Even Ramusio, In His Introduction To The Voyages Of
Cada Mosto, Has Made A Mistake In Saying That They Were Undertaken By The
Orders Of John King Of Portugal, Who Died In 1433.
Ramusio imagined that the discoveries of Cada Mosto might tend to great
importance, as he considered the rivers Senegal
And Rio Grande to be
branches of the Niger, by which means the Europeans might open a trade
with the rich kingdoms of Tombuto and Melli on that river, and thus bring
gold from the countries of the Negroes, by an easier, safer, and more
expeditious manner, than as conveyed by the Moors of Barbary by land,
over the vast and dangerous deserts that intervene between the country on
the Niger and Senegal rivers, and Barbary. As, by the account of Leo,
salt is the most valuable commodity throughout the countries of the
Negroes, Ramusio proposed that the ships should take in cargoes of salt
at the island of _Sal_, one of the Cape de Verds, and thence supply the
countries on the Niger, which was reported to be navigable for 500 miles
into the interior; and that they should bring back gold and slaves in
return; the latter to be brought to market at St Jago, another of the
Cape de Verd islands, where they would be immediately bought up for the
West Indies. All this fine speculation, however, rested on mistaken
foundations; as the Niger is altogether an inland river, running to the
east, and has no communication with the Senegal and Gambia, which run
west into the Atlantic. Yet time, and the civilization of the natives on
the Senegal and Gambia, may hereafter realize this scheme of a valuable
traffic into the interior of Africa; but it is fervently to be hoped,
that the trade in slaves may never be revived.
In his preface, after an apology for his performance, and making a
declaration of his strict adherence to truth in all the particulars he
relates, Cada Mosto gives some account of the infant Don Henriquez, or
Henry, of Portugal, the great author and promoter of maritime discoveries.
He praises him, as a prince of a great soul and sublime genius, and of
great skill in astronomy; and adds, that he applied himself entirely to
the service of Christ, by making war against the Moors. While on death-
bed, in 1432, Don John, king of Portugal, exhorted his son Don Henry to
pursue his laudable and holy purpose, of _persecuting_ the enemies of the
Christian faith, which he promised to perform; and, accordingly, with the
assistance of his brother Don Duarte, or Edward, who succeeded to the
throne of Portugal, he made war in Fez with success for many years.
Afterwards, the more effectually to harass the Moors, he used to send his
caravels, or ships of war, annually, to scour the coasts of Azafi, or Al
Saffi, and Messa, on the coast of Africa, without the Mediteranean, by
which he did them much damage.
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