out for the strait which was supposed to penetrate across the continent
of the new world, and by which a route to India by the west was expected
to be discovered. He sailed by Hispaniola and Jamaica to the river Azua,
Cape Higueras, the Gamares islands, and to Cape Honduras, which signifies
the Cape of the Depths. From thence he sailed eastwards to Cape Garcias a
Dios, and discovered the province and river of Veragua, the Rio Grande,
and others, which the Indians call Hienra. Thence to the river of
Crocodiles, now called Rio de Chagres, which rises near the South Sea,
within four leagues of Panama, and runs into the Caribbean Sea. He went
next to the Isle of Bastimentos, or of Provisions, and after that to
Porto Bello; thence to Nombre de Dios and Rio Francisco, and the harbour
of Retreat. Then to the Gulf of Cabesa Cattiva, the islands of Caperosa
and Cape Marmora; having discovered two hundred leagues along the coast.
He thence returned to the island of Cuba, and from that to Jamaica, where
he laid his ships aground, on account of their bottoms being much eaten
by the worms.

On the tenth of February 1S02, Don Vasques de Gama, now admiral, sailed
from Lisbon for India, with nineteen or twenty caravels. On the last day
of February he reached Cape de Verd, whence he went to Mosambique, and
was the first who crossed over from thence to India. In this passage he
discovered the islands of Amirante, in four degrees of south latitude.
Having taken in a cargo of pepper and drugs, de Gama returned to Lisbon,
leaving Vincent Sodre to keep the coast of India, with four stout ships.
These were the first of the Portuguese who navigated the coast of Arabia
Felix, which is so barren, that the inhabitants are forced to support
their camels and other cattle on dried fish. The sea on that coast is so
abundant in fish, that the cats are in use to take them. One Antonio de
Saldania is reported to have discovered Socotora, formerly named Coradis,
and the Cape of Guardafu in 1503.