14 



FROM THE FIRST DISCOVERY TO THE 



zil would appear to corroborate the notion) that their countryman and ances- 

 tor, Pedro Alvarez Cabral, was the first discoverer of that country ; but this 

 honour indubitably belongs to the celebrated Spanish pilot, Vincente Yanez 

 Pinson, the companion of Columbus in his first voyage across the Atlantic ; and 

 who, it is affirmed, would not have acquired the fame of first descrying the new 

 world, had not the despondency which was clouding his mind, in the progress 

 of that voyage, been dispelled by the animating hope of success with which Pin- 

 son encouraged him. In virtue of a commission granted to Vincente Yanez 

 Pinson, by the Castilian court, he quitted his native shores in pursuit of undis- 

 covered countries, in the month of December, 1499. He shaped his course 

 more to the southward than his late commander, Columbus ; and on the 26th of 

 January, 1500, discovered land in about 8° south latitude, having crossed the 

 Atlantic in as short a period as the voyage is commonly accomplished in at this 

 day ; evincing an undaunted spirit and disregard to the prevailing practice then 

 existing amongst navigators, of taking in all sail and lying to during the night. 

 The discovery of this new land must have been highly consolatory and gratifying 

 to his feelings ; he gave it, therefore, the name of Cape Consolation, which can be 

 no other than Cape St. Augustine, situated about twenty miles to the south of 

 Pernambuco. Pinson vainly went through the ceremony of taking possession of 

 the country for the Spanish crown. The natives which they saw were exceed- 

 ingly shy, and they endeavoured without success to accomplish any intercourse 

 with them. He proceeded northward, towards Cape St. Roque, with his ships, 

 and, again landing upon the intervening coast, his people had several rencounters 

 with a horde of savages very different to the first they had seen. These 

 Indians used the bow and arrow, and attacked the Spaniards with great spirit 

 and dexterity. This reception induced Pinson to continue his course along the 

 northern coast of the Brazil ; and, after proceeding as far as the Oronocos, he 

 returned to Europe without any manifest advantage resulting from this under- 

 taking. Although he was unfortunate in losing some of his ships on the home- 

 ward voyage, he displayed considerable nautical skill in conducting his vessels 

 in safety along the most difficult and dangerous part of the Brazilian coast. 



During the period that Pinson was thus occupied, Portugal was fitting out 

 a fleet with much pomp and parade in the river Tagus, not with any project of 

 discovering a new territory, but in consequence of Don Vasco da Gama having 

 arrived at Lisbon, with certain intelligence of having ascertained the navigation 

 to India, round the Cape of Good Hope. The Portuguese King, Emanuel, 

 determined to send a fleet to establish friendship and a treaty of commerce 



