rows sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other, to keep the almadia steady in her course.  They have no pins or row-locks to steady their oars, but hold them fast with both hands; their oar being a pole, like a half lance, seven feet and a half long, with a round board like a trencher fastened to one end, and with these they row with great safety and swiftness, in the mouths of their rivers, which are very numerous; but they seldom go out to sea, or to any distance from their own coasts, lest they should be taken by their neighbours and sold for slaves.

[1] There is some difficulty respecting the date of this second voyage.  In
    the former, Cada Mosto sailed from Portugal in March 1455.  In the
    course of his proceedings, the month of November is mentioned, and
    some subsequent transactions are said to have happened in July, which,
    on this arrangement, must necessarily have been of the year 1456.  If,
    therefore, the dates of the former voyage be accurate, the second
    ought to have been dated in 1457.—­E.

[2] This part of the narrative is involved in difficulty, and most be
    erroneous.  A storm from the S. W. off Cape Branco, almost in lat. 21 deg. 
    N. and a N. W. course, could not possibly lead to the discovery of the
    Cape Verd islands, almost six degrees farther south, and at least six
    degrees farther west.  This difficulty may be solved, by supposing the
    storm from the N.E. and that the ships drove to the S.W. from off Cape
    Branco.—­E.

[3] This passage alludes to the voyage of Antonio de Noli in 1462.  And it
    may be remarked, that de Faria, who mentions the discovery of these
    islands by Noli, takes no notice of the actual discovery by Cada Mosto. 
    —­Astl.

[4] The editor of Astleys Collection considers this as having been St
    Jameses island, which is about twenty miles up the Gambia:  But there
    is a small island near the northern bank, now called Charles I. which
    exactly corresponds with the distance in the text.—­E.

[5] According to our best maps or charts of the Gambia, this river is
    never less than four miles broad, and generally above five, till we
    get near 100 miles up the river, to the reach which encircles the
    Devils Point, where it still is two miles wide.  It is possible that
    the original journal of Cada Mosto may have had leagues of three
    marine miles each, in which case the residence of Battimansa may have
    been at or near the Devils Point, above 100 miles up the river.—­E.

[6] Though this country will be amply described in other voyages in our
    Collection, it may be proper to remark, that both sides of the river
    Gambia are inhabited by a mixed population of three nations, the
    Feloops, Foleys, and Mandingoes, each of whom have their own separate
    villages interspersed.  This population is divided into many states,
    lordships, or little kingdoms; as Joalli, Barrah, Kolar, Badibu,
    Barsalli, &c. on or near the northern bank; Kumbo, Fonia, Kaen, Jagra,
    Yamini, &c. on the southern.—­E.