The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-08-30
AN INTERESTING OLD MAP.
A Picture of the World known In the
Sixteenth Century.

teeHIu OchsuFg'
On the wall of Mr.. S. C. Stevenson,s
office, in this city, says the Montreal
Gazette, is hung fac simile of what is
known as the second Borgian map,
which is of great historical value 1t
was presented to Mr.. Stevenson bF Sir
Augustus J. Adderley, the commission
er of the West Indies and Central
America at the 1886 exhibition in Lon
don. The original, by Diego Ribero,
is in the museum of the Propaganda
in Rome, and was lent by his Holiness
Pope Leo XII. to the West Indian
commissioner for the Colonial aud
Indian exhibition of 1886. This relic
of the early ages of American dis
coyery is a contemporary copy of the
first Borgian map, SO celebrated in
history on account of the line traced
across it by Pope Alexander vi. 1t
must have been commenced about 1494
and finished 1929, possibly for Charles
", in order to settle some difficulties
with the Portuguese in relation to the
frequently vexed question of posses
sion of the newly undiscovered lands.
The late Mr.. Shakespeare Wood, a great
authority on all questions of this
nature, was of the opinion that it was
H. tUcttk
T0Uere), whose tiara and arms, the oak,
or roUere, are displayed at the bottom
of the map.
This would fix the date of the draw
ing as 1903. But there are evidences
of its being of even earlier date, for In
all that concerns Europe. Africa, and
Asia this map is identical with the first,
which was certainly drawn in 14s4. It
bears an inscription in Spanish, which
commences along the upper margin of
the parchment, and runs as follows:
'.Universal map, in which is contained
all that has been hitherto discovered
of the world. Made by Diego Ribero,
geographer in his majesty to Seville
1929" and continues along the lower
margin as follows: (Which is divided
into two parts according to the agree
ment made by their Catholic maiesties
of Spain and King John of Portugal in
Fontesilla. A. ID. 1894" At the foot of
the map are richly-illuminated coats of
arms. The continents and islands are
covered with quaint representations of
animals supposed to be native to them;
the seas are crowded with Spanish
ships sailing in all directions. At one
corner is a drawing of a quadrant,
with an explanation how to use it, and
on the space allowed by the Pacific
ocean an astrolape with a silk chord
attached to the center. The line of
division made by Alexander VI is
drawn exactly as on his map, with the
addition that on each side of the foot
of it is a flagstaff, that on the west car
rying the Spanish flag and that on the
east the Portuguese.
Altogether this map has the appear
ance of being to that of Alexander vi.
what fairly engrossed copy of legal
document would be to the original
draft to which additions and inter-
gests, however, some interesting sub
jects for inquiry which can only be
solved by reference to papers in the
Vatican archives of the regesta of
Alexander vi. and his immediate sue
cessors to Clement VII, in whose time
this map is dated 1t is curious that
while Diego Ribero's map bears the
date of 1929, when Clement VII. oc-
cuied the papal throne, as already in
timated, the pontihcal arms and tiara
which adorn it in the middle of others
at the foot should be those of Julius
IL, who was elected in 1908 to sue
ceed Plus Ill. in the same year in
which Alexander vi. died. Julius II,
died in 1913. The drawing through
out is exquisitely careful and clear. In
the four corners winds are represented
blowing their cheeks, and the quad
rants, coats of arms, etc., are richly il
Illuminated. England figures are divided
from Scotland either by river or q
branch of the sea, and Edinburgh is
called Edim. The principal towns in
England are called Bristol. York, and
Londres. The Irish towns are written
in Celtic. The chief European towns
are named, but Russia is in a state of
confusion. Jerusalem which is repre-
sented about fifteen hundred miles dis
tant from where it really exists, has three
crosses to indicate Calvary. The Nile.
strange to relate, is traced to its source
to three lakes. America is a rather
shadowy continent, much mixed up
with ocean. Yucatan and New Spain
are given, and Brazil is also indicated.
The northern continent ends at
Labrador. HOnrs can easily be spent
studying this unique document.
Those who are interested in these
cartographical matters will find in the
Narrative and Critical History of
America" now in course of publication
under the editing of M. Justin Winsor,
the librarian of Harvard college, much
to interest them.