torch in a fisherman's canoe, dancing on the waves, or from a signal light in the hands of some human being rushing from place to place upon the shore. The first to behold that light, he alone of all on board attached any importance to its transient gleams until, at two o'clock on the morning of October 12, 1492, a gun from the Pinta was followed by the joyful shout of "Land! Land!"-and Christopher Columbus became the discoverer of the western continent, and gave a new world to Castile and Leon, "the like of which was never done by any man in ancient or in later times." 2. Principal Cause Leading to the Discovery.—When, on the morning of the discovery, Columbus landed on one of the islands now known as the Bahamas, and, calling it San Salvador, took possession in the name of Spain, the event marked the beginning of a new era in the world's history. Since the time of the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, many learned men had held to the theory that the earth is round, and that by sailing west on the "sea of darkness,' as the Atlantic was then called, the mariner would be brought to the eastern coast of Asia. Prior to the fifteenth century, the discussion of these theories had been confined to literary circles, and had largely occupied the attention of men of thought rather than men of action. The march of progress among European nations had reached a point which demanded a larger field of operation. Material wealth and prosperity, rapidly increasing, had created a demand for the luxuries of the far east. A heavy trade had sprung up between Europe and Asia, carried on in the south by carayan over the Isthmus of Suez to the Red Sea, thence by vessel through that sea, or by camel train across the Arabian deserts to the Persian Gulf; and, in the north by way of the Black and Caspian Seas. The skilled Venetian sailors and the successful merchants of Venice dominated the one; the far-famed Genoese sailors and merchants, the other. By the middle of the century these routes, however, were made very dangerous from the attacks of the Ottoman Turks, who were at war with the Christian nations of Europe. With the fall of Constantinople at their hands in 1453 trade was almost suppressed. From a commercial point of view, therefore, the theory of the scholars that the earth is round and that the East Indies and the shores of Asia could be reached by sailing westward, appealed powerfully to the business world. The dream of the scholar became the demand of the merchant. 3. Other Causes Leading to the Discovery.-Greed of power caused the reigning kings of Europe to reach out after more territory over which they might spread their dominion. A desire to carry the Gospel to heathen lands moved the authorities of the church to favor the project of seeking a shorter route to Asia. Men interested in science and letters desired to see the fulfillment of their prophecies. Through long use, navigators had come to put their trust in the mariner's compass, and the boldest had begun to lay out highroads on the trackless ocean. Confidence in that little instrument, was soon to revolutionize commerce, to free even the timid sailor from the coast, and give him courage to push out into the sea. With this rising confidence, there was to spring into existence a vehement desire for the discovery of unknown lands. The invention of printing from movable type in the early part of the fifteenth century was exerting a silent but powerful influence upon all the active countries of Europe at this time. The human mind was freeing itself. Intelligence was on the increase. A desire had taken possession of the public mind to know more of the world and its peoples. 4. Conditions in Europe.-At the time of the discovery, Europe was ready for just such an event in the world's history. She was enjoying a short respite from the habitual toil of war. Spain had conquered the Moor and all but banished him from her borders after centuries of strife. The civil war in England, known as the War of the Roses, had ceased, and Henry VII. was restoring peace to the English nation; even the Italian countries and France and Portugal were free from strife. During this period of political calm among the nations of Europe, there was a deep feeling of unrest, which, accelerated by the development of commerce with Asia and the islands of the eastern seas, the perfecting of the mariner's compass, and the art of printing, manifested itself in the desire for discovery and conquest. Naturally, the countries of Europe where this feeling of unrest was strongest, were those which commerce had quickened first, namely, those bordering upon the Mediterranean Sea and those looking outward upon the Atlantic. Hence, it was that at the close of the fifteenth century, the great powers of the world were beset with this universal passion for discovery. 5. The Portuguese and the Route to India.-Under the influence of this new impulse, Portugal, on account of her outward position upon the Atlantic, had led all other countries of Europe in the desire to extend the geographical knowledge of the world. Prince Henry the Navigator, had made his little country famous. Portuguese sailors were seen and known in every port. They boldly pushed out into the sea, and in the early part of the century discovered the Azores, the Madeira, and the Cape Verd Islands. By the middle of the century they had reached the coast of Africa as far south as Upper Guinea and returned to Lisbon laden with gold-dust, ivory, and gums. Pope Nicholas V. immediately, on the strength of this later discovery, granted the Portuguese the possession of the lands and many of the islands already discovered, and of any further discoveries they should make as far east as India. They later reached Lower Guinea and the mouth of the Congo, and, in 1486, Bartholomew Dias reached the southern point of Africa, which King John II. of Portugal, named the Cape of Good Hope. It is not surprising, therefore, that this enterprising little nation persisted in its effort to find a new route to Asia, and that Vasco da Gama twelve years later (1498) rounded the Cape, crossed the Indian Ocean, and anchored safely in the harbor of Calicut. 6. Christopher Columbus.-In the affairs of men and of nations, it has usually happened, that when an emergency has arisen, the man has been found ready for the hour. At this time there appeared upon the scene the son of a Genoese woolcomber. The father had done valiant service for the king of Portugal as one of his able navigators. On his death he had bequeathed his charts and maps to his son who had inherited his passion for the sea. Christopher Columbus was the most conspicuous navigator of his age, and is clearly entitled to the distinction, The Great Navigator. He combined the learning of the scholar with a practical knowledge of the sea. This tall seaman of "grave and gentle manner, though noble and saddened look," was indeed an enthusiast of the most pronounced type, in whom the "passion for discovery rose to the dignity of an inspiration." For eighteen long, weary years he importuned monarchs and merchants, courts and bankers, for ships and men, that he might set out upon the western route to Asia. He sent his brother, Bartholomew, to England, but King Henry VII. gave a deaf ear to his appeal. France likewise lost her opportunity. King John II. of Portugal was encouraging his own seamen to make India by way of the Cape of Good Hope; he, therefore, could not be interested. The Italian merchants and bankers could not be induced to invest in the enterprise without its first having received the support of some powerful monarch. Spain at this time was approaching the zenith of her power and was ready for new fields of conquest; still, she refused Columbus assistance. Discouraged, he was, The fountain of his spirit's prophecy -Lowell's "Columbus." But he was a man who knew no such word as fail. His whole life had been one of hardship. At the age of thirty his hair was white, made so by the suffering and hardships which he had endured. At last success crowned his efforts, and the jewels of the queen of Spain became security for the successful prosecution of his proposed enterprise. Thus, to Ferdinand and Isabella, king and queen of Castile, fell the honor of having first given encouragement and substantial aid to the discoverer of the New World. 7. First Voyage of Columbus.- The three historic caravels with musical names were furnished him by Spain, but his task was still a difficult one. It was not easy to secure crews for these ships when the nature of the voyage became known. Only the boldest sea captains ventured out of sight of land. The vast majority of sailors in those days were timid, very ignorant, and superstitious. Noticing that a ship seemed to be sailing "down hill" as it went out into the ocean, they reasoned that should it go too far, it could never sail "up hill" on its return. Notwithstanding the long use of the mariner's compass, still by the ordinary ship's crew it was looked upon with superstitious awe.. By dint of much persuasion, promises of great reward and finally, by the use of force, crews were at last secured. They set sail amidst great rejoicing from Palos, Spain, on |