n article of luxury,
and not as now almost an indispensable necessary, even in the lowest
cottages of modern Europe. The sugars of Madeira were long famous; but
after the establishment of the sugar plantations in Brazil, and the
destructive ravages of a worm which infested the sugar canes of Madeira,
that article, of cultivation had to be abandoned, and the principal
attention of the islanders was transferred to the grape, which still
continues to supply Europe, America, and the East Indies with the justly
celebrated Madeira wine.

At the same time with the grant of Madeira to Zarco and Vaz, Perestrello
received a donation of the island of Puerto Santo, on condition of
colonizing it and bringing it into culture. But so great was the
multitude of rabbits, all said to have been produced from one doe
transmitted in a pregnant state from Portugal, that cultivation was
attended with peculiar difficulties occasioned by their ravages; insomuch,
that in one islet only, 3000 are reported to have been killed at one time.

SECTION III.

_Prosecution of Discovery in Africa, to Cape Branco_.

Partly diverted from the original object of prosecuting discoveries along
the African coast, by the attentions requisite for forming this first
establishment of modern colonization, but chiefly owing to the extreme
difficulties of the navigation in the infancy of that art, fifteen years
were passed from the first discovery of Cape Bojador before that
formidable obstacle could be surmounted. In all ages of the world,
ignorant and indolent men have represented new and unusual enterprises in
scientific pursuits as rash or improper deviations from the established
experience and vaunted wisdom of antiquity; and those who promoted them
have been held out as dangerous, or even impious innovators. It so fared
with Don Henry, who far outstripped the science, or ignorance rather, of
his day. At home, the discontented spirits, ignorant of his enlarged
views, perhaps envious of the reputation his very limited discoveries
had already attained, represented that the tempestuous seas, strong
currents, and whirlpools, which they fancied must prevail on the other
side of Cape Bajadore, would necessarily destroy every vessel which
should attempt to penetrate beyond that absolute limit of human
navigation; they alleged that all the country to the south of that cape
was utterly unfit for the habitation of mankind, sterile, burnt up, and
destitute of soil an