Part 2 (1/2)
There ca; His step was heavy on the floor, His ar
He scowled and frowned; he shook the ground; I treth I looked hihty Giant, as I spoke, Grew pale, and thin, and sh his body, as 'twere smoke, I saw the sunshi+ne fall
His blood-red eyes turned blue as skies:-- ”Is this,” I cried, with growing pride, ”Is this the hty foe?”
He sank before my earnest face, He vanished quite away, And left no shadow in his place Between iants come to strike us du man's eyes, And fly the true of heart
Charles Mackay
THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA
Next ust, in the year 1492, Columbus set sail, a little before sunrise, in presence of a vast crowd of spectators, who sent up their supplications to Heaven for the prosperous issue of the voyage, which they wished rather than expected
Columbus steered directly for the Canary Islands, and arrived there without any occurrence that would have deserved notice on any other occasion But, in a voyage of such expectation and importance, every circumstance was the object of attention
As they proceeded, the indications of approaching land seemed to be an to appear in flocks,towards the south-west Coluators, who had been guided in several of their discoveries by the motion of birds, altered his course from due west towards that quarter whither they pointed their flight But, after holding on for several days in this new direction, without any better success than for thirty days but the sea and the sky, the hopes of his companions subsided faster than they had risen; their fears revived with additional force; ie, and despair appeared in every countenance All sense of subordination was lost The officers, who had hitherto concurred with Columbus in opinion, and supported his authority, now took part with the private men; they assembled tumultuously on the deck, expostulated with their coled threats with their expostulations, and required him instantly to tack about and return to Europe Columbus perceived that it would be of no avail to have recourse to any of his for been tried so often, had lost their effect; and that it was impossible to rekindle any zeal for the success of the expedition aenerous senti either gentle or severe eneral and so violent It was necessary, on all these accounts, to soothe passions which he could no longer coive way to a torrent too impetuous to be checked He promised solemnly to his men that he would comply with their request, provided they would accoer, and if, during that time, land were not discovered, he would then abandon the enterprise, and direct his course towards Spain
Enraged as the sailors were, and iain towards their native country, this proposition did not appear to the hi land were now so nu that he dee-line reached the bottoht up indicated land to be at no great distance The flocks of birds increased, and were composed not only of sea-fowl, but of such land-birds as could not be supposed to fly far fro, which seemed to have been newly cut, and likewise a piece of tina took up the branch of a tree with red berries perfectly fresh The clouds around the setting sun assumed a new appearance; the air was ht the wind became unequal and variable Fro near land, that on the evening of the eleventh of October, after public prayers for success, he ordered the sails to be furled, and the shi+ps to lie to, keeping strict watch lest they should be driven ashore in the night During this interval of suspense and expectation, notowards that quarter where they expected to discover the land, which had so long been the object of their wishes
About two hours before ht in the distance, and privately pointed it out to Pedro Guttierez, a page of the Queen's wardrobe Guttierez perceived it, and calling to Salcedo, comptroller of the fleet, all three saw it in motion, as if it were carried froht, the joyful sound of ”Land! Land!” was heard from the Pinta, which kept always ahead of the other shi+ps But, having been so often deceived by fallacious appearances, every uish of uncertainty and i dawned, all doubts and fears were dispelled Froues to the north, whose flat and verdant fields, well stored ood, and watered with htful country
The crew of the Pinta instantly began the _Te Deu to God, and were joined by those of the other shi+ps with tears of joy and transports of congratulation This office of gratitude to Heaven was followed by an act of justice to their commander They threw thes of self-condeled with reverence They inorance, incredulity, and insolence, which had created him so much unnecessary disquiet, and had so often obstructed the prosecution of his well-concerted plan; and passing, in the warmth of their admiration, from one extreme to the other, they now pronounced the man whom they had so lately reviled and threatened, to be a person inspired by Heaven with sagacity and fortitude n so far beyond the ideas and conceptions of all fores
William Robertson: ”The History of America”
THE FIRST SPRING DAY
I wonder if the sap is stirring yet, If wintry birds are drea of a mate, If frozen snowdrops feel as yet the sun, And crocus fires are kindled one by one: Sing, robin, sing!
I still a
I wonder if the spring-tide of this year Will bring another spring both lost and dear; If heart and spirit will find out their spring, Or if the world alone will bud and sing: Sing, hope, to me!
Sweet notes, my hope, sweet notes for memory
The sap will surely quicken soon or late, The tardiest bird will twitter to a ain ar, voice of Spring!
Till I, too, blosso