THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 



141 



man abide in his element:" said John; "I am not partial to 

 travelling seamen." 



We now approach an era of great achievements. John de- 

 termined, in 1486, to assist the attempts made on sea by journeys 

 over land. Accordingly a squadron was fitted out under Bar- 

 tholomew Diaz, one of the officers of the royal household, while 

 Pedro de Covillam and Alphonso de Payra, both well versed in 

 Arabic, received the following order respecting a land journey : — 

 " To discover the country of Prester John, the King of Abys- 

 sinia, to trace the Venetian commerce in drugs and spices to its 

 source, and to ascertain whether it were possible for ships to sail 

 round the extremity of Africa to India." They went by way 

 of Naples, the Island of Rhodes, Alexandria, and Cairo, to Aden 

 in Arabia. Here they separated, Covillam proceeding to Cananor 

 and Goa, upon the Malabar coast of Hindostan, and being the 

 first Portuguese that ever saw India. He went from there to 

 Sofala, on the eastern coast of Africa, and saw the Island of the 

 Moon, now Madagascar. He penetrated to the court of Prester 

 John, the King of Abyssinia, and became so necessary to the 

 happiness of that potentate, that he was compelled to live and 

 die in his dominions. An embassy sent by Prester John to 

 Lisbon made the Portuguese acquainted with Covillam's adven- 

 tures. Long ere this, however, Bartholomew Diaz had sailed 

 upon the voyage which has immortalized his name. He received 

 the command of a fleet, consisting of two ships of fifty tons 

 each, and of a tender to carry provisions, and set sail towards 

 the end of August, 1486, steering directly to the south. It is 

 much to be regretted that so few details exist in reference to this 

 memorable expedition. We know little more than the fact that 

 the first stone pillar which Diaz erected was placed four hundred 

 miles beyond that of any preceding navigator. Striking out 

 boldly here into the open sea, he resolved to make a wide circuit 

 before returning landward. He did so ; and the first land he saw, 

 on again touching the continent, lay one hundred miles to the 



