HISTORICAL SKETCH 145 



Formoso was aptly named " beautiful shore." The 

 extent of their wanderings on this occasion seems 

 to have led them to the great cliff which towers 

 some 2,000 feet above the sea, so they named 

 the cape Cabo Girao. Having been startled by 

 seeing some seals leaping out of caves in a bay 

 before they approached the great cliff, they named 

 the spot Camara do Lobos, or Wolves' Lair, which 

 is the site of the picturesque village which was 

 afterwards built in the sheltered situation. 



From this time the history of the island is no 

 longer wrapt in mythical legends, and it seems 

 certain that in the following year (1419) Zargo and 

 one Tristao Teixeira were permitted to return. They 

 divided the island into two comarcas, each taking 

 command of one : Zargo became the Capitao, and 

 Teizeira the Donatorio, and they portioned out the 

 land among their followers. Zargo founded the 

 town of Funchal, and the two Captains had 

 complete jurisdiction granted to them by the 

 Crown, though they had to appeal to their 

 monarch in cases of life and death. Zargo lived 

 to enjoy his command for forty-seven years, and 

 his tomb is still to be seen in the church of the 

 Convent of Sta. Clara, which was founded by his 

 granddaughter, Donna Constanca de Norouka, in 



19 



