THE DEVELOPMENT OP THE CARTOGEAPHY OF AMERICA 

 UP TO THE YEAR 1570.i 



By Dr. Sophus Ruge. 



The discovery of America and the geographical researches on that 

 continent may be regarded as the initial period of the era of discovery. 

 In order to intelligently trace the gradual dawning of a new world 

 upon the geographical chart and, at the same time, to comi^are the 

 discoveries made by the several pilots and to estimate briefly their 

 value from a scientific point of view, I have selected the medium of a 

 collection of thirty- two maps, upon which are represented the progress 

 of discovery from decade to decade. 



This cartographical evolution ends with the year 1570, for in that 

 year first appeared Ortelius's Theatrum Orbis, the earliest modern 

 atlas, by which, in numerous editions and in various languages, we 

 have an easily accessible collection of new charts. Previous to that 

 publication, exclusive of the rare collection of Lafreris, the maps of the 

 several engravers, through successive years combined, were printed 

 only in single sheets or introduced as such in scientific works of the 

 most dissimilar character. 



The present maps contain four series of illustrations. The first series 

 (Pis. XVII-XX) exhibits, on modern charts, the coasts and inland 

 regions that have been discovered. The second series (Pis. XXI- 

 XXIV) presents to our view the results of the observations of the pilots 

 to whom we are indebted for the production of these maps. 



Xaturally, with the excei)tiou of the Oosa chart, no original surveys 

 could be rex)resented, bat they are, on the contrary, copies and tran 

 scripts of copies which are extant, a compilation gathered from different 

 sources, so that only the general impression of the ideas promulgated a 

 the time are shown to us. In details, however, and specially in local 

 names, numerous inaccuracies occur. 



Finally, the third and fourth series (Pis. XXV-XLV) introduce to us 

 the scientific conclusions of geographers and the inductions of scien- 

 tists together with established theories in regard to the i)ositions of 



'Translated from Dr. A. Petermann's Mitteilungen, 1892. Erganzungsheffc Nr. 106. 



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