_The Second Voyage of Cada Mosto, in 1456, to the coast of Africa, in
which the Cape de Verd Islands were Discovered_[1].
As I could say little or nothing about the condition of the country of
Gambia, on my return to Portugal, on account of being obliged to leave it
so suddenly; partly owing to the intractable and fierce disposition of
the natives, and partly through the perversity of our sailors, who
refused to proceed in exploring the river; the Genoese gentleman, Antonio,
who had been with me in the former voyage, and I, resolved next season to
fit out two caravels, in order to return to the river Gambia, and Don
Henry, who was much pleased with our intentions, determined to send one
of his caravels along with us. Every thing being made ready for our
voyage, we sailed from Lagos, near Cape St Vincent, with a favourable
wind, in the beginning of May, and steered for the Canaries, which we
made in a few days; but, as the wind continued favourable, we did not
touch there, and continued our course, to the southward; and, as we were
favoured by a current setting to the S. W. we sailed on at a great rate.
At last we came in sight of Cape Branco, keeping well out at sea, and on
the following night we were assailed by a great storm from the S. W.
which occasioned us to steer W. by N. for two days and three nights, in
order to weather the tempest, rather than turn back. On the third day, to
our great joy and surprise, we descried land, being much astonished to
discover land in a quarter where no person could have expected it[2]. Two
men were immediately sent aloft, who cried out that two large islands
were in sight. This news was communicated through the ships, to our great
satisfaction, as we were sensible these islands were unknown in Portugal.
Judging it probable that these islands might be inhabited, and eager to
try our fortune, we steered towards one of them, which we soon came up
with, and sailed round a part of it, till we found safe anchorage. The
weather being now much calmed, we sent our boat on shore, well manned and
armed. The men landed, and having examined some part of the island,
brought back word that they could meet with no signs of inhabitants
whatever.
Next morning, to clear up all doubts, I sent ten men to land on the
island, well armed with guns and cross-bows, whom I ordered to go to the
top of some mountains within sight, and to look from thence, not only for
people, but for more islands. These men executed my commands, but found
no appearance of any inhabitants. They found, however, an incredible
number of pigeons, which were so tame, being strangers to man, that they
readily allowed themselves to be caught, and our people brought great
numbers of them to the caravels. But, what was of much more importance,
they brought intelligence of having discovered three other islands; one
of which being to leeward, towards the north, could not be seen from the
ships, while the other two lay to the south, all within sight of each
other. These men likewise noticed something resembling islands towards
the west, but at so great a distance that they could not be clearly
distinguished, neither did I think proper to sail in that direction, lest
I should lose time in visiting uninhabited islands, like this at which we
had touched. The fame of my discovery of these four islands, brought
other navigators afterwards to explore this group; who round them to be
ten in number, both large and small included, and altogether uninhabited,
except by pigeons and other birds, and having a fine fishery[3].
Leaving the first island, we came in sight of the other two, and searched
for an anchoring place near one of them, which was full of trees.
Discovering the mouth of a river, and being in want of water, we came to
anchor, and sent our boats on shore to supply our wants. Some of our
people went a little way up the river, where they found some small lakes
containing remarkably fine white salt, of which they brought large
quantities to the ships, laying in what store was thought necessary, as
we did likewise of water. We found here great numbers of tortoises, or
turtle, the shells of which were larger than a target. The sailors cooked
these into different dishes, as they had done before in the gulf of
Arguin, where these animals are found in plenty, but not so large as here.
Out of curiosity I eat some of the flesh of these tortoises, which seemed
very good, having a good smell and taste, and was not inferior to veal.
We salted a great number of them, which proved a valuable addition to our
stock of provisions during the voyage. We caught likewise a prodigious
quantity of fish, both off the mouth of the river and in the stream; and,
though we knew not the kinds, they were large and well-flavoured. The
mouth of this river is a good arrow-shot across, and it is deep enough to
admit a vessel of 150 tons. We remained two days in this place for
refreshments, taking in a good stock of tortoises and fish, and large
quantities of pigeons, which we killed without number. To the first
island at which we anchored we gave the name of _Bona Vista_, as being
the first we got sight of; and to this other, which seemed the largest of
the four, the name of St Jago, having cast anchor there on the day of St
Philip and St James. Every thing being in readiness for pursuing our
voyage, we took our departure from these islands, and shaped our course
for Cape Verd. We arrived at _Spedegar_, and keeping within sight of land,
we came to a place named the _Two Palms_, which is between Cape Verd and
the river Senegal. Being perfectly acquainted with the coast, we doubled
the Cape next day, and came once more to the river Gambia, into which we
immediately entered; and, finding no opposition from the Negroes or their
almadias, we sailed up the river, always by day, and continually sounding.
Such of the almadias as we saw on the river kept at a distance, close to
the banks of the river, and never ventured to approach. About ten miles
up the river we cast anchor on a Sunday morning, at an island where one
of our sailors was buried who had died of a fever; and as his name
happened to be Andrew, we called it the island of St Andrew[4].
Leaving this island we proceeded up the river, followed by some of the
Negroes in their almadias, yet always keeping at a considerable distance.
Our interpreters often hailed them, and shewed them various trinkets,
which were offered for their acceptance, and endeavoured to entice them to
come near, by telling them that we were good-natured civilized people,
from whom they had nothing to fear. Wrought upon by these representations,
the Negroes at length approached, and came up with my caravel; and at last
one of them, who understood the language of our interpreter, came on board.
He was greatly surprized at every thing he saw in and about the caravel,
especially with the sails and rigging, having no other idea of moving a
vessel on the water but by means of oars. He was no less amazed at our
colour and dress, as his nation mostly go stark naked, or with a single
white cotton shirt as their sole dress. We were exceedingly kind and
attentive to this Negro, and made him many presents of trinkets, and other
things of small value, with which he was much delighted. I asked him many
questions respecting the country, through our interpreter, and at length
learnt that we were in the country of Gambia, of which Forosangoli was
chief lord; and, by what we could learn from him, the residence of
Forosangoli was at the distance of nine or ten days journey, in a
direction between the south and the southwest. He said that Forosangoli
was tributary to the king of Melli, who is the great emperor of the
Negroes; that there were many inferior lords, who dwelt near the river on
both sides, and, if we pleased, he would conduct us to the residence of
one of these lords, named Battimansa, and would endeavour to negociate a
treaty of peace and friendship between him and us. Being much pleased with
this offer, we carried this Negro along with us, and treated him with much
attention; and, sailing up the river, we came to the place where
Battimansa resided, which, in my opinion, was above forty miles from the
mouth of the river. In going up the river, into which several lesser
rivers fall, we sailed to the eastwards, and at the place where we came to
anchor, we found it much narrower than at the mouth, being not above a
mile in breadth, by our estimation[5]. On coming to this place, we sent
one of our interpreters and the native Negro to Battimansa, with a present
of a handsome garment, called an _alzimba_, made of Moorish silk, in the
form of a shirt; and they were desired to inform him of the reason of our
coming into his country, signifying, "That the Christian king of Portugal
had sent us thither, to enter into a treaty of friendship and peace with
him, and that if he had any call for our commodities, our king would
supply him with them every year."
As soon as our messengers had discharged their commission, Battimansa sent
some of his Negroes to the caravel, with whom we entered into friendship,
and bartered several things for Negro slaves and some gold; but gold was
by no means to be had in any thing like the plenty we expected, from the
account given of this country by the natives of Senegal, who, being
themselves extremely poor, consider that to be a large quantity which we
think very trifling. The Negroes value their gold as a very precious thing,
even at a higher rate than the Portuguese, yet we got it in barter very
reasonably for things of very small value. We continued here eleven days,
during which the caravels were continually resorted to by great numbers of
Negroes from both sides of the river, who came to see the novelties, and
to sell their goods, among which there were a few gold rings. Part of
their commodities consisted of cotton cloth and cotton yarn; some of the
pieces being all white, some striped blue and white, and others again with
red, blue, and white stripes, all very well wrought and coloured. They
likewise brought civet for sale, the skins of civet-cats, monkies, large
and small baboons of various sorts; and these last being very plenty they
sold them cheap, or for something not exceeding ten _marquets_ in value,
for each; and the ounce of civet for what was not worth more than forty or
fifty marquets; not that they sold their commodities by weight, but I
judged the quantity to be about an ounce. Other Negroes brought various
sorts of fruit for sale, among which were many small wild dates, which
they seemed to think much of, but which our people thought not good, as
the taste was different from those of Europe: As for me, I would not
venture to eat any of them, lest they might have given me the flux, or
some other distemper. Our ships were every day crowded with people of
different aspects and languages[6], and the natives were continually going
up and down the river from one place to another, both men and women, in
their almadias. They have no sails, and propel their almadias entirely
with oars, which they use on both sides, all the rowers standing up. One
man stands at the stern, who rows sometimes on one side, sometimes on the
other, to keep the almadia steady in her course. They have no pins or row-
locks to steady their oars, but hold them fast with both hands; their oar
being a pole, like a half lance, seven feet and a half long, with a round
board like a trencher fastened to one end, and with these they row with
great safety and swiftness, in the mouths of their rivers, which are very
numerous; but they seldom go out to sea, or to any distance from their own
coasts, lest they should be taken by their neighbours and sold for slaves.
[1] There is some difficulty respecting the date of this second voyage. In
the former, Cada Mosto sailed from Portugal in March 1455. In the
course of his proceedings, the month of November is mentioned, and
some subsequent transactions are said to have happened in July, which,
on this arrangement, must necessarily have been of the year 1456. If,
therefore, the dates of the former voyage be accurate, the second
ought to have been dated in 1457.--E.
[2] This part of the narrative is involved in difficulty, and most be
erroneous. A storm from the S. W. off Cape Branco, almost in lat. 21°
N. and a N. W. course, could not possibly lead to the discovery of the
Cape Verd islands, almost six degrees farther south, and at least six
degrees farther west. This difficulty may be solved, by supposing the
storm from the N.E. and that the ships drove to the S.W. from off Cape
Branco.--E.
[3] This passage alludes to the voyage of Antonio de Noli in 1462. And it
may be remarked, that de Faria, who mentions the discovery of these
islands by Noli, takes no notice of the actual discovery by Cada Mosto.
--Astl.
[4] The editor of Astleys Collection considers this as having been St
Jameses island, which is about twenty miles up the Gambia: But there
is a small island near the northern bank, now called Charles I. which
exactly corresponds with the distance in the text.--E.
[5] According to our best maps or charts of the Gambia, this river is
never less than four miles broad, and generally above five, till we
get near 100 miles up the river, to the reach which encircles the
Devils Point, where it still is two miles wide. It is possible that
the original journal of Cada Mosto may have had leagues of three
marine miles each, in which case the residence of Battimansa may have
been at or near the Devils Point, above 100 miles up the river.--E.
[6] Though this country will be amply described in other voyages in our
Collection, it may be proper to remark, that both sides of the river
Gambia are inhabited by a mixed population of three nations, the
Feloops, Foleys, and Mandingoes, each of whom have their own separate
villages interspersed. This population is divided into many states,
lordships, or little kingdoms; as Joalli, Barrah, Kolar, Badibu,
Barsalli, &c. on or near the northern bank; Kumbo, Fonia, Kaen, Jagra,
Yamini, &c. on the southern.--E.