CXX ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



passed by. We find the custom still prevailed of naming islands altui 

 the Saint on whose fe:ist day thej^ were seen. Thus our log keeper 

 named St. James' Island on the 25th of July, noting the fact that it was 

 the feast of that Saint. He had also named another island St. Dunstan. 

 It does not appear quite certain whether it was on the 19th of May or a day 

 or two previously. Another point which will serve us when discussing 

 the Cosa map must be noted. Any peculiar or prominent feature of the 

 land was set down minutely in the log to serve, no doubt, as a landmark 

 for future navigators. A few instances may be cited : 



1. "We also made out towards the east a round and prominent 

 mountain." 



2. Speaking of an island the log says, " It has a certain elevated 

 spot resembling a castle." 



3. " The promontory is very pleasing in appearance, the land rising 

 up in the shape of a huge tun." 



4. " Coming from the east, Rhegor has the appearance of two moun- 

 tains joined together in the form of a saddle, or like the hump of a 

 carael." 



These will suffice for our purpose of illustration. Soundings were 

 continually taken ; depth of water and nature of bottom carefully re- 

 corded, and very precise sailing directions for some intricate channels 

 given ; they frequently threaded their way during a fog, but " with the 

 lead in hand." Owing to the smallness of their ships, which were easily 

 tossed about, the early navigators had great difficulty in taking the 

 correct latitude. Hence, we can readily account for their mistakes, 

 sometimes only trifling, at other times, especially in rough seas, some- 

 what important ; our wonder should be that, considering everything, 

 they were so nearly correct. The log refers to this difficulty, and the 

 writer, whenever feasible, landed on an island, or on the shore of the 

 mainland, to as- certain more correctly his bearings. 



The Voyage of 1498. 



Writers who do not carefully discriminate between the accounts of 

 the first and second voyages, naturally fall into an error regarding the 

 object of Cabot's expedition in 1497. He was not seeking a passage by 

 the northwest on that occasion. Hence, he only kept to the north as 

 much as would insure him against encroachments on the Spanish posses- 

 sions. Not realizing that there could be aught between Bri.stol and 

 Cathay except islands, some of which might be rich in spices and gold, 

 he had no thought, as he could not have had any, of the need of such a 

 passage. Many of those who uphold the theory of a landfall at Lab- 

 rador or Cape St. John overlook this, as well as the words of da Soncino, 

 to be quoted later on. But the discovery of 149*7 gave a new turn to 



