" This
plan was approved by Pope Nicholas V., who sanctioned Prince Henry's
enterprise in the hope of "bringing the people of India, who are reputed
to honor Christ, to the aid of European Christians against Saracens and
other enemies." This projected exploration of the African coast by
"Henry the Navigator" was the whole foundation for the _mistaken
statements that Christopher Columbus was trying to find "a sea route to
India_." Prince Henry was trying to find a sea route to an African
India which he supposed lay about where Guinea lies; and as for
Christopher, he never undertook to find either this African India, nor
the true Asiatic India; _he only promised the Spanish sovereigns that
he would find "lands in the west_."
Having straightened out the long-lived confusion about "the short route
to India," let us see how Prince Henry went to work. Northern or
Mediterranean Africa was well known to Europe, but not the Atlantic
coast. There was an ancient belief that ships could not enter tropic
seas because the intensely hot sun drew up all the water and left only
the slimy ooze of the bottom of the ocean. Cape Nun, of Morocco, was the
most southerly point of Africa yet reached; and about it there was a
discouraging saying,
"Who pass Cape Nun
Must turn again or else be gone.
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