_Voyage of Cada Mosto from Venice to Cape St Vincent:
He enters into the
service of Don Henry, and sets out for the New Discoveries: Relation of
the Voyage to Madeira and the Canaries; with some Account of these
islands, and their Inhabitants_.
I, Alvise Da Cada Mosto, after visiting many parts of our Mediterranean
Sea, being in our city of Venice in the year 1454, at which time I was
about twenty-two years of age, determined to return into Flanders, a
country which I had formerly visited as a merchant; for my constant
attention was, in the first place to acquire wealth, and secondly to
procure fame. On the 8th of August in that year 1454, I embarked in one
of the gallies belonging to the republic, commanded by Marco Zen, a
Venetian cavalier. Contrary winds detained us for some days off Cape St
Vincent; during which, I learnt that Don Henry, the infant of Portugal,
resided in the adjoining village of Reposera, or Sagres, to which he had
retired in order to pursue his studies without interruption from the
tumult of the world. Hearing of our arrival, the prince sent on board of
our galley Antonio Gonzales his secretary, accompanied by Patricio de
Conti[1], a Venetian, who was consul for the republic in Portugal, as
appeared by his commission, and who also received a salary or pension
from Don Henry. These gentlemen brought on board, and exhibited to us
samples of Madeira sugar, dragons blood, and other commodities of the
countries and islands belonging to the prince, which had been discovered
under his patronage.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 307 of 812
Words from 84332 to 84602
of 224388
