Part 3 (2/2)
I have known many other very beautiful stars, which I have diligently noted down, and have described very well in a certain little book describing this my navigation, which at present is in the possession of that Most Serene King, and I hope he will restore it to me. In that hemisphere I have seen things not compatible with the opinions of philosophers. Twice I have seen a white rainbow towards the middle of the night, which was not only observed by me, but also by all the sailors. Likewise we often saw the new moon on the day on which it is in conjunction with the sun. Every night, in that part of the heavens of which we speak, there were innumerable vapours and burning meteors.
I have told you, a little way back, that, in the hemisphere of which we are speaking, it is not a complete hemisphere in respect to ours, because it does not take that form so that it may be properly called so.
Therefore, as I have said, from Lisbon, whence we started, the distance from the equinoctial line is 39, and we navigated beyond the equinoctial line to 50, which together make 90, which is one quarter of a great circle, according to the true measurement handed down to us by the ancients, so that it is manifest that we must have navigated over a fourth part of the earth. By this reasoning, we who inhabit Lisbon, at a distance of 39 from the equinoctial line in north lat.i.tude, are to those who live under 50 beyond the same line, in meridional length, angularly 5 on a transverse line. I will explain this more clearly: a perpendicular line, while we stand upright, if suspended from a point of the heavens exactly vertical, hangs over our heads; but it hangs over them sideways. Thus, while we are on a right line, they are on a transverse line. An orthogonal triangle is thus formed, of which we have the right line, but the base and hypotenuse to them seems the vertical line, as in this figure it will appear. This will suffice as regards cosmography.
Vertex[127] of our heads.
_.-'| _.-' | Hypotenuse. _.-' | Us.
_.-' | Vertex[127] of _.-' | their heads. _.-'____________________| Them.
These are the most notable things that I have seen in this my last navigation, or, as I call it, the third voyage. For the other two voyages were made by order of the Most Serene King of Spain to the west, in which I noted many wonderful works of G.o.d, our Creator; and if I should have time, I intend to collect all these singular and wonderful things into a geographical or cosmographical book, that my record may live with future generations; and the immense work of the omnipotent G.o.d will be known, in parts still unknown, but known to us. I also pray that the most merciful G.o.d will prolong my life that, with His good grace, I may be able to make the best disposition of this my wish. I keep the other two journeys in my sanctuary, and the Most Serene King restoring to me the third journey, I intend to return to peace and my country. There, in consultation with learned persons, and comforted and aided by friends, I shall be able to complete my work.
I ask your pardon for not having sooner been able to send you this my last navigation, as I had promised in my former letters. I believe that you will understand the cause, which was that I could not get the books from this Most Serene King. I think of undertaking a fourth voyage in the same direction, and promise is already made of two s.h.i.+ps with their armaments, in which I may seek new regions of the East on a course called Africus. In which journey I hope much to do G.o.d honour, to be of service to this kingdom, to secure repute for my old age, and I expect no other result with the permission of this Most Serene King. May G.o.d permit what is for the best, and you shall be informed of what happens.
This letter was translated from the Italian into the Latin language by Jocundus, interpreter, as everyone understands Latin who desires to learn about these voyages, and to search into the things of heaven, and to know all that is proper to be known; for, from the time the world began, so much has not been discovered touching the greatness of the earth and what is contained in it.
FOURTH VOYAGE OF AMERIGO VESPUCCI.
It remains for me to relate the things I saw in the fourth voyage; but as I am already tired, and as the voyage did not end as was intended, owing to an accident which happened in the Atlantic, as your Magnificence will shortly understand, I propose to be brief. We departed from this port of Lisbon with six s.h.i.+ps,[128] having the intention of discovering an island in the East called Melaccha, of which it was reported that it was very rich, and that it was the mart of all the s.h.i.+ps that navigate the Gangetic and Indian Seas, as Cadiz is the mart for all vessels pa.s.sing from east to west or from west to east by way of Galicut. This Melaccha is more to the west than Galicut, and much more to the south, for we know that it is in 33 from the Antarctic Pole.[129] We departed on the 10th of May 1503, and shaped a course direct for the Cape Verde Islands, where we careened and took in fresh provisions, remaining for thirteen days. Thence we continued on our voyage, shaping a south-easterly course, and as our commander was a presumptuous and very obstinate man, he wanted to go to Serra-liona, in the southern land of aethiopia, without any necessity, unless it was to show that he was commander of the six s.h.i.+ps, and he acted against the wishes of all the other captains. Thus navigating, when we came in sight of the said land the weather was so bad, with a contrary wind, that we were in sight for four days without being able to reach the place, owing to the storm. The consequence was that we were obliged to resume our proper course, and give up the said Serra, shaping a south-west course. When we had sailed for 300 leagues, being 3 to the south of the equinoctial line, a land was sighted[130]
at a distance of twenty-two leagues, at which we were astonished. We found that it was an island in the midst of the sea, very high and wonderful in its formation, for it was not more than two leagues long and one broad, and uninhabited. It was an evil island for all the fleet, because your Magnificence must know that, through the bad advice and management of our commander, his s.h.i.+p was lost. For, with three in company, he struck on a rock in the night of St. Lawrence, which is on the 10th of August, and went to the bottom, nothing being saved but the crew. She was a s.h.i.+p of 300 tons, and the chief importance of the fleet centred in her. As the other s.h.i.+ps were worn and needed repairs, the commander ordered me to go to the island in my s.h.i.+p, and find a good anchorage where the fleet could anchor. As my boat, with nine of my sailors, was employed in helping the other s.h.i.+ps, he did not wish that I should take it, but that I should go without it, telling me that I should go by myself. I left the fleet in accordance with my orders, without a boat and with less than half my sailors, and went to the island, which was at a distance of four leagues. I found an excellent port where the fleet could anchor in perfect security. Here I waited for my captain and the fleet for eight days, but they never came. We were very discontented, and the men were full of apprehensions which I could not remove. Being in this state of anxiety, at last, on the eighth day, we saw a s.h.i.+p coming from seaward, and, fearing that she might not see us, we came out to her, expecting that she was bringing my boat and people. When we came up to her, after salutes, they told us that the _Capitana_ was gone to the bottom, the crew being saved, and that my boat and people remained with the fleet, which had gone to that sea ahead, which was a great trouble to us. What will your Magnificence think of my finding myself 1,000 leagues from Lisbon with few men? Nevertheless, we put a bold face on the matter, and still went ahead. We returned to the island, and filled up with wood and water by using our consort's boat. We found the island to be uninhabited, supplied with abundance of fresh water, quant.i.ties of trees, and full of marine and land birds without number. They were so tame that they allowed us to take them with our hands. We caught so many that we loaded a boat with these animals. We saw nothing but very large rats, lizards with two tails, and some serpents.
Having got in our provisions we departed, shaping a course between south and south-west, for we had an order from the King that any s.h.i.+p parted from the rest of the fleet, or from the Commander-in-Chief, should make for the land that was visited in the previous voyage. We discovered a port to which we gave the name of the Bay of _All Saints_,[131] and it pleased G.o.d to give us such fine weather that we reached it in seventeen days, being 300 leagues from the island. Here we neither found our commander nor any of the other s.h.i.+ps of the fleet. We waited in this port for two months and four days, and, seeing that there was no arrival, I and my consort determined to explore the coast. We sailed onwards for 260 leagues until we reached a harbour where we agreed to build a fort. We did so, and left twenty-four Christian men in it who were on board my consort, being part of the crew of the _Capitana_ that was lost. We were in that harbour five months, building the fort, and loading our s.h.i.+ps with brazil-wood. For we were not able to advance further, because we had not full crews, and I wanted many necessaries. Having done all this, we agreed to return to Portugal, which bore between north-east and north. We left the twenty-four men in the fort, with provisions for six months, twelve bombards, and many other arms. We had made friends with all the natives round, of whom I have made no mention in this voyage, not because we did not see and have intercourse with an infinite number of tribes: for we went inland with thirty men, for a distance of 40 leagues, and saw so many things that I refrain from recounting them, reserving them for my FOUR VOYAGES. This land is 18 to the south of the equinoctial line, and beyond the meridian of Lisbon 37 further to the west, according to what was shown by our instruments. All this being done, we took leave of the Christians and of that land, and began our navigation to the north-north-east, with the object of shaping a course for this city of Lisbon. After seventy-seven days of many hards.h.i.+ps and dangers we entered this port on the 18th of June 1504. G.o.d be praised. Here we were very well received, more so than anyone would believe. For all the city had given us up, all the other s.h.i.+ps of the fleet having been lost, owing to the pride and folly of our commander.[132] May G.o.d reward him for his pride!
At present I may be found in Lisbon, not knowing what the King may wish to do with me, but I greatly desire rest.
The bearer of this is Benvenuto di Domenico Benvenuti, who will tell your Magnificence of my condition, and of some things which I have left out to avoid prolixity, for he has seen and heard, G.o.d knows, how much of them. I have condensed the letter as much as possible, and to this end have omitted many natural things, for which your Magnificence will pardon me. I beseech you to include me in the number of your servants, and I commend you to Ser Antonio Vespucci my brother, and to all my house. I conclude praying G.o.d that He will prolong your life, and that He will favour the state of that exalted Republic and the honour of your Magnificence.
Given in Lisbon, September 4th, 1504.
Your servant, AMERIGO VESPUCCI, in Lisbon.
_Letter from the Admiral_ CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS _to his Son, referring to_ AMERIGO VESPUCCI.[133]
MY DEAR SON,--Diego Mendez left here on Monday, the 3rd of this month.
After his departure, I spoke with Amerigo Vespucci, the bearer of this letter, who is going to the Court on matters relating to navigation.
He always showed a desire to please me, and is a very respectable man.
Fortune has been adverse to him, as to many others. His labours have not been so profitable to him as he might have expected. He leaves me with the desire to do me service, if it should be in his power. I am unable here to point out in what way he could be useful to me, because I do not know what may be required at Court; but he goes with the determination of doing all he can for me. You will see in what way he can be employed. Think the matter over, as he will do everything, and speak, and put things in train; but let all be done secretly, so as not to arouse suspicion of him. I have told him all I can about my affairs, and of the payments that have been made to me and are due. This letter is also for the Adelantado, for he can see in what way use can be made of it, and will apprise you of it, etc., etc.
Dated in Seville, the 5th of February (1505).
S.
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