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Paper short abstract:

In every new edition, the original account of Sepulveda's shipwreck suffered changes from the manuscript to the version published in the Tragic History of the Sea. In this presentation I will show how some words and expressions changed until the most common account we know of.

Paper long abstract:

The first account of the Tragic History of the Sea on the shipwreck of the Galleon São João, sunk in 1552, and known as «Sepulveda's shipwreck», is the most famous of the twelve accounts of this compilation as it tells the impressive story of the death of Dona Leonor, wife of the captain Manuel de Sousa de Sepulveda. There is a manuscript that can be the original version of the account or maybe the closest version to the original one that includes a series of words and descriptions different from the version published in the Tragic History of the Sea. For instance, the description of the death of Dona Leonor who, instead of digging a hole in the sand and lying there to die as we read in the text of the compilation, she stayed in the sand, naked, without digging a hole, according to the manuscript, is one example. This change, adding a touch of drama to the account, was published in the first edition of the story as well as other details concerning the description of the events.

The account was very popular when it was published and many editions were printed, more than any other accounts, so it is natural that each edition had copying errors and misprints. When I compare each version with the next one, I notice accidental or intentional changes.

In this presentation, I will show the changes along the editions on the part of the walking by the coast.