In the cabin, upon the table he spread Toscanelli's map,
and beside it a great one like it, of his own making, signed
in the corner _Columbus de Terra Rubra_. The depiction was
of a circle, and in the right or eastern side showed the coasts
of Ireland and England, France, Spain and Portugal, and
of Africa that portion of which anything was known. Out
in Ocean appeared the islands gained in and since Prince
Henry's day. Their names were written,--Madeira, Canaria,
Cape de Verde and Azores. West of these and filling
the middle map came Ocean-Sea, an open parchment field
save for here a picture of a great fish, and here a siren and
here Triton, and here the Island of the Seven Cities and here
Saint Brandon's Isle, and these none knew if they be real
or magical! Wide middle map and River-Ocean! The eye
quitting that great void approached the left or western side
of the circle. And now again began islands great and small
with legends written across and around them. The great
island was Cipango, and across the extent of it ran in fine
lettering. "Marco Polo was here. It is the richest of the
eastern lands. The houses are roofed with gold. The people
are idolaters. There are spices and pearls, nutmegs, pepper
and precious stones. Very much gold so that the common
people use it as they wish."
We read, the Admiral seated, we, the great cabin group,
standing, bending over the table.
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