When
he came there he found an "Emperor so honest that he might have been an
example to any Christian," who exchanged his horses, wool-fells, and
linen goods for the strangers' merchandise and slaves, with deeds as
honourable as his words. Our adventurer was so taken with "Lord Budomel"
that he gladly went with him two hundred and fifty miles up country, on
his promising a supply of negro slaves, black but comely, and none of
them more than twelve years old.
On this adventurous journey, of which we are next given a full account,
Cadamosto is taken charge of by Bisboror, the Prince's nephew, "through
whom I saw many things worth noting." The Venetian was not anxious to
put off to sea, as the weather was very rough, so rough indeed that no
boat could venture off from the bank at the river's mouth to where the
ships lay, and the captain had to send word to his crews by negro
swimmers, who could pass any surf, "for that they excel all other living
men in the water and under it, for they can dive an hour without
rising."
It is not worth while to follow Cadamosto in all his long account of
what he saw and heard of negro life in the course of this journey; it is
as unsavoury as it is commonplace.
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