"Next drive we o'er the slimy-weeded sea. Lo! herebeneath (another coward cries) The cursed land of sunk Atlantis lies! This slime will suck us down-turn while thou'rt free!

But no! I said, Freedom bears West for me! Yet when the long-time stagnant winds arise,

And day by day the keel to westward flies, My Good my people's Ill doth come to be: Ever the winds into the West do blow; Never a ship, once turned, might homeward go;

Meanwhile we speed into the lonesome main. For Christ's sake, parley, Admiral! Turn, before

We sail outside all bounds of help from pain ! — Our help is in the West, I said once more.

"So when there came a mighty cry of Land! And we clomb up and saw, and shouted strong

Salve Regina! all the ropes along,

But knew at morn how that a counterfeit band

Of level clouds had aped a silver strand; So when we heard the orchard-bird's small song,

And all the people cried, A hellish throng To tempt us onward by the Devil planned, Yea, all from hell - keen heron, fresh green weeds,

Pelican, tunny-fish, fair tapering reeds,
Lie-telling lands that ever shine and die

In clouds of nothing round the empty sky. Tired Admiral, get thee from this hell, and rest!

Steersman, I said, hold straight into the West.

"I marvel how mine eye, ranging the Night, From its big circling ever absently Returns, thou large low Star, to fix on thee.

Maria! Star? No star: a Light, a Light! Wouldst leap ashore, Heart? Yonder burns a Light.

Pedro Gutierrez, wake! come up to me. I prithee stand and gaze about the sea: What seest? Admiral, like as land -a Light! Well! Sanchez of Segovia, come and try: What seest? Admiral, naught but sea and sky!

Well! but I saw It. Wait! the Pinta's gun! Why, look, 't is dawn, the land is clear: 't is done!

Two dawns do break at once from Time's full hand

God's, East-mine, West: good friends, behold my Land!" SIDNEY LANIER.

At daybreak of Friday, October 12 (N. S. October 22), the boats were lowered and Columbus, with a large part of his company, went ashore, wild with exultation. They found that they were on a small island, and Columbus named it San Salvador. It was one of the Bahamas, but which one is not certainly known.

COLUMBUS

BEHIND him lay the gray Azores,

Behind the Gates of Hercules; Before him not the ghost of shores,

Before him only shoreless seas. The good mate said: "Now must we pray, For lo! the very stars are gone. Brave Admiral, speak, what shall I say?" "Why, say 'Sail on! sail on! and on!""

"My men grow mutinous day by day;

My men grow ghastly wan, and weak." The stout mate thought of home; a spray Of salt wave washed his swarthy cheek. "What shall I say, brave Admiral, say,

If we sight naught but seas at dawn?" "Why, you shall say at break of day,

'Sail on! sail on! sail on! and on!""

They sailed and sailed, as winds might blow,
Until at last the blanched mate said:
"Why, now not even God would know
Should I and all my men fall dead.
These very winds forget their way,

For God from these dread seas is gone. Now speak, brave Admiral, speak and say". He said: "Sail on! sail on! and on!"

They sailed. They sailed. Then spake the mate:

"This mad sea shows his teeth to-night. He lifts his lip, he lies in wait,

With lifted teeth, as if to bite!
Brave Admiral, say but one good word:

What shall we do when hope is gone?" The words leapt like a leaping sword:

"Sail on! sail on! sail on! and on!"

Then, pale and worn, he kept his deck,

And peered through darkness. Ah, that night

Of all dark nights! And then a speck –
A light! a light! a light! a light!
It grew, a starlit flag unfurled!

It grew to be Time's burst of dawn.
He gained a world; he gave that world
Its grandest lesson: "On! sail on!"
JOAQUIN MILLER.

Columbus reached Spain again on March 15, 1493, and at once sent word of his arrival to Ferdinand and Isabella, who were at Barcelona. He was summoned to appear before them and was received with triumphal honors. The King and Queen arose at his approach, directed him to seat himself in their presence, and listened with intense interest to his story of the voyage. When he had finished, they sank to their knees, as did all present, and thanked God for this mark of his favor.

15

From its long moonlight reverie. Again: The suave lute ceased to play, the castanet;

The water-bearer stopped, and ceased his song

The wandering troubadour.

Then rent the air

Another joyous peal, and oped the gates
And entered there a train of cavaliers,
Their helmets glittering in the low red moon.
The streets and balconies

All danced with wondering life. The train moved on,

And filled the air again the horns melodious, And loud the heralds shouted:

"Thy name, O Fernando, through all earth shall be sounded,

Columbus has triumphed, his foes are confounded!"

A silence followed.

Could such tidings be? Men heard and whispered,

Eyes glanced to eyes, feet uncertain moved,
Never on mortal ears had fallen words
Like these. And was the earth a star?

On marched the cavaliers,

And pealed again the horns, and again cried The heralds:

"Thy name, Isabella, through all earth shall be sounded,

Columbus has triumphed, his foes are confounded!"

All hearts were thrilled. "Isabella!" That name breathed faith and hope

And lofty aim. Emotion swayed the crowds; Tears flowed, and acclamations rose, and rushed

The wondering multitudes toward the plaza. "Isabella! Isabella!" it filled

The air that one word "Isabella!"

And now

"Tis noon of night. The moon hangs near

the earth

A golden moon in golden air; the peaks
Like silver tents of shadowy sentinels
Glint 'gainst the sky. The plaza gleams and
surges

Like a sea. The joyful horns peal forth again,

And falls a hush, and cry the heralds: —

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The throne, and smiled the queen, and said:

"I see my gems again." The shadow fell, And trilled all night beneath the moon and stars

The happy nightingales.

HEZEKIAH BUTTERWORTH.

Royal favor is capricious and Columbus had his full share of enemies at court. These, in the end, succeeded in gaining the King's ear; Columbus was arrested in San Domingo and sent back to Spain in chains. Isabella ordered them struck off, and promised him that he should be reimbursed for his losses and restored to all his dignities; but the promise was never kept.

COLUMBUS IN CHAINS

[August, 1500]

ARE these the honors they reserve for me, Chains for the man who gave new worlds to Spain!

Rest here, my swelling heart! - O kings, O

queens,

Patrons of monsters, and their progeny, Authors of wrong, and slaves to fortune merely!

Why was I seated by my prince's side, Honor'd, caress'd like some first peer of

Spain?

Was it that I might fall most suddenly From honor's summit to the sink of scandal? "T is done, 't is done! - what madness is

ambition!

What is there in that little breath of men, Which they call Fame, that should induce

the brave

To forfeit ease and that domestic bliss
Which is the lot of happy ignorance,
Less glorious aims, and dull humility?
Whoe'er thou art that shalt aspire to honor,
And on the strength and vigor of the mind
Vainly depending, court a monarch's favor,
Pointing the way to vast extended empire;
First count your pay to be ingratitude,
Then chains and prisons, and disgrace like
mine!

Each wretched pilot now shall spread his sails,

And treading in my footsteps, hail new worlds, Which, but for me, had still been empty visions.

PHILIP FRENEAU.