180 



CABOT. 



tabot. After being liberally supplied with necessaries by 

 the hospitable inhabitants, he seized and carried off 

 four young men, sons of the principal people in that 

 place. To this piece of cruelty, he soon alter added 

 another : for proceeding towards the river Plata, 

 he landed on a desert island Martin Mendez his admi- 

 ral, Captain Francis de Rojas, and Michael de Rojas, 

 where he left them because they had censured his con- 

 duct. His eagerness to reach the Spice Islands was 

 oce more destined to be disappointed, by a mutiny of 

 his crews, and the want of provisions. Sailing, there- 

 fore, up the Plata about 30 leagues, .he there disco- 

 vered an island which he named St Gabriel : it was 

 about a league in circumference, and half a league 

 from the left bank of the river; and here he dropped 

 anchor. Three leagues higher up, his boats disco- 

 vering a deep and well sheltered river, which he cal- 

 led St Salvador, he removed his fleet thither, un- 

 loaded his vessels, and built a fort to keep the nume- 

 rous natives in awe. Having left his fleet in this 

 commodious harbour, and carrying along with him, 

 in a float and small boats, several articles of traf- 

 fic, he advanced thirty leagues more, when he came 

 to another river called Zarcamana. The inhabi- 

 tants here were intelligent and not unfriendly ; for 

 which reason he constructed on this river also a 

 small station, and named it Santi Espiritu, though 

 his followers called it after himself, Cabot's fort. 

 After discovering the river Parana, and many other 

 rivers and islands of less note, he at last arrived 

 at the great river Paraguay ; and for the first time 

 since his arrival on this coast, observed the inha-. 

 bitants tilling the ground. Here a bloody conflict 

 took place between his people and the Indians, of 

 whom he made a considerable slaughter ; not how- 

 ever without a loss on his part of 25 men killed, and 

 three prisoners. During his excursions in those hi- 

 therto unexplored countries, Cabot was chiefly struck 

 with two circumstances, the number and immensity 

 of the waters, and the innumerable population on 

 their banks. 



In the course of this winter, about the beginning 

 of 1527, James Garcia, another Spanish navigator, 

 entered the river Plata, and without knowing that 

 his countrymen were in that quarter of the world, 

 came to anchor his two vessels where Cabot's ship 

 lay. Both these commanders dispatched messengers 

 to Spain. They whom Cabot sent to his merchants 

 gave them a most flattering description of the river 

 Plata, descanted on the fertility and wealth of the 

 vast regions conquered by the valour of their chief, 

 and exhibited as a proof of his judgment and good 

 conduct, quantities of gold and silver, and other pre- 

 cious commodities, all the productions of these coun- 

 tries. They demanded at the same time a supply of 

 provisions, ammunition, and articles of commerce ; 

 together with reinforcements of men to retain the 

 conquests. The merchants, however, disappointed 

 in their golden dreams with regard to the Spice 

 Islands, were not disposed to make additional advan- 

 ces in support of a scheme that promised but slow 

 and moderate returns. They accordingly surrender- 

 ed their rights to the crown of Castile. The king 

 undertook to send the supplies, but many difficulties 

 and delays occurring, Cabot was so tired with wait- 



ing, that, embarking his men and effects in the largest 

 of his ships, and leaving the rest behind, he returned 

 to Spain in 1531, after an absence of nearly six years. 

 His failure in this expedition, and his harsh treat- 

 ment of the Spanish mutineers, had procured him 

 many enemies, so that his reception at court was not 

 very flattering. He still, however, retained his office 

 of pilot for many years, till at last, for some unknown 

 reason, he was induced to quit Spain and return once 

 more to Britain. 



It is believed that Cibot resided at Bristol towards 

 the close of the reign of Henry VIII. 3 about which 

 time he is said to have been appointed Grand Pilot 

 of England. Being introduced by the protector, 

 Lord Somerset, to Edward VI., that young prince 

 took great delight in his conversation, and granted 

 him, in consideration of his services, or, according to 

 some, as the salary attached to his office of pilot, 

 the yearly sum of L.I 66 : 13 : 4< ; a sum no doubt 

 very considerable for those times, and which Hak- 

 luyt terms " the great pension." From this period 

 Cabot enjoyed much consideration, and in all matters 

 of nautical enterprise was consulted as the most com- 

 petent judge in England. Being made governor of 

 the company of merchant adventurers, his eagerness 

 for finding a short passage to the Indies returned : 

 the north-east coasts of Europe were still unexplo- 

 red ; and he conjectured that an opening might be 

 found by sailing along the shores of Norway and 

 Lapland. The king having accordingly, in 1552, 

 granted his licence to man three vessels destined for 

 this expedition, Cabot furnished the commanders 

 with instructions, which are still preserved, and shew 

 the sagacity and originality of this renowned seaman. 

 Two expeditions are understood to have sailed pur- 

 suant to this project : That, however, under Sir 

 Hugh Willoughby is the only one of which we have 

 any distinct account ; and this, it is well known, 

 though it failed in discovering a practicable passage 

 to the east, was productive of the important disco- 

 very, that Lapland and Greenland do not meet, and 

 that Archangel, till then approached only by land, 

 is accessible to ships from the Atlantic. For hia 

 great trouble in maturing these important projects, 

 the king bestowed on Cabot a donation of L. 200. 

 This great man was also made governor of the Rus- 

 sia company, to which situation he was appointed 

 for life by their charter ; and in 1555, Philip and 

 Mary granted him an annuity of L. 166 : 13 : 4. 

 The last circumstance on record relative to the life 

 of Cabot is, that on the 27th of April 1556, he visited 

 Mr Burroughes, commander of a small vessel lying 

 at Gravesend, bound for Russia, and gave him and 

 his men a grand entertainment on the occasion. It 

 is probable that this veteran seaman died in the fol- 

 lowing year, at the advanced age of about 80. 



No navigator ever deserved more of England than 

 Sebastian Cabot. Skill, enterprise, and a generous 

 enthusiasm for professional distinction, were never 

 more happily blended in the character of any mari- 

 ner ; and if in command he was lofty and somewhat 

 arbitrary, the complexion of his daring and rough 

 crews rendered firmness peculiarly necessary. When 

 on shore, he is described as uncommonly gentle in 

 his manners, communicative, and easy of access. Ver- 



Cabot. 



