Buss Island
Buss Island is a
phantom island. It was discovered during the third expedition of
Martin Frobisher in September 1578 by sailors aboard the
Emmanuel and was put on maps as existing between
Ireland and mythical
Frisland at about 57° N. The island was named after the type of vessel that its discoverers used, a
busse. It is believed that Frobisher took
Greenland for Frisland and
Baffin Island for Greenland and the
Emmanuel, returning home, made a mistake in dead reckoning and mistook optical effects near Greenland at around 62° N for a new land.
A Thomas Shepard claimed to have explored and mapped the island in 1671. As Atlantic traffic increased the island's existence was less certain and its supposed size was greatly reduced. In 1745 it was suggested that the island had 'sunk' as the supposed area was relatively shallow. The island or 'site of sunken island' persisted on charts into the 19th century.
