English Discoveries.

29

removal, as they These works are which are known

burial, are in a condition to admit of their crumble into dust on exposure to the air. often also covered by the primeval forests, to have grown undisturbed since the country was first occupied by the whites, and the annular growth of these trees has been ascertained to be sometimes from five to eight centuries."

re

Were the Indians the moundbuilders?

34. "A broad chasm is to be spanned before we can link the mound-builders to the North American Indians. They were essentially different in their form of government, their habits, and their daily pursuits. The Indian, since known to the white man, has spurned the straints of a sedentary life which belongs to agriculture, and whose requirements, in his view, are ignoble. He was never known to erect structures which should survive the lapse of a generation. His lodges consist of a few poles, one end planted in the ground and the other secured with withes at the top, and over which are stretched plaits of matting or of birch bark, or the skins of the buffalo. This frail structure is his shelter from the elements.

35. The domestic economy of the Indians, as contrasted with that of the mound-builders, exhibits two widely different conditions of society. In the one case the people had fixed habitations and methodical pursuits, and the day's labor was crowned with definite and accumulative results. In the other case the people led a nomadic life-a feast followed a famine; and, with their shifting habitations the accumulation of personal property would prove an encumbrance rather than a convenience."

coveries.

36. The tidings of Columbus's discoveries produced astonishment and excitement not only in Spain, but in English DisPortugal, England, France, and other countries of Europe; and at once preparations were made for discovery and exploration in the new lands.'

1 "The discovery of a strait into the Indian ocean is the true key to the maritime movements of the fifteenth and the first half of the sixteenth century."-Prescott,

In 1497, John Cabot (kab'-bot), accompanied by his son Sebastian, sailing under a commission from Henry VII. of England, reached the coast of Labrador, and thus was the first to discover the continent of America. In a second voyage, made by Sebastian Cabot the next year, a large extent of the eastern coast of North America was explored.1

37. Columbus, it is certain, never realized how grand was the discovery he had made. It never dawned upon his mind that he had opened the way to another continent. His

name, we all believe, should have been given to Origin of the name the new world, but that honor was reserved for America. Amerigo Vespucci (ah-ma-re'-go ves-poot'-che), an Italian navigator. Seven years after Columbus had made his discovery Vespucci visited the coast of South America (in 149), and two years later made a second visit to the same regions. He prepared accounts of the two voyages, one of which being published, moved a German geographer, under an assumed name, in a Latin work printed the next year after the death of Columbus, to suggest the name America for the newly-discovered lands. In alluding to this person, Humboldt says: "I have been so happy as to discover the name and the literary relations of the mysterious personage who, in 1507, was the first to propose the name of America to designate the new continent."

The new lands not India.

38. The opinion that the lands discovered by Columbus were islands of India was entertained several years after his death. It was finally dispelled (in 1513) by a Spaniard named Bal-bo'a, governor of a settlement at Darien. Floating rumors had reached the Spaniards from time to time of countries in the far west teeming with the metal they so much coveted; but the first distinct notice of Peru was about the year 1511, when Balboa was weighing some gold

06

It is not known with certainty when and where the Cabots were born, nor at what time and place they died, though it is supposed they were natives of Italy. Bancroft says of Sebastian Cabot that he gave England a continent and no one knows his burial-place.'

1513 The First Voyage around the Earth 31

which he had collected from the natives. A young barbarian chieftain who was present struck the scales with his fist, and, scattering the glittering metal around the apartment, exclaimed: If this is what you prize so much that you are willing to leave your distant homes and risk even life itself for it, I can tell you of a land where they eat and drink out of golden vessels, and gold is as cheap as iron is with you.'

39. It was not long after this startling intelligence that Balboa achieved the formidable adventure of scaling the mountain rampart of the isthmus which divides the two mighty oceans from each other; when, armed with sword and buckler, he rushed into the waters of the Pacific and cried out, in the true chivalrous vein, that he claimed this unknown sea, with all that it contained, for the king of Castile, and that he would make good the claim against all, Christian or infidel, who dared to gainsay it.' All the broad continent and sunny isles washed by the waters of the Southern ocean! Little did the bold cavalier comprehend the full import of his magnificent vaunt."

around

40. No other evidence was needed to prove that the lands discovered by Columbus, the Cabots, and others were no parts of India, yet additional proof was given in the voyage made by a Portuguese navigator named Ma- The gellan (ma-jel'-lan), commanding a Spanish fleet. first voyage Sailing from Spain across the Atlantic, he discov- the earth. ered the strait which bears his name. Passing through this strait he reached the ocean which Balboa had seven years previously discovered. This ocean he called the Pacific, because of the mild weather he experienced on entering it and for several days after. Steering boldly for India, he reached a number of islands, but at one of the Philippine group was slain in a battle with the natives. His ship, however, pro

1 About twenty years after Balboa's discovery of the Pacific, Pizarro, a Spanish adventurer, crossed the Isthmus of Panama, and, with a small force, of whom four men were his brothers, and one was De Soto (see p. 34), proceeded against and conquered Peru.

ceeded on the voyage westward, passed the cape of Good Hope, and in this way reached Spain, thus completing the first voyage ever made around the earth.1

41. Among those who accompanied Columbus on his second expedition to the new world was a Spaniard named Ponce de Leon (pōn'-tha dã lã-oan'), of whom it has been said: "He was a lion by name and still more by nature. " Discovery A visit to the beautiful island of Porto Rico, which of Florida. he made after the expedition alluded to, inspired him with the desire of being its governor, and the king of Spain gave him the appointment. “But his commission as governor conflicted with the claims of the family of Columbus; and policy as well as justice required his removal." He had, without good cause, fought the natives of the island, had killed many of them in battle, and those that still lived and had not escaped to the small islands in the vicinity, were slaves. He had been deprived of his office, but he was still living on the island on the riches that he had accumulated, when one day he was told by one of the natives that on an isÏand far to the north-west plenty of gold could be found, and at the same place there was a wonderful fountain.

42. The Indian, in describing the fountain, said that if any old person should go into it and wash himself with its waters he would immediately become young again. The Indian further stated that a party of Indians had gone to the fountain many years before, and as they had never returned, they were without doubt living in that happy land—all of them young and all happy. This story was afterwards told to Ponce by other Indians, for they all believed it to be true; and it was told so often, and with so much sincerity, that he, too, finally believed it. In fact, he was not the only European who did believe it. The story found believers not only in

1 Magellan's fleet originally consisted of five vessels, but, owing to desertion and loss, was reduced to one. Before the Pacific ocean came to be so called generally, it was often called the South Sea or the Southern Sea,

1513

Discovery of Florida.

33

Porto Rico, but in Spain itself. Peter Martyn, an Italian historian of the time, in one of his letters written in Spain, says: "This rumor of the fountain for a truth has been so spread that not only the people, but also many of them whom wisdom or fortune had divided from the common sort think it to be true."

43. Ponce, evidently, gave willing credence to the story, for he was growing old, and eagerly desired to be young once more; besides, he thought of the glory it would give him to make known to the world the magic pool. At last, with the determination of finding the land of gold, and the "wonderful fountain of youth," he fitted out three ships and sailed from Porto Rico. This took place about twenty years after Columbus had discovered that island. Exactly how many and what islands Ponce visited is not known. We do know, however, that he landed on the island of San Salvador, the one that Columbus first discovered. He also touched at other islands, and at every one inquired for the fountain. We can believe that he tasted of the water of many springs, and bathed in the waters of many; still, so long as he did not get to be a young man again, he kept going from island to island.

44. In this way he continued his efforts, till one Sunday— it was Easter Sunday--he came to a large country which he thought was a great island (1513). Its trees were full of blossoms, and millions of flowers covered the ground. The occasion was one to make him and his men very happy. The day was clear, the air balmy, and, as the fragrance of the blossoms was wafted to the happy Spaniards, they no doubt believed they had at last come to the fairy land. To the newfound region Ponce gave the name of Florida, because the discovery was made" on Easter Sunday, which the Spaniards call Pascua Florida" (pah'-scoo-ah flo-re'-dah); and as the word florida means flowery, it may be said there were two reasons for calling the country by that beautiful name.

45. Ponce landed, but found not the fountain. He sailed