authority, now took part with the private men; they assembled tumultuously on the deck, expoftulated with their commander, mingled threats with their expoftulations, and required him instantly to tack about and to return to Europe. Columbus perceived that it would be of no avail to have recourse to any of his former arts, which having been tried fo often had loft their effect ; and that it was impoffible to rekindle any zeal for the fuccefs of the expedition among men, in whose breasts fear had extinguished every generous fentiment. He faw that it was no less vain to think of employing either gentle or fevere measures, to quell a mutiny fo general and fo violent. It was neceffary, on all these accounts, to foothe paffions which he could no longer command, and to give way to a torrent too impetuous to be checked. He promised folemnly to his men that he would comply with their request, provided they would accompany him, and obey his commands for three days longer, and if, during that time, land were not discovered, he would then abandon the enterprise, and direct his courfe towards Spain '. ENRAGED as the failors were, and impatient to turn their faces again towards their native Oviedo, Hift. ap. Ramuf. vol. iii. p. 81. E. BOOK II. 1492. Diftrefs of Columbus. country, BOOK II. 1492. country, this propofition did not appear to them unreasonable. Nor did Columbus hazard much in confining himself to a term fo fhort. The prefages of difcovering land were now fo numerous and promising, that he deemed them infallible. For fome days the founding line reached the bottom, and the foil which it brought up indicated land to be at no great distance. The flocks of birds increased, and were compofed not only of fea fowl, but of fuch land birds as could not be supposed to fly far from the fhore. The crew of the Pinta obferved a cane floating, which feemed to have been newly cut, and likewise a piece of timber artificially carved. The failors aboard the Nigna took up the branch of a tree with red berries, perfectly fresh. The clouds around the fetting fun affumed a new appearance; the air was more mild and warm, and, during night, the wind became unequal and variable. From all these fymptoms, Columbus was fo confident of being near land, that on the evening of the eleventh of October, after public prayers for fuccefs, he ordered the fails to be furled, and the fhips to lie to, keeping strict watch, left they should be driven afhore in the night. During this interval of fufpenfe and expectation, no man fhut his eyes, all kept upon deck, gazing intently towards that quarter where II. they expected to discover the land, which had BOOK been fo long the object of their wishes. 1492. covered. ABOUT two hours before midnight, Columbus Land dif standing on the forecastle, obferved a light at a distance, and privately pointed it out to Pedro Guttierez, a page of the queen's wardrobe. Guttierez perceived it, and calling to Salcedo, comptroller of the fleet, all three faw it in motion, as if it were carried from place to place. A little after midnight the joyful sound of land! land! was heard from the Pinta, which kept always a-head of the other fhips. But, having been fo often deceived by fallacious appearances, every man was now become flow of belief, and waited in all the anguish of uncertainty and impatience, for the return of day. As foon as Friday, morning dawned, all doubts and fears were difpelled. From every fhip an ifland was feen about two leagues to the north, whose flat and verdant fields, well ftored with wood, and watered with many rivulets, prefented the aspect of a delightful country. The crew of the Pinta inftantly began the Te Deum, as a hymn of thanksgiving to God, and were joined by those of the other fhips, with tears of joy and tranfports of congratulation. This office of gratitude to Heaven was followed by an act of justice to their commander. They threw themselves at Oct. 12. the BOOK the feet of Columbus, with feelings of self-con II. 1492. Firft interview with demnation mingled with reverence. They im plored him to pardon their ignorance, incredu lity, and infolence, which had created him fo much unneceffary difquiet, and had fo often obftructed the profecution of his well-concerted plan; and paffing, in the warmth of their admi ration, from one extreme to another, they now pronounced the man, whom they had fo lately reviled and threatened, to be a person inspired by Heaven with fagacity and fortitude more than human, in order to accomplish a design so far beyond the ideas and conception of all former ages. As foon as the fun arofe, all their boats were the natives. manned and armed. They rowed towards the ifland with their colours difplayed, with warlike mufic, and other martial pomp. As they approached the coaft, they faw it covered with a multitude of people, whom the novelty of the fpectacle had drawn together, whofe attitudes and geftures expreffed wonder and aftonishment at the strange objects which presented themselves to their view. Columbus was the firft European who fet foot in the New World which he had discovered. He landed in a rich drefs, and with a naked fword in his hand. His men followed, and kneeling down, they all kiffed the ground 11. 1492. which they had fo long defired to fee. They BOOK next erected a crucifix, and proftrating themfelves before it, returned thanks to God for conducting their voyage to fuch an happy iffue. They then took folemn poffeffion of the country for the crown of Caftile and Leon, with all the formalities which the Portuguese were accuftomed to obferve in acts of this kind, in their new difcoveries. THE Spaniards, while thus employed, were furrounded by many of the natives, who gazed, in filent admiration, upon actions which they could not comprehend, and of which they did not foresee the confequences. The dress of the Spaniards, the whiteness of their fkins, their beards, their arms, appeared ftrange and furprifing. The vast machines in which they had traverfed the ocean, that feemed to move upon the waters with wings, and uttered a dreadful found resembling thunder, accompanied with lightning and fmoke, ftruck them with fuch terror, that they began to respect their new guests as a fuperior order of beings, and concluded that they were children of the Sun, who had defcended to vifit the earth. Life of Columbus, c. 22, 23. Herrera, dec. 1. lib. i. c. 13. Their mu nishment. tual aflo VOL. I. K THE |