About The Year 1433, One Gilianez, A Native Of Lagos, Whom The Prince Had
Entrusted With The Command Of A Vessel, Returned From An Unsuccessful
Attempt To Conquer The Invincible Obstacles Which Obstructed The Passage
Round Cape Bojador.
He had been driven by stress of weather into one of
the Canary islands, and had imprudently seized some of the inoffending
natives, whom he brought captives to Sagres.
Don Henry was much offended
by this conduct of Gilianez, whom he received with much coldness and
reserve; insomuch that Gilianez, on purpose to retrieve the princes
favour, and to make ample amends for the fault he had committed, made a
vow, that if entrusted with a new expedition, he would perish rather than
return unsuccessful in the enterprize which the prince had so much at
heart. The date of the second expedition of Gilianez, in which he
surmounted the terrors and difficulties of Cape Bajador, is variously
referred by different authors to the years 1433 and 1434[7]. However this
may have been, he succeeded in this herculean labour, as it was then
esteemed, and returned with great exultation to Sagres, where he was
again received into the favour and confidence of Don Henry. Contrary to
the assertions, or suppositions rather, of the discontented opposers of
the patriotic and enlightened efforts of Don Henry, Gilianez reported
that the sea beyond Cape Bojador was perfectly susceptible of navigation,
and that the soil and climate were both excellent.
In the following year Gilianez again sailed for the coast of Africa,
accompanied by Alphonzo Gonzales Baldaya[8], cupbearer to the prince. The
weather continued favourable during the voyage, and they were able to
penetrate ninety miles to the south of Cape Bojador. On landing to take a
view of the country, and in search of inhabitants, they found the former
to consist for the most part of an extended desert plain, and they were
much disappointed in not being able to meet with any of the inhabitants,
though they saw evident traces of them in the sand. To the bay in which
they landed they gave the name of Angra dos Ruyvos, or Bay of Gurnets,
from the great abundance of fish resembling gurnets which were taken by
the seamen.
Gilianez and Baldaya were again ordered in the year 1435 to prosecute
their discoveries, with instructions to prolong their voyage, if possible,
till they should meet with inhabitants. Having proceeded about forty
miles to the southward of the Angra dos Ruyvos, without being able to see
a single inhabitant, they adopted an expedient which had been suggested
by Don Henry, and for which they were provided with the means. Two horses
were landed, and two youths named Hector Homen and Diego Lopez d'Almaida,
who had been educated in the household of Don Henry, and were scarcely
sixteen years of age, were directed to penetrate into the interior of the
country, that they might endeavour to ascertain whether it were inhabited.
They were directed to keep close together, and on no account to leave
their horses, and if possible to bring back some of the Moors; and lest
they should rashly expose themselves to unnecessary danger, they were
only allowed each a sword and spear, without any defensive armour. After
wandering almost a whole day in the barren sandy desert, they at length
descried nineteen Africans, armed with assagays or javelins, whom they
ventured to attack, though contrary to their orders. The natives
retreated into a cave where they were safe from the farther assaults of
the rash Portuguese youths; and as one of them had received a wound in
the foot, they thought it prudent to return to the shore, which they were
unable to reach before the next morning. Gilianez and Baldaya then
dispatched a stronger force to the cave in which the Africans had taken
shelter, where nothing was found but some weapons which had been left by
the fugitives. Owing to this event, the place where the two cavaliers
were landed was named Angra dos Cavallos, or the Bay of Horses; which is
in latitude 24 deg. N.
The navigators proceeded along a rugged coast to the south of the Bay of
Horses, upon which the sea breaks with a terrible noise, and which, on
account of being entirely composed of a hilly shore, faced with rocks and
small rocky islands, is called _Otegado_, or the Rocky Place. At about
twelve leagues distance from the bay of Cavallos they entered the mouth
of a river, where they killed a number of sea wolves or seals, the skins
of which they took on board in defect of any other productions of the
country; these seals were found on an island at the mouth of this river,
on which the mariners are said to have seen at least 5000 asleep on the
shore. The voyage was continued to Punta de Gale, forming the western
head-land of the Rio de Ouro, immediately under the tropic, where a
fishing net was found constructed of twine, made from the inner bark of
some tree of the palm tribe, but no natives were met with; and as
provisions began to grow scarce, the adventurous mariners were
constrained to return into Portugal, after ranging for some time up and
down the rocky coast of Otegado, without making any important discovery.
About this period, or perhaps considerably earlier, Don Henry obtained a
bull from Pope Martin V. by which the sovereign pontiff made a perpetual
donation to the crown of Portugal, of all lands and islands which had
been or might be discovered between Cape Bojador and the East Indies,
inclusively, and granted a plenary indulgence for the souls of all who
might perish in the prosecution of the enterprize, and in achieving the
conquest of these extensive regions from the infidel and pagan enemies of
Christ and the church. In this measure, the philosophical genius and
enlarged political views of Don Henry are plainly evinced; and,
undismayed by the obstacles which had so long opposed his grand project
of discoveries, and the length of time which had been employed in making
so very small progress, he shewed himself to have looked steadily
forwards to the full accomplishment of his hopes of discovering the route
by sea from Europe to India, around the still unknown shores of Southern
Africa.
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