[3] An account of the termites, or white ants of Africa, will appear
    hereafter.  The circumstance of serpents taking up their abode in the
    large anthills, must be entirely accidental.—­E.

[4] Probably the Pintado, or Guinea fowl.—­E.

[5] This in Ramusio is called Tabacche, and Sambuka in Grynaeus.—­Astl.

SECTION VII.

Continuation of the Voyage from Senegal, by Cape Verd, the river Barbasini, and to the river Gambia; and, returns to Portugal.

Having seen a considerable part of the dominions of Budomel, and received the slaves which, were bargained for, in exchange for my horses and other merchandize, I resolved to proceed on my voyage, round Cape Verd, and to prosecute discoveries along this dangerous coast, and in particular, to go in search of the kingdom of Gambia or Gambia, which Don Henry had pointed out, on the information of a person who was well acquainted with the country of the Negroes, as not far from Senegal, and from whence, it was reported, that considerable quantities of gold might be procured.  Longing to go in quest of this gold, I took my leave of Budomel, and repaired to the river Senegal, where I went on board the caravel and got under weigh, as soon as possible.  Soon after leaving the river Senegal, as we were standing onward with a press of sail towards Cape.  Verd, we descried, one morning two ships in the offing.  On joining company, we found that one of these belonged to Antonio, an experienced Genoese navigator, and the other to some gentlemen in the service of Don Henry, and that they had sailed in company, with the intention of passing Cape Verd, to explore the coast beyond it, in search of new discoveries.  Our intentions being similar, I offered to join company, and we accordingly proceeded together along the coast to the southward, in sight of land.

We came in sight of that cape next day, being about thirty Italian miles from our last anchorage[1].  Cape Verd was so named by the Portuguese, who discovered it about a year before[2], because it is covered with trees which continue green all the year.  This is a high and beautiful cape, which runs a considerable way into the sea, and has two hills or small mountains at its outer extremity.  There are several villages of the Senegal negroes, or Jalofs, upon and about this promontory, which are composed of thatched cabins close by the shore, and in sight of those who sail past.  There are also some sand banks, which extend about half a mile into the sea[3].