Page:The Captivity of Hans Stade of Hesse.pdf/146

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IN EASTERN BRAZIL.
27

Caput VI.

Description of my other voyage from Civilien, in Spain, to America.

Anno Domini 1549, the fourth day after Easter, we sailed out of Sanct Lucas, and the wind being against us, we took refuge at Lisbon. When the wind became favourable we sailed to the Canary Isles, and anchored at an island called Pallama,[1] where we took in some wine for the voyage. There also the pilots of the vessels agreed, in case we were separated at sea, upon which part of the land they would meet again, namely in twenty-eight degrees on the south side of the equinoctial line.

From Palma we sailed to Cape Virde,[2] that is, the green. headland, which lies in the land of the black Moors.[3] There we had nearly suffered shipwreck. From that place we sailed our course, the wind was against us, beat us several times back upon the coast of Gene,[4] where the black Moors also dwell. Thereafter we arrived at an island, called S. Thomé, belonging to the king of Portugal; it is an island rich in sugar, but unhealthy. In it live Portuguese with many black Moors, who are their slaves. Having taken in

  1. ↑ Palma (Canarian Archipelago), in N. lat. 28 deg. 43 min. and W. long. (G.) 17 deg. 45 min. It is described by George Glas (lib. iii, History of the Canary Islands, 1 vol. 4to, London 1764), who says that the natives called it Benahoare, meaning "my country." See part 2, chap. 1.
  2. ↑ The Portuguese Cabo Verde and our Cape Verd, in N. lat. 14 deg. 43 min. 25 sec. and W. long (G.) 17 deg. 30 min. 45 sec.
  3. ↑ The Black Moors are the modern Joloffs or Yoloffs, the Kru-men or Kru-boys, and possibly the Mandingaa. Hans Stade does not confine the name to Mahometans after the fashion of later travellers.
  4. ↑ Guinea, here meaning Upper Guinea from Cape Mesurado (N. lat. 6 deg. 18 min. 80 sec.) to Cape Palmas (N. lat. 4 deg. 24 min.) It is better known as the Grain Coast, from the Cardamom, formerly called Guinea Grains and Grains of Paradise. This weed, now universally neglected, gave the main impulse to English exploration.
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