It Must Not,
However, Be Omitted To Observe, That Some Objections May Be Stated
Against The Authenticity Of This History, On Account Of Certain
Circumstances Which Do Not Quadrate With The Time Assigned For Machin's
Voyage By The Author.
From these it is obvious, either that the relation
given by Alcaforado is not genuine, or that it has been interpolated.
How
far this objection may be admitted, without prejudice to the authority of
the whole story, must be left to the judgment of our readers; we shall
only add, that so far as relates to Macham it agrees with the tradition
of the inhabitants of Madeira.
According to Alcaforada, Juan Gonsalvo Zarco, a gentleman of the
household of Don Henry, being sent out by that prince upon an expedition
of discovery to the coast of Africa, made prize, in the year 1420, of a
Spanish vessel filled with redeemed captives, on their way from Morocco
to Spain. In this vessel there was one John de Morales, an experienced
and able pilot, whom he detained as an acceptable present to his master
Don Henry, and set all the rest at liberty. Morales on being made
acquainted with the cause of his detention, entered freely into the
service of the prince, and gave an account to Gonsalvo of the adventures
of Machin, and the situation and land-marks of the new discovered island,
all of which he had learnt from certain English captives in the jails of
Morocco, who had accompanied Macham, or Machin, in his expedition.
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