64. 
DISCOVKRIES OF THE PORTUGUESE^ 
Gonsalvo, and then at Cape St Catherine, the 
farthest point yet discovered. He had not pro- 
ceeded far when a very strong current set in from 
the land. The waters were discoloured, and, 
when tasted, were found to be fresh. This de- 
cidedly suggested the idea that they were near 
the mouth of some mighty river ; an opinion soon 
confirmed by a nearer approach. This river he 
called the Congo, from the kingdom through 
which it flowed ; but it was afterwards found, 
that by the natives it was called the Zaire ; and 
the two names have since, in Europe, been used 
promiscuously. The first step which our naviga- 
tor took was to plant his pillar on the opposite 
side of the river ; which has hence not unfre- 
quently received the appellation of the Rio do 
Padrono, or River of the Pillar, Then, conceiv- 
ing that the banks of so mighty a stream were 
likely to be fertile and well peopled, he determin- 
ed to ascend it. The shores proved accordingly 
to be filled with people exceedingly black, and 
speaking a language which, though Diego knew 
those spoken on other parts of the coast, wa^ 
wholly unintelligible to him. He had therefore 
recourse to signs, by the medium of which he was 
at length made to understand, that, at a certain 
number of days journey up the coimtry, there re- 
sided a very powerful monarch, king of the whole 
region. Diego therefore determined to send a 
