During These Transactions, The Sight Of A
Considerable Quantity Of Gold Dust In The Possession Of The Moors,
Excited The Most Lively Emotions In The Portuguese, As Being The First
Intimation Of That Valuable Commodity Being Procurable On The Coast Of
Their New Discoveries.
From this circumstance, Gonzales gave the name of
_Rio del Ouro_, or Gold River, to the deep arm of the sea in which he now
lay, which penetrates about six leagues N. N. E. from the tropic of
Cancer.
SECTION IV.
_Continuation of Discovery to Cape de Verd_.
On the return from this voyage, the sight of gold placed the fame and
advantage of the enterprizes and discoveries of Don Henry beyond the
reach of prejudice and detraction, and the former murmurings and
discontents against his proceedings were changed into admiration and
applause. In 1443 Nuno Tristan was again sent out, with orders to
prosecute, the discovery of a coast which now seemed so likely to prove
advantageous to the commerce of Portugal. He now doubled Cape Blanco, or
Branco, which he had discovered in his former voyage, and, about ten
leagues farther to the south-east, fell in with an island, or rather
cluster of seven islands, called _Adeget_ by the natives, but which have
since, with the bay in which they lie, received the name of Arguim, or
Arguin. The small canoes which were used by the natives of this coast
were at first mistaken for some strange kind of birds, as the people sit
upon them astride, using their feet instead of paddles, to urge them
along.
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