IN NORTHERN MISTS 



If we may suppose that the lighter tone of the sea off the east 

 coast of Greenland and over to Norway (on the original map) rep- 

 resents ice-floes, then this again gives evidence of a knowledge of 

 these northern waters which we cannot assume to have been de- 

 rived merely from Portuguese voyages on which the east coast 

 of Greenland was sighted; it must have had other sources, un- 

 known to us. 



There can be no doubt that the "Terra del Rey de portu- 

 guall " of the Cantino map is the east coast of Newfoundland, 

 which, through the variation of the compass being disregarded, 

 is given a northerly direction. If we draw the east coast of 

 Newfoundland from Cape Race to Cape Bauld on approximately 

 the same scale as that of the Cantino map, and turn the 

 meridian to the west as far as the variation may have been 

 at that time (about 20° at Cape Race, and 4° or 5° more at 

 Belle Isle Strait), we shall have a map (see p. 364) the coast- 

 line of which bears so great a resemblance to that of the Cantino 

 map that it is almost too good to believe it not to be in part 

 accidental (the Newfoundland coast on Reinel's map is also 

 very nearly the same as that of the Cantino map). The resem- 

 blance is so thorough that we might even think it possible to 

 recognize the various bays and headlands; but perhaps a 

 part of the southern coast of Labrador has been included in 

 the Cantino map. According to the scale attached to the 

 map, in which each division represents fifty miglia, the distance 

 between the south-eastern point of the country and the northern 



admiral's chart itself; but this I regard as very doubtful, as will appear from 

 what I have said above regarding the discoveries of 1500. Bjornbo thinks that 

 an original map like the Oliveriana map is sufficient to explain the form of the 

 west coast of Greenland on the Cantino map, while the more northern por- 

 tion has been given a direction in accordance with the Clavus maps. I have 

 admitted to Bjornbo the possibility of such an explanation. But the more I 

 look at it, the more doubtful it seems; for the form of the west coast on the 

 Cantino map has, in fact, not the least resemblance to that of the Clavus maps; 

 indeed, the very direction is different, more northerly and more like the real 

 direction, when allowance is made for the probable variation. It appears to 

 me, therefore, that we cannot assume offhand that the Clavus maps could lead 

 to a representation like that of the Cantino map. 



