It was, and is, so common to use “land” as a final syllable for island
names (witness Iceland, Shetland, and the rest) that “Ferisland” would
easily be derived from the form of the name last given and would be as
readily contracted into “Frisland.” We find the latter (Frislanda),
indeed, on the map of Cantino (1502)[233] and in the life of Columbus
ascribed to his son Ferdinand.[234] There seems no doubt of its very
early use for a northern island or islands; apparently primarily for
the Faroe group, often blended as one island.
But there seems to have been some confusion in men’s minds between
Iceland and Frisland as northern fishing centers and neighbors of like
conditions. Thus the portolan atlas known as Egerton MS. 2803, contains
two maps[235] (one shown in Fig. 8) naming Iceland “Fislanda,” and
the notable Catalan map of about 1480[236] (Fig. 7), first copied by
Nordenskiöld, which shows Greenland as an elongated rectangular “Illa
Verde” and Brazil in the place later given to Estotiland, also depicts
a large insular “Fixlanda,” which is surely Iceland, if any faith may
be put in general outline and the arrangement of islets offshore.
Prunes (1553; Fig. 12) substantially reproduces it, with the same name
and apparently the same meaning. Zeno (Fig. 19) follows him closely in
area and aspect but draws also an elongated Iceland to the northward,
the latter island trending southwestward in imitation of Greenland and
seeming to derive its geography therefrom. This version of Iceland was
probably suggested by one of the Nicolaus Germanus maps above referred
to.
Thus Zeno has two great islands, Frisland and Iceland, the former being
several times larger than Shetland and many times larger than Orkney.
His Frisland gets its name from the Faroes, its area and outline from
Iceland; it is located south of Iceland, where there never was anything
but waste water. No such large island, distinct from Iceland, ever
existed at the north. Certainly, as shown, it is a mythical island
indeed.
Major stoutly argued that any derelictions of the map are to be
explained as the defects of age and rottenness, unskillfully cobbled
by a later hand. This sounds reasonable to one who has seen how the
changes of time deface these old memorials and how easily outlines
and much more may be misread. But in point of fact the map as we have
it answers to the narrative singularly well. Any blurs or lacunae
which needed restoration must have occurred in very fortunate places.
Iceland, Shetland, Greenland, Scotland, Estotiland, and Drogio are all
not very far from where they should be. The Orkneys and Fair Island, if
too far west in fact, are only far enough to suit the tale, for when
Antonio sails eastward he comes to them and knows he has passed east of
Iceland, a reflection more likely to occur if the interval were rather
small than if it were very great.
ICARIA
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