ere he wintered and lost his boat, and as most
of his men died from sickness, his pilot could not venture to carry him
to India. He endeavoured therefore to find his way back to Portugal; but
after leaving the Red Sea, his men were so consumed with hunger, thirst,
and sickness, that only seven of his crew remained. After remaining some
time at Cape Verd waiting in vain for the missing ships, Cabral proceeded
on his voyage, and arrived safe at Lisbon on the last day of July, in the
year 1501. Soon after his arrival, the ship which had separated in a
storm off the Cape of Good Hope, came in; and shortly after that, Sancho
de Toar arrived from Sofala. He described Sofala as a small island
close on the continent of Africa, inhabited by a black people called
Caffres; and reported that much gold is brought to this place from
certain mines on the adjacent continent; on which account Sofala is much
frequented by Moors from India, who barter merchandize of small value for
gold. He brought along with him to Lisbon a Moor whom he had received as
an hostage or pledge for the safety of one of his own men, whom he had
left there to acquire a knowledge of the country and its language; and
from this Moor they got ample information respecting the people and trade
of those parts of Africa, which I shall afterwards communicate. Including
this last ship, there returned six to Portugal out of the twelve which
had sailed on the voyage for India, the other six having been lost.

[1] It will appear in the sequel that there was another captain named
Vasco de Tayde.--E.

[2] Astley says only 1200,--Astl. I. 40.

[3] According to Astley, there were eight Franciscan friars besides the
vicar, eight chaplains, and a chaplin-major; and that their orders
were to begin with preaching, and in case that failed, to enforce the
gospel by the sword. In other words, to establish the accursed
tribunal of the inquisition in India, to the eternal disgrace of
Portugal, and of the pretended followers of the ever-blessed Prince of
Peace.--E.

[4] The remainder of this paragraph is given in the precise words and
orthography of the original translator, Nicholas Lichfild, as a
curious specimen of the nautical language of Britain in 1582.--E.

[5] According to De Faria, this vessel parted in a storm near Cape Verd,
and returned to Portugal.--Astl. I. 41. a.

[6] By some unaccountable mistake, the translation of Castaneda