Thus Far The Preface Of Cada Mosto, As Given In The Collection Of Astley,
From The Edition Of Ramusio, With Which We Must Be Satisfied In This Work,
As That In The Royal Library Is Inaccessible For Our Use.
The present
version has been carefully formed, by a comparison of Astley, with the
original in Ramusio, and with
The summary by the Reverend James Stanier
Clarke, in his curious work on the progress of maritime discoveries,
which only gives a selection of what he considered to be its most
material parts. In this edition, the narrative style of Cada Mosto, in
his own person, is restored as much as possible. It may be noticed, that
Alvise is the Portuguese form of the name Louis, or Lewis.
In addition to the two voyages of Cada Mosto himself, there is a third
voyage included in the present chapter, performed by Piedro de Cintra to
the same coast, the narrative of which was communicated to Cada Mosto by
one who had accompanied Cintra, and had been clerk to Cada Mosto in the
two former voyages.
[1] Astley, Col. of Voy. and Trav. I. 573. Clarke, Prog. of Marit. Disc.
I. 235.
[2] According to De Faria, as already mentioned in Chap. II. Sect. I Cape
Non was doubled, and Cape Bojador discovered in 1415, many years
before the death of King John. The present recapitulation by Cada
Mosto has been left in his own words, without insisting on the
exactness of his chronology. - Astley.
SECTION I.
_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. They asked us many questions, and informed us that
the prince had caused some lately discovered and uninhabited islands to
be settled and cultivated, as a proof of which, they had shewn us the
before-mentioned valuable productions; adding, that all this was next to
nothing, in comparison of the great things which Don Henry had performed;
as he had discovered seas which had never been navigated before, and the
countries of divers strange, and hitherto unknown nations, where many
wonderful things were found. They told us farther, that the Portuguese
who had been in these remote parts, had reaped great advantages by
trading with the inhabitants; having gained as high as 700 or even 1000
per cent, on the capitals employed. We were all much astonished at these
things; and I Cada Mosto in particular, being inflamed with the desire of
visiting these newly discovered regions, inquired if the prince permitted
any person who might be so inclined to embark for these places? To this
they answered in the affirmative; and they likewise stated to me the
conditions on which any one would be allowed to make the adventure. These
were, either to be at the whole expence of fitting out and freighting a
vessel; or at the expence of the freight only, the prince providing a
vessel. In the former case, the adventurer had to allow on his return one
quarter of his cargo, as duty to the prince, the rest remaining his own
entire propriety; in the latter case, the homeward cargo was to be
equally divided between the prince and the adventurer. In case of no
returns, the prince was at the entire expence of the voyage; but that it
was hardly possible to make the voyage without great profit. They added,
that the prince would be much pleased to have any Venetian in his service,
and would shew him great favour, being of opinion that spices and other
rich merchandise might be found in these parts, and knowing that the
Venetians understood these commodities better than any other nation.
Influenced by all this, I accompanied the secretary and consul on shore,
and waited on the prince, who confirmed all those things which they had
said, and encouraged me to embark in the voyage to his new countries, by
promises of honour and profit. Being young, and of a constitution to
endure fatigue, and desirous to visit those parts of the world which had
never been even known to any Venetian, and likewise in hopes to advance
my fortune, I accepted of the invitation. Having, therefore, procured
information respecting the commodities which it was proper to carry with
me on such a voyage, I returned to the gallies, where I disposed of all
the goods I had shipped for the low countries, and carried to land such
things as were necessary for my intended expedition; and leaving the
gallies to pursue their voyage to Flanders, I landed in Portugal.
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