Ambitious, ardent hopes, and golden dreams, H. MOORE. You must be fond of voyages and travels, because all young people are fond of them: let me, then, say a little about the first voyage round the world. It is but reasonable that I, who talk so freely of my own travels, should, at times, speak of the travels of other people, especially of those who had greater difficulties than others to contend with. A boy may now, very easily, find his way through Sherwood Forest, because the trees have been felled, and a turnpike-road made there; but if he had been called upon to perform the same feat in the days of Robin Hood, he would have found it no easy undertaking. In like manner, it is now comparatively an easy thing to sail round the world, because maps and charts have pointed out the course to be taken, and the dangers to be avoided; but this was not the case in the days of Columbus, when he discovered America. Much greater merit is, therefore, due to our ancient circumnavigators and travellers, than to those of modern date. I would willingly give you an account of all the voyages made round the world, but that would occupy me a week; I will, therefore, give you a short account of the first voyage, and that may, perhaps, induce you to get books and read the remainder. If you have read them all before, never mind that; I never yet heard of any mischief arising from a book being read twice over, when it was worth reading. Columbus, a Genoese in the service of Spain, first conceived the possibility of sailing round the world. In his time, when a ship made a long voyage, it returned back in much the same track in which it had gone before; but Columbus considered, that a vessel might go right forward until it arrived at the place it sailed from, in the same way that a spider, in crawling round the hoop which you bowl with, would, by going straight on, arrive at the spot it started from. Columbus set sail, but he did not circumnavigate N the world, though he discovered America. This was in the year 1492. Between twenty and thirty years after this, Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese, applied to his own government for some recompense for the services he had rendered it by his discoveries in the Indian seas. He, however, obtained no reward, and offered his services to Spain, which accepted them. Magellan fully believed that a passage might be found to the South Sea by some opening on the American coast, and that Columbus was right in his conjecture that the East Indies might be reached by sailing westerly. The Pope had granted to Spain any countries it might discover west of the Atlantic, and the discoverers were to receive a twentieth part of the profits arising from such territories, with other advantages. Five ships were fitted out on this discovery, of which Magellan had the command. Provision, ammunition, and stores, were supplied, sufficient for two years, and the squadron left Seville, August 1st, 1519. Magellan was a bold man, and an experienced sailor, and felt very sanguine of success. Those also who were under his command were in high spirits, having no doubt about returning well laden with gold. Magellan had been a sailor from his early youth, and had, most likely, in his very boyhood, indulged in many an imaginary voyage. Our youthful propensities much influence our years. after The boy may launch his little skiff, But when a man, he guides a ship, And sails around the world. |