[s. E. DAWSON] THE LINES OF DEMARCATION S23 



Turning now to the other side, there will be found only two maps 

 of undoubted Portuguese origin in which the line is shown. The first 

 in order of date is the Cantino map of A.D. 1502, which has been 

 beautifully reproduced in Mr. Harrisse's work on the Corte Reales. 

 Fig. 5 is an outline tracing of a portion of this map. Tlxe coast of 

 America at that early date is not continuous and much distorted ; but 

 it is plainly manifest that the dotted line on the sketch, representing 

 the dividing line, passes far west of Cape Race and cuts ofE all of New- 

 foundland to the east. This map, therefore, concurs with the Spanish 

 maps above cited. The longitude of this map is, therefore, just as 

 erroneous (and no more so) as that of the Spanish maps, and it will 

 also be observed that every one of the Antilles is north of the tropic of 

 Cancer ; whereas, in reality, every one of them lies to the south of it. 

 The latitude, therefore, of that part of the map is from eight to ten 

 degrees out of the truth. 



Fig. 6 is the second Portuguese map referred to above. It is 

 anonymous and undated ; but all authorities agree in assigning it to 

 A.D. 1514-1520. The extract given is taken from Kohl and in it we 

 have the most indubitable corroboration of the indications upon the 

 three maps previously cited. The line is seen to cut off Baccakos to 

 the east. It just grazes the point of Nova Scotia and passes to the 

 north at the precise point where Cabot Strait opens up in the rear of 

 Newfoundland. 



Here, then, we have a most striking record of concurrence, between 

 the Spanish and Portuguese authorities, as to where, in their opinion, 

 the line of Tordesillas cut our coast. We are not called upon to per- 

 form elaborate mathematical calculations upon imaginary worlds of 

 different sizes and everyone of them wrong, nor to measure distances 

 in leagues of various lengths or in degrees of different great circles, 

 containing from 56 to 87 miles each. The opinion current at the 

 time, which was the subject of our second question, is set forth graphi- 

 cally beyond possibility of doubt. As I have urged in previous papers, 

 Cape Race is the cardinal point of the geography of the northeast coast 

 of America, and always has been. The very same name has clung to 

 it since A.D. 1502, and, in all the four cartographical witnesses above 

 cited, the line passes at an approximately similar distance west of it. 

 If then the question be asked, where the line of Tordesillas really was ? 

 I would reply, at 45° 40' W. on our maps ; but if the question be- 

 where did the Spaniards and Portuguese suppose it to be ? I should 

 answer — close to the west of the meridian of 60° on our maps. 



I have called attention to the fact that these old maps are very 

 en-oneous as to longitude ; and sometimes as to latitude also. How 



