The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-11-14

income WAS chiefly obtained from his posi-.
tion as Grand Master of the Military Order
# Christ, and with the means and with the
faithful associates in connection with this
order of Christian Knighthood, the Prince
was enabled TO prosecute the enlightened
purposes of his soul.
HE TEACHES AND LECTURES.
In his quiet retreat on the bold headland
of Cape Sagres, or st. Vincent, he talked
with his brother knights and late compan-
ions in arms in African warfare, like a
professor, and inspired theG like a prophet.
He declared that he felt il was even rs his
blessed mother had said, that God had APP
pointed him 10 open up new ways and lands
for the advancement of the Kingdom of
Christ, and the great glory of Portugal. But
he especially pointed out 10 his companions
the absurdity and the worthlessness OF the
chivalrous dreams of the day, which peopIed
unknown lands with giants and fairies. and
monstrous animals that were impoSsibilities
and set forth 10 them that the rest of the
globe, not known 10 the civilized world,
must be animated by human beings and
other creatures as natural in their organiza-
lion as those they beheld in their own quarter
of the earth. And he then infamed their
minds with the vision he presented of the
glory and consequence that would accrue TO
their country and TO themselves in the event
of finding new lands with new people, with
whom they could establish friendly and
profitable intercourse, and also enlarge the
bounds of human knowledge and sympathy.
FIRST VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY.
What a hope was awakened among these
young enthusiasts, as they were inspired by
this p%rincely lecturer! This was the first
germ of modern progress, -Sagres was its
cradle, and Henry was its prophet. He was
not an idle dreamer, or mere visionary,-he
was a laborious student in the acquisition of
knowledge, and yet he seemed TO be moved
to many of his enterprises less by calcula-
ton than by an impulse OF soul or inspira-
ton. Ii is related that one night his dreams
and reflections about discoveries of. new
lands so possessed his soul, that he reused up
with fervid emotion,-and calling around
him his followers, and speaking of his i'm
pressions during the night, as a vision from
God, he appointed two of their number who
had some experience as seamen, TO take
command of two caravels then in the port
OF Lagos near by, to put out 10 sea and 10
sail down the African coast into the unknown
seas that had not yet been ventured into on
account of European ignorance and fears.
And forthwith. on this very day, some time
in the spring of l4l6, this first voyage un-
dertaken for the sake of discovery, since the
DAYS of the ancient Greeks and PhRnicians,
was commenced, and the Princes c~aravels
passed beyond Cape Non, the point on the
coast of Africa, east of the Canaries, which
was then regarded as the tabooed limit Of
European enterprise. But these pioneer dis
coverersIa did not venture more than $50
miles beyond the forbidden point, having
beer terrified by tempestuous seas,-by the
break and turmoil of the waters that ever
fret and foam around Cape Bojador,-and
considering this point as the entrance to some
vast and destructive whirlpools and absorb
ing CULTS, they put their vessels about and
returned to Portugal.
HIS UN~QUENCHABLE HOPE AND PERSEVERANCE.
The enthusiastic Prince was not in the
least discouraged by the poor results OF the
voyage his enlightened mind rightly judged
that the especial commotion of the sea
around an advanced point of the African
coast, which had terrified his inexperienced
captains, must be an agitation and clash Of
waters caused by some strong and extensive
currents and counter-currents. which could
be avoided and passed by standing we'll out
to sea, and by trusting to the compass in
order to double the point. Therefore he
ordered a strong built caravel TO be got
ready for another voyage, and this he placed
in charge of two faithful officers of his
household, named Juan GonsaIez Zarco and
Tristan VaZ Texeird, who fully partook of
their Patrons enthusiasm, and were determ-
ined TO encounter all the terrors Of the
African seas.
SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY.
Tvbo,r oo,.ooo 81 eI;I 90 1000.
soon tested. Not many DAYS after passing
the Straits of Gibraltar, and while standing
well out TO sea, in order to make a course
clear of the supposed stormy capes of the
African coast, they were struck by a sudden
and furious tempest which drove them
away from the Continent to the southwest.
For three days, Henry's officers and their
company momentarily expected to be en-
quilted in a raging sea. Bue the stout little
ship withstood well the terrible buffetting of
the storm tossed waters,-and the brave
Zarco and Texeiza, standing day and night
with undaunted nerve by the helm, whilst
the afrighted sailors were groveling and
PROSTATE and praying 10 saints, were at last
relieved by the subsistence of the gale, and
then a clear sky revealed to them the blessed
sight of land, which proved to be entirely
new,-with a strange people and a novel
vegetation for European eyes. The grateful
and devout young officers, thankful for their
safety and the opportunity of repose, called
the island Puerto Santo, or the Holy Port,
and this was the
FIRST SPECIAL OCEAN DISCOVERY.
And as they found its people comely and
gentle, BETTING the character of the Fortu-
nate Isles, supposed to exist in those seas,
and observed that the soil was very fertile,
they were so delighted with the discovery,
that they resolved not TO continue the search
along the African coast. but TO return with
their present acquisition of knowledge, and
with evidences of their discovery to their
expectant Patron.