The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-02
EARLY AMERICAN MAPS.
Queer Examples on Exhibition In the
Library of Congress.

From the New York Sun
In the map division of the library of
Congress is to be seen a curious series
showing the early conceptions of the topo-
graphy of this continent. These maps en-
brace delineatlons of Terra Nova. as 1t
was called from the earliest, contained on
Columbus coat of arms, to Mercators
map, executed in 154l, the first fairly ac-
curate map of America
From 1893 to 1909 there are several maps
exhibiting meagre coast lines of the So
called America" The oldest of these is
the celebrated map of the pilot Juan de
la Cosa. drawn in 1900. After long ne
glect the original of this map was pur-
chased by n geographer named Walck-
enaer from an ignorant dealer in second
hand articles for a mere trife On Walck-
enaer's death, in 1852, 1t was sold at public
auction In Paris to the Spanish govern
ment and is now in the naval museum
at Madrid After this came the Cantina
map in 1902 and the map of Peter Martyr
several years later.
At length one mapmaker. going on the
principle doubtless. that the public must
be interested even If it mas to be hum
plugged, set his wits to work and evolved
a reputed likeness of Novus Mundus.
This genius was Gregor Ruysch, and his
map Is said to have obtained enormous
popularity TO his mind America was OBJ
long, with a southern surface as smooth
as a plane. But even Ruysch, or Reiseh,
hesitated about the western boundaries
of his new world. He had shown Europe
the north, east and south; the west he left
10 somebody else more adventurous. The
chance was not one to be lost; the car
tographer who sprang into the breach was
one whose fame almost dominates the
wonderful age in which he lived. But 1t
cannot conscientiously be said by the
great Leonardo da Vincis admirers that
he surpassed himself in his representation
either of the norehern or southern half
of the hemisphere.
OF the early map makers few seem To
have entertained any doubts whatever
that the Ganges and the great rivers of
GATEWAY or China were close at hand to
the westward of the island upon which
had been bestowed Amerigo Vespuccfs
name The earliest photographer to at
tempt to represent on plane a sphere
tuncated at the poles was Stobnicza in
1872 In his work the island depicted to
the westward of the Isthmus of Panama
is Zigangu, or Japan.
Perhaps it was natural reaction against
Da Vincrs conception Of the New World
that caused Plerro Coppi, Venetian. to
design what Is one of the most fascinating
of the autographed wonders of the col
lection. 1t bears some resemblance to an
elephant struggling on Its back. with
trunk and four legs in the air. num-
Der OF islands garnish this picture, all
being in the upper portion of the map.
This achievement is dated 1923. because 1t
was not published until that year, but it
was probably drawn ten or a dozen years
before
Mariners and explorers from this time
continued to arrive at every capital in
Europe, and each being eloseted with the
map makers, as may be coniectured. some
more definite results were achieved. Lucky
guesses were made from time to time. but
many of the wlsest and luclSies mappsts
proved backsliders They did not stock
to their theories. Each nation, Spanish,
Portuguese, French, Italian, German.
English and Dutch, had its own rival
photographers, and each tried to stick to