and at one time the dead bodies of two men, with singular features, resembling neither the inhabitants of Europe nor of Africa, were cast ashore there.

As the force of this united evidence, arising from theoretical principles and practical observation, led Columbus to expect the discovery of new countries in the Western Ocean, other reasons induced him to believe that these must be connected with the continent of India. He communicated his theory to Paul, a physician of Florence, eminent A. D. for his knowledge in the science of cosmo1474. graphy, who entered warmly into the views of Columbus, and encouraged him in an undertaking which promised so much benefit to the world.

Having satisfied his own mind with respect to the truth of his system, Columbus stood in need of no stimulus to urge him to reduce it to practice. His first step was to secure the patronage of some European power. To this end he laid his scheme before the senate of Genoa, making, as became a good citizen, his native land the first tender of his services. They rejected his proposal, as the dream of a chimerical projector. He next applied to John II. king of Portugal, a monarch of enterprising genius, and no incompetent judge of naval affairs. The king listened to him in the most gracious manner, and referred the consideration of his plan to a number of eminent geographers, whom he was accustorned to consult in matters of this kind. These men, from mean and interested views, started innumerable objections, and asked many captious questions, in order to betray Columbus into a full explanation of his system. Hav

ing in a great measure gained their ends, they advised the king to dispatch a vessel, secretly, to attempt the proposed discovery, by following exactly the course which this great man had pointed out. John, forgetting, on this occasion, the sentiments becoming a monarch, meanly adopted their perfidious counsel.

A. D.

1484.

Upon hearing of this dishonourable transaction, Columbus indignantly quitted the kingdom, and landed in Spain. Here he presented his scheme to Ferdinand and Isabella, who at that time governed the united kingdoms of Castile and Arragon. They injudiciously submitted it to the examination of unskilful judges, who, ignorant of the principles on which Columbus founded his theory, rejected it as absurd; maintaining that if there were really any such countries as Columbus pretended, they would not have remained so long concealed; nor would the wisdom and sagacity of former ages have left the glory of this discovery to an obscure Genoese.

Columbus, who had experienced the uncertain issue of his applications, had taken the precaution of sending into England his brother Bartholomew, to whom he had fully communicated his ideas, to negotiate the matter with Henry VII. On his voyage thither he fell into the hands of pirates, who stripped him of every thing, and detained him a prisoner several years. At length he made his escape, and arrived at London in extreme indigence, where he employed himself some time in selling maps. With his gains he purchased a decent dress, and in person presented to the king the proposals which his brother had entrusted to his management. Notwithstanding Henry's excessive

cessive caution and parsimony, he received the plans of Columbus with more approbation than any monarch to whom they had been presented.

After several unsuccessful applications to other European powers of less note, he was induced, by the entreaty of Perez, a man of learning, and who had great influence with Isabella, to apply a second time to the court of Spain. Isabella became his munificent patroness, and to her ultimately he owed his success.

Though the name of Ferdinand appears conjoined with that of his queen in this transaction, yet his distrust of Columbus was still so violent, that he refused to take any part in the enterprize as king of Arragon. And as the whole expence' of the expedition was to be defrayed by the crown of Castile, Isabella reserved to her subjects of that kingdom an exclusive right to all the benefits which might redound from its success.

As soon as the treaty was signed, Isabella, by her attention and activity in forwarding the preparations for the voyage, endeavoured to make some reparation to Columbus for the time which he had lost in fruitless solicitation. A squadron of three ships was fitted out, victualled for twelve months, and furnished with ninety men. And on the third day of August he left Spain, in the presence A. D. of a crowd of spectators, who united their supplications to heaven for his success. He steered directly for the Canary islands, where he arrived and refitted, and on the 6th of September set sail in a due western course into an unknown ocean.

1492.

Here the voyage of discovery may be said to begin. The first day, as it was very calm, he made but little progress; but on the second he

lost

lost sight of the Canaries; and many of the sailors, dejected already and dismayed, when they contemplated the boldness of the undertaking, began to beat their breasts, and to shed tears, as if they were never more to behold land. Columbus comforted them with assurances of success, and the prospect of vast wealth in those opulent regions whither he was conducting them. Happily for himself, and for the country by which he was employed, he joined to the ardent temper and inventive genius of a projector, virtues of another species, which are rarely united with them. He possessed a thorough knowledge of mankind, an insinuating address, a patient perseverance in executing any plan; the perfect government of his own passions, and the talent of acquiring an ascendant over those of other men. All these qualities, which formed him for command, were accompanied with a sur perior knowledge of his profession, which begets confidence in times of difficulty and danger. soon as they put to sea he regulated every thing by his sole authority; he superintended the execution of every order; and allowing himself only a few hours for sleep, he was at all other timesupon deck. He attended to the motion of tides and currents, watched the flight of birds, the appearance of fishes, of sea-weed, and of every thing that floated on the waves, and entered every occurrence, with a minute exactness, in the journal which he kept. By the 14th of September the fleet was more than 200 leagues to the west of the Canary isles. There they were struck with an appearance no less astonishing than new. They observed that the magnetic needle, in their compasses, did not point exactly to the polar star, but varied towards the west; and as they proceeded, this variation increased.

As

This phenomenon filled the companions of Columbus with terror. They were now in a boundless unknown ocean, far from the usual course of navigation; nature itself seemed to have altered, and the only guide which they had left was about to fail them. Columbus invented a reason for this appearance, which, though not satisfactory to himself, seemed so plausible to them, that it dispelled their fears, or silenced their murmurs.

Upon the first of October they were, according to the admiral's reckoning, 770 leagues to the west of the Canaries. They had now been three weeks at sea, and had proceeded far beyond what former navigators had attempted or deemed possible, and their prospect of success seemed to be as distant as ever. These reflections occurred often to men who had no other object or occupation than to reflect on the intention and circumstances of their expedition. They made impression, at first, on the timid and ignorant, and extending by degrees to such as were better informed or more resolute, the contagion spread at length from ship' to ship. From secret whispers they proceeded to open cabals and public complaints. All agreed that Columbus should be compelled by force to make the best way home. Some even proposed to throw him into the sea, as the surest mode of gétting rid of his remonstrances; being persuaded that upon their return to Spain, the death of an unsuccessful projector would excite little concern, and be inquired into with no curiosity.

Columbus was fully sensible of his perilous situation. He had observed with great uneasiness the disaffection of his crew: he retained, however, perfect presence of mind, and affected to be ignorant of their machinations. Sometimes he employed all the arts of insinuation to soothe his

men.