Don Henry Sent An Account Of These Discoveries To Pope
Martin, By One Fernan Lopez De Savado; And The Pope Granted Indulgences
And Everlasting Pardon Of Sins To All Who Should Die In Attempting The
Discovery Of The Land Of The Infidels.
In the year 1443, Don Henry
commanded Antonio Gonzales to carry back the Moors to their own country,
where
They were ransomed for black Moors with curled hair, or negroes,
and some gold; owing to which that place is now called Rio de Oro, or the
Golden River, that thereby the desire of discovery might be the more
increased. He sent soon afterward one named Nunnez Tristan, who
discovered the islands of Arguin, who brought more slaves from thence to
Portugal in 1444. One Lancarote, a groom of Don Henrys chamber, and
three others, armed certain ships, with which they sailed along the coast
to the islands of Garze, where they took 200 slaves, which were the first
that were brought from thence to Portugal.
In 1445, Gonsalvo de Syntra, an esquire belonging to Don Henry, went
captain of a bark into these parts; and landing on the coast, was taken
by the natives, with six or seven of his people The place where he was
cut off got the name of Angra de Gonsalvo de Syntra from him; and this
was the first loss sustained by the Portuguese in their discoveries. In
1446, three caravels were sent out under Antonio Gonsales, Diego Aloizio,
and Gomes Perez; who were ordered to refrain from going to Rio de Oro, to
carry themselves peaceably to the natives, to traffic with them peaceably,
and to endeavour to convert as many infidels as possible to Christianity;
but in this they had no success. In the same year, Dennis Fernandes of
Lisbon, an esquire to the king, entered upon these discoveries, more to
acquire fame than for profit. In the course of his voyage he discovered
the river _Sanaga_ or Senegal, between 15 and 16 degrees of latitude[9];
and proceeding onwards, discovered Cape Verde, in 14 degrees[10], upon
which he erected a wooden cross, and then returned, much elated at the
success of his voyage. In 1447 Nunnez Tristan passed beyond Cape Verde to
Rio Grande, and went beyond that river to another in twelve degrees[11].
He was here taken and slain, with eighteen other Portuguese, and the ship
was brought home in safety by four or five of the crew who escaped the
hands of the negroes.
In this year 1447, a Portuguese ship, in coming through the Straits of
Gibraltar, was forced a great way to the westwards by a violent tempest,
and came to an island having seven cities, the inhabitants of which spoke
the Portuguese language, and they inquired of our mariners if the Moors
still infested Spain, whence their ancestors had fled to avoid the
distresses which occurred subsequent to the death of Don Roderigo, king
of Spain. The boatswain of this ship brought home some of the sand from
this island, and sold it to a goldsmith in Lisbon, who procured from it a
good quantity of gold. Don Pedro, who then governed the realm, being made
acquainted with this circumstance, caused the whole to be recorded in the
house of justice[12]. Some think that this island belonged to what is now
called the Antilles or New Spain; but though their reasons for this
opinion are good, I omit them here, as not connected with my present
purpose.
In the year 1449, King Alphonso granted license to his uncle, Don Henry,
to colonize the Acores, which had been formerly discovered. In the year
1458, this king went into Africa, where he took the town of Alcacer; and
in the year 1461, he commanded Signior Mendez to build the castle of
Arguin, in the island of that name, on the coast of Africa. In the year
1462, three Genoese gentlemen, of whom Antonio de Noli was the chief, the
others being his brother and nephew, got permission from Don Henry to
take possession of the Cape de Verde islands, which some believe to be
those called Gorgades, Hesperides, and Dorcades, by the ancients. But
they named them Mayo, Saint Jago, and Saint Philip, because discovered on
the days of those saints. Some call them the islands of Antonio. In the
year following, 1463, that excellent prince, Don Henry, died; having
discovered, by his exertions, the whole coast of Africa, from Cape Non to
the mountain of Sierra Liona, which is on this side of the line, in lat.
8 deg. 30' N. where no man had been before.
In 1469, the king of Portugal let out the trade of Guinea, afterwards
called the Minas, to Fernan Gomez, for five years, at the yearly rent of
200,000 rees[13]; and under the express condition that he was every year
to discover 100 leagues farther along the coast of Africa to the south.
In 1470, this king went into Africa, accompanied by his son Prince John,
where he took the town of Arzila; and the inhabitants of Tangier having
fled from fear, he took possession of it also. In the year 1471, John de
St Aren and John de Scovar, under the orders of Fernan Gomez, continued
the discovery of the coast of Guinea as far as St George del Mina, in lat.
5 deg. N. and 2 deg. W. long.; the coast from Cape Verde to Cape Palmas trending
S.E. after which it goes to the east, with even a small northerly
inclination for about twelve degrees of longitude. In 1472, one Fernando
da Poo discovered the island now called after his name, beyond Cape
Formosa, in lat. 3 deg. 40' N. and about the same time the islands del
Principe and St Thomas were discovered, the latter of which is situated
under the equinoctial line. The firm land also was explored at the same
time, all the way from the kingdom of Benin to Cape St Catherina, in lat.
1 deg.
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