grim Jonsson, who calls Vinland "an island of _America_, in the
region of Greenland, perhaps the modern Estotilandia."[481] This is the
earliest glimmering of an association of the idea of Vinland with that
of America.

[Footnote 481: "Terram vero Landa Rolfoni quaesitam existimarem
esse Vinlandiam olim Islandis sic dictam; de qua alibi insulam
nempe Americae e regione Gronlandiae, quae forte hodie
Estotilandia," etc. _Crymogoea_, Hamburg, 1610, p. 120.

Abraham Ortelius in 1606 speaks of the Northmen coming to
America, but bases his opinion upon the Zeno narrative
(published in 1558) and upon the sound of the name _Norumbega_,
and apparently knows nothing of Vinland:--"Iosephus Acosta in
his book _De Natura noui orbis_ indeuors by many reasons to
proue, that this part of _America_ was originally inhabited by
certaine Indians, forced thither by tempestuous weather ouer
the South sea which now they call Mare del Zur. But to me it
seemes more probable, out of the historie of the two Zeni,
gentlemen of Venice, ... that this New World many ages past was
entred upon by some islanders of _Europe_, as namely of
_Groenland_, Island, and Frisland; being much neerer thereunto
than the Indians, nor disioyned thence ... by an Ocean so huge,
and to the Indians so vnnauigable. Also, what else may we
coniecture to be signified by this _Norumbega_ [the name of a
North region of _America_] but that from _Norway_, signifying a
North land, some Colonie in times past hath hither beene
transplanted?" _Theatre of the Whole World_, London, 1606, p.
5. These passages are quoted and discussed by Reeves, _The
Finding of Wineland the Good_, pp. 95, 96. The supposed
connection of _Norumbega_ with _Norway_ is very doubtful.
Possibly Stephanius, in his map of 1570 (Torfaeus, _Gronlandia
antiqua_, 1706), may have had reference to Labrador or the
north of Newfoundland.]

[Sidenote: Resume of the genesis of Columbus's scheme.]

[Sidenote: Martin Behaim's improved astrolabe.]

[Sidenote: Negotiations of Columbus with John II. of Portugal.]

[Sidenote: A shabby trick.]

[Sidenote: Columbus leaves Portugal,]

[Sidenote: and enters the service of the Spanish sovereigns, 1486.]

[Sidenote: The junto