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To Christopher Columbus belongs the glory of having made the first discovery of the western world. At a time when geographical science had long slept in Europe, when distant voyages were rare, and discoverers were few, timid, and ignorant, this extraordinary man formed the noble design of crossing the Atlantic Ocean in search of new regions. His opinion, that such an enterprise would be attended with success, was not unsupported by plausible facts and reasonings. Though, in the fifteenth century, the information of geographers was incorrect as well as scanty, certain observations had been recorded which supported his theory. From the form of the earth's' shadow on the moon in an eclipse, it had been inferred that its shape was globular; and tolerably accurate ideas had been conceived of its magnitude. It was, therefore, apparent that Europe, Asia, and Africa could occupy but a small portion of its surface, and it seemed highly improbable that the remaining portion was one vast ocean. Travellers in the east had reported that Asia extended very far in that direction, and the rotundity of the earth being known, it was inferred that the East Indies might be reached by holding a course directly west from Europe. These reasonings were not unsupported by striking facts. Pieces of wood, nicely carved, and apparently borne from a far country, had been thrown on the western

Who was the discoverer of America ?-What led him to the undertak ing 7-What facts supported his opinions?

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COLUMBUS IN SPAIN.

coast of the Madeiras. A tree of an unknown species had been taken out of the ocean near the Azores; and the bodies of two men, of strange colour and unusual appearance, had been found upon the coast.

From these circumstances Columbus inferred the existence of the regions which he afterwards discovered, and the possibility of reaching them by sailing to the west.

At this period the favourite object of discovery was a passage to the East Indies by sea. To find a shorter and more direct route to these regions, than that around Africa, was the immediate object of Columbus in proposing to undertake a voyage of discovery. The rich returns of oriental commerce formed the chief inducement whick he urged upon those sovereigns, to whom he submitted his project, with a view to gain their support and patron

age.

He first applied to the government of Genoa, his native Country; but here his offer was rejected, probably in consequence of the decline of commercial enterprise_among ine Genoese. He then made application to King John 11, of Portugal, a monarch who had liberally encouraged voyages of discovery. Here he met with no better success, and he left the country in disgust. It was about this period that he despatched his brother, Bartholomew Columbus, to England, for the purpose of gaining_the patronage of Henry VII in support of his project. The voyage, however, was attended with so much delay, that that sovereign was not enabled to complete his arrangements, and make known his favourable disposition to Christopher Columbus, until the discovery had actually been effected.

Disappointed in his applications to other courts, Columbus, in 1486, applied to that of Spain. The sovereigns of this country, Ferdinand and Isabella, were at that time engaged in expelling the Moors from Granada, their last stronghold on the peninsula; and it was not until the war was terminated that Columbus was enabled to obtain a favourable hearing.

The representations of his friends, Quintanilla and St. Angel, and the favourable state of the kingdom, just freed

What was the grand object of discovery in Columbus's time?-What was Columbus's immediate object?-To whom did he first apply ?-With what success?-To whom next?-Who was sent to England ?-What was his success?-To whom did Columbus next apply ?What was the result?-Who were his friends at court?

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from the last remnant of the Moorish invaders, afforded prevailing motives with the queen for engaging Colum bus in her service on his own terms. A fleet was ordered to be fitted out from the port of Palos. It consisted of three vessels of inconsiderable size, such as would by no means be deemed suitable for a voyage across the Ailantic at the present day. They were victualled for twelve months, and had on board ninety mariners, with several private adventurers and servants; amounting in all to one hundred and twenty persons.

It was on the morning of the 3d of August, 1492, that Columbus set sail from the harbour of Palos, in the Santa Maria, the largest vessel of his squadron. The others were called the Pinta and the Nina: the former commanded by Martin Alonzo Pinzon, and the latter by Vincent Yanez Pinzon, his brother. On the 6th of August they came in sight of the Canaries. Among these islands they were detained more than three weeks, endeavouring to procure another vessel to supply the place of the Pinta, which had suffered some injury in her rudder. The Pinta was finally repaired, and on the 6th of September, Columbus set sail from Gomera, one of the Canaries, and began his voyage on the unknown deep.

On the 13th of September, the squadron was distant nearly 200 leagues from the most westerly of the Canaries. Here the magnetic needle was observed to vary from its direction towards the polar star, a phenomenon which had not before been observed; and which, of course, filled the mariners with alarm, since it appeared to withdraw from them their only guide upon the pathless ocean. Columbus was by no means disheartened by this appearance. He invented a plausible reason for it; and succeeded in reconciling his crew to their further progress. Their discontent, however, speedily broke forth anew, and all the self-possession and address of the admiral were scarcely sufficient to preserve his ascendency and ensure the completion of his voyage.

When their patience was nearly exhausted, the signs of land began to appear. The water had become more shallow; flocks of strange birds were observed; a curiously wrought staff was taken up by the men of the

What was their success?-Describe Columbus's outfit.-Where was he detained?-Where was he on the 13th of September ?-What alarmed the crew?-How were they reconciled to his further progress :-What followed?-What signs of land appeared?

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COLUMBUS AT SAN SALVADOR.

Pinta; and weeds were seen floating in the water, of a kind different from any which were known to the voyagers. During the night of the 11th of October, a light was observed by Columbus himself, at a distance, moving as if carried by some fisherman or traveller.

This last appearance was considered by him as decisive evidence of land; and, moreover, that the land was inhabited. They continued their course till two o'clock in the morning, when a gun from the Pinta gave the signal that land was in sight. It proved to be one of the Bahama islands.

On the morning of the 12th of October, Columbus, richly attired in scarlet, and bearing the royal standard, entered his own boat, accompanied by the other commanders in their boats, and landing on the island took possession of it on behalf of the Castilian sovereigns, giving it the name of San Salvador.

The island was called, by the inhabitants, Guanahani. It is one of the Bahama group, and is distant about 3000 miles from the most westerly of the Canaries. Columbus afterwards discovered and touched at other islands in the same group, and also added the extensive islands of Cuba and Hispaniola to the possessions of the Spanish sovereigns, before completing his first voyage. All these newly discovered lands he supposed, conformably to the theory which he had adopted, to be at no great distance from India; and as they had been reached by a western passage, they were called the West Indies. Even when the increase of geographical science had discovered the error, the name was retained, and it is continued to the present day.

Columbus's return to Spain was hailed with acclamations of joy. His journey from Palos to Barcelona, where he was to meet the sovereigns, was a perfect triumph, and his reception by Ferdinand and Isabella was attended with marks of favour and condescension proportioned to the magnitude and importance of his services.

Columbus afterwards undertook several voyages to the New World, planted colonies, and built cities and forts. In his third voyage, he visited the continent of America,

Who first saw the light ?-When -When did Columbus land in the New World ?-What was the island called ?-Where is it ?-What other liscoveries did Columbus make in his first voyage ?-What is the origin of the name West Indies?-How was Columbus received in Spain? What was done by Columbus in his subsequent voyages ?-Who first discovered the continent of America ?

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