Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 3 (of 8): English Explorations and Settlements in North America 1497-1689
History
Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 3 (of 8): English Explorations and Settlements in North America 1497-1689
America -- Discovery and exploration; America -- History; United States -- History
Sound, in connection with the Narragansett Waters. The word Norumbega
does not occur, and the nomenclature is hardly satisfactory. It
contains no reference either to Verrazano or Cartier. The so-called map
of Cabot, 1544, does not touch the particular subject under notice.[423]
[Illustration: HENRI II. (DAUPHIN) MAP, 1546.
[The legends are as follows:—
2. C. des Illes.
3. Anorobagea.
4. Arcipel de Estienne Gomez. [This voyage
of Gomez will be described in
Vol. IV.]
5. Baye de St. Jhon Baptiste.
6. R. de bona mere.
7. B. de St. Anthoine.
8. R. de St. Anthoine.
9. C. de St. Xρofle.
10. R. de la tournee.
11. C. de Sablons.—ED.]
Frobisher’s map of 1578 shows a strait at the north leading from the
Atlantic to the Pacific, and bearing his name, but the map throws no
light upon Norumbega.[424]
Dr. John Dee was much interested in American enterprise, and made a
particular study of the northern regions, as well as of the fisheries.
Under date of July 6, 1578, he speaks of “Mr. Hitchcok, who had
travayled in the plat for fishing.”[425] A map bearing the inscription,
“Ioannes Dee, Anno, 1580,” is preserved in the British Museum.[426]
It reminds one of Mercator’s map of 1569, but is not so full. Dee was
frequently invited to the Court of Elizabeth to make known her title to
lands in the New World that had been visited by the English; and he was
deferred to by Hakluyt, Gilbert, Walsingham, and others.
He writes in his diary, under date of July 3, 1582, “A meridie hor
3½ cam Sir George Peckham to me to know the tytle of Norombega, in
respect of Spayn and Portugall parting the whole world’s distilleryes;
he promised me of his gift and of his patient ... of the new
conquest.”[427] Gilbert’s voyage was then being projected, but Dee’s
map has no reference to him or the English adventurers.[428] It shows
the main divisions of the coast of Norumbega, except Cape Cod, from
Sandy Hook to Cape Breton. The Penobscot is well defined, and Norombega
lies around its headwaters.
The map in Hakluyt’s Edition of Peter Martyr, published 1587, shows the
English nomenclature around and north of the waters of the Gulf of St.
Lawrence, but it gives away the territory of Norumbega to the French
as Nova Francia. On the west coast of North America is Nova Albion. In
Nova Francia there is a river apparently bearing the name of Arambe,
which, it has been suggested, was used later in a restricted sense. Not
far from this river, at the south, is the legend, “Virginia, 1580.”[429]
A map made in 1592, by Thomas Hood, does not show any English influence
on the coast, but Norombega is represented north of the Penobscot,
which is called R. des Guamas, intended for “Gamas,” the Stag
River.[430]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account