Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-10-13
WRITTEN TO COLUMBUS.

WRITTEN TO COLUMBUS.
Cow OF a Letter which Was Written
to the Great Discoverer of the New
World on the Eve of His Departure
on His Voyage OF Discovery.
The following letter from the collection
of Captain Townshend is herewith inserted
on account of its antiquity, as it has
special and marked interest at this notable
time and day of Columbus celebrations.
The letter was written from Florence, Italy,
25 June, 1474.
Copy sent to Christopher Colombo by
Paul, the Physician, with nautical chart.
To Ferdinand Martius, Canon in Lisbon,
Paul, the Physician, Greeting:
have learned with pleasure that your
health is good and that you are on terms
of intimacy with your very generous and
very magnificent sovereign. On previ-
GUS occasion, I have spoken to you of q
sea route to the land of spices; shorter than
the one which you Il. .. the Portuguese)
take by way of Guinea. That is the reason
day information on the subject, or rather
an explanation sufficiently clear to enable
even any but little learned to understand
the excellence of such a route Although
I know that it ia consequence of the
spherical form of the earth, have decided
| nevertheless 80 as to be better understood
and to facilitate the enterprise, to demon
strate in constructing a nautical chart that
the same route is proved to exist there
fore send to his majesty map which has
been drawn with my own hands and
on which are marked your coasts and
the islands. which may be taken as start
ing point when you undertake the voyage
by steering constantly towards the west.
You will also find thereon the indication
Of the country which you must fall in
with; how much you will have to deviate
from the beaten course and from the
equincctial and finally the space, that IL
to say, the number of leagues you have tc
sail over to reach the country which Is &c
rich in spices and precious stones of al
sorts. Do not be surprised If I call the
country of spices western country, while
it is the custom to call it eastern. Thu
reason is that in making the voyage by SET
in the hemisphere, which is opposite tt
our owl. own, the 49,. country viii AWAY
found on the tha west snd side ,o1 IT,
adopted in crossing the high Hemisphere
it will always be found in the east. Th,
longitudinal lines traced on the maps shov
the distance from east to west. The hori
zontal ones show the distance from south t.
| north. have also marked for the use o
| navigators several countries where yo1
may touch in case of contrary winds, or
some accident should drive the expedition
to some other coast than the one intended
I wanted to enable the mariners to sho,
the aboriginees that we we're not withou
possession of some knowledge of thei
country. which must please them. Onl
merchants, IS we are informed, settle
these islands; for there Is such great cor
course OF navigators with goods that tn
port of Zaiton alone, which is famous, COZ
tains greater number of them than a
the rest of the world put together.
1t is asserted that every year one hur
bred large vessels loaded with pepper Al
=. rive in that port, without speaking of tt
q other ships which bring different kinds
spices. That country is very much people
! and very rich. It is composed of multi
tude of provinces, Kingdoms and immune
of single prince, called the Great Khal
y the title means in Latin "The King
y Kings" His residence is mostly in tx
a province of Cathay. His ancestory beir
7 DESTROYS to have intercourse with t.
a Christians, sent two hundred years ae
a an embassy to the Pope to obtain docto
in theology to preach them the Cathol
r religion, but the ENJOYS were prevente
y from continuing their route and returne
y home. In the time of Eugene, one
a them visited the Pope and assured hi
a that his couutrymen entertained very goo
feeling towards Christians. I have CO..
a versed with him great deal on all topic
l. he speaks to me of the large size of IL
= royal palace; of the prodigious exte1
J. of rivers in breadth and length; of Il
a multitude of cities built on their banl
r. (nearly one hundred towns were on Il
l. bank of single river), finally of marb
n bridges very rude and very long adorne
4 with a double row of columns. Tn
n country deserves to be sought after
d the Latins, not only because enormo'
l. wealth can be acquired there in gold,
il silver, in precious stones of all kinds 81
AZ in certain sorts of spices which new
10 seek our country; but on account of t
ts scholars, philosophers and learned astrol
gers (from India) who may teach US
IF | means a province powerful and
W magni6cently governed and their mann
r of waging war. Let these details sufi
IA to satisfy in a measure the king W
" asked for information. My occu patio
IN which absorbs my entire time, does n
allow me to speak more at length.
- later on shall be disposed to comply wi
the desire of his royal majesty as exte
Given at Florence on the 25th of Jul
1474.
From the city of Lisbon towards I
west in direct line there are twenty
spaces (of $50 miles each) marked on I
map as far as the famous city of Quins
The circumference of that city is 100 mil
1t possesses ten bridges, and its name me,
"The City of the Heavens" They rel
marvellous things relative to the multi,
of objects (of art) found there, 6
the amount of it's revenue. T.
space is about one third of the
tire globe. The city is in the pr
ince of Mango, near that of Cath
in which is the royal residence. From
Antilia islands, which you know, to
famous island of Cipango. there are
spaces. That island yields quantities
gold, pearls and precious stones.
temples and palaces of the kings are inl
with plates of gold. It will not be net
sary, therefore, to CROSS a very extens
space over the sea on an unknown TO,
Perhaps I should have given more min
details on many things, but careful
server can OF himself supply much Of "
may be wanting.
Goodbye, dearest.