Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-03-27
Edward Wells. D D. sometime stu

Edward Wells, D. D., sometime stu
dent of Christ church, Oxon., aud
late rector of Cotesbach in Leicester
shire Each of the forty one maps
bears dedication to His Highness
William Duke of Gloucester, the
young son of Princess Anne of Den
mark, afterward Queen Anne" who
died In the year 1709, and as he was
only IL years of age at that time the
work could only have been prepared
very few years previously. ALI the
maps IN the collection are curious, to
say the least, but the most peculiar are
those relating to America. The map
of North America has been laid out
according to Mercator's projection, as
far as latitude is concerned, but longi-
tudinally this is charged to- the regular
method, giving the map an even more
distored appearance than it naturally
would have with the errors which have
been made.
Among the blunders are the placing
of the eastern extremity, Newfound-
land, in the 45th degree of latitude,
instead of SO degrees, and Cape
Charles, the eastern point of Labrador,
is placed IN the same 45th degree, in
stead of the seth degree. Iceland is
represented as a long narrow Island
extending from the 5th degree to the
21st degree west longitude, instead of
from the 18th degree to the 25th degree,
but these are comparatively small
matters. The extreme eastern point
of the continent is at the 45th degree !;
the western is unknown, but must
have extended almost back to Europe,
as Cape San Eugenio in Lower Cell
fornia is given at the 145th degree, or
80 degrees west of its proper location.
The source of the Meschasipi or Mis-
sissippi river is gwen in longitude
west from Greenwich 125 degrees, SO
as to throw the western boundry of
Ontarla from Cape Beale, in Van
couver island. Illinois lake, or Lake
Michigan, is apparently by far the
largest of the great lakes, with an ex-
treme breadth OF ever five hundred
miles. TRACT or Upper lake, as Lake
Superior is called, is shown as being
the same size as Lakes Huron and
Erie, and Lake Ontario is given as
about one fourth the size of the latter.
Lake Tlmagaming is shows as the
source of the Saguenay and Rupert
rivers. The Ottawa river on the map
receives the waters of Hudson bay and
of Lake Huron to carry to the ST.
Lawrence, and there was apparently
no knowledge of the Niagara Falls.
Five towns only appear to have
been settled in what is now Canada
Port Royal and Touqumet, the latter
now called Yarmouth, in Nova Scotia,
then called New Scotland; Brest. at
the extreme eastern point OF Labrador
Tadousac and Quebec. The errors
which are observable in the northern
are reproducing in the southern part
of the map. Baltimore town is given
as being some distance north of Phila
delphla, and Plymouth is much near
er to Boston than is CharleStown. The
| Appalachian mountains run nearly
due east and west on the map,
through what are now the states of
Ohio, kentucky, Indiana, Illinois,
thence across the Mississippi, and
trending southwa into New Mexico.
Lower California is an island, and the
upper part of the island is called New
! Albion. New Orleans would appear
to have just been founded, as there
is an island shown at the mouth OF
the Mississippi called Nav French
Settlement, but the mouth of the river
is no nearer being in its right position
than the sources, it being shown al
the Gulf of Mexico" Oae more re.
ference TO the north may be allow ed
''Frobisher's': straits are given as be
ing south of Green Land" and
James bay is divided into two parts,
one of which is called James and the
other Hudson bay. Carolina is
credited with possessing lake as
Ontario, and the Susquehanna river
is represented as running due north
and IN an exactly straight line. Many
of the towns in Mexico are located
tolerably accurately, but tie lay of the
land is terribly out of proportion
Other maps in the atlas are equally
interesting to lovers of the curious,
ard will we'll repay comparison
by those who have time and oppor
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