In 1475 Cape St. Catherine, two degrees south of the Line, was reached
and then after six more years of languishing exploration and flourishing
trade, King John II. succeeded Affonso V. and took up the work, in the
spirit of Prince Henry the Navigator.
Now in six short years, exploration carried out the main part of the
design of so many years, the southern Cape of Africa was rounded and the
way to India laid open. For the time had come, and the man, John, added
a new chapter to discovery by the travellers he sent across the Dark
Continent and the sailors he despatched to the Arctic Seas to find a
north-east passage to China.
He died just as he was fitting up the expedition that was to enter upon
the promised land, and the glory of Da Gama's voyage fell to one who had
not laboured, but entered upon the fruits of the toil of other men, the
palace-king, Emanuel the Fortunate. But at least the names of Diaz, and
Diego Cam, and Covilham, the rounding of the Cape of Storms, the first
journey (though an overland one), straight from Lisbon to Malabar,
belong to the second founder of Portuguese and European discovery, John
the Perfect.
[Illustration: VASCO DA GAMA. FROM THE PORTRAIT IN POSSESSION OF COUNT
OF LAVRADIO.
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