my opinion, the land was already in the
possession of your Majesties; but, though I gave him my reasons, he did
not like it. Because I believe that your Highnesses will presently
receive information in regard to all this matter, and the chart or map
which this man has made, I do not now send it; it is here and it,
according to my opinion, is false, in order to make it appear that they
are not the said islands.

FOOTNOTES:

[423-1] This letter was received in Venice on September 23, 1497, and a
copy of it was incorporated by Marino Sanuto in his diary. It was first
brought to light by Rawdon Brown in his _Ragguagli sulla Vita e sulle
Opere di Marin Sanuto_, etc. (Venezia, 1837). It was published in English
in a generally accessible form in 1864 in the _Calendar of State Papers_,
_Venetian Series_, I. 262, edited by Rawdon Brown. The translation here
given is a revision of Brown's version. Another translation is printed in
Markham, _The Journal of Columbus_ (London, 1893).

[423-2] This reference to the Grand Cham probably indicates familiarity
with Columbus's views of what he had discovered as expressed in his
letters to Santangel and to Sanchez; see above, p. 268.

The landfall of John Cabot has been the subject of prolonged discussion.
Labrador, Newfoundland, and Cape Breton are the principal places
advocated. Of late years, owing to the vigorous and learned arguments of
Dr. S.E. Dawson there has been an increasing disposition to accept Cape
Breton on Cape Breton Island as the most probable location. See Winship,
_Cabot Bibliography_, for the literature.

[423-3] The words "to starboard" have been inserted at this point in all
English translations. Biggar has pointed out that the words _al dreto_ so
translated are Venetian dialect for _addietro_, which is an alternate
form for the more common _indietro_, back. The earlier translators
thought _al dreto_ equivalent to _al dritto_, on the right. _Al tornar al
dreto_ means simply "in going back."

[424-1] "August 10, 1497: To hym that founde the New Isle, 10L." British
Museum, Add. MSS. No. 7099, 12 Henry VII., fol. 41. From Weare, _Cabot's
Discovery of North America_, 124.

[424-2] So in Sanuto's text. This form indicates perhaps that Pasqualigo
had only heard the name and not seen it written.

[424-3] This letter was found in the archives of the Sforza family in
Milan. The manuscript is apparently no longer extant. There are two
somewhat divergent texts. The on