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tomed to perform, it is a proof of the courage as well as enterprifing genius of Columbus, that he ventured, with a fleet fo unfit for a diftant navigation, to explore unknown feas, where he had no chart to guide him, no knowledge of the tides and currents, and no experience of the dangers to which he might be expofed. His eagerness to accomplish the great defign which had fo long engroffed his thoughts, made him overlook or difregard every circumftance that would have intimidated a mind lefs adventurous. He pushed forward the preparations with fuch ardour, and was feconded fo effectually by the perfons to whom Ifabella committed the fu perintendence of this business, that every thing was foon in readiness for the voyage. But as Columbus was deeply impreffed with fentiments of religion, he would not set out upon an expedition fo arduous, and of which one great object was to extend the knowledge of the Chriftian faith, without imploring publicly the guidance and protection of Heaven. With this view, he, together with all the perfons under his com mand, marched in folemn proceffion to the monaftery of Rabida. After confeffing their fins, and obtaining abfolution, they received the holy facrament from the hands of the guardian, who joined his prayers to theirs for the fuccefs

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BOOK of an enterprise which he had so zealously patronized.

11.

1492.

His departure from

Spain.

NEXT morning, being Friday the third day of August, in the year one thousand four hundred and ninety-two, Columbus fet fail, a little before fun-rife, in presence of a vast crowd of fpectators, who fent up their fupplications to Heaven for the profperous iffue of the voyage, Auguft 13. which they wished rather than expected. Columbus fteered directly for the Canary Islands, and arrived there without any occurrence that would have deserved notice on any other occafion. But, in a voyage of fuch expectation and importance, every circumftance was the object of attention. The rudder of the Pinta broke loofe, the day after fhe left the harbour, and that accident alarmed the crew, no lefs fuperftitious than unfkilful, as a certain omen of the unfortunate destiny of the expedition. Even in the short run to the Canaries, the fhips were found to be fo crazy and ill-appointed, as to be very improper for a navigation which was expected to be both long and dangerous. Columbus refitted them, however, to the best of his power, and having fupplied himself. with fresh provifions, he took his departure from Gomera, one of the moft wefterly of

the

the Canary islands, on the fixth day of Sep. BOOK

tember.

HERE the voyage of discovery may properly be faid to begin; for Columbus holding his course due weft, left immediately the usual track of navigation, and stretched into unfrequented and unknown feas. The first day, as it was very calm, he made but little way; but on the fecond, he loft fight of the Canaries; and many of the failors, dejected already and dismayed, when they contemplated the boldness of the undertaking, began to beat their breasts, and to fhed tears, as if they were never more to behold land. Columbus comforted them with affurances of fuccefs, and the prospect of vaft wealth, in thofe opulent regions whither he was conducting them. This early discovery of the spirit of his followers taught Columbus, that he must prepare to ftruggle, not only with the unavoidable difficulties which might be expected from the nature of his undertaking, but with fuch as were likely to arife from the ignorance and timidity of the people under his com mand; and he perceived that the art of governing the minds of men would be no lefs requifite for accomplishing the discoveries which he had in view, than naval skill and undaunted courage. Happily for himself, and for the country by 13 which

· II.

1492.

The course

which he

held.

1492,

Vigilance

and atten

lumbus.

BOOK which he was employed, he joined to the ardent II. temper and inventive genius of a projector, virtues of another fpecies, which are rarely united with them. He poffeffed a thorough knowledge of mankind, an infinuating address, a patient perfeverance in executing any plan, the perfect government of his own paffions, and the talent of acquiring an afcendant over thofe of other men. All these qualities, which formed him for command, were accompanied with that fuperior knowledge of his profeffion, which begets confidence in times of difficulty and danger. To unfkilful Spanish failors, action of Co- cuftomed only to coafting voyages in the Medi terranean, the maritime fçience of Columbus, the fruit of thirty years experience, improved by an acquaintance with all the inventions of the Portuguese, appeared immense. As foon as they put to fea, he regulated every thing by his fole authority; he fuperintended the execution of every order; and allowing himself only a few hours for fleep, he was at all other times upon deck. As his course lay through seas which had not formerly been vifited, the founding-line, or inftruments for obfervation, were continually in his hands. After the example of the Portuguese discoverers, he attended to the motion of tides and currents, watched the flight of birds, the appearance of fifhes, of fea-weeds, and of

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every thing that floated on the waves, and en- BOOK tered every occurrence, with a minute exact

nefs, in the journal which he kept. As the

1492.

fions and

length of the voyage could not fail of alarming failors habituated only to fhort excurfions, Columbus endeavoured to conceal from them the real progress which they made. With this view, though they run eighteen leagues on the fecond day after they left Gomera, he gave out that they had advanced only fifteen, and he uniformly employed the fame artifice of reckoning fhort during the whole voyage. By the fourteenth of September, the fleet was above two hundred leagues to the west of the Canary Isles, at a greater distance from land than any Spaniard had been before that time. There they were Apprehenftruck with an appearance no lefs aftonishing alarms of than new. They obferved that the magnetic needle, in their compaffes, did not point exactly to the polar ftar, but varied towards the weft; and as they proceeded, this variation increased. This appearance, which is now familiar, though it ftill remains one of the mysteries of nature, into the cause of which the fagacity of man hath not been able to penetrate, filled the companions, of Columbus with terror. They were now in a boundless and unknown ocean, far from the ufual course of navigation; nature itself feemed to be altered, and the only guide which they had

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his crew:

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