Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1869-05-28

-VV years controlled commerce., bit its
members bad made little progress in discov.
cry. Their Efforts were chiefly toward pro-
ieciing their ships fom pirates and barba
rlansi and rendering the sea a safe highway
Tor civilized nations. But early Ia the If
teenth century the spirit of discovery began
to oyerrule even the spirit of commerce,
and from that epoch date the most wonder
fol achievements ia nlvig ltion the world has
ever seen.
These achievements arc due, in a great
part, to Prince Ii my of Portugal, Justly
surnamed the Navigator. The beginning Of
the century had seen the good King JOHN
placed on the throne OF Portugal. Ills
consort was Phillipa, also called the good :"
a daughter of John of Gdunt, "time.hon-
ored Lancaster" The fourth son of this
worthy pair, was Prince Henry, the NAvi.
gator. From early manhood he dedicated
himself to the cause of discovery, and the
search Of a sea way to India. Withdraw
ing himself from the pleasures of the court,
taking vow of celibacy, and thus cutting
himself Off from all hope of princely issue
he retired to stone-bult castle on lonely
cape reaching far out into the sea, and
there he pursued the study of navigation,
aud the fitting out OF ships for the East. II
was be who announced and held firm to the
belief that passage East conld be found
by sailing around the continent of Africa,
though all the world thought it impossible
for ship to cross the torrid zone, and be-
lieved the the latitude of the Canary Islands
to be the limit Of the habitable globe. To
him also is ascribed the Introduction Of the
mariners compass into Portuguese naviga.
ton, and in pat the invention of the sstro-
lAbe. To no other single man was that era
4. al. aal. ka1
To comprehend tie obstacles to nayisa-
tion in the Atlantic, wo must remember
that tn $ great oceon was still u sea of dark
ness to the sailor. True, in the fifth centu-
ry before Christ, Hanuo the CarthaRenian
had sailed boldly past the Pillars of Hercu.
les, and Draved the dangers of the Atlantic,
while be sought TO establish PLe ,ician col
onies ON the western coast OF Africa aud
Europe. HInno discovered the Canaries
and the Msdeiras, and they became the
"Island OF the Blessed" and "Garden of the
Uesperides,n of which the ancients spoke
when they pointed westward. Aristotle,
too, had placed the Island of AtaldntiS be-
yOnd the Pillars of Hercules, and Plutsrch
IN his life of Sertorious had described the
Con ries as the "Furtunat Isles"
But now, for ages the discoveries OF Han
20 had been buried in oblivion, and the At.
lantic was sbrouded in mystery. AS late as
the fourteenth century, it was described as
ga vast and boundless ocean, on which ships
burst not venture out of sight of land, for
even iT the sailors knew the direction of the
the winds, they would not know whittier
these winds would carry them, and as there
is no inhabitable cOuntry beyond they would
run great risk of being lost 10 the mists and
vapOrs. The limit of the west is the Allan
tic oceon." To find a crew bold euough to
follow their captain into these trackless
waters was easy TASK,
Nor was the fear of an untried oceon the
only one which daunted the bravost sailor.
Superstition had invented myriads Of tales
wh'ch were familiar to every man who
sailed the sea. According to one OF these
the way was blocked up by mountain,
which was vast lodestone, attracting men
as the magnet attrscts tho iron. The un-
conscious victims laughed and shouted with
delight while being drawn toward it, but al
length, sticking fast to its horrible sides
they laughed no more, Int persisted miser
ably. Another told of a MOUNTAIN whict
appeared to be of glittering precious stones
but was really composed OF shining, interwo
ven serpenls that devoured all who ap
proachtd. TLen there were islam Is pOepleC
with horrid human creatures covered with
hair, aud called "gorillas." Or these mon
s.ers the women were the hercer, ant
crushed each white man to a lifrless jelly
in their terrible embrace. There were 9th
or Islands of headless mon, and others ye
of "men whose heads do grow beneath thei
shoulders" There were shores wher
some, sailing further than the rest. ha'
seen the z eat roc's egg, as large as bar
rel, and even the bird itself, the flippiog Q
l.. q 10, 81. AaV 0tnF
| light.
With such whsperings as these on dec
aud under matches no wonder muiinies a
rose among men always more superstition
that those who tread the sure and firm So
earth. But the general belief in Presto
John came in here to aid Prince III nry'
endeavors. 1t was rumOred that thi
priestly ruler held his court In Ably ssinia
| or near the center of the African Continent
! Two brothers, named INVALID, who ha
sailed southwark a century before and neN
or returned, were reputed to have been mt
I on the shores of Africa by some subjects {
this great king, aud so royalty entertaine
| that they lost all desire to see their natiy
country again. And it IVES believed tbs
the meanest subject of Portugal would b
| received by Prester John with distinguish
cd honor for his nations sake, and, if he d,
served il, sent home laden With gifts.
Henry's first expeditions were mad
with caution. The Canary Islands and Il
/ Azores had been re discovered in the mi,
die of tho fourteenth century. To Por
Santo, one of the Madeiras, he sent col
ny which should form convenient port &
his outward and homeward- bound ship
The Governor Of this colony was Senior Pc
estrello, famous geographer of Lisbo
who had daughter, afterward married
one Christopher Columbus Of Genoa.
When his colony was planted on the VI
deiras, Henry's ships timidly made the
way to the Canaries, and left another col
ny thara. 4" 1iaA his greatest trium
was made. lie htted out Gill cannes,
{ brave, experienced sailor, to go down I
! African coast. As soon as this captain h
> passed the line which marked the accusto
! cd turning point OF outward bound vesse
p the crew began to murmer and rebel. Il
= Gil EAnnes was resol1te man, and b
n set his heart on achieving glory. He qn''
4 ed his mutinous sailors, and led his ships
n Cape Rojador, point further south on
Il African coast than was then known TO q
2, civilized man. II was an immense achie'
d ment in navigation, for 1t established
Q possibility OF sailing still further southwa
Prince Henry received Gil Eanues viii
" pen arms ,auu ulu not iuab BIouuu " ou9 -
e itauoy 10 prosecuting his discoveries. /
J. no grea, success crowned his efforts TILL l6
: when he sent Diego Gomez, who sailed p
,e Cape BOZ idor over the Tropic Of Cane
!. aud touched at the Cape Verde Islam
!. Whom he returned TO claim the gratiit
Is Of his patron he found tie the good Prll
Henry had died during his absence. 1
No was twenty-five years before the great v
!. age of Columbus, aud to no one man prior
a him is the world more indebted than to
10 princely navigator for the impetus he Z
"A to adventure and The enthusiasm he /
g. die! In marAtime enterprise.
~ Henry bequeathed all his charts, mat
~ mAtical instruments, and plans for new
.o routes, a rich legacy 10 his nephew,
~ nhonso ", who hsd succeeded to the thrC
sa This monarch entered with enthusiasm
a as uncle's studies, and on hearing the
90 mort of Diego Gomez that the land tren
10 east beyond Cape Verde, was confrme,
"a his idea that the Indies could be reac
ar hy sailing past the coast of Africa.
H.. new King OF Portugal spent most roy
IA for tho maps and charts for which his II
h. became celebrated. Day by day lear
"a. goopraphers under the Special DatrOnaa