his cousin, Henry of Bolingbroke.

DISCOVERY OF THE CANARY ISLANDS
AND THE AFRICAN COAST

BEGINNING OF NEGRO SLAVE TRADE

A.D. 1402

SIR ARTHUR HELPS

The Canary Islands--the "Elysian Fields" and "Fortunate
Islands" of antiquity--have perhaps figured in fabulous lore
more extensively than any others, and have been discovered,
invaded, and conquered more frequently than any country in
the world. There has scarcely been a nation of any maritime
enterprise that has not had to do with them, and in one
manner or another made its appearance in them.

During the period following the death of ancient empires,
the Canary Islands lay hidden in the general darkness which
fell upon the world. With the modern revival came new and
greater mariners, and the islands were once more discovered.
It is well to note the connection between these modern
rediscoveries and the origin of negro slavery.

In Europe the old pagan slavery existed in many nations, and
in the early Christian centuries underwent many
modifications through the advance of the new religion and
civilization. The modern form of slavery began with the
first importation of negroes into Europe, as shown in the
following account, from which it appears that the history of
modern slavery begins with the history of African discovery.

Petrarch is referred to by Viera to prove that the Genoese sent out an
expedition to the Canary Islands. Las Casas mentions that an English or
French vessel bound from France or England to Spain was driven by
contrary winds to these Islands, and on its return spread abroad in
France an account of the voyage. The information thus obtained--or
perhaps in other ways of which there is no record--stimulated Don Luis
de la Cerda, Count of Clermont, great-grandson of Don Alonzo the Wise of
Castile, to seek for the investiture of the crown of the Canaries, which
was given to him with much pomp by Clement VI, at Avignon, in 1344,
Petrarch being present. This sceptre proved a barren one. The affairs of
France, with which state the new King of the Canaries was connected,
drew off his attention; and he died without having visited his
dominions. The next authentic information that we have of the Canary
Islands is that, in the times of Don Juan I of Castile, and of Don
Enrique, his son, these islands were much visited by the Spaniards. In
1399, we are told, certain Andalusians, Biscayans, Guipuzcoans, wit