1500. THE CORTEREALS. 41 



duces, the abundance of fish upon its coasts, and 

 the inhabitants being robust and laborious. 



To this evidence may also be added that of 

 Ramusio, whose accuracy in such matters is well 

 known. The foUowing extract is taken from his 

 discourse on Terra Firma and the Oriental Islands. 

 *' In the part of the new world which runs to 

 " the northwest, opposite to our habitable con- 

 *^ tinent of Europe, some navigators have sailed, 

 " the first of whom, as far as can be ascertained, 

 *' was Gaspar Cortereal, a Portugueze, who arrived 

 " there in the vear 1500 with two caravels, 

 " thinking that he might discover some strait 

 " through which he might pass, by a shorter 

 '' voyage than round Africa, to the Spice islands. 



" They prosecuted their voyage in those seas 

 " until they arrived at a region of extreme cold ; 

 " and in the latitude of 60*^ north they discovered 

 *' a river fdled with ice, to which they gave the 

 '^ name of Rio Nevado — that is. Snow River. 

 *' They had not courage however to proceed farther, 

 *^ all the coast w^iich runs from Rio Nevado to 

 " Porto das Malvas (Mallow Port) which lies in 

 " 56^, and which is a space of two hundred leagues, 

 " was well peopled, and they landed and brought 

 " away some of the inhabitants — Cortereal also 

 " discovered many islands, all inhabited, and to 

 " each of which he gave a name."* We shall 

 presently see what islands these were. 



* Ramusio, Navigat. et Viaggi. 



