Proceeding On Our Voyage In This Cautious Manner, We Came To The Mouth Of
A River Which Appeared To Be
As large as the Senegal[8]; and struck by
the fineness of its appearance, and its rich woods which came
Down to the
very shores, we cast anchor, and determined to send one of our negro
interpreters on shore, to endeavour to establish a friendly intercourse
with the natives. Every ship which sails from Portugal for the coast of
Africa is supplied with some of these negro interpreters, who consist of
slaves that had been sold by the lords of Senegal to the first Portuguese
who touched on the coast, and who have learnt the Portuguese language and
become Christians. These are hired from their masters in Portugal, who
receive, for their hire, a prime slave from the cargo on returning from
the voyage; and when any of these interpreters have thus earned four
slaves for their master, they become free. Having cast lots to determine
which of the three ships should send an interpreter on shore, it fell on
the ship commanded by the Genoese gentleman; on which he sent an armed
boat, ordering the men not to touch the shore, but to push off as soon as
they had landed the interpreter; who was charged to inform himself
respecting the condition and government of the country, and to inquire
whether it produced gold or any other commodity worth coming for. No
sooner was the interpreter landed, and the boat shoved off to some
distance as ordered, than several natives came out of the wood, who had
been in ambush, with bows, arrows, and other weapons, from the time they
saw our ships approach the coast, as if they had been in hopes that some
of our people might land upon the coast.
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