Of how the caravels met at Cape Branco, and how Laurence Diaz fell in
with the caravels of Lisbon.
It was on the tenth day of August when the fourteen caravels set out
from Lagos; and forasmuch as they were not able to follow one route in
company, and many times tempests overtook them which separated one from
the other, they made agreement as usual to await one another at Cape
Branco. And starting all together with a favourable tide and wind for
their journey, when they were only a little way distant from the coast,
some of the ships began to show that they sailed better than the others,
and among them all that of Laurence Diaz began to take the lead. But
now, leaving this vessel and the others to pursue their voyage, we will
return a little to speak of the three caravels of Lisbon, which were
left in grievous case by reason of the loss of their seven men who were
slain, and we will see if we can give them any consolation. And it was
so, that after that event of ill fortune, while they were wholly
desperate of obtaining vengeance on that occasion, they made sail
towards the isle of Arguim, where they arrived with the intention of
watering, and thence proceeding to the kingdom.[V] And when they were
just ready to set out, they began, as it chanced, to speak about their
voyage: to wit, how many leagues they should follow in one course and
how many in another, when the sail of the ship of Laurence Diaz began to
appear. And when they saw this, all were so much the more joyful,
especially as they knew that it was a ship of Christian folk, and what
was more, of Christians from this Kingdom of Portugal, because no vessel
of that kind, or like unto it, was to be seen in that part save what
came from our land. Suffice it that this caravel joined the others,
whereat the minds both of the one and of the other party were very
joyful, and especially the minds of those who were there before, when
Laurence Diaz told them of the coming of the other caravels, and of the
purpose for which they came. "You others," said Laurence Diaz, "should
take great delight in our arrival, as it seemeth to me; and since you
desire revenge for the hurt you have sustained, you have now an
opportunity to take such vengeance. And since the being avenged by other
hands could not be so much to your contentment, you should now put off
your departure, that you may be with us in the conquest of this island,
by the which you will have manifold gain. First you will obtain honour
and profit; and secondly you will witness the injury of your enemies,
along with the vengeance taken for your hurt; while in the third place
you will be the first to take the news of this to the lord Infant, and
may it please God that the news I speak of be such as we hope, for
thereby your reception shall be so much the better, and with a greater
increase of reward."
[Footnote V: Of Portugal.]
"You may well believe, Laurence Diaz," answered those captains, "that no
other words were needed to move us to such a deed, but only our own good
wills; but on account of certain difficulties amongst ourselves, it is
necessary that we first take counsel about what you say."
"That should be done at once," said Laurence Diaz, "for my stay here
must not be long, inasmuch as I fear that the other caravels will be
already at the island, and I should have a great displeasure if they
were to accomplish anything without me."
The others said they would speak about the matter that very night, and
very early they would give him an answer. And to leave out their
prolixities, I will say in a word that their councils were divided. On
the one side some said that despite all contrary reasons they ought to
make their way straight home, since they already had booty with which
they could reasonably make their voyage, and this was all the more
necessary as provisions were failing them, which all could see right
well. Moreover, the accomplishment of that deed (to which Laurence Diaz
urged them) was not certain; for it might be that the caravels would
encounter some contrary fortune, by which occasion they would be stayed,
to no purpose wasting their victuals, in which rested the sustenance of
their life. Others, however, said that it would be a great disgrace to
them if they were so near and did not join themselves to the company
which essayed that action. "Were we already" said they, "half way on our
voyage, and chanced upon such an encounter, we should turn back;[W] how
much the more therefore, when we are now, as it were, on the shores of
the said island, and when we are invited to it for the service of God
and the lord Infant. Of a surety we should be ill-accounted of were we
to leave such an emprise for any consideration at all."
[Footnote W: And join the enterprise.]
All fell in with this accord, for the greater part of the company agreed
with this second resolution. Thereupon they arranged to order their
provision in such wise that the victuals might last them a longer time;
and so much were their wills disposed to this venture that some said
that, in good sooth, it would be better to throw a moiety of those
Moors[X] into the sea, rather than relinquish a matter so honourable for
their sakes, and one in which they might get vengeance for the death of
their companions. The agreement was thus concluded, and on the next day
they gave their answer to Laurence Diaz, in whose company they started
at once for the Ilha das Garças, where for three days they waited the
coming of the other caravels, refreshing themselves with the birds of
that island, of which there was there a great multitude. More especially
may we speak of some birds there, that are not in our land, which are
called hornbills, and are all white, of a size greater than swans, and
with beaks of a cubit's length or more, and three fingers in breadth;
and they look like the engraved sheaths of swords, so wrought and with
such ornamentation as if they had been made artificially with the aid of
fire to give them beauty; and the mouth and maw is so great that the leg
of a man, however large it were, would go into it as far as the
knee.[N128] Now when those three days were passed the other caravels
began to come, arriving at Cape Branco two by two and three by three, as
they chanced to meet. But there did not meet there more than nine ships,
to wit, those of Lançarote and of Sueiro da Costa, and of Alvaro de
Freitas, and of Gil Eannes, and of Gomez Pirez, and certain others of
the town of Lagos.
[Footnote X: Their prisoners.]