The Life of Columbus | Page 9

uninviting. It abounds with names, and dates, and
facts; but the names are often hard to pronounce, the dates have
sometimes an air of uncertainty about them, and the facts stand out in
hard relief, dry and unattractive. Could we recall, however, the
voyagers themselves, and listen to their story, we should find it
animating enough. Each enterprise, as we have it now, with its bare
statistics, seems a meagre affair; but it was far otherwise to the men
who were concerned in it. Of the motives[4] impelling men to engage
in such expeditions, something has already been said.
[Footnote 4: "They err who regard the conquistadores as led only by a

thirst for gold, or even exclusively by religious fanaticism. Dangers
always exalt the poetry of life, and moreover, the powerful age which
we here seek to depict in regard to its influence on the development of
cosmical ideas, gave to all enterprises, as well as to the impressions of
nature offered by distant voyages, the charm of novelty and surprise,
which begins to be wanting to our present more learned age in the
many regions of the earth which are now open to us."--Humboldt's
Kosmos. Sabines translation, 1848, vol. ii. p. 272]
AIM OF THE ADVENTURERS.
But besides the hopes and fears of each individual of the crew, the
conjoint enterprise had in it a life to be lived, and a career to be worked
out. It started to do something; fulfilled its purpose, or at least some
purpose; and then came back, radiant with success--from that time
forward to be a great fact in history. Or, on the other hand, there was
some small failure or mischance, perhaps early in the voyage; the
sailors then began to reckon up ill omens, and to say that little good
would come of this business. Further on, some serious misadventure
happened which made them turn, or from the mere lapse of time they
were obliged to bethink themselves of getting back. Safety, not renown
or profit, now became their object; and then hope was at last out the
negative of some fear. Thereupon, no doubt, ensued a good deal of
recrimination amongst themselves, for very few people are
magnanimous enough to share ill-success kindly together. Then, in the
long dull evenings of their voyage homewards, as they sat looking on
the waters, they thought what excuses and explanations they would
make to their friends at home, and how shame and vexation would
mingle with their joy at returning.
CA DA MOSTO.
This transaction, teeming, as it did, with anxious life, makes but a poor
show in some chronicle;--they sailed, and did something, or failed in
doing, and then came back, and this was in such a year:--brief records,
like the entry in an almanack, or the few emphatic words on a
tombstone.

At the period, however, we are now entering upon, the annals of
maritime discovery are fortunately enriched by the account of a
voyager who could tell more of the details of what he saw than we have
hitherto heard from other voyagers, and who was himself his own
chronicler.
In 1454, Ca da Mosto, a young Venetian, who had already gained some
experience in voyaging, happened to be on board a Venetian galley that
was detained by contrary winds at Cape St. Vincent. Prince Henry was
then living close to the Cape. He sent his secretary and the Venetian
consul on board the galley. They told of the great things the prince had
done, showed samples of the commodities that came from the lands
discovered by him (Madeira sugars, dragon's blood, and other articles),
and spoke of the gains made by Portuguese voyagers being as great as
700 or 1000 per cent. Ca da Mosto expressed his wish to be employed,
was informed of the terms that would be granted, and heard that a
Venetian would be well received by the prince, "because he was of
opinion, that spices and other rich merchandise might be found in those
parts, and know that the Venetians understood these commodities better
than any other nation."
In fine, Ca da Mosto saw the prince, and was evidently much impressed
by his noble bearing. He obtained his wishes, and being furnished with
a caravel, he embarked his merchandise in it, and set off on a voyage of
discovery. There was now, for the first time, an intelligent man on
board one of these vessels, giving us his own account of the voyage.
TRADE WITH THE ARABS.
From Ca da Mosto the reader at once learns the state of things with
regard to the slave-trade. The Portuguese factory at Argnim was the
headquarters of the trade. Thither came all kinds of merchandise; and
gold and slaves were taken back in return. The "Arabs" of that district