from the island, where we found a very excellent harbor. * * * This
land is situated in the parallel of Rome, being 41 degrees 41' of
north latitude. It looks towards the south, on which side the harbor
is half a league broad; afterwards, upon entering it between the
east and the north it extends twelve leagues, [Footnote: A slight
correction of the translation of Dr. Cogswell, which is the one we
have adopted, here becomes necessary. It reads: "upon entering it
the extent between the east [misprinted coast], and north, is twelve
leagues." The text is, "entrando in quello infra oriente e
settentrione s'esteude leghe XII."] and then enlarging itself it
forms a very large bay, twenty leagues in circumference, in which
are five small islands of great fertility and beauty, covered with
large and lofty trees. Among these islands any fleet, however large,
might ride safely, without fear of tempests or other dangers.
Turning towards the south, at the entrance of the harbor on both
sides there are very pleasant hills and many streams of clear water
which flow down to the sea. In the midst of the entrance, there is a
rock of freestone, formed by nature and suitable for the
construction of any kind of machine or bulwark for the defence of
the harbor."

This island is a mere fancy; none such exists any where upon this
coast. The distance which they thus ran easterly, of eighty leagues,
would have carried them more than an hundred miles into the ocean
beyond Cape Cod. That distance, however, may be regarded only as
approximate, because they possessed no means of determining
longitude with accuracy, and therefore this, like all statements in
the letter, of distances running east and west, is to be considered
an estimate only, formed from the circumstances attending the
sailing of the vessel, and liable to serious error. But the island