The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1886-11-30


historical treasures is the Ribero map.
which is indeed document of price
less archaeological value. The parch-
ment is seven feet long by three in
height. and it has never been folded.
its preservation being evidently due to
the utmost care whether in keeping it
rolled up or in displaying it under glass.
The rich colors used in its adornment,
the ultramarines. vermillons, and other
haraldc tints employed in the coats of
arms, quadrants, zodiacal signs, and
miscellaneous devices. being as fresh
as they could or should have been on
the day they were painted. The no
ton that Don d ego Ribero COM
menced this map under Julius ii. is
somewhat favored by the fact that the
family arms CONSPICUOUS in which is
the oak, emblematic Of his name, Ro-
vere--are emblazoned with the tiara at
the bottom of the parchment. This
would make the da to 1903; but there
are earlier indications. Nothing more
infinitely exquisite than the writing,
which is not confined to geographical
names, can be imagined. 1t is the per-
lection of caligraphy, rather Italian
than Span sh in its graceful freedom.
Many of the names are written in gold,
and it is surmised that these, which oc-
cur in the north of Mexico and Peru,
are intended to signify the presence OF
gold mines there about. The large let
tering on the upper and lower margins
is in Spanish. the line above being to
this effect: Universal map, in which
is contained all that has been hitherto
discovered of the world. Made by
Diego Ribero, geographer to his majes-
ty in Seville. 1925" while the words
beneath translated are: "The which is
div ded into two parts, according to
the agreement made by their Catholic
maiesties of Spain and King John of
Portugal, in Fontesilla, A. ID. 1884"
This IS the important part of the in
scripiion, recalling as it does the h'stor-
ical incident of the drawing line across
the first map, by Pope Alexander w.,
to settle some differences with the Port
ugesc in relation to the frequently
vexcd quest on of possession in newly
discovered lands. Strange is it tina,
within the past few months this same
map should have served similar pur-
pose of defining territorial rights. AT
one corner is drawing of a quadrant,
accompanied by written direction
how to use it; and on space borrowed
from he Pacific ocean is an astro'
labe, which should have silken cord
attached to the center. The line of
division drawn by Alexander vi. is de-
scribed exactly as on his map, with the
addition that on each side the foot OF ii
is flagstaff. with the Spanish flag car
ried toward the west and the POrtu-
guese toward the east. Though it is
supposed that Alexander made one
line of demarkation only. this map of
1929, sent from Spain TO Clement VII,
gives n second. But it will be found
that the first line, drawn to the west OF
the Canary islands and the Azores, has
merely its counterpart in the second
which, passing between Sumatra and
Borneo, carries the division round or
through the globe. 1t is curious that
while the second line is so drawn as
lust to place the Moluccas within the
limits il represents as having been as
signed to Spain, the delneation OF
those and of the neighboring islands,
in their then only partially discovered
forms including what appears to be a
bit of the coast of New Guinea, should
have deem added at the Western en-
tremity of Alexander Wis map, while
the eastern extremity of that map,
which if complete would show whether
the pope had drawn second line, or
had completed the first through the o2
posite hemisphew. has now disap-
peared, and may possibly have been
mutilated at that time. London Tetc-
graph.