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. To one of the islands in this bay Tristan gave the name of _De
las_ Garcas, on account of the seasonable supply which he there received.
From this place Nuno Tristan returned into Portugal, with some of the
natives of the country.
Don Henry, in 1444, made an exchange with Massiot de Betancour, lord of
the Canary Islands, for the islands of Lancerota, Fuertaventura, and
Ferro, giving him some possessions in the island of Madeira in their
stead; and immediately fitted out a powerful squadron, commanded by the
grand master of his household, Fernand de Castro, to take possession of
this new acquisition, and to subdue the remaining islands, Canaria, Palma,
Gratioso, Inferno, Alegrazze, Santa-Chiara, Rocca, and Lobos. But, as the
king of Castile afterwards laid claim to the Canaries, Don Henry resigned
his conquests, finding the value of these islands by no means answerable
to his expectation.
So greatly had the fame of the new discoveries extended in consequence of
the small quantity of gold which had been procured by Gonzales at the Rio
del Ouro, that several of the inhabitants of Lagos petitioned Don Henry,
in 1444, to be erected into a trading company, engaging to carry on the
discoveries along the coast of Africa at their own expence. The prince
granted their request, and a company was accordingly formed, the
prototype of those celebrated East India companies which have since
carried on trade to such vast amount. Among the partners were, Juan Diaz,
the ancestor of him who afterwards discovered and passed the Cape of Good
Hope, Gilianez, who had so boldly overcome the obstacles of Cape Bajador,
Lancerot, a gentleman of the household of Don Henry, Estevan Alfonso, and
Rodrigo Alvarez. A squadron of six caravels was fitted out under the
command of Lancerot, which sailed from Lagos in the year 1444, and
reached the isle of Garcas, in the bay of Arguin, where they captivated
an hundred and fifty Africans, and returned to Lagos, after very slightly
extending their knowledge of the coast of Africa to the desart island of
Tider, in 19 deg. 30' N.
In 1445, the subsequent voyage of Gonzales da Cintra, likewise a
gentleman in the household of Don Henry, in some measure expiated the
wanton outrage which had been committed in that of Lancerot. The merit of
Gonzales had raised him to the rank of a gentleman in the household of
Don Henry, and his character was held in much estimation; but his
confidence was obtained and betrayed by a moor of the Assanhaji tribe[10],
whom he had taken on board to serve as an interpreter with the natives on
the coast of Africa. Misled by this crafty African, who held out great
hopes of acquiring plunder, Gonzales steered for the island of Arguin,
and put into a creek or bay on the coast, in lat. 22 deg. 48' N. about
fourteen leagues to the south of Rio del Ouro, and forty-five to the
north of Cape Branco. The Moor got leave to go on shore, under pretence
of visiting some relations, but escaped in the night with another of his
countrymen. Gonzales was much mortified at allowing himself to be
circumvented by the cunning of his interpreter, and rashly embarked in a
boat with only twelve men, with the intention of pursuing the fugitive.
Pressing onwards with too much eagerness, he neglected to attend to the
tide, which happened then to be on the ebb. His boat stuck fast, and when
the morning broke, he was surrounded by two hundred Moors. Unable to
extricate himself, or to contend against such mighty odds, Gonzales and
seven of his men were slain; the other five made their escape by swimming
to the ship, which immediately set sail for Lagos. The clumsy
denomination of _Angra de Gonzales da Cintra_, to this bay, still
commemorates the death of this commander.
In the subsequent year, 1446, Don Henry sent out a small squadron of
three caravels, under the command of Antonio Gonzales, assisted by Diego
Alfonso, and by Gomez Perez, the kings pilot. They were directed to
proceed for the Rio del Ouro, and were strictly enjoined to cultivate the
friendship of the natives by every possible means, to establish peace
with them and to use their utmost endeavours to convert them to the
Christian religion; among other instructions, they were urged to pass
unnoticed the insults or neglect of honour which they might experience
from the negroes.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 77 of 219
Words from 77934 to 78944
of 224388
