Oct 15– Amerigo Vespucci’s account of his first voyage, translated by “MK”

 Wrong Amerigo

Oct 15– Amerigo Vespucci’s account of his first voyage, translated by “MK”

Summary: Amerigo Vespucci meets American Indians.

Commentary: Eliot is all in on "discovering" America lately. Amerigo describes the Indians as "very well proportioned" but "not very good-looking: because they have broad faces," which seems contradictory. Should've face width be part of proportions? He gives an account of all the ways they're barbarians and all the things their society lacks (seems like it'd be hard to figure that much out for people who speak another language in one visit). He brings up cannibalism very matter-of-factly. He condemns it later, but pretty dry at the first pass. He talks about "serpents" without wings. Alligators or something maybe. Not sure why serpents would have wings.