some of the sand from this island, and sold it to a goldsmith in Lisbon, who procured from it a good quantity of gold.  Don Pedro, who then governed the realm, being made acquainted with this circumstance, caused the whole to be recorded in the house of justice[12].  Some think that this island belonged to what is now called the Antilles or New Spain; but though their reasons for this opinion are good, I omit them here, as not connected with my present purpose.

In the year 1449, King Alphonso granted license to his uncle, Don Henry, to colonize the Acores, which had been formerly discovered.  In the year 1458, this king went into Africa, where he took the town of Alcacer; and in the year 1461, he commanded Signior Mendez to build the castle of Arguin, in the island of that name, on the coast of Africa.  In the year 1462, three Genoese gentlemen, of whom Antonio de Noli was the chief, the others being his brother and nephew, got permission from Don Henry to take possession of the Cape de Verde islands, which some believe to be those called Gorgades, Hesperides, and Dorcades, by the ancients.  But they named them Mayo, Saint Jago, and Saint Philip, because discovered on the days of those saints.  Some call them the islands of Antonio.  In the year following, 1463, that excellent prince, Don Henry, died; having discovered, by his exertions, the whole coast of Africa, from Cape Non to the mountain of Sierra Liona, which is on this side of the line, in lat. 8 deg. 30’ N. where no man had been before.

In 1469, the king of Portugal let out the trade of Guinea, afterwards called the Minas, to Fernan Gomez, for five years, at the yearly rent of 200,000 rees[13]; and under the express condition that he was every year to discover 100 leagues farther along the coast of Africa to the south.  In 1470, this king went into Africa, accompanied by his son Prince John, where he took the town of Arzila; and the inhabitants of Tangier having fled from fear, he took possession of it also.  In the year 1471, John de St Aren and John de Scovar, under the orders of Fernan Gomez, continued the discovery of the coast of Guinea as far as St George del Mina, in lat. 5 deg.  N. and 2 deg.  W. long.; the coast from Cape Verde to Cape Palmas trending S.E. after which it goes to the east, with even a small northerly inclination for about twelve degrees of longitude.  In 1472, one Fernando da Poo discovered the island now called after his name, beyond Cape Formosa, in lat. 3 deg. 40’ N. and about the same time the islands del Principe and St Thomas were discovered, the latter of which is situated under the equinoctial line.  The firm land also was explored at the same time, all the way from the kingdom of Benin to Cape St Catherina, in lat. 1 deg. 40’ S. This last discovery was made by Sequetra, a person in the king’s immediate service.  Many suppose that then were these countries and islands discovered which had never been before known since the flood.