LENGTH OF A DEGREE 25 



does In the second type just described, where it is 

 Hghtly marked. The other equator is marked 

 heavily in the Atlantic and does not appear in the 

 Indian Ocean. This second equator bears approxi- 

 mately the true relation to the Gulf of Guinea. 



The Hamy map is only a step from the fourth 

 type, which Is approximately correct in Its delinea- 

 tion of the relation of the equator to the Gulf of 

 Guinea. This type Is represented by the Behaim 

 globe of 1492^^ (Fig. 2) and the La Cosa map of 

 1500.^6 



The series of maps have a double bearing on the 

 Columbus project: (i) The second group furnishes in- 

 dubitable evidence that the best cartographers in 

 Europe long accepted those astronomical observa- 

 tions which placed the equator in substantially the 

 same relation to Guinea as Columbus placed It. It 

 would, therefore, appear from this evidence that 

 there was thought to be a substantial basis for ob- 

 servations similar to those on which Columbus re- 

 lied. (2) The maps also furnish a test of Vignaud's 

 contention" that it was after his discovery of 

 America that Columbus formulated the statement 

 of his grand plan as that of reaching the Indies by 

 going west. Columbus visited the Guinea country 

 in the period when the second of the above map 

 series was in vogue and during the period when the 



" Ravenstein, op. cit. 



66 Nordenskiold, Periplus, PI. 43. For the primary source see below, 

 p. 59, footnote 8. 



6' Vignaud, op. cit., Vol. 2, p. 344. 



