Peter Parley's Tales About America and Australia

ts fertile fields, its mighty rivers, its vast forests, and its millions of happy and industrious inhabitants, of which I am quite certain you must be very curious to know something, when you are told

own that such a count

unrise, that Christopher Columbus, undertaking the boldest enterprise that human genius ever conceived, or

ailors, and he was brought up for a sailor also, and after being taught geography and various other things necessary for a sea captain to know, he was sent on board ship at the a

ill new ones to be discovered, he went into the service of the King of Portugal and made many voyages to the western coast of Africa, and t

ly carved, and that very thick canes, like those which travellers had found in India, had been seen floating on the waves; also that great trees, torn up by the root

s tokens sent from some unknown countries lying far distant in that quarter: he was therefore eager to sail away and explore, but as he had not money

o the Portuguese, but the King of Portugal, pretending to listen to him, got from him his plan, and perfidiously attempt

succeed, but returned to Lisbon, execrati

st and set out for Spain, to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. He w

height, overlooking the sea-coast, and surrounded by a forest of pines, there st

at the gate of the convent, and asked of the porter a little bread and wat

an intelligent man and acquainted with geographical science, he became interested with the conversation of Columbus, and was so struck with the grandeur of his proj

day, and a distinguished navigator. He not only approved of

he journey, and the friar kindly took charge of his youthful son Diego, to maintain and educate him in t

would do nothing. At last, after waiting five years, he was just setting off for England, where he

en offered to part with her own jewels in order to raise money to enable him to make preparations for the voyage,

f the three, the Santa Maria, was completely decked; on board of this, Columbus hoisted his flag. Martin Alonzo Pinzon commanded the Pinta, and his brother, Vincente Yanez

then taking leave of these islands, he steered his course due west, across

il them, and they bewailed themselves like men condemned to die: but Colum

cealed from his ignorant and timid crews the progress he made, lest they might be alarmed at the speed with which they were receding from home. After some time, they found the sea covered with wee

three weeks at sea and no land appeared, they grew desperate with fear, and plotted among themselves to force thei

quiet for a week longer; they then grew so violent again that at last he was obliged to promise th

to flutter around them, and these all left the ship in the evening, as if to roost on shore. One of the vessels had picked up a c

aground; he and all his men remained standing on the deck, looking out eagerly: at length he spied a distant light; he showed

nd, at dawn of day, they plainly saw a beautiful island, green and wood

in a rich and splendid dress of scarlet, entered the principal one. They then rowed towa

s: his men followed, and throwing themselves at his feet they all thanked him for leadin