The Chronicle of the Discovery and Conquest of Guinea. Vol. IZurara, Gomes Eannes de
History
The Chronicle of the Discovery and Conquest of Guinea. Vol. I
Zurara, Gomes Eannes de
Guinea (Region) -- Discovery and exploration -- Early works to 1800
Chapter IX relates how at length, in 1434, Cape Bojador was doubled by
Gil Eannes, a squire of D. Henrique, and how, on a second voyage with
one Affonso Gonçalvez Baldaya, Eannes reached the Angra dos Ruivos,
fifty leagues beyond it.
In the next Chapter (X) Baldaya passes one hundred and twenty leagues
beyond Cape Bojador to the Rio d'Ouro, and a short way beyond; but
failing to take any captives, as the Prince wished him to do, he loads
his ship with the skins of sea-calves and returns to Portugal in 1436.
Chapter XI is a short one, and merely tells that for three years,
_i.e._, from 1437 to 1440, the voyages were interrupted by the affairs
of the Kingdom, which required all the attention of D. Henrique. These
affairs were the death of D. Duarte, and the struggle that followed
between the Queen, supported by a small section of the nobles, and the
Infant D. Pedro, backed by Lisbon and the people as a whole, over the
question of the Regency and the education of the young King Affonso.
Chapters XII and XIII relate how Antam Gonçalvez took the first
captives, and how Nuno Tristam went to Cape Branco.
In Chapter XIV Azurara dwells on the delight D. Henrique must have felt
at the sight of the captives, though he opines that they themselves
received the greater benefit: "for, although their bodies might be in
some subjection, it were a small thing in comparison with their souls,
that would now possess true liberty for evermore."
Chapter XV contains an account of the embassy sent to the Holy Father by
D. Henrique to obtain "a share of the treasures of Holy Church for the
salvation of the souls of those who in the labours of this conquest
should meet their end." The Pope, Eugenius IV, granted a plenary
indulgence, on the usual conditions, to all who took part in the war
against the Moors under the banner of the Order of Christ; and D. Pedro,
the Regent, made D. Henrique a present of the King's fifth to defray the
heavy expenses he had incurred by the expeditions.
In Chapter XVI Antam Gonçalvez obtains the Infant's leave for another
voyage, and is charged to collect information about the Indies and the
land of Prester John. He receives ten negroes, in exchange for two Moors
whom he had previously taken, together with some gold dust, and then
returns home.
In Chapter XVII Nuno Tristam goes as far as Arguim Island and makes some
captures; this in the year 1443.
Chapter XVIII begins the relation of the first expedition on a large
scale, and the first that sprang from private enterprise--namely, that
of Lançarote and his six caravels from Lagos. Azurara takes the
opportunity to insert here a short but interesting sketch of the change
that had taken place in public opinion with reference to these voyages.
In the beginning, they were decried by the great not a whit less than by
the populace, but the assurance of commercial profit had now converted
the dispraisers, and the voyage of Lançarote gave a tangible proof of
it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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