The brief references in the manuscript of Alonzo de Santa Cruz effectually clear up one point, namely, the suggestion that Sebastian tried to deceive his contemporaries in Spain by claiming his father’s exploits as his own. There could never have been much probability in such a charge, in view of the number of persons who must have been living during the period 1512–47 with personal recollections of all the circumstances; and it is definitely and finally swept away by Santa Cruz’s allusion, as a matter of common knowledge, to the explorations of John Cabot.[[63]]
The remaining account of any length is that of Antonio Galvano, published in 1563, but written before 1557, the date of his death. It is not, on any serious point, at variance with Peter Martyr, but includes some details peculiar to itself. Galvano was a man of grave and sober character, and moreover, an experienced voyager. His judgement, in any conflict of evidence, is more likely to be reliable than that of Ramusio.
A correct view of the statements in all these accounts is best obtained by summarizing them and placing the results side by side in the following manner:
Points of Agreement:—
Two ships were employed (Martyr, Gomara, Ramusio α, Galvano).
Three hundred men were carried (Martyr, Gomara, Galvano).
The general direction of the voyage was to the north-west (Martyr, Gomara, Ramusio α and β, Eden). Galvano says they went westwards to land in 45°, and then northwards to 60°.
Ice was encountered in July (Martyr, Gomara, Eden). Ice without mention of date (Galvano).
After making land, the expedition coasted northwards (Martyr, Gomara, Ramusio α and β, Galvano).
It then turned back and sailed along the coast southwards and westwards (Martyr, Gomara, Ramusio α, Galvano). Eden appears to deny this, but probably unintentionally.