SENEGAL BEMOY. 
55 
feats of dogs, and puppet-shews. Bemoy took this 
opportunity of displaying the prowess of some of 
his own followers. As the principal Portuguese 
cavaliers were making a display of their horseman- 
ship, he called several negroes, who, on foot, fol- 
lowed and kept pace with the swiftest of these ani- 
mals. The same negroes leapt off a horse, as it 
was riding at full gallop, and, following, again 
mounted, with the same promptitude as if he had 
been standing perfectly immoveable. 
Meantime,* the Portuguese court were busily 
employed in equipping a fleet, which, under the 
shew of establishing Bemoy in his native domi- 
nions, might establish their own power on the fer- 
tile banks of the Senegal. The armament consist- 
ed of twenty caravels, well armed and equipped, 
and having on board a large proportion of land 
troops, with materials for building a fortress. The 
command was given to Pero Vaz d'Acunha, while 
Alvaro, a brother of the order of Dominicans, 
was sent with a body of monks for the purpose of 
converting the natives to the Christian faith. 
With this armament, Pero Vaz entered the Sene- 
gal, and began the erection of the intended fort. 
But it appears, that some misunderstanding arose 
between him and the African prince. The latter, 
probably, soon perceived, that the Portuguese 
* Di Barros, III. 12. 
