about his proposed voyage across the
Atlantic.

After hearing what Columbus had to say, these men thought that it
would be foolish to spend money in trying to reach the other side
of the ocean.

People who heard what this captain from Lisbon wanted to do began
to think that he had lost his reason, and the boys in the streets
laughed at him and called him crazy. Columbus waited for help seven
years; he then made up his mind that he would wait no longer. Just
as he was about leaving Spain, Queen Isabella, who had always felt
interested in the brave sailor, resolved to aid him. Two rich
sea-captains who lived in Palos also decided to take part in the
voyage. With the assistance which Columbus now got he was able to
fit out three small vessels. He went in the largest of the
vessels--the only one which had an entire deck--as admiral[12] or
commander of the fleet.

[Footnote 12: Admiral (ad'mi-ral).]

8. Columbus sails.--Early on Friday morning, August 3d, 1492,
Columbus started from Palos to attempt to cross that ocean which men
then called the "Sea of Darkness,"--a name which showed how little
they knew of it, and how much they dreaded it.

We may be pretty sure that the guardian of the convent was one of
those who watched the sailing of the little fleet. From the upper
windows of the convent he could plainly see the vessels as they left
the harbor of Palos.

[Illustration: COLUMBUS LEAVING PALOS, AUGUST 3D, 1492.]

9. What happened on the first part of the voyage.--Columbus sailed
first for the Canary Islands, because from there it would be a
straight line, as he thought, across to Japan and Asia. He was obliged
to stop at the Canaries[13] more than three weeks, in order to make
a new rudder for one of his vessels and to alter the sails of another.

At length all was ready, and he again set out on his voyage toward
the west. When the sailors got so far out on the ocean that they could
no longer see any of the islands, they were overcome with fear. They
made up their minds that they should never be able to get back to
Palos again. They were rough men, used to the sea, but now they bowed
down their heads and cried like children. Columbus had hard work to
quiet their fears and to encourage them to go forward with the voyage
which they already wanted to give up.

[Footnote 13: Canaries (Ka-na'rez); see map in paragraph 12.]

10. What happened after they had been at sea many days.--For more
than thirty days