vered? It is stated elsewhere that on
the same day, opposite the land, an island was also discovered; and in
fact upon the Madrid fac-simile two small islands are found, one of which
is near Cavo descubierto. The name "the Discovered Cape" at the extreme
end of a series of names tells its own story. Cabot overran Cape Race
and went south of St. Pierre and Miquelon without seeing them, and,
continuing on a westerly course, hit Cape Breton at its most easterly
point. An apt illustration occurs in a voyage made by the ship
Bonaventure in 1591, recorded in Hakluyt. She overshot Cape Race without
knowing it and came to the soundings on the bank south of St. Peter's,
where they found twenty fathoms, and then the course was set northwest by
north for Cape Ray. The course was sharply altered toward a definite
and known point, but, if he did not see Cape Race, not knowing what was
before him, Cabot would have had no object in abruptly altering his
course, but, continuing his westerly course, would strike the east point
of Cape Breton. That point, then, and not Cape North, would be "the
Discovered Cape"--the _prima vista_--and there, not far off "over against
the land," "opposite the land" (_exadverso_), he would find Scatari
Island, which would be the island of St. John, so continually attendant
on Cape Breton upon the succeeding maps. If this theory be accepted, all
becomes clear, and the little Matthew, having achieved success, having
demonstrated the existence of Cathay within easy reach of England,
returned home, noticing and naming the salient features of the south
coast of Newfoundland. She had not too much time to do it, for she was
back in Bristol in thirty-four days at most. This theory is further
confirmed by the circumstance recorded by Pasqualigo that, as Cabot
returned, he saw two islands on the right which he had not time to
examine, being short of provisions. These islands would be St. Pierre and
Miquelon; for there are two, and only two, important islands possible to
be seen at the right on the south coast of Newfoundland on the homeward
course. La Cosa, beside the two small islands above noted, has marked on
his map three larger islands, I. de la Trinidad, S. Grigor, and I. Verde,
but they are not laid down on the map in the places of St. Pierre and
Miquelon, nor are there any islands existing in the positions shown. I.
de la Trinidad is doubtless the peninsula of Burin, as would appear by
its position almost in c