A Book of American ExplorersHigginson, Thomas Wentworth
History
A Book of American Explorers
Higginson, Thomas Wentworth
America -- Discovery and exploration; United States -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
The extracts which follow are from another volume of the same
series, entitled “Hakluyt’s Divers Voyages,” London, 1850,
pp. 23‒26.
Verrazzano’s narrative is taken from “Hakluyt’s Divers Voyages,”
same edition, pp. 55‒71. Another translation, by J. G. Cogswell,
may be found, with the original Italian narrative, in the
Collections of the New York Historical Society, second series,
vol. 1.
CABOT AND VERRAZZANO.
I.――FIRST NEWS OF JOHN AND SEBASTIAN CABOT.
[From a letter written by Lorenzo Pasqualigo, from London, to
his brothers in Venice, and dated Aug. 23, 1497.]
THIS Venetian of ours, who went with a ship from Bristol in quest of
new islands, is returned, and says that seven hundred leagues hence
he discovered “terra firma,”[63] which is the territory of the Grand
Cham.[64] He coasted for three hundred leagues, and landed. He saw no
human being whatsoever; but he has brought hither to the king certain
snares which had been set to catch game, and a needle for making nets;
he also found some felled trees: wherefore he supposed there were
inhabitants, and returned to his ship in alarm.
He was three months on the voyage, it is quite certain; and, coming
back, he saw two islands to starboard, but would not land, time being
precious, as he was short of provisions. The king is much pleased with
this intelligence. He says that the tides are slack, and do not flow
as they do here.
The king has promised, that, in the spring, he shall have ten ships
armed according to his own fancy; and, at his request, he has conceded
to him all the prisoners, except such as are confined for high treason,
to man them with. He has also given him money wherewith to amuse
himself till then; and he is now at Bristol with his wife, who is a
Venetian woman, and with his sons. His name is Zuan[65] Cabot; and they
call him the great admiral. Vast honor is paid him, and he dresses in
silk; and these English run after him like mad people, so that he can
enlist as many of them as he pleases, and a number of our own rogues
besides.
The discoverer of these places planted on his new-found land a large
cross, with one flag of England, and another of St. Mark, by reason of
his being a Venetian; so that our banner has floated very far afield.
II.――SEBASTIAN CABOT’S VOYAGE.
[The following notes, preserved in “Hakluyt’s Voyages,” give the
earliest authentic information about Sebastian Cabot.]
A NOTE of Sebastian Cabot’s Voyage of Discovery, taken out of an old
Chronicle written by Robert Fabian, sometime Alderman of London, which
is in the custody of John Stowe, Citizen, a diligent searcher and
preserver of Antiquities.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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