of many leagues. As the coast, bends towards the north, it
is consequently difficult to give exact figures, but three hundred
leagues may be approximately estimated. From the foregoing you may
perceive, Most Holy Father, the length of the continent over which
your authority is destined to extend. Some day we shall doubtless
clearly understand its width.

[Note 2: This pilot and cosmographer has already been mentioned.
In 1515 he was commissioned to explore the coast south of Brazil,
but, as has been related, he was unfortunately killed during that
expedition. To just what voyage Peter Martyr here refers is not quite
clear.]

Let us now discourse a little concerning the variety of polar degrees.
Although this continent extends from east to west, it is nevertheless
so crooked, with its point bending so much to the south, that it
loses sight of the polar star, and extends seven degrees beyond the
equinoctial line. This extremity of the continent is, as we have
already said, within the limits of Portuguese jurisdiction. In
returning from that extremity towards Paria, the north star again
becomes visible; the farther the country extends towards the west,
the nearer does it approach the pole. The Spaniards made different
calculations up to the time when they were established at Darien,
where they founded their principal colony; for they abandoned Veragua,
where the north star stood eight degrees above the horizon. Beyond
Veragua the coast bends in a northerly direction, to a point opposite
the Pillars of Hercules; that is, if we accept for our measures
certain lands discovered by the Spaniards more than three hundred and
twenty-five leagues from the northern coast of Hispaniola. Amongst
these countries is an island called by us Boinca, and by others
Aganeo; it is celebrated for a spring whose waters restore youth
to old men.[3] Let not Your Holiness believe this to be a hasty or
foolish opinion, for the story has been most seriously told to all the
court, and made such an impression that the entire populace, and even
people superior by birth and influence, accepted it as a proven fact.
If you ask me my opinion on this matter, I will answer that I do not
believe any such power exists in creative nature, for I think that God
reserves to himself this prerogative, as well as that of reading
the hearts of men, or of granting wealth to those who have nothing;
unless, that is to say, we are prepared to believe the Colchian fable