Our country in story . oached shyly and touched and felt of thestrangers to make sure that they were real. Then theyfreely offered balls of cotton yarn, tame parrots, and goldornaments to the Spaniards in return for glass beads,small bells, and other shiny trinkets. Columbus noted with joy that these strange people, sounlike any he had ever seen, were a gentle race who wouldreadily be won over to Christianity. Thinking that hehad reached India, he called them Indians. But had Columbus really reached India and landed on 40 OUR COUNTRY IN STORY an island off the eastern coast of Asia? Surely the
Our country in story . oached shyly and touched and felt of thestrangers to make sure that they were real. Then theyfreely offered balls of cotton yarn, tame parrots, and goldornaments to the Spaniards in return for glass beads,small bells, and other shiny trinkets. Columbus noted with joy that these strange people, sounlike any he had ever seen, were a gentle race who wouldreadily be won over to Christianity. Thinking that hehad reached India, he called them Indians. But had Columbus really reached India and landed on 40 OUR COUNTRY IN STORY an island off the eastern coast of Asia? Surely thesedusky people were not clad in Indias richly-dyed silks,or adorned with Indias costly rubies and pearls. Andthough the air was full of pleasant odors, no fragrantspices grew on the trees and bushes, Columbus wassomewhat puzzled, but believed, nevertheless, that he wasin the ocean which the two Franciscans had said was eastof China, and which Marco Polo had described as crowdedwith thousands of spice-producing MAP SHOWING ROUTE OF COLUMBUS S FIRST VOYAGE The great discoverer cruised from island to island,everywhere raising his voice in praise and thanksgivingto God, planting the cross, and taking possession of theland for Spain. He named one island St. Mary of theConception, another Fernandina, and still another Isabella,He coasted for a number of days along the northeasternshore of what is now Cuba, and was greatly delighted withthe beauty of the scenery. This must be Cathay! heexclaimed in an outburst of joy. Were his dreams ofmany years really becoming true? Was this at last thereward of his patient toil and waiting of nearly one-fifthof a century ? Having with him a friendly letter from the sovereignsof Spain for the Great Khan, he at once sent two runnersto seek the famous eastern ruler. The two explorersfound neat villages with spacious houses around which A PATHWAY ACROSS THE ATLANTIC 41 lay fields of corn, potatoes, and tobacco—three plants untilthen unknown
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