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ECLECTIC SCHOOL READINGS

DISCOVERERS '
AND #
EXPLORERS

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NEW YORK • CINCINNATI • CHICAGO
AMERICAN * BOOK • COMPANY

Xxj>^A.«A»A.^JCJwJ%J^XJwC!^

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THE LIBRARY

THE UNIVERSITY

OF CALIFORNIA

LOS ANGELES

Digitized by tlie Internet Arcliive

in 2007 witli funding from

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littp://www.arcliive.org/details/discoverersexploOOsliawiala

DISCO YEEERS

AND

EXPLOPvERS

ED WARD Pv. SHAW

l>€un of the School of I'l-iluyoyij
Xew York ritircrsiti/

NEW VORK •-■• CINCrXXATI •:• CrncAfif^

A M H I{ I C A X ]^, () () K CO M 1 ' A X Y

DIS. AND EXP.
W. P. 4

Qr.

PREFACE.

The practice of beginning the study of geography

with the locality in which the pupil lives, in order

that his tirst ideas of geographical conceptions may

f2 be gained from observation directed upon the real

^ conditions existing about him, has been steadily

>- . .

^;\ gaining adherence during the past few years as a

2 rational method of entering upon the study of geog-
raphy.
oj After the pupil has finished an elementary study
J!J of the locality, he is ready to pass to an elementary
f consideration of the world as a whole, to get his first
conception of the planet on which lie lives. His
d knowledge of the forms of land and water, his knowl-
X edge of rain and wind, of heat and cold, as ag(Mits,
g aud of the easily traced effects resulting fi'om the
^ interaction of these agents, have be«Mi acquii'ed by
3 observation and inference u])Oii coiiditic^ns actually
at hand; in othtM" words, iiis knowledge has been
gained in a prescntative manner.

Ills study of the woihl, li(>we\'er, must ditTfi'
largely from this, and must be rffectcd pi-incipally

4471^6 .

by representation. The globe in relief, therefore,
presents to him his basic idea, and all his future
study of the world will but expand and modify this
idea, until at length, if the study is properly con-
tinued, the idea becomes exceedingly complex.

In passing from the geographj^ of the locality to
that of the world as a whole, the pupil is to deal
broadly with the land masses and their general char-
acteristics. The continents and oceans, their rela-
tive situations, form, and size, are then to be treated,
but the treatment is always to be kept easily within
the pupil's capabilities — the end l:)eing merely an ele-
mentary world- view.

During the time the pupil is acquiring this ele-
mentai'y knowledge of the world as a whole, certain
facts of history may be interrelated with the geo-
graphical study.

According to the plan already suggested, it will be
seen that the pupil is carried out from a study of the
limited area of land and water about him to an idea
of the world as a sphere, with its great distrilnition
of land and water. In this transference he soon
comes to perceive how small a part his hithei"to
known world forms of the great earth-sphere itself.

Something analogous to this transition on the part
of the pupil to a larger view seems to l)e found in
the history of the western nations of Europe. It is

the gradual change in the conception of the world
held during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries to
the enlarged conception of the world as a sphere
which the remarkabk^ discoveries and explorations
of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries brought
about.

The analogy serves pedagogically to point out an
interesting and valual)le biterrelation of certain facts
of history with certain phases of geographical study.

This book has been prepared for the purpose of
affording material for such an interrelation. The
plan of interrelation is simple. x\s the stud}' of the
world as a whole, in the manner already sketched,
progresses, the npproi>riate chapters are read, dis-
cussed, and reproduce*!, and the routes of the various
discoverers niid explorers ti'aced. No further word
seems to the writer necessary in regard to the inter-
relation.

Dresden, July 15, 1899.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Beliefs as to the World Four Hundred Years Ago . 9

Marco Polo 16

Columbus 24

Vasco da Gama 40

John and Sebastian Cabot's Voyages .... 44

Amerigo Vespucci 48

Ponce de Leon 54

Balboa 56

Magellan 62

Hernando Cortes 68

Francisco Pizarro 78

Ferdinand de Soto 84

The Great River Amazon, and El Dorado . . .92

Verrazzano 102

The Famous Voyage of Sir Francis Drake -1577 . . lOS
Henry Hudson 114

DISCOVEREIJS A\i) KXPLOHKHS.

BELIEFS AS TO THE WORLD FOUR
HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

Four liundred years ago most of the peoi^le who
lived ill Europe thought that the earth was tlat.
They knew only the land that was near them. They
knew the continent of Eurox^e, a small part of Asia,
and a strip along the
northern shore of
Africa.

They thouglit this
known land was sur-
rounde<l l)y a vast
l)ody of water that
was like a l)road
river. Sailors were afraid to v<'ntnre far U]ton this
water, for tliey feared they would fall over the edge
of tlit^ earth.

Other seafaring men l)eli<'ved that if tliey sliould
sail too far out upon this water thcii' \'<\<si'|s would
be lost ill a fog. or that tlun' wouM suddenly hegin
to slide downhill, and would never !)<■ ahlc to return.

The World as Known Four Hundred
Years ago.

Wind gods and storm gods, too, were supposed to
dwell upon this mysterious sea. Men believed that
these wind and storm gods would be very angry with
any one who dared to enter their domain, and that in
their wrath they would hurl the ships over the edge
of the earth, or keep them wandering round and
round in a circle, in the mist and fog.

It is no wonder that the name " Sea of Darkness"
was given to this great body of water, which we now
know to be the Atlantic Ocean ; nor is it surprising
that the sailors feared to venture far out upon it.

These sailors had no dread at all of a sea called the
Mediterranean, upon wiiich they made voj^ages with-
out fear of danger. This sea was named the Mediter-
ranean because it was supposed to be in the middle
of the land that was then known. On this body- of
water the sailors were very bold, fighting, robbing, and
plundering strangers and foes, without an}^ thought
of fear.

They sailed through this sea eastward to Constan-
tinople, their ships being loaded with metals, woods,
and pitch. These they traded for silks, cashmeres,
dyewoods, spices, perfumes, precious stones, ivory,
and pearls. All of these things were brought b}"
caravan from the far Eastern countries, as India,
China, and Japan, to the cities on the east coast of
the Mediterranean.

This caravan journey was a very long and tii*esome
one. Worse than this, the Turks, througli wliose
country the caravans j^assed, Ijegan to see how vahi-

ahle this trade was, and
they sent V)ands of rol)l)ers
to prevent the caravans
from reaching the coast.

As time went on, these
land journeys grew more
difficult and more danger-
ous, until tilt' trach'rs saw
that the (hiy would soon come when tliey would hf
entirely cut off from ti'affic with India an<l the rich
Eastei'U c(nintries. The Turks would sccui'c all tli'ir
profitable husiness. So the men of thai time iricd
to think of some other wav of ri-achini:' tlic Ka>t.

A Caravan.

Among those who wished to find a short route
to India was Prince Henry of Portugal, a bold navi-
gator as well as a studious and thoughtful man.
He was desirous of securing the rich Indian trade for

Enc tne Red in Vinland.

his own country. So he established a school for navi-
gators at Lisboii, and gathered around him many
men who wanted to study about the sea.

Here they made maps and charts, and talked with

one another about the stran<2:e lands wliich they
thought might be found far out in that mysterious
body of water wliich they so dreaded and feared. It
is probabk^ that they liad heard soine accounts of the
voyages of other navigators on this wonderful sea,
and the beliefs about land beyond.

There was Eric the Eed, a bold navigator of Ice-
land, who had sailed west to (Jreenlan»^*'a-nd planted
there a colony tliat grew and thrived. There was
also Eric's son Leif, a venturesome young viking
who had made a voyage soutlj from Clreenland, and
reached a strange country with wooded shores and
fragrjint vines. Tliis country he called Yinland be-
cause of the al)undance of wild gra]:»es. 'When he
returned to (xreenland, he took a load of timber back
with liim.

Some of the peoi)le of Greenland liad tried to make
a settleuK^nt along this shore which Leif discovei-ed,
but it is thought that th«^ Indians drove tliom away.
It may now be said of tliis settlement that no trace
ot it has ever IxM-n found, although the rejiort that
the Norsemen ])ai(l many visits to the shore of North
Amei-ica is undoubtedly ti'ue,

Anotlitn- bold sea ro\ei- of l*()i-tngal sailed four
hundred miles from land, wher*^ he ]>ickeil u\> a
strangely car\-ed ]iaddlc and seNci'al i>ieces of wood
of a sort not to be found in Eui'ope.

St. Brandon, an Irish priest, was driven in a
storm far, far to the west, and landed upon the
shore of a strange country, inhabited by a race of
people different from any he had ever seen.
- All this time the bold Portuguese sailors were
venturing farther and farther down the coast of
Africa. They hoped to be able to sail around that
continent and up the other side to India. But they
dared not go beyond the equator, because they did
not know the stars in the southern hemisphere and
therefore had no guide. They also believed that
beyond the equator there was a frightful region of
intense heat, where tlie sun scorched the earth and
Avhere the waters boiled.

Many marvelous stories were told about the is-
lands which the sailors said they saw in the distance.
Scarcely a vessel returned from a voyage without
some new story of signs of land seen by the crew.

The people who lived on the Tariary Islands said
that an island with high mountains on it could be
seen to the west on clear days, but no one ever
found it.

Some thought these islauds existed only in the
imagination of the sailors. Otliers thought they
were floating islands, as thoy were seen in many
different places. Every one was anxious to find
them, for they were said to be rich in gold and spices.

You can easily understand bow excited many peo-
ple were in regard to new lands, and how they
wished to find out whether the earth was round or
not. There was l)ut one way to find out, and that
was to try to sail around it.

For a long time no one was brave enough to ven-
ture to do so. To start out and sail away from land
on this unknown water was to the people of that
day as dangerous and foolhardy a journey as to try
to cross the ocean in a balloon is to us at the present
time.

MARCO POLO.

In the middle of the thirteenth century, about two
hundred years before the time of Columbus, a boy
named Marco Polo lived in the city of Venice.

Marco Polo belonged to a rich and noble family,

and had all the advantages of
study that the city afforded.
He studied at one of the
finest schools in the cit}' of
Venice. This city was then
famous for its schools, and
was the seat of culture and
learning for the known world.
"When Marco Polo started
for scliool in the morn-
ing, he did not step out into a street, as you do.
Instead, he stepped from his front doorstep into
a boat called a gondola; for Venice is built upon
a cluster of small islands, and the streets are water
ways and are called canals.

The gondolier, as the man who rows the gondola

Marco Polo.

is called, took Marco -whorovcr lio wished to i^o.
Sometimes, as they .i^'lided nioiii;-, the <;-(>ii(lolici- would
sing old Venetian songs; and as ]\raivo Polo lay hack
against the soft cushions and listened and looked
about him, ho { wondei-ed if anywhei-e else on
earth there was m so beautiful a citv as \'eni(M\
For the sky was M , very blue, and often its color

A Scene in Venice.

was reflected in tli<^ M'atei-; the biiildinu's were u'l'ace-
fid and lieautiful, the sun was warm and liri-ht. and
tlie ail' was bahny.

In this delightful ci1_\' ^Farco Polo li\-ed unlll Ik^
was sevtMiteen )'eai's of age. Al)out this tinif. \\\<
father, who owned a lai'u'e eoniniei'cial Ikhi^.' in ('mi-
stantino|ile. told .Ahii-eo t lial he niiulit u'o w ii li liim ( 'ii

DIS. .\N1> KXI-

a long journey to Eastern countries. Tlie boy was
very glad to go, and set out with liis father and his
uncle, who were anxious to trade and gain more
wealth in the East. This was in the year 1271.

The three Polos traveled across Persia into China,
and across the Desert of Gobi to the northwest,
where they found the great ruler, Kublai Khan.
This monarch was a kind-hearted and able man. He
wanted to help his subjects to become civilized and
learned, as the Europeans were. So Kublai Khan
assisted the two elder Polos in their business of
trading, and took Marco into his service.

Soon Marco learned the languages of Asia, and
then he was sent by the khan on errands of state to
different parts of the country. He visited all the
great cities in China, and traveled into the interior
of xVsia to places almost unknown at the present
time.

At length the three Polos expressed a desire to re-
turn to Venice. The great khan did not wish to
part with them, but he at last consented ; for he
found that by going they could do him a service.
The service required was their escort for a beautiful
young princess who was to be taken from Peking to
Taljriz, where she was to marry the Khan of Persia.

It was difficult to find any one trustworthy enough
to take charge of so important a person on so long

and dangerous a journey. But Kublai Khan had
faith in the Polos. They had traveled more than
any one else he knew, and were cautious and brave.

So he gave them permission to return to their
home, and requested them to take the princess to
Tabriz on the way. It was decided that the journey
should be made by sea, as the land route was so
beset by robbers as to be unsafe. Besides, the Polos
were fine sailors.

They started from the eastern coast of C'hina, and
continued their voyage for three years, around the
peidnsula of Cochin China, and through the Indian
Ocean to the Persian Gulf. Here they went ashore,
and tlien proceeded by land across Persia to Ta])riz.
They left the princess in that city, and resumed
theii" journey by way of the Bosporus to Venice.

AVhen they reached Venice they found that they
had been forgotten l)y their friends. They had Ijeen
away twenty-four years, and in tliat time (n-erything
had changed very much. Tliey tliemsclves liad
grown older, and their clothes differed from those
worn by the Venetians; for fashiojis changed even
in the thirteentli century, although not so often as
they change at the present time. It is no woiidci-
that the Polos were not known until they recallc<l
themselves to the memory of theii' friends.

One eveninji- tliev invited a few of their old friends

to dinner, and during the evening they brought out
three old coats. These coats they proceeded to rip
apart, and out from the linings dropped all kinds of
precious stones — diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, and
ruhies. In this way these wary travelers had hidden
their wealth and treasure while on their perilous
journey. The visitors were astonished at the sight
of so great riches, and listened eage^-ly to the ac-
counts of the countries from which they came.

Soon after the return of ]\[arco Polo to Venice, he
took part with his countrymen in a l)attle against the
Genoese. The city of (lenoa, like the city of Venice,
had a hirge trade with the East. Tliese two cities
were rivals in trade, and were very jealous of each
other. Whenever Venetian ships and those of the
(lenoese met on the ^Mediterranean Sea, the sailors
found some way of starting a quarrel. The quarrel
quickly led to a sea fiuht, and it Avas in one of these
combats that Marco Polo engaged. The Venetians
were defeated, and Marco Polo was taken ])risoner
and cast into a dungeon. Here he si)ent his time
in wi-itiiig the wonderfnl book in which he described
liis travels.

^riie d<'scri]>1i(iiis Polo gave of the East were as
wr»n<lerful as fairy tales, lie told of conntries rich
in gold, sih'er, aiid precious stones, and of islands
where diamonds sparkled on the shore. The riders

A Sea Fight.

of tlicst' coiuitrit'S Avc^rc uariiuMits of ridi silk mv-
(TtMl witli j^'littt'i-iiii;' o-(.iiis. and dwelt in |i;d;irt.'s, the
I'oot's of wln(di Were made of li'tdd.

Ill' d('sci-il)(Ml !j,-(>ldcii ( 'atliay, witli its vast cities
ri(di ill luniiufactiiros, and also ('ipaiiu'o. Ilinilii-taii.
and liido-(diiiia. Mo know of tlic Indie- I-lands.
ricli in spices, and lie descidked Sikeria. and told of

the sledges drawn by dogs, and of the pohir bears. The
fact that an ocean washed the eastern coast of Asia was
proved Ijy him, and this pnt at rest forever the theory
that there was an impassable swamp east of Asia.

Tills book by Marco Polo was eagerly read, and
the facts that it stated were so remarl<able that
many people refused to believe them. It stirred
others with a desire to travel and see those lands for
themselves.

Traveling by land, however, was very dangerous,
because of the bands of rol)])ers l)y wdiich the
country was occupied. These outhiws rob1)ed every
one whom they suspected of liavdng any money, and
often murdered travelers in order to gain tlieir pos-
sessions. 8ea travel, too, was just as dangerous,
but in a dii¥(n'ent way.

You will remember why sailoi'S dared not venture
far out upon the ocean and seai'cli for a water route
to the Eastern countries and islands. The time was
soon coming, liowever, when they would daro to do
so, and two wonderful inventions helped navigators
very much.

()ne came from the finding of the loadstone, or
natural magnet. This is a stone wliich has the
power of attracting iron. A steel needle ru1)bed on
it becomes magnetized, as we say, and, when sus-
pended by the center and allowed to move freely,

always swings around until it points nortli and
south. Hung on a pivot and inclosed in a box, this
instrument is called the mariners' compass. It was
of great importance to sailors, because it always told
them which way was north. On cloudy days, and
during dark, stormy nights,
when the sun and stars could
not be seen, the sailors could
now keep on their way, far
from land, and still know
in which direction they were
going.

The other invention was
that of the astrolabe. This ^^""'''" Compass.

was an instrument by means of which sailors meas-
ured the height of the sun above the horizon at
noon, and could thus tell the distance of the ship
from the equator. It is in use on all the ships at
the present time, but it has been greatly improved,
and is now called the quadrant.

The compass and the astrolabe, together with im-
proved maps and charts, made it possible for naviga-
tors to t('ll where their ship was Avheii out of sight of
land or in the midst of stoi-m and darkness. This
made them more courageous, and they ventured a
little farther from the coast, but still iio one dared
to sail far out upon the Sea of Darkness,

COLUMBUS.

One day a man
appeared in Por-
tiig-al, who said lie
was certain that the
earth was ronnd,
and that he could
reach India hy
sailing" westward.
Every one huigiied
at him and ashed
him how he wonld
like to try. JJo
answere<l that he

Christopher Columbus. WOuld Sail I'OUlld

the eartli, if any one would provide him with ships.

l-*t_M)})l(' j<'('re(l and sc()ffod.

"It" tlie earth is a spliere," they said, "in order to
sail ronnd it you must sail uphill! AVho ever heard
of a shi}) sailing uphill .^"

But this man, whos(^ nanu:" was Christopher Co-
lumbus, renudned hrm in his helief.

When a boy, Coluiiibus had listciKMl (>a<i:(M-ly to tho
stones the sailors told about strange lands and won-
derful islands ])eyond the water. He was in the
liabit of sitting on the wharves and watcliing the
ships. Often he would say, "I wish, oli, how I wish
I could be a sailor ! "

At last his father, who was a wool conibcr, said to
hini, "]\Iy son, if you really wish to biM-omc a sailoi',
I will send you to a school where you will be tauglit
navigation."

CV)lunil)US was delighted at this, and told his father
that he would study diligently, lie was sont to the
University of Pavia, where he learned all the geog-
i-a]»hy that was tlx'n known, as well as how to draw
nKqts and charts. He became a skillful penman, and
also studied asti-onomy, geometry, and Latin.

b)ut he did not s})end a loiig time at his studies,
for at tli(^ age of fourteen lie went to sea. AVhat lie
had learneil, liowevei', gave him an exeell«Mit gronnd-
worh". arid fi'om this time foi'wai'd h<' made nsf of
(n'ery o]>])ortunity to inform himself and to become
a scliolai'ly man.

His lii-st voyag(^ was niade with a distant relatix'e.
who was an ad\'entui"ous and dai'ing man. and wlio
was ev(M' ready to fiu-ht with any one willi whom lif
could |>i(d>: a (|narrcl. In c(,ui'sc ot' tinif <'olinMtins
commanded a ship of his own. and hrcann- know n as

a bold and daring navigator. He made a voyage
along the coast of Africa as far south as Guinea,
and afterwards sailed northward to Iceland.

At an early day he became familiar with the
wildest kind of adventure, for at this time sea life
on the Mediterranean was little more than a series
of fights with pirates. Some say that during one of
these conflicts Columbus's ship caught fire. In
order to save his life, he jumped into the water and
swam six miles to shore, reacliiiig the coast of Por-
tugal. Others say that he was attracted to that
country by the great school of navigation which
Prince Henry had established. However that may
be, he appeared at Lisbon at the age of thirty-five,
filled with the idea of sailing westward to reach
those rich Eastern countries in which every one was
so much interested.

He was laughed at for expressing such an idea.
It is not pleasant to be laughed at, but Coluinbus
was courageous and never wavered in his Ijelief.

"The earth is a sphei-e," he said; "those foolish
stories of its being flat and supported on a turtle's
back cannot be true."

But those persons to whom he talked only laughed
the more.

"Is there anything more foolish," they asked,
"than to believe that there are people who walk

with their heels up and with their heads liangiiig
down!" " Tliink of a place where the trees grow
with their branches down, and wherc^ it snows, hails,
and riiins upward ! "

Evxn-ybody thought him an idle dreamer.

Columljus tried to persuade King John to furnish
him with ships and allow him to test his belief. But
King John cruelly deceived Columbus; for, after ob-
taining his maps and charts, be sent off an expedi-
tion of his own. lie lioi)ed in this way to gain the
glory of the discovery. The sailors whom he sent,
however, were not brave enough to continue the
voyage, and returned, frightened by a severe storm.

Columbus was so disgusted by the treachery of
King John that he
made up his mind to
leave Portugal and go
to Spain. !So, taking
his little son, Diego,
with him, lie started
on his journey. He
traveled from place to
place, trying to find some person wlio would help him
make liis ideas known to King Ferdinand and (^ueen
Isabella. Rethought that if he could talk with them
he could }>ersua<le them to furnish him witli ships.

One dav he came to a conxcnt called La lij'ibida.

tf* fllr^Mf ■ ^fc-'- ■■■ Big: iduJ^Sshks. -

Convent of La Rabida.

Here Die,2:o, who was we«iry and tliirsty, bo^-irod ]jis
father to stop and ask for a drink of watci-. Colum-
bus knocked at the big iron gate, and w]nhi lie was
conversing with the attenchmt a })riest a[)]»i'<)a('lH'd.

This priest was attracted by the noble benriiig and
refined s})eech of Cohinibus, and saw at once that
he was not a beggar. He asked him what he wished,
and Columbus related his story.

The good })riest believed in him and said he would
tr}' to influence the king and (pieen to furnish him
with ships. The pi-iest brought the matter Ix'fore
the king; but at this time Spain was at war with tlie
Mooi"s, and King Ferdinand had no time to attend
to anything else. Colundjus was patient and waited.
But as yeai' after year passed and brc)Ught no pros-
pect of olitainiiig the ships he wishe<b his hopes fell.
After seven long, weai'v years of waiting, he was
about to leave Spain in despair.

Just as he was leaving, however, a message was
brought to him from the rpieen, asking him t(^ ex-
plain his plans t<> liei' once more, ('olnmbus did so,
and the ([iKM-n wa< so fully eonvince(l that >he ex-
claimed ; " r will ]»i'ovi(h' ships anil men t'oi- you, if T

ha\"e to jiledu'e mv jewels ill ol'def t() do so!"

Three ships were lilleil out for the xoyau'e. TIie-e
ships wei'e vrvy dilferent from tho<e we see id-day.
They were light, frail Inirks ealle.i earavel<, and two

of them, the Pinta and Nhla, had no decks. The
third, the Santa 3Iaria, had a deck. It was upon
this largest caravel that Columbus placed his flag.

On the 3d of August, 1492, the little fleet set
sail from Palos, entering upon the most daring ex-
pedition ever undertaken by man. The people of
the town gathered on the wharf to see the depar-
ture of the vessels. Man}^ of them had friends or rel-
atives on Ijoard whom they expected never to look
upon again. Sad indeed was the sight as the little
caravels sailed out of the harbor and faded from view.

After sailing a few days, the Phda Ijroke her
rudder. This accident the sailors took to l>e a sign
of misfortune. They tried to persuade Columbus to
put back to Palos, l)ut he would not listen to such a
suggestion. Instead of sailing Ijack, he pushed on
to the Canary Islands. Here his ships Avere delayed
three weeks, after which they contiiiued the voyage
into unknown waters.

After they had sailed westward for many days, the
sailors began to show signs of alai'in, and they im-
plored Columbus to return. He tried to calm their
fears. He described the I'ich lands lie hoped to tind,
and reminded them of tlie wealth and fame this
voyage would bring to them. So they agreed to
venture a little farther.

At last the compass began to point in a different

direction, and the sailors became almost panic-
stricken. They thought they were sailing straight
to destruction, and when they found that Columbus

The Pinta.

would not listen to tlieir entreaties they planned a
mutiny. Though Colinn])Us knew wliat the sailors
were plotting, lie kept steadily on his eonrse.
Fortunately, signs of hind so(^n began to a]>i»ear.
A. branch with berries on it lioated past, a rudely

carved paddle was picked up, and land birds were
seen flying over the ships.

A prize had been offered to the sailor who first
saw land, and all eagerly watched for it night and
day. At last, early one morning, a gun was fired from

The Landing of Columbus.

tlie P'nitu, and all know that land had l)e<>n siuhtoil.
The sailors were filled with the wildest joy, and
crowded around (\:)lund>us with expressions of grati-
tude and admii'ation, in great contrast to the dis-
trustful manner in wliich they had treated him a few
days Ijefore.

The land tlu^y were approacliing was very Leauti-

fill. It was a grooii, siiiiny island witli pleasant
groves in which birds were singini^. ]'H'antii'ul
flowers were blooming all around and the trees wei-e
laden with fruit. The island was iidiabited, too, for
groups of strange-looking men were seen running to
the shore.

At length the ships cast anchor, the boats were
lowered, and (V)lumbus, clad in rich scarlet and
carrying in his hand the royal banner of S2)ain, was
taken ashore. As soon as he stepped on the beach,
CV)lumbus knelt down and gave thanks to (Jod. He
then planted the bnnne]' of Si)aiii in the ground and
took possession of the country in the name of Fer-
dinand and Isaliclla.

This island Ik^ call«'d San Salvador, becaus(^ lie and
his crow had been saved from a watery grave, and
also because October 12 was so named in the Siianish
calejidar.

(*olnnd)US su])]>osod San Salx'ador to be one of th(^
islands n(\'ir tli<' coast of Asia, Imt it is one of
the Bahamas.

Thus was America discovered on the I'Jtli of
October, 14!>_\

The natixes of this island wer(^ ditTei'eiit from any
])eo]>le 1he S])aniarils ha<] e\'er si^'U. They vcre of
a re<ldisli-bi-(^xvn color, and had liiu'li elieelc Ikuk^s,
small blaclv e\-es. and sti'aighl blael-' hair. They were

1>1S. ANI> i:\I'. — ;i

entirely naked, and their bodies were greased and
painted. Their hair was decorated with feathers,
and many of tliem w^ere adorned with curious orna-
ments.

They were at first very much afraid of the white
men and kept far away. But gradually they lost
their fear and brought the Spaniards presents of
bananas and oranges. Some of them gathered
courage enough to toucli tlie Spaniards and pass
their hands ov^er them, as if to make certain that
they were real beings. These men, whose skin was
so white, they thought to be gods who had come
down from the sky.

When Columbus asked thom whore they found the
gold of which many of their ornaments were made,
they pointed toward tlie south. Tlien (bluml)us
took some of them with him to search for the land
of gold.

The next land lie reached was the island of Cuba,
Thiid<;ing that this was a part of India, he called the
natives Indians. He then sailed to Haiti, Avhich he
called Ilispauiola, or "Little Spain." For mori^ than
three months Columlms cruised among these islands,
where the air was always balmy, the sky clear,
and the land beautiful. The sailors believcMl tlu^se
new lands were Paradise, and wanted to live there
always.

At lenp:tl), however, tliey tlioiiglit of returning to
their home and friends. So, taking sevei'al Indians
with them, and many curious baskets and orna-
ments, they set out on their return voyage.

Tliis voyage proved to be very stormy, and at one
time it seemed certain that the ships would go down ;
but after a time the sea grew quiet, and on the 15th
of ]\rareli they sailed again into the little harbor of
Palos.

You can imngine the excitement.

"What! has Columbus returned?" asked the
peox)le. " Has he reall}^ found the East by sailing
west ward t "

"Yes, he has," was the answer. "He has found
India."

Columbus was given a royal welcome. The king
and qui'en held a great celebration in his honor at
Barcelona; and when the Indians marched into court
the astonishment of every pei'son Avas great. The
Indians w(^rc half naked; their dark ])odies were
])aintcd, and tlieii- liea<]s w(M-e adoi'iied with feathers.
'J'liey cari'ied baskets of stM^d pc^arls, and wore strange
ornaments of gold. Some carricMl the skins of wild
animals, and other's cari'ied beautiful birds of brilliant
plumau-e. E\-ei'y inhabitant of Barcelona rejoiced,
and tlie 1 tells were rung in honor of the great dis-
coverer.

It was a liappy time for Coluniljus. He felt rex)aid
for all Ills suffering and trouble.

King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella now wished
Columbus to go again to these newly discovered is-
lands and search for the gold that was thought to be

tlierc. You may be sure
Columbus was willin<r to

--^^''^

The Return of Columbus.

go. So they fltt<Ml out sev<'iitcen vessels, maniie(l
by tit'teeii hundred men, and iiIjkmmJ ('olunibus in
command of this fleet. It was no ii-ou1)le b) find men
who weiv willing to go on this voyage. All wanted
to see Ihe new woi'ld 1liat ha<l been r(»und,

Dnring this second voyage, \\lii<"h was made in
Id!))), ('olumbns disco\"ei'e(l .lainai< a. Puerto liieo,
and some small islands in the (.'aribbean Sea.

On the islaiul of Jamaica tlio Spaniards came
upon tlio footprints of some straii<;-(i animal which
they tliong-lit to be a dragon. This dragon tliey
believ'cd was gnarding the gold which they snpi>osed
was on the island. So they ran hack to their ships
in fear,

{

Later on the}' l>e-
came used to seeing these foot-
jirints, and t'onnd that 1hev w<M'e those of alligators.
At Pnerto Ivico they snft'ered from a savage attack
made by the natives, who shot ])()ison(^d arrows and
threw jax'elins at tliiMn. l>nt in most other ]>laces the
natives wei'e vei'v tVieiidly.

('ohinibus tlionuht this land was a ])art of tlie
e;ist coast of Asia, and he conld not nndtM'stand
wliy he dill not find cities such as ^Nlarco Polo had

d('sel'ilie(l,

('obnnbns then saih^l to lIis])aniola, whei-e he
jtlanted a cohmy, of which he \\as made goxci'iior.
It was not an easy mattei' to go\-ern this i>laiid, be-
cause of the Jealousies and (jnarrels ot' tlie Sjianiarils,

4471^6

At length Columbus returued to Spain, ill and
discouraged.

Columbus made a third voyage in 1498, during
which he sailed along the coast of Brazil, and dis-
covered Trinidad Island. Here his ships encoun-
tered currents of fresh water which flowed with great
force into the ocean. This led Columbus to think
that so large a river must flow across a great conti-

Map Showing how Columbus Discovered America.

nent, and strengthened his opinion that tlie land was
a part of the great continent of Asia.

After sailing farther north along the Pearl Coast,
which was so called because of the pearls found
there, he returned to Hispaniola. Here he found the
Spaniards engaged in an Indian war, and quarreling
among themselves. Some officials Ijecame jealous
of him, bound him witli chains, niid sent him back
to Spain a prisoner. Ferdinand and Isabella were

much displeased at this treatment of Columbus, and
set him free.

A fourth voyage was made by Columbus in 1502,
during which he explored the coast of Honduras in
search of a strait leading to the Indian Ocean. In
this venture he was unsuccessful. On his return to
Spain he found his friend Queen Isabella very ill, and
nineteen days after his arrival she died.

After Isabella's death the king treated Columbus
cruelly and ungratefully. The peoj^le bad become
jealous of him, and his last days were spent in pov-
erty and distress. He never knew that he had dis-
covered a new continent, but supposed that he had
found India.

Seven years after his death the king repented of
his ingratitude, and caused the remains of Columbus
to be removed from the little monastery in Valladolid
to a monastery in Seville, where a magnificent mon-
ument was erected to his memory. In 1536 his
bones were removed to the Cathedral of San Do-
mingo in Hispaniola, and later they were taken to
the catlicdral in Havana.

Wlien the United States took possession of Cuba,
the Spanish disinterred the bones of Columbus again
and carried thorn to Si)ain, placing them in the
cathedral of Seville, where they now are.

VASCO DA GAMA.

Vasco da Gama.

Both tlit.' Spaniards and tlie
Portuguese were cut off fro]n
trade witli the East, because
the Turks had taken posses-
sion of Constantiiiojtle. In
consequence of this, tlie navi-
gators of both countries wei-e
making earnest efforts to
find a water route to India.
Spain, as you know, liad faith in (V)lunil)us, an<l
helped him in his })hin of trying to ]-eac]i India l)y
saihng westward. But tlie Portuguese liad a differ-
ent idea. They spent tlieir time and money in iry-
ing to sail round the African coast, in the helicf tliat
India coukl be reached by means of a southeast
passage.

Tliis soutlieast passage couhl be found only by
crossing the "burning zone," as tlie jtart of tlie earlli
near the equator was called ; and all sailors feared to
make the attempt.

It was thoiiglit almost iini)o,ssiblo to cross tliis
burning zone, and tlio t'ow navigators who had
ventured as far as tlie e(iuator iiad turncMl l)a('k in
tear of steaming whirlpools and of liery belts of heat.

In 14S0, six years before Columlnis discovered
America, the King of Portugal sent IJarthohniicw
Diaz, a bold and daring navigator, to lind the end of
the African coast.

Bartliolomew Diaz sailed tlirougli the fieiy zone
without meeting any of the (b'eadful misfortunes
wliieh tlie sailors so feared. AVhen lie had saile<l Ijc-
yond the ti'opic of Capricorn, a severe storm arose.
The wind blew his three vessels directly south foi-
tldrteen days, during which time he lost siglit of
land. AVhen the sun shone again, Diaz headed his
vessels eastward, but as no land a})peare<l, Ik^ again
changed the direction, this time heading them
toward the north. Aft(U- sailing northward a short
time, land was reached about two hundred miles east
of the Cape of Good Hope.

Diaz now pushed on four hundre(] miles farther
along the coast of Africa, and saw the wide expanse
of the Indian Ocean before him. ITere the sailors
refuse(l to go any farther, and Diaz, although he
wanted vei-y much to go ahead and try to reach
India, was obliged to return.

On the way home, the vessels passe<l chise to the

cape which projects from the south coast of Africa,
and Diaz named it Stormy Cape, in memory of the
frightful storm which liid it from view on the way
down. When they reached Lisbon, however. King
John said that it should be called the Cape of Good

Hoi^e, because they
now had hope that
the southern route
to India was found.
Diaz won much
praise for his brav-
ery and patience in
i making this voyage. lie
had proved that the stories
about the fiery zone w<'re
false, {ind that the African
coast had an end.

It remained, however,

for Yasco da Gaina, then

a young man of about

twenty years of age, to

prove that India could be reached in this way.

In 14!)7 Da Gama sailed from Lisbon to the Ca})e

of Good IIo})(', doubled the cape, and proceeded

across the Indian Ocean to Hindustan.

He returned to Lisbon iii 1499, liis ships loaded
with the rich products of the East, including cloves,

Spanish and Portuguese Vessels.

spices, pepper, ginger, and nutmeg. TTe also Ijrouglit
with liini ricli robes of silk and satin, costly gems,
and many articles made of carved
ivory, or of gold and of silver,

The King of PortTigal was
greatly pleased with what Da
Gama had accomplished, and
his successful voyage was the
wonder of the day.

The same year that Da Gaina
returned from India by a route
around the south end of Africa,
with his ships loaded with rich
produce, Sebastian Cabot returned from a fruitless
voyage to the strange, barren coast of North America.

It was no wonder that the voyages of Columbus
and the Cabots were thought unsuccessful as com-
pared with the voyage Da Gama had just finished.

No one then dreamed of a New World; all were
searching for the Orient — for golden Cathay.

Costume of Explorers.

JOHN AND SEBASTIAN CABOT'S VOYAGES.

John Caeot was a Venetian inorcliant, and a bold
seafaring man. For purposes of trade lie had taken
11}) his lionie in Biistol, England. Bristol at that

time was the most important
seaport of England, and car-
ried on a largo fishing trade
with Iceland.

WluMi the news of the voy-
ag(^ of Coinmbns reached
Th'istol, Cabot begged the
English king, PTenry VII,, to
let him go and see if he conld
find a shorter ronte to the In-
dies. Tli(^ king gave his consent, and told Cabot to
t;ik<' ])()sscssion of any land he might discover for
England.

(-'abot filled orit his vessel and, taking his son Se-
bastian and a crew of eighteen men with him, set
sail in 1497. Mo lieade(l his shi)) westward, hoping
to reach the Spic(i Islands and that part of Asia

Sebastian Cabot.

which WJis so ricli in gold, and wliicli ( 'oliunbiis ]iad
failed to lind. At last, oiio siiiiuy nioniiiig iu June,
hind was sighted in the distance.

This land, which was pi'obahly a part of Nova
Scotia, proved to be a lonely shore with (h'lisc I'oi--
ests. Cabot called it "Land First Seen." It was
entirely deserted, not a human being nor a hut of
any kind being in sight.

Here Cabot and liis son Sel»astian and sonic of
his crew Avent ashore, and were the lirst white men,
excepting the Norsemen, to step ii})on the mainland
of America. Up to this time, Colundjus had dis-
covered only islands of the West Indies. A A'ear
later ilian this he discovered the continent of South
Ameiica. Cabot and his com})anions erected a large
ci'oss on the shore, and planted two flagpoles in the
ground, from Avhich they unfurled the English and
Venetian flags. Then they returned to tlieir shi})S,
and, after sailing about the Gulf of St. Lawrence,
went back to England.

King TTenry and the peo])h3 recei\ed John (^ibot
with great lionor. Everybody thought that Cabot had
reacheil Asia, and lie also believed that he had. He
was called iho, "Oi-eat Admiral." and th(^ i^eople of
Rristol ran after him on the street, shouting his name
and trying in ev«M"yAvay to slunv liini howiniieh jliey
admired and honored him. The kiiiu' ga\e him fifty

dollars in money, which seems to us in these days a
small sum for so long and dangerous a voyage. Be-
sides this, the king urged him to undertake another
voyage.

About a year later Sebastian Cabot made the
second voyage, and this time the gloomy shore of
Labrador was reached.

Sebastian on his voyage sailed far north, passing
many icebergs, and seeing many strange and won-
derful sights.

On great blocks of ice that floated past the ship he
saw immense white bears. These bears were fine
swimmers, and would often leap into the water and
bring out fish, which they would devour greedily.
The waters were filled with fish, and, as the shijj
neared the shore, they gi-ew so numerous as almost
to retard the sailing of the vessel.

"Now," said Cabot, "the English will not have to
go to Iceland any more for fish."

But Cabot knew that the lands he was s<'eking
were warm lands. So he turned his vessel south,
hoping to reach some opening which would lead to
them. To his great surprise, he found the coast very
long and without any opening, and he sailed on and
on as far as Maryland, taking possession of the land
for England.

At places along this shore were seen Indians, clad

in skins and furs of wild animals, fishing from little
canoes. Stags much larger than any in England
were seen in great numbers, and wild turkeys and
game of all sorts abounded.

Then Sebastian Cabot began to think that this was
a part of Asia never known before, and he set sail
for home to t(dl the wonderful news.

When he reached Bristol he found- everybody still
interested in India. It was a water route to India
that was wanted, and not a new country. People
cared more about reaching, golden Cathay than
about finding new, barren, lands.

So, although King Henry was proud to know that
the new land belonged to England, it was eleven
years before he made any further attempt to send
shi})s there to take possession.

AMERIGO VESPUCCI.

Ameetgo Vespucci was a native of Florence, Italy,
and a friend of Colnnil)ns. He was an educated man
and vei'}^ fond of study.

At the time in which he lived it was difficult to
find the latitude and longitude of places, and few
people were ahle to calculate either correctly. Ves-
pucci was skillful in the work of computing longi-
tude, and he was also well versed
in the history of all the voyages
that had l)een made. He was
familiar with the facts of astron-
omy and geography then known,
and was well ahle to conduct
the sailing of a ship into
strange waters.
It is believed that Vespucci made
six voyngcs. He did not command liis own vessels,
as Columhus did, hut he went with the expiMlition as
assistant or adviser to the captai]], k(M>])iiig records
of the voyag<' and making maps and charts.

Amerigo Vespucci.

In his first voyage, made in 1497, Vespucci reached
tlie coast of Honduras, and sailed into the Gulf of
Mexico. Here he found, proba])ly on the coast of
Yucatan, a queer little sea village which reminded
him of the great city of Venice near his home.

A Queer Little Sea Village.

The liouses in this villag<' wei'o iria<le of wood, and
were hnilt on piles ruuniiig out into the water.
These houses wei'e connect(Ml with tlu* sliore l)y
hridgcs, whicli were constructed in such a manner
that they could ])o di-awn up, tlius cutting off all
connection with the land. In one house Vesjnicci
fcnmd six hundred })eople. Avery large family, was
it not?

i>:s. ANi) i;xi' -1

Continuing the voyage around the Gulf of Mexico,
Vespucci saw many strange and wonderful things.
Tlie natives roasted and ate frightful animals, which
from the descrij^tion given us we now know to have
been alligators. They also made cakes, or patties,
out of fish, and baked them on red-hot coals. The
Spaniards were invited to taste these dainties, and
those of the sailors who did so found the strange
food very palatable.

After sailing round the coast of Florida, th-e ships
headed northeast, landing every now and then for
the purpose of trading with the Indians. The
Spaniards, finding but little gold and none of the rich
spices for which they were looking, at last decided
to return home.

Just before sailing, some friendly Indians helped
the Spaniards to make an attack upon a cannibal
island. The attack was successful, and about two
hundred cannibals were taken prisoners and carried
to Spain, where they were sold as slaves.

Ves})Ucci made a second voyage in 1-1-99, in which
ho sailed down the African coast to the Cape Verde
Islands, and then headed his ship almost directly
west. IIo siuhtod land at Cape St. Roque, and then
sailed northwest, exploring tljo north coast of Sonth
America, then called the Pearl Coast. After this he
returned to Spain.

Shortly after tho return of Vespucci to Spain, he
accepted, an offer to take service under the Portu-
guese flag.

In 1501 he set sail from Lisbon with three cara-
vels, under this flag. He reached the coast of South
America near Cape St. Roque, and sailed south as
far as the South Georgia Islands.

As he proceeded southward, he found the country
was inhabited by fierce Indians, who ate their fellow-
creatures. He did not like the natives, as you may
suppose ; but he thought the country was beautiful,
with the wonderful verdure and foliage of the trop-
ics, and the queer animals and briglit-colored birds.

Great was the joy of Vespucci when he discovered
in the forests large quantities of a sort of red dye-
wood which was prized very highly l)y Europeans.
This wood, which had hitherto been found only in
Eastern countries, was called brazil wood; and be-
cause of its abundance there, he gave the name Brazil
to that part of the country.

The exp«Mlition sailed slowly on and at length lost
sight of land. It is thought that A^espucci headed
the ships southeast because he wished to find out
whether there was land or not in the Antarctic Ocean,

As they sailed farther and farther sonth, the cli-
mate became very disagre(\abl(\ The wind< u-rewcold
and forbidding, fields of floating ice hindered the

progress of the vessel, and the nights became very
long.

The sailors grew frightened, fearing that they were
entering a land of constant darkness. Their fear be-
came greater when a terrific storm arose. The sea
grew rough, and the fog and sleet i)re vented the
sailors from seeing whether land was near or not.
The land which they had hoped to find now became
an added danger.

One day, through the sleet and snow, the sailors
saw with terror a rocky, jagged coast in front of them.

This land proved to be the South Georgia Islands,
and was a wretched and forlorn country composed of
rocks and glaciers, and entirely deserted. For a day
and a half they sailed in sight of this frightful shore,
fearing each moment that their shi]) would be cast
on the rocks and that they would all perish. As
soon as the weather permitted, therefore, Vespucci
signaled his fleet, and the ships were headed for
home, reaching Portugal in 1502.

This voyage secured Brazil for Portugal, and added
greatly to the geographical knowledge of the day.

The ancients had said that no continent existe*!
south of the equator. But the great length of coast
along which Vespucci had sailed proved that the land
was not an island. It was plainly a continent, and
south of the equator.

Vespucci called tlio land ho found tlie New ^Vorld.
For a time it was also called the Fourth Part of the
p]artli, the other three parts l)eiiig Europe, Asia, and
Africa. In l.")!)? a German writer published an ac-
count of the discovery, in which he called the new
country America, in honor of Aniericus Yespucius,^
the discoverer.

This land was not connected in any way with the
discovery of Columbus, for he was supposed to have
found Asia.

The name America was at first applied only to that
part of the country which we now call Brazil, but
little by little the name was extended until it in-
cluded the whole of the West(n'n Continent.

You will he glad to know that Yespucci, in the time
of his snccess, did not forg(^t his old friend Colum-
bus, who was then })oor and in disgrace. Yespucci
visited iiim and did all he couhl to assist him.

After Yesjnicci had made three other voyages to
the Xew ^Vorld, ]\o was given an iiii]»ortaiit govern-
ment |H)siti(>n in Spain, which he held duiing the
remainder of his life.

1 Aniericus Vcspucius is the Latin form of Amerigo Vespucci.

PONCE DE LEON.

You have heard many surprising things which
the people of the fifteenth century beUeved. It
seems ahnost impossible for us to think that those

people really had faith in a
Fountain of Youth; yet such
is the case.

Tills fountain was supposed
to exist somewhere in the New
A7orld, and it was thought that
if any one should bathe in
its waters, he would become
young and would never grow
old again.

In 1513 Ponce de Leon, who was then governor of
Puerto Rico, sailed from that island in search of this
Fountain of Y^outh. De Leon was an old man, and
he felt that his life was neaily over, unless he should
succeed in finding this fountain. At the same time De
Leon wished to gain gold, for, though he had ah'ead}^
made a fortune in Puerto Rico, he was still very greedy.

Ponce de Leon.

The expedition under his guidance sailed among the
Bahamas and other islands near them, and at length
reached a land beautiful with flowers, balmy with
warm breezes, and cheerful witli the song of liirds.
Partly because this discovery was made on Easter
Sunday, which the Spaniards called Pascua Florida,
and partly because of the abundance of flowers, De
Leon called the land Florida.

He took possession of this delightful country for
Spain, and then spent many weeks exploring its
coast. After sailing north as far as St. Augustine,
and finding neither gold nor the fabled Fountain of
Youth, De Leon turned his vessels and proceeded
south, doubling the Florida Cape. Shortly afterwards
he became discouraged and returned to Puerto Pico.

In 1521 De Leon went again to Florida, this time
for the purjwse of plnnting a colony. The Indians
were very angry that the white men should try to
take their land, and they made a fierce attack upon
De Leon and his party. In this attack De Leon re-
ceived a severe wound, which compelled liim to go
to Cnl)a for care and rest. There he died after much
suffering.

De I^eon never found the Fountain of Youth, nor
were the fabled waters discovered afterwards.

BALBOA.

The Spanish colonists on the island of Hispaniola
made freqnent visits to the niaiidand, searching for
the rich cities of which Marco Polo had written.
' "Word reaclKHl the colonists that some of these gold
hunters were starving at a place called Daiien, and a
ship was innnediatel}^ sent to their relief. The cargo
of the slup consisted of barrels of provisions and
ammunition.

Imagine, if you can, the amazement of the com-
mander of the expedition when, after his ships were
under sail, a young and handsome man stepped out
of one of the harrels. The young man was A^asco
Nunez Balboa. He had chosen this way to escai)e
from Cuba, where he owed large sums of money
which he could not i>ay. The connnander was angry,
and Ihreatened to leave Balboa on a des(M't island:
but at length he took ]»ity (ui the young man, and
allowed him to remain cm board the shi}).

AVIkmi tlie mainland was reaclnMl. the Spaniards
who were already there, having heard of the cruelty

'.)(

Balboa Crossing the Isthmus.

of tlie coniiiiaiider, refused to let liiiii Liiid. lie there-
fore put otf to sea, and was uever lieard of au'aiii.
Balboa then took eoininand of the men and l»egan
inmiediately to explore the country.

He made a friendly alliance with an Indian chief,
who presented him with gold and slaves. The Sj^an-
iards were delighted at the sight of so much riches.
They began to melt and weigh the gold, and at last
fell to quarreling desperately about the division of it.

This the Indians could not understand. They
knew nothing of money, and valued the metal only
because it could be made into beautiful ornaments.

An Indian boy who had heard the dispute told the
Spaniards that if they cared so much about that yel-
low stuff, it would be wise for them to go to a
country where there was enough of it for all.

The Spaniards eagerly questioned him regarding
this place. The boy then described a country across
the mountains and to the south, on the shores of a
great sea, where the metal was so plentiful that the
natives used it for their ordinary drinking cups and
bowls.

Balboa immediately started southward across the
mountains in search of this rich country. On his
way he came upon a tribe of hostile Indians, who at-
tacked him, l:)ut who fled in alarm from the guns of
the Spaniards.

Taking some Indians as guides, Balboa pushed on
through the mountains, and on September 25, 1513,
from one of the highest peaks, looked down upon the
Pacific Ocean,

Balboa Discovering the Pacific.

Witli his Spaniards lie descended the inonii-

tniii, and in four days readied tlie sliore of tliat

'- '' niau'iiifi('(Mit ])ody of water. Bal1)oa wad(Ml out

into it witli liis sword in liis hand, and formally took

]-tossession of it for the King' of Spain. He called i1 tli<'

South Sea, because lie was looking toward the south
when be first saw it ; and the Pacific Ocean was known
by this name for many years afterward.

On this shore he met an Indian who repeated to
him the same story that the Indian boy had told
about the rich country on the border of this sea and
farther to the south.

Balboa then made up his mind to find this country.
Accordingly he returned to Darien, and sent word to
the Spanish king of bis great discovery of the South
Sea.

He then began to take his ships apart, and to send
them, piece by piece, across the mountains to the
Pacific coast.

This was an enormous undertaking. The journey
was a very difficult one, and hundreds of the poor
Indians who carried the burdens dropped dead from
exliaustion.

At lengtli, after long months of laltor, four ships
were thus carried across the mountains and rebuilt
on the Pacific coast. These wore the first European
vessels ever launched on the great South Son. Three
hundred men were in I'eadiness to go with Balboa on
his voyage in search of the rich country of the South.

A little iron and a little ])itch were still needed for
the shi})s, and Balboa delayed his departure in order
to i^-et these articles.

The delay gave his eiieinies, wlio were jealous be-
cause of his success, time to carry out a plot against
him. They accused him of })lotting to set u}) an in-
dependent government of his own, and caused him
to be arrested for treason. In less than twentv-fou.r
hours this brave and high-spirited leader was ti-ied,
found guilty, and beheaded. So ended all his amlji-
tious plans.

MAGELLAN.

One of the boldest and most determined of all the
early explorers was Ferdinand Magellan, a young
Portuguese nobleman. He felt sure that somewhere

on that long coast which so
many explorers had reached
he would find a strait through
which he would be able to pass,
and which would lead into the
Indian Ocean ; and so Magel-
lan formed the idea of cir-
cumnavigating the globe.
He applied to the King of
Portugal for aid; but as the Portuguese king was
not willing to help him, he went to Spain, where his
plan found favor.

Tlie Spanisli king gave him a fleet of five vessels,
and on September 20, 1519, he set sail for the Ca-
nary Islands, Continuing the voyage toward Sion-a
Leone, tiie vess(3ls wore becabned, and foi* a, pei-iod of
three weeks tlioy advanced only nine miles. Then a

Ferdinand Magellan.

terrific storm arose, and the sailors, wlio had f2:rumbled
and found fault with everything duriug the entire
voyage, broke into open mutiny. Tliis mutiny
jVIagellan quickly quelled by causing the princii)al
offender to be arrested and put in irons.

The voyage was then continued, and land was at
last sighted on the Brazilian coast, near Pei-naml)uco.

The fleet then proceeded down the coast as far as
Patagonia, where the weather grew so very cold that
it was decided to seek winter quarters and postpone
the remainder of the journey until si)ring. This
was done, Magellan finding a sheltered spot at Port
8t. Julian, where plenty of fish could be obtained
and where the natives were friendly.

These native Patagonians Magellan described as
being very tall, like giants, with long, flowing hair,
and dressed scantily in skins.

Great hardships had been endured by the crew.
Food and water had been scarce, the storms had been
severe, and suffering from cold was intense. The
sailors did not believe there was any strait, and they
begged INlagellan to sail for home. It was useless to
try to influence this determined man. Danger made
him only the more firm. IMagellan told them tliat he
would not r«'turn until he had found the opening for
whicli he was looking.

Then the mutinv broke out anew. P.ut :\lagollau

by Lis prompt and decisive action pnt it down in
twentj'-foiir hours. One offender was killed, and
two others were put in irons and left to their fate
on the shore when the ships sailed away.

As soon as the weather grew warmer the ships
started again southward. After nearly two months
of sailing, most of the time through violent storms,
a narrow channel was found, in which the water was
salt. This the sidlors knew must be the entrance to
a strait.

Food was scarce, and the men again begged Ma-
gellan to return ; but he firmly refused, saying : " I
will go on, if I have to eat the leather off the ship's
yards."

So the ships entered and sailed through the wind-
ing passage, which sometimes broadened out into a
bay and then became narrow again. Among the
twists and windings of this perilous strait, one of the
vessels, being in charge of a mutinous commander,
escaped and turned l)ack.

On both sides of the shore there were high moun-
tains, the tops of which were covered with snow, and
which cast gloomy shadows upon the water below
them.

Think of the fei^iugs of the crew when, after sail-
ing five weeks through this winding channel, they
came out into a calm expanse of water. Magellan

was overcome by the siglit, and shod tears of joy.
He named the vast waters Ijeforo him Pacifie, wliich
means "peaceful," because of their conti-ast to the
violent and stormy Atlantic.

Strait of Magellan.

The fleet now sailed northwest into a warmer
climate and over a tranquil ocean, and as week after
wt'ck pass(Ml ;ind no land was seen, the sailors lost
all lioi»e. Th(n' heg'an to think tliat this ocean had
no end, an<l that tlu^v iniuht sail on and on forever.

Tliese poof men sufferiMl \'ery much from hi<'l\' of
food and watei*, and many die(l of f;iminc. The
boastful remark of Magellan was i'ccalle<l wlieii the

Ms. AMI i;\l'.— 5

sailors did really begin to eat the leather from the
ship's yards, first soaking- it in the water.

Anxiously these worn and haggard men looked
about for signs of land, and at length they were re-
warded. The Ladrone Islands were reached, and
supplies of fresh vegetables, meats, and fruits were
obtained. From the Isles de Ladrones, or "Isles
of Robbers," the fleet proceeded to the Philip-
pines.

Here Magellan knew that he was near the Indian
Ocean, and realized that if he kept on in his course
he would circumnavigate the globe.

It was on one of the Philippine Islands that this
"Prince of Navigators" lost his life in a skirmish
with the natives. He was, as usual, in the thickest

of the fight, and while trying to shield one of his
men was struck down by the spear of a native.

One of his ships, the Victoria, continued the voy-
age around Cape of Good Hope, and on September
G, 1522, with eighteen weary and half-starved men
on board, succeeded in reaching Spain.

Great hardships had been endured, but the won-
dei-ful news they brought made up in some measure
for their suffering.

This was the gi'eatest voyage since the first voyage
of Columbus, and the strait still Ijoars the name of the
remarkable man whose courage and strength of pur-

pose led to the accomplishment of one of the greatest
undertaking's ever recorded in liistory.

This wonderful voyage of Magellan's proved be-
yon<l doubt that the earth is round. It also i)roved
that South America is a continent, and that there is
no short southwest passage.

After this voyage all the navigators turned their
attention to the discovery of a northwest passage.

HEENANDO CORTES.

The Spaniards who lived on the island of Hispan-
iola sent frequent expeditions to the mainland in the
hope of finding gold.

Hernando Cortes, a dashing young Spaniard with
a love of adventure and a reckless daring seldom
seen, was given command of one of these ex})editions.

In March, 1519, he
landed on the coast of
Central America, with
about six hundi'ed men,
ten heavy guns, and
sixteen horses. Here
Cortes fouiid the na-
tives in large numhers
arrayed against liini. A
fierce l:)atUe was fouglit.
But tlie firearms of tlie
Si)aniai'(ls IVigliteiKMl tli<> harliariaiis, and wlien the
cavalry ariived the Indians lied in terror. The In-

Hernando Cortes.

dians, who had never seen liorses ))efore, tlion^ht
the man riding the hor.se was a part of the animal,
and that these strange creatnres were sent l»y the
gods. Fear made tli(^ Indians lielpless, mid it was
easy for Cortes to gain a victory over tlicDi.

After this victory Cortes sailed northward along
the coast of San Juan de Ulloa. The nH lives of tliat
region had heard of the wondei'ful white-skiniu'd and
bearded men who bore charmed lives, and tiiey
thouglit that these men W(^re gods. Th(\v, therefore,
treated the Spaniards in a friendly manner, and
brought gifts of flowers, fruits, and vegetables, and
also ornaments of gold and silver to Cortes.

Here Cortes landed and founded the city of Vera
( h'uz, which is to-da}' an important sea])ort of Mex-
ico. The native Indians in this place wei'c called
Aztecs. Some of their chiefs, who })aid a visit to
Cortes, told him of the great Emperor ]\[onteznma,
who was rich and })Owerfnl, and who lived inland, in
a wondei'fnl city built in a lake.

By these chiefs Cortes sent to ]\rontezunia presents
of collars, bi'acelets, and ornaments of glass, an arm-
chair riclily carved, and an embroidered crimson ca]).
In return, ^NFontezuma sent shields, helmets, and
[ilates of pnre gold, sandals, fans, gold oi-nameiits of
exquisite worlvinanshi]), togethei' witii i-ohcs of fine
cotton interwoven with feathei' work, so skillfnlly

done that it resembled painting. The cap which
Cortes had sent was returned filled with gold dust.

The great Montezuma also sent a message to
Cortes, saying that he would be glad to meet so
brave a general, but that the road to the Mexican
capital was too dangerous for an army to pass over.
He also promised to pay a yearly tribute to the

Aztecs.

Spanish king if Cortes and his followers would
depart and leave him in peace.

The Spaniards were jubilant when they saw the su-
perb gifts. They felt certain that this great emperor
must have enormous wealth at his command, and in
spite of the warning message, most of them wished
to start immediately for the Mexican capital. Some,
however, thought such a course very unwise; Mon-
tezuma, they said, was so powerful a ruler that it

was absurd to attack him with their small force, and
they advised returning to Cuba for a large number
of soldiers.

But Cortes had his own ideas on the suljject. So
he secretly ordered Ins ships to be sunk, and then,
all chance of retreat being cut off, the entire force
proceeded toward Mexico, August IG, 1519.

After a long march, the Spaniards began to ascend
the plateau on which the city of Mexico is situated, and
finally reached the top of it, seven thousand feet high.

They found the climate on this plateau temperate
and balmy. The fields were cultivated, and beau-
tiful flowers grew wild in profusion.

During the march the Spaniards passed many
towns containing queer houses and temples. They
entered many of the temples, threw down the idols,
and took possession of ornaments of A'alue. At
length they saw in the distance a city which was
built in a salt lake. Three avenues, built of stone,
led across the water to it.

These avenues, which were four or five miles in
length, were guarded on both sides by Indians in
canoes. The avenu(\s continued thfough the city,
meeting in the center, where the great tem}»le was
situated.

Tlu^ tem])le was inclosed by a liuiiv stone wall,
and contained twenty pyi'ainids, each a hundred

feet in height. Nearly all of the houses were two
stories high, and were built of red stone. The roofs
were flat, with towers at the corners, and on top of
tlie roofs there were beautiful flower gardens.

Meeting of Cortes and Montezuma.

Into tliis reniarkal)lo town Cortes and liis follow-
ers inarched. ]Monteznina received his unwek'oine
guests witli every mark of friendship, and witli
nnicli pomp and ceremony. Tlie great em})eror was
carried on a litter, wliich was richly decoratf^l
with gold and silver. The nobles of his court sur-

rounded him, and hundreds of his retainers were
drawn up in line behind him.

The first thing, when Cortes and Montezuma met,
was the customary exchange of i)resents. Cortes i)re-
sented Montezuma with a chain of colored glass
beads, and in return the Aztec ruler ga\'e Cortes a
house which was large enough to accommodate all
of the Spaniards.

For ten days these two men met each other and
exchanged civilities, Cortes pretending to Ije paying
a friendly visit, and Montezuma feeling puzzled and
uncertain.

At length Cortes induced Montezuma to go to the
house where the Spaniards were living, and then,
when he got him there, refused to allow him to leave,
thus keeping him a prisoner in his own city.

This daring act aroused the suspicions of the
Aztecs. But Cortes used all his cunning to deceive
these simple-hearted people and to make them con-
tinue to think tliat the Spaniards were gods. Still,
the Aztecs were beginning to feel very bitter
toward Cortes and his followers because of the dis-
respect witli which they treated tlie Aztec temples
and gods. The Spaniards were constantly tlirowing
these gods out of the tc^nples. Even their gi'cat god
of war was not safe.

Cortes openly derided this image, calling it trash.

and proposing to erect the emblems of the Spanish
religion in its place in the Aztec temples.

Now, the Aztec god of war was a frightful image
with golden serpents entwined about the body. The
face was hideous, and in its hand was carried a plate
upon which were placed human hearts as sacrifices.
But to the Aztecs the image was sacred, and this
insult, together with many others which had been
offered their gods, made the natives very angry.

One day the Aztecs discovered that some of the
Spaniards had died. This knowledge dispelled the
fear that their unbidden visitors were gods, and
they attacked the Spaniards with great fury.

The Aztec warriors wore quilted cotton doublets
and headdresses adorned with feathers. They carried
leather shields, and fought fiercely with bows and
arrows, copper-pointed lances, javelins, and slings.
Though l)y comparison few in numbers, the Span-
iards, who were protected by coats of mail, made
great havoc with their guns and horses.

The battle IjetAveen these unequal forces raged Avith
great fury, and for a time the result was uncertain.
Cortes compelled Montezuma, his prisoner, to show
himself on the roof of his house and try to persuade
the Aztecs to stop fighting.

The Indians, however, no longer feared their
emperor, and instead of obeying him, they made

him a target for their arrows and stones. In the
midst of the figbt, the great Montezuma was finally
knocked down
and killed by
one of his for-
mer subjects.

After a des-
perate struggle,
the Spaniards
were forced to
retreat. "While
making their
escape over the
bridges of the
city they were
attacked by In-
dian warriors
in canoes, and
more than half
of their number
were killed.
Notwithstand-
ing this defeat
and the loss of

so many men, Cortes did not give up liis design of con-
quering Mexico. He made an nlliniicc witli hostile
tribes of Indians, and again attacked tlie city.

Aztec Ruins.

The Aztecs had now a new king, named Gua-te-
niot-zin, who was as brave and determined as Cortes
himself. Gruatemptzin made preparations to oppose
Cortes, and during the terrible siege which followed
never once thought of surrendering or of asking for
peace.

The Spaniards made attack after attack, and ter-
rible battles were fought, in which the loss on both
sides was very great. During one of these battles
( 'ortes was nearly captured, and it seemed as though
the war god was to be avenged upon the man who
had so insulted him. But a young Spaniard rushed
to the assistance of Cortes, and with one blow of his
sword cut off the arms of the Indian who had dared
to seize the Spanish leader.

After a time the Aztecs found themselves pris-
oners within their own city. The Spaniards liad cut
off all means of escape, and the Indians were starv-
ing to death. Their sufferings were terrible, and
hundreds dropped down daily in the streets. Yet
the proud king Guatemotzin refused to submit, and
Cortes ordei-ed a final attack. After furious figliting
Guatemotzin was captured, and the Aztecs surren-
dered. Their cruel religion, with its strange gods and
human sacrifices, was now overthrown.

Cortes, with his few followers, nevermore than one
thousand trained soldiers, had succeeded in conquer-

ing a country larger than Spain. Over a million
Mexicans had peiished, and those that I'eniained left
the city and fled to the mountains.

In this way the magnificent civilization of the
ancient Mexicans was destroyed. Shi})loads of treas-
ures were sent by Cortes to the Spanish king, Charles
v., who rejoiced at the glory gained for his country.

FRANCISCO PIZAERO.

Among the men who had been with Balboa, and
who had heard of the wonderful country of the Incas,
was Francisco Pizarro. He determined to find this
ricli country and to conquer it.

Securing a band of about two hundred men, well
armed and mounted on sti'ong horses, he led them, in

spite of terrible hardships,
over mountains, through val-
leys, and across plateaus to
Cajamarca, the city where
the Inca, or king, was then
staying.

The natives gazed at the
Spaniards in wonder and
dread. These simple people
thought that the white-faced,
bcai'ded strangers, who car-
ried tliun(lerl)f)lts in their liands, and who rode such
fi'iglitful-looking animals, were gods. In spite of
their i'ear, tin; Indians received the strangers kindly,
and gave them food and slielter.

Francisco Pizarro.

That evening, Pizarro and De Soto, taking with
them thirty-five horsemen, visited the Inca and ar-
ranged with him for a meeting next day in tlie open
square. It was a strange visit. The Inca was sur-
rounded by his slaves and chieftains, and was very
polite to the strangers.

But the Spaniards began to feel very uneasy. An
army composed of thousands of Indians was en-
camped only two miles away ; and compared with it,
the two hundred men of Pizari'o appeared powerless.
The situation of tlie Spaniards, should the Inca de-
cide to oppose them, seemed without hope.

Pizarro scarcely slept that night. He lay awake
planning how he might take the Inca prisoner.

The next day, about noon, the Indian pi'ocession
approached the market place. First came attendants
who cleared the way, then followed nobles and men
of high rank, richly dressed, and covered with orna-
ments of gold and gems. Last came the Inca, car-
ried on a throne of solid gold, which was gorgeously
trimmed with the plumes of tropical birds.

The Indian monarch wore rich garments adorned
with gold ornaments, and around his neck was a
collar of superb emeralds of great size and l)rillian('y.
He took his position near the center of tlu^ s(inaro,
his escort, numbering several thousand, gathered
around him.

Looking about, the Inca failed to see any of tlie
Spaniards.

" Where are the strangers ! " he asked.

Just then Pizarro's chaplain, with his Bible in his
hand, approached the Inca. The chaplain said that
he and his people had been sent by a mighty prince
to beg the Inca to accept the true religion and con-
sent to be tributary to the great emperor, Charles V.,
who would then protect them.

The Inca grew very angry at this, and declared
that he v.ould not change his faith nor be any man's
tributary. He then indignantly threw the sacred
book upon the ground, and demanded satisfaction
from the Spaniards for this insult to liim.

At this the priest gave the signal, and the Span-
iards rushed from their hiding-places and attacked
the panic-stricken Indians. The Inca and his at-
tendants were wholly unprepared, being unarmed
and utterly defenseless.

The Spaniards charged through them, showing no
mercy, their swords slashing right and left, and their
prancing horses trampling the natives under foot.
The gnus and firearms of the Spaniards made such
havoc and confusion that the terrified Indians offered
no I'esistnnce. Indeed, they could not offer any.

In the vicinity of the Inca the struggle was fierce.
The Indians, faithful to the last to their beloved mon-

arch, threw themselves before liim, sliieldiiig liini with
their naked bodies from the swords of tlie Spaniards.
At last, as night drew near, the Spaiiiai'ds, fearing
that the Inca might escape, attempted to kill him.

But Pizarro desired that he should Ije taken alive,
and in a loud voice ordered his followers, as tliey

The Spaniards Attacking the Inca's Escort.

valued their own lives, not to strike the Inea.
Stretching out his arm to save tlie monarch, Pi/ai'ro
received a wound on Ids hand. This was tlie only
wound received l)y a Spaniard during ilu' attack,

DIS. AND EXP. — G

At length the Inca was cast from his throne, and,
falling to the ground, was caught by Pizarro. He was
then imprisoned and placed under a strong guard.
As soon as the news of the capture of the Inca spread,
all resistance ceased. Many of the Indians fled to
the mountains, leaving untold wealtli at the disposal
of their conquerors, while others remained, hoping to
be able to assist their fallen ruler.

As soon as the Inca had an opportunity, he tried
to think of some way of obtaining his freedom.

The room in which he was confined was twenty-
two feet in length by seventeen feet in width. Rais-
ing his hand as high as he could, the Inca made a
mark upon the wall, and told Pizarro that gold
enough to fill the room to that mark would be given
as a ransom for his release.

Pizarro agreed to this bargain, and the natives be-
gan to send gold to the Inca to secure his release.
Some of the treasures in the temples were Ijuried and
hidden by the priests; but ornaments of all kinds,
vases, and plate were collected, and in a few months
gold amounting to fifteen millions of dollars in our
money was divided among the Spaniards.

Millions of dollars' worth of gold and silver were
shipped to Spain, and the Spanish nation grew very
wealthy. Pizarro himself returned to Spain to take
Charles V. his share of the plunder. During Pizar-

ro's absence the Spaniards caused tlie Inca to be
killed, notwithstanding the largo ransom which tliey
liad accepted.

The richer the Spanish people ^rew, the more
careless they became in their treatment of other na-
tions and of those under their rule. They grew more
cruel and more merciless and more gree<ly for gold.
They flocked in great numbers to South America,
a reckless, adventurous, unprincipled horde, ready to
connnit any crime in order to secure gold.

FERDINAND DE SOTO.

Among the men who had been with Pizarro in
Pern was Ferdinand de Soto, a bold and dashing
Spanish cavalier.

De Soto was appointed governor of Cuba in 1537,
and at the same time received permission from the
Spanish king to conquer Florida. This permission
to conquer Florida was received
by De Soto with great delight.
He felt certain that in the inte-
rior of Florida there were cities
as large and as wealthy as those
of Peru. To conquer these cities,
obtain their treasure, and win
for himself riches and fame, was
the dream of De Soto.
Strange as it may seem to you, De Soto was also
anxious to er)nvei't the natives to his own religion.
He intended to take from them all their possessions,
but he meant to save their souls, if possible.

So, leaving his young and beautiful wife Isabella

Ferdinand de Soto.

to rule over Cuba in his abseuco, De Soto, in May, 15o9,
started from Havana with nine vessels, about six liun-
dred men, and two hundred and twenty-three horses.

After a safe voyage, the expedition landed on the
coast of Florida, at Tampa Bay, Before starting on
the march to the interior of the country, De Soto
sent all the vessels back to Cuba. In this way he cut
off all hope of retreat, in case the men should become
discouraged. But no one thouglit of wanting to re-
turn now. Everybody was in high s})irits.

The soldiers wore brilliant uniforms, tlicir caps
were adorned with waving plumes, and their polisln^d
armor glistened and sparHed in the sunshine.

In the company were twelve ])riests, who wci'e ex-
pected to convert the prisoners wliich De Soto meant
to capture. The Spaniards carried with them chains
to secure these prisoners, and l)]oodhounds to track
them in case any escaped.

It was a gay comp;iny Avhich marched off into the
interior of Florida with prancing liorses, waving
flags and banners, and beating drums.

At first De Soto marched directly nortli, plunging
into a wilderness which })roved to be ahnost impass-
able. The country was full of swamps, tlirougli
which the horses could scarcely tra\"el. The ];irge
trees wim'c bound together by tangled xiin's; mid
their roots, which protruded fi'om the cart h, were like

traps, catcliiiig the feet of the travelers and throwmg
them to the ground.

Besides all this, the heavy baggage which the men
and horses carried weighed them down and made
the journey almost impossible.

De Soto, however, kept bravely on, encouraging
his men as best he could, and at last reached the Sa-
vannah River. Here he changed his course to west-
ward, hoping to find gold in that direction.

Week after week, month after month, the Span-
iards traveled on through a dense wilderness, endur-
ing great hardships and finding nothing but tribes of
hostile Indians.

De Soto asked one of these Indian chiefs to give
him slaves enough to carry his baggage through the
forest. The chief refused; whereupon De Soto and
his men attacked the tribe and took many prisoners.
These prisoners De Soto caused to be chained to-
gether and placed in front of the expedition, Avhere
they were made to act as guides as well as slaves.

Tlien De Soto asked the Indians where the great
cities witli gold and silver treasures were. One In-
dian said he did not know of any. At this re])ly De
Soto caused the Indian to be put to death with fi'ight-
ful torture. This made the Indians untruthful, and
they told De Soto many different stories of places
where they thought gold niiglit be foimd.

So the expedition wandered on, searching for the
gold which they never found ; and the men grew dis-
couraged and heartsick, and longed for home.

The Indian tribes, angry at the cruel treatment of
tlie Spaniards, attacked them frequently, and De Soto
and liis men scarcely ever enjoyed a peaceful rest at

De Soto Marching through the Forest.

night. The Spaniards were unused to Indian war-
fare, and were no niatcli foi' tlie quick, ninil)le sav-
ages, who glided through the forests silently and
swiftly. These Indians never came to o})en battle,
but hid themselves behind rocks and trees, and were

(88)

scarcely ever seen. Two or three would suddenlj
appear, send a shower of arrows at the Spaniards,
and then dart away again into the woods. The In-
dians scarcely ever missed their aim, and the Span-
iards never knew when they were near.

One day De Soto captnred some Indians wlio said
that they knew where gold was to be fonnd and that
they wonld show the way to tlie place. De Soto
only half trnsted them, but he allowed them to lead
the way. The cunning savages led the Spaniards
into an ambush, where other Indians attacked them
fiercely, killing their horses and many of their inen.

As punishment for this act, De Soto ordered that
these Indians should be torn to pieces by the blood-
hounds.

Sometimes the Spaniards, in their wanderings,
passed camps where the Indians were gathered round
huge bonfires, singing, dancing, yelling, and shout-
ing the terrible Indian war whoop. Under shcltor of
this noise the Spaniards would steal quietly away and
avoid the Indians for a time.

At length, after wandering for two years, De Soto
came, in 1541, to the shore of a large river. This river
was wide and nuiddy, and had a strong eui'rent
which carried much driftwood along with it. De
Soto learned from the Indians thai it was callt'd
Mississip})i, or the "Father of Waters."

He had reached it near the spot where the city of
Memphis now stands, and here his company halted
and camped.

At this place the Spaniards built rafts, striking
the fetters from their captives in order to use the
iron for nails, and so crossed the river. They hoped
in this way to escape from their savage foes ; but on
the other side of the river they found Indians who
were just as fierce.

So the Spaniards traveled south, hoping by follow-
ing the course of the river to reach the sea. This
De Soto soon found to be impossible, as the country
was a wilderness of tangled vines and roots, and his
followers could not cross the many creeks and small
rivers which flowed into the Mississippi. The horses
traveled through this country with difficulty, often
being up to their girths in water. Each day saw
the little band grow less in nu]ii1)ers.

At length they returned to the banks of the river,
being guided back by their liorses. Tlie men lost
their way in the dreadful forest, but the instinct of
the noble animals directed them aright.

Food was growing scarce, and De Soto liimself was
taken 'ill. He knew that unless something should be
done soon to make the Indians Iielp them, all would
perish. So he sent word to an Indian chief saying
that he was tlie cliild of the snn, and that all men

obeyed him. He then declarod that he wanted the
chief's fi'iendsliip, and ordoi'ud liini to l)ring him food.

The chief sent Ijack word that if De Soto would
cause the river to dry up he would believe him.
This, of course, De Soto could not do.

He was disappointed and discouraged at not being
able to get food. The illness from which he was
suffering grew worse, and he died soon afterwards.

His followers were anxious to hide liis death from
the natives, who were very much afraid of liim. So
they placed his body in the hollow of a scooped out
tree, and sunk it at midnight in the water.

Those of his followers who were left decided to try
to reach home by following the river to its mouth.
These men were in a wretched condition. Their
clothing was nearly all gone. Few of them had shoes,
and nianj^ had only the skins of animals and mats
made of wild vines to keej) them warm. They built
seven frail barks and sailed down the Mississippi,
avoiding Indians all the way, and in seventeen days
they came to the Gulf of ]\b\xi('0.

In fifty days more they sucet^eded in reaching a
Spanish settlement on tlic coast of Mexico, where
they were received with much joy.

Of the gay eompany of six huiidri^l an<l twenty
who had s<^t out with such hiah li(>['es, ouW thi'ee
hundred and ele\ en men returned.

THE GREAT RIVER AMAZON, AND
EL DORADO.

As yon may imagine, there was great excitement

and eni'iosity in Spain, after tlie voyages of Colum-

bns, abont the new hinds beyond the Western Ocean.

Several of the men who had sailed with Colnnibns

Avere ready to undertake new voyages of discovery.

Among them was Yahez
Pinzon.

You will rejnember that
when Columbus made his
first voyage lie set out
with three vessels. One
of these was the Xitla.
It was connnanded by
YafK'Z Pinzon.

After Oolumbus had
returned from his second voyage, Yahez Pinzon suc-
ceeded ill fitting out a ficet to go to the New "World.
In 1-1-99 he sailed with four caravels from Palos,

The Nina.

the same port from wliidi Coliim])us liad sailod.
Pinzoii took with him some of the .sailoi's wlio liad
been with Columbus, and also his throe })riiicipal
pilots. These pilots were men who understood liow
to use the astrolabe and to tell the course of tlie
ship at sea.

Pinzon's fleet sailed toward the Canary and Cape
Verde Islands, and after j^assing them its course was
southwest across the Atlantic. At h'ngth the fleet
crossed the equator, and Pinzon w^as the first explorer
to cross the line in the western Atlantic.

The fleet sailed on for nearly five hundred miles
to the southward. Here Pinzon met a terrific storm,
which came very near sending his whole fleet to the
bottom. He was now not far from the coast, and
after the storm was over he discovered land. The
land proved to be the most eastern jioint of South
America. This was in the month of January, in the
year 1500.

Pinzon and a com]\any of his men went ashore.
Tlun^ did not r(^maiii long, however, as they found
the Indians very hosfilo. Tlio Indians attacked the
Spaniai-ds and killed several of thoir number. Tliey
were so furious that, after eliasing the S]»aniards to
their boats, they wailed into tln^ s(>a and fnnghl to get
the oars. The Indians ea]»tnre(l one of tlie rowboats.
but the Spaniards at last got off to tlieir vessels.

Pinzon then set sail and steered northward along
the coast.

When his fleet came near tlie equator, he noticed
that the water was very fresh. Accordingly he gave
orders to fill the water casks of Ijis fleet. The fresh-
ness of the water of the sea led hini to sail in toward
the shore.

At length he discovered whence the large volume
of fresh w^ater came. It flowed out of the mouth of
a great river.

It was the mouth of the river xVmazon, and so great
is the volume of water which it i)Ours into the sea
that its current is noticed in the ocean two hundred
miles from the shore.

This fact is not so surprising when we learn that
the main mouth of this great river is fifty miles wide,
that the I'iver is four thousand miles long, including
its windings, and that, besides iiiany smaller branches,
it has five trilnitarics, each over a thousand miles long,
and one over two thousand miles long, flowing into it.

Pinzon anchored in the inouth of the rivei-, and
found the natives peaceful. In this respect they
were unlike those he had met fai'ther south. They
came out to his ships in a fnendly way in theii-
canoes. But when Pinzon, a short time later, left
the river, he cruelly carried off t]iirt>'-six of the In-
dians who had been friendly to him.

While Piuzon's fleet was in the mouth of the river,
it came a second time near being wrecked.

Pinzon was, of course, in strange waters. He did
not know that twice each month the tide does not
rise in the usual way, i)ut rushes up the mouth of the
Amazon with great force. The tide, as a rule, is
about six hours in rising and six hours in falling.
In the mouth of the Anuizon, however, at new moon
and at full moon the tide swells to its limit in two
or three minutes. It comes as a wall of water, twelve
or fifteen feet high, followed by another wall of the
same height. Often there is a third wall of water,
and at some seasons of the year there is a fourth wall.

This peculiar rising of the tid(3 is called the hore.
The noise of this rushing flood can be heard five or
six miles off. It comes with tremendous force, and
sometimes uproots great trees along the banks.
During the few days wlnui the tide rushes up the
river in this way vessels do not remain in the main
channel, but anchor in coves and protected places.

Pinzon, as we have said, did not know about the
sudden rising of tlie tide. ITis fleet was anchored in
the main channel whon tlic borc^ camo, and it dashed
his vessels about like toy l)oats and almost wrecked
them.

After re])airinix the damage dono to his fleot, he
made up his mind that there was litth' gold to be found

in those parts, and so he sailed out of the mouth of the
great river, and then turned northward along the coast.

Scene on the Orinoco River.

It may be of interest to know wluit befell Pinzon
after he left the mouth of the Amazon. We will tell
you briefly.

He sailed along the coast to the northwest, and
passed the mouth of the Orinoco, another large river
of South America. About a hundred and fifty miles
beyond the Orinoco, he entered a gulf and landed.
Here he cut a large quantity of brazil wood to take
back to Spain.

Then lie sailed for the isluiid of Hispaiiiola, now
called Haiti. From this islaud he sailed to the
Bahama Islands.

It was July when he reached the Bahamas. Mis-
fortune again came to his Heet. AVhile anchored in
the Bahamas a hurricane came up, and two of his
vessels were sunk. A third was blown out to sea.
The fourth vessel rode out the storm, hut the crew,
thinking all the while she would sink, took to their
small boats and at length reached the shore. Tlie
Indians came to them when they landed, and proved
friendly.

After the hurricane was over, the vessel that had
been carried out to sea drifted back. xVs soon as the
sea was smooth enough Pinzon and his men went on
board the two remaining vessels and set sail for His-
paiiiola.

At Hispaiiiola he repaired his vessels, and then
sailed back to Spain. He reached Palos in Sep-
temljcr.

Al)Out three months after Pinzon sailed away from
tlit^ mouth of the Amazon it was visited by a Portu-
guese navigator iiaiiKHl Cabral. Although the Portu-
guese were iK^t so fortunate as io discover America,
yet tlK'V liad Ix'cn very active in making discoveries
for stn-fiity years and more before C'olumbiis's first
voyage.

DIS. AND KXP. — 7

In 1420 they discovered the Madeira Islands. In
1432 they discovered the Azore Islands, which lie
eight hundred miles west of Portugal in the Atlantic
Ocean. Their vessels, from time to time, had been
pushing farther and farther down the west coast of
Africa. In the middle of tlie century as many as
fifty-one of their caravels had been to the Guinea
coast, or the Gold Coast, as it was more often called.
In 1484, eight years before Columbus discovered
America, they had discovered the mouth of the Kongo
River on the African coast.

It is not surprising, then, that their navigators
were pushing out across the Atlantic soon after Co-
lumbus had led the way.

But though Cabral sailed along the whole coast of
Brazil, and took possession of it in the name of the
King of Portugal, he did not learn any more about
the great river at the mouth of which he anchored
than did Pinzon. Had he waited a few months, or
had he returned to the river, he might easily have
ex2>lored its course. For from July to December of
each year the east wind blows steadily up the Ama-
zon, and Cabral could have spread his sails and kept
them spread as he sailed up the river for two thou-
sand miles or more to the eastern foot of the great
mountains of South America, the Andes.

The exploration of the Amazon, however, fell to

the lot of aiiotlier niaii, Fi'aiicisco Orellniui liy iiamo.
Orelluua did not sail up tlio river from its iiioutli, l)iit
came down it from one of its sources. Tliis was in
1540, many years, as you see, after Pinzon and Cabral
had anchored at the mouth.

Orellana was one of Pizarro's men, and had been
with liim when tlie Inca of Peru was taken and after-
wards put to death. It was Francisco I^izarro, as you
well know, who conquered Peru. After Francisco
Pizarro had conquered the country, he made his
brother, Gonzalo Pizarro, governor of (^uito,

Tliis brother, while at Quito, made up his mind to
cross the Andes Mountains and explore the country
beyond. So he got ready an expedition, and made
Orellana his li(nTtenant; Orellana was, therefore, sec-
ond in command of the (^x})edition.

The ai'my was made up of three hundred and fifty
Spaniards, four thousand Indians, and one thousand
bloodhounds for liunting down the natives.

They had a hard march over the Audits, and
suffered very much in crossing. When tliey were
over tlie mountains, they discovered a river llowing
towai'd tlie soutlieast. Tins was the river Xa])(^.

Pi/tirro liad liad so hai'd a marcli across tlu^ Andes
tliat he felt his men eould not stand it to go ba<dv
l)y t1i(^ same way. He tlierefore eneani]»ed by the
Xa})() liiver, and spent seven monllis in luiilding a

100

vessel to hold his baggage aud those of his men who
were ih.

He put Orellana in charge of the vessel, and ordered
him to float slowly down the river Avhile the other
part of the army marched along the shore. The
march was very slow and toilsome, and after a few
weeks the food began to get low.

At this time Pizarro heard of a rich country farther
down the streain, where the Xapo flowed into a larger
river. This countr\' lie wished to reach. So he sent
( )rellana in the vessel, with fifty soldiers, down the
Xapo to the larger river. There Orellana was to get
food and su])plies for the army and then return.

Pizarro waited and waited in vain for Orellana to
return, and at last he and liis men had to find their
way back across the Andes with scanty food and
undergo great hardships.

Orellana and the soldiers with liim were carried
by the current swiftly down the Xa})0, and in tliree
days they came into the great river. It was indeed
a great river, for the Amazon at the phice wliere
the Xapo flows into it is a mile in width.

Orellana expeeted to find here many jieo^de an<]
plenty of food. He found, however, only a wilder-
ness. It was about lik<' the country where Pizarro
and his army were encamped,

Orellana conld Ijarelv u'ct food for liimsflf and the

101

men witli liim, inncli loss enough for Pizarro and his
army. To retnru against the swift current would Ije
a lieavy task. After tliinking the matter over, he
decided to follow the great river to the sea. But he
must lirst win the soldiei's who wen; with him ov<'r
to his i)lan. This ho soon suceeedod in doing, and
they started down the Amazon.

It w^as no easy joni-noy. He and the soldiers
suffered greatly. But in August, 1541, after seven
months of hardships, they readied the ocean, and a
short time after this they sailed to Spain.

When Orollana reached Spain, h(^ gave a glowing
account of a wonderful country, rich in precious
metals, through which he had passed. xVccording to
his story, it was far riclier in gold tlian Peru.

The name El Dorado, "The Golden," was given to
this fal)led country; an<l for a score or more of
years aftei' Orellana had told his story, efforts were
made to find it. Expedition after expedition set out
in search of El Dorado. An explorer named Phili]»
von Huttcn, who led a party southward into the c(nin-
try from the northern part of South America, helieved
he caught sight of a city whose golden walls glistened
far away in th(^ distance. But he never rea<'htMl the
shining city which he thought he saw, nor was the
fahled El Dorado ever found.

VERRAZZANO.

Veriazzano.

Yerrazzano was a native of
Florence, Italy, and a pirate
like many other sailors of tliat
time. Being known as a dar-
ing seaman, he was asked by
Francis I., King of France, to
lake command of a fleet of
four vessels and try to find
a Avestern passage to rich
Cathay. For Francis had be-
come very jealons of tlie Spaniards, and felt that liis
conntry onght to have a share in the riches of the
Xew World.

Yerrazzano sailed from France fnll of Ijope and
joy ; l)ut he had gone only a sliort distance when a
severe storm arose, and two of his vessels were lost
sight of forever, Tlie two remaining vessels were
obliged to return to France.

After some delay Yci'razzano startt^l again, with
one vessel called the JJa/i/ilili/t'. AVith this vessel he

103

reached the island of Madeira, and from this island
he sailed, January 17, 1524, for the unknown world.

The voyage lasted forty-nine days, nitov which
time a long, low coast was sighted in the distance.
This coast, which was probably North Carolina,
afforded no landing place, and for some time Verraz-
zano sailed north and then south, searching for one.
The search proved unsuccessful, and as the crew
were in need of fresh water, Verrazzano decided to
send a boat asliore.

So a small l)oat was manned, and the sailors tried
very hard to reach the shore, but the surf was so
high that they were unable to do this. At last one
brave sailor jumped from the l)oat into tlie foaming
breakers and swam toward the sliore. He carried in
one hand presents for the Tiidinns, who were stand-
ing at the water's edge watching the strange sight.
At length the sailor succeeded in swimming so close
to the slior(^ that he was able to throw the presents
to the Indians.

His courage then deserted him, and in terror he
tried to swim back to his vessel. The surf, however,
daslied him on tlie sandy beach, and he would have
been drowned had not some of the Indians waded in
and dragge(l him ashore. These Indians quickly
stripped liim of all his clothing and began to build
an immense bonfire. The poor sailor thought his end

104

Indians Rescuing the Sailor.

bad come, and liis former companions looked on from
their shij^ in horror at the preparations.

All of them thought that the Indians meant to burn
him alive or else to cook and eat liim. To tbeir great
relief, the Indians treated him very gently and kindly ;
tliey dried liis clothes by the fire and warmed him.

These kind Indians looked very savage. Their
skin was copper colored, their long, straight hair was
tied and worn in a braid, and their faces were very
stern ; foi', you know, an Indian never laughs or smiles.

In spite of their fierce looks, however, they were
very good to the pale-faced stranger, and when he

105

was strong again they led him back to the shore,
and he swam out to his ship.

Verrazzano was glad to see his sailor return in
safety from this dangerous trip. The man had risked
liis life, but no water had been obtained for the crew.
So Verrazzano started northward, and along the coast
of Maryland he made a landing and secured the
much-needed fresh water.

At this place the Frenchmen had an opportunity
to return the kindness that the Indians liad shown
theii' companion, but I am sorry to have to tell you
that they did not do so. Wiiile searching for the
water, ViM'razzano and his followers came suddenly
upon a little Indian boy, whom they seized and car-
ried off to their ship. Tlie mother of the boy came
(juickly from some buslics to rescue her son, and they
would also have stolen her, but she made so much
noise that they were obliged to run in order to escape
from the rest of the tribe, who came to help her. The
Frenchmen reached their ship in safety with the poor
little Indian l)oy, and quickly set sail.

Verrazzano proceeded northward, following the
slior(\ and at length came to a very narrow neck of
wattM", with rising land on both sides. Through this
strait Verrazzano sailed, and, to his surprise, came
out into a broad and beautiful bay which was sur-
rounded on all sides bv forests, and was dotted here

106

and there with the eaiioes of Indians who were com-
ing out from the land to meet him.

You have, of course, guessed that this strait was
the Narrows, which separates Staten Island from
Long Island, and that the bay was the beautiful New
York Bay.

Verrazzano followed the shore of Long Islai+d to a
small island, which was likely Block Island. From
this island h(^ sailed into a harbor on the mainland,
probably Newport, where he remained fifteen days.
Here the Indians received their pale-faced visitors
with great dignity and pomp. Two of the Indian
chiefs, arrayed in painted deer skins and raccoon and
lynx skins, and decorated with copper ornaments,
paid Verrazzano a visit of state.

Soon after this Verrazzano sailed away, again
northward. Tlie climate grew cooler and the country
more rugged, and the vegetation changed. Instead
of the sweet-scented cypress and bay trees which the
sailors had admired aloiig the Carolina coast, there
wore dark forests of stately pines, which were grand
but gloomy.

Groat cliffs of rock extended along the shores, and
from these heights the natives looked down upon
the lonely little sliip in fear, anger, and amazement.
At length they consented to trade with the ])ale-
faces; but th(3y lowered a cord from the rocks and

107

drew lip tlie kniv^es, fishhooks, and pieces of stool
which they (leniandod ill exeliJing(> for fiii-s and skins.
Once Verrazzauo and a foAv of iiis men tried to land.
But the Indians fiercely attacked them, and a shower
of arrows and the sound of the dreaded war whoo])
caused the Europeans to fly to their ship for safety.

So Verrazzano gave up the plan of landing jiniong
these fierce Indians, and continued his voyage north-
ward as far as Newfoundland. Here provisions grew
scarce, and Verrazzano decided to sail for home.

The return voyage was a safe one, and Verrazzano
was greeted with joy when he arrived in France.
Upon his discoveries the French based their claim to
all the country in the New World between Carolina
and Newfoundland, extending westward as far as
land continued.

Verrazzano wished very much to go again to this
new land and try to plant a colony and to convert
the Indians to the Christian religion. But France at
this time was plunged into war at home, and all trace
of Verrazzano is lost. Some say that he niade a sec-
ond voyage, and that while ex]^loring a wild country
he was taken prisoner and killed by a savage tribe of
Indians. The story that is most likely true is that he
did return to the New World, and that while there
he was taken prisoner by the Spaniards and hanged
as a pii'ate.

THE FAMOUS VOYAdE OF SIR FRANCIS
DRAKE-1577.

SJr Francis Drake.

Undek the rule of Queen Eliza-
beth England became noted for
her bold and daring seamen.
These seamen were really pirates,
or sea robbers ; but their occupa-
tion in those days was looked
upon as a lawful one by all ex-
cept the people whom they plun-
dered.

Queen Elizabeth encouraged
the seafaring men to make voyages to tlie New World,
and also to attack the Spanish ships, because she was
displeased at the way the Spaniards were belia,ving.
The Spaniards had grown very rich and })0\vorful
by means of the wealth they had obtained in Amer-
ica, and in their pride they did not tr(vit the other
nations properly. They had no idea of fairness.
They were selfish and wanted evei-ything for Spain.
The English people thought that the best place to

108

109

attack the Spaniards was in the New World. They
well knew that if they could cut off the supply of
gold and silver which the Spanish nation was receiv-
ing from South America and the Indies, that nation
would suffer.

Sir Francis Drake, a brave young knight of Eliza-
beth's court, formed a plan to teach the Spaniards a
lesson. This plan was approved by the queen, and
Drake was promised glory and riches if he should
succeed in carrying it out.

In November, 1577, Drake sailed from Plymouth,
England, with a fleet of five vessels and one hundred
and sixty-four men. He told ev^ery one that he was
going to make a voyage to Alexandria, as he did not
wish the Spaniards to know that he intended to cross
the Atlantic.

After a voyage of about five months, as they were
sailing quietly along one evening, the crew saw
strange fires in the distance. At first the sailors
were ;!larmed ; but on sailing nearer they saw that
tli(^ fii'cs were on the shoi'c of a strange country,
which l)i'ak(^ knew to be South Amei'ica.

The iiativi^s liad built tlu^se immense bonfires near
the water and wcn^ })re] taring for some I'eligious rites.

These natives wei'e fi'iendly, and Di'ake, after pro-
curing some \'vo<]\ su]>plies, sailed on, as he was in
haste to reach Peru. The fleet soon entered the

110

Strait of Magellan, and sailed through without any
mishap.

On an island in the strait they found a great num-
ber of fowl of the size of geese, which could not fly.
The crew shot about three thousand of these birds,
and now, having plenty of provisions, they began the
journey up the west coast of South America.

The Spaniards, never dreaming that any one would
have the courage to try to reach their lands by way
of the Strait of Magellan, had made no attempt to
defend themselves from attack from the south.
They feared that their enemies might come down
upon them l)y way of the istlimus, and strong forces
had been placed there to i)revent anyone from cross-
ing ; but all the southern ports were defenseless.

So Drake and his men sailed up the coast, dropping
in at (liffe]'ent har]>ors, boldly taking everything of
value that they saw, and then gayly sailing away,
laughing at the sui'priso they left behind them.

At on(^ place Drake found a Si)anish ship laden
with s]>oils, ready to sail to Spain. The English
(jiiickly took ])Ossessiou of her, set her crew asliore,
and can-i('d her out to sea. There they found tliat
she had on boai'd ])ni'e gold amounting to thirty-
seven thousand Spanish ducats, stores of good wine,
and other treasure.

At one place where th(;y landed Drake himself

Ill

found a Spaniard lying asleep near the sliore, with
thirteen bars of silver by his side. The Englishmen
took the silver and went quietly away, leaving the
man to finish his nap.

Farther on they met a Spaniard and an Indian boy
driving eight llamas, as the sheep of
that country are called, toward Peru.
Each llama had on its back two
bags of leather, and in ^ ^
each bag was
fifty pounds of
silver. This
silver Drake
ordered to be
placed on his
ship, and then
he sailed away.

Many other places
were visited in tliis
manner, and much treasure was collected; l)ut it
was not until Drake reached Lima that the English
understood the great wealth of tliat country. Al)Out
twelve sliips were in the harbor, some fully hiden, and
all un}>roteete(l, as the Spaniards never dreamed of
attack. These ships Drake proceeded to ligliten
of tlieir cargo by removing it to liis own sliips.
' He then gave chase to anotlier vessel, winch he

Drake and the Sleeping

Spaniard.

112

heard was laden with still greater treasure. This
vessel he soon found, and the cargo proved to be
very valuable. Thirteen chests of plate, many tons
of gold and silver, jewels, precious stones, and quan-
tities of silk and linen were taken.

As you may suppose, after continuing this work
for some time Drake's ships were very well loaded,
and he and his companions began to think about
returning to England. Drake felt that it would not
be safe for him to return through the Strait of
Magellan, as he knew the Spaniards would be expect-
ing him. So he decided to sail across the Pacific
Ocean to the Molucca Islands, and coniijlete his jour-
ney by circumnavigating the globe.

He was at this time becalmed in the tropics, and
therefore headed his ships north, hoping to find the
trade wind, which would carry him across the Pacific.
After proceeding north along a strnnge coast for
nearly a nionth, during which time the weather grad-
ually became colder and colder, Drake decided to
enter a harbor and anclior his vessels.

The people of the country were friendly, and as the
English treated them well, they renin ined so. They
admired the brave Sir Francis Drake so much that
they begged him to stay with them and be their
king.

But Drake had no desire to be kin^i' over an Indian

113

tribe. He wanted to get back to his own good Queen
Elizabeth and tell her of all the wonderful things that
had happened to him. So he took possession of this
country for England, and called it New Albion.

New Albion was the land which is at present known
as California, and the bay in which Drake anchored
is just north of San Francisco Bay.

Then Drake prepared his ships for the voyage
home, hoisted anchor, and was soon sailing away in
the direction of the Moluccas. These islands he
reached after a long voyage, and after visiting several
of the Indies he proceeded across the Indian Ocean
to the Cape of Good Hope and thence northward
to England. He reachcMl home in September, 1580,
after an absence of three years.

How glad Queen Elizabeth was to see him ! She
granted him the honor of knighthood, and in other
ways showed her pride in her brave subject.

Drake's ship, the Golden H'mcl, was jJaced in a
dock at Deptford, where it stood for inany years.
Peoi)le used to take their eliildren to se(^ it, and they
would tell them about the Golden Jlii/d, the good
ship in which sailed the brave general, Sir Francis
Drake, when he taught the Spaniards a lesson.

When the timber of the ship 1)egan to decay, a
chair was made of some of it and given to Oxford
University, where it may be seen to this day.

DIS. AXU EXP. —8

HENRY HUDSON.

Henry Hudson was one of
the best sea captains in all
England. He loved the
ocean, and he did not know
the word " fear."

In 1G07 a company of
London merchants sent him
to look for a northwest
passage to Chhia. These

Henry Hudson. t , n i -n

merchants knew that ii
such a x^'^^i^^^gG could l)o found, the journey to
China would be much shorter than by the over-
land route then used. It would take less time to
sail around the earth near the pole than to sail
around the earth near the equator. Besides, every
one wlio had attempted to reach China by sailing
west had reache<l, instead, that long coast of the
New World, throngh which but o]ie 0})ening had ever
been found. The route through this opening, the
Strait of Magellan, had been proved by its discoverer,
Ferdinand Magellan, to be Vo long for use in com-

114

115

merce, so traders were trying hard to find a north-
west passage.

Caj^tain Hudson proceeded northwest from Eng-
land, and tried to pass between Greenland and
8pitzbergen and sail across the north j^ole into the
Pacific. Failing in this attempt, he made a second
voyage, during which he tried to pass between Spitz-
bergen and Nova Zenibhu This voyage also was un-
successful, and Hudson returned to England. He
had found no northwest passage, but he had sailed
past mountains of snow and ice and had been nearer
the north j)ole than any man had ever been before.

Captain Hudson was not discouraged by his two
failures. He still believed a northwest passage could
be found ; and when the Dutch people asked him to
make a voyage for them in search of a passage to the
Pacific Ocean, he was quite willing to accept the offer.

In 1609 Hudson sailed from Amsterdam in a small
craft of eighty tons, called tlie TlaJf Moon. After
sailing many days througli fog and ice, the sailors
refused to go farther in that direction, and then Hud-
son headed his ship across the Atlantic toward
America. You may think it strange that Hudson
should cliaiige his plans so quickly, but he knew
what he was about. He had received a letter from
his friend ('ajitain John Smith, who was then in Vir-
ginia, telling him tliat a northwest passage was to be

116

found along the coast of North America, north of
Chesapeake Bay. This letter Hudson had in mind
when he started on his voj^age.

He reached Chesapeake Bay, hut did not enter it,

as the weather was
stormy. Instead, he
proceeded up the
coast, looking for
an opening. At
length, in Septem-
iz ber, he entered a
beautiful bay. Into
this bay a wide river

The Half Moon on the Aowed whlch Hud-
Hudson River. ,-, -, , ' ^ i

son thought might
be a strait that would lead into the
Pacific Ocean. The water in this open-
ing was salt, and this strengthened
' Hudson in tlie belief that it was the
strait for Avhich he had been searching so long.
At the nioutli of the river tliei-e was a beantifnl
island, long and nai'row, and wooded to th(^ shoi'e.
At first the island seemed desei-ted, but soon the
sailors saw here and ther(» slendei' curling columns of
smoke risinu' from among the trees. This smoke
showed them that the island was inhal)ited, and
presently an Indian ap])eared on the shore.

117

This Indian looked for a moment in astonishment
at the ship, and then, shouting the war whoop,
bounded back into the forest. In a few minutes he
reappeared, bringing other Indians with him. All
were amazed at the sight of tlie strauge ship, and
tliey gazed in wonder and fear at it and at the white-
faced, bearded strangers. Little by little, however,
they lost their fear and talked with Captain Hudson.
These Indians told Hudson that tlie name of the
beautiful island was Manhattan, and that the stream
led far, far to the north.

So Hudson entered the river and sailed slowly
north, enjoying the charming scenery, and stopping
now and then to trade and to talk with the Indians.

For twenty miles he saihMl along a great wall of
rock about five hundred feet high, which we now
know as the Palisades. This name was given to the
rocky wall because it looks like a palisade, or high
fence of stakes set close together and upright in the
ground.

Soon after this the river l)ecame very winding, and
high mountains arose on all sides. The TLtlf Moon
now entered the beautiful Highlands, and her crew
were the first white men to see this enchanting spot.
The vessel sailed on, and at length it came to the plare
where the city of Hudson now stands. Flcrt' an In-
dian chief invited the cai)taiii to go ashoi-f. Hudson

118

did so, and the Indians prepared a great feast in his
honor.

They gave him roast pigeons and a roast dog to eat.
Hudson did not like the dog meat very much, hut
the Indians insisted upon cooking it for him.

Hudson Feasting with the Indians.

The Indians wanted him to stay overniyht with
them, and one Indian arose, and gathering together
all the arrows, Ijroke them and threw them into
the fire. By this act he meant to show Hudson that
he and his tribe would do him no harm.

119

Hudson felt that he liad no time to lose, but must
go on and find out whether this wonderful body of
water would lead him into the Pacific. So he bade
the Indians good-ljy and sailed away.

He went on up the river until the place was reached
where Albany now stands. Here the little Half
Moon was ancliored. Indians came running down to
the shore in wonder at the sight of the strange vessel.
They brought with them strings of beaver skins,
which they gave Hudson in exchange for pieces of
gold lace, glass beads, and other trinkets. Hudson
was quick to see the importance of this fur trade,
and took back with him many valuable furs. Here
the stream had become narrow, and was so shallow
that the captain feared his vessel might run aground.
He knew at last that the water was a river and not a
strait, and that he was not likely to find here a pas-
sage to China. So Hudson, turning back, started
down the river.

On the way down, an Indian who was in a canoe
stole something from the ship. One of the crew saw
the Indian commit tlie tlieft, and, i)icking up a gun,
shot and killed him. This made the other Indians
very angry, and Hudson had several fights with them.

Nevertheless the ('X})edition reached the mouth of
the river in safety, and early in October Hudson I'e-
turned to Aiiisterdani. He liad not found a north-

1-20

west i^assage, but he had secured a large tract of
country in tlie New World for Holland.

He told the Dutch about the rich furs to be found
there, and they immediately began to build trading
posts where the cities of New York and Albany now
stand.

The next year Hudson made another voyage in
search of a passage to Asia. This time he sailed far
north into Hudson Bay. Here his crew mutinied and
refused to obey him. They seized him and put him,
together with his son, into an open boat, and set them
adrift in the icy water.

As Hudson was never heard of again, it is supposed
that he perished in the waters of the great bay which
he discovered, and which still bears his name.

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Arnold's (Matthew) Sohrab and Rustum

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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY

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This book is DUE on the last date stamped below.

J/IAll 91950

FormLO — 15m-10,'48 (B1039)444

TJNlVi^ii'-^. i'^' ('f CfMAyili<-Vi>^

UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY

-ooaa-shsw —

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