Page 342 - Lanzarotto Malocello from Italy to the Canary Islands

342 from Italy to the Canary Islands

The islands of the Atlantic in the Medici Atlas of 1352.

In fact, there was no communication between the Atlantic, or Occi-
dental, Ocean and the Indian, or Ethiopian, Ocean. Additionally, it meant
venturing into the discovery of absolutely unknown countries, overcom-
ing prejudices of all kinds, such as tropical countries being uninhabitable
because of excessive heat, the well-rooted belief that sea monsters were
waiting to sink ships down into the ocean depths, and so forth.
For such a geographical exploration to be devised and implemented, it
would have had to be prepared and led on the basis of exceptional cosmo-
graphic notions and nautical skills.
The journey towards which they were heading with such confidence
must be considered historic and extremely daring, because it leads to a
whole new evaluation of traditional concepts on the circumnavigation of
Africa.
There were several milestones along the way. It is apparent that the