ABSTRACT
ItisentirelytothePortuguesethatbelongsthecreditforopeningupthe sea-waysofWestAfrica.Suggestionsthattheyhadbeenprecededby sailorsfromFranceareduetomisunderstoodandprobablyforged tradition. 1ThereisnoreliablepositiveevidencethatMoorsandArabs navigatedtheAtlantic,thoughculture-contactsmakeitprobablethat therewasoccasionalcommunicationbetweensouthernMoroccoand theCanaryIslands.ItisunlikelythattheArabscarriedoutcoasting voyages;alltheiractivitywasfromtheinteriortothecoastandin specialcasestooffshoreislands.
