VOYAGES OF THE CABOTS IN 1497 AND 1493, 69 



point or l)y a note. The card of the mariner's compass is now so attaclied tliat the fleur-de- 

 lis is over the north pole of the needle, and always indicates the magnetit' north, and as a 

 vessel sails from one magnetic zone to another the local variation is ohtained from the charts 

 and allowed for in the course steered. In these early days now under review the science of 

 magnetism was undreamed ot, and the magnetic variation was almost uniform through- 

 out Europe at one point east of north. No observations existed then as now, and only in 

 1492 had the variation from east to west first been noticed. Sailors in those days sailed each on 

 the compass corrected for his own country, and the card was attached \f\Û\th.e fleur-de-lis, not 

 over the pole of the needle, but over that point west ot it which was conceived to be the 

 true north ; for the needle, to adopt Champlain's word, easled. But when the needle 

 crossed over and wesicd a point or a point and a-half, the two quantities of variation were 

 added and the flear-d.e-lis pointed two or two and a-half points west of north,"' and the west 

 point was therefore two and a-half points south of west, and consequently the continual ten- 

 dency of vessels, as elsewhere stated, was to drop to the south on a westerly course. In 

 order to obviate this tendency they did not change the compasses, but the sailing charts 

 were so drawn as to throw up the coast to the required degree of northing to correspond 

 with the lay of the compass-card. Hence upon a sailing chart the east point of Cajie Breton 

 would be represented due west of Cape Race, whereas it is really a fnll point south of it. 



As an illustration of the confusion which has crept into this (piestion, from not noticing 

 this peculiai-ity of the old sailing charts, I would cite Kohl (" Doc. His.," p. 178) ; he is dis- 

 cussing Reinel's chart of 1505, and he says that "there is one indication of latitude along a 

 " perpendicular line, and another indication along an oblique or transverse line which is 

 " shorter. This latter line is nearer the truth, and perhaps was added to tlie map by a later 

 " hand." But Reinel meant to indicate that his map was drawn on the meridian shown by 

 the compass of his own country, and that it was twenty degrees or nearly two points out. 

 The ol>li(pie line is the true meridian, and if it be placed to point north the east point of 

 Cape Breton will be not west of Cape Race but about true west-southwest. 



In order to put this matter beyond doubt I have translated the chapter of Cbamplaiu 

 (see appendix A) in which he explains the two maps at the end of his voyages of 161.3. 

 The text explains the principle and the maps illustrate it. The small map is drawn to its 

 true meridian and the large map is drawn to the compass in use by sailors, which was set 

 to the variation of France. On this latter map the coast, from Cape Race to Cape Breton 

 east point, is shown as lying east and west, as in the maps of Juan de la Cosa and Reinel 

 and very many others. On this map also is shown the oblique line which Kohl supposed a 

 later hand had added to Reinel's map. If a line be drawn from 47', the latitude of Cape 

 Race, at right angles to that shorter line, the latitude on the marginal line will coincide. 



Bearing in mind the preceding considerations, the study of the early ma2:»s will become 

 much more profitable, and I would now direct attention to them to ascertain what light 

 they may throw upon the landfall of -John Cabot and the island of St. John opposite to it. 

 It must be remembered that John Cabot took the time to go on shore at his landfall and 

 planted the banners of England and St. Mark there. At that time of year and in that lati- 

 tude it was light at half-past three, but it was five when he saw land, and he had to reach 

 it and perform the ceremonies ap}iropriate for such occasions ; so the island opposite could 

 not lie far away. The island, tlien, will be useful to identify the landfidl if we find it 

 occurring frequently on the succeeding majis. 



