TE Eee a ae 
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Notes on the earliest discoveries in America. 811 
of clovesand cinnamon. He visited the castern coast of Afriéa, 
went down as far as Sofala, and returning northward, sent a 
message to King John that he had learned for certain that if 
Dias should pursue his course round Africa he would reach 
India over the Eastern Ocean via Sofala. This theoretical dis- 
covery of Covilham exactly coincided with the practical one of 
las, | 
All these events were but leading up to the grandest discovery 
the world ever knew, but it is difficult to trace the precise origin 
and the gradual development of the plans of Columbus. We 
ow, however, that at the early age of fourteen he went to sea, 
had offered his services in ¢ g it out, first to his native city, 
€noa, without success, and had two years before brought it 
pain from Portugal where his proposals had y 
spurned and ridiculed, but treacherously though unsuccessfully 
_ tested. It is tolerably certain that much of his time had been 
d visited England and Iceland, and was acquainted with the 
Whole of the Mediterranean. His brother Bartholemew had 
been a chart-maker at Lisbon, and was his advocate at the court 
of Henry VIL 
Was possible to sail west to reach the East. But Time was 
for him then, as it is now for Interoceanic Communi- 
