first named the coast Labrador. Cortereal returned on a second voyage, and entering the Gulf never came out again. His second brother, who heard of his loss from the ships that accompanied him, set out in search of him. He too went into the Gulf of St. Lawrence never to be heard of any more. A third brother, also in the service of Portugal, wished to go after his kinsmen, but the king refused him permission, saying, " he could not afford to lose so many brave sailors in one place." So he did not go. But for years after, the place was known as the "Gulf of the Three Brothers." The principal object which impelled so many to set out on these voyages was the desire for gold. The belief in the riches of this new country was so great, that ships without number were sent to bring back whatever of value they could find. When they could not find gold or jewels, they sometimes brought back ship-loads of Indians to serve as slaves. Very soon they began to load their ships with the fruits of the country, with mahogany wood or other rare woods, and aught else that was marketable in Europe. A few men of noble minds, like Columbus, considered the great benefit it would bring to their posterity if they found new lands and opened up a new route to Asia, but most of these adventurers thought only of paltry gain to themselves. Juan Ponce de Leon was one of the captains who had sailed with Columbus in his second voyage of discovery from Spain. Some time after this he was made Governor of Porto Rico, one of the West India Islands, and went there to reside. But just as he was comfortably settled in his governorship, he was attacked by two very serious foes to his happiness and power. These enemies were sickness and old age. Now Ponce de Leon had heard a legend of a fountain in some unknown region whose waters, leaping up to the sun, gave everlasting youth and health to whoever drank of them. These waters were called, "The Fountain of Immortal Youth." nearly seventy Poor De Leon, in failing health and strength, years old, his hair and beard quite white with age, his form bowed and stooping, - remembered this legend, and made up his mind to seek for this wonderful fountain. The Spaniards were quite ready to believe everything romantic and magical was situated in this strange country, which seemed to them so full of wonders. And many others besides Ponce de Leon readily believed that somewhere in its borders they should find this enchanted fountain. With this hope he set out from Porto Rico in the spring time of the year 1512, with three ships and a goodly company of men. They came in sight of land on a beautiful Sunday morning. It was Palm Sunday, when according to the custom of the Church, every man, woman, and child at home in Spain was carrying in his hand as he came out from worship a little green branch, in remembrance of Christ's entry into Jerusalem. Looking on this new found land, which was covered with greenness and beauty to the very water's edge, and remembering what Sunday it was, De Leon named the new country Florida, which means "The Land of Flowers." Of course all their hopes were raised by the sight. They thought a land which seemed to blossom so beautifully without any one to nurture it, could only be watered by the rills from the immortal fountain. Landing, they took possession of it in the name of the King of Castile. Then his men began searching far and wide for the waters which should restore Ponce de Leon's youth. After some time spent in this search, the Indians began to grow hostile. The Spaniards never knew how to treat them in such a way as to gain their good-will and friendship. At length De Leon concluded he would leave the main-land, and go in search of a wonderful island which the Indians described, and which he felt sure contained the fountain. In pursuit of this, he touched the Bahamas and various other islands, never ceasing in his search. So long he sought, and so vainly, that his resolution wore out the robust strength even of his hardy crew. But the magic waters were never found. At length, feeble and worn out in body, he was borne back to his ships, and they sailed to Porto Rico. Even then his faith did not desert him. Unable to go farther himself, he left one of his ships to continue the search. But this ship, after discovering the island of Bimini, forty leagues west of the Bahamas, came back to Porto Rico also, reporting that no fountain had been seen, and no traces of it could be discovered. On sending to Spain an account of this new found land of Florida, Ponce de Leon was made governor there on condition that he would plant a colony. In 1513 he went with two ship-loads of people and provisions, and materials for building a fort. But the Indians, who began to distrust the Spaniards and to grow jealous of their power, tried to prevent the landing of De Leon, and in the fight he was badly wounded. He was carried back to Porto Rico and soon died of his hurts. Let us hope he has long since discovered the fountain of immortal youth. CHAPTER IV. FIRST VIEW OF THE PACIFIC. Spanish Colonies. - Vasco Nunez de Balboa. — Avarice of Spaniards. The Indians lead You remember I told you of a little colony which Columbus had left on the continent of North America when he explored the Gulf of Mexico in his last voyage. This colony had not been successful, and one or two later attempts had been made to plant a colony there without result. The Spaniards had now settled on all the large West India Islands, and had several thriving towns, among which was Hispaniola, the colony first planted by Columbus. In 1511, Vasco Nunez de Balboa joined an expedition which had come from Spain, and stopped at Hispaniola, where he was residing. This company sailed to the coast of Darien, and found the last colony which had been sent there, in ruins, and no white man alive. Through the influence of Balboa they built another town, and called it Santa Maria de Antigua. This was the first permanent colony ever founded on the American continent. Balboa was made its governor, and continued to reside there. He was very good to the natives. The poor creatures had not been used to see a Spaniard so just, or so disposed to keep peace with them, and they met his offers of friendship in the same spirit. When they found his great desire was for gold, one of the chiefs sent him a large box of that precious metal. This was not the best thing for the peace of the colony, for all the Spaniards were mad after gold, and quarreled over it, when they got any, like so many fierce dogs. This time, when Balboa had got out the scales and was weighing it as evenly as he could, the rest were snarling and growling around him about their shares. The son of the chief, a tall athletic Indian, who had brought them the gold, stood looking on during the division. As the quarrel grew hotter and hotter, he scornfully overturned with his foot the balance in which they were weighing the treasure, and said vehemently: "Is it possible you should value so much a thing that so little deserves your esteem; that you should leave the repose of your houses, and pass so many seas, exposed to such dangers, to trouble those who live quiet in their own land? Have some shame, Christians, and do not desire these things; but if you are resolved to seek gold, I will show you a country where you can satisfy yourselves." 1 Of course these words excited the curiosity of Balboa, and he gave the young chief no rest till he should show him this great gold country. Accordingly, they started, one morning in September, 1513, for the mountain-ridge which lay not far west of the colony. Balboa with a party of his men, and the chief with a band of natives. The Spaniards wore armor of glittering plates of steel, with swords at their sides, and the clumsy muskets which they carried in those days over their shoulders; while the Indians had huge bows and arrows, stone and wooden clubs, as weapons. Just before they reached the top of the wooded ridge from which the Indians said they would see two oceans, Balboa bade his companions pause that he might climb the steep alone, and so be the first Spaniard who should look upon the promised sea. Obediently remaining, they left him to climb the last few yards without them. In a few moments more he gained the summit, and looking southward, beheld the broad expanse, the waters of the long dreamed of "South Sea,' or Pacific Ocean, which lay, smiling and blue, almost at his feet. Standing there, he could see both oceans, only a few miles apart. The grand sight overcame him, and the Spanish warrior, bronzed with conflict with seas and storms, hardened with exposure and contact with many dangers, fell prone on the earth and wetted it with his tears. Then calling to his soldiers, he commenced descending toward the new found ocean. When he reached the shore, he walked knee-deep into the waters, and waving above them his cross-hilted sword, he took possession of the ocean "in the name of God, for the use of the sovereign majesty of Spain." Balboa. The land of great riches which the Indians had pointed out to Balboa from the heights of Darien, was the kingdom of Peru in South America, which was afterwards conquered by Francis Pizarro. Since I have said so much to you about the search after a western 1 These are rather dignified words on the part of the young Indian, and are put into his mouth by the Spanish monk Ovalle, who tells the story of Balboa's discovery. route to Asia, I am going to make a brief digression, to tell you how this search was ended, and give you an account of the first voyage around the world. CHAPTER V. FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD. Magellan at Patagonia. The First Potatoes eaten by Europeans. - The Straits of Magellan. Death of the Great Navigator. — Return of the Last Ship to Spain. FERNANDO MAGALHAENS-or, as we call him, Magellan - set sail from Spain in September, 1519. Like Columbus, the Pinzons, and so many other daring navigators, he wished to find the western passage to Asia. He had been one of those who had sailed around the Cape of Good Hope, and tested the truth that there was an eastern route to India. Then he came back to petition Charles V., Emperor of Germany and King of Spain, to fit him out for a western voyage. King Charles heard him with favor, gave him five ships, two hundred and thirty-four men, and provisions for two years. That was a generous fitting out, in days when sovereigns were not over liberal to the brave men who risked life for their glory and profit. Thus in September Magellan sailed. He reached South America, and sailed in and out the rivers on the coast of Brazil, hoping to find there a channel to the “South Sea.” When he had exhausted this hope, he sailed along the coast of Patagonia, stopping occasionally, and landing on the shores. Here the Spaniards saw a vegetable unknown before. It was almost round, and had a brown skin. The natives called them "batatas" or "patatas," and "they looked like turnips, and tasted like chestnuts," so the old historian of the voyage tells us. The sailors ate them eagerly without cooking them. Do you guess what they were? Why, potatoes, the commonest vegetable that grows, but unknown then to the civilized world. The Patagonians looked like a race of giants to the Spaniards. They were very tall, the old historians say, ten or twelve feet high, but I fancy that is exaggerated. Magellan got two on board his ship and carried them away, they crying loudly on their god Setebos to rescue them. If you read Shakespeare's play, "The Tempest," you will find that Setebos is also the god of Caliban. Probably Shake |