William Winterbotham
Published: 2018-01-13
Total Pages: 606
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Excerpt from An Historical, Geographical, Commercial and Philosophical View of the American United States, and of the European Settlements in America and the West-Indies, Vol. 1 of 4 Towards the clofe of the 14th century, the navigation of Europe was (carcely extended beyond the limits Of the Mediterranean. The mari ner's compafs had been invented and in common ufe for more than a century; yet with the help of this fure guide, prompted by the molt ardent fpirit of difcovery, and encouraged by the patronage of princes, the mariners of thofe days rarely ventured from the fight of land. They acquired great applaufe by failing along the coaft of Africa and difcovering fome Of the neighbouring iflands; and after pulhing their refearches with the greatelt induftry and perfeverance for more than half a century, the Portuguefe, who were the molt fortunate and en terprifing, extended their difcoveries Southward no farther than the equator. The rich commodities of the Ball, had for feveral ages been brought into Europe by the way of the Red Sea and the Mediterranean; and it had now become the Objefi of the Po'rtuguefe to find a paflage to India, by failing round the Southern extremity of Africa and then taking an Ballern courfe. This great objeet engaged the general attention of mankind, and drew into the Portuguefe fervice adventurers from every maritime nation in Europe. Every year added to their experience in navigation, and feemed to promife a reward to their induliry. The profpeet, however, of arriving at the Indies was extremelyflifiant; fifty years perfeverance in the fame track, had brought them only to the equator, and it was propable that as many more would elapfe before they could accomplifh their purpofe, had not columbus, by an uncommon exertion of genius, formed a defign no lefs altonilhing to the age in which he lived, than beneficial to pofierity. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.