rations were made to return home
as quickly as possible. Sailing north, Cabot named Cape Ray, St George's
Cape, and christened St Pierre and Miquelon, which then with Langley formed
three separate islands, the Trinity group. Hereabout they met great schools
of cod, quantities of which were caught by the sailors merely by lowering
baskets into the water. Cape Race, the last land seen, was named England's
Cape.

The return voyage was made without difficulty, since the prevailing winds
in the North Atlantic are westerly, and on Sunday, the 6th of August, the
"Mathew" dropped anchor once more in Bristol harbour. Cabot hastened to
Court, and on Thursday the 10th of August received from the king L10 for
having "found the new isle". Cabot reported that 700 leagues beyond Ireland
he had reached the country of the Grand Khan. Although both silk and
brazil-wood could be obtained there, he intended on his next voyage to
follow the coast southward as far as Cipangu or Japan, then placed near the
equator. Once Cipangu had been reached London would become a greater centre
for spices than Alexandria. Henry VII. was delighted, and besides granting
Cabot a pension of L20 promised him in the spring a fleet of ten ships with
which to sail to Cipangu.

On the 3rd of February 1498, fresh letters patent were issued, whereby
Cabot was empowered to "take at his pleasure VI. englisshe shippes and
theym convey and lede to the londe and iles of late founde by the seid
John". Henry VII. himself also advanced considerable sums of money to
various members of the expedition. As success seemed assured, it was
expected the returns would be high.

In the spring Cabot visited Lisbon and Seville, to secure the services of
men who had sailed along the African coast with Cam and Diaz or to the
Indies with Columbus. At Lisbon he met a certain Joao Fernandes, called
Llavrador, who about the year 1492 appears to have made his way from
Iceland to Greenland. Cabot, on learning from Fernandes that part of Asia,
as they supposed Greenland to be, lay so near Iceland, determined to return
by way of this country. On reaching Bristol he laid his plans accordingly.
Early in May the expedition, which consisted of two ships and 300 men, left
Bristol. Several vessels in the habit of trading to Iceland accompanied
them. Off Ireland a storm forced one of these to return, but the rest of
the fleet proceeded on its way along the parallel of 58 deg.. Each day the
ships were