9 5 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



reached to 25 of north latitude in the Atlantic Ocean. In 

 more modern times, even in the preceding century, Macham, 

 an Englifhman, returning from a voyage on the weft coaft 

 of Africa, was ihipwrecked on the ifland of Madeira, to- 

 gether with a woman whom he tenderly loved. After her 

 death he became weary of folitude ; and having conftructed 

 a hark, or canoe, with which he paddled over to the oppofite 

 coaft, he was taken by the natives, and prefented to the Ca- 

 liph as a curiofity. And the Normans of Dieppe had, as a 

 company, traded in 1364, not fourfcore years from prince 

 Henry's time, as far as Sierra de Leona, only 7 from the Line. 



The prince's humanity to his Moorifh prifoners had like- 

 wife been rewarded by fubftantial information; they reported 

 that fome of their countrymen of the kingdom of Sus had 

 advanced far into the defert, carrying their water and pro- 

 vifions along with them on camels ; that, after many days 

 travel, they came to mines of fait, and, having loaded their 

 cargoes, they proceeded till they came within the limits of 

 the rains ; there they found large and populous towns, inha- 

 bited by a people totally black and woolly-headed, who re- 

 ported that there were many countries even beyond them, 

 occupied by numerous and warlike tribes. To complete all, 

 Don Pedro, Henry's brother, returning from Venice, brought 

 along with him from that city a map, on which the whole 

 coaft of the Atlantic Ocean was diftinctly traced, and the 

 fouthern extremity of Africa was reprefented to be a cape 

 furrounded with the fea, which joined with the Indian 

 Ocean. 



No fooner was the prince thus fatisned of the poftibility 



: of a pailage to India round Africa, than he fet about cqiv 



3 ftru&ing 



