From Hence He Sent Home A Caravel, With
Letters To The King, Giving An Account Of His Voyage Hitherto, And
That
he had left two exiles[7] in this place, to examine the country; and
particularly to ascertain if it
Were a continent, as appeared from the
length of coast he had passed. He sent likewise one of the natives, to
shew what kind of people inhabited the land. Considering the great length
of the voyage he had to perform, Cabral did not deem it proper to spend
any more time in examining this new country, but departed from Puerto
Seguro[8] on the 2d of May, steering his course for the Cape of Good Hope,
which was estimated to be 1200 leagues distant, and having a great and
fearful gulf to cross, rendered dangerous by the great winds which
prevail in these seas during most part of the year.
On the 12th of May a great comet appeared in the heavens, coming from the
east, and was visible during ten days and nights, always increasing in
splendour. On Saturday the 23d of May, there arose a great storm from the
north-east, attended with a high sea and heavy rain, which forced the
whole fleet to take in their sails. On its abatement they again spread
their foresails; and falling calm towards night, the ships astern spread
out all their sprit-sails to overtake the rest. On Sunday the 24th the
wind again increased, and all the sails were furled. Between ten and
eleven o'clock of that day a water-spout was seen in the north-west, and
the wind lulled. This deceived the pilots as a sign of good weather,
wherefore they still carried sail: But it was succeeded by a furious
tempest, which came on so suddenly that they had not time to furl their
sails, and four ships were sunk with all their men, one of which was
commanded by Bartholomew Diaz, the discoverer of the Cape of Good Hope.
The other _seven_[9] were half filled with water, and had been all lost
if a part of their sails had not given way to the tempest. Soon
afterwards the storm veered to the south-west, but still continued so
violent that they had to drive all that day and the next under bare poles,
and the fleet much separated. On the third day the wind became more
moderate, coming round to the east and north-east, attended by a heavy
swell, and the waves run higher than had ever been seen before, yet the
fleet joined again to their great joy. This wind and high sea continued
for twenty days, during all which time the ships had to lie to, and were
so tossed that no one thought it possible to escape being swallowed up.
During day, the sea was black as pitch, and at night it appeared like
fire. The general, with Simon de Myranda and Pedro de Tayde, bore up to
windward during this long continued gale; while all the rest submitted to
the wind and went at Gods mercy.
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