ABSTRACT

But Mr. Harrisse takes the words, "before the wars of Castille", as referring to the date of the first letter, and assumes that it is intended

B2

4 FIRST LETTER OF TOSCANELLI TO COLUMBUS.

in reply to another which, by direction of his Highness, he wrote to me on the said subject, and I send you another sea chart1 like the one I sent him, by which you will be satisfied respecting your enquiries: which copy is as follows:

greeting. It was pleasant to me to understand that your health was good, and that you are in the favour and intimacy with the most generous and most magnificent Prince, your King.s I have already spoken with you respecting a shorter way to the places of spices than that which you

The words "some days ago" are, however, conclusive evidence that the words "before the wars of Castille" do not refer to the date of the letter. If they did, the words "some days ago" would be unmeaning. The date of the letter to Martins being June 24th, 1474, that of the letter to Columbus was some days afterwards, in July 1474·

COPY OF THE LETTER TO FERNAN MARTINS. 5

take by Guinea, by means of maritime navigation. The most serene King now seeks from me some statement, or rather a demonstration to the eye, by which the slightly learned may take in and understand that way. I know this can be shown from the spherical shape of the earth, yet, to make the comprehension of it easier, and to facilitate the work, I have determined to show that way by means of a sailing chart. I, therefore, send to his Majesty a chart made by my own hands, on which are delineated your coasts and islands, whence you must begin to make your journey always westward, and the places at which you should arrive, and how far from the pole or the equinoctial line you ought to keep, and through how much space or over how many miles you should arrive at those most fertile places full of all sorts of spices and jewels. You must not be surprised if I call the parts where the spices are west, when they usually call them east, because to those always sailing west, those parts are found by navigation on the under side1 of the earth. But if by land and by the upper side;~ they will always be found to the east. The straight lines shown lengthways on the map indicate the distance from east to west, and those that are drawn across show the spaces from south to north. I have also noted on the map several places at which you may arrive for the better information of navigators, if they should reach a place different from what was expected, by reason of the wind or any other cause; and also that they may show some acquaintance with the country to the natives, which ought to be sufficiently agreeable to them. It is asserted that none but merchants live on the islands. For there the number of navigators with merchandize is so great that in all the rest

1 "Per subterraneas navigationes." ~ " Per superiora itinera.''