He Notices Having Seen Mastick Drawn From Some Trees In
The Island Of Scio, One Of The Isles In The Greek Archipelago.
In one place of his own writings he says that he had been at sea during
twenty-three years,
Without being on shore for any length of time; and had
seen all the countries of the east and west, and towards the north,
particularly England and Guinea; yet had never seen any harbours that
could be compared for goodness with those which he had discovered in the
West Indies. He says farther, "I went first to sea at fourteen years of
age, and have followed that profession ever since." In his note book of
his second voyage he says, "I had two ships, one of which I left at Porto
Sancto, for a certain reason, where it continued one day; and on the day
following, I rejoined it at Lisbon[5]; because I encountered a storm, and
had contrary winds at south-west, and the other ship had contrary winds at
south-east." From these instances it may be inferred that he had great
experience in sea affairs, and that he had visited many countries and
places, before he undertook his great discovery.
[1] This must be understood as referring to voyages in the Mediterranean,
in respect of the port of Genoa. - E.
[2] Supposing Columbus to have been 14 years of age on first going to sea,
it may be concluded that he was born in 1447.
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