The observation of land signs was a priority of life on board. The presence or absence of a specific sign, or the combination of a number of them, could define with precision the location of the vessel, the proximity to the coast or even the weather conditions. The natural signs were rather diversified and went from marine mammals to seabirds, from algae to insects. Sometimes, a natural sign could be very controversial. Knowledge only came with the practice of navigation, the repetition of voyages and the improvement of descriptions.
An example of the serious difficulties in interpretation of a land sign is given by the Portuguese pilot Vicente Rodrigues. In 1591, Rodrigues warned the readers of his Roteiro da Carreira da Índia about the presence of butterflies in the Laccadive Sea. The pilot underlined the danger of misinterpreting such an indicator. In fact, the butterflies were not an indicator of proximity to the continental coast, as generally expected, on the contrary, they signified the presence of islands, the Laccadive Islands. Around 1621, another pilot, Aleixo da Mota, was observing the presence of butterflies in a zone far from the same islands 60 nautical miles westwards. Aleixo da Mota explained the phenomenon as a result of the wind force. Butterflies and wasps were easily carried by the wind, and for this reason, concluded the pilot, “they were so far from them” (Roteiro da navegação da carreira da Índia, c. 1621).
From the beginning of expeditions, butterflies were considered an interesting element. Sometimes, observations were quite impressive. Approaching Cuba, Christopher Columbus and his crew entered literally in a whirl of butterflies. The narrative of the logbook highlighted countless myriads of insects: “[...] the day after came to the vessels such a vast number of butterflies that obscured the air, which lasted until night, when they were dispersed by a heavy rain” (Historie del S. D. Fernando Colombo, Venezia: 1571). Centuries later, the naturalist Charles Darwin witnessed a similar phenomenon. After passing through the Strait of Magellan, 10 nautical miles from the Bay of San Blas, his ship was invaded by butterflies. “The seaman cried out ‘it was snowing butterflies’”, while Darwin was confirming that “even with the aid of a glass it was not possible to see a space free from butterflies” (Journal of Researches into the Geology and Natural History of the Various Countries Visited by H. M. S. Beagle, London: 1840).
Delving deeper into this rich, varied, and representative set of nautical sources, every observed and gathered natural element, like butterflies, gains a broader sense and reflects the particular relevance attributed to each one of these signs in navigators’ experience. [Luana Giurgevich]
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