OCEANIC DISCOVERIES. 613 



tion manifested the perfect character of being the fulfilment 

 of a plan sketched in accordance with scientific combinations. 

 The expedition was safely conducted westward, through the 

 gate; opened by the Tyrians and Colams of Samos, across the 

 immeasurable dark sea, mare tenebrosum, of the Arabian geogra- 

 phers. They strove to reach a goal, with the limits of which 

 they believed themselves acquainted. They were not driven 

 accidentally thither by storms, as Nacldod and Gardar had 

 been borne to Iceland, and Gunlijorn, the son of Ulf Kraka, to 

 Greenland. Nor were the discoverers guided on their course 

 by intermediate stations. The great cosmographer, Martin 

 Behaim of Niimberg, who accompanied the Portuguese Diego 

 Cam on his important expedition to the western coasts of 

 Africa, lived four years, from 1486 to 1490, in the Azores; but 

 it was not from these islands, which lie between the coasts of 

 Spain and Maryland, and only at -|th the distance from the 

 latter, that America was discovered. The preconception of 

 this event is celebrated with rich poetical fancy in those 

 stanzas of Tasso, in which he sings of the deeds which Her- 

 cules ventured not to attempt. 



Non oso di tentar 1'alto Occano : 

 Segnd le mete, en troppo breve chiostri, 

 L'ardir ristrinse dell'ingegno umano, 

 Tempo verra che nan d'Ecole i segni 

 Pavola vile ai naviganti industri 

 Un uom dellci Liguria aviit ardimento 

 All' incognito corso esporsi in prima. 



Tasso, xv. st. 25, 30 et 31. 



Chinese commercial cities of Zaitun and Quinsay (y es cicrto, dice el 

 A Imirante questa es la tierra jirme y que estoy, dice el, ante Zayto y 

 Guinsay). " He intends to present the letters of the Catholic Monarchs 

 to the great Mogul Khan (Gran Can) in Khatai ; and to return imme- 

 diately to Spain (but by sea), as soon as he shall have thus discharged the 

 mission entrusted to him. He subsequently sends on shore a baptized 

 Jew, Luis de Torres, because he understands Hebrew, Chaldce, and some 

 Arabic," Avhich are languages in use in Asiatic trading cities. (See 

 Columbus' Journal of his Voyages, 1492, in Navarrete, Viages y Descu- 

 trim., t. i. pp. 37, 44 and 46.) Even in 1533, the astronomer Schoner 

 maintained that the whole of the so-called New World was a part of 

 Asia (superioris Indiae), and that the city of Mexico (Temistitan), con- 

 quered by Cortes, was no other than the Chinese commercial city of 

 Quinsay, so excessively extolled by Marco Polo. (See Joannis Sclioneri 

 Carlosladii Opusculum geograpliicum, Norimb. 1533, para ii. cap 

 1-20.) 



