This map is Linschoten's second map of St Helena island in the south Atlantic. St Helena was an important re-supply point for the Portuguese starting from their earliest attempts, in the late 1400s, at rounding the Cape of Good Hope and discovering a sea route to the Indies. The island's later history included being Napoleon's final place of imprisonment, after his defeat at Waterloo. The safe harbor was on the northern side of the island. A ship in the harbor in bottom view flies the Portuguese standard.
Elaborate cartouches dominate the upper part of the map.
Text in Latin and in Dutch. Engraved by Baptista van Doetichum. Here, he had access to many Portuguese portolans as well as other valuable commercial information. This book and the accompanying maps provided precise information on the Portuguese sea routes to the East, their re-supply points around Africa, and their trading stations in the East. The book had a tremendous influence on Dutch expansion in the East and particularly in Java.