mighty host of idolaters headed by his pagan brother “Panso Aquitimo.”  In 1786 Sir Home Popham found a marble cross on a rock near Angra dos Ilheos or Pequena (south latitude 26deg. 37’), with the arms of Portugal almost effaced.  Till lately the jasper pillar at Cabo Negro bore the national arms.  Doubtless much latitude was allowed in the make and material of these padroes; that which I saw near Cananea in the Brazil is of saccharine marble, four palms high by two broad; it bears a scutcheon charged with a cross and surmounted by another.

There is some doubt concerning the date of this mission.  De Barros (I. iii. 3) says A.D. 1484.  Lopes de Limn (iv. i. 5) gives the reason why A.D. 1485 is generally adopted, and he believes that the cruise of the previous year did not lead to the Congo River.  The explorer, proceeding to inspect the coast south of Cape St. Catherine (south latitude 2deg. 30’), which he had discovered in 1473, set out from Sao Jorge da Mina, now Elmina.  He was accompanied by Martin von Behaim of Nurnberg (nat. circ.  A.D. 1436, ob.  A.D. 1506), a pupil of the mathematician John Muller (Regiomontanus); and for whom the discovery of the New World has been claimed.

After doubling his last year’s terminus, Diogo Cam chanced upon a vast embouchure, and, surprised by the beauty of the scenery and the volume of the stream, he erected his stone Padrao, the first of its kind.  Finding the people unintelligible to the interpreters, he sent four of his men with a present of hawk’s bells (cascaveis) and blue glass beads to the nearest king, and, as they did not soon return, he sailed back to Portugal with an equal number of natives as hostages, promising to return after fifteen moons.  One of them, Cacuta (Zacuten of Barbot), proved to be a “fidalgo” of Sonho, and, though the procedure was contrary to orders, it found favour with the “Perfect Prince.”  From these men the Portuguese learned that the land belonged to a great monarch named the Mwani-Congo or Lord of Congo, and thus they gave the river a name unknown to the riverine peoples.

Diogo Cam, on his second visit, sent presents to the ruler with the hostages, who had learned as much Portuguese and Christianity as the time allowed; recovered his own men, and passed on to Angola, Benguela and Cabo Negro, adding to his discoveries 200 leagues of coast.  When homeward bound, he met the Mwani-Sonho, and visited the Mwani-Congo, who lived at Ambasse Congo (Sao Salvador), distant 50 leagues (?).  The ruler of the “great and wonderful River Zaire,” touched by his words, sent with him sundry youths, and the fidalgo Cacuta, who was baptized into Dom Joao, to receive instruction, and to offer a present of ivory and of palm cloth which was remarkably strong and bright.  A request for a supply of mechanics and missionaries brought out the first mission of Dominicans.  They sailed in December, 1490, under Goncalo de Sousa; they were followed by others, and in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the country was fairly over-run by the Propaganda.  A future page will enter into more details, and show the results of their labours.