without difficulty, and restored him to favour. Columbus now found it necessary, from the eagerness which his men shewed to visit their native country, and the crazy condi tion of his ships, to hasten his return to Europe.

With this view, on the sixteenth of January, he directed his course to the north-east, and was soon out of sight of his newly discovered country. He had some of the natives whom he had taken from the different islands on board; and besides the gold which was the principal object of research, he had specimens of all the productions which were likely to become subjects of commerce, as well as many strange birds and other natural curiosities, which might attract the attention, and excite the wonder of the people.

The voyage was prosperous to the fourteenth of Febru ary, at which time they had advanced five hundred leagues, when the wind began to rise, and blow with increasing rage, till it terminated in a violent hurricane. Columbus's naval skill and experience was severely put to the proof; des truction seemed inevitable; the sailors had recourse to prayers, and to the invocation of saints, to vows and charms, to every thing that religion or superstition suggests to the affrighted mind. No prospect of deliverance appearing, despair was visible in every countenance, and they expected every moment to be swallowed up by the waves. Columbus had to endure feelings peculiar to himself. He dreaded that all the knowledge of his discoveries would Le lost to the world, and that his name would descend to posterity as that of a rash deluded adventurer, instead of being transmitted with the honour due to the author and conductor of the noblest enterprize, that had ever been undertaken. Reflections like these extinguished all sense of his, own personal danger. More solicitous to preserve the memory of what he had achieved, than the preservation of his own life, he retired to his cabin, and wrote upon parchment a short account of the voyage he had made, the course he had taken, and of the riches and situation of the country he had discovered, and of the small colony he had left there.

Having wrapped this up in an oiled cloth, which he enclosed in a cake of wax, he then carefully put it into a cask, effectually stopping it to keep out the water, he threw it into the sea, in hopes that some fortunate accident might preserve a deposit of so much importance to the world. Providence at length interposed to save so valuable a life.

The wind abated, the sea became calm, and on the evening of the fifteenth they discovered land, which they soon knew to be St. Mary, one of the Azores, or Western Islands, subject to the crown of Portugal. There he obtained a supply of provisions, and such other things as he had need of. There was one circumstance that greatly disquieted him: La Pinta had separated from him during the hurricane; he was apprehensive that she had foundered, and that all her crew had perished: afterwards, his former suspicions revived, that Pinzon had borne away for Spain, that he might reach it before him, and give the first account of his discoveries. In order to prevent this he proceeded on his voyage as soon as the weather would permit.

At no great distance from the coast of Spain, another storm arose, little inferior to the former in violence; and after driving before it, during two days and two nights, he was forced to take shelter in the river Tagus. Upon application to the king of Portugal, he was allowed to come up to Lisbon; Columbus was received with all the marks of distinction due to a man who had performed things so extraordinary and unexpected. The king admitted him into his presence, treated him with great respect, and listened to the account he gave of his voyage, with admiration mingled with regret.

Columbus was now able to prove the solidity of his schemes, to those very persons, who with an ignorance disgraceful to themselves, and fatal to their country, had lately rejected them as the projects of a visionary adventurer. Columbus was so impatient to return to Spain, that he remained only five days at Lisbon, and on the fifteenth of March, he arrived at the port of Palos just seven months and eleven days from the time he set out from thence upon his voyage. The inhabitants all ran eagerly to the shore to welcome their relations, and fellow citizens, and to hear tidings of their voyage.

When the successful issue of it was known, when they beheld the strange appearance of the Indians, the unknown animals, and singular productions, of the newly discovered countries, the effusion of joy was unbounded. The bells were rung, the cannon fired; Columbus was received at landing with royal honors, and all the people accompanied him, and his crew, in solemn procession to church, where they returned thanks to heaven, which had so wonderfully

conducted, and crowned with success, a voyage of greater length, and of more importance, than had been attempted in any former age. To add to the general joy La Pinta on the evening of the day entered the harbour. Ferdinand and Isabella were at Barcelona, they were no less astonished than delighted, with this unexpected event: sent a messenger requesting him in terms the most respectful, to repair immediately to court, that from himself they might receive a full detail of his extraordinary services, and discoveries.

During his journey to Barcelona, the people flocked from the adjacent country, following him with admiration and applause. His entrance into the city, was conducted, by order of Ferdinand and Isabella with extreme pomp, suitable to the great event which added such distinguishing lustre to their reign. The people whom he brought along with him, the natives of the countries he had discovered, marched first, and by their singular complexion, the wild peculiarities of their features, and uncouth finery, appeared like men of another species. Next to them were carried the ornaments of gold, fashioned by the rude art of the natives, grains of gold found in the mountains and rivers; after these appeared the various commodities of the new world and its curious productions: Columbus closed the procession and attracted the eyes of all the spectators, who could not sufficiently admire the man whose superior sagacity and fortitude, had conducted their countrymen by a route unknown to past ages, to the knowledge of a new country, abcunding with riches and fertile as the best cultivated lands in Spain.

Ferdinand and Isabella received him in their royal robes, seated upon a throne under a magnificent canopy. They stood up as he approached, and raised him as he kneeled to kiss their hands. He then took his seat on a chair prepared for him, and by their majesties orders, gave a circumstantial account of his voyage. He delivered it with that composure and dignity, so suitable to the Spanish nation, and with that modest simplicity so characteristic of great minds, that satisfied with having performed great actions, seeks not an ostentatious display of words to set them forth. When his narration was finished, the king and queen kneeled down and offered up thanks to Almighty God, for the discovery of those new regions, from which

they expected so many advantages to flow into the kingdoms, subject to their government.

Columbus was invested with every mark of honour, that gratitude or admiration could suggest, confirming to him and his heirs the agreement made at Santa Fé. His family was ennobled, the king and queen and the whole court treated him on every occasion with all the ceremonious respect, usually paid to persons of the highest rank. An order was immediately made to equip, without delay, an armament of such force, as might enable him to take possession of those countries which he had already discovered, as well as to search for those more opulent regions, which he still confidently expected to find. Columbus's fame now quickly spread over Europe; his successful voyage had excited general attention.

Men of science spoke of it with rapture, and congratu lated one another upon their felicity, in having lived at a period when the boundaries of human knowledge, were so much extended.

Various opinions were formed, concerning the new found countries, and what division of the earth they belonged to. Columbus erroneously and tenaciously adhered to his original idea, that they were part of those vast regions of Asia, comprehended under the general name of India: this sentiment gained strength from the productions of the countries he had discovered. Gold was known to abound in India, of which precious metal he had brought some samples from the islands he had visited.

Cotton another production of the east, was common there. The pimento of the islands, he imagined to be a species of the East Indian pepper. He mistook a root, somewhat resembling rhubarb, for that valuable drug, which was then supposed to be a plant peculiar to the East Indies; the birds were adorned with the same rich plumage, that distinguishes those of India. The alligator of the one country, was considered as the crocodile of the other. After weighing all these circumstances, the dif ferent nations of Europe, adopted the opinion of Colum bus; they considered the countries he had discovered, as a part of India.

The name of West Indies, was therefore given to them, by Ferdinand and Isabella even after the error was detected, and the true position of the new world known :

the name still remains, and the appellation of West Indies is given by all the people of Europe to the country, and that of Indians to its inhabitants.

The specimens of the riches and the productions of the new country which Columbus produced were so alluring; and the exaggerated accounts of his companions (so natural to travellers) excited a wonderful spirit of enterprize among the Spaniards. Though unaccustomed to naval expeditions they were eager to set out upon another voyage. Volunteers of all ranks were anxiously solicitous to be employed. The vast prospect which opened to their imagination, flattered their ambition and their avarice; neither the danger, nor length of the navigation intimidated them. Ferdinand's natural caution gave way to the torrent of public opinion: he seemed to have caught the same spirit with his subjects.

Another expedition was carried on with a rapidity unusual to the Spaniards. A fleet consisting of seventeen ships was equipped; some of which were of good burden: they had on board fifteen hundred persons, among whom were many of noble families, who had served in honoura ble stations. Most of these intending to remain in the country, were furnished with every thing necessary for conquest or settlement, with all kinds of domestic animals, and also seeds and plants, that were likely to thrive in the climate of the West Indies, together with such utensils as might be useful in an infant colony: and artificers were engaged to attend the expedition.

But formidable and well provided as this fleet was, Ferdinand and Isabella, (slaves to the superstition of the fourteenth century) were not willing to rest their title to the possession of the newly discovered countries, until they applied to the Roman pontiff, who, in that age was sup posed to have a right of dominion over all the kingdoms of the earth.

Alexander VI. a pontiff, infamous for every crime that disgraces humanity, filled the papal throne at that time: as he was born Ferdinand's subject, and solicitous to procure that monarch's protection, in prosecuting his ambitious schemes, in favour of his own family, he instantly complied with his request. By an act of liberality which cost him nothing, he bestowed upon Ferdinand and Isabella all the countries inhabited by infidels which they had discovered, or should discover. And by virtue of that power