In 1435 Gil Eannes was sent out again to follow up his success with
Affonso Baldaya, the Prince's cupbearer, in a larger vessel than had yet
been risked in exploration, called a varinel, or oared galley. The two
captains passed fifty leagues--one hundred and fifty miles--beyond the
Cape, and found traces of caravans, reached as far as an inlet they
named Gurnet Bay, from its shoals of fish, and again put back to Lagos,
early in the year.
There were still several months left for ocean sailing in 1435, and
Henry at once despatched Baldaya again in his varinel, with orders to go
as far as he could along the coast, at least till he could find some
natives. One of these he was to bring home with him. Baldaya accordingly
sailed 130 leagues--390 miles--beyond Cape Bojador, till he reached an
estuary running some twenty miles up the country and promising to lead
to a great river. This might prove to be the western Nile of the
Negroes, or the famous River of Gold, Baldaya thought, and though it
proved to be only an inlet of the sea, the name of Rio d'Ouro, then
given by the first hopes of the Portuguese, has outlasted the
disappointment that found only a sandy reach instead of a waterway to
the Mountains of the Moon and the kingdom of Prester John.
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