IS DISCOVERIES OF 1384 ta 



it appears that, during his residence at this monas- 

 tery, being unused to such severity of weather, he 

 fell sick, and died shortly after his return into Fris- 

 land. This Nicolo left behind him two sons in 

 Venice, from one of whom was descended the 

 celebrated Cardinal Zeno. 



On the death of Nicolo, his brother Antonio 

 succeeded to his property, and, unwillingly as it 

 would seem, to all his dignities and honours, for 

 he wished to return to his own country ; but all 

 his entreaties with Zichmni were unavailing ; for 

 Zichmni, " being a man of great courage and 

 valour, had determined to make himself lord of 

 the sea." At this time one of his fishermen re- 

 turned to Frisland, after an absence of six and 

 twenty years, and gave an account of his having 

 been driven by a violent storm upon an island 

 called Estotiland, about a thousand miles to the 

 westward of Frisland. He related that the island 

 was well peopled ; that a man was brought to 

 him who had likewise been shipwrecked, and who 

 spoke Latin ; that the island was nearly as large as 

 Iceland, and more fertile, the people ingenious and 

 skilled as artisans ; that the prince had Latin books, 

 but did not understand them ; that they had gold 

 and all manner of metals ; that they raised com, 

 made beer, traded with Greenland, from whence 

 they procured furs, brimstone, and pitch ; that 

 their buildings were made of stone ; that they had 

 extensive woods, of which they built ships, and 



