The Farther Progress Of Diego Is Very
Indefinitely Related By The Portuguese Historians; Who Say, That After A
Run Of Twenty Leagues, He Erected Two Stone Crosses, As Memorials Of His
Progress, One At A Cape Called St Augustine, In Lat.
13 deg.
S. but the other
on Cape Padron, in 22 deg. S. This last latitude would extend the discovery
of Diego between the latitude of the Congo river and this high latitude,
to 280 Portuguese leagues, instead of twenty. Besides, Cape Padron forms
the southern point at the mouth of the river of Congo, and is only in lat.
6 deg. 15' S. The high probability is, that the first cross erected by Diego
Cam in this voyage, was at Cape Palmerinho, in lat. 9 deg. 15' S. and the
other may have been at Rocca Boa, in lat. 13 deg. 20' S. Clarke[1] is
disposed to extend the second cross to Cabo Negro, in lat. 16 deg. S. Either
influenced by his provisions running short, or desirous of forming a
friendly, connection with the king of Congo, Diego measured back his way
to the Congo river, where he was received in a most satisfactory manner
by the sovereign of that country. The reports of his subjects who had
been in Portugal, and the liberal presents which they had brought to him
from King John, had made a deep impression on the mind of this African
monarch. He made many inquiries respecting the Christian religion, and
being highly gratified by its sublime and consolatory doctrines, perhaps
influenced by the reports his subjects had brought him of its magnificent
ceremonies, he appointed one of his principal noblemen, named _Cacuta_ or
_Zazut_, to accompany Diego Cam, as his ambassador to King John;
anxiously requesting the king of Portugal to allow this nobleman and his
attendants to be baptized, and that he would be pleased to send some
ministers of his holy religion to convert him and his subjects from their
idolatrous errors. Diego Cam arrived safely in Portugal with Cacuta; who
was soon afterwards baptized by the name of _John Silva_, the king and
queen of Portugal doing him the honour of attending on him as sponsors at
the holy font; and the splendid ceremonial was closed by the baptism of
his sable attendants.
Some time previous to this event, Alphonso de Aviero carried an
ambassador from the king of Benin to the king of Portugal, requesting
that some missionaries might be sent for the conversion of his subjects;
and, although the artful conduct of that African prince threw many
difficulties in the way of this mission, many of the Negroes of that
country were converted. From the ambassador of Benin, the king of
Portugal received information of a powerful monarch, named _Organe_,
whose territories lay at the distance of 250 leagues beyond the kingdom
of Benin, and who possessed a supremacy over all the adjacent states.
Assuming Cape Lopo Goncalves, in lat. 1 deg. S. as the southern boundary of
the kingdom of Benin, 250 Portuguese leagues would bring us to the
kingdom of Benguela, or that of Jaa Caconda, about lat.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 227 of 427
Words from 118676 to 119199
of 224388
