Questions.

1. When was America discovered? By whom? From what seaport did Columbus sail? How old was he then?

2. Where was Columbus born? What trade had his ancestors followed? At what age did he first go to sea? What large island in the far north had he visited in one of his earlier voyages?

3. How many vessels had Columbus when he sailed for the discovery of America? What were their names? Had any vessels ever crossed this ocean before? How long were they upon the voyage?

4. In what month was land discovered? Was this the continent or an island near it? What is now the name of this island? To what group of islands does it belong?

5. Did Columbus afterward make other voyages? When did he land on the continent itself? In what year did he die?

Story.

1. Before Columbus had made his voyage, the people of Europe knew not that there was any such land as America.

2. How, then, should Columbus know that there was any such land; he did not know. But he thought there must be, to balance the land in the Eastern continent; and he told his opinion to many of the great men in the courts of Europe, but they paid little attention to him.

3. At length he visited Spain, and one winter's evening, sad, weary, and poor, he came to the door of an humble convent near the little seaport of Palos, and asked for a night's lodging. The prior of the convent took delight in the talk of seafaring men, and when he heard of Columbus's plan for the

discovery of a new world, he felt so sure that it would succeed that he determined to do everything he could to help the brave mariner.

4. The prior had a friend at the court of the good Queen Isabella of Spain, and through this friend he contrived to have the plans of Columbus made known to the queen. The king, Ferdinand, objected that the fitting out of ships for such a voyage would cost a great deal of money. Then spoke the generous Isabella, "I will do it," she said, "for my own crown of Castile, and will give up my jewels, if need be, to raise the money."

5. Then the king and the court yielded to the noble spirit of this high-minded lady, and they agreed to fit out three vessels, in which Columbus should sail on his voyage of discovery. This was a bold plan, for no vessel had as yet crossed the wide Atlantic.

6. For sixty days they sailed directly west without finding any signs of land. And now the sailors became alarmed; they trembled to think of the many leagues they had sailed, and were afraid they might never return. The heart of Columbus alone remained firm; and he resolved to push forward, in spite of the fears and murmurs of his crew. This he plainly told them.

Co

He felt anxious. Pres

7. One evening, shortly after, signs of land appeared. lumbus ordered a double watch set. But no one could sleep. Columbus himself walked the deck. ently, he heard a shout from on board the Pinta. What could it mean? A still louder shout he soon heard. The cry was Land! land!"

8. The heart of Columbus beat with joy, and the sailors wept for joy. When the morning came, the land was in full view before them. Columbus assembled his men around him, and with them returned thanks to God; after which they sung a hymn of praise.

9. Columbus soon landed on the island. The inhabitants he found were Indians; they had never seen a white man before. They were surprised to see Columbus and his men, but they were astonished at the sight of his vessels, and at the fire and thunder of the cannon.

10. When Columbus had sufficiently examined the country, he set sail to return. But a storm came on, and the waves of the ocean rose like mountains. The masts trembled; the

sails were torn; and all was given up for lost.

waves.

At length the

11. The little vessels, however, struggled through the They mounted aloft, where they stood, for a moment -then they plunged - but again they rose. tempest ceased. God had preserved them. went on their way; and after sailing for weeks they arrived safely in Spain, and there told of the New World which they had found.

And now they many days and

The Settlement of Jamestown.

1. The news of the voyage of Columbus soon spread far and wide. Vessels were fitted out, and the seamen of Europe gladly turned the course of their ships westward. Among them was a man named Americus Vespucius. He made no great discoveries, but he drew a map, and told so fine a story about the wonderful new country, that it was called America after him, instead of Columbia, as it should have been named, in honor of its real discoverer.

2. Another adventurer was John Cabot.

In 1497

he sailed from England, and discovered North America, in which we live.

3. Many years after this, a little company of one hundred and five persons from England came over to settle in America. They were four months on the water, and had a very stormy voyage.

4. On reaching America, they entered Chesapeake Bay, and sailing up the James River about thirtytwo miles, they found a beautiful spot on its banks, where they built a village of log huts, and called it Jamestown.

5. The country was then all a wilderness. There were no houses, nor roads, nor bridges, as at the present day; and the new settlers were in constant danger from the Indians.

6. For a time, they had plenty of provisions which they had brought with them. But when, at length, these were gone, they suffered much, and were often near starving. Many fell sick, and not a few died.

7. Had it not been for the exertions of one man, whose story I will tell you at the end of this chapter, the colony would have perished. But, after a time, other vessels arrived from England, bringing more people and a fresh supply of provisions.