[371] Letter of João da Silveyra to Dom João III. Archivo de Torre de Tombo. Corp. Chron. part. i. ma. 29. doc. 54.
[372] The ship La Dauphine is spoken of in the Italian text of Verrazzano’s letter as “la nave Dalfina.” Dalfina is the feminine form of the Italian word dalfino, a dolphin.
[373] A manuscript containing the Italian text of Verrazzano’s letter was found in 1837, by G. W. Greene, consul from the United States at Rome, in the Magliabecchian library of Florence, in a volume of miscellanies, marked “Class xiii. Cod. 89. Verraz.” With this letter was another written by Fernando Carli to his father, dated Lyons, August 4, 1524. As Carli remarks in his communication that it inclosed a copy of Verrazzano’s letter to Francis I., it is believed that the transcript he speaks of is the copy found in the Magliabecchian library.—Vide Life and voyages of Verrazzano, by G. W. Greene. North American Review. vol. xlv. October, 1837.
Ramusio placed in the third volume of his collection of voyages and travels a condensed form of Verrazzano’s letter, entitled “The relation of Giovanni da Verrazzano, Florentine, to the most Christian king of France, Francis I., of the land by him discovered in the name of his majesty; written at Dieppe, July 8, 1524.—Al Christianissimo Re Di Francia Francesco Primo, Relatione di Giovanni da Verrazano Fiorentino della terra per lui scoperta in nome di sua Maesta scritta in Dieppa, adi 8. Luglio M.D.XXIIII.”—Raccolta di navigationi e viaggi. Ramusio. vol. iii. fol. 350.
[374] The copy of Verrazzano’s letter has this superscription: “Il Capitano Giovanni da Verrazzano, fiorentino di Normandie, al la serenissima corona di Francia, dice”:—Captain Giovanni da Verrazzano, a Florentine, from Normandy, to the most serene crown of France, says.
[375] Hakluyt’s translation of the letter published by Ramusio, in 1556, begins with these words.
“I wrote not to your Maiesty, most Christian King, since the time we suffered the Tempest in the North partes, of the successe of the foure shippes, which your Maiestie sent forth to discouer new lands by the Ocean, thinking your Maiestie had bene already duely enformed thereof. Now by these presents I will give your Maiestie to understand how by the violence of the Windes we were forced with the two shippes, the Norman and the Dolphin (in such euill case as they were), to land in Britaine. Where after wee had repayred them in all poynts as was needful, and armed them very well, we took our course along the coast of Spaine, which your Maiestie shall understand by the profite that we receiued thereby. Afterwards with the Dolphin alone we determined to make discouerie of new Countries, to prosecute the Nauigation we had already begun, which I purpose at the present to recount unto to your Maiestie, to make manifest the whole proceeding of the matter.
“The 17 of January, the yeere 1524, by the Grace of God, we departed from the dishabited rocke by the isle of Madeira (Alli, 17. Genaro, 1524. Dio gratia partimmo dallo scoglio dishabitato), appertaining to the king of Portugal, with 50 men, with victuals, weapons, and other ship-munition very well prouided and furnished for eight months; and sailing Westward with a faire Easterly winde (per Ponente nauigando con vento di Leuante assai piaceuole), in 25 dayes we ran 500 leagues, and the 20 of Februarie (alli 20 Febraro), we were ouertaken with as sharpe and terrible a tempest as euer any saylers suffered, whereof with the diuine helpe and mercifull assistance of Almighty God, and the goodnesse of our shippe, accompanied with the good happe of her fortunate name we were delivered.”—Vide Voyages. London, 1600. vol. ii. p. 295.
[376] One of three islands lying in a row from north to south, southeast of the island of Madeira, in north latitude 32° 30´, off the west coast of Africa. The islands are called Ilhas Dezertas, and are only inhabited by sea-fowl.
[377] In Verrazzano’s geographical explanation of the voyage, he assigns 62½ miles to a degree and 4 miles to a marine league. According to this data, 15⅝ marine leagues equal a degree. On Thevet’s map of the fourth part of the world, printed in 1575, is a scale of leagues which shows that a marine league was double the length of a French league. With this information it is easy to ascertain the length of a degree in French leagues of Verrazzano’s day; 31¼, according to his explanation, equalling a degree. Columbus made 56⅔ miles equal an equinoctial degree and 60 miles equal to 15 leagues. Pigafetta assigned 17½ leagues to a degree. “The land-league is three miles,” he says, “the sea-league is four.” The modern nautical league is one-twentieth of a degree, or three equatorial miles or 3.45785 statute miles. A sea-mile, according to the United States standard, is equal to 1.152664 common statute or land-miles. One degree of longitude at the equator is equal to 69.160 land-miles. A French geographical league, according to Verrazzano’s reckoning, equals 2⅕ land-miles of the United States standard.