CABRAL, kA-brill', or CABRERA, ka-briVra, PEnno ALVAREZ (1460-1526). A Portuguese navi gator. His public life, as far as known, was lim ited to the brief period 1500-01. when he was in charge of a fleet fitted out by King Emmanuel, destined for the East Indies. With 13 vessels and about 1200 men Cabral left Lisbon on March 9, 1500, intending to follow the route previously taken by Casco da Gallia. by way of the Cape of Good Hope. Either to avoid storms or calms, he took a course west of that of Vasco da Gama, and was carried to the coast of Brazil by the strong southern equatorial current. Pinzon had touched on the northeastern coast of Brazil in the very beginning of the same year. somewhat north of where Cabral landed. Pinzon, however, did not scan to recognize the significance of his discovery, and Cabral regarded the part of the Eastern Hemisphere, the non-Christian portions of which had been assigned to Portugal. He accordingly 'took possession' in the name of the Portuguese King. calling the country Terra Sanc
ta' Creels. Had Columbus failed in his original enterprise. the NOV World would not long have remained unknown to Europe. Lou' the Portuguese followed up this accidental discovery of Brazil, and would in this way have opened' up the West ern Continent. Leaving Brazil. Cabral sailed eastward to India, making important discoveries. on the way. He founded a trading post at Cali cut, and concluded the first commercial treaty of Portugal in India. On his return to Portu gal. he was for some reason not retained in ser vice, and sinks again into obscurity. "This ad venture of Cabral's had interesting consequences. It set in motion the train of events which ended, after some years, in placing the name 'America' upon the map." Consult Fiske, Discovery of A liter-lea, Vol. II. (Boston. 1892) : Capistrano de Abreu, Deseobrimento do Brasil (Rio de Janeiro, 18S3).