A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 02: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present TimeKerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 02: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
It would appear that Diaz was still unconscious that he had reached and
overpassed the extreme southern point of Africa, although now nearly nine
degrees to the east of the Cape of Good Hope, and at least one degree
back towards the north of his most southern range; but he may have
supposed himself in a deep bite or bay of the coast, similar to the well-
known gulf of Guinea. Under this impression, that he had not accomplished
the grand object of his enterprize, he was anxious to continue his voyage
still farther towards the east: But, as the provisions on board his two
caravels were nearly exhausted, and the victualling tender under the
command of his brother was missing, the crews of the caravels became
exceedingly urgent to return, lest they might perish with famine. With
some difficulty he prevailed on the people to continue their course about
twenty-five leagues farther on, as he felt exceedingly mortified at the
idea of returning to his sovereign without accomplishing the discovery on
which he was sent. They accordingly reached the mouth of a river, which
was discovered by Juan Infante, and was called from him, _Rio del
Infante_, now known by the name of Great-Fish River, in about lat. 33°27'
N. long. 28°20'E. The coast still trended towards the eastwards, with a
slight inclination towards the north; so that, in an eastern course of
about thirteen degrees, they had neared the north about six degrees,
though still unsatisfied of having absolutely cleared the southern point
of Africa.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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