The
Prince Evinced Much Satisfaction At My Resolution, And Entertained Me
Handsomely At Sagres For A Considerable Time.
At length he ordered me to
fit out a new caravel, of about ninety tons burden, of which Vincent Diaz,
a native of Lagos, about sixteen miles from Sagres, was commander.
The
caravel being in readiness, and furnished with every thing necessary for
the voyage, we set sail on the 22d of March 1455, having a favourable
wind at north-east, and by north[2], and steered our course for the
island of Madeira. On the 25th of that month we came to the island of
_Puerto Santo_, which is about 600 miles southward from Cape St Vincent,
whence we took our departure.
Puerto Santo was discovered by the Portuguese on All Saints day, about
the year 1418[3], and Don Henry first sent inhabitants to settle there
under Bartholomew Perestrello, whom he appointed governor. It is about
fifteen miles in circuit[4]. It bears good bread corn, and a sufficiency
of oats for its own use; and abounds with cattle and wild hogs, and
innumerable rabbits[5]. Among other trees, it produces the drago or
dragon tree, the sap or juice of which is drawn out only at certain
seasons of the year, when it issues from cuts or clefts, made with an axe
near the bottom of the tree in the preceding year. These clefts are found
full of a kind of gum; which, decocted and depurated, is the dragons-
blood of the apothecaries[6]. The tree bears a yellow fruit, round like
like a cherry, and well tasted. This island produces the best honey and
wax in the world, but not in any quantity. It has no harbour, but a good
road in which vessels may moor in safety, being well sheltered on all
sides, except the quarters between the south and east, all of which winds
make it unsafe to ride here at anchor. There is plenty of excellent fish
on its shores; such as dentili, gilded fish, and others.
From Puerto Santo, which was discovered twenty-seven years before, we
sailed on the 28th of March, and came the same day to _Monchrico_ or
Machico, one of the ports of the island of Madeira, forty miles distant
from Puerto Santo. In fair weather these islands may be seen from each
other. This latter island was only inhabited within the last twenty-four
years, when the prince appointed two of his gentlemen to be its governors.
Tristan Vaz having the government of that half of the island in which the
port of Monchrico is situated; and the other district of the island, in
which Fonzal, Fonchial, or Funchal stands, is under the government of
John Gonzales Zarcho. The island of Madeira is inhabited in four several
places: Monchrico, Santa Cruz, Fonzal, and Camera-di-Lupi, which are its
principal places, though there are other minor establishments; and is
able to muster about 800 men able to bear arms, of whom an hundred are
horse. There are about eight rivers, which pervade the island in
different places; by means of which they have many saw-mills, from which
Portugal and other places are supplied with boards of many different
sorts. Of these boards, two sorts are in particular estimation, and turn
most to account. The one is cedar, which has a strong odoriferous smell,
and resembles the cypress tree; of this they make fine, large, and long
boards or deals, which they employ for building houses, and for various
other purposes. The other, called nasso[7], is of a red-rose colour, and
extremely beautiful; of which they make excellent and very beautiful bows
and cross-bows, which are sent into the west. In order to clear the land,
the first settlers set fire to the woods, and the fire spread with such
fury, that several persons, with their families, and Gonzales Zarcho
among the rest, were forced to take shelter in the sea to save themselves
from the flames, where they stood up to their necks for two days and two
nights without sustenance. Though this island is mountainous, its soil is
rich and fertile, and it produces yearly 30,000 Venetian _staras_[8] of
bread corn. At first, the newly cultivated land yielded seventy for one,
but has since been reduced to thirty or forty, for want of good husbandry.
Owing to the excellence of its soil and climate, and the abundance of
springs and rivers, Prince Henry procured sugar canes from Sicily, which
he sent to this island, where they have yielded abundant produce;
insomuch, that 400 cantaros of sugar, each containing 112 pounds large
weight of Venice, have been made at one boiling, and the quantity was
likely to increase[9]. They have likewise good wines, considering how
shortly this culture has been introduced; and in such abundance, that
large quantities are exported. Among other kinds of vines, Don Henry sent
thither _Malvasia_ plants, procured from the island of Candia, which have
succeeded well. The soil has turned out so favourable for the vine, that
in general there are more grapes than leaves, and the bundles are very
large, even from two to four spans long. They have likewise the black
_Pergola_ grape, without stones, in great perfection; and so well is the
climate adapted to this culture, that they begin their vintage about
Easter, or at least by the octave after.
We sailed from Madeira, following a southerly course, and arrived at the
Canary islands, which are at the distance of about 320 miles from Madeira.
There are seven of these islands in all, four of which have been settled
by the Christians, Lancerotta, Fuerteventura, Gomera, and Ferro; over
which Herrera[10], a Spanish gentleman, is lord. Large quantities of an
herb called _Oricello_ or Orchel[11], are annually sent from these
islands to Cadiz and Seville, which is used in dying, and is sent from
these places to all parts of Europe. Great quantities of excellent goat
skins are exported from these islands, which likewise produce abundance
of tallow, and good cheese.
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