PRINCE HENRY THE NAVIGATOR 181
country, and learned the route to Timbuctu. In 1444 Gon- ial© de Sintra and Dinis Dias were sent out, and were en- joined to go beyond Petra Galeae to see if they could find other languages spoken. The result of this expedition was the establishment in 1445 of a post in the island of Arguim. Soon after this the Prince directed his commanders to avoid strife with the natives and to enter into peaceful commer- cial relations with them, as he desired to convert them to Christianity. 1
The foregoing pages contain the contemporary evidence in regard to Prince Henry's aims. I now propose briefly to consider the influences which impelled him to a course of action so exceptional in his time, yet so rich in results. What first turned his attention to that continent which has preserved its mysteries longer than any other part of the world except the Poles? Prince Henry's original interest in the exploration of Africa is generally attributed to his expe- riences in the conquest of Ceuta in 1415, when Portugal attempted to carry the age's long war against the Moors into Africa.^ At the capture of this fortress, the African counter- part of Gibraltar, he won his spurs.
The primary impulse then would seem to have been cru- sading zeal.^ Once on the ground, at Ceuta, he was brought face to face with the fact that while little was known of the coast of Africa there was a considerable internal commerce which was very profitable.* Thus the desire to promote
1 Gomez, 23.
2 Barros, Dec. 1, Lib. I, Cap. 2. The first five Books of Barros' Decadas da Asia have been translated into German by Dr. E, Feust, Niirnberg, 1844.
3 As examples of the crusading spirit the following may be noted : " de pois da tomada de Cepta, sempre trouxe continuadamente Navyos Armados contra os infiees." Azurara, 44. (See above, p. 177.) " Omnes proventus qnos habebat et ex Guinea omnia expendebat in bello et continua armata in mare contra Sarracenos pro fide Christiana." Gomez, in Schmeller, 32.
- ** Ad mare arenosum Cathaginenses qui nunc vocantur Tunisi cum carobanis
et camelis aliquando 700 pertransierunt usque ad locum qui dicitur Tambuctu et aliam terram Cantor pro auro arabico quod ibi invenitur in copia maxima, de quibus hominibus ac animalibus multociens vix decima pars reversa est. Quod audiens Infans Henricus movit eum (i. e. Gonzalo Velho in 1416)^ inquirere
