They Had No Iron, But Raised Or Tilled The Ground
With The Horns Of Oxen And Goats, For Want Of Better Implements Of
Husbandry.
Every island spoke a separate language, and many pagan customs
prevailed among the natives; but now the Christian religion is planted
among them.
The commodities of these islands are wheat, barley, sugar,
wine, and Canary-birds, which are much esteemed for the sweetness and
variety of their song. In the island of Ferro they have no water but what
proceeds in the night from a tree, encompassed by a cloud, whence water
issues, and serves the whole inhabitants and cattle of the island[4].
In the year 1428, Don Pedro, the king's _eldest_[5] son, who was a great
traveller, went into England, France, and Germany, and thence into the
Holy Land and other places, and came home by Italy, through Rome and
Venice. He is said to have brought a map of the world home with him, in
which all parts of the earth were described, by which the enterprizes of
Don Henry for discovery were much assisted. In this map the Straits of
Magellan are called the _Dragons-tail_, and the Cape of Good Hope the
_Front of Africa_, and so of the rest[6]. I was informed by Francis de
Sosa Tavares, that in the year 1528, Don Fernando, the king's eldest son,
shewed him a map which had been made 120 years before, and was found in
the study of Alcobaza, which exhibited all the navigation of the East
Indies, with the cape of Bona Speranca, as in our latter maps; by which
it appears that there was as much discovered, or more, in ancient times
as now[7].
Though attended with much trouble and expence, Don Henry was unwearied in
prosecuting his plan of discoveries.
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