CHAPTER XIII. 



THE PORTUGUESE CROSS THE EQUATOR FROM GUINEA TO CONGO — JOHN II. CON- 

 CEIVES THE IDEA OF A ROUTE BY SEA TO THE INDIES HIS ARTIFICES TO 



PREVENT THE INTERFERENCE OF OTHER NATIONS THE OVERLAND JOURNEY 



OF COVILLAM TO INDIA THE VOYAGE OF BARTHOLOMEW DIAZ — THE DOUBLING 



OF THE TREMENDOUS CAPE ITS BAPTISM BY THE KING — INJURIOUS EFFECTS 



OF SUCCESS UPON PORTUGUESE AMBITION. 



During the remainder of the reign of Alphonso Y. — which 

 terminated in 1481 — the Portuguese advanced over the coast 

 and Gulf of Guinea and the adjacent islands to the northern 

 boundary of the great kingdom of Congo, and had therefore 

 arrived within six hundred and fifty marine leagues of the cape 

 which forms the southern point of the African continent. They 

 had crossed the equator, and not a man had turned black. They 

 had entered into a brisk gold-trade with the savages of Guinea. 

 John II., the son and successor of Alphonso, determined to 

 fortify a point called Mina, from its abundant mines, and sent 

 out twelve vessels with building materials and six hundred men. 

 The negroes at first resisted, but finally yielded their consent. 

 The fort was constructed and named St. Jorge da Mina; the 

 quarry from which the first stone was taken being the favorite 

 god of the tribe that inhabited the coast. 



John II. now added to his other titles that of Lord of Guinea. 

 In the hope of opening a passage by sea to the rich spice- 

 countries of India, he asked the support and countenance of the 

 different states of Christendom. But the established mercantile 



interest of these countries was naturally hostile to a project 



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