6. In September of the following autumn Columbus sailed on his second voyage, which resulted in the discovery of the Windward group and the islands of Jamaica and Porto Rico. It was at this time that the first colony was established in Hayti, and Columbus's brother appointed governor. After an absence of nearly three years, Columbus returned to Spain; but he now found himself the victim of bitter jealousies and suspicions. All the rest of his life was clouded with persecutions and misfortunes.

7. In 1498 Columbus made a third voyage, discovered the island of Trinidad and the mainland of South America, near the mouth of the Oronoco. Thence he sailed back to Hayti, where he found his colony disorganized; and here, while attempting to restore order, he was seized by an agent of the Spanish government, put in chains, and carried to Spain. After much disgraceful treatment, he was sent out on a fourth and last voyage, in search of the Indies; but besides making some explorations along the south side of the Gulf of Mexico, the expedition. accomplished nothing, and Columbus returned once more to his ungrateful country. The good Isabella was dead, and the great discoverer, a friendless and despised old man, sank into the grave.

8. Of all the wrongs done to the memory of Columbus, the greatest was that which robbed him of the name of the new continent. In the year 1499, AMERIGO VESPUCCI, a Florentine navigator of no great celebrity, reached the eastern coast of South America. Two years later he made a second voyage, and then hastened home to give to Europe the first published account of the Western World. In his narrative all reference to Columbus was omitted; and thus through his own craft, assisted by the dullness of the times, the name of this Vespucci, rather than that of the true discoverer, was given to the New World.

9. The discovery of America produced great excitement in Europe. In Spain especially there was wonderful zeal and enthusiasm. Within ten years after the death of Columbus, the principal islands of the West Indies were explored and colonized. In the year 1510 the Spaniards planted on the Isthmus of Darien their first continental colony. Three years later, DE BALBOA, the governor of the colony, crossed the isthmus and from an eminence looked down

the Pacific. Not satisfied with merely seeing the great water, upon he waded in a short distance, and drawing his sword, took possession of the ocean in the name of the king of Spain.

10. Meanwhile, PONCE DE LEON, who had been a companion of Columbus, fitted out a private expedition of discovery and adventure. He had grown rich as governor of Porto Rico, and had also grown old. But there was a Fountain of Perpetual Youth somewhere in the Bahamas-so said a tradition in Spain-and in that fountain the old soldier would bathe and be young again. So in the year 1512, he set sail from Porto Rico; and on Easter Sunday came in sight of an unknown shore. There were waving forests, green leaves, and birds of song. Partly in honor of the day, called in the ritual of the Church Pascua Florida, and partly to describe the delightful landscape, he named the new shore FLORIDA-the Land of Flowers.

11. A landing was made a short distance north of where, a half century later, St. Augustine was founded. The country was claimed for the king of Spain, and the search was continued for the Fountain of Youth. The romantic adventurer turned southward, explored the coast for many leagues, discovered the Tortugas, and then sailed back to Porto Rico, no younger than when he started.

12. The king of Spain gave Ponce the governorship of his Land of Flowers, and sent him thither to establish a colony. He did not, however, reach his province until the year 1521, and then the Indians were hostile. Scarcely had he landed when they fell upon him in battle; many of the Spaniards were killed, and the rest had to fly to the ships for safety. Ponce de Leon himself was wounded with an arrow, and carried back to Cuba to die.

RECAPITULATION.

Spain makes the New World known to Europe.-Old ideas about the figure of the earth.-Columbus.-Sketch of his life.-The favor of Isabella.-Columbus departs on his first voyage.-Discovers San Salvador, Cuba, and Hayti.-Second voyage of Columbus.-Third.-He discovers South America.-Fourth voyage.Columbus's misfortunes and death.-Wrong done to his memory.-Vespucci makes two voyages to South America.-Excitement in Europe.-A colony is planted on the Isthmus.-Balboa discovers the Pacific.-Ponce de Leon makes explorations in Florida.-Is killed by the Indians.

CHAPTER IV.

SPANISH DISCOVERIES IN AMERICA.-CONTINUED.

THE E year 1517 was marked by the discovery of Yucatan by FERNANDEZ DE CORDOVA. While exploring the northern coast of the country, his company was attacked by the natives, and he himself mortally wounded. During the next year the coast of Mexico was explored for a great distance by GRIJALVA, assisted by Cordova's pilot; and in the year 1519, FERNANDO CORTEZ landed with his fleet at Tabasco, and in two years conquered the Aztec empire of Mexico.

2. Among the daring enterprises which marked the beginning of the sixteenth century, that of FERDINAND MAGELLAN is worthy of special mention. A Portuguese by birth, a navigator by profession, this bold man determined to discover a south-west passage to Asia. With this object in view, he appealed to the king of Portugal for ships and men. The monarch listened coldly, and gave no encouragement. Incensed at this treatment, Magellan went to Spain, and laid his plans before Charles V. The Emperor seized the opportunity, and ordered a fleet of five ships to be fitted out at the public expense and properly manned.

3. The voyage was begun from Seville in August of 1519. Magellan soon reached the coast of South America, and spent the autumn in explorations. Not at first successful in his efforts, he passed the winter on the coast of Brazil. Renewing his voyage southward, he came at last to that strait which still bears his name, and passing through, found himself in the open and boundless ocean. The weather was beautiful, and the peaceful deep was called THE PACIFIC.

4. Magellan now held steadily on his course for nearly four months, suffering much from want of water and scarcity of pro

visions. In March of 1520 he came to the group of islands called the Ladrones. Sailing still westward, he reached the Philippine group, where he was killed in a battle with the natives. But the fleet was now near to China, and the rest of the route was easy. A new captain was chosen, and the voyage was continued to the Moluccas. Only a single ship was now deemed in a fit condition to venture on the homeward voyage; but in this vessel the crews embarked, and returning by way of the Cape of Good Hope arrived in Spain in September, 1522. The circumnavigation of the globe, long believed in as a possibility, had now been accomplished.

5. The next important voyage to America was in the year 1520. DE AYLLON, a judge in St. Domingo, conducted the expedition. He and six other wealthy men, eager to stock their plantations with slaves, determined to do so by kidnapping natives from the Bahamas. Two vessels were fitted out for the purpose, and De Ayllon commanded in person. When the ships were nearing their destination, they encountered a storm which drove them northward and brought them to the coast of South Carolina. The name of Chicora was given to the country, and the River Cambahee was I called the Jordan. The friendly natives made presents to the strangers and treated them with great cordiality. They flocked on board the ships; and when the decks were crowded De Ayllon weighed anchor and sailed away. A few days afterward a storm wrecked one of the ships, and most of the poor wretches who were huddled under the hatches of the other died.

6. Returning to Spain, De Ayllon repeated the story of his exploit to Charles V., who gave him the governorship of Chicora. On reaching his province in 1525, he found the natives hostile. His best ship ran aground in the mouth of the Jordan, and the Indians fell upon him with fury, killing many of the crew. The rest were glad enough to get away with their lives.

7. In 1526 Charles V. appointed DE NARVAEZ governor of Florida. The territory thus placed at his disposal extended from Cape Sable three-fifths of the way around the Gulf of Mexico. De Narvaez arrived at Tampa Bay in April of 1528. His force consisted of two hundred and sixty soldiers and forty horsemen.

The natives treated them with suspicion, and, holding up their gold trinkets, pointed to the north. The hint was eagerly caught at by the Spaniards, whose imaginations were fired with the sight of the precious metal. They struck boldly into the forests, expecting to find cities and empires, and found instead swamps and savages. Crossing the Withlacoochie and the Suwanee, they finally came to Apalachee, a squalid village of forty cabins. This, then, was the mighty city to which their guides had directed them.

8. Oppressed with fatigue and goaded by hunger, they plunged again into the woods and wandered on, until they reached the sea at the harbor of St. Mark's. Here they expected to find their ships, but not a ship was there, or had been. With great labor they constructed some brigantines, and put to sea in hope of reaching the Spanish settlements in Mexico. After shipwrecks and almost endless wanderings, only four miserable men of all the company, under the leadership of the heroic De Vaca, were rescued at the village of San Miguel, on the Pacific coast, and conducted to the city of Mexico.

9. In the year 1537 a new expedition was planned which surpassed all the others in the brilliancy of its beginning and the disasters of its end. FERDINAND DE SOTO was the leader. At his own request, he was appointed governor of Cuba and Florida, with the privilege of exploring and conquering the latter country. great company of young Spaniards flocked to his standard. Of these he selected six hundred of the most gallant and daring. Great preparations were made for the conquest; arms and stores were provided; shackles were wrought for the slaves; tools for the forge and workshop were supplied; twelve priests were chosen to conduct religious ceremonies; and a herd of swine was driven on board to fatten on the maize and mast of the country.

10. Leaving the harbor of San Lucar, the fleet touched at Havana, and the enthusiasm was kindled to a higher pitch than in Spain. De Soto left his wife to govern Cuba during his absence; and after a voyage of two weeks, the ships cast anchor in Tampa Bay. Some of the Cubans who had joined the expedition were terrified at the prospect before them and sailed back to the security of home; but De Soto and his cavaliers despised such cowardice,