lo8 Original Difcoviry cf America. 



rather a proof of the knowledge which this politic prince had already procured of the 

 exigence of a new continent : and it was only in 1 501, tliat is to fay, three years after the 

 voyage of Vafco de Gama to the Indies, that Emanuel thought proper to take advantage 

 of the difcoveries of Behem, by fending Albarez Cabral to Brazil ; a miafure which was 

 perhaps rather owing to the jealoufy which has always exided between Portugal and Spain, 

 than to a defirc of making advantageous eftablifhments, for which the Indies were much 

 more proper than this part of America. 



If any doubts yet remain refpeifling the important difcovery made by the Chevalier 

 Behem, it is particularly the authority of Dr. Robcrtfon which attacks the teftiniony of the 

 different authors we have tranfcribed. This learned writer treats the hiftory of Btliem as 

 a fiiilion of fome German authors, who had an inclination to attribute to one of their 

 countrymen a difcovery which has produced fo great a revolution in the commerce of 

 Europe, But he acknowledges, neverthelefs, after Hcrrera, that Behem had fettled at the 

 ifland of Fayal ; that he was the intimate friend of Chriftopher Columbus ; and that Ma- 

 gellan had a globe made by Behem, by the help of which he undertook his voyage to the 

 South Sea ; a circumftancc which proves much in favour of our hypothefis. He relates 

 alfo, that in 1492 this aftronomer paid a vifit to his family at Nurenberg, and left there a 

 map drawn by himfclf, of which Dr. Forder procured him a copy, and which, in his opinion, 

 partakes of the imperfe£lion of the cofmogr^.j^hical knowledge of the 15th century: that he 

 found in it, indeed, under the name of the ifland of St. Brandon, land which appears to be the 

 ptefent coaft of Guiana, and lies in the latitude of Cape Verd ; but that there is reafon to 

 believe that this fabubus ifland, which is found in many ancient maps, merits no more at- 

 tention than the childifh legend of St. Brandon himfelf. Although Dr. Robertfon does not 

 appear difpofed to grant to Behem the honour of having difcovercJ the new continent, we 

 find the means of refuting him in his own Hiftory. He allows that Behem was very intimate 

 with Chriftopher Columbus; that he was the greateft geographer of his time, and fcholar 

 of the celebrated John Miiller, or Regiomontanus ; that he had difcovered, in 1483, the 

 kingdom of Congo upon the coaft of Africa ; that he made a globe which Magellan made 

 ufe of; that he drew a map at Nurenberg, containing the particulars of his difcoveries; and 

 that he placed in this chart land which is found to be in the latitude of Cuiana. Dr. Ro- 

 bertfon aflerts, without any proof, that this land was but a fabulous ifland. We may fuppofe, 

 upon the fame foundation, that the Chevalier Behem, engaged in an expedition to the king- 

 dom of Congo, was driven by the winds to Fernambouc, and from thence by the currents 

 very common in thofe latitudes towards the coaft of Guiana; and that he took for an ifland 

 the firft land which he difcovered. The courfe which Chriftopher Columbus afterwards 

 fleered makes this fuppofition ftill more probable; for if he knew only of the coaft of 

 Brazil, which they believe to have been difcovered by Behem, he would have laid his courfe 

 rather to the fouth-wcft. The expedition to Congj took place in 1483 : it is then poflible 

 that at his return Behem propofcd a voyage to the coafts of Brazil and Patagonia; and 

 that he requefted the affiftance of his fovereign, which we have mentioned above. It is 

 certain that we cannot have too much deference for the ^pinion of fo eminent a writer as 

 Robertfon; but this learned man not having it in his power to confult the original German 

 documents which we have quoted, we may be allowed to form a different opinion 

 without being too prefumptuous. 



4 But 



