16 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



the landfall— it was the prima tierra cista — there was no other meaning 

 to the name than the (/iscorered cape ; and as this map of La Cosa's was, 

 bej-ond reasonable doubt, based on John Cabot's own map which Pedro 

 de Ayala the Spanish ambassador had fi-om him and promised, in July, 

 1498, to send to King Ferdinand, we have here John Cabot indicating his 

 own landfall in a Spanish translation. 



The so-called "Sebastian Cabot map '" of 1544 then became of inter- 

 est, for it placed the prima tierra vista on the northeasternmost point of 

 Cape Bi-eton, and. in the printed legend, this point was further identified 

 by an island called St. John. It was then shown, by the whole sequence 

 of maps, that Cape Breton was a persistent and continuous name on the , 

 maps from the earliest times and that it was always attended by an island 

 of St, John. Avhich island was always on the Atlantic coast in close 

 proximity. The island itself was shown to be on Pedro Reinel's map of 

 1505, and i\, was of a unique triangular shape, corresponding to that of 

 Scatari Island, near Cape Breton. 



These were the main lines of reasoning, and they were reinforcetl in 

 very many ways and illustrated by tracings. Much space was also given 

 to answers to possible objections and ilemonstrations of the untenability 

 of conflicting theories. To go over these again would be to rewrite the 

 moiaograph. 



In closing this paper it is necessary to state that the Royal Society 

 of Canada has very properly not committed itself to an opinion upon the 

 place of the landfall in deciding to commemorate Cabot's great achieve- 

 ment. The position of the society is laid dovtn in the report, and will be 

 found at length in the published Proceedings. The opinion advocated 

 is. no doubt, held by many of the members, but it is open to others 

 to hold to any landfall they may think more probable; and it is not 

 likely that there Avill be absolute uniformity of opinion upon this 

 point, any more than there is upon the identity of the island, Guanahani. 

 which was tlie landfall of the great admiral.^' 



