by Gomez and that which he had received by letter from a
merchant in Oran confirms his belief in both reports.^
Prince Henry did not neglect literary sources. His brother Dom Pedro brought from Venice in 1428 a copy of Marco Polo 2 and a map. The description of the map which has been handed down by Antonio Galvao in his " Treatise on the Discoveries^^ is evidently greatly exaggerated, ^ but it probably did contain a fairly correct outline of Africa as did an Italian map of 1351 (the so-called Lauren tian Portulano). Such maps were based on information derived through the channels of land trade just as Prince Henry secured a de- scription of the Senegal. The familiar map of Fra Mauro (1457-59), which was made for King Alfonso V. of Portugal, is another example of such a happy combination of guess- work and vague reports. If we may trust Damiao Goes, who wrote about the middle of the next century. Prince Henry was a careful student of the ancient geographers and knew of the supposed voyage of Hanno around Africa, the expedition ordered by Pharaoh Necho and the report of Strabo of the finding of fragments of Spanish vessels in the Red Sea.* This statement must be received with caution as it is partially inconsistent with the ever reiterated assertion of the contemporary documents of the absolute novelty of the voyages down the coast of Africa.
To avail himself of the highest ability in nautical matters the Prince engaged at great expense an expert map and in- strument maker as well as skilful navigator, Jacome or Jayme
1 " Et postquam reversus sum ad D. Infantem retulendo haec omina, dixit mihi, quod niercator in Oran ei scripserat jam duo menses elapsi de guerra, etc. Et sic credebat omina." Gomez, in Schraeller, 28.
2 See the preface of the early Portuguese edition by Yalentim Fernandez, quoted by Martins. Osjilhos de D. Jodo, I, 132.
8 It was said to contain the Straits of Magellan and the Cape of Good Hope and to have helped the prince in his discoveries. See Major, Prince Henry, 62, or the Hakluyt Soc. Edition of Galvao's Tratado, 66. The words " fairly correct •outline " of course are not to be taken too strictly. These maps indicated the peninsular character of Africa, and showed the retreat of the western coast line by the Gulf of Guinea, etc.
- Souza Holstein, A Escola de Sagres, 23.
