16 



FROM THE FIRST DISCOVERY TO THE 



tions of the Serra, now called Aymores, mostly covered with wood. Cabral made 

 a signal to the other ships to approach the land, and by sun-set they anchored 

 in 19 fathoms, about six leagues from it. From respect to the oitavario* Cabral 

 gave the mountain the name of Mount Pascal, which it yet retains ; and the 

 land he called Vera Cruz. The following day they sailed towards the land, 

 and came in front of the mouth of a river now called Rio de Frade (River 

 Friar) ; and remained half a league distant from it during the night, with some 

 difficulty, in consequence of a strong south-east wind setting in. Captain N. 

 Coelho examined the river the same day, which was found incapable of 

 receiving even the smallest vessels of the fleet; and the wind not being favour- 

 able to coast towards the south, Cabral ordered the fleet to navigate northward, 

 and despatched Affbnso Lopez, his pilot, in one of the smallest caravels, to 

 proceed nearer the beach, and to examine the first part he met with. \ 



The squadron having coasted on about ten leagues, met with the bay of 

 Coroa Vermelha, otherwise Cabral, where, towards the evening, the caravels 

 nearest entered. AfTonso Lopez, who was sounding the port, met with two 

 young Indians in a canoe, whom he carried to the admiral, who had anchored 

 with the larger ships a league from the reefs, which were at the entrance of the 

 bay. They were next morning placed upon the beach dressed in Portuguese 

 clothes, accompanied by a degradado, or criminal, in order to observe the 

 mode of living which prevailed amongst the natives. 



The fleet remained here eight days, during which time mass was celebrated 

 twice by Frey Henrique ; the first, on Easter Sunday, upon an island (its name 

 is now Coroa Vermelha) within the bay, in sight of a great number of Indians 

 assembled upon the continental beach ; the other, on the 1st of May, at the 

 foot of a grand cross, which had been erected upon the main land, with the 

 arms of King Emanuel, in testimony of the solemn possession which in his 

 name had been taken of this new land of Vera Cruz. 



There is a letter in the naval archives at Rio de Janeiro, written by P. V. de 

 Caminho (one of the escrivads already mentioned) to King Emanuel, giving a 

 minute detail of all the circumstances attending the stay of the armament in 

 this port, which Cabral called " Porto Seguro," in noticing which, the above 

 letter, written in language differing from that of the present day, says, " Acha- 

 " ram hos ditos navios pequenos huum a recife com huum porto dentro muyti 

 " boo, e muyti seguro com huuma muy larga entrada, e meterem-se dentro" Also, 

 " entraram toda las naaos e amcoraram-se em simco, sets bracas, ha qual amcora- 



* Eight successive days after a festival. 



