Sekuyisikhathi eside iziqhingi ezilahlekile zihlupha amaphupho amatilosi. Emakhulwini eminyaka, izindaba zala mazwe ashabalala zazishintshaniswa kalula, ngisho nasezindaweni ezihlonishwayo zesayensi.
Emabalazweni asendulo asolwandle, sithola inqwaba yeziqhingi ezingasenashadi: i-Antilia, i-St. Brendan, IHy-Brasil, iFrisland, kanye nesiqhingi esiyimfihlakalo Sase-Seven Cities. Ngamunye uphethe indaba ehehayo.
Inganekwane ilandisa ngababhishobhi abayisikhombisa bamaKatolika, ababeholwa uMbhishobhi Omkhulu wase-Oporto, ababalekela ukunqoba amaMoor eSpain nasePortugal ngo-AD 711. Benqaba ukuzithoba kubanqobi bawo, bahola iqembu baya ngasentshonalanga ngoxhaxha lwemikhumbi. Indaba ithi ngemva kohambo oluyingozi, bafika esiqhingini esinempilo, esibanzi lapho bakha khona amadolobha ayisikhombisa, okuhlala njalo bephawula ikhaya labo elisha.
Kusukela ekutholakaleni kwaso, i-Island of Seven Cities igubuzelwe yimfihlakalo. Emakhulwini eminyaka alandela abaningi babona ukuthi iwumzukwane nje. Nokho, ngekhulu le-12, isazi sokuma kwezwe sama-Arabhu esidumile u-Idrisi sasihlanganisa nesiqhingi okuthiwa iBahelia emabalazweni aso, esiziqhenya ngamadolobha amakhulu ayisikhombisa e-Atlantic.
Nokho, iBahelia nayo yanyamalala emehlweni, yahlala ingashiwongo kwaze kwaba sekhulwini le-14 nele-15. Kungaleso sikhathi lapho amabalazwe ase-Italy naseSpain abonisa isiqhingi esisha sase-Atlantic - i-Antilles. Lokhu kuphindaphinda bekuphethe amadolobha ayisikhombisa anamagama angajwayelekile afana ne-Azai ne-Ari. Ngo-1474, iNkosi u-Alfonso V yasePortugal yaze yathuma uKaputeni F. Teles ukuba ahlole futhi athathe “Amadolobha Ayisikhombisa nezinye iziqhingi ezise-Atlantic, enyakatho yeGuinea!”
Ukuheha kwamaDolobha ayisikhombisa kule minyaka akunakuphikwa. Itilosi laseFlemish uFerdinand Dulmus lacela enkosini yamaPutukezi imvume yokuthatha lesi siqhingi ngo-1486, uma siyithola. Ngokufanayo, inxusa laseSpain eNgilandi, uPedro Ahal, wabika ngo-1498 ukuthi amatilosi aseBristol aqale uhambo oluningi olwahlulekayo efuna iSeven Cities kanye neFrisland.
Ukuxhumana okuyindida kwavela phakathi kwe-Island of Seven Cities kanye ne-Antillia. Izazi zezwe zaseYurophu zazikholelwa ngokuqinile ebukhoneni be-Antillia. Imbulunga kaMartin Behaim yodumo yango-1492 yayibeka endaweni evelele e-Atlantic, yaze yathi umkhumbi waseSpain wawufike ngokuphepha ogwini lwawo ngo-1414!
I-Antillia yaqhubeka nokuvela emabalazweni kulo lonke ikhulu le-15. Ngokuphawulekayo, encwadini ka-1480 eya eNkosini u-Alfonso V, uChristopher Columbus ngokwakhe wayisho ngamagama athi “isiqhingi sase-Antillia, esaziwa nawe”. Inkosi ize income u-Antillia kuye "njengendawo enhle lapho ezomisa khona ohambweni lwakhe futhi ehlele ogwini".
Yize uColumbus engakaze alubeke unyawo e-Antillia, isiqhingi esiyi-phantom saqamba igama laso ezindaweni ezisanda kutholwa nguye - ama-Antille Amakhulu Namancane. I-Island of Seven Cities, isibani esiyimfihlakalo emakhulwini eminyaka, siyaqhubeka sithungela imicabango yethu, siyinsalela yamandla ahlala njalo elukuluku lomuntu kanye nokuyenga kokungaziwa.
