The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-06-17


supplied, out of the feelings of Cabot
when he first made out the grim shore
line Of vast continent we know moth.
ing at all, and it is too late in the day for
any historian, no matter how daring,
to make good the deficiency We only
know that he landed somewhere about
the middle of the Labrador coast.
This was the real discovery Of Amer
lea. 1t was 10 months later before Co
lumbus reached the mainland. Amerigo
Vespucci did not discover the cont.
nent for two years after. Seeing no peo-
pie, Cabot finally concluded that the
land was uninhabited. Then he planted
the English and Venetian standards
and sailed south along the coast for
about 800 miles. He is said to have
twice sighted the coast of Newfound.
land on the homeward voyage but as
to whether he landed or not authorities
differ. Some say he did and others say
he did not.
After an absence Of little more than
three months Cabot dropped anchor
again in Bristol harbor He was greet
cd with great enthusiasm. The town
took holiday, and the news swept like
wildfre through the kingdom. All Eng
land rejoiced, and Cabot was hailed as
her favorite admiral. The crown gave
him money and encouragement. New
ships were fitted out and new crews Ell.
listed. A new commission, more liberal
in its provisions than the first, was sign.
ed in 1893.
But right here, just as John Cabot
was at the apex of his career, his name
drops from the annals. Where he died
and how history does not tell. Thus
passed out in mystery one of the most
interesting Of the early explorers. But
the thread is taken up by John Cabot's 8
second son, Sebastian, who was o
worthy successor to his father. Sebas.
tian took the commission, and in May,
149S, set sail with a we'll equipped
squadron. He had accompanied his ia.
ther on his first voyage and knew his
plans for the second.
But Sebastian also had a mind Of his
own. He proposed to reach the Indies
at once through the northwest passage.
So instead Of sailing away to the south
he struck boldly west by north and sail
ed until he sighted the coast Of Green
land. Then the great masses Of ice
which he encountered forced him to
change his course to the south. He
made landing near the spot first Wis
tied by his father and then continued
on down, touching here and there along
the coast and skirting the Atlantic
shore until he reached as far south as
Cape Hatteras. Only the Norsemen had
been before him, and of what they
found or saw no record is left.
But Sebastian Cabot saw Indians
dressed in the skins of wild beasts, and
he was able to tell considerable about
this new country which he had taken
possession of in the name of the king.
But he had failed to find the northwest
passage, and on his return but little at
tention was paid to his discoveries. Vas
co da Cana had by doubling the cape
of Good Hope reached the desired goal,
and so the younger Cabot's achieve
ments were dimmed by the glory of the
Portuguese.
1t was not for many years after that
the real Importance Of the Cabot
achievements was realized. Now after
four centuries we fully comprehend.
Early in the fifteenth century the Span
ish issued a map of the new world in
which full justice was done to Spanish
navigators, but along the north Atlantic
coast were five points which were des-
ignated as having been discovered by
the English. This was fatal admission
for the Spanish and one which they
afterward greatly regretted.
The result was that while Spain
claimed Central and South America she
never laid claim to any part of the con-
tinent of North America above Florida
The English did claim it and colonized
it, Thus it is due to the Cabots that to-
day North America is the home of Eng
lish speaking people. Had they not sail
ed from Bristol Spain might have To-
Gated her provinces in both continents
and the history of our land would have
been vastly changed. With full under
standing of what the Cabots did for us
Americans ought to take more than a
passing interest in the monument at
Bristol. SEwELL FORD.
Trv AIIauJa Eoat. Eaaa