CHAPTER II.

Sailors of Scandinavia.- Vasco da Gama.-Spectre of the Cape.-Improvement of Navigation.-Columbus.-Madoc.

1. In spite of all these difficulties, however, navigation steadily advanced. The daring sailors of Nor'-way, Swe'-den, and Den'-mark, then called Scan-di-na'-vi-a, ventured forth in ships scarcely larger thar boats, and traversed the stormy waters of the North Atlantic, discover ing Green'-land and Ice'-land. At a later period, several navigators coasted along the western shores of Africa; and finally, in 1498, Vas'-co da Ga'-ma, a Port'-u-guese navigator, doubled the Cape of Good Hope, and proceeded by that route to In'-dia.

2. This was six years later than the great voyage of Columbus across the Atlantic, of which I shall soon give an account; but such were the popular superstitions of that time, that the crew of Da Gama, as they passed Table Rock, situated near the Cape, believed that they saw in the troubled sky a huge spectre waving off their vessel, and

CHAP. II. What of the sailors of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark? Vasco da Gama ? 2. What of the spectre of the Cape?

IMPROVEMENT OF NAVIGATION.

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threatening destruction to all who should dare to invade his dread dominions!

3. Nevertheless, as navigation improved, mankind grew more adventurous upon the sea; and, by degrees, their knowledge of the world-its seas and oceans, its shores and continents-was so far increased, that the Old World, or the Eastern Hemisphere, was tolerably well understood. The idea had also occurred to many individuals, that the great oceans probably contained large masses of yet undiscovered land.

4. It seems to be the course of Providence to make a gradual de velopment of the knowledge which is important to man; and wher any great revelation, or any great discovery. is needful, the means of effecting the desired object are provided. The time had at length arrived for dispelling the mystery which had hitherto brooded over the mighty seas; and Chris'-to-pher Co-lum'-bus, the instrument of accom plishing this great work, was born and trained for his career.

5. It was he who not only discovered America, but made it known to the people of the Eastern Continent. The discovery was so new, vast, and surprising, that the land he had found seemed like another world; and accordingly it was called the New World.

6. But before we proceed to speak more particularly of Co-lum'-bus, we must say a few words respecting the accounts of the discovery of America previous to his time. The Welsh have a tradition of some celebrity, according to which, a chieftain of Wales, named Ma'-doc, made several distant voyages to the west, about the year 1170.

7. In one of these expeditions, they say that he discovered a fair and large country; and, returning to Wales, took with him a number of his friends and relatives, and set forth to settle there. From this period there was never any thing heard of them. It has been thought that the "fair and large country" was America, and that these emigrants went thither. But there is no good reason to believe this tradition.

CHAPTER III.

Discovery and Settlement of the Northmen in North America.

1. THE discovery of America by the seamen of Norway and Denmark, called North'-men, at an earlier period than this of which we have just

What idea became com.

3. What was the result of the improvement of navigation? mon? 4. What of the course of Providence? 5. What of Columbu tradition in respect to Madoc?

6-7. What of the

spoken, rests on a surer foundation. These were by far the most adventurous navigators of Europe -during the Middle Ages. Although their vessels were small and without decks, and they had no knowledge of the mariner's compass, they fearlessly traversed the North Atlantic, and as early as the year 860 had discovered Iceland, which was colonized by the Nor-we'-gi-ans in 874.

2. Greenland was discovered not long after, and was settled by two colonies, one from Denmark and one from Norway. Hence the intercourse between this place and the home country became common. According to well-authenticated accounts, in the year 1002, Lief, a Norwegian, with a number of men, set sail from Greenland and proceeded to the south-west.

3. They soon came to land, and, continuing their voyage, discovered a country of grapes, which they named Vin'-land, or the Land of Wine. The party returned to Greenland, but soon after, Thor'-wald pursued the discovery in the same ship. Having landed on a beautiful shore, he fell in with savages, and was killed by them. His party escaped and returned to Greenland.

CHAP. III. Who were the Northmen? What of their vessels? When did they discover Iceland? When and by whom was Iceland settled? 2. When was Greenland discovered and colonized? When did Lief sail on his voyage from Greenland? 3. What did Lief discover? What of Thorwald? What was his fate?

VOYAGES OF THE NORTHMEN.

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4. Thor'-stein, the brother of Lief and Thorwald, undismayed by the fate of his kinsman, fitted out another expedition from Iceland, comprising twenty-five persons. They reached Vin'-land, but encountered great hardships; and Thorstein died of the scurvy shortly after his return.

5. Another adventurer, named Thor'-finn, undertook an expedition on a much larger scale than any of the preceding. He fitted out three vessels, with upwards of a hundred emigrants, carrying cattle, furniture, tools, &c. They had a prosperous voyage, and, on reaching Vinland, found a large whale cast ashore, which afforded them ample subsistence for a time. They cut down trees and built themselves houses. A party of savages paid them a visit, who were affrighted beyond measure by the lowing of a bull they had brought with them. 6. The Northmen made presents to the savages, with which they were highly pleased. They appeared to be ignorant of edge-tools; for one of them contrived to steal a battle-axe, with which he sportively struck one of his companions, as he had been accustomed to do with his rude tomahawk, but was astonished to find that he had given him a mortal wound.

7. Thor'-finn made many voyages to Vinland, and grew rich. His latter days were spent in Iceland, where he lived in great splendor. After some time, other expeditions were made to Vinland; but the adventurers became involved in bloody contentions. Bishop E'-ric is said to have visited the country in 1321. Soon after this date, the communication with Vinland, from some unknown cause, entirely ceased, and the country was forgotten.

8. This is the account furnished by the Sagas, or historical records of Iceland. There is no reason to doubt the general correctness of these narratives, but writers are not agreed as to the situation of Vinland. Some, who have very carefully investigated the whole history, and compared it with the geographical features of the North American coast, decide that Vinland is identical with Mas-sa-chu'-setts and Rhode Island; but the main colony of the Northmen was in Narra-gan'-set Bay, and the prom'-on-tory where Thorwald was buried, is Point Al'-der-ton, at the entrance to Boston harbor. Nevertheless, there is much doubt on this subject.

4. What of Thorstein? 5 What of Thorfinn? What vessels did he fit out? What of the whale? The savages and the lowing of the bull? 6. What of presents? The battleaxe? 7. What of Thorfinn after leaving Vinland? Bishop Eric? What of the communi cation with Vinland? 8. What may be said of this account?

2*

About Christopher Columbus-His plans for making dis coveries-His cause espoused by the King and Queen of Spain-Departure of his fleet.

1. We must now turn our attention to the discovery of America, which resulted in its occupation and settlement by the Europeans. Several hundred years had passed since the expeditions of the Northmen, and as their discoveries had not been made known to Europe, even the remembrance of them in their own country had faded away. 2. The person who was the means of making the great discovery alluded to was Christopher Columbus. He was a native of Gen'-o-a, in

CHAP. IV.-1. What time had passed since the discovery of America by the Northmen 2 2. What of Columbus?