On Exploring Cape Bojador, 1434

           No one has ever sailed past the treacherous Cape Bojador, located on the northern coast of Africa. Many sailors (including my own!) fear sailing towards that dreaded place full of reefs, currents, high winds, and ghastly sea monsters! Oh the stories that surround it! The uncharted waters beyond Cape Bojador are known as the "Green Sea of Darkness". Here resides deadly sea serpents who attack sailors, a sun that is too close to the Earth and that burns human flesh to a dark black color, boiling waters, and ships were even reported to have caught on fire! However these stories do nothing to deter my determination to explore Africa. Over the course of twelve years, I have sent a total of fifteen expeditions there but alas! They have all failed me. Oh the ridicule and the shame! My pride lowered as each time the expeditions came back empty handed and the captains apologized to me. Yet I refused to give up in my attempts! I finally persuaded Captain Gil Eannes to lead one of my expeditions, although he had failed on a previous voyage. However, I still saw much potential in him and my insight was correct. In the year 1434 Eannes sailed past the dreadful Cape and came back! It was a glorious and triumphant moment! My years of high expectations only to be disappointed were now worth the trouble. I now had the honor of being the sponsor of the first sailor to round Cape Bojador despite the dangerous obstacles and fearsome tales!

--A Map of My Time--

Courtesy of Son of the South

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Bojador

http://www.porcelainsandpeacocks.com/2010/04/conquering-green-sea-of-darkness-henry.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gil_Eanes