreme southern point of Africa, although now nearly nine
degrees to the east of the Cape of Good Hope, and at least one degree
back towards the north of his most southern range; but he may have
supposed himself in a deep bite or bay of the coast, similar to the well-
known gulf of Guinea. Under this impression, that he had not accomplished
the grand object of his enterprize, he was anxious to continue his voyage
still farther towards the east: But, as the provisions on board his two
caravels were nearly exhausted, and the victualling tender under the
command of his brother was missing, the crews of the caravels became
exceedingly urgent to return, lest they might perish with famine. With
some difficulty he prevailed on the people to continue their course about
twenty-five leagues farther on, as he felt exceedingly mortified at the
idea of returning to his sovereign without accomplishing the discovery on
which he was sent. They accordingly reached the mouth of a river, which
was discovered by Juan Infante, and was called from him, _Rio del
Infante_, now known by the name of Great-Fish River, in about lat. 33 deg.27'
N. long. 28 deg.20'E. The coast still trended towards the eastwards, with a
slight inclination towards the north; so that, in an eastern course of
about thirteen degrees, they had neared the north about six degrees,
though still unsatisfied of having absolutely cleared the southern point
of Africa.
From this river, the extreme boundary of the present voyage, Diaz
commenced his return homewards, and discovered, with great joy and
astonishment, on their passage back, the long sought for and tremendous
promontory, which had been the grand object of the hopes and wishes of
Portuguese navigation during _seventy-four_ years, ever since the year
1412, when the illustrious Don Henry first began to direct and incite his
countrymen to the prosecution of discoveries along the western shores of
Africa. Either from the distance which the caravels had been from the land,
when they first altered their course to the eastwards, or from the cape
having been concealed in thick fogs, it had escaped notice in the
preceding part of the voyage. At this place Diaz erected a stone cross in
memory of his discovery; and, owing to heavy tempests, which he
experienced off the high table land of the Cape, he named it _Cabo dos
Tormentos_, or Cape of storms; but the satisfaction which King John
derived from this memorable discovery, on the return of Diaz to Portugal
in 1487, and the hope which it imparted of having opened a sure passage by
sea from Europe through the Atlantic into the Indian ocean, by which his
subjects would now reap the abundant harvest of all their long and arduous
labours, induced that sovereign to change this inauspicious appellation
for one of a more happy omen, and he accordingly ordered that it should in
future be called, _Cabo de boa Esperanca_, or Cape of Good Hope, which it
has ever since retained.
Soon after the discovery of the _Cape_, by which shorter name it is now
generally preeminently distinguished, Diaz fell in with the victualler,
from which he had separated nine months before. Of nine persons who had
composed the crew of that vessel, six had been murdered by the natives of
the west coast of Africa, and Fernand Colazzo, one of the three survivors,
died of joy on again beholding his countrymen. Of the circumstances of the
voyage home we have no account; but it is not to be doubted that Diaz and
his companions would be honourably received by their sovereign, after a
voyage of such unprecedented length and unusual success.
[1] Clarke, I. 342.
SECTION V.
_Journey overland to India and Abyssinia, by Covilham and de Payva_[1].
Soon after the departure of Diaz, King John dispatched Pedro de Covilham
and Alphonso de Payva, both well versed in the Arabic language, with
orders to travel by land into the east, for the discovery of the country
of _Presbyter_, or _Prester John_, and to trace the steps of the lucrative
commerce then carried on with India by the Venetians for spices and drugs;
part of their instructions being to endeavour to ascertain the
practicability of navigating round the south extremity of Africa to the
famed marts of Indian commerce, and to make every possible inquiry into
the circumstances of that important navigation.
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