Safety, not renown or profit, now became their object; and then hope was at last out the negative of some fear.

Thereupon, no doubt, ensued a good deal of recrimination amongst themselves, for very few people are magnanimous enough to share ill-success kindly together.

Then, in the long dull evenings of their voyage homewards, as they sat looking on the waters, they thought what excuses and explanations they would make to their friends at home, and how shame and vexation would mingle with their joy at returning.
CA DA MOSTO.
This transaction, teeming, as it did, with anxious life, makes but a poor show in some chronicle;--they sailed, and did something, or failed in doing, and then came back, and this was in such a year:--brief records, like the entry in an almanack, or the few emphatic words on a tombstone.
At the period, however, we are now entering upon, the annals of maritime discovery are fortunately enriched by the account of a voyager who could tell more of the details of what he saw than we have hitherto heard from other voyagers, and who was himself his own chronicler.
In 1454, Ca da Mosto, a young Venetian, who had already gained some experience in voyaging, happened to be on board a Venetian galley that was detained by contrary winds at Cape St.Vincent.Prince Henry was then living close to the Cape.

He sent his secretary and the Venetian consul on board the galley.

They told of the great things the prince had done, showed samples of the commodities that came from the lands discovered by him (Madeira sugars, dragon's blood, and other articles), and spoke of the gains made by Portuguese voyagers being as great as 700 or 1000 per cent.
Ca da Mosto expressed his wish to be employed, was informed of the terms that would be granted, and heard that a Venetian would be well received by the prince, "because he was of opinion, that spices and other rich merchandise might be found in those parts, and know that the Venetians understood these commodities better than any other nation." In fine, Ca da Mosto saw the prince, and was evidently much impressed by his noble bearing.