CHAPTER X. 
NOTES ON THE NZADI OR CONGO RIVER. 
ND first, touching the name of this 
noble and mysterious stream. Diogo 
Cam, the discoverer in 1485, called it 
River of Congo, Martin von Behaim 
Rio de Padrao, and De Barros “ Rio Zaire.” The 
Portuguese discoveries utilized by Dapper thus 
corrupted to the sonorous Zaire, the barbarous 
Nzadi applied by the natives to the lower bed. 
The next process was that of finding a meaning. 
Philippo Pigafetta of Vicenza, 1 2 translated Zaire 
by “ so, cioe Sapio in Latino; ” hence SandovaP 
made it signify “ Rio de intendimiento,” of under¬ 
standing. Merolla duly records the contrary. 
“The King of Portugal, Dom John II., having 
sent a fleet under D. Diego Cam to make dis¬ 
coveries in this Southern Coast of Africa, that 
1 “ Relazione del Reame di Congo, e delle circonvicine con- 
trade, tratta dagli Scritti e Raggionamenti di Odoardo Lopez, 
Portogheze, per Philippo Pigafetta.” Roma, 1591, fol. 
2 “ Historia de Etiopia,” p. 65. 
