Part 3 (2/2)
I have known ently noted down, and have described very well in a certain little book describing this ation, which at present is in the possession of that Most Serene King, and I hope he will restore it to s not compatible with the opinions of philosophers Twice I have seen a white rainboards the ht, which was not only observed by me, but also by all the sailors Likee 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 innu meteors
I have told you, a little way back, that, in the he, 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 froated beyond the equinoctial line to 50, which togetherto the true measurement handed down to us by the ancients, so that it is ated over a fourth part of the earth By this reasoning, ho inhabit Lisbon, at a distance of 39 from the equinoctial line in north latitude, are to those who live under 50 beyond the saularly 5 on a transverse line I will explain this ht, if suspended fros over our heads; but it hangs over theht line, they are on a transverse line An orthogonal triangle is thus forht line, but the base and hypotenuse to theure it will appear This will suffice as regards cosraphy
Vertex[127] of our heads
_-'| _-' | Hypotenuse _-' | Us
_-' | Vertex[127] of _-' | their heads _-'____________________| Thes that I have seen in this e For the other two voyages wereof Spain to the west, in which I noted many wonderful works of God, our Creator; and if I should have tis into a geographical or cosenerations; and the immense work of the omnipotent God will be known, in parts still unknown, but known to us I also pray that the race, I may be able to make the best disposition of this my wish I keep the other two journeys into 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 co sooner been able to send you this ation, 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 froe in the same direction, and promise is already made of two shi+ps with their arions of the East on a course called Africus In which journey I hope doe, and I expect no other result with the per May God permit what is for the best, and you shall be informed of what happens
This letter was translated froe 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, froan, so reatness of the earth and what is contained in it
FOURTH VOYAGE OF AMERIGO VESPUCCI
It ree; but as I ae 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 fro 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 etic and Indian Seas, as Cadiz is thefrom 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, ree, shaping a south-easterly course, and as our commander was a presuo to Serra-liona, in the southern land of aethiopia, without any necessity, unless it was to show that he was coainst the wishes of all the other captains Thus navigating, e caht of the said land the weather was so bad, with a contrary wind, that ere in sight for four days without being able to reach the place, owing to the stored to resu 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 ere astonished We found that it was an island in the h and wonderful in its for and one broad, and uninhabited It was an evil island for all the fleet, because your Magnificence ement of our commander, his shi+p was lost For, with three in coht of St Lawrence, which is on the 10th of August, and went to the botto saved but the crew She was a shi+p of 300 tons, and the chief importance of the fleet centred in her As the other shi+ps orn and needed repairs, the coo to the island in e where the fleet could anchor Asthe other shi+ps, he did not wish that I should take it, but that I should go without it, telling o 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 ht days, but they never came We were very discontented, and thein this state of anxiety, at last, on the eighth day,a shi+p coht not see us, we ca my boat and people When we came up to her, after salutes, they told us that the _Capitana_ was gone to the botto saved, and that one to that sea ahead, which was a great trouble to us What will your Magnificence think of ues 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 ood and water by using our consort's boat We found the island to be uninhabited, supplied with abundance of fresh water, quantities of trees, and full of marine and land birds without number They were so taht sobut very large rats, lizards with two tails, and soot in our provisions we departed, shaping a course between south and south-west, for we had an order fro that any shi+p parted from the rest of the fleet, or from the Commander-in-Chief, should e We discovered a port to which we gave the naive 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 shi+ps of the fleet We waited in this port for twothat there was no arrival, I and my consort deterues until we reached a harbour where we agreed to build a fort We did so, and left twenty-four Christianpart of the crew of the _Capitana_ that was lost We were in that harbour fiveour shi+ps with brazil-wood For ere not able to advance further, because we had not full crews, and I wanted reed 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 whoe, not because we did not see and have intercourse with an infinite number of tribes: for ent inland with thirty s that I refrain fro them for my FOUR VOYAGES This land is 18 to the south of the equinoctial line, and beyond theto as shown by our instru 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 ers we entered this port on the 18th of June 1504 God be praised Here ere very well received, iven us up, all the other shi+ps of the fleet having been lost, owing to the pride and folly of our commander[132] May God reward him for his pride!
At present Ireatly desire rest
The bearer of this is Benvenuto di Donificence of s which I have left out to avoid prolixity, for he has seen and heard, God knows, how much of them I have condensed the letter as much as possible, and to this end have onificence will pardon me I beseech you to include me in the number of your servants, and I commend you to Ser Antonio VespucciGod 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 fro to_ AMERIGO VESPUCCI[133]
MY DEAR SON,--Diego Mendez left here on Monday, the 3rd of this o Vespucci, the bearer of this letter, who is going to the Court on ation
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 hiht 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 ay he could be useful to me, because I do not knohat oes with the deter all he can for me You will see in ay he can be e, 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 ay use can be made of it, and will apprise you of it, etc, etc
Dated in Seville, the 5th of February (1505)
S