Discoverers and Explorers | Page 7

lands he hoped to find, and
reminded them of the wealth and fame this voyage would bring to them.
So they agreed to venture a little farther.
[Illustration: The Pinta.]
At last the compass began to point in a different direction, and the
sailors became almost panic-stricken. They thought they were sailing
straight to destruction, and when they found that Columbus would not
listen to their entreaties they planned a mutiny. Though Columbus
knew what the sailors were plotting, he kept steadily on his course.
Fortunately, signs of land soon began to appear. A branch with berries
on it floated past, a rudely carved paddle was picked up, and land birds
were seen flying over the ships.
A prize had been offered to the sailor who first saw land, and all
eagerly watched for it night and day. At last, early one morning, a gun
was fired from the Pinta, and all knew that land had been sighted. The
sailors were filled with the wildest joy, and crowded around Columbus
with expressions of gratitude and admiration, in great contrast to the
distrustful manner in which they had treated him a few days before.
The land they were approaching was very beautiful. It was a green,
sunny island with pleasant groves in which birds were singing.

Beautiful flowers were blooming all around and the trees were laden
with fruit. The island was inhabited, too, for groups of strange-looking
men were seen running to the shore.
At length the ships cast anchor, the boats were lowered, and Columbus,
clad in rich scarlet and carrying in his hand the royal banner of Spain,
was taken ashore. As soon as he stepped on the beach, Columbus knelt
down and gave thanks to God. He then planted the banner of Spain in
the ground and took possession of the country in the name of Ferdinand
and Isabella.
[Illustration: The Landing of Columbus.]
This island he called San Salvador, because he and his crew had been
saved from a watery grave, and also because October 12 was so named
in the Spanish calendar.
Columbus supposed San Salvador to be one of the islands near the
coast of Asia, but it is one of the Bahamas.
Thus was America discovered on the 12th of October, 1492.
The natives of this island were different from any people the Spaniards
had ever seen. They were of a reddish-brown color, and had high cheek
bones, small black eyes, and straight black hair. They were entirely
naked, and their bodies were greased and painted. Their hair was
decorated with feathers, and many of them were adorned with curious
ornaments.
They were at first very much afraid of the white men and kept far away.
But gradually they lost their fear and brought the Spaniards presents of
bananas and oranges. Some of them gathered courage enough to touch
the Spaniards and pass their hands over them, as if to make certain that
they were real beings. These men, whose skin was so white, they
thought to be gods who had come down from the sky.
When Columbus asked them where they found the gold of which many
of their ornaments were made, they pointed toward the south. Then

Columbus took some of them with him to search for the land of gold.
The next land he reached was the island of Cuba. Thinking that this
was a part of India, he called the natives Indians. He then sailed to Haiti,
which he called Hispaniola, or "Little Spain." For more than three
months Columbus cruised among these islands, where the air was
always balmy, the sky clear, and the land beautiful. The sailors
believed these new lands were Paradise, and wanted to live there
always.
At length, however, they thought of returning to their home and friends.
So, taking several Indians with them, and many curious baskets and
ornaments, they set out on their return voyage.
This voyage proved to be very stormy, and at one time it seemed
certain that the ships would go down; but after a time the sea grew
quiet, and on the 15th of March they sailed again into the little harbor
of Palos.
You can imagine the excitement.
"What! has Columbus returned?" asked the people. "Has he really
found the East by sailing westward?"
"Yes, he has," was the answer. "He has found India."
Columbus was given a royal welcome. The king and queen held a great
celebration in his honor at Barcelona; and when the Indians marched
into court the astonishment of every person was great. The Indians
were half naked; their dark bodies were painted, and their heads were
adorned with feathers. They carried baskets of seed pearls, and wore
strange ornaments of gold. Some carried the skins of wild animals, and
others carried beautiful birds of