Chapter XVIII: Part 18

Now whereas I doe vnderstand that Sir Himfrey Gilbert his adherents, associates and friends doe meane with a conuenient supply (with as much speede as may be) to maintaine, pursue and follow this intended voyage already in part perfourmed, and (by the assistance of almightie God) to plant themselues and their people in the continent of the hither part of America, betweene the degrees of 30. and 60. of septentrionall latitude: Within which degrees by computation Astronomicall and Cosmographicall are doubtlesse to bee found all things that be necessarie, profitable, or delectable for mans life: The clymate milde and temperate, neyther too hote nor too colde, so that vnder the cope of heauen there is not any where to be found a more conuenient place to plant and inhabite in: which many notable Gentlemen, both [Marginal note: Englishmen, Msster Iohn Hawkins; Sir Francis Drake; M. Willliam Winter; M. Iohn Chester; M. Martin Frobisher; Anhony Parkhurst; William Battes; Iohn Louel; Dauid Ingram. Strangers, French, Iohn Ribault; Iaques Cartier; Andrew Theuet; Monsieur Gourgues: Monsieur Laudonniere. Italians, Christopher Columbus; Ioha Verazanus.] of our owne nation and strangers, (who haue bene trauailers) can testifie: and that those Countries are at this day inhabited with Sauages (who haue no knowledge of God:) Is it not therefore (I say) to be lamented, that these poore Pagans, so long liuing in ignorance and idolatry, and in sort thirsting after Christianitie, (as may appeare by the relation of such as haue trauailed in those partes) that our heartes are so hardened, that fewe or none can be found which will put to their helping hands, and apply themselues to the relieuing of the miserable and wretched estate of these sillie soules?

Whose Countrey doeth (as it were with armes aduanced) aboue the climates both of Spaine and France, stretch out it selfe towards England only: In maner praying our ayde and helpe, as it is not not onely set forth in Mercators generall Mappe, but it is also found to be true by the discouerie of our nation, and other strangers, who haue oftentimes trauailed vpon the same coasts.

[Sidenote: God doth not alwayes begin his greatest workes by the greatest persons.] Christopher Columbus of famous memorie, the first instrument to manifest the great glory and mercy of Almightie God in planting the Christian faith, in those so long vnknowen regions, hauing in purpose to acquaint (as he did) that renoumed Prince, the Queenes Majesties grandfather King Henry the seuenth, with his intended voyage for the Westerne discoueries, was not onely derided and mocked generally even here in England, but afterward became a laughing stocke to the Spaniards themselues, who at this day (of all other people) are most bounden to laude and prayse God, who first stirred vp the man to that enterprise.

And while he was attending there to acquaint the King of Castile (that then was) with his intended purpose, by how many wayes and meanes was he derided? [Sidenote: His custome was to bowe himselfe very lowe in making of courtesie.] Some scorned the wildnesse of his garments, some tooke occasion to iest at his simple and silly lookes, others asked if this were he that lowts so lowe,[104] which did take vpon him to bring men into a Countrey that aboundeth with Golde, Pearle, and Precious stones? If hee were any such man (sayd they) he would cary another matter of countenance with him, and looke somewhat loftier. Thus some iudged him by his garments, and others by his looke and countenance, but none entred into the consideration of the inward man.

[Sidenote: Hernando Cortes. Francisco Pizarro.] In the ende, what successe his Voyage had, who list to reade the Decades, the Historie of the West Indies, the conquest of Hernando Cortes about Mexico, and those of Francisco Pizarro in Peru about Casamalcha and Cusco may know more particularly. All which their discoueries, trauailes and conquests are extant to be had in the English tongue. This deuise was then accounted a fantasticall imagination, and a drowsie dreame.

But the sequele thereof hath since awaked out of dreames thousands of soules to knowe their Creator, being thereof before that time altogether ignorant: And hath since made sufficient proofe, neither to be fantasticke nor vainely imagined.

Withall, how mightily it hath enlarged the dominions of the Crowne of Spaine, and greatly inriched the subiects of the same, let all men consider. Besides, it is well knowen, that sithence the time of Columbus his first discouerie, through the planting, possessing, and inhabiting those partes, there hath bene transported and brought home into Europe greater store of Golde, Siluer, Pearle, and Precious stones, then heretofore hath bene in all ages since the creation of the worlde.

I doe therefore heartily wish, that seeing it hath pleased almightie God of his infinite mercy, at the length to awake some of our worthy Countrey men out of that drowsie dreame, wherein we haue so long slumbered:

That wee may now not suffer that to quaile for want of maintenance, which by these valiant Gentlemen our Countreymen is so nobly begun and enterprised. For which purpose, I haue taken vpon me to write this simple short Treatise, hoping that it shall be able to perswade such as haue bene, and yet doe continue detractors and hinderers of this iourney, (by reason perhaps that they haue not deliberately and aduisedly entred into the iudgement of the matter) that yet now vpon better consideration they will become fauourable furtherers of the same. And that such as are already well affected thereunto will continue their good disposition: [Sidenote: A reasonable request.] And withall, I most humbly pray all such as are no nigards of their purses in buying of costly and rich apparel, and liberall Contributors in setting forth of games, pastimes, feastings and banquets, (whereof the charge being past, there is no hope of publique profile, or commoditie) that henceforth they will bestowe and employ their liberality (heretofore that way expended) to the furtherance of these so commendable purposed proceedings.

And to this ende haue I taken pen in my hand, as in conscience thereunto mooued, desiring much rather, that of the great multitude which this Realme doth nourish, farre better able to handle this matter then I my selfe am, it would haue pleased some one of them to haue vndertaken the same. But seeing they are silent, and that it falleth to my lotte to put pen to the paper, I will endeuour my selfe, and doe stand in good hope (though my skill and knowledge bee simple, yet through the assistence of almightie God) to probue that the [Sidenote: The argument of the booke.] Voyage lately enterprised, for trade, traffique, and planting in America, is an action tending to the lawfull enlargement of her Maiesties Dominions, commodious to the whole Realme in general, profitable to the aduenturers in particular, benefciall to the Sauages, and a matter to be atteined without any great danger or difficultie.

And lastly, (which is most of all) A thing likewise tending to the honour and glory of Almightie God. And for that the lawfulnesse to plant in those Countreys in some mens iudgements seemeth very doubtfull, I will beginne the proofe of the lawfulnesse of trade, traffique, and planting.

END OF VOL XII.

APPENDICES.

Appendices.

I. Greenland.

Greenland is an extensive country, the greater part of which belongs to Denmark, situated between Iceland and the continent of America. Its southern extremity, Cape Farewell, is situated in 59 deg. 49 min. N. lat, and 43 deg. 54 min. W. lon. The British Arctic expedition of 1876 traced; tee northern shores as far as Cape Britannia, in lat. 82 deg. 54 min. The German Arctic expedition of 1870 pursued the east coast as high as 77 deg. N., so that between Koldeway's furthest in 1870 and Beaumont's farthest in 1876 there remains an interval of more than 500 miles of the Greenland coast yet unexplored. The estimated area of the whole country is about 340,000 square miles. The outline forming the sea-coast of Greenland is in general high, rugged, and barren; close to the water's edge it rises into tremendous precipices and lofty mountains, covered with inaccessible cliffs, which may be seen from the sea at a distance of more than 60 miles.

The vast extent of Greenland, together with its peculiar position between Europe and America, secures for it a very special interest. From its most northern discovered point, Cape Britannia, it stretches southward, in a triangular form, for a distance of 1500 miles. Its interior is nearly a closed book to us, but the coast has been thoroughly explored and examined on the western side from Cape Farewell to Upernavik, a distance of about 800 miles, as well as along the western shores of the channels leading from Smith's Sound; and from Cape Farewell to the Danebrog Islands and Cape Bismarck on the east side. These belts of coast line consist of the most glorious mountain scenery--lofty peaks, profound ravines, long valleys, precipices and cliffs, vast glaciers, winding fiords often running 100 miles into the interior, and innumerable islands.

Greenland was discovered in 981 or 983 by an Icelander or Norwegian named Gunbiorn, and was soon afterwards colonized by a number of families from Iceland, of whom all historical traces soon disappeared; they appear to have formed their settlement on the western coast. The country was called Greenland because its southern extremity was first seen in spring-time, and presented a pleasing appearance, but it was speedily found to be little better than an icebound region. Davis rediscovered Greenland in his voyage, 1585-87; and in the beginning of the seventeenth century the Dutch government fined out several expeditions to re-establish a communication with the lost colony.

II. Nenewfoundland.

Newfoundland is, as it were, a stepping-stone between the Old World and the New. At its south-western extremity it approaches within 50 miles of the island of Cape Breton, while its most eastern projection is but 1640 miles distant from Ireland. Its population in 1881 was 161,384, and its area was estimated at 42,006 square miles; but, strange as it seems, up to the present time the interior is almost unknown, while the mere existence of certain splendid fertile valleys in portions of the island has only been discovered in quite recent times. The appearance of the coast is rocky and forbidding, but there are a great number of deep bays and fiords, containing magnificent harbours, and piercing the land for 80 or 100 miles, while the sides present varied scenes of beauty, such as are rarely surpassed in the world's most favoured lands. The effect of these inlets is to give the island the enormous coast line, compared to its area, of more than 2000 miles. The loftiest range of mountains, the Long Range, has a few summits of more than 2000 feet, but the elevations of the island rarely exceed 1500 feet. Lakes are very numerous. The mines are very valuable, and Newfoundland now ranks as the sixth copper-producing country in the world. Lead mines have also been discovered and worked. There is good reason for believing that gold and coal will yet be found.

III. Polar Ice

It is believed on good grounds of inference, but absolutely without positive evidence, that the south pole is covered with a great cap of ice, and some physiographers have gone so far as to assert its thickness as possibly six miles at the centre. But as to the ice of the north pole, thanks to the efforts to discover a north-west passage which showed us the breach in the wall of the polar fortress, we know very much more.

Sir Edward Belcher encountered ice 106 feet thick drifting into and grounding on the shores of Wellington Channel. It was in Banks Strait that Sir Edward Parry was finally stopped by the great undulating floes, reaching 102 feet in thickness, that he tells us he had never seen in Baffin's Sea or in the land-locked channels the had left behind him, but which filled the whole sea before him. Such floes are the edge of a pack which we may conjecture extends uninterruptedly from shore to shore of the Polar Sea.

IV. Icebergs

Icebergs are masses of ice rising to a great height above the level of the sea, presenting a singular variety in form and appearance. They are masses broken off from glaciers, or from barrier lines of ice-cliff, and owe their origin to the circumstance of glaciers being in a continual state of progress. Glaciers reach the sea shore in many places in the Arctic regions. When pushed forward into deep water, vast masses are lifted up by their inherent buoyancy, and, broken off at the landward end, are borne away by the winds, or on tides and currents, to parts of the sea far removed from their place of formation. Owing to the expansion of water when freezing, and the difference in density between salt and fresh water, the usual relative density of sea water to an iceberg is as 1 to 91674, and hence the volume of ice below water is about nine times that above the surface. The largest icebergs are met with in the Southern Ocean; several have been ascertained to be from 800 to 1000 feet in height, and the largest are nearly three miles long. One was met with 20 deg. south of the Cape of Good Hope, between Marion and Bouvet Isles, which was 960 feet high, and therefore more than 9000 feet, or 1-3/4 mile in thickness.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

VOL. XII.

Dedication to Sir Robert Cecil

I. The most ancient voyage and discouery of the West Indies performed by
Madoc, Anno 1170. taken out of the history of Wales, &c.

II. The verses of Meredith the sonne of Rhesus making mention of Madoc

III. The offer of the discouery of the West Indies by Christoper Columbus
to K. Henry the 7. February the 13. Anno 1488; with the Kings
acceptance of the said offer

IV. Another testimony concerning the foresaid offer made by Bartholomew
Columbus to K. Henry the seuenth, on the behalfe of his brother
Christopher Columbus

V. The letters patents of K. Henry the 7. granted vnto Iohn Cabot and his
3. sonnes, Anno 1495

VI. The signed bill of K. Henry the 7. on the behalfe of Iohn Cabot

VII. The voyage of Sebastian Cabota to the North part of America, for the
discouery of a Northwest passage, as farre as 58. degrees of
latitude, confirmed by 6. testimonies

VIII. A briefe extract concerning the discouery of Newfoundland

IX. The large pension granted by K. Edward the 6. to Sebastian Cabota, Anno
1549

X. A discourse written by sir Humfrey Gilbert knight, to prooue a passage
by the Northwest to Cataya, and the East Indies

XI. The first voyage of M. Martin Frobisher to the Northwest for the
search of a passage to China, anno 1576

XII. The second voyage of M. Martin Frobisher to the West and Northwest
regions, in the yeere 1577

XIII. The third and last voyage of M. Martin Frobisher for the discouery of
a Northwest passage, in the yere 1578

XIV. Notes by Richard Hakluyt

XV. Experiences and reasons of the Sphere to prooue all parts of the worlde
habitable, and thereby to confute the position of the fiue Zones

XVI. A letter of M. Martin Frobisher to certaine Englishmen, which were
trecherously taken by the Saluages of Meta incognita in his first
voyageo

XVII. Articles and orders prescribed by M. Martin Frobisher to the
Captaines and company of euery ship, which accompanied him in his
last Northwestern voyage

XVIII. A generall and briefe description of the country and condition of
the people, which are founde in Meta incognita

XIX. The letters patents of her Maiesty graunted to M. Adrian Gilbert and
others for the search and discouery of a Northwest passage to China

XX. The first voyage of M. Iohn Dauis for the discouery of a Northwest
passage, 1585

XXI. The second voyage of M. Iohn Dauis for the discouery of the Northwest
pass. 1586

XXII. A letter of M. I. Dauis to M. Wil. Sanderson of London, concerning,
his second voyage

XXIII. The voyage and course which the Sunshine and the Northstarre held,
after M. I. Davis had sent them from him to discouer a passage
betweene Greenland and Ise-land, 1587

XXIV. The third voyage of M. Iohn Dauis, 1587

XXV. A letter of M. Iohn Dams to M. Wil. Sanderson of London, concerning
his 3. voyage

XXVI. A trauerse booke of M. Iohn Dauis

XXVII. A report of M. Iohn Dauis concerning his three voyages made for the
discouery of the Northwest passage, taken out of a treatise of his
intituled The worlds hydrographical description

XXVIII. The voyage of M. Nicolas Zeno and M. Anthony his brother, to the
yles of Frisland, etc., begun in the yeere 1380

XXIX. The voyage of two ships, for the discouery of the North parts

XXX. The voyage of M. Hore, in the yere 1536

XXI. An act against the exaction of money, etc. made Anno 2. Edwardi sexti.

XXXII. A letter written to M. Richard Hakluyt of the Midle Temple, by M.
Antony Parkhurst, 1578

XXXIII. The letters patents granted by her Maiestie to sir Humfrey Gilbert
knight, for inhabiting some part of America 1578

XXXIV. A Poeme written in Latine, concerning the voyage of sir Humfrey
Gilbert

XXXV. The voyage of Sir Humfrey Gilbert to Newfoundland, An. 1583

XXXVI. Orders agreed vpon by the Captaines and Masters, to bee obserued by
the fleete of sir Humfrey Gilbert

XXXVII. A briefe relation of Newfound-land, and the commodities thereof

XXXVIII. A letter of the learned Hungarian Stephanus Parmenius Budeius to
master Richard Hakluyt the collectour of these voyages

XXXIX. A relation Of Richard Clarke of Weymouth master of the ship called
the Delight. Part I.

XL. Appendices

Table of Contents

FOOTNOTES:

1. Son of William Cecil, Lord Burleigh, minister of Elizabeth, and himself
minister to the same queen and to James I. A clever but unscrupulous
man, he was never popular, and his share in the fate of Essex and
Raleigh has obscured his fame. He was created Earl of Salisbury. His
secret correspondence is to be found in Goldsmid's Collectanea
Adamantaea. Born 1565. Died 1612.

2. Hakluyt here merely condenses the researches of Grotius, who had
published, in 1542, his famous but rare Tract "On the Origin of the
Native American Races," a translation of which the present Editor issued
in his "Bibliotheca Curiosa," Edinburgh, 1884. Hakluyt was evidently
ignorant of Gunnbjorn's glimpse of a Western land in 876, of Eric the
Red's discovery of Greenland about 985, of Bjarni's and Leif's
discoveries, or indeed of any of the traditions of the Voyages of the
Northmen, or he would certainly have included them in his Collection.
Those who are interested in these matters should consult Wheaton's
History of the Northmen, London, 1831; Antiquitates Americanæ, edited by
the Royal Society of Northern Antiquarians, Hafniæ, 1837; The Discovery
of America by the Northmen, by N. L. Beamish, London, 1841; Historia
Vinlandiæ Antiquæ, by Thermodus Torfoeus, Hafniæ, 1705; and the edition
of the Flateyan MSS., lately published at Copenhagen.

3. I have, to the best of my ability, in Vols. I. to XI. of this edition,
arranged the contents of Hakluyt's first two volumes in the order he
would have desired, had he not "lacked sufficient store."

4. The History of Wales, written by Caradoc of Llancarvan, Glamorganshire,
in the British Language, translated into English by Humphrey Llwyd, and
edited by Dr. David Powel in 1584, is the book here quoted. It is very
rare.

5. If Madoc ever existed, it seems more probable that the land he
discovered was Madeira or the Azores. Such at least is the view taken by
Robertson, and also by Jeremiah Belknap (American Biography, 8vo,
Boston, 1774). Southey founded one of his poems on this tradition.

6. In Welsh, Meridith ap Rhees.

7. Marginal note.--These verses I receiued of my learned friend M. William
Camden.

8. The most interesting life of Columbus is that by Lamartine, a
translation of which appeared in the "Bibliotheca Curiosa."

9. Nothing is known of Cabot's early years. In the Archives of Venice is
the record of his naturalization, dated 28 March 1476, which shows he
had lived there fifteen years. (Archives of Venice: Senato Terra,
1473-1477. Vol vii p. 109.)

10. This patent was granted in reply to the following application by John
Cabot:

"To the Kyng our Souvereigne lord,

"Please it your highnes of your moste noble and haboundant grace to
graunt vnto Iohn Cabotto, citezen of Venes, Lewes, Sebestyan and Sancto
his sonneys your gracious lettres patentes vnder youir grete seale in
due forme to be made accordying to the tenour hereafter ensuying. And
they shall during their lyves pray to God for the prosperous
continuance of your moste noble and royale astate long to enduer."
(Public Records, Bill number 51.) Consult also Rymer's Foedera;
London, 1727, folios 595-6.

11. Armed with this authority, John Cabot sailed from Bristol in the spring
of 1497, with two ships, one being called the Matthew. (The History and
Antiquities of the city of Bristol, by William Barrett, 1789).

12. In the National Library, Paris, is a large map of the world on the
margin of which is written:

"Sebastian Caboto capitan, y piloto mayor de la S. c c. m. del
Imperador don Carlos quinto deste nombre, y rey nuestro sennor hizo
esta figura extensa en plano, anno del nasciem de nro saluador Jesu
Christo de m.d. xliii. annos, tirada por grados de latitud y longitud
con sus uientos como carta de marear, imitando en parte al Ptolomeo, y
en parte alos modernos descobridores, asi Espannoles como Portugueses,
y parte por su padre, y por el descubierto."

I give a facsmile of part of this map. As will be seen the words "Prima
tierra vista" are opposite a cape about the 48th parallel, which would
be Cape Breton. In a letter written to the Duke of Milan by Raimondo di
Soncino, his minister in London, and dated the 18th Dec. 1497, a very
interesting account is given of Cabot's voyage. Archives of Milan.
Annuario scientifico, Milan, 1866 p 700.

13. Query, July.

14. J. B. Ramusio compiled in Italian a celebrated collection of maritime
voyages. The most complete edition is formed by joining vol. I. of 1574
to vol. II. of 1555 and vol. III. of 1554. He died 1557, aged 72.

15. Ramosius has evidently mixed up the two voyages of John Cabot with
those of his son. John's second and last voyage was in 1498, with five
ships; though little is known of the result, that little has been
collected by Mr. Weise in his "Discoveries of America."

16. A celebrated Icelandic astronomer, a disciple of Tycho-Brahe. The
opinion here quoted appears in his _Specimen Historicorum Islandiæ et
magnâ ex parte chorographicum_; Amsterdam, 1643. When aged 91, he is
said to have married a young girl. Born 1545; died 1640.

17. An error for John Cabot

18. His _Chronicle of England and France_, by a London tradesman, was first
printed in 1516.

19. This celebrated Antiquary was born in 1525. Originally a tailor, his
tastes procured him the encouragement of Archbishop Parker and the Earl
of Leicester. His principal works are _Flores Historiarum_ (1600) and
his _Survey of London_, first published in 1598. Died a beggar in 1605.

20. If Cabot's discoveries extended from 38° to 58°, he cannot have gone
south of Cape Hatteras, in North Carolina.

21. Gilbert was half brother to Sir Walter Raleigh. This "discourse" was
published in 1576, and two years later be himself sailed on a voyage of
discovery to Newfoundland, but on the return journey his ship foundered
with all on board.

22. Luke Marinæus, chaplain to Charles V. author of _Obra de las cosas
memorabiles de Espana_, Alcala, 1543; folio, the work here referred to.

23. Ficinus, (born 1433, died 1499); a protégé of the Medici, translated
Plato and Plotinus. These translations will be found in his collected
works, published at Bâle in 1591, 2 vols. folio. Herein he tries to
prove Plato a Christian, as he also does in his _Thelogia Platonica_;
Florence, 148; folio. The original editions of his works are extremely
rare.

24. Crantor's opinion is only known to us by Cicero's refetence, his works
being all lost. He flourished about 315 B.C.

25. Born in 412, at Constantinople. Studied at Alexandria and Athens, and
succeeded Syrianus in the Neo Platonic School. Died 485, Several of his
works are extant.

26. Philo of Alexandria was well versed in the philosophy of Plato, and
tried to show its harmony with the books of Moses. A fine edition of
his works was published in 1742, in 2 vols. folio, edited by Mangey.

27. Amerigo Vespucci, born at Florence, 1451, was sent by his father to
Spain. Fired by the example of Columbus, he became a navigator, and
made three voyages to the New World, which ultimately was named after
him, though the honour should belong to Columbus. Died at Seville 1512.

28. It has also been supposed by many ancient writers that Atlantis was
situated between the 20th and 30th degrees of north latitude, and the
40th and 60th degrees of west longitude, in that part of the Atlantic
known as the Sargasso sea.

29. Born 1493; died 1541. He was the first to publish the Almagestes of
Ptolemy in Greek at Bâle, 1538, folio. He was the friend of Luther and
Melancthon.

30. The first Edition of his chronological tables is that of Berne, 1540.
Little is known of him except that he was born at Rotweil in Germany
and was a councillor of the city of Berne, in the library of which town
is a unique copy of his History of Berne, 3 vols. folio, in German.

31. Guicciardini, the author of the celebrated _History of the events
between_ 1494 _and_ 1532.

32. FRISIUS was born at Dorkum in Frisia, his real name being John Gemma.
His map of the world was published in 1540. Died at Louvain in 1555.
GASTALDUS was a Genoese and wrote many tracts on Geography. He was the
father of Jerome Gastaldus, the author of a celebrated work on the
Plague. TRAMASINUS was a celebrated Venetian printer of the 16th
Century. ANDREAS VAVASOR is probably an error for Francis Vavasor, the
Jesuit.

MUNSTER, APPIANUS, PUTEANUS, PETER MARTYR, and ORTELIUS are well known,
but HUNTERUS, DEMONGENITUS, and TRAMONTANUS are unknown to me.

33. Octher's voyage will be found in Vol. I., p. 51, of this Edition of
Hakluyt.

34. See Vol. I. of this Edition of Halkluyt.

35. See Vol. II. p. 60 (note) of this Edition

36. Giovanni Verrzzani is evidently meant. A Florentine by birth, he
entered the service of Francis I., and in 1524 discovered New France.
An account of his travels and tragic death is to be found in Ramusius.
In the Strozzi library, at Florence, a manuscript of Verazzani's is
preserved.

37. Born at St Malo. Discovered part of Canada in 1534. His _Brief récit de
la Navigation faite ès îles de Canada, Hochelage, Saguenay et autres_,
was published at Paris in 1546, 8vo.

38. BAROS, who had been appointed treasurer of the Indies, wrote a _History
of Asia and of India_ in 4 decades which were published between the
years 1552 and 1602. It has been translated from Portuguese into
Spanish, and considering that it contains many facts not to be found
elsewhere, it is surprising that there should have been neither a
French nor English Edition. Baros was born in 1496 and died in 1570.

39. This is probably an error for Peter Nonnius, professor of Mathematics
at the University of Coimbra who published two books _De Arte
Navigandi_ in 1573.

40. Little is known of this writer. He appears to have been the son of
Jerome Fracastor, a Veronese who obtained a certain celebrity as a poet
at the beginning of the 16th Century.

41. In a former passage it is stated that Cabot did not get beyond the 58th
degree of latitude.

42. It is now well known that the diminished saltness of the sea off the
Siberian coast is due to the immense masses of fresh water poured into
it by the Ob, the Lena, and other Siberian rivers.

43. Either Salvaterra or the Frier must have possessed a vivid imagination.
The former at any rate thoroughly took in Sir Humphrey Gilbert.

44. It seems very strange to us after the Northwest passage has been
discovered by M'Clure in 1852 and the North East passage by
Nordenskiold in 1879 to read the arguments by which each of the
upholders of the two routes sought to prove that his opponent's
contention was impossible. Of the two disputants we must confess that
Jenkinson's views now appear the likeliest to be realised, for M'Clure
only made his way from Behring Straits to Melville island by abandoning
his ship and travelling across the ice, while Nordenskiold carried the
Vega past the North of Europe and Siberia, returning by Behring's
straits and the Pacific.

45. Cape Chudley.

46. Born near Doncaster. He made several attempts to find the Northwest
passage. (See post.) In 1585 he accompanied Drake to the West Indies;
assisted in defeating the Spanish Armada, and was mortally wounded in
1594 at the attack on Fort Croyzan, near Brest. Some relics of his
Arctic expedition were discovered by Captain F. C. Hall in 1860-62, and
described in his delightful book, "Life with the Esquimaux."

47. Midway between Orkney and Shetland.

48. Foula, the most westerly of the Shetlands, round in form, is 12 miles
in circuit.

49. Esquimaux.

50. Far from coming from Newfoundland, this drift-wood is carried into the
Arctic Ocean by the Yenisei and other large rivers of Siberia.

51. Contrary to the opinion of Mr. Weise, who insists that Friseland is
Iceland, I am inclined to believe that the East coast of Greenland is
meant.

52. Lieutenant Nansen's expedition across Greenland negatives this
supposition, but the West coast is more habitable than the East.

53. Frobisher Bay: it is not a strait. Hall's _Island_ is Hall's Peninsula.

54. twisted

55. Long. From Saxon _sid_. (See BEN JONSON, _New Inn_, v. 1.)

56. Raisins.

57. In a very short time. Sometimes written _giffats_

58. It is almost in the exact latitude of Gaboon Bay.

59. Our author is wrong. Morocco lies between the _annual_ Isothermal lines
of 68º Fahr. (or 20 Cent.), whilst the mean temperature at the Equator
was considered by Humboldt to be 81.4° Fahr. and by Atkinson (Memoirs
of the Royal Astronomical Society) 84.5°.

60. Our author means the _fifth_ proposition of the _first_ book of Euclid,
the celebrated _Pons Asinorum_.

61. John Holywood, so named after the place of his birth near York, after
studying at Oxford, settled in Paris where he became famous. He died in
1256, leaving two works of rare power considering the century they were
written in, viz, _de Spheri Mundi_, and _de Computo Ecclesiastico_.
They are to be found in one volume 8vo, Paris, 1560.

62. John Gonzalvo d'Oviedo, born 1478. Was Governor of the New World, and
wrote a _Summario de la Historia general y natural de las Indias
Occidentales_. Best edition, _Salamanca_ 1535, and _Toledo_, 1536,
folio. This is the work here quoted.

63. This is not the case.

64. Blank in original.

65. Kirkwall.

66. Blank in original.

67. Blank in original.

68. Probably a Narwal.

69. Good.

70. Blank in the original.

71. Blank in original.

72. Blank in original.

73. Blank in original.

74. Blank in original.

75. Blank in original.

76. Muddy.

77. Blank in original.

78. Blank in original.

79. Blank in original.

80. Blank in original.

81. South Equatorial Current.

82. Gulf Stream.

83. The elimination of salt from sea-water by cold was evidently unknown to
the writer.

84. The writer was evidently not a convert to the System of Copernicus, but
agreed with Ptolemy that the Heavens were solid and moved round the
earth, which was the centre of the Universe.

85. _Pirrie_, a sudden storm at sea. According to Jamieson, _Pirr_, in
Scotch, means a gentle breeze.

"A pirrie came, and set my ship on sands."
_Mirror for Magistrates_, p. 194.

86. _Yer_ = ere.

87. Sir Christopher Hatton.

88. Flat.

89. Thus the only result of Davis's Voyage was the discovery of the broad
piece of water since known as Davis's Straits, extending between
Greenland on the East and Cumberland Island on the West. It connects
the Atlantic with Baffin's Bay. In the next voyage, Davis seems to have
crossed the mouth of Hudson's Straits, without entering them.

90. The full text of Davis's account is given in Vol. vi., p. 250 of this
Edition.

91. It seems probable that either Zeno was wrecked on one of the Shetlands,
and that by _Sorani_ is meant Orkney, or that Iceland is the true
Frisland.

92. Aveiro, province of Beira, 31 miles N.W. of Coimbra.

93. Viana do Castello, province of Minho, 40 miles N. of Oporto.

94. See Vol ix., p. 143 of this Edition.

95. (?) Chateau-Richer on the St. Lawrence, 15 miles below Quebec.

96. Near Cape Charles.

97. The St. Lawrence.

98. This refers to Gilbert's first voyage in 1578.

99. Causand.

100. The Newfoundland Banks are rather a submarine Plateau than banks in
the ordinary sense. The bottom is rocky, and generally reached at 25
to 95 fathoms: length and breadth about 300 miles: the only shallow
region in the Atlantic.

101. The cold on the coast is partly due to the quantities of ice
descending from Baffin's Bay.

102. Maëlstrom.

103. Silver, and even gold, has been found in Newfoundland.

104. Bends.