Hitherto The Portuguese, Who
Have Visited My Country, Were Meanly Dressed, And Easily Satisfied With
The Commodities We Had To Give Them; And So Far From Desiring To Remain
In The Country, Were Always Anxious To Complete Their Cargoes, And To
Return Whence They Came.
This day I observe a wonderful difference.
A
great number of persons, richly dressed, are eager for permission to
build themselves houses, and to remain among us. But assuredly, persons
of such rank, under the guidance of a commander who claims his descent
from the God who created the day and the night, would never be able to
endure the hardships of our climate, and could not procure in this
country those luxuries they have been accustomed to in their own. Those
passions which are common to all men, will certainly produce disputes
between us; and it were much better that we should continue on the same
footing as hitherto, allowing your ships to come and go as they have
always done before; in which case, the desire of seeing each other
occasionally, and of mutual intercourse in trade, will preserve peace
between you and us. The sea and the land, which are always neighbours,
are continually at variance, contending for the mastery; the sea always
violently endeavouring to subdue the land, which, with equal obstinacy,
defends itself against the encroachments of the sea."
The prudential jealousy and distrust displayed on this occasion by
Camaranca, astonished and perplexed the Portuguese commander; and it
required the exercise of much address on his part, to prevail upon the
Negro chief to allow the fulfilment of his orders, and to prevent the
necessity of having recourse to violent measures. When the workmen were
making preparations next day to lay the foundations of the intended
fortress on the coast, they observed a large rock, which lay very
commodious for serving them as a quarry, and accordingly proceeded to
work it for that purpose. This happened unfortunately to be venerated by
the Negroes as one of their Gods, and they immediately flew to arms in
opposition against the sacrilegious violation of the sanctified rock, and
many of the workmen were wounded, before the natives could be pacified by
numerous presents. At length, after the constant labour of twenty days,
the fort began to assume a formidable appearance, and received the name
of _Fortaleza de San Jorge da Mina_, or Fort St George at Mina. In a
church constructed within its walls, a solemn mass was appointed to be
celebrated annually, in honour of Don Henry, Duke of Viseo, of
illustrious memory. Azambuja continued governor of this place during two
years and seven months, and was honoured, on his return to Portugal, with
particular marks of royal favour. In 1486, King John bestowed on this new
establishment all the privileges end immunities of a city.
Impressed with the great advantages that might be derived to his kingdom,
through the prosecution of the maritime discoveries in Africa, and more
especially by opening a passage by sea to India, of which his hopes were
now sanguine, the king of Portugal, who had now added to his titles that
of _Lord of Guinea_, made application to the pope, as universal father
and lord of Christendom, for a perpetual grant of all the countries which
the Portuguese had already discovered, or should hereafter discover,
towards the east, with a strict prohibition against the interference of
any European State in that immense field of discovery, commerce, and
colonization.
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