[3] In small duodecimo and large print, under the title of Relation
Historique de la Decouverte de l'Isle de Madere: containing 185 pages,
besides twelve pages of preface.--Clarke.

[4] Clarke, Progress of Maritime Discovery, I. 167.

[5] In a note, Mr Clarke says the name of this lady has been supposed by
some writers to have been Dorset, corrupted by a foreign orthography
into D'Orset, and thence into D'Arfet. It may have been D' Arcy.--E.

* * * * *




CHAP. XXI.

_Account of the Discovery and Conquest of the Canary Islands_[1].

The island of Nivaria, and others mentioned by Pliny, as known to Juba
king of Mauritania, were most probably Teneriffe and the other Canary
Islands; for Pliny notices that the summit of Nivaria was generally
covered with snow, which is frequently the case with the peak of
Teneriffe, and from this circumstance the name of Nivaria is obviously
derived. They appear likewise to have been known in the middle ages to
the Arabs of Morocco; as the Nubian geographer mentions two islands,
under the names of Mastahan and Lacos, as among the six fortunate islands
described by Ptolemy; these probably were Lancerota and Fuertaventura,
the latter of which may be seen in clear weather from the nearest coast
of Africa. All knowledge, however, of these islands had ceased in Europe,