THE EXPLORATION. 327 



being rapidly translated into Latin under the auspices 

 of the Pope at Rome. He had also a collection of 

 maps and sea-charts engraved on marble or on metal 

 tables, and painted upon parchment. At a little dis- 

 tance from the castle was the harbour and town of 

 Sagres, from which the vessels of the Prince went 

 forth with the cross of the order painted on their sails. 

 They sailed down the coast of the Sahara ; on their 

 right was a sea of darkness, on their left a land of fire. 

 The gentlemen of the household who commanded the 

 ships did not believe in the country of green trees 

 beyond the ocean of sand. Instead of pushing rapidly 

 along, they landed as soon as they detected any signs 

 of the natives — the old people of Masinissa and Jug- 

 urtha — attacked them crying, Portugal ! Portugal ! 

 and having taken a few prisoners returned home. In 

 every expedition the commander made it a point of 

 honour to go a little further than the preceding 

 expedition. Several years thus passed, and the Black 

 Country had not been found. The Canary Islands 

 were already known to the Spaniards : but the Portu- 

 guese discovered Porto Santo and Madeira. A ship- 

 load of emigrants was despatched to the former island, 

 and among the passengers was a female rabbit in an 

 interesting situation. She was turned down with 

 her young ones on the island, and there being no 

 checks to rabbit-population, they increased with 

 such rapidity that they devoured every green thing, 

 and drove the colonists across into Madeira. In that 

 island the colonists were more fortunate ; instead of 

 importing rabbits they introduced the vine from 

 Cyprus, and the sugar-cane from Sicily ; and soon 

 Madeira wine and sugar were articles of export from 

 Lisbon to London and to other ports. In the 



