S02 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Cai'des for the Sea with his owne hand, and that by this report, seeking 

 his acquaintance, he found him a very gentle person, who intertained 

 him friendly, and shewed him many things, and, amo^g other a large 

 mappe of the world, with certaine particuler nauigations, as well of the 

 Portingals, as of the Spaniards, and that he spake further vnto him in 

 this effect." Fi"om this part on Sebastian is speaking : 



" When my father departed from Venice many j^eeres since to dwell 

 in England, to follow the trade of merchandises, he tooke me with him 

 to the citie of London, while I was very yong, yet hauing nevertheless 

 some knowledge of letters of huraanitie, and of the Sphere. And when 

 ni}' father died in that time when newes were brought that Don Chris- 

 topher Colonus Genuese, had discouered the coasts of India, whereof was 

 great talke in all the court of King Henry the 7, who then raigned, in- 

 somuch that all men with great admii'ation affirmed it to be a thing 

 more diuine than humane to saile by the West into the East where spices 

 growe, by a way that was neuer knowen before, by this fame and report 

 there increased in my heart a great flame of desire to attempt some 

 notable thing. And vnderstanding by reason of the Sphere that if I 

 should saile by way of the Northwest winde 1 sh(mld by a shorter tract 

 ■come into India, 1 thereupon caused the king to be aduertised of my 

 deuise, who immediately caused two caruels to bee furnished with all 

 things appertayning to the voiage, which was. as farre as I remember, 

 in the yeere 1496, in the beginning of Sommer. I began therefore to 

 saile toward the l^orthwest, not thinking to find an}' other land than 

 that of Cathay, and from thence to turne toward India, but after cer- 

 taine dayes I found that the land ranne towards the North, which was to 

 me a great displeasure. Neuerthelesse, sailing along b}' the coast to see if 

 I could find any gulfe that turned, I found the lande still continent to the 

 56. deg. vnder our pole. And seeing that there the coast turned toward 

 the East, despairing to find the passage, I turned backe againo, and sailed 

 downe by the coast of that land toward the equinoctiall (euer with intent 

 to find the said passage to India) and came to that part of this firme 

 land Avhich is now called Florida, where my victuals failing, I departed 

 from thence and returned into England, where I found great tumults 

 among the people, and preparation for warres in Scotland : by reason 

 whereof there was no more consideration had to this voyage. Whereupon 

 I went into Spaiene, to the catholike king, and Queene Elizabeth, which 

 being aduertised what I had done, intertained me, and at their charges 

 furnished certaine ships, wherewith they caused me to saile to discouor 

 the coasts of Brasile, where 1 found an exceeding great and largo riuer, 

 named at this present, Eio de la plata, that is, the riuer of silver, into 

 which I sailed and followed it into the firme land, more than sixe score 

 leagues, finding it euery where very faire, and inhabitated with infinite 

 people, which with admiration came running dayly to our ships. Into 

 this riuer runne so many other riuers, that it is a maner incredible. 



