JOHN CABOT'S VOYAGES 



to Spain, or was " at the end of that land." This again does 

 not point to any northerly course. 



Many writers have thought that from Soncino's statements 

 about the courses, a conclusion might be drawn as to where 

 on the American coast Cabot made the land; but this is 

 impossible. In the first place, Soncino's words are anything 

 but definite; besides which, of course, Cabot could not steer 

 in a straight line across the Atlantic, but, with the frequent 

 contrary winds of May and June, was obliged to shape many 

 courses, and often had to beat; in fact, we are told as much 

 in Soncino's words, " havendo assai errato." Everyone who 

 has had experience of the navigation of sailing ships knows 

 how difficult it is under such conditions to make way in the 

 precise direction one wishes, however good one's reckoning 

 may be; currents and leeway set one far out of the reckoned 

 course, and on a voyage as long as across the Atlantic the lee- 

 way may be considerable. Whether Cabot was able to correct 

 his reckoning by the aid of astronomical observations (with 

 a Jacob's staff or an astrolabe) we do not know, but we hear 

 nothing of latitudes, so that it is not very probable (cf. also 

 Columbus's gross error in latitude). Especially during the 

 first part of the voyage currents and prevailing winds may have 

 set Cabot to the north-east; but he may also have encountered, 

 particularly during the latter part of the voyage in June, 

 heavy north-westerly gales which set him still farther to 

 the south, and he may thus have had a southerly leeway. 

 In addition, as Dawson has so strongly insisted, the error 

 of the compass must have set him to the south. Whether 

 Cabot was aware of the error, and remarked its variation 

 during the westward voyage, we do not know; it is possible, 

 since we know that Columbus remarked this variation during 

 his first voyage; but, in any case, Cabot doubtless paid as 

 little attention to it as Columbus in his navigation. Unfortu- 

 nately we do not know the amount of the error at that time, 

 but by examining the relation between the true direction of 

 the coast-lines and those we find on the most trustworthy 



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