YOYAGE OF DISCOVERY BY DIAZ. 19 
ocean, that illustrious, but ill-requited discoverer 
— partaking of the Holy Sacrament, together 
with his gallant crews, beneath that rough 
and simple emblem, mingled their wild music 
with the holy anthem that then was rising to 
the Redeemer of men, under the magnificent 
roof of St. Mark's in Venice. Thus they, from 
whom that day u the sceptre was departing " and 
those, by whose instrumentality they were de- 
prived of it, were yet employed alike, united 
by the bonds of religion. For this discovery 
by Diaz, it must be remembered, at once arrested 
the spring course of the Yenetian wealth and 
pre-eminence, plucked the oriental diadem from 
her imperial brow, and transferred to Portugal, 
his ungrateful country, the sovereignty of com- 
merce. Diaz' crews, however, becoming dissatis- 
fied, and urging their objection to proceeding 
further, in firm, though respectful terms, he 
yielded to their wishes ; but made his officers 
sign a paper, recording it as their desire that 
he should do so. And even after this had been 
done, Diaz prayed them, that they would, to 
indulge him, sail but two days further ; pledging 
himself, should nothing of importance occur or 
be discovered, to accede then to their wishes, and 
return at once. This they agreed to, and during 
this interval they discovered the mouth of the 
great Fish River, which received its primitive 
c 2 
