[267-1] The first appearance of this West Indian word in Europe.
[267-2] Fustas de remo.
[268-1] Cf. Journal, [December 23], and [note]. The reader will observe the tone of exaggeration in the letter as compared with the Journal.
[268-2] Marco Polo reported that in the kingdom of Lambri in Sumatra “there are men who have tails like dogs, larger than a palm, and who are covered with hair.” Marco Polo, pt. III., ch. XIV. See Yule’s note on the legend of men with tails, Yule’s Marco Polo, II. 284. The name Avan (Anan in the Latin letter) does not occur in the Journal. Bernaldez, Historia de las Reyes Catolicos, II. 19, gives Albao as one of the provinces of Española. As this name is not found in his chief source, Dr. Chanca’s letter, he may have got it from Columbus and through a lapse of memory transferred it from Cuba to Española.
[268-3] The area of Spain is about 191,000 square miles; that of Española or Hayti is 28,000. The extreme length of Hayti is 407 miles.
[268-4] That is, with the mainland of Europe on this side of the Atlantic and with the mainland on that side of the ocean belonging to the Great Can, i.e., China.
[268-5] I.e., Nativity, Christmas, because the wreck occurred on that day. Cf. Journal, [December 25] and [January 4], and [note] to entry of [December 28].
[269-1] Columbus had read in the Imago Mundi of Pierre d’Ailly and noted in the margin the passage which says that in the ends of the earth there “were monsters of such a horrid aspect that it were hard to say whether they were men or beasts.” Raccolta Colombiana, pt. I., vol. II., p. 468. Cf. also the stories in the Book of Sir John Mandeville, chs. XXVII. and XXVIII.
[269-2] Columbus apparently revised his estimate of the latitude on the return, without, however, correcting his Journal; cf. entries for [October 30] and [November 21].
[270-1] See Journal, [January 15], and [note]. The island is identified with Martinique.