The world: historical and actual . The roundness of theworld had been philosophically established, the mar-iners compass discovered, and the way prepared forthe circumnavigation of the world; but no oneseemed to have conceived the idea of trying to reachthe farthest east by sailing directly west, untilthat idea took possession of the mind of spent several years in trying to secure the fundsby royal patronage for his voyage. He was repeat-edly refused and rebuffed and almost discouraged. This most memorable of all expeditions sailedfrom Palos August 3, 1492. It was with the ut-most
The world: historical and actual . The roundness of theworld had been philosophically established, the mar-iners compass discovered, and the way prepared forthe circumnavigation of the world; but no oneseemed to have conceived the idea of trying to reachthe farthest east by sailing directly west, untilthat idea took possession of the mind of spent several years in trying to secure the fundsby royal patronage for his voyage. He was repeat-edly refused and rebuffed and almost discouraged. This most memorable of all expeditions sailedfrom Palos August 3, 1492. It was with the ut-most difficulty, toward the last, that Columbus couldkeep his sailors from turning back, but finally, onthe 12th of October, land was discovered andreached. He had found the island of San Salva-dor. The natives received the voyagers with openarms of friendship. They cruised about some days,discovering several islands, including Hayti, or SanDomingo, and Cuba. Supposing he had reachedbhe land for which he had sailed, he called the na-. The argument which he used was that by a shortcut to India immense treasures would be secured,the gospel of Christ extended, and the revenue de-rived be sufficient to equip another crusade againstthe Moslem. That was an age of superstition andavarice, and he held out the inducements mostlikely to be influential. A wealthy Spaniard,Alonzo Pinzon, offered to defray one-eighth of theexpense, and the Queen undertook the fitting outof three vessels for the expedition, pledging, saysthe narrative, her personal jewels. This, however,is quite improbable, for Granada had just fallen, andits plunder had enriched the coffers of both Castileand Aragon. lives Indians, a misnomer which has clung to themever since, and given to the islands discovered thename of West Indies. He returned with manyspecimens of the country, including several of theAborigines. Among the products found and intro-duced into Europe were potatoes, tobacco and In-dian corn. His return was hail
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectworldhistory, bookyea
