20 



FROM THE FIRST DISCOVERY TO THE 



countrymen, with loud shoutings and rejoicings. The cannibals were so ex- 

 pert with their bows and arrows, that this fleet was considerably annoyed by 

 them, and induced to coast on to the latitude of 8° south, near Pemambuco, 

 where they met with friendly Indians,* and established an intercourse with 

 them. After a few days, they continued their voyage along the coast, and 

 met with a kind reception every where from the natives, who allowed them to 

 land and make their observations without injury upon the country and its pro- 

 ductions. They described the natives as being exceedingly well made, and 

 universally attached to the custom of perforating their faces and ears, and 

 wearing bones and stones as ornaments. They coasted on to 32° south lati- 

 tude, and, standing out to sea, reached as high a latitude as 52° south, where, 

 in consequence of a tempestuous lebeccio, they were compelled to return, and 

 arrived at Lisbon in September, 1502, having lost two vessels. 



Another expedition of six caravels sailed from Lisbon on the 10th of June, 

 1503, with the avowed object of prosecuting still further the examination of 

 Vera Cruz. A variety of contradictory statements render it doubtful who was 

 the real commander of this squadron, although the balance of testimony in this, 

 as in the former case, is much in favour of Gonsalo Coelho. Americanus Ves- 

 puccius again alleges that he accompanied this fleet, and with two ships pro- 

 ceeded forward to the coast of the Brazil, leaving the other four vessels at an 

 island, some of them wrecks ; and he says those four vessels were all lost 

 through the want of ability on the part of the commander, whose name he does 

 not disclose. A work published at Paris, attributing the command of the three 

 first caravels to Vespuccius, continues thus : — " El Rey D. Manuel extrema- 

 " mente affeicoado a Vespucio deu Ihe o commando de seis navios com os quaes 

 " sahiua dez de Mayo, 1503, e passou ao longo das castas d' Africa, e do Brazil, 

 " com o intuito de descubrir uma passagem pelo occidente para as llhas Mallucas, 



coma ao depots se-descubriu : depois d'apportar na JBahia de todos os Santos, 

 " navegou athe os Abrolhos e rio Curababo, como nao tinha mantimentos senao 

 " para Vinte mezes, tomou a resolugao de voltar a Portugal onde chegou a dez- 

 " oito de Junho, 1504."t Maneol Ayres de Cazal supposes Christovam Jacques to 



* This is a corroboration of Vincente Yanez Pinson's voyage, as the character of the Indians near 

 those two same places where he landed are described to be similar. 



t " The King, Don Manuel, extremely attached to Vespuccius, gave him the command of six ships, 

 " with which he sailed on the 10th of May, 1503, and passed along the coast of Africa and Brazil, 

 " with tlie inteution of discovering a western passage to the Molucca Islands, (afterwards discovered,) 



