DISCOVERY or AMERICA. 269 
which time he was bufied in making frefh difcoveries in 
geography, by {mall excurfions, which need not be men- 
tioned, Behem applied in 1484 (which was eight years 
before Columbus’s expedition) to John II. king of Portu- 
gal, to procure the means of undertaking a great expedi- 
tion towards the fouth-weft. This prince gave him fome 
fhips, with which he difcovered that part of America, 
which is now called Brazil; and he even failed to the 
ftreights of Magellan, or to the country of fome favage 
tribes; whom he called Patagonians, from the extremities 
of their bodies being covered with a fkin more like a bear’s 
paws than human hands and feet. This fact is proved by 
authentic records, preferved in the archives of Nurenberg. 
One of which in particular deferves attention “* Martin 
«* Behem, traverfing the Atlantic ocean for feveral years, 
*‘ examined the American iflands, and difcovered the 
“¢ {trait which bears the name of Magellan, before either 
«* Chriftopher Columbus or Magellan {failed thofe feas; 
“and even mathematically delineated.on a geographical 
“ chart for the king of Lufitania, the fituation of the 
“ coaft, around every part of that famous and renowned 
“ ftrait.” This affertion is fupported by Behem’s own 
letters, written in German and preferved in the archives 
of Nurenberg, in a book which contains the birth and il- 
luftrious actions of the nobility of that city. Thefe let- 
m. ters 
iron 20 années a faire des recherches ulterieures fur la géographie, dans de petites excurfions 
que ne meritent par d’étre rapportées ici; Behem-s’adreflaen 1484, ceft a dire huit années 
avant I’expedition de Chriftophe Colomb, a Jean II. roi de Portugal, pour obtenir de lui les 
moyens d’entreprendre une grande expedition vers le fud-oueft. Ce prince lui confia quelques 
vaiffleaux avec lefquels il decouvrit la partie de ! Amerique connue fous le nom de Brefil, et 
il étendit meme fa navigation jufqu’au détroit de Magellan, ou a la terre de quelques hordes 
fauvages qu’il appella Patagons, puifque les extremités de leurs corps couvertes de peaux reflem- 
bloient plutét a des pattes d’ours qu’a des piedset 4 des mains. Ce fait eft prouvé par des do- 
-cumens authentiques dépofés dans les archives de Nurenberg. Il y ena un furtout qui merite 
notre attention: ‘* Martinus Behemus per oceanum Atianticum huc illuc annos plufeulos 
*« oberrans, ante Chriftophorum Columbum Americz infulas, ante Fernandum Magellanum, 
*¢ fretum quod ab eo cognomentum habet perveftigavit, unde et in tabula geographica longe prius 
© quam Magellanes de expeditione fua cogitaffet, omnem circa infigne clariflimumque fretum 
‘¢ illud orz habitudinem Lufitaniz regi radio delineavit.” Cette affertien fe trouve appuyée 
‘par des lettres de Behem ecrites en Allemand, et confervées dans les archives de Nurenberg, 
dans un volume contenant Vorigine ct les actions éclatantes des patriciens de cette ville. Ces 
lettres 
