He Sent Likewise One Of The Natives, To
Shew What Kind Of People Inhabited The Land.
Considering the great length
of the voyage he had to perform, Cabral did not deem it proper to spend
Any more time in examining this new country, but departed from Puerto
Seguro[8] on the 2d of May, steering his course for the Cape of Good Hope,
which was estimated to be 1200 leagues distant, and having a great and
fearful gulf to cross, rendered dangerous by the great winds which
prevail in these seas during most part of the year.
On the 12th of May a great comet appeared in the heavens, coming from the
east, and was visible during ten days and nights, always increasing in
splendour. On Saturday the 23d of May, there arose a great storm from the
north-east, attended with a high sea and heavy rain, which forced the
whole fleet to take in their sails. On its abatement they again spread
their foresails; and falling calm towards night, the ships astern spread
out all their sprit-sails to overtake the rest. On Sunday the 24th the
wind again increased, and all the sails were furled. Between ten and
eleven o'clock of that day a water-spout was seen in the north-west, and
the wind lulled. This deceived the pilots as a sign of good weather,
wherefore they still carried sail: But it was succeeded by a furious
tempest, which came on so suddenly that they had not time to furl their
sails, and four ships were sunk with all their men, one of which was
commanded by Bartholomew Diaz, the discoverer of the Cape of Good Hope.
The other _seven_[9] were half filled with water, and had been all lost
if a part of their sails had not given way to the tempest. Soon
afterwards the storm veered to the south-west, but still continued so
violent that they had to drive all that day and the next under bare poles,
and the fleet much separated. On the third day the wind became more
moderate, coming round to the east and north-east, attended by a heavy
swell, and the waves run higher than had ever been seen before, yet the
fleet joined again to their great joy. This wind and high sea continued
for twenty days, during all which time the ships had to lie to, and were
so tossed that no one thought it possible to escape being swallowed up.
During day, the sea was black as pitch, and at night it appeared like
fire. The general, with Simon de Myranda and Pedro de Tayde, bore up to
windward during this long continued gale; while all the rest submitted to
the wind and went at Gods mercy.
When the storm abated, the general found that, with only two other ships
in company, he had doubled the Cape of Good Hope without having seen it.
On the 16th of July they fell close in with the coast of Africa, in lat.
27 deg.S. but the pilots did not know the coast, and the general would not
allow any one to go on shore. They could see great numbers of people on
the land, yet none came down to the shore to view the ships. Having no
hope of procuring provisions from the natives, the seamen caught great
plenty of fish at this place; after which the general pursued his course
close along shore, where he constantly saw many people, and great numbers
of cattle feeding along the banks of a river which fell into the sea in
that neighbourhood.[10] Proceeding in this manner, the general came to
Sofala, with which the pilots were unacquainted, near which lay two
islands,[11] close by one of which two vessels lay at anchor. These
immediately made for the shore on seeing the Portuguese ships, and being
pursued were taken without resistance. The principal person belonging to
these vessels was a near relation[12] of the king of Melinda, and was
going from Sofala to Melinda with gold. The people were so much afraid on
seeing our ships, that they threw a great part of the gold into the sea,
and most of them escaped on shore. The general was much concerned at his
loss, especially that it should have fallen on the subject and relation
of a prince who was in friendship with the king his master; and after
shewing him every civility, restored the two vessels with all the
remaining gold. The Moor asked Cabral if he had any witches on board, who
could conjure up his gold from the bottom of the sea? Cabral answered,
that the Christians believe in the true God, and do not practice or give
credit to witchcraft.
Learning from this Moor that he had overshot Sofala, and not being
inclined to turn back, the general continued his voyage to Mozambique;
where he arrived on the 20th of July and took in a supply of water, and
procured a pilot to carry him to the island of Quiloa, towards which he
directed his course. In this part of the voyage he saw several fertile
islands, belonging to the king of Quiloa, who is a powerful prince; his
dominions extending from Cape Corientes almost to Mombaza, along nearly
400 leagues of coast, including the two islands near Sofala, that city
itself and several others to Mozambique, many more all the way to Mombaza,
with a great number of islands; from all which he derives large
revenues.[13] Yet he has few soldiers, and lives in no great state. His
constant residence is in an island named Quiloa, near the continent of
Ethiopia, an hundred leagues from Mozambique. This island is full of
gardens and orchards, with plenty of various kinds of fruits, and
excellent water, and the country produces abundance of _miso_[14] and
other grain, and breeds great numbers of small cattle; and the sea affords
great plenty of excellent fish.
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