The Legendary Islands of the Atlantic - Babcock (1922)

Just a short Sunday post. Back in 1922 the American Geographic Society published the book Brasil and the Legendary Islands of the North Atlantic by William H. Babcock.

Babcock gives a sound, scientific view on each of these mythical islands, from Atlantis to St. Brendan's, and Brasil to Antilla, and the Seven-Cities Island.

Mayda

The island of Mayda, is a new one for me, and is, according to Babcock, very likely an early reference to America:

"Perhaps Nicolay and Zaltieri were right in thinking that Mayda was America, or at least was on the side of the Atlantic toward America. The latitude generally chosen by the maps would then call for Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland, often supposed to be insular in early days; or perhaps for Cape Breton Island, the next salient land feature. But that is an uncertain reliance, for the observations of pre-Columbian navigators would surely be rather haphazard, and they might naturally judge by similarity of climate. This would justify them in supposing that a region really more southerly lay in the latitude of northern France — for example Cape Cod, which juts out conspicuously and is curved and almost insular. Or by going farther south, although nearer Europe, they might thus indicate the Bermudas, the main island of which is given a crescent form on several relatively late maps. But we must not lay too much stress on this last item, for divers other map islands were modeled on this plan. We may be justified, then, in saying that Mayda was probably west of the middle of the Atlantic and that Bermuda, Cape Cod, or Cape Breton is as likely a candidate for identification as we can name."

Original Caption in the book:Fig. 12—Section of the Prunes map of 1553 showing Mayda (in latitude 48°), Brazil, and Estotiland (“Esthlanda”). (After Kretschmer’s hand-copied reproduction.). Babcock

The book mentions Greenland and Markland, reported by the Vikings (who settled the first and visited the second, possibly New England), and the mysterious islands of Estotiland, Frisland, Icaria, and Drogio reported by the Zeno brothers. And also the coins and statue found on Corvo Island in the Azores. The final chapter is devoted to other vanished islands like Buss, Stokafixa, Grocland, Helluland, Daculi, Bra, Saintly Islands, and Islands of Demons.

Antilla

Interestingly, Babcock supports the idea that Antilla was actually the West Indies and America: "Antillia is Cuba; Reylla, Jamaica; Salvagio, or Satanaxio, Florida; I in Mar, one or more of the Bahamas. Early in the fifteenth century some Iberian navigator, probably Portuguese, visited these islands and made the report that resulted in the addition of these islands to divers maps. They, in turn, were among the inciting causes of the undertaking of Columbus."

---

Patagonian Monsters - Cryptozoology, Myths & legends in Patagonia Copyright 2009-2026 by Austin Whittall © 

Sertorious and unknown Islands in the Atlantic 72 BC (by Plutarch)

Ancient Navigators Series

Plutarch was a Greek Historian, Philosopher, Author who lived during the peak of the Roman Empire (46-122 AD) in his biography of Sertorius written in 75 AD, gives us a biography of Quintus Sertorius (c.123-72 BC), a Roman military commander and official who rebelled against the Roman Senate during a civil war period, and took over Spain, which he ruled for eight years until he was murdered.

Continuing the series of posts on ancient transatlantic voyages, I came across this bio, and some interesting points mentioned in it. Below is a quote from Plutarch's text (Online here), where Sertorius it about to engage an enemy in the Atlantic Ocean, but his ships are disbanded across the Ocean. In it, he mentions "islands" in the Atlantic:

"...Sertorius made ready to fight him by sea, although his ships were not built for strength, but for lightness and swift sailing; but a violent west wind raised such a sea that many of them were run aground and shipwrecked, and he himself, with a few vessels, being kept from putting further out to sea by the fury of the weather, and from landing by the power of his enemies, were tossed about painfully for ten days together, amidst the boisterous and adverse waves.
He escaped with difficulty, and after the wind ceased, ran for certain desert islands scattered in those seas, affording no water, and after passing a night there, making out to sea again, he went through the straits of Cadiz, and sailing outward, keeping the Spanish shore on his right hand, landed a little above the mouth of the river Baetis, where it falls into the Atlantic Sea, and gives the name to that part of Spain. Here he met with seamen recently arrived from the Atlantic islands, two in number, divided from one another only by a narrow channel, and distant from the coast of Africa ten thousand furlongs [My comment: 2000 km or 1,250 miles]. These are called the Islands of the Blest; rain falls there seldom, and in moderate showers, but for the most part they have gentle breezes, bringing along with them soft dews, which render the soil not only rich for ploughing and planting, but so abundantly fruitful that it produces spontaneously an abundance of delicate fruits, sufficient to feed the inhabitants, who may here enjoy all things without trouble or labour. The seasons of the year are temperate, and the transitions from one to another so moderate that the air is almost always serene and pleasant. The rough northerly and easterly winds which blow from the coasts of Europe and Africa, dissipated in the vast open space, utterly lose their force before they reach the islands. The soft western and southerly winds which breathe upon them sometimes produce gentle sprinkling showers, which they convey along with them from the sea, but more usually bring days of moist, bright weather, cooling and gently fertilizing the soil, so that the firm belief prevails, even among the barbarians, that this is the seat of the blessed and that these are the Elysian Fields celebrated by Homer."

Blest

The Elysian fields were the paradise, the resting place for the dead. And the two "Blest" Ilses or "Blessed", also known as "Fortunate" Islands were the same.

The Greek geographer Strabo (~64 BC - ~24 AD) mentions them as follows "the Islands of the Blessed they speak of, which we know are still pointed out to us not far distant from the extremities of Maurusia, and opposite to Gades." (Geography, 3.2.13) Placing them close to Cadiz (Madeira See this interesting resource on Blest, online.

Roman geographer and naturalist Pliny the Elder also wrote about them:

"CHAP 37 32 THE FORTUNATE ISLANDS
There are some authors who think that beyond these [beyond the islands of Purple, along the coast of Mauritania] are the Fortunate Islands and some others the number of which Sebosus gives as well as the distances informing us that Juno is an island seven hundred and fifty miles distant from He states also that Pluvialia and Capraria are the same distance from Junonia to the west and that in Pluvialia the only fresh water to be obtained is rain water then states that at a distance of two hundred and fifty miles from these opposite the left of Mauritania and situate in the of the sun at the eighth hour are the Fortunate one of which from its undulating surface has the name of Invallis and another that of Planasia from the peculiarity of its appearance He states also that the circumference of Invallis is three hundred miles and that trees grow a height of one hundred and fourteen feet. Relative to the Fortunate Islands Juba has ascertained the following facts that they are situate to the south in nearly a westerly direction and at a distance from the Purple of six hundred and twenty five miles the sailing being for two hundred and fifty miles due west and then three and seventy five towards the east. He states that the first is called Ombrios and that it presents no traces of whatever that among the mountains there is a lake and some trees which bear a strong resemblance to giant fennel and from which water is extracted that drawn those that are black is of a bitter taste but that produced the white ones is agreeable and good for drinking. He states also that a second island has the name of Junonia but it contains nothing beyond a small temple of stone also that in its vicinity there is another but smaller island of the same name and then another called Capraria which is in fested by multitudes of huge lizards. According to the same author in sight of these islands is Ninguaria which has received that name from its perpetual snows this island abounds also in fogs. The one next to it is Canaria it contains vast multitudes of dogs of very large size two of which were brought home to Juba there are some traces of buildings to be seen here. While all these islands abound in fruit and birds of every kind this one produces in great numbers the date palm which bears the caryota also pine nuts. Honey too abounds here and in the rivers papyrus and the fish called silurus are found. These islands however are greatly annoyed by the putrefying bodies of monsters which are constantly thrown up by the sea."

Once again, close to Mauritania and in the Atlantic, Pliny even names the "Canary" Island. Note however, that he mentions rivers, withy papyrus and fish. There are no rivers in any of the islands of the Atlantic Ocean (excluding the British Isles), this means that these islands were part of a continent, either Africa or America.

The "giant fennel" plants are interesting, since fennel is a plant found in Eurasia and the Mediterranean, however, in North America, including Mexico, there is a native species known as osha (Ligusticum porteri) as well as Lomatium species that have flowers similar to fennel.

The small stone temple on the Isle of Junonia shows that either the natives (not mentioned in the text) or previous voyagers built it. Was it a Greek, Roman, Carthaginian temple? Or was it some temple on the coast of Yucatan?

Most scholars place these islands in the Canary Islands, however, while discussing their placement in Ptolemy's map drawn by the Greek astronomer and geographer Ptolemy (100-170 AD), where they appear roughly 13°N, 0° E, Robert Hues in his "A learned treatise of Globes..." (1638), (see p. 96) considers that they are in fact the Cape Verde Islands, further south along the coast of Africa (but, these also lack rivers).

Closing Comments

These texts show that the ancient Romans and Greek were aware of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, but lacking the adequate instruments, could not place them accurately on a map. It is likely that Sertorious discovered some islands and believed they were the Fortunate Isles, he probably visited the Azores, or even sailed across the Atlantic. However, we will never know for sure.

Below is a part of Ptolemy's map showing the Fortunate Islands (red arrow).

Fortunate Islands on Ptolemy's map.Online

---

Patagonian Monsters - Cryptozoology, Myths & legends in Patagonia Copyright 2009-2025 by Austin Whittall © 

Carthaginians and the Sargasso Sea

Ancient Navigators Series

Rufus Festus Avienus, was an official in the Roman Empire during the fourth century AD. Not much is known about him, except for some surviving manuscripts in which he commented and reproduced, in verse, geographic accounts of older authors. His rhymes were popular at the time, and fortunately provide a glimpse into ancient historic voyages.

His Ora Marítima has survived, though incomplete, but the 713 verses provide some interesting information on Punic navigators into the Atlantic.

You can find two English language translations online: here and here, and also a Latin version

Avienus' description of the expedition of Carthagininan Himilco is interesting. Himilco set sail around 450 BC from Carthage, and was the first to explore the coast of northeastern Europe. Pliny the Elder also mentions him (see Book 2, 169).

"110 It was the habit of the Tartessians
To do business among the furthest parts of the Oestrymnides.
The colonists from Carthage and the ordinary people, bearing on through
The pillars of Hercules, used to come down to these seas,
Which Himilco of Carthage declared –
As he reports he himself proved by sailing all the way –
Could scarcely be crossed in four months.
This is so because no breezes drive the ship,
120 And the sluggish water of the inert sea stands still.
He adds this comment too: among the currents,
There is a lot of seaweed, and often, in the manner of a bush,
It checks a ship. He says that nonetheless here
The surface of the sea does not extend to a great depth,
And the seabed is scarcely covered with a little water.
Here and there sea creatures meet, and sea monsters
Swim amid the slow ships sluggishly crawling along.
If anyone were to dare to launch a cutter into the waves"

This is the navigation from Tartessus north, towards Great Britain, and probably Scandinavia. Tartessus is a city whose exact location remains unknown, but probably stood close to the mouth of the Guadalquivir River in Spain, near modern Cadiz.

The thick seaweed, sluggish water, lack of wind seems to depict the Sargasso Sea, that lies west of the Azores Islands, in the Mid Atlantic. Which is surprising, as Carthaginians were not known for sailing into the deep Ocean.

The poem continues:

"380 Beyond, towards the area to the west,
Himilco relates that from the Pillars there is a sea without end:
The ocean lies open across a wide area, and the sea stretches out.
No man has entered upon these seas; no man has ever set ships on that ocean,
Because the sea lacks winds that would drive the ship along,
And no breeze from the sky favours a ship.
Then, because a mist clothes the air with a kind of cloak, fog always conceals the sea
And lasts through the day, which is rather thick with clouds.
That is the Ocean, which roars far off around the vast earth.
That is the great sea. This sea encircles the shores.
This is the source of the water of the inner sea; this is the parent of our sea."

An intimidating view of the Atlantic as endless, mist-shrouded and lacking winds to move the ships. This Ocean was the source and parent of their "inner sea", the Mediterranean.

Perhaps the dim view they provided of the Atlantic was planned to dissuade competitors from venturing into the ocean. They probably had a base in the Azores Islands and navigated the Atlantic, and wanted to keep it for themselves.

Sargasso Sea

There is a region of the north Atlantic Ocean known as the Sargasso Sea because of the large amount of a floating seaweed that lives there, the sargassum (Sargassum natans and Sargassum fluitans).

Sargasso Sea Map, 1891. Source

These algae grow in mats that float on the surface thanks to tiny air bladders that provide buoyancy. They thrive in the sunny temperate regions of the Ocean and drift, pushed by the wind and ocean currents which concentrate them in this region.

They form a special habitat which provides food and shelter for fish, the European and American eels, and sea turtles.

As you can see in the map above (which depicts the probability of encountering sargasso during a transatlantic voyage, it covers a large area, up to 5.2 million km² (2 million sq. mi.)

Global warming and large quantities of of nutrients from fertilizers, agricultural runoff, washed into the ocean has caused explosive algal blooms of sargasso in the Atlantic Ocean between South America and Guinea. These are then taken by oceanic currents into the Caribbean and Florida, where they wash up onto the beaches and rot there, on the sand. This is a headache for resorts in the region (below is a view of a beach in Florida, US).

Columbus reported it, and he was familiar with the seaweed as he had heard about it from the Portuguese who voyaged along the Atlantic coast of Africa. It was depicted in the past as a dangerous region, where ships were entangled in the floating mats of seaweed, with no wind to set them free. Of course, this is not true.

Trapped in the sargasso (1871)

With a nostalgic and anecdotical tone, I remember the first episode of a mid-1960s cartoon, Johnny Quest, "The mystery of the lizard men" where the boy, his brother Hadji, his scientist dad and Race Bannon, their bodyguard (plus their dog, Bandit) y visited the Sargasso sea. It was portrayed as a ship graveyard, with ancient rotting ships covered with decaying greenish-yellow seaweed, the sea carpeted with floating algae. Scary! Below are two stills from that episode.

---

Patagonian Monsters - Cryptozoology, Myths & legends in Patagonia Copyright 2009-2025 by Austin Whittall © 

South African musings

Cape Agulhas, southernmost tip of Africa. Photo by Austin Whittall May 2012.
Copyright © 2012 by Austin Whittall

I visited South Africa. During the last two weeks my wife and I have taken a lovely vacation to that great country at the tip of the African continent. This is not the place to go into its turist attractions, the beauty of its landscape, the friendliness of its people, its wildlife, great food and wines, so please be assured that I won't bore you with my travel anecdotes. Instead I will post some thoughts on the peopling of South America starting out from the African Continent.

The nasty waters south of Africa

I had the opportunity to see the rough South Atlantic Ocean beating upon the rocky shores of the Cape of Good Hope, Hermanus and Cape Agulhas. I also experienced the Indian Ocean's surf roaring against beaches and cliffs along the south of South Africa between Port Elizabeth and Cape Agulhas. The sea is really rough.

The sight of these choppy waters has has made me reconsider the theory that I have mentioned in previous posts (The South African Out of Africa), which suggests that our ancient ancestor Homo erectus crossed these waters and skirted the Antarctic continent to reach America.

No man (or hominin) in his senses would dare venture into those roaring waves.

The photograph above was taken at the southernmost point of Africa, Cape Agulhas (34° 49' 58"S, 20° 00' 12"E), where the Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean waters meet.

Ancient record of humans in Southern Africa

I also had the chance to visit a caveat Mossel Bay, on the point, under the lighthouse.

Located at 22° 10' E and 34° 12' S the Cape of St. Blaize separates the rough Indian Ocean waters from those of Mossel Bay. The tip of the Cape was named after the Saint of the day Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias spotted this part of the world, in February 1488. He named the place Aguada de Sao Bras (Watering place of St Blaize).

The cave is actually an overhang, is known as Bat Cave and is set on Cape St. Blaize. It was excavated partially by Leith in 1888 and again in 1932 by A. J. H. Goodwin and B. D. Malan, who reported their findings in 1935. [1] The stone tools were described as Middle Stone Age "Mossel Bay Industry" and record about 165,000 years of human presence in this area.

The cave itself is about 30 m (95 ft) above sea level and is about 90 ft wide by 40 ft deep (27 by 12 m). It faces towards the southeast and offers a lovely view of the surf below. The following photograph shows both cave under the lighthouse:

Bat Cave at Mossel Bay. Photo Austin Whittall Copyright © 2012 by Austin Whittall

So, modern humans have lived here for most of our existence as a distinct group of hominins. On the flight back to Buenos Aires, I read an interesting article [2] that made me wonder if other more ancient groups such as Australopithecus sediba may have lived at Mossel Bay or roamed the coasts of Southern Africa.

A. sediba may be the link between our homo genus and the more distant and primitive Australopithecines and has been proposed as an ancestor to H. erectus . These hominins lived about 2.3 Mya and their remains have been found at Johannesburg.

Could they be the ones that made it to Georgia? Was it they who left Africa before H. erectus? Since I am now discarding the South Atlantic route, could they have drifted across the more benign Equatorial route pushed by ocean currents? (see my post on the Trans Atlantic route) Or did they trek all the way into America across Asia and Beringia?

Further reading

[1] A. J. H. Goodwin and B. D. Malan, Archaeology of the Cape St. Blaize Cave and Raised Beach, Mossel Bay. Annals of the South African Museum, Vol. 24, part 3, S. 111-140

[2] Kate Wong, First of Our Kind: Could Australopithecus sediba Be Our Long Lost Ancestor?. Sensational fossils from South Africa spark debate over how we came to be human. Scientific American. March 20, 2012.

---

Patagonian Monsters - Cryptozoology, Myths & legends in Patagonia Copyright 2009-2012 by Austin Whittall ©