' UC-",^.^' Class Book, ©^efcr)GS iroir) Iqc l\orr)ar)ce ilMERICAN HiSTDRY; DEDICATED TO MRS. MARY CURTISS, Who graduated when seventy-two years of age in the class of 1 883, of the CHAUTAUgUA . LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC CIRCLE 6> Mn\i Btxtti Jictljobist Orpiscojjal C^urtb, JEFFERSDNVILLE, INC. BY HER SON, AND THE FIKST LEADER OF THE CIRCLE, GEO. l:'curtiss, d. d. Copyright April 3, 1885. SKETCHES FROM THE ROMANCE OF AMER- ICAN HISTORY— LA SALLE, THE EX- PLORER OF THE MISSISSIPPI. One of the world's most beautiful riv- ers is the Mississippi, rightly named by the Indians, the " Father of Waters." Rising far away to the north in the cl^r and beautiful lake Itasca, it takea its southernly course through the great American continent, receiving more than a thousand tributaries, great and small, some of which are of themselves rivers of magnificent proportion, until at last it pours its ceaseless flood through three great mouths, in an increasing delta, into the Gulf of Mexico. In its length of over three thousand miles, it rises until its mouth is nearly four miles higher than its source, and the water actually flows up hill, during all its course, with a velocity of several miles per hour. Were the earih for any time AMERICAN HISTORY. to stop its revolutions, the flood, now go- ing gulfward, would begin its reversed ■course towards the source. It is a question, as yet unsettled, as to who was the first white man to lay eyes upon this magnificent stream. It is re- lated that two ardent French priests, missionaries, in 1673, left their infant mission station in Michigan, and as •cended the Fox river to its head waters, and carrying their light canoe, made a crossing of the western watershed, and <;ame to the Wisconsin river. On this new and unknown stream they launched their frail bark, and floated down its wa- ters for seven days, when they came into the beautiful Mississippi. Charmed with the scenery, and surprised to behold so magnificent a river, outrivaling anything they had seen in Europe, and hoping to find an outlet to the Pacific, they contin- ued down this rolling tide, passing the mouths of the Missouri and Ohio, and for thirty days holding on their course, passed blufls and shores covered with •extensive forests, with here and there AMERICAN HISTORY. vast open places free from timber, but covered with grass, on which roamed vast herds of buffalo and deer, and over which flew birds of beautiful plumage and sweet song. They could not but be greatly impressed with the varied scenery of this remarkable new-found river, and continued to the mouth of the Arkansas, where, being discouraged at not finding an end to the river or a way to the Pacific, they turned back and painfully labored up stream. After painful labor these voyagers entered the mouth of the Illinois river, and ascended the stream as far as possible, and crossed the coun- try to Detroit. The determination of the mouth of the Mississippi, as a great geographical problem of that day, was left to another daring and enterprising Frenchman, whose romantic life was crowned by a tragic death in the valley of the great river, whose exploration was destined to make his name illustrious. Robert Cavelier de La Salle was a Frenchman, born in Rouen November. AMERICAN HISTORY. 1643. His family was respectable, in comfortable circumstances, and he be- ■came the happy possessor of a comforta- ble patrimony. Becoming early in life a priest, he forfeited his patrimony, and de- scended to the scale of a poor man Be coming weary of the restraint of monas tic cowls, and panting for a wider scope for his struggling genius, in 1666, he with drew from the order, and became a lay- man in the Komish church. Soon after ward, impelled by a spirit of adventure, he came to Canada, then a French pos- session, and settled at Montreal. His brother Jean was a member of the Sulpi- cians, an order of the Cd,tholic church, who owned an inland. A grant of land was made to Robert, and he founded thereon LaChine. The wandering, restless spirit of La Salle would not permit him to rest for any considerable time. So, in 1669, hav- ing sold his possessions at LaChine he started on an exploring expedition, ac- companied by two Sulpician brothers, Carson and Galinee. They parted com- AMERICAN HISTORY. pany, however, upon reaching the Sen- eca country, near the head of Lake On- tario, on the Canada side. LaSalle re- turned to the Iroquois country, and di- rected his steps southward through the forests and down small streams until he reached the upper waters of the Ohio river. On this he set sail in a canoe, and floated down the LaBelle to the falls of the Ohio, where Jeffersonville and Louis- ville now are built on either side. Noth- ing came of this line of exploration, and it seems to have been forgotten in the brilliant discoveries of succeeding years. About this time Frontenac established a strong Fort on Qainta bay, and called it by his name. In 1674, LaSalle, having commendatory letters from Governor ^General Colbert, visited France to peti- tion for certain rights and privileges. Being master of language, and skillful in presenting his case, he was received with unusual favor. The king ennobled him and rewarded him with a " grant of Fort Frontenac and adjacent lands, and made him governor of the Fort and set- AMERICAN HISTORY. tlement on the l^ith day of May, 1675." Returning to the New Continent, thi& intrepid explorer took possession of his Fort, and began to exercise authority. The first fort was built of timber, but he rebuilt it of cut stone, which gave it the appearance of unusual strength. French- men and Indians were gathered into this settlement, and soon it bore the appear- ance of a busy, thriving village. As soon as he could bring it about, he built four vessels to sail on the lake, and Fort Fron i en ac became the center of the far trade for the West, dividing Canada be- tween two great '• antagonistic organiza- tions," each striving by all means to sup- plant the other, and create a monopoly iit. furs. LaSalle was able to hold his own with the Eastern Company as long as he re- mained at home, and in charge of affairs, as the moving spirit. The spirit of ex- ploration which had ever characterized this more than ordinary mind, and a de- sire to find a way to the Pacific ocean, and so to the India, led him to visit AMERICAN HISTORY. 9^ France in 1678. At this visit he "ob- tained permission to carry on western ex- plorations for five years, build and hold forts, and enjoy a monopoly of the trade in buffalo skins, but was expressly for- bidden to trade with the Ottawa or other lake tribes who had been accus- tomed to bring furs to Montreal." One would have supposed with this liberal grant, and a commission confirming un- limited authority, LaSalle would have been content. Having enlisted an " Italian veteran," named Tonty, and "thirty mpchanics and mariners," he sailed, July 14 1675, from LaRochelle for the New World. Having reached Fort Frontenac, he sent Tonty up the Niagara, where he estab- lished a fort. Making friends with the Seneca Indians, who held this region, Tonty began building a vessel of fifty five tons at the mouth of the Cayuga creek, where it empties into the Niagara, above the great falls. The vessel was named the Griffon, and was launched in 1679. On board of this, the largest vessel 10 AMERICAN HISTORY. whose prow had parted the waters of the great American Lakes, LaSalle, accom- panied by two Franciscan Friars, sailed the length of the lakes Erie, St. Clair and Huron, and down Lake Michigan to Green Bay. Here he purchased a cargo of furs, and sent the Griffon back to its home post, while he and his party, in canoes, ventured around the lake to the mouth of the St. Joseph's river. Here they tarried long enough to build a trad- ing post and a fort, which received the name of Fort Miami. Ascending the St. Joseph's river into Michigan and North- ern Indiana, they carried their canoes acros3 the watershed to the Kankakee, on which they floated down to an Indian village in Hlinois, near the present city -of Peoria. By kindness LaSalle formed -an alliance with the Indians, and built a fort in January, 1680, which he called Fort Crivoccceur. At this place disaster double-handed overtook the brave explorer, which com- pelled him to place the fort in the hands of Tonty, sending Acau and Father AMERICAN HISTORY. 11 Hennepin to explore ihe Illinois river to its mouth. LiSalle, with five compan- ions, started across the country to reach Fort Frontenac, in Canada, a thousand miles away. The journey was largely through unbroken forests, among wild beasts of prey and savage Indians, with scanty food, subsisting on whatever might be found on the way. None but brave men would have dared to undertake so perilous a journey. But before the eye of LaSalle was the ever brilliant picture of an eastern country to be reached by way of the west. Gold, honor, luxury. «,nd a hope of a gratified ambition goaded him on. Having reached his fort at Niagara, LaSi.lie became satisfied that his ship, the Griffon, had either foundered in a lake-storm or in the night time was car- ried over the falls of Niagara and dashed to pieces and all lost. His cup of sorrow was not full until hearing that a vessel from France, laden with supplies for him and his expedition, had been lost at sea. He lamented but a brief period. Gath- 12 AMERICAN HISTORY. ering together what he could of men and supplies, and providing for the govern- ment of his fort and trading posts in hi&^ absence, with a company of men he started for Fort Crivoccoeur, on the Illinois. On arriving at the fort, he found that the Iroquois Indians had become war-like and savage, and Tonty had abandoned the country and gone back to Green Bay. Nothing daunted, LaSalle built a good sized boat and launched it on the Illinois^ and early in 1682 started, with a small crew on what proved to be "one of the grandest exploits of modern times."^ Sailing down the Mississippi, the hero, and moving spirit of the expedition, standing in the bow, or sitting amidships of his little craft, with an eagle eye sur- veyed the river and its banks, taking in the immense forests at certain points, and great plains at others, seeing here and there the wild red men, who owned forests and field and disputed the posses- sion of the palefaces, little dreaming that in two hundred years this great AMERICAN HISTORY. 13 Mississippi valley would team with a pop- ulation amounting to millions, and hold- ing cities rivaling anything he had seen in Europe. Continuing down the river, his little boat, holding but a few men, was but a pigmy beside the floating palaces afterward destined to plow the bosom of the great Father of Waters. LaSalle made but few landings, but <;ontinued on until the waters of the river divided into three channels. These he explored successively to the Gulf. On the 9ih of April, 1682, this loyal French- man took possession of the Mississippi Delta and the contiguous country, in the name of the King of France, and " set Tjp a column with the French arms at the mouth of the river," and this became ^ew France. Realizing that he had made a valuable discovery, LaSalle retraced his course, ascending the river to the mouth of the Illinois, where he founded and built Fort St. Louis, at Starved Rocks. Leaving his faithful Italian, Tonty, in command of his western possessions, LaSalle 14 AMERICAN HISTORY. started for Quebec, and sailed for France to report to King and Court what he had found. France was greatly excited by these discoveries. Companies were form- ed for colonizing the Mississippi country. These plans took on the gigantic in char- acter, and had they been carefully exe- cuted it would have been but a question of time as to the vast population of French people in this New France. It was also proposed to make the new set- tlement the objective point for corquer- ing the New Biscay country and North- ern Mexico. L'iSalle received a commission, April 14, 1684, appointing him commandant of all the country from Fort St. Louis to the New Biscay. This territory was in itself a vast empire, and if his plans could be carried out, LaSalle would be little short of a great monarch. Gathering an expedition of two hun- dred and eighty men and four ships, un- der Beaujeu as naval officer in command, he sailed, August 1st, from Rochefort bound for the New World and the settle- AMERICAN HISTORY. 15- meni of the Mississippi. Beaujeu proved to be an unwise, headstrong officer, who deteimined not to listen to the orders or counsels of the chief in command, LaSalle. Missing the mouth of the Mississippi, they sailed on to land his colonists in Metagorda bay, where he built a fort, calling it St. Louis. The store-ship, Amiable, either accidently or designedly, was wrecked on an island in the entrance to the bay. Since nearly all the munitions of war and provisions were on this ship, its loss was an over- whelming calamity. If all the men had proven true this might have been over- come to some extent. But the infamous Beaujeu sailed away with two vessels, leaving the little Belle, a present from the French King to the Governor and his colonists. The Indians became hostile, and the attempts to cultivate the land were abor- tive. Settlers perished of disease. Some were killed by the Indians. Their ranks were daily diminished. Disaster increased. LaSalle went out on many 16 AMERICAN HISTORY. expeditions, losing both time and money to no avail, until the ship Belle was wrecked. This drove the colonists to desperation. In January, 1687, reduced to less than forty persons, leaving onehalf at the fort, including the women and children, he took the remainder, including his brother, "nephews, Joutel and twelve others," and set out over land for the country of the Illinois. The wanderers penetrated the wilderness noithward sixty days, and were in the basin of the Col- orado. Their trials and hardships can not be described. A dissention arose in the camp, and the threatened revolt broke out March 20th, while on the banks of Trinity river. Duhaut and Larchevegue killed Morauget, a nephew of LaSalle. The commander turned back to look for his nephew. These insurgents hid in the tall grass until he passed, when ris- ing up, one took deadly aim, and shot LaSalle dead in his tracks. While look- ing at the dead body, one cried out: AMERICAN HISTORY. li " There, you grand bashaw, there you are ! " The death of LaSalle occurred when he had reached the forty-fourth year of his age, just in the prime of life, and be- fore ht had been able to enjoy material advantages of his great discoveries. He was a man of indomitable will, great courage, a lover of adventure, desiring to look into mysteries hidden from sight, and capable of great endurance. While strong in purpose, we have no evidence that he was vain. He was a good Gov- ernor, though not so excellent as an or- ganizer. While he could handle men when selected, he could not so judiciously select men to engage with him in enter- prises requiring the best of material. Though untimely, yea, cowardly killed, and resting in an unknown grave in the Mississippi valley, his name will be kindly remembered in connection with the great Mississippi river, the world re- nowned Father of Waters, while "gras« grows and water runs." CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS A^'D THE NEW WORLD. For forty-five centuries the two oceans, the Atlantic and Pacific, washed the shores of two vast continents situate be- tween them, and yet the civilized world was ignorant of their existance. On these continents was every shade of climate, vast plains, and towering mountains, long rivers and ocean like lakes, valleys fertile as a garden, and forests full of game, waving grass, and blooming flowers shedding their fragrance on desert waste. By some means — when, or how, no body knows — these continents were peopled by wandering or lost families, who, having once wandered to these shores, were un- able to escape. This race, bearing marks 22 AMERICAN HISTORY, of Grecian or Phoenician origin, multi- plied in numbers, built cities, erected governments, provided defences, culti- vated vast fields, built rude alters and temples, and worshiped a deity. Being isolated from their early home, they changed very little from what they were when first they came. This race was succeeded by another, of a copper color, wild and roving, cruel and blood-thirsty, destitute of even the arts possessed by the race they succeeded, and lived as roving nomadic tribes. The earlier race becoming extinct, their cities and temples crumbled to ruins. The red men knew nothing of these people. Vast trees grew on their works, showing that a long period of time had passed since they were built and inhabited. It is only three hundred and ninety- two years since a man of civilized Europe, after carefully studying the ocean charts as far as known, and the phenomena of time, concluded the earth was round, and by sailing in a continuous westerly course, he would reach the other side of the AMERICAN HISTORY. 23 world, which would be the " India," After trials, vexations, delays, and innumerable hinderances, which would have appalled a less courageous man, this intrepid mariner accomplished his object, in one respect — finding land to the westward, but failed in another — for the land found was not India. The romance of this navigator's life we seek to tell. Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of the new world, was a Genoese by birth. The date of his worldly advent is 80 uncertain that he may have been born either in 1436, or in 1446, since both dates fulfill the conditions mentioned by dijBferent historians. His musical Italian name of Colombo was Latinized into Cristoboro Columbus, which, on entering the Spanish service, he again changed to Cristobal Colon. His father, Domenio Colombo, was a wool-comber in Genoa, and a man of some local importance. Columbus was the eldest of three sons and a daughter. Since the importance of the work of 24 AMERICAN HISTORY. Columbus has been conceded, many stories concerning his boyhood have been found, and set afloat in literature, but it is conceded that most of them are with- out foundation, or based on facts so slight as to be unworthy of credence. The disposition of Columbus to follow the sea early evinced itself His father, with remarkable judgment, directed his education so as to fit him for a life on the sea. At that time, the Mediterranean was the great thoroughfare of the civi- lized world. All the culture and art clustered around this great inland ocean. There were some daring navigators who went beyond the pillars of Hercules, and traced the boundless Atlantic. Columbus studied Latin and drawing at Genoa. But, at the University of Paris, he " studied geometry, geography, astronomy, and navigation." Before entering upon his life-work, he spent some time at the trade of wool-combing with his father. Dates disagree as to when Columbus entered the Genoese service, some say- ing he was fourteen years old, while AMERICAN HISTORY. 25 others place it as late as twenty-four. Of his life on the Mediterranean, we pass over, and come to his first attempt to interest some strong power in his scheme to discover a new way across the ocean to Asia. Columbus left his native city to make his home in Lisbon about 1470. Portugal, from its extensive ocean coast line, pre- eented a favorable field in which to work out his plans of discovery. At Lis- bon, the heart of Columbus was con- quered by Dona Felipa, whom he mar- ried, and to whom was born Diego. Pedro Correo, a brotherin-law, was a navigator of merit, as was his wife's father, Bartolommeo Monis da Perestrello, an Italian. The associations of Columbus «,t this time were with the most learned and experienced navigators of the world. He carefully studied the "papers, charts, and journals of his father-in-law," con- versed extensively with learned men, And became fully convinced of the prac- ticability of sailing westward, and by so -doing, go around the world. 26 AMERICAN HISTORY. Columbus did not jump at a conclusion that the earth was round, but, by a course of careful study, and logical rea- soning, he concluded what would be th© result from a westward sailing. Astron- omy had developed some new principles^ which to him seemed to necessitate a cir- cular earth. His son, Fernando, says his- father's theory "was founded upon the nature of things, the authority of learned writers, and the reports of navigators.'^ Ptolemy, the Egyptian, had made a globe centuries before, and declared that this was the form of the earth. Studying this,*^olumbus divided the earth from east to west at the equator into 24 hours^ of 15 degrees each, making the circum- ference of his theoretical earth 360 de- grees. Columbus became satisfied that the ancients measured 15 of these hours,, commencing at the easternmost point known in Asia, and going to the Canary Island in the west. Only recently the Portuguese navigators had extended the time one hour more by discovering the Cape Verde and Azore Islands. Now, AMERICAN HISTORY. 27 since the world knew of 16 hours, only 8 hours of the entire circumference of the globe remained to be accounted for. This space was the unknown and unex- plored. At about that time it was said that a Portuguese pilot had "taken from the water, 450 leagues west of Portugal, a piece of curiously carved wood." Huge trees had been washed ashore on the Azores. A piece of wood, carved in strange figures, "was seen on the Island of Porto Santo." " Two drowned men, of appearance unlike Europeans, had been found on the Island of Flores." It was the general belief that these all came from the west. How long Columbus was engaged in these studies can not be known, nor can we know all the steps in the investiga- tion which finally culminated in his great theory, but it is well known that he did arrive at the conclusion that the world is round, and by sailing westward, he would reach the shores of another land. During the next few years, Columbus 28 AMERICAN HISTORY. engaged in perfecting his plans of dis- covery, and made several voyages. In 1477, he sailed to the northwest, 100 leagues beyond "the Island of Theele." This was probably Iceland. After this, he sailed down the African coast to San Jorge da Mina, in Guinea. The most discouraging period in the life of Columbus, was when he sought the aid of crowned heads to help him in his projected discoveries. Sovereigns had little faith in schemes, and less in schemers. To Genoa he first presented his cause, offering to his native Italy and its beauti- ful city the honor of being first in the discovery of a new world. But Genoa could not see a fortune in the fortunes of a fortuneless man, though he was one of her sons. It is believed that he applied to Al- fonso, of Portugal, before his death, but without avail. From Lisbon, Columbus went to Spain, accompanied by his son, Diego. This was about 1484. His wife had died, and his property was AMERICAN HISTORY. 29 lost. His brother, Bartolommeo, had been sent by Columbus to apply for aid to the English King, which was also denied. Venice also, and Genoa a second time declined to give aid. By the Duke of Medina Celi he was favora- bly recommended to Queen Isabella. On her command, Columbus repaired to Cor- dova, and then followed the court to Salamanca, where he was introduced to King Ferdinand, by Mendoza, " Grand Cardinal " of Spain. The earnest navi- gator explained to king and court his plans and theories with a clearness and earnestness worthy of so great a cause. Ferdinand and Isabella heard Columbus with favor, and referred him to a " coun- sel of learned men, mostly ecclesiastics, under the presidency of the Queen's confessor." This council met at Sala- manca in the Dominican convent, San Estevan. The plans, charts, arguments and propositions of Columbus were met, not by science and facts, but Scripture texts. For seven years this earnest man sought aid from Ferdinand, but could ob- 30 AMERICAN HISTORY. tain nothing decisive until 1491, when the conference decided " the project in question vain and impossible, and not be- coming great princes to engage in on such slender grounds as had been ad- duced." Discouraged, and believing that Spain would not extend aid, he immediately set out to present his project to Charles VIII, of France. On his way. almost famished, (some say his boy was the fam- ished one), he stopped at the gate of La Kabida, a Franciscan Monastery, and asked for bread and water. The prior of the convent was Juan Perez de Man- chona. In conversation with Columbus, the prior became greatly interested in the discovery of a new world. On con- sulting Garcia Fernandez, a physician, and Pinzon, a skillful navigator, the in- terest of the prior became enthusiasm, and he wrote about the matter to Queen Isabella, who immediately summoned Columbus to meet her at the camp of Santa Fe. Here he again explained his plans, and demanded certain things of AMERICAN HISTORY. 31 the Queen, but the demands of the Arch- bishops of Granada were exhorbitant, and negotiations ceased. Columbus started again for France, and had already gone " two leagues from Granada" when a royal messenger came in great haste to bring him back. Queen Isabella, when the King would not help, said: "I undertake the enterprise for my own Crown of Castile, and will pledge my jewels to raise the necessary funds " It did not require long for Columbus and Queen Isabella to agree on terms and sign the agreement, which occurred April 17, 1491. Arrangements for the voyage were made at Palos. Three ships were selected. The Santa Maria was the larg- est, being ninety feet keel, having a deck and four masts, two of which were square- rigged, and two with lateen sails, It car- ried on the forward deck, guns, eight anchors, and was manned with sixty-six seamen. The Pinta and Mina were ves- sels of very small size. The Santa Maria was commanded by Columbus. Two brothers, Alonzo and Yanez Pinzon, com- 32 AMERICAN HISTORY. manded the smaller vessels. In all the ships there were one hundred and twenty souls, and provisions for one year. These ardent men confessed to Juan Perez before sailing, and were absolved from their sins. On the morning of Aug. 3, 1492, that little fleet sailed out of Palos harber, and turned their prows southwestward, on an expedition destined to be frought with the most important events to mankind since the rising of the Star of Bethleham. The fleet sailed first to the Canaries. Leaving these Sept. 6ih, they turned to the west and set sail to escape the too close proximity of some Portuguese men of war. Night came, and under its cover they escaped. After a days sail, many of the sailors began to feel their terrible loneliness, saying they should never see home again. Columbus calmed their fears, and cheered their hopes by skillfully picturing the land they should discover, its gold, its spices, its gorgeous apparel, picturing the glories of India. In the afternoon of Sept. 13th, Colum- AMERICAN HISTORY. 3:^ bus observed a variance of the magnetic needle which startled him, and terrified the sailors. Ready to meet emergencies, the hero of the voyage told them it was the influence of the " polar star." To avert trouble, Columbus kept two log books, one for himself, in which he ac- curately noted every event, and all the careful astronomical observations which he made every day with an astrolabe, and the other in such a manner as to quiet the fears of his men. As the sh'p? advanced into the great world of water, the sailors renewed their fears that they should never again see Spain. A meteor fell on the night of Sept. 15th, and struck the water only a few lengths ahead of the vessel. This added to the fears of the superstitious. Of the 16th of September Columbus wrote : " The air was so mild that it wanted but the song of the nightengale to make it like the month of April in Andalusia." At times they saw seaweeds floating in the ocean, and Alonzo Pinzon, whose vessel was ahead, said he saw so many 34 AMERICAN HISTORY. Bigns of land that he expected to see it the next day. Matters moved on on board the little Spanish fl set. Sailors were angry, sailing masters doubtful, but Col- umbus standing firm, with a throbbing heart, anxious brow, and strong will, commanded all things to be quiet. On the 25th of September, while "Columbus was studying a chart in his cabin," the shrill voice of Martin Pinzon cried "Land!" It was but a moment for Col- umbus to gain the deck, and cast his eyes to the southwest, where about twenty- five leagues away lay what appeared land. The Gloria in Excelsia was sung. But the carnival of joy was short. Land was not there. The pilot had mistaken a cloud for land. On sailed the fleet until 707 leagues were measured from the Azores. On the 7th of October the cry of land was again heard from the Mina, but this proved also a delusion. The crews of the vessels were just on the verge of a mutiny. They lacked a bold leader to head the bloody mob and AMERICAN HISTORY. SS' murder Columbus. Birds began to be seen, and the ships' course followed their flight to the W. S. W. At evening the course was again changed to west. On the 11th of October, at evening prayer, Columbus offered great prizes to the one who should first descry land. At about ten o'clock at night, while Columbus and others sat on his deck looking anxiously westward for signs of success, suddenly a light flashed across the water. One of his men saw it as Columbus did, but others did not catch a glimpse of it. Double watches were set. At two o'clock on Friday morning, Oct. 12, 1492, just seventy-one days from Palos, a gun was fired from the Pinta in token of land. •* Rodrigo Triana, a sailor on the Pinta, was the first who Faw the new world, and sounded the joyful word ' land.' " At morning's dawn a wooded island lay at a distance of two leagues. The natives were seen running about in great numbers, with the appearance of great ag- itation. Just at sunrise Columbus, bearing the royal standard of Spain, and the 36 AMERICAN HISTORY. Pinzon brothers, "bearing each a flag with a green cross," were landed on the €ea-beach. Columbus was tirst to land. They knelt down reverently and kissed the ground, and devoutly thanked God for his merciful protection. Columbus