In Case Of No
Returns, The Prince Was At The Entire Expence Of The Voyage; But That It
Was Hardly Possible To Make The Voyage Without Great Profit.
They added,
that the prince would be much pleased to have any Venetian in his service,
and would shew him great favour, being of opinion that spices and other
rich merchandise might be found in these parts, and knowing that the
Venetians understood these commodities better than any other nation.
Influenced by all this, I accompanied the secretary and consul on shore,
and waited on the prince, who confirmed all those things which they had
said, and encouraged me to embark in the voyage to his new countries, by
promises of honour and profit. Being young, and of a constitution to
endure fatigue, and desirous to visit those parts of the world which had
never been even known to any Venetian, and likewise in hopes to advance
my fortune, I accepted of the invitation. Having, therefore, procured
information respecting the commodities which it was proper to carry with
me on such a voyage, I returned to the gallies, where I disposed of all
the goods I had shipped for the low countries, and carried to land such
things as were necessary for my intended expedition; and leaving the
gallies to pursue their voyage to Flanders, I landed in Portugal. The
prince evinced much satisfaction at my resolution, and entertained me
handsomely at Sagres for a considerable time. At length he ordered me to
fit out a new caravel, of about ninety tons burden, of which Vincent Diaz,
a native of Lagos, about sixteen miles from Sagres, was commander. The
caravel being in readiness, and furnished with every thing necessary for
the voyage, we set sail on the 22d of March 1455, having a favourable
wind at north-east, and by north[2], and steered our course for the
island of Madeira. On the 25th of that month we came to the island of
_Puerto Santo_, which is about 600 miles southward from Cape St Vincent,
whence we took our departure.
Puerto Santo was discovered by the Portuguese on All Saints day, about
the year 1418[3], and Don Henry first sent inhabitants to settle there
under Bartholomew Perestrello, whom he appointed governor. It is about
fifteen miles in circuit[4]. It bears good bread corn, and a sufficiency
of oats for its own use; and abounds with cattle and wild hogs, and
innumerable rabbits[5]. Among other trees, it produces the drago or
dragon tree, the sap or juice of which is drawn out only at certain
seasons of the year, when it issues from cuts or clefts, made with an axe
near the bottom of the tree in the preceding year. These clefts are found
full of a kind of gum; which, decocted and depurated, is the dragons-
blood of the apothecaries[6]. The tree bears a yellow fruit, round like
like a cherry, and well tasted. This island produces the best honey and
wax in the world, but not in any quantity.
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