Richard Henry Major

Name: Early Voyages to Terra Australis — On the discovery of Australia by the Portuguese
Author: Richard Henry Major

Early Voyages to Terra Australis…

Summary

“Early Voyages to Terra Australis — On the discovery of Australia by the Portuguese”, is a work by Richard Henry Major. It explores elements such as map, discovery and cosmographer.

Quotes from Early Voyages to Terra Australis… (Richard Henry Major)

Richard Henry Major, Early Voyages to Terra Australis…

“ To Portugal, in truth, we owe not only a De Gama, but, by example, a Columbus, without whom the majestic empire of her on whose dominions the sun never sets might now have been a dream, instead of a reality. England, whose hardy mariners have made a thoroughfare of every sea knows best how to do justice to the fearlessness of their noble predecessors, who, in frail caravels and through an unmeasured wilderness of ocean, could cleave a pathway, not only to the glory of their own nation but to the civilization and the prosperity of the entire world. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Richard Henry Major, Early Voyages to Terra Australis…

“ A more happy confirmation of a discovery, unrecorded except in a probably unique map, could scarcely have been hoped for.
In laying this letter before a Society of Antiquaries, who venerate the past, I would not close without one word of reverent tribute to the ancient glories of a once mighty nation. The true heroes of the world are the initiators of great exploits, the pioneers of great discoveries. Such were the Portuguese in days when the world was as yet but a half known and puny thing. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Richard Henry Major, Early Voyages to Terra Australis…

“ Eendraghtsland, as we all know, was the name given to a large tract on the western coast of Australia, discovered by the Dutch ship the Eendraght, in 1616.
Moreover, if the legend in question were not a genuine copy from a genuine ancient map, how came the modern falsifier to be acquainted with the name of a real cosmographer who lived at Goa at a period which tallies with the state of geographical discovery represented on the map, but none of whose manuscript productions had been put into print at the time when the supposed fictitious map was made or the legend fictitiously inserted? ”

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Source: Wikisource

Richard Henry Major, Early Voyages to Terra Australis…

“ The Island of Gold itself is described "as on the opposite coast, or coast outside of Timor, which properly is called the Southern Coast." It is highly probable from this description that it is the very Nuca Antara of our MS. map, which does lie on the southern coast opposite to Timor. It is still further most remarkable that, by the mere force of facts, the period of the commission here given to Eredia is brought into proximity with the date of his asserted discovery of Australia. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Richard Henry Major, Early Voyages to Terra Australis…

“ For example, the very legend in question, short as it is, contains no less than five blunders, all showing ignorance of the language: thus, the words "por Manoel" are written "por mano el," "Eredia" is written "Evedia," "do" is written "de," "Ayres" is written "Aives," "Saldanha" is written "Saldaha" without the circumflex to imply an abbreviation. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Richard Henry Major, Early Voyages to Terra Australis…

“ It is distinctly stated that the voyage was made by order of the Viceroy Ayres de Saldanha, the period of whose viceroyalty extended only from 1600 to 1604, thus precluding the possibility of the error suggested, and terminating before the period of the earliest of the Dutch discoveries.
But yet, again, it may be objected that a country so vaguely and incorrectly laid down may not have been Australia. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Richard Henry Major, Early Voyages to Terra Australis…

“ Manoel Godinho de Eredia is there described as a learned cosmographer and skilful captain, who had received a special commission to make explorations for gold mines, and at the same time to verify descriptions of the Southern Islands. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Richard Henry Major, Early Voyages to Terra Australis…

“ In any case, therefore, the discoverer ought for many reasons to be well provided for the gold enterprize. First, On account of the first possession of the gold by the crown of Portugal. Secondly, For the facility of discovering the gold. Thirdly, Because of the gold mines being the greatest in the world. Fourthly, Because the discoverer is a learned cosmographer. ”

Richard Henry Major

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