Perhaps it may have some other name,
of which, as yet, we have not been informed. This island runs from the
north for a great way directly south, and then takes a turn towards the
south-east. It is said that Fidalgo sailed for 250 leagues along the coast
of this island, which is in the midway-between Mindanao and China, and he
reported that the land was fruitful, and well clothed with trees and
verdure; and that the inhabitants will give two pezoes of gold for one of
silver, although so near China, in which the relative value of these
metals is so well understood.
In the year 1553, certain ships were sent out from England, which sailed
to the northward, along the coast of Norway and Finmark, and from thence
east, in seventy or eighty degrees of north latitude, till they came to
Muscovy, to which country one of the ships penetrated; but I have not been
able to learn what became of the rest. From the land of Muscovy, a ship
may sail eastwards to Tartary, at the farthest extremity of which China is
situated. It is reported that there is a wall above 200 leagues in length,
between Tartary and China, in about lat. 50 deg. N.
From all the preceding discoveries, it may be concluded, that, as the
whole earth is 360 degrees, and the ancient writers allow 17-1/2 leagues
for every degree, the entire circuit of the earth would thus be 6300
leagues; but as, in my opinion, each degree is exactly seventeen leagues,
the circuit will then be only 6120 leagues. However this may be, the whole
circuit of the globe has been discovered and sailed over, from east to
west, even almost as it is encompassed and visited by the sun in its
diurnal course. It is quite otherwise, however, in respect to the northern,
and southern parts of the earth. For, towards the north pole, there has
only been discovered hitherto to the latitude of 77 deg. or 78 deg., which make an
extent of 1347 leagues; and between the equinoctial and the south pole,
there has only been discovered to the latitude of 52 deg. or 53 deg. south, or to
the Straits of Magellan; which amounts to no more than 960 leagues. Now,
adding these two together, their sum is just 2257 leagues: And, deducting
this sum from 6300 leagues, there still remains to be discovered, in the
north and south, 4043 leagues.
[1] Ferdinand was hereditary king of Arragon; but, by marrying Isabella,
queen of Castile, had united the several monarchies of Spain, under
one government. Ferdinand had no share whatever in the honour of
sending out Columbus, the sole charge being defrayed by his consort,
Isabella, hereditary queen of Castile and Leon; and who had even to
borrow money for the purpose. The contemptuous notice of _one_
Christopher Columbus, must be pardoned to the patriotic rivalry of a
Portuguese. - E.
[2] Galvano is here inaccurate: It will be seen in the sequel, that
Bartholomew Columbus did not accompany his brother in this voyage,
being then in England. - E.
[3] It is certainly possible, that Columbus may have used that mode in his
course to the Canaries: But as his run across the Atlantic was nearly
on a parallel, he must have kept that part of his voyage by what is
called dead reckoning, or by the log. - E.
[4] The middle of Guanahana is in lat. 24 deg. 30' N. The centre of Jamaica in
18 deg. 10' N. The latitudes of Galvano are generally inaccurate; and he
never pretends to assign any longitudes whatever. The series, likewise,
in which he arranges the discoveries of Columbus is very inaccurate.
- E.
[5] Cape de Verd is in 14 deg. 30' N. Deseada in 16 deg. 30' N. a difference of
two degrees of latitude. Dominica, in 15 deg. 30' is the first land said
to have been discovered by Columbus in his _second_ voyage, in the
authentic original narrative by his son, which will be found in the
sequel. - E.
[6] Counting from Dominica to the north side of Cuba, between 15 deg. 30' and
23 deg. 15'. - E.
[7] The negociators of the two crowns, as here related, seem to have been
ignorant that this loose division of the globe gave the whole
reciprocally to each of the parties. - E.
[8] The apparent object seems to have been in search of a passage to the
East Indies by way of the north-west, a chimera long and anxiously
sought after. It is needless to make any observations on these
indistinct notices, as the voyage of Cabot will be afterwards given at
full length. - E.
[9] The centre of Trinidada is in 10 deg. 30'N. its S.W. point in 10 deg. 12', and
the N.E. cape in 10 45' N. - E.
[10] De Barros, Dec. I. 1. 4. c. 2. and to the end of ch. 11. - Hakl.
[11] Osorius says this voyage commenced on the 9th of July. - Clarke.
[12] This Panama seems a blunder of some ignorant copyist, for Panarame.
- E.
[13] The coast here is nearly N. and S. and their course must have been to
the north. - E.
[14] The Marannon and Amazons are the same river. Perhaps by the Rio Dolce
the Orinoco may be meant; but in these slight notices of discovery it
is impossible at times to ascertain the real positions, through the
alteration of names. - E.
[15] From the latitude indicated by Galvano, the land of Cortereal may
have been somewhere on the eastern side of Newfoundland. - E.
[16] Barros, Dec. 1. I. 5. c. 10.
[17] Gomara, I. 2.
[18] About 8200 ounces, worth about L. 16,000 sterling; equal in modern
efficacy, perhaps, to L. 100,000. - E.
[19] Probably an error for Taprobana; the same by which Ceylon was known
to the ancients.
