Ponente
is the West in Italian, and Lebeccio the south-west; but it is
difficult to express in English nautical language the precise meaning
of the original, which is literally translated in the text. - E.
[4] The latitude and longitude of the text would indicate the eastern
coast of Yucutan, near the bay of Honduras; but from other
circumstances, it is probable the coast now visited by Americus was
that of Paria or the Spanish main, between the latitudes of 10 deg. and
12 deg. N. and perhaps twenty-five degrees less to the west than
expressed in the text. But the geographical notices in this work of
Americus are scanty and uncertain. - E.
[5] Praeterquam regiuncula illa anterior, quam verecundiore vocabulo
pectusculum imum vocamus.
[6] The author appears to mean here that they were entirely destitute of
religious belief. - E.
[7] The expression of the author seems here ambiguous. He probably means
towns or collections of huts as containing such large numbers; and it
is hard to say whether he meant to say that these eight populous
habitations had 10,000 each, or altogether. - E.
[8] The expression of the original serpens, here translated serpent, had
been better expressed, perhaps, by the fabulous term dragon.
The animal in question was probably the lacerto iguana, or it may
have been a young alligator.
