in these
opinions of Columbus 381

The whole point and purport of Columbus's scheme lay in its
promise of a route to the Indies shorter than that which the
Portuguese were seeking by way of Guinea 381

Columbus's speculations on climate; his voyages to Guinea
and into the Arctic ocean 382

He may have reached Jan Mayen island, and stopped
at Iceland 383, 384

The Scandinavian hypothesis that Columbus "must
have" heard and understood the story of the Vinland
voyages 384, 385

It has not a particle of evidence in its favour 385

It is not probable that Columbus knew of Adam of
Bremen's allusion to Vinland, or that he would have
understood it if he had read it 386

It is doubtful if he would have stumbled upon the
story in Iceland 387

If he had heard it, he would probably have classed it
with such tales as that of St. Brandan's isle 388

He could not possibly have obtained from such a source his
opinion of the width of the ocean 388, 389

If he had known and understood the Vinland story, he had the
strongest motives for proclaiming it and no motive whatever
for concealing it 390-392

No trace of a thought of Vinland appears in any of his
voyages 393

Why did not Norway or Iceland utter a protest in 1493? 393

The idea of Vinland was not associated with the idea of
America until the seventeenth century 394

Recapitulation of the genesis of Columbus's scheme 395

Martin Behaim's improved astrolabe 395, 396

Negotiations of Columbus with John II. of Portugal 396, 397

The king is persuaded into a shabby trick 398

Columbus leaves Portugal and enters into the service
of Ferdinand and Isabella, 1486 398-400

The junto at Salamanca, 1486 401

Birth of Ferdinand Columbus, August 15, 1488 401