till some time between the years 1326 and 1334, when a French ship
happened to be driven among them by a storm. Upon this discovery, Don
Luis de la Cerda, count of Claramonte, whose father, Don Alonzo, had been
deprived of his right to the inheritance of the crown of Castile,
procured a grant of these islands, with the title of king, from Pope
Clement VI., on condition of causing the gospel to be preached to the
natives[2]. Don Luis equipped a fleet from some of the ports of the
Spanish kingdom of Arragon, in order to take possession of his new
kingdom, but the design failed, and he died soon after.

In 1385, some Biscayners and inhabitants of Seville joined in the
equipment of five ships at Cadiz, in order to make descents for the sake
of plunder upon the Canary islands, and the adjacent coast of Africa.
After coasting along the African shore, they sailed westwards, and fell
in with the island now called Lancerota, where they landed; and after a
skirmish with the natives, plundered the town, front which they carried
off a large booty of goat-skins, tallow, and sheep, and 170 of the
inhabitants, whom they sold into slavery. Among these were Guanareme,
king of the island, and his wife Tingua-faya. A similar expedition in
quest of plunder and captives was made to Lancerota from Seville in 1393.

In the year 1400, John de Betancour, a gentleman of Normandy, and Gadifer
de Sala, a person of considerable fortune, fitted out three small vessels
from Rochelle in France, containing 200 persons, exclusive of the
mariners, and made a descent upon Lancerota, where they erected a fort at
a harbour, to which they gave the name of Rubicon. Leaving there a small
garrison, they passed over to the island of Fuertaventura; but being
opposed by the natives, they prudently retired without fighting.
Betancour afterwards applied to Don Henry III. king of Arragon, for
assistance to enable him to make a conquest of these islands; who made