He had, also, given accounts of Japan or Cipango, which he had himself never visited.

Columbus knew, therefore, that, well east of the Indies, was the island of Cipango, and he aimed at that island, because he supposed that that was the nearest point to Europe, as in fact it is.

And when finally he arrived at Cuba, as the reader will see, he thought he was in Japan.
Columbus's father-in-law had himself been the Portuguese governor of the island of Porto Santo, where he had founded a colony.

He, therefore, was interested in western explorations, and probably from him Columbus collected some of the statements which are known to have influenced him, with regard to floating matters from the West, which are constantly borne upon that island by the great currents of the sea.
The historians are fond of bringing together all the intimations which are given in the Greek and Latin classics, and in later authors, with regard to a land beyond Asia.

Perhaps the most famous of them is that of Seneca, "In the later years there shall come days in which Ocean shall loose his chains, and a great land shall appear.