yage. Upon this being made known to us, and being well aware
that seamen are of headstrong and obstinate dispositions, we conceded to
their clamours, and steered next day for Cape Verd, on our return to
Portugal[12].

[1] Cape Verd is about 100 miles from the southern mouth of the river
Senegal; so that the voyagers probably anchored every night within
sight of the scarcely known coast.--E.

[2] This is erroneous, as it was discovered in 1446 by Denis Fernandez,
nine years before.--Clarke.

[3] It is necessary to be cautious with respect to these early voyages,
which, having gone through various transcriptions and translations,
are liable to numerous errors. In our best charts, this sand bank,
intermixed with sunk rocks, extends two miles out to sea.--E.

[4] Called the Birds islands, or the Magdalens.--Clarke.

[5] In Ramusio these fish are called Orate vecchis, and in Grynaeus
Ostreas veteres.--Astl.

[6] This appears to indicate the gulf between Cape Emanuel, near the isle
of Goree, and the Red Cape.--E.

[7] The river named Barbasini is above eighty-five miles S.S.E. from Cape
Verd, measuring to its northern entrance, and forms a small island or
delta at its mouth, having another entrance about eighteen miles
farther south. There is a small island named _Fetti_, off its northern
entrance, of which no notice is taken by Cada Mosto. The natives on
this part of the coast, to the north of the Gambia, are now called
Barras.--E.

[8] From the sequel, I am apt to conclude that this second river is the
Barbasini of our charts; and that the river named Barbasini in the
text of Cada Mosto, is that named _Joall_ in modern charts.--E.

[9] Cada Mosto betrays strange ignorance of the previous discoveries of
the Portuguese, considering that he had resided some time with Don
Henry at Sagres. This fine river was discovered in 1447, nine years
before, by Nuno Tristan, who ascended it some way, and was slain there
by the poisoned arrows of the Negroes. Perhaps even Don Henry was
misled by the name of Rio Grande which it then received, and confused
the Venetian in his search for the Gambia.--Clarke.

[10] From this it would appear, that Gambra or Gambia is the name of the
country, not of the river. Johnson says that the natives always call
it _Gee_, which merely signifies the river.--Astl.

[11] The centre of the mouth of the