DISCOVERIES OF THE PORTUGUESE. 4 ( > 
paralleled. It is remarkable also, that, among all 
the states of Europe, the lead should have been 
taken by Portugal, a power which did not seem 
destined to act any great part on the theatre of the 
world. Dr Robertson, in the introduction to his 
History of America, has well illustrated the causes 
which roused in that country the spirit of enter- 
prise, and turned it into this sphere of exertion. 
The progress and successive discoveries of the 
Portuguese along the coast of Africa, are describ- 
ed by that great historian with such animation 
and eloquence, as must have rendered them fami- 
liar to almost every reader. But few, perhaps, 
are aware of the vast exertions which they made 
to penetrate into the interior, and with such suc- 
cess, as to reach farther, in every direction, than 
has been attained by any of the moderns, with the 
sole exceptions of Park and of Browne. The de- 
tails of these important transactions, have been 
hitherto locked up in the writings of the Portu- 
guese authors, or have been reported elsewhere in 
a very mutilated and imperfect state. A pretty 
copious abstract of them, therefore, will probably 
not be unacceptable to those who feel any interest 
in the steps by which discovery proceeded through 
the interior regions of this continent. 
The encouragement afforded by the royal fa- 
mily, and the general excitement throughout the 
nation, gave a sufficient impulse to the career in- 
VOL. I. d 
