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The American spirit seems to flame brightest in times of trial and adversity. Columbus, the Pilgrims, Washington, and Lincoln have their places in history because of the dangers that beset their paths and the bravery with which these dangers were met. In your own community there may be men and women who have struggled through hardships to success. Tell the class about a brave pioneer or a citizen of the present time whose example will encourage boys and girls.

Joaquin Miller in his poem Columbus has expressed in a very striking manner the courage with which the discoverer of America faced the unknown.

COLUMBUS

Behind him lay the gray Azores,

Behind, the Gates of Hercules;
Before him not the ghosts of shores,
Before him only shoreless seas.

The good mate said: "Now must we pray,
For lo! the very stars are gone.

Brave Admiral, speak, what shall I say?"
"Why, say, 'Sail on! sail on! and on!""

THE AMERICAN SPIRIT

"My men grow mutinous day by day;

My men grow ghastly wan and weak." The stout mate thought of home; a spray Of salt wave washed his swarthy cheek. "What shall I say, brave Admiral, say, If we sight naught but seas at dawn?" "Why, you shall say at break of day,

'Sail on! sail on! sail on and on!""

They sailed and sailed, as winds might blow,
Until at last the blanched mate said:
"Why, now not even God would know
Should I and all my men fall dead.
These very winds forget their way,

For God from these dread seas is gone.
Now speak, brave Admiral, speak and say
He said: "Sail on! sail on! and on!"

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They sailed. They sailed. Then spake the mate: "This mad sea shows his teeth to-night.

He curls his lips, he lies in wait,

With lifted teeth, as if to bite!

Brave Admiral, say but one good word;
What shall we do when hope is gone?"
The words leaped like a leaping sword:
"Sail on! sail on! sail on! and on!"

Then, pale and worn, he kept his deck,
And peered through darkness. Ah, that night

Of all dark nights! And then a speck

A light! a light! a light! a light!

It grew, a starlit flag unfurled!

It grew to be Time's burst of dawn.
He gained a world; he gave that world
Its grandest lesson: "On! sail on!"

Studying the Poem

JOAQUIN MILLER 1

The poem opens abruptly at the point where Columbus had left land far behind him: "Behind him lay the gray Azores." "The Gates of Hercules" is the name the ancient people gave the Strait of Gibraltar. What lay before Columbus? What changes did the sailors find in the stars, in the compass, and in the winds on this voyage? Why was this enough to frighten them? Who is the mate of a ship? What did he want Columbus to do? How did Columbus answer him?

Why were the men mutinous? What word in the second stanza tells you that the mate was not a coward? Why did Columbus feel differently? What did he say to the mate's question?

The mate and the sailors were religious and superstitious. How would they feel if they thought God was gone from the seas? What caused the mate's face to become white? How is the mate interrupted in the third stanza?

Notice how the two short sentences at the opening of the fourth stanza express the passage of a long time. Give the mate's description of the storm at sea. What made him think of the sea's teeth? What idea does the "leaping sword" give you?

1 Used by permission of the Harr Wagner Publishing Company.

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What tells you that the difficulties of the voyage and the fears of the men had told upon Columbus? Did Columbus really see a "starlit flag"? What is meant by "Time's burst of dawn"? Has the first voyage of Columbus inspired others to keep a brave heart and "sail on" when they were discouraged?

Memorize the poem.

The spirit of Columbus has animated many Americans. Consult your histories and reference books for examples of courage and perseverance in the midst of discouragement. Study the story of some American whose life illustrates the spirit of Columbus. Select some particular incident to bring out your point, and plan definitely what you will say.

Stand straight and speak distinctly.

Look at the class while you speak. Try to interest every member of the class in what you say.

Dictation

Read the following selection, noticing the punctuation marks and the arrangement of paragraphs. Try to write it perfectly from dictation.

During a battle in the Mexican War some of the soldiers ran away. Stonewall Jackson was one of those who held his ground and fought to the end.

After the battle some one said to Jackson, "You were foolish to remain in that dangerous place. Why did you do it?"

Jackson replied, "I was ordered to hold my position and I had no right to leave it."

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You probably know some story of endeavor in which a person or an animal persevered in doing what he set out to do, just as Columbus persisted in sailing on. Think over such a story, and plan to tell it to the class. Plan your story so that the purpose shall seem worth while. If possible, bring in some surprise at the end.

Speak distinctly, and look at the class.

A Written Paragraph

Choose a topic sentence to develop into a written paragraph. You may use a sentence of your own or you may select one of the sentences given on page 287. Plan your paragraph so that it shall expand and illustrate your topic sentence. Do not include anything in your paragraph that does not bear on the topic sentence.

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