At Length Gilianes, One Of His
Servants, Passed Cape Bojador, A Place Terrible To All Former Navigators,
And Brought Word That It Was By No Means So Dangerous As Had Been
Represented, He Having Landed On Its Farther Side, Where He Set Up A
Wooden Cross In Memorial Of His Discovery.
In the year 1433 died John king of Portugal, and was succeeded by his
eldest son Duarte or Edward.
In 1434, Don Henry sent Alphonso Gonzales
Balduja and Gillianes, who penetrated from Cape Bajador to another cape,
where they found the country to be inhabited, and went forward to another
point of land, whence they returned to Portugal. In 1438 king Duarte died,
and his son Alphonso being young, the kingdom was governed during his
minority by his uncle Don Pedro. In 1441, Don Henry sent out two ships
under Tristan and Antonio Gonzales, who took a prize on the coast, and
sailed to Cape Blanco, or the White Cape in lat. 20 deg. N.[8]. From thence
they brought home some Moors, from whom Don Henry learned the state of
the country. Don Henry sent an account of these discoveries to Pope
Martin, by one Fernan Lopez de Savado; and the Pope granted indulgences
and everlasting pardon of sins to all who should die in attempting the
discovery of the land of the infidels. In the year 1443, Don Henry
commanded Antonio Gonzales to carry back the Moors to their own country,
where they were ransomed for black Moors with curled hair, or negroes,
and some gold; owing to which that place is now called Rio de Oro, or the
Golden River, that thereby the desire of discovery might be the more
increased.
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