CXXVI ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



doubt, was known to Cosa, as well as from the configuration of the coast, 

 we are safe in saying the most southern of the English flags is near Cape 

 Henry, latituile 36° 30'. We have proved that the landfall was in Cape 

 Breton Island, in latitude 46° 30', at or near Mount Squirrel. The "Cavo 

 Descubierto " of the map certainly marks the place first discovered. 

 There are many other capes on the map, named either after some Saint, 

 or on account of some natural feature of their formation. But Cava 

 Descubierto, the cape discovered, or rather the cape made or reached (for 

 the exjDression, descubrir la tlerra, means to make the land) stands out 

 as something unique. It was the cape first made, as nautical phraseology 

 has it ; the point first reached, the landfall. Between the southernmost 

 English flag and Cavo Descubierto, a distance often degrees, we have as 

 nearly as possible 3^ inches.^ This gives us the scale of Cabot's chart, 

 and it is a most natural one, viz., 160 geographical miles to the inch, or 

 20 to an eighth, and, consequently, fths of an inch constitutes a degree. 

 This clue, which is not mere gue.^s-Avork, but logically deduced from well 

 established premises, enables us to restore Cabot's chart to its proper 

 position, and to satisfactorily explain all its details. With this scale in 

 view, the eye at once sees a distortion in Cosa's map. Cabot surveyed 

 the coast from north to south, not from east to west. He certainly drew 

 his chart to the same scale throughout ; he did not place, as a schoolboy 

 might, the body of a giant on the feet and legs of a pigmy. Hence, Caco 

 de Ynglaterra cannot be Cape Eace. which, both as regards degree of 

 latitude and length of coast line, is so much nearer any part of Cape 

 Breton, than this latter is to Cape Henry. We sa}^ at onee that Cosa, 

 having secured a coj^y of Cabot's chart, joined it to his own, making it 

 run east and west, instead of north and south. This explains not only 

 the apparent incongruity of Cabot's tracings and the fruitless attempts of 

 modern scholars to explain it, but also why Cosa's map was never repro- 

 duced and was quickly cast aside. Its merit, however, is that it has 

 preserved to us Cabot's chart unmarred, and enables us, on this four 

 hundredth anniversar}', to bring it forth as an unimpeachable witness to 

 its maker's daring, accuracy of observation, and title to glory. We are 

 fully conscious of the responsibility incumbent on one making such 

 assertions, to give satisfactory proof. This we pi-oceed to do. 



Let us detach Cabot's chart from Cosa's map and place it north and 

 south, marking this latter as Cape Henry, latitude 3(3° 30'. Applying 

 the scale already found to the chart, it is seen how accurately, in gen- 

 eral, the latitudes are given. Cavo de Ynglaterra is slightly above 60° 

 and becomes Cape Chidley; then instead of what was looked upon as 

 imaginary curves in the shore line, or as representing the east shores of 

 Asia, we have Ungava Bay very correcth^ outlined, then Hudson's 



' This measurement refers to the original map by Cosa. 



