82 CONCEPTIONS OF COLUMBUS 



the Asiatic coast. By reference to the map (PL II) 

 we may, however, see that, if Cuba was Mangi and 

 Honduras was Ciamba, Harrisse's point falls to the 

 ground. 



Finally, Harrisse is of opinion^^ that the Asiatic 

 theory involves ''the absurd supposition that Colum- 

 bus believed Asia had two east coasts, one facing 

 Oceanus Indicus, the other facing Oceanus Atlan- 

 ticus," because he expected to find somewhere a 

 strait that would lead him to the Ganges region. 

 Again, a simple reference to the map is sufficient 

 answer to Harrisse's argument: Asia had an east 

 coast and a south coast; Columbus believed himself 

 on the east coast ; he was trying to round the Lochac 

 peninsula, to reach the south coast on the Indian 

 Ocean. 



Examination of the Views of Thacher 



Thacher is equally positive that Columbus did not 

 believe himself to be on the coast of Asia.^^ 



Such a belief, in Thacher's opinion, would have 

 been "contrary to his expression of having found a 

 New World." As has just been pointed out, however, 

 the term "New World," used by Columbus, had refer- 

 ence to the continental mass back of the Costa de 

 Perlas. It had, originally, no reference to the islands 

 and the northern mainland. 



45 Harrisse, op. cit., p. io6. 



« Thacher, op. ciL, Vol. 2, pp. 616-621 (the three quotations are from 

 pp. 617-618). 



