correva verso tramontana, che mi fu d'infinito dispiacere, e pur andando dietro la costa per vedere se io poteva trovare qualche golfo che voltasse, non vi fu mai ordine, che andato sino a gradi cinquantasei sotto il nostro polo, vedendo che quivi la costa voltava verso levante, disperato di trovarlo, me ne tornai a dietro a riconoscere ancora la detta costa dalla parte verso l'equinoziale sempre con intenzione di trovar passaggio alle. Indie, e venni sino a quella che chiamano al presente la Florida, et mancandomi gia la vettovaglia, presi partito di ritornarmene in Inghilterra, dove giunto trovai grandissimi tumulti di popoli sollevati et della guerra in Scotia: nè più era in consideratione alcuna il navigare in questi parti, per il che me ne venni in Spagna al Re Catholic, et alla Regima Isabella" (Ramusio, Delle Navigazioni et Viaggi, Primo volume, Ediz. seconda, Giunta, 1554; pp. 414, 415).

[TRANSLATION]

"It would be inexcusable in me if I did not relate a high and admirable discourse which, some few months ago, it was my good fortune to hear in company with the excellent architect, Michael de S. Michael, in the sweet and romantic country seat of Hieronimo Fracastoro, named Caphi, situated near Verona, whilst we sat on the top of a hill commanding a view of the whole of the Lago di Garda.

"We found him, on our arrival, sitting in company with a certain gentleman, whose name, from motives of delicacy and respect, I conceal. He was, however, a profound philosopher and mathematician.

"At this point, after the stranger had made a pause of a few minutes, he turned to us and said:

"Do you not know, regarding this project of going to India by the north-west, what was formerly achieved by your fellow-citizen, a Venetian, a most extraordinary man, and so deeply conversant in everything connected with navigation and the science of cosmography, that in those days he hath not his equal in Spain; insomuch that for his ability he is preferred above all pilots that sail to the West Indies, who may not pass thither without his licence, on which account he is denominated Piloto-mayor, or Grand-Pilot?'

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When to this question we replied that we knew him not, the stranger proceeded to tell us that, being some years ago in the city of Seville, he was desirous to gain an acquaintance with the navigation of the Spaniards, when he learned that there was in the city a valiant man, a Venetian born, named Sebastian Cabot, who had the charge of those things, being an expert man in the science of navigation, and one who could make charts for the sea with his own hand.

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Upon this report of him,' continued he, 'I sought his acquaintance and found him a pleasant and courteous person, who loaded me with kindness and showed me many things; among the rest a large map of the world, with the navigation of the Portuguese and Spaniards minutely laid down upon it; and in exhibiting this to me he informed me that his father, many years ago, having left Venice to dwell in England, to follow the trade of merchandises, had taken him to London, while he was yet very young, yet having, nevertheless, some

knowledge of letters of humanity, and of the sphere. "And when my father died," said he, "in the time when news was brought that Don Christopher Colonus, Genoese, had discovered the coasts of Indies, whereof was great talk in all the Court of King Henry VII., who then reigned, insomuch that all men, with great admiration, affirmed it to be a thing more divine than human, to sail by the West into the East, where spices grow, by a way that was never known before; by this fame and report there increased in my heart a great flame of desire to attempt some notable thing; and understanding by the sphere that, if I should sail by way of the northwest, I should, by a shorter track, come into India, I imparted my ideas to the king, who immediately commanded two caravels to be furnished with all things necessary for the voyage, being much pleased therewith. This happened in 1496, in the early part of summer, and I began to sail towards the north-west,1 with the idea that the first land I should make would be Cathay, from which I intended afterwards to direct my course to the Indies; but, after the lapse of several days, having discovered it, I found that the coast ran towards the north, to my great disappointment. From thence, sailing along it to ascertain if I could find any gulf to run into, could discover none; and thus, having proceeded as far as 56° under the pole, and seeing that here the

1 "In Ramusio's Collection of Voyages an anonymous writer puts into the mouth of Sebastian Cabot more or less autobiographical narrative, in which there are almost as many blunders as lines. It is to Ramusio's narrative, moreover, that we owe the ridiculous statement-repeated by almost every historian from that day to this-that the purpose of the voyage of 1498 was the discovery of a 'north-west passage to the coast of Asia'" (Fiske, vol. ii. pp. 8, 9).

coast trended towards the East, I despaired of discovering any passage, and after this turned back to examine the same coast in its direction towards the equinoctial, always with the same object of finding a passage to the Indies, and thus I reached the country at present named Florida, where, since my provisions began to fail me, I took the resolution of returning to England.

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On arriving in that. country I found great tumults, occasioned by the rising of the common people and the war in Scotland; nor was there any more talk of a voyage to these parts. For this reason I departed into Spain to their most Catholic Majesties, Ferdinand and Isabella,"

etc.

Inasmuch as the name of the person who is said to have related what he had heard from Sebastian Cabot is not given, this narrative is not entitled to be considered as above suspicion. A casual glance at the relation clearly points out that the details may have been slightly altered in transmission between the anonymous "Mantuan gentleman" and Ramusio. Several years must have elapsed between the date of the alleged interview between Sebastian and the "Mantuan gentleman." Then, again, it is not certain that Ramusio wrote down the statement at the time it was made. In all probability the memory of Ramusio served him very well, but most persons know how difficult it is to remember the exact details of a conversation. "I do not pretend," says Ramusio, "to write his discourse with as full details as I heard it, for that would require other skill and memory than I possess; still, I will try to give a summary, or, as it were, the heads of what I can remember."-"Il quale ragionamento, egli dice,

non mi Casta l'animo di potere scrivere cosi particalarmente com'io lo udì, perchè vi sariadi bisogna altro ingegno, et altra memoria, che non è la mia, pur mi sforzerò sommariamente e come per capi di recitar quel che mi potrò ricordare." Ramusio, in referring to another matter, acknowledges that his memory was not quite a perfect record. "With regard to the Mediterranean Sea, I seem to remember that he touched upon I know not what voyage that might be made upon it with great profit, but to what place has entirely escaped my memory.' -"A proposito del Mar Mediterraneo mi par ricordare che toccasse anche di non so che viaggio che si potria fare in quello di grandissimo proposito, ma a che parte emmi al tutto fuggito dalla memoria.' We cannot regard it as more than second-hand evidence of a very weak description. We find that the Anonymous says that Sebastian was looked upon as "a Venetian born," and that he corroborates Martyr's statement as to having been taken to London when he was very young.

Martyr.

"Being yet but in manner an infant, his parents carried with them into England, having occasion to resort thither for trade of merchandise," etc.

The "Mantuan Gentleman."

"He informed me that his father, many years ago, having left Venice to dwell in England, to follow the trade of merchandise, had taken him to London while he was yet very young."

As to the number of ships, the Anonymous corroborates Martyr.

Martyr.

"He (Cabot) therefore furnished two shippes in England at his own charges."

The "Mantuan Gentleman."

"I imparted my ideas to the king, who immediately commanded two caravels to be furnished with all things necessary for the voyage, being much pleased therewith."