oast of Africa. In the year
1462, three Genoese gentlemen, of whom Antonio de Noli was the chief, the
others being his brother and nephew, got permission from Don Henry to
take possession of the Cape de Verde islands, which some believe to be
those called Gorgades, Hesperides, and Dorcades, by the ancients. But
they named them Mayo, Saint Jago, and Saint Philip, because discovered on
the days of those saints. Some call them the islands of Antonio. In the
year following, 1463, that excellent prince, Don Henry, died; having
discovered, by his exertions, the whole coast of Africa, from Cape Non to
the mountain of Sierra Liona, which is on this side of the line, in lat.
8 deg. 30' N. where no man had been before.

In 1469, the king of Portugal let out the trade of Guinea, afterwards
called the Minas, to Fernan Gomez, for five years, at the yearly rent of
200,000 rees[13]; and under the express condition that he was every year
to discover 100 leagues farther along the coast of Africa to the south.
In 1470, this king went into Africa, accompanied by his son Prince John,
where he took the town of Arzila; and the inhabitants of Tangier having
fled from fear, he took possession of it also. In the year 1471, John de
St Aren and John de Scovar, under the orders of Fernan Gomez, continued
the discovery of the coast of Guinea as far as St George del Mina, in lat.
5 deg. N. and 2 deg. W. long.; the coast from Cape Verde to Cape Palmas trending
S.E. after which it goes to the east, with even a small northerly
inclination for about twelve degrees of longitude. In 1472, one Fernando
da Poo discovered the island now called after his name, beyond Cape
Formosa, in lat. 3 deg. 40' N. and about the same time the islands del
Principe and St Thomas were discovered, the latter of which is situated
under the equinoctial line. The firm land also was explored at the same
time, all the way from the kingdom of Benin to Cape St Catherina, in lat.
1 deg. 40' S. This last discovery was made by Sequetra, a person in the king's
immediate service. Many suppose that then were these countries and
islands discovered which had never been before known since the flood.

In the year 1480, the valiant King Don Alphonzo died, and was succeeded
by his son Don John II. who, in 1481, gave orders to Diego d'Azambuxa to
construct the castle of St George del Mina, on the African coast. In 1484,
Diego Caon, a knight belonging to the court, discovered the coast as far
as