2.42 The Progress of Geographical Discovery. 



Japan under the name of Cipango, is found off the coast of India, far 

 to the south of its true location. Two other famous islands are fouud 

 here, Antilia and San Brandan, which after the fourteenth century 

 were supposed to exist in the most western parts of the ocean. Of 

 Antilia Behaim says: " In the year 734, after the conquest of Spain 

 by the Mohamedans, this island, Antilia, was discovered and settled by 

 an archbishop from Oporto in Portugal, who fled to it in ships with 

 six other bishops and other Christian men and women. They built 

 there seven towns from which circumstance it has also been called the 

 island of the seven cities. In the year 1414 a Spanish vessel came very 

 near to it." This island of the seven cities, like the fountain of ever 

 blooming youth, figured in all the dreams of discoveries for centuries. 

 It is somewhat singular that Cortereal, after he had discovered the 

 island of Newfoundland, announced that he had found the island of 

 the seven cities. I may add here that the name in its Spanish form, 

 Antilles, was very naturally transferred to those islands near Cuba 

 upon their discovery. 



Kegarding the other island, San Brandan, Behaim says: "In the 

 year 565 Saint Brandan, an Irish bishop, arrived with his vessels on 

 this island, saw there most wonderful things and returned afterward 

 to his country." These islands are found on the maps of the four- 

 teenth and fifteenth centuries, and many expeditions were sent out for 

 their discovery even in the seventeenth century. 



In the eastern portion of Asia given on the map, Mangi is the name 

 of a Chinese province mentioned by Marco Polo. Cathaia is the old 

 name of northern China. As for the rest of the globe, not reproduced 

 on the map, a tolerably accurate outline of Europe, Asia and Africa is 

 given, although Europe is dwarfed, and Asia and Africa broadened 

 out east and west beyond their real proportions. It was just such a 

 map as this, one made in 1474 by Toscanelli, an Italian, that Columbus 

 had with him on his first voyage of discovery. So far, theory, specu- 

 ation and maps. Now comes' the time for action. And what impelled 

 the Genoese to venture out on untried seas, to exert himself to con- 

 vince skeptics, skeptics who alone could furnish him ships and provis- 

 ions, to stand up alone against reluctant and mutinous crews and 

 subdue them as they sailed on and on over the waste of waters? As 

 usual many and mixed motives, personal ambition to find new lands, 

 to be a discoverer, the true scientist's keen desire to add to the fund 

 of human knowledge, but back of all an impelling power that rules 

 the world, money. It was for money that represents food, shelter, 

 clothing and all that miuisters to comfort or luxury. Money as made 



