Re: 600 th anniv. of Prince Henry's visit

[dgaskill <dgaskill@mcione.com>]

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Good discussion here.  I am enjoying the give and take very much.  Thanks
to all who have contributed.  I will direct my questions to Darwin's post,
but anyone please feel free to join in.

>Supposedly, documents have been used as the basis of  the
> original work but none of these are referenced. 

What "original work" are you referring to here?  Anything particular?  I am
trying to check my own list of sources against others'.  Part of the
problem with discussing these issues is that we all come to the table with
disparate knowledge bases.  I know that is normal -- and probably healthy
-- but often I get the sense that we just need to work harder at comparing
our sources of information.

>Someone needs to
> complete proper research and document it. References and footnotes are a
> big help in supporting an argument.  They would certainly help me to
> believe that the Sinclairs and Gunn actually made it into the US.  

Have you read Pohl?  His is perhaps the most energetic attempt (at least in
print) to supply the kind of documentation you call for here.  What
inadequacies, specifically, do you find in Pohl?  What would it take to
improve upon his effort?  What do you think of the Symposium Report this
past fall?  Perhaps those who attended or know about it could add their
comments to our present discussion.

>It
> certainly looks like they did and I would truly like to see this
> documented.  It is suggested that Columbus had a copy of the Zeno map.
> This would change history.  However, until it is documented in a
> scientific manner, it will not be believed.

What would it take, realistically, to document this assertion?  I agree
that our family story of the map getting into the hands of CC through the
in-law network begs for independent verification.  I just wonder where we
might look for such support.  Inventories of CC's navigational resources
maybe?  Has anybody done this, I wonder? 
 
> As to staying here, marrying Indians, etc.  They probably went home (we
> know at least some returned to Scotland), they probably did interbreed
> with the Indians (if not form families), and probably had a lasting
> effect on the cultures they encountered.  This pattern has been repeated
> every time one culture encounters another.  

Of course one of Pete's strong recurring refrains is that Henry's voyage is
significant precisely because it departs from the norm in this regard.  I
don't think we should give it up this possibility too quicky.  Perhaps
Henry's voyage had different goals than those of the Europeans who
followed?  We definitely could use more evidence here either way.
     
Enough already.  Again, thanks for the interesting conversation.  Hope it
continues for awhile.

Dave Gaskill
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