Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/185

 Chap. VTT.] PROGRESS OF DISCOVERY. 151

The spirit of enterprise which Prince Henry had fostered was not allowed a d. uso. to expire with him ; and under Alonso V., who was then reigning, the African coast was explored ahnost to the equator. John II., the son and succe.ssor of Progicfisof

• • 1 /• T -11 discovery

Alonso, continuing the progress of discovery, was so convinced that India would un.ier ultimately be reached, that, in H8i, he took a step which, though of an extra- a,,!!"*" ordinary nature, appears to have been dictated by sound and far-sighted policy. ■'"'"' " Great exertions had been made by the government of Portugal in fitting out expeditions for maritime discovery ; and now, when they seemed about to be crowned with success, tlie danger was, that other states might step in anil insist on sharing in the fruits. As the best means of preventing this, he sent ambas- sadors to several of tiie leading European courts, and offered them the alternative of either uniting with him, and furnishing men and money to {i«sist in the con- (juests which he was contemplating, on the understanding that a fair proportion of the benefit would be awarded them, or leave him to proceed as hitherto, on his own entire resj)onsibility, and of course, in common fairness, for his own exclusive benefit.

This attempt to form what may be called a joint-stock company, in which Grant from kings were to be the only sluu'eholders, failed. All the crowned heads ap|)lied to, declined to entertain the proposal ; and John took the additional precaution of calling in the aid of the pope, who, in the plenitude of an arrogant power, then undisputed, but soon after to be shaken to its very foundations, drew an imaginary line from north to south, by which he divided the world into two eipial halves, and decreed that discoveries of new countries made from west to east should only be competent, and shouUl belong exclusively to the Portuguese. It seems not to have occurred either to the king ai' the pope that discoveries made from eixat to west might be carried so far as to make this grant futile, and convert it into a great bone of contention.

From this period the King of Portugal assumed the additional title of Lord Overiand

journey to

of Guinea, and evinced a detennination to turn his grant to the best account. tiieEiisi Besides fitting out an expedition, under Diego Cam, who, in 1481, reached 22" of south latitude, and must consequently have been within 12^ of the southern extremity of the African continent, he sent two messenger overland with instructions to discover the country of Prester John, then believed to be a great reality, though since ascertained to have had only a fabulous existence. They were also to ascertain whence the drugs and spices came which the Venetians traded in, and whether there wjis any sailing from the south of Africa to India One of these messengers, Pedro de Covillam, succeeded in reaching India, and obtained much im}M)rtant information; but before the letter conveying it reached Portugal, the great problem had been solved by Bartolommeo Diaz, who had sailed south with thive ships in 1486. After reaching a higher southern latitude than any ])revious navigator, a storm arose which drove him out to .sea. His direction under such circum.stances could not