THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. in: 



in water and other refrefhments. After which he was four 

 months uruggling with contrary winds and blowing wea- 

 ther, and at laft obliged, through perfect fatigue, to run in- 

 to a large bay called^ St Helena* r in lat. 32 32' fouth. The 

 inhabitants of this bay were black, of low ftature, and their 

 language not underftood, though it afterwards was found 

 to be the fame with that of the Cape. They were cloathed 

 with fkins of antelopes, which abounded in the country,, 

 ilnce known to be that of the Hottentots ; their arms were 

 the horns and bones of beaits and fifties, for they had no 

 knowledge of iron. 



The Portuguefe were unacquainted with the trade-winds 

 in thofe fouthern latitudes ; and Vafques had departed for 

 India, in a mod. unfavourable feafon of the year. The 16th 

 of November they failed for the Cape with a fouth- weil 

 wind ; but that very day, the weather changing, a violent 

 iiorm came on, which continued increafmg ; fo, although 

 on the 1 8th they difcovered their long-defired Cape, they did 

 not dare or attempt to pafs it. Then it was fcen how much 

 ftronger the impremons were that Dias had left imprinted 

 in their minds, than thofe of duty, obedience, and refigna- 

 tion, which they had fo pompoufly vowed at the chapel, or 

 hermitage. All the crew mutinied, and refufed to pafs 

 farther; and it was not the common failors only; the 

 pilots and mailers were at their head. Vafques, fatisfied in, 

 his mind that there- was nothing extraordinary in the dan- 

 ger, perfevered to pafs the Cape in fpite of all difficulties ; 

 and the officers, animated with the fame ardour, feized the 



moft! 



* On the weft fide of the peninfula on. the Atlantic. 



