Cabral

Cabral, or CABRERA, PEDRO ALVAREZ, the discoverer—after Pinzon—of Brazil, was born about 1460 of a good old Portuguese family. After Vasco da Gama's first voyage, the king appointed Cabral to the command of a fleet of 13 vessels, carrying 1200 men, and bound for the East Indies. On the 9th March 1500 he sailed from Lisbon. To avoid becalming off the coast of Africa, he took a course too far westerly, fell into the South American current of the Atlantic, and was carried to the unknown coast of Brazil, of which, on 25th April, he claimed possession for the king of Portugal, naming the new country 'Terra da Santa Cruz.' After sending home one vessel to bear news of his accidental discovery, Cabral sailed for India; but on 29th May four of his vessels foundered, and all on board perished, including Diaz the great navigator; and soon afterwards three more vessels were lost. Cabral therefore landed at Mozambique, on the east coast of Africa, of which he first gave clear information, and sailed thence to Calicut, where, having made the terror of his arms felt, he was permitted to found a factory, entered into successful negotiations with native rulers, and thus established the first commercial treaty between Portugal and India. He returned with a considerable booty, and dropped anchor at Lisbon, 31st July 1501. Subsequently we find no mention of Cabral.