256 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



influenced by them, had not favoured his uncle's 

 plans, and several voyages were made under his 

 auspices. 



Christians returning from Palestine reported that 

 they had seen in Jerusalem a monastery, the monks in 

 which were subjects of a Christian prince in the 

 heart of Africa, whose empire extended from the 

 shores of the Eed Sea and the Indian Ocean to the 

 shores of the Atlantic. It was further said that 

 several of these monks came to Alexandria, the 

 patriarch of which alone enjoyed the privilege of 

 sending a bishop into their country. This Christian 

 prince was known in Europe as Prester John. While 

 sending vessels to circumnavigate Africa, the King of 

 Portugal despatched two ambassadors to Prester John 

 by way of Egypt. Covillan and Paiva were entrusted 

 with this mission, and they took with them a map 

 drawn by Prince Henry, being instructed to correct 

 it by the light of the observations which they made. 



The Portuguese travellers went together to Alex- 

 andria, Cairo, Suez, and Aden, where they separated. 

 Covillan proceeded to Calicut and Goa, and from that 

 point, crossing the Indian Ocean, visited the mines of 

 Sofala. On his return to Aden and Cairo, where he 

 was to have been rejoined by Paiva, he learned that 

 the latter had died. 



At Cairo he received the visit of two Jews, Abra- 

 ham and Joseph, bringing two letters from the King 

 of Abyssinia, into whose states he then made his 



