With him, as passenger on his vessel, was Alberico Vespucci, and at one time it was supposed that Vespucci had made some claim to be the discoverer of the continent, on account of this voyage.

But in truth Ojeda himself says that before he sailed he had seen the map of the Gulf of Paria which Columbus had sent home to the sovereigns after he made that discovery.

It also seems to be proved that Alberico Vespucci, as he was then called, never made for himself any claim to the great discovery.
Another question, of a certain interest to people proud of English maritime science, is the question whether the Cabots did not see the mainland before Columbus.

It is admitted on all hands that they did not make their first voyage till they knew of Columbus's first discoveries; but it is supposed that in the first or second voyage of the Cabots, they saw the mainland of North America.

The dates of the Cabots' voyages are unfortunately badly entangled.