THE VOYAGERS 



is the same glitter of gold and precious stones, the same 

 odour of far-fetched spices. While the main trade routes 

 to the East still lay overland, the maritime states of 

 Italy, Genoa and Venice, held the keys of that traffic. Venice and 

 By their rivalry navigation was improved ; the mariner's ^^^'^'^' 

 compass came into general use early in the Fifteenth 

 Century ; and although the power of Genoa was broken 

 by the surrender of her fleet at Chiozza in 1380, her 

 ancient enemy was not left for long in undisputed posses- 

 sion. Beyond the gates of the Mediterranean a new rival 

 arose ; and during the whole of the Fifteenth Century, 

 the Portuguese, having learned their craft from the Italians, Portugal. 

 were steadily creeping down the western coast of Africa, 

 rounding capes, discovering islands, making maps and 

 charts, always with the same hope of finding a new and 

 safer passage to the markets of the East. In the year 

 1410 Prince Henry the Navigator, a younger son of 

 King John 1 of Portugal, began his systematic explora- 

 tions. His aims and methods were those which, in a 

 later age, Hakluyt constantly recommended to the 

 government of England. He established a naval college, 

 and called to his service the best science of the time. 

 In 141 9 Madeira was discovered. In 1439 Cape Bojador 

 was rounded, and, seven years later. Cape de Verde. Voyagers 

 In 1448 settlements were established on the Azores or 

 Hawk Islands. So, step by step, advance was made, 

 until, in i486, Bartholomew Diaz doubled the Cape of 

 Good Hope, and in 1498, hwQ and a half years after the 

 first voyage of Columbus, Vasco de Gama crossed the 

 Indian Ocean and cast anchor on the coast of Malabar. 

 Thus the way was opened by sea to China and Japan, 

 and the Portuguese, by their own labours, and by the 



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