]
Less than four months after his father's death, John, who as heir
apparent, had drawn part of his income from the African trade and its
fisheries, sent out Diego de Azambuga with ten caravels to superintend
three undertakings: first the construction of a fort at St. George da
Mina, to secure the trade of the Guinea Coast; second, the rebuilding of
Henry's old fort at Arguin; third, the exploration of the yet unknown
coast as far as possible. For this, stones, brick, wood, mortar, and
tools for building were sent out with the fleet, and carved pillars were
taken to be set up in all fresh discovered lands, instead of the wooden
crosses that had previously done duty. Each pillar was fourteen hands
high, was carved in front with the royal arms and on the sides with the
names of the King and the Discoverer, with the date of discovery in
Latin and Portuguese.
Azambuga's fleet sailed on the 11th of December, 1480, made a treaty
with the chief Bezeghichi, near Cape Verde, and reached La Mina, on the
south coast of Guinea, on January 19, 1482, after a year spent in fort
building and treaty making with the natives of north-west Africa. Fort
and church at La Mina were finished in twenty days, and Azambuga sent
back his ships with a great cargo in slaves and gold, but without any
news of fresh discovery.
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