THE GREAT ONES
John Cabot
V.K. SUBRAMANIAN
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John Cabot (1425 A.D. – 1500 A.D.) sailed from Bristol in May 1497 on the Mathew and arrived at Cape Breton Island, Canada, 52 days later.
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Illustration: V.K. SUBRAMANIAN
Exploring new lands by sailing in tumultous seas, when powered ships of the modern day were not availbale, was a risky business and only the courageous and the daring, who represented the highest level of the adventurous spirit of man, came to undertake it.
One of the earliest pioneers in this regard was John Cabot, an Italian immigrant to England.
Portugal and Spain were leading in sea explorations and England wanted to join in the competition.
John Cabot persuaded Henry VII of England and the merchants of Bristol, then England’s premier west coast seaport, to finance a voyage.
Sailor ahoy!
Cabot left Bristol in May 1497 in a tiny ship named the Mathew, with a crew of 18. After 52 days at sea, Cabot reached Cape Breton island, Canada. He explored 400 miles of the North American coastline.
He returned in triumph to Bristol and was welcomed on behalf of Henry VII, by a person called Richard Ap Meyrick.
According to Bristol tradition, America derives its name from Ap Meyrick and not from Amerigo Vespussi as is commonly assumed.
In 1498, Cabot came to south Greenland (the first European known to do so since Viking times). He then crossed to North America and followed its coast southward to the Delaware. John Cabot did not return from one of his voyages and was believed to have died in 1500 A.D.
Newfoundland owes its discovery to Cabot. The discovery was accidental, since John Cabot’s original plan was to reach China across the North Atlantic.
This is an extract from the book The Great Ones by V.K.Subramanian, Abhinav Publications,
New Delhi
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