in return was treated by him with great distinction. They contracted a friendship, which continued ever afterwards undiminished. He was loaded with ornaments of gold, which, he informed the Spaniards, came from a country farther to the east, called Cibao. Columbus, deceived by the resemblance of the names, believed at first that it was Zipangu; but he afterwards learned that Cibao was the name of a mountain in the centre of the island.

HE fleet now proceeded to the east, for the purpose of approaching the gold mines of Cibao. On the night of the 24th of December, Columbus's vessel, the Santa Maria, struck upon a reef, and he was compelled to abandon her, and take refuge, with his crew, on board the Nina. The cacique and his

people assisted the Spaniards in saving their effects, and consented to their erecting a fort with the timber of the wreck. It was named La Navidad, and garrisoned with thirty-eight men, the first colony in Spanish America. The admiral left provisions in the fort, articles to barter with the natives, and whatever was necessary for its defence. He then took leave of the friendly cacique, with the promise to return soon.

N the 4th of January, 1493, Columbus set sail, proceeding to the east, in order to complete the examination of the north coast. of the island, and on his way met the Pinta, near Monte Christo. He affected to be satisfied with the excuses made by Alonzo Pinzon, to explain his parting company. At length, on the 16th, the two ships directed their course for Spain. The weather was favourable at the commencement of the voyage; but heavy gales came on when the ships were near the Azores, and the Pinta was a second time lost sight of. The admiral's vessel was in such imminent danger that he despaired of ever reaching land. He was fearful that the knowledge of his discovery would perish with him; and to prevent this, he wrote a brief account of his voyage on two leaves of parchment, and put each of these leaves into a tight cask. One of these casks was thrown overboard immediately; the other was allowed to remain on deck to await the foundering of the vessel. But Providence interposed to save so valuable a life; the storm subsided. They arrived at the Azores on the 15th of February, and at Palos on the 15th of March, seven months and a half after their leparture from the same port. Alonzo Pinzon arrived about the same time at a northern port in Spain, and died a few days after.

OLUMBUS'S return was a perfect triumph. He was received at Palos with enthusiastic joy. Ringing of bells and processions of magistrates welcomed him to Barcelona, where the sovereigns were at that time holding their court. He made a public entry into the city; the whole population came out to meet him; he walked in the midst of the Indians whom he had brought with him, and had dressed for the occasion in their native costume. The rich productions of the New World were borne in open

baskets before him, as he proceeded through an immense crowd to the palace, where Ferdinand and Isabella were seated on the throne, awaiting his arrival. As soon As soon as he appeared with his train, they rose up. Columbus threw himself upon his knees; but they commanded him to be seated in their presence; "a rare honor in this proud and punctilious court." He then gave an account of his voyage, and of the discoveries he had made, and showed the various products of the New World, which he had brought, and the Indians who attended him. Ferdinand, delighted with the success of this great enterprise, confirmed to Columbus all his privileges, and permitted him to join to the arms of his own family, those of the kingdoms of Castile and Leon, with the emblems of his discoveries and of the dignities resulting from them.

Such was the reception of Columbus in Spain, after his return from his glorious enterprise. The object of his life had been attained. His subsequent career was a practical illustration of the influence of envy and of the ingratitude of men. By his own genius and perseverance Columbus had achieved one of the most grand and brilliant enterprises which history has recorded. In endeavouring to obtain the means of prosecuting it, he had met with every obstacle which envy and ridicule could create. After the feat was accomplished, his glory excited the ambition and the malice of those who could not really rival him. For awhile, even the truth of the discovery was denied. This, however, innumerable proofs silenced. Then detraction insinuated that Columbus had learned it all from the books. of older navigators. Finally the work was consummated by the removal of the old navigator from all his offices, and by sending him home in chains. Miltiades was victor at Marathon, yet was banished from the country he had saved. Themistocles won at Salamis; and he, too, was banished by the ungrateful Athenians. But this was the "unkindest cut of all." Columbus gave a new world to the sway of Spain, yet died in disgrace. His memory, however, is cherished by the world, while his detractors are forgotten.

HE glory acquired by Columbus in discovering America, roused the emulation of the navigators of France and England. The sovereigns of those kingdoms were desirous of sharing the power and wealth to be derived from discoveries in the New World, and promptly furnished the means to equip expeditions for that purpose. Now that the daring of one man had opened the way, many were ready to pursue it. But for an Englishman was the discovery of the continent reserved, and Sebastian Cabot established his reputation as a navigator second only to Columbus in skill and intrepidity.

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John Cabot, an eminent Venetian navigator, had settled in England in the reign of Henry VII. Sebastian, his son, was born at Bristol, 1477. He had just arrived at the age of manhood, when the fame of Columbus's discovery reached his ears and incited him to undertake a

similar expedition. King Henry gladly extended the government protection to the young Venetian, and his celebrated sire; and by a patent, dated the 5th of March, 1496, he granted them permission to go in search of unknown lands, and to conquer and settle them.

The expedition sailed from Bristol, in the spring of 1497, under the direction of Sebastian, although he was accompanied by his father. The

pursued a northwesterly course, and on the 24th of June, reached Newfoundland, and explored it up to latitude 67°. The accounts of this voyage are attended with much obscurity. But it seems that Cabot proceeded southward along the coast of the continent, as far as Florida. He was disappointed in not finding a passage to India, and in a report made to the pope's legate in Spain, he subsequently expressed his "great displeasure." But the discovery of the Continent was an achievement, the glory of which he did not then appreciate. Columbus did not reach. the continent until his third voyage, May 30th, 1498, and Amerigo Vespucci did not leave Spain until May 20th, 1499. The claim of England to her North American possessions is founded upon this priority of discovery. Amerigo Vespucci appears to have been the first to perceive in these western regions a New World-a fourth quarter of the globe; and as such he early announced it. From this opinion, which he subsequently confirmed by his voyages, the continent was named, in his honor, America.

N February, 1498, Henry VII. granted a new patent to the Cabots, and a second voyage was made by Sebastian, still in search of a passage to the Indies. He reached the continent in the latitude of 58°, and coasted south to Carolina. In another voyage in 1517, he sailed up Hudson's Bay, ascended even to the latitude of sixtyseven and a half degrees, and was only prevented from still further prosecuting his explorations by a mutiny among his crew.

The subsequent career of this intrepid navigator deserves to be mentioned. Slighted by Henry VII., he was invited to enter the service of Ferdinand of Spain, and afterwards received the title and emoluments of Pilot Major from Charles V., for whom he performed important services in the New World. On returning to England, he was appointed Grand Pilot by Edward VI., and in this office, he directed the commercial enterprise of that country, during the remainder of his long, active and honorable life. As a navigator, he was worthy of ranking with the greatest, and in general ability he had few superiors.

The discoveries of Cabot attracted the attention of the sovereigns of southern Europe. The Portuguese had just added to their great reputation as navigators by the discovery of the passage round the Cape of Good Hope. But they aspired to rival the Spaniards and English in the exploration of the Western World. The king fitted out an expedition,