deck, and neither of them probably exceeding the capacity of a pilot-boat, and even these impressed into the public service, compose the expedition, fitted out under royal patronage, to realize that magnificent conception in which the creative mind of Columbus had planted the germs of a new world.

MODEL OF ANALYSIS.

1. First appearance of Columbus-The state of the times. 2. Discoveries of the Por. tuguese-Other conspiring causes of a general revival of intelligence-Condition of the people,-how different from that witnessed in the nineteenth century. 3. Ideas of the age-Portuguese navigators. 4. Peculiar views of Columbus-State of science. 5. Difference between Columbus and his contemporaries. 6. Illustration of the connection of scientific theory with practical results. 7. Efforts of Columbus--His final success-What saved the new world to Spain. 8. The equipment with which Columbus was supplied.

The previous history of Columbus. From what is this piece extracted? Who was Edward Everett ? Give an account of him. (See Biographical Index.) Where is Genoa? (See Geographical Index.)

II. FIRST VOYAGE OF COLUMBUS.-Robertson.

[From the "History of the Discovery and Conquest of America," by William Robertson, D.D.]

1. AFTER all the efforts of Isabella and Columbus, the armament was not suitable, either to the dignity of the nation by which it was equipped, or to the importance of the service for which it was destined. It consisted of three vessels. The largest, a ship of no considerable burden, was commanded by Columbus, as admiral', who gave it the name of Santa Maria (mah-re'ah), out of respect to the blessed Virgin, whom he honored with singular devotion. Of the second, called the Pinta (peen'tah), Martin Pinzon was captain, and his brother Francis pilot. The third, named Nigna (neen'yah), was under the command of Vincent Yanez Pinzon. These two were light vessels, hardly superior in burden or force to large boats.

2. This squadron", if it merits that name, was victualled for twelve months, and had on board ninety men, mostly sailors, together with a few adventurers, who followed the fortune of Columbus, and some gentlemen of Isabella's court, whom she appointed to accompany him. Though the expense of the undertaking was one of the circumstances which chiefly alarmed

the court of Spain, the sum employed in fitting out this squadron did not exceed £4000.

3. Columbus pushed forward the preparations with such ardor, and was seconded so effectually by the persons to whom Isabella committed the superintendence of this business, that everything was soon in readiness for the voyage. But, as he was deeply impressed with sentiments of religion, he would not set out upon an expedition so arduous, and of which one great object was to extend the knowledge of the Christian faith, without imploring publicly the guidance and protection of heaven. With this view, he, together with all the persons under his command, marched in solemn procession to the monastery of Rabida (rah-be'dah). After confessing their sins and obtaining absolution, they received the holy sacrament from the hands of the guardian, who joined his prayers to theirs for the success of an enterprise which he had so zealously patronized.

4. Next morning, being Friday, the 3d day of August, in the year 1492, Columbus set sail, a little before sunrise, in presence of a vast crowd of spectators, who sent up their supplications to heaven for the prosperous issue of the voyage, which they wished rather than expected. Columbus steered directly for the Canary Islands, and even in this short run, the ships were found to be so crazy and ill-appointed as to be very improper for a navigation which was expected to be both long and dangerous. Columbus refitted them, however, to the best of his power; and having supplied himself with fresh provisions, he took his departure from Gomera (go-ma'rah), one of the most westerly of the Canaries, on the 6th day of September.

5. Here the voyage of discovery may properly be said to begin; for Columbus, holding his course due west, left immediately the usual track of navigation, and stretched into unfrequented and unknown seas. The first day, as it was very calm, he made but little way; but on the second, he lost sight of the Canaries; and many of the sailors, dejected already and dismayed, when they contemplated the boldness of the undertaking, began to beat their breasts, and to shed tears, as if they were never more to behold land. Columbus comforted them

with assurances of success, and the prospect of vast wealth in those opulent regions whither he was conducting them.

6. To unskillful Spanish sailors, accustomed only to coasting voyages in the Mediterranean, the maritime science of Columbus, the fruit of thirty years' experience, improved by an acquaintance with all the inventions of the Portuguese, appeared immense. As soon as they put to sea, he regulated everything by his sole authority; he superintended the execution of every order; and allowing himself only a few hours for sleep, he was at all other times upon deck. As his course lay through seas which had not been formerly visited, the sounding-line, or instruments of observation, were continually in his hands.

7. After the example of the Portuguese discoverers, he attended to the motion of tides and currents, watched the flight of birds, the appearance of fishes, of sea-weeds, and of everything that floated on the waves, and entered every occurrence, with a minute exactness, in the journal which he kept. As the length of the voyage could not fail of alarming sailors habituated only to short excursions, Columbus endeavored to conceal from them the real progress which they made. With this view, though they ran eighteen leagues on the second day after they left Gomera, he gave out that they had advanced only fifteen, and he uniformly employed the same artifice of reckoning short during the whole voyage.

8. By the 14th of September, the fleet was above two hundred leagues to the west of the Canary Isles, at a greater distance from land than any Spaniard had been before that time. There they were struck with an appearance no less astonishing than new. They observed that the magnetic needle, in their compasses, did not point exactly to the polar star, but varied to the west, and as they proceeded this variation increased. This appearance filled the companions of Columbus with terror. They were now in a boundless and unknown ocean, and the only guide which they had seemed about to fail them. Columbus, with no less quickness than ingenuity, invented a reason for this appearance, which, though it did not satisfy himself,

seemed so plausible to them, that it dispelled their fears, or silenced their murmurs.*

9. He still continued to steer due west, nearly in the same latitude with the Canary Islands. In this course he came within the sphere of the trade-wind, which blows invariably from east to west between the tropics and a few degrees beyond them. He advanced before this steady gale with such uniform rapidity, that it was seldom necessary to shift a sail. When about four hundred leagues to the west of the Canaries, he found the sea so covered with weeds, that it resembled a meadow of vast extent, and in some places they were so thick as to retard the motion of the vessels.

10. This strange appearance occasioned new alarm and disquiet. The sailors imagined that they were now arrived at the utmost boundary of the navigable ocean; that these floating weeds would obstruct their further progress, and [that they] concealed dangerous rocks, or some large tract of land, which had sunk, they knew not how, in that place. Columbus endeavored to persuade them that what had alarmed, ought rather to have encouraged them, and was to be considered as a sign of approaching land. At the same time, a brisk gale arose and carried them forward. Several birds were seen hovering about the ship, and directed their flight toward the west. The desponding crew resumed some degree of spirit, and began to entertain fresh hopes.

11. Upon the 1st of October, they were, according to the admiral's reckoning, seven hundred and seventy leagues to the west of the Canaries; but lest his men should be intimidated by the prodigious length of the navigation, he gave out that they had proceeded only five hundred and eighty-four leagues;

He told them that the direction of the needle was not to the polar star, but to some fixed and Invisible point; the variation, therefore, was not caused by any fallacy in the compass, but by the movement of the north star itself, which, Lke the other heavenly bodies, had its revolutions, and every day described a circle round the pole.

+ This vast accumulation of floating weeds is formed by the Gulf Stream, as, after crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a northeasterly direction, it is partly turned toward the south, and rejoins the great equatorial current, moving westwardly from the shores of Africa. Thus is formed a vast basin in the ocean, surrounded by the moving waters, into which are drawn sea-weed and other matter, producing the phenomenon which so alarmed the timid and inexperienced Spaniards. This part of the Atlantic is now called the "Sagasso Sca,"

and fortunately for Columbus, neither his own pilot, nor those of the other ships, had skill sufficient to correct this error and discover the deceit. They had now been above three weeks at sea; they had proceeded far beyond what former navigators had attempted or deemed possible; all their prognostics of discovery, drawn from the flight of birds and other circum'stances, had proved fallacious; the appearances of land, with which their own credulity' or the artifice of their commander had from time to time flattered and amused them, had been altogether illusive', and their prospect of success seemed now to be as distant as ever.

12. These reflections occurred often to men who had no other object or occupation than to reason and discourse concerning the intention and circumstances of their expedition. They made impression, at first, upon the ignorant and timid, and extending, by degrees, to such as were better informed or more resolute, the contagion spread at length from ship to ship. From secret whisperings or murmurings, they proceeded to open cabals and public complaints. They contended that it was necessary to think of returning to Spain, while their crazy vessels were still in a condition to keep the sea, but expressed their fear that the attempt would prove vain, as the wind, which had hitherto been so favorable to their course, must render it impossible to sail in the opposite direction. All agreed that Columbus should be compelled by force to adopt a measure on which their common safety depended.

13. Columbus was fully sensible of his perilous situation. He retained, however, perfect presence of mind. Sometimes he employed all the arts of insinuation to soothe his men. Sometimes he endeavored to work upon their ambition or avarice, by magnificent descriptions of the fame and wealth which they were about to acquire. On other occasions, he assumed a tone of authority, and threatened them with vengeance from their sovereign if, by their dastardly behavior, they should defeat this noble effort to promote the glory of God, and to exalt the Spanish name above that of every other nation. Even with seditious' sailors, the words of a man whom they