390 ADDITIONAL NOTICES. [June 27, 1859. 



He continued to sail for some days, frequently landing, and at length 

 arrived at a port, in the midst of which was seen an assemblage of houses 

 built in the water, and defended with drawbridges. According to the relation 

 of Vespucci, this port was 80 leagues south of that where the fleet subsequently 

 arrived, and which was placed under the Tropic of Cancer. We are inclined 

 to think that this port with its dwellings built in the water was no other than 

 Vera Cruz, with the Isle of Sacrifices, and that which Erijalva called San Juan 

 de Ulua, and of which Herrera gives an idea in no wise contradicting the 

 impression that Vespucci had received in likening it to Venice. Thence he 

 sailed to another port 80 leagues distant, well watered, abounding in fish and 

 in birds, amongst which Vespucci mentions parroquets. This port was 

 situated in a country which, according to the Italian text by Bandini and 

 Canovai, is designated by the name of Lariab." 



This Lariab, M. Varnhagen contends, is Caria or Cariah, disfigured by the 

 transcriber, and is the port of Tampico. From this point, he says, Vespucci 

 proceeded northward, " coasting along an extent estimated at 870 leagues. 

 By a comparison of his narrative with other documents, it would appear that 

 he well recognised the Mississippi, and that he pursued his course to Florida, 

 the southern extremity of which peninsula he reached towards the end of 

 April, 1498. From this point he must have passed through the Bahama 

 channel, and continued to coast along the shores of the United States for more 

 than thirty days, until after a navigation of thirteen months, consequently in 

 the month of June, we find him not far from the port called by Vespucci the 

 best in the world. This port could be nowhere except in the Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence. After thirty-seven days it was decided to leave it ; but the natives 

 having a feud with certain others who inhabited an island a hundred leagues 

 distant, the navigators considered themselves obliged to take part with the 

 former in return for the treatment they had received. After a sail of seven 

 days east-north-east they arrived at an island named Iti. They took some 

 prisoners there, a part of whom were given over to the natives of the Gulf, 

 who returned to their own country. Notwithstanding the resemblance of the 

 names, we must be careful not to confound, as has been done, this isle of Iti, 

 surrounded by other islands, inhabited or desert, with that of Haiti or His- 

 paniola. This expedition did not return to Cadiz until the month of October, 

 1498, after a voyage of eighteen months." 



The author cites various proofs in favour of the authenticity of the first 

 voyage of Vespucci ; he afterwards directs his attention to overthrow objec- 

 tions made against it ; and he quotes an important document in support of 

 his positions, in the shape of a letter, dated in 1506, which was discovered by 

 Ranke at Vienna, and published by Humboldt at p. 157 of the fifth volume 

 of his Examert Critique. In addition, he affords us at the end of his pamphlet 

 facsimiles of three notes attributed to Columbus, and bearing closely on the 

 subject. The ultimate conclusion to which M. Varnhagen arrives is, that 

 Vespucci undoubtedly accompanied Pinzon and Solis, and with a fleet of four 

 ships, between 1497 and August, 1498, discovered and explored all the eastern 

 coast of North America from Yucatan and the Gulf of Mexico to the most 

 northern parts of the United States. 



14. Notes an Ghilan.* By Keith E. Abbott, Esq., H.M. Consul, 



Tehran. 



Ghilan is a narrow strip of country situated on the south-western side ot 

 the Caspian, and enclosed by a lofty range of mountains, measuring from 6000 



* See Paper by General Monteith, vol, iii. Journal R.G.S. — Ed. 



