But none of these things were performed by them; for they returned without doing any memorable act.
In the same yeere 1446. another esquire belonging to the king of Portugall called Denis Fernandas of the citie of Lisbon, entred into these discoueries,[1] more to winne fame then to reape commoditie by them.
The riuer of Sanaga. And he being in his voiage came to the riuer of Sanaga, standing betweene 15. and 16. degrees of latitude towards the north, where he tooke certaine Negroes;
Cape Verde. and not contented therewith, he went forward and discouered Cape Verde, standing in 14. degrees on the same side; and there he set vp vpon the land a crosse of wood, and then returned with great contentation.
Rio Grande. In the yeere 1447. one Nunnez Tristan went foorth to discouer in a carauell,[2] and he passed the aforesaid Cape Verde, and Rio Grande, and went past it vnto another standing beyond it in 12. degrees, where he was also taken with 18. Portugals more: but the ship came home againe in safetie, conducted by fower or fiue which escaped the hands of the Negroes.
The Island of seuen cities. In this yeere also 1447. it happened that there came a Portugall ship through the streight of Gibraltar; and being taken with a great tempest, was forced to runne westwards more then willingly the men would, and at last they fell vpon an Island which had seuen cities, and the people spake the Portugall toong, and they demanded if the Moores did yet trouble Spaine, whence they had fled for the losse which they receiued by the death of the king of Spaine, Don Roderigo.
The boateswaine of the ship brought home a little of the sand, and sold it vnto a goldsmith of Lisbon, out of the which he had a good quantitie of gold.
Don Pedro vnderstanding this, being then gouernour of the realme, caused all the things thus brought home, and made knowne, to be recorded in the house of Iustice.
There be some that thinke, that those Islands whereunto the Portugals were thus driuen, were the Antiles, or Newe Spaine, alleaging good reasons for their opinion, which here I omit, because they serue not to my purpose. But all their reasons
