up direct communication with the vast and magnificent
empire of the Grand Khan of Tartary. His deep and cherished design was
the recovery of the Holy Sepulchre, which he meditated during the
remainder of his life, and solemnly provided for in his will.

Let those who are disposed to faint under difficulties in the
prosecution of any great and worthy undertaking, remember that eighteen
years elapsed after the time that Columbus conceived his enterprise,
before he was able to carry it into effect; that the greater part of
that time was passed in almost hopeless solicitation, amidst poverty,
neglect, and taunting ridicule; that the prime of his life had wasted
away in the struggle; and that when his perseverance was finally crowned
with success, he had reached his fifty-sixth year.

CHAPTER TWO.

FIRST VOYAGE OF COLUMBUS--A.D. 1492.

Columbus returns to Palos--Assisted by the Prior of La Rabida--The
Pinzons agree to join him--Difficulty of obtaining ships and men--At
length three vessels fitted out--Sails in the _Santa Maria_, with the
_Pinta_ and _Nina_, on 3rd August, 1492--Terrors and mutinous
disposition of the crews--Reaches the Canary Islands--Narrowly escapes
from a Portuguese squadron seat to capture him--Alarm of the crews
increases--The squadron sails smoothly on--Columbus keeps two logs to
deceive the seamen--Signs of land--Seaweed--Flights of birds--Birds
pitch on the ship--Frequent changes in the tempers of the crews--
Westerly course long held--Course altered to south-west--Pinzon fancies
he sees land--Disappointment--Columbus sees lights at night--Morning
dawns--San Salvador discovered--Natives seen--Columbus lands--Wonder of
the natives--Proceeds in search of Cipango--Other islands visited, and
gold looked for in vain--Friendly reception by the natives--Supplies
brought off--Search for Saometo--Cuba discovered 20th October, 1492--
Calls it Juana--Believes it to be the mainland of India--Sends envoys
into the interior--Their favourable report of the fertility of the
country--A storm--Deserted by Martin Pinzon in the _Pinta_--First view
of Hispaniola--A native girl captured--Set free--Returns with large
numbers of her countrymen--Arcadian simplicity of the natives.

Columbus hastened to Palos, where he was received as the guest of Fray
Juan Perez, the worthy Prior of the convent of Rabida. The whole
squadron with which the two sovereigns proposed to carry out their grand
undertaking was to consist