on an exploring expedition many hundred miles north of IceAfterwards he joined a sort of privateering squadron, commanded by one of his relatives, with whom he remained some years. In one of their plundering expeditions, the vessel in which Columbus was, taking fire, together with the enemy's ship to which it was grappled, he saved himself by boldly leaping into the sea, and, with the help of a floating oar, swimming to land, a distance of six miles. He was preserved for something better than that robbing on the high sea called privateering.

In 1470, having married the daughter of a Portuguese sea captain, Columbus settled at Lisbon. Portugal was at that time the greatest maritime nation of Europe, and Columbus made diligent use of the opportunities which his residence and connections there afforded him for improving his knowledge both of the theory and practice of navigation. He was soon deeply interested in a subject at that time of considerable importance the finding out a shorter sea route to India than the one round the Cape of Good Hope. That passage was not accomplished till some years after; but at the period now referred to, it was believed to be practicable, though its extreme length and the storms that had beset seamen in rounding the Cape-it was called the Cape of Storms rendered it very formidable to the imperfect seamanship of that day.

A variety of reasons led Columbus to believe that, by sailing westward from Europe, he should in due time reach the eastern shores of Asia; and, having well considered his plans, he sought the assistance needful for such an enterprise from his own native city of Genoa, which he was patriotic enough to wish should have the benefit of his undertaking. But neither its rulers, nor the King of Portugal, to whom he subsequently applied, could be persuaded to enter into his views. The King of Portugal was, indeed, dishonorable enough, while rejecting Columbus's proposal, to send out a vessel of his own, secretly, to try the route marked out by the Italian. But its unskilful commander was soon frightened back again by the

difficulties he encountered; and the discovery of this treachery sent the indignant Columbus at once to Spain, to unfold his scheme to Ferdinand and Isabella, who jointly reigned over Castile and Aragon; while at the same time his brother Bartholomew was despatched to England to lay it before Henry VII.

It was by mere accident that the English had not the glory and advantage of the illustrious navigator's discoveries. Henry received the proposal more favorably than any other monarch had done; but Bartholomew had been captured by pirates on his voyage to England, and by the time he arrived there, his brother, after years of suspense and disappointment, had at last succeeded in procuring the assistance and protection of Ferdinand and Isabella.

Three small and ill-conditioned vessels, with provisions for twelve months, were given to Columbus. With that religious spirit which always distinguished this good man, he and all his crew solemnly joined in prayers and the holy communion before going on board; and then, just before daybreak on the 3d of August, 1492, he set sail from Palos, in Andalusia, amid the prayers and good wishes of a vast throng of spectators. His little fleet was steered first to the Canary Islands, and in that short distance it was found that his miserable vessels were utterly unfit for the voyage before them. One of them lost her rudder the very day after leaving port. Columbus made such repairs as he could, and took in fresh provisions at the Canaries, where he remained about three weeks, and then directed his course, still westward, into the unknown ocean.

His crew were soon disheartened, and it required all their leader's patience, skill, and vigilance to keep them to their duty. He dared not even let them know how far they had sailed, for fear of their losing courage altogether. When at a distance of six or seven hundred miles from land, a peculiar property of the magnetized needle in the mariner's compass, of which they then first became aware, filled them with ex

treme perturbation; and though the cause of it suggested by Columbus satisfied them, it did not satisfy himself. As he got still farther west, they were alarmed by finding the sea so covered with weeds as to hinder their sailing. The poor sailors thought they had now come to the very extremity of the ocean, and the presence of mind and persevering spirit of Columbus had again to be exerted to allay their fears and encourage them still to press on. A favorable wind, and the sight of birds, which betokened, as they thought, land not far off, proved the best remedies for their despondency.

In a very short time, however, finding land apparently as far off as ever, and themselves farther from their native shores than ever Spaniard had sailed before, the crew waxed thoroughly mutinous. Some were for throwing Columbus into the sea, and all were bent upon turning their vessels homewards by force, if needful. Still the invincible spirit of their captain, confident of the justness of his views, sustained him. He tried to soothe the irritated and refractory sailors; he tried to tempt them with the prospect of the wealth to be gained on the rich shores before them those of India, as he still believed. He used the authority with which his sovereign had armed him, and threatened them. So quiet was obtained for a few days. But then, after more disappointment, those deceptive birds flying about as if for the sole purpose of tantalizing them, the mutiny, both of officers and men, fairly broke out; and all that Columbus could do was to promise, that if they would but obey him three days longer, he would then, if land were not discovered, do as they wished.

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He was himself confident, that ere that time the object of his voyage would be accomplished. The sounding linecord with a weight attached, let down into the water to measure its depth-brought up earth, which showed that the sea was shallowing to the shore. Land birds appeared; cut wood, with fresh berries on the branch of a tree, was picked up; the clouds at sunset had a different aspect; a mild, warm breeze played around them all showed that they were at last near land.

So afraid, indeed, was Columbus that they might be driven upon it in the night, that, after prayers on the evening of the 11th of October, he ordered the usual preparations against such an accident to be made. A strict watch was kept, and all remained on deck, looking out eagerly for the first appearance of land.

ABOUT ten o'clock, Columbus, who was on the forecastle, thought he saw a light in the distance; and at two o'clock the shout of "Land! land!" was heard from the Pinta, the vessel that always took the lead, and was, therefore, closest in shore. At day dawn, the cheering sight of green and well-watered fields, with waving woods, presented itself; and a devout hymn of thanksgiving was chanted by the toil-worn mariners, who immediately hastened to make reparation to their leader for the wrong their suspicions had done him.

At sunrise the boats were rowed on shore, filled with armed men, with colors flying and music playing, much to the amazement and awe of the simple inhabitants, who had collected to see the strangers. Columbus, sword in hand and richly dressed, was the first who landed. Kneeling down, he kissed the earth, on which he planted the cross, before which all again returned thanks to God, who had safely conducted their path across the great waters. And then the country was, in the usual manner, taken formal possession of, in the name of the Kings of Castile and Leon. The island was named San Salvador. It is one of the Bahamas. The whole face of the country was new and pleasing to the Spaniards, and their first dealings with the natives were conducted so as to gain the confidence of the latter.

The search for gold was one of Columbus's objects. He visited several other of the islands, but was still told by the natives he must sail south for what he sought. This brought

him to Cuba, a more fertile and populous island than any of the others. The beauty and variety of its landscape much delighted him. Finding a navigable stream, he sailed up it. "The beauty of the river," he writes to Ferdinand and Isabella; "the clearness of the water, through which I could see the sandy bottom; the multitude of palm trees of different kinds, the tallest and finest I had seen, and an infinite number of other large and flourishing trees; the birds, and the verdure of the plains, are so wonderfully beautiful, that this country excels all others, as far as the day surpasses the night in splendor. I am so much amazed at the sight of such beauty, that I know not how to describe it." Columbus then, and to his death, believed it was the shores of Asia on which he had landed; and this is why these islands were called the “Indies:” as the "West Indies" they are still known.

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On the 6th of December he reached Hayti, which he named "Hispaniola," in honor of his adopted country.* But, while cruising among the islands, his vessel was wrecked; and having now but one remaining, - the Pinta had parted company some weeks before, and had not since been seen, determined to plant in this friendly island a little colony of such of his crew as his ship could not accommodate on that voyage homeward to announce his success which he now determined on. The natives were pleased with such an assistance against their own enemies as they fancied they should have in men armed as were the Spaniards, at the very sound of whose guns the poor, ignorant people had fallen to the ground with terror. A fort was constructed, at the building of which the islanders willingly helped. And after giving to those who were to remain in it many injunctions to be peaceable among themselves and friendly to the natives, — all of which were disregarded when he was gone, Columbus sailed homewards on the 4th of January, 1493. Both his own ship and the Pinta, which now rejoined him, were in a miserably

* Hispaniola means Little Spain; Hispania being the name by which the Romans called Spain.