ion of the East
Indies, with the cape of Bona Speranca, as in our latter maps; by which
it appears that there was as much discovered, or more, in ancient times
as now[7].

Though attended with much trouble and expence, Don Henry was unwearied in
prosecuting his plan of discoveries. 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. He sent soon afterward one named Nunnez Tristan, who
discovered the islands of Arguin, who brought more slaves from thence to
Portugal in 1444. One Lancarote, a groom of Don Henrys chamber, and
three others, armed certain ships, with which they sailed along the coast
to the islands of Garze, where they took 200 slaves, which were the first
that were brought from thence to Portugal.

In 1445, Gonsalvo de Syntra, an esquire belonging to Don Henry, went
captain of a bark into these parts; and landing on the coast, was taken
by the natives, with six or seven of his people The place where he wa