The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume XVI, No. 6 [‎356r] (64/232)

THE VOYAGES OF DIOGO CAO AND BARTHOLOMEU DIAS, 1482-83. 637
fact set up a marble column, with the emblem of the cross, and pro
ceeded onwards as far as the Serra parda, which is distant 1000 miles
from the Black mountain, and here he died” (et hie moritur).
A “ parecer,” or opinion, drawn up by the Spanish astronomers and
pilots who attended the congress of Badajoz in 1525, and signed by
Hernan Colon, Juan Sebastian del Cano, and others, goes far to confirm
this legend, for it tells us that Cao, in the course of his second voyage,
discovered the coast from Montenegro as far as the Sierra Parda, where
he died (donde murio), a distance of 200 leagues (680 sea miles) *
The distance between Cape Negro and Sierra Parda actually amounts
to 435 sea miles (139 leagues, or 556 Italian or Roman miles), but if
we assume the Mediterranean on the chart of Germanus (which has no
scale) to measure 3000 Italian miles in length, as usually adopted, then
the distance separating Montenegro from Sierra Parda on that chart
would equal 1000 of these miles.
Of course, if Cao died near his last padrao, we are compelled to
reject the account given by Kuy de Pina and Barros of the final stages
of his expedition, and generally accepted. According to these historians,
Cao returned to the Congo, had an interview with the Mani Congo, who
expressed a desire for priests to convert his people, masons and carpenters
to build churches and houses, labourers to break in oxen, and women to
make bread, so that his kingdom might in every respect become like
Portugal. He sent Caguto, one of Cao’s hostages, as ambassador to
Portugal, and with him the sons of several of his courtiers,, desiring
that they should be taught to read and write and made Christians. At
the same time he sent a present of ivory and palm cloth, the most
valuable products of his kingdom.
Now, we have good reason to believe that Ca 5 uto was received by
the king in the beginning of 1489, the king being then at Beja, where
he and his companions were baptized with much solemnity, the king
himself, his queen, and gentlemen of title acting as sponsors.t We
know, further, that Ca ? uto, henceforth known as D. Joao da Silva, was
sent back to Congo with D. Gongalo de Sousa, King Joao’s ambassador,
in December, 1490. Barros + says that this happened two years after
he had been baptized.
It might reasonably be concluded, from these dates, that Caguto aruve
in Portugal in December, 1488, was baptized at Beja in January, 1489,
and again left for Congo, after a stay of two years, in December, 1490.
But if this be so, he cannot have come with Cao, for Cao, or his ships,
* Navarrete, ‘ Colleccion,’ iv. (Madrid, 1837), p. 347. Observe an omission after
“ el dicho cabo.” „ 1 <t Q.
f Huy de Pina (who may have been present at this reception and baptism), p. .
Garcia de Resende, p. 69 ; Barros, ‘Asia,’ t. I. i. pp. 177, 22/.
x ‘ Asia,’ t. I. i. p. 224.