- E. [15] It Is Probable That The Fish, Here Called Pilchards Were Of One Of The Kinds Of Flying Fish, Which Is Of The Same Genus With The Herring And Pilchard.

Voyagers ignorant of natural history are extremely apt to name new objects after corresponding resemblances in their own country.

- E.

[16] This appears to have been near Panama, or the western point of the Gulf of Darien in 78 deg. 40' W. long. The pilots seem to have been extremely ignorant, and the admiral to have yielded to their importunity. The harbour of St Domingo being in 69 deg. 50' W. long they ought to have proceeded about nine degrees, or 180 marine leagues farther east, to have insured their run across the trade winds and currents of the Caribbean sea. - E.

[17] Though not mentioned in the text, this vessel would certainly bring refreshments of various kinds, but was probably too small to bring off the people. Mendez appears to have remained at St Domingo in order to fit out a larger vessel, which he accordingly carried to Jamaica in June, as will be seen in the sequel. - E.

* * * * *

CHAPTER II.

ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST DISCOVERY OF AMERCIA, BY CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS; FROM THE HISTORY OF THE WEST INDIES, BY ANTONIO BE HERRERA, HISTORIOGRAPHER TO THE KING OF SPAIN[1].

SECTION I.

Of the Knowledge of the Ancients respecting the New World.

With the generality of mankind, so far from imagining that there could be any such country as the new world or West Indies, the very notion of any such thing being supposed to exist was considered as extravagant and absurd, for every one believed that all to the westwards of the Canary islands was an immense and unnavigable ocean.

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