 Chapter 17 of A Book of Discovery Now Venice at this time was full of enterprising merchants. such as we hear of in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice. Among these were two Venetians, the brothers Polo. Rumors had reached them of the wealth of the mysterious land of Cathy, of the great Khan, of Europeans making their way as we have seen, through barren wildernesses, across burning deserts in the face of hardships indescribable, to open up a highway to the Far East. So off started Mafio and Nicolo Polo on a trading enterprise, and having crossed the Mediterranean, came with a fair wind and a blessing of God to Constantinople, where they disposed of a large quantity of their merchandise. Having made some money, they directed their way to Boghara, where they fell in, with the Arthartar noblemen, who persuaded them to accompany him to the court of the great Khan himself. They ready for adventure they agreed, and he led them in northeasterly direction. Now they were delayed by heavy snows, now by the swelling of unbridged rivers, so that it was a year before they reached Bekin, which they considered was the extremity of the east. They were courteously received by the great Khan, who questioned them closely about their own land, to which they replied in the tartar language, which they had learned on the way. Now since the days of prior John, there was a new Khan named Kublai, who wished to send messengers to the Pope to beg him to send 100 wise men to teach the Chinese Christianity. He chose the Polo brothers as his envoys to the Pope, and accordingly they started off to fulfill his behest. After an absence of 15 years they again reached Venice. The very year they had left home, Nicolo's wife had died, and his boy, afterwards to become the famous traveler Marco Polo, had been born. The boy was now 15. The stories told by his father and uncle of the far east, and the court of the greatest emperor on earth, filled the boy with enthusiasm. And when in 1271 the brothers Polo set out for their second journey to China, not only were they accompanied by the young Marco, but also by two preaching friars to teach the Christian faith to Kublai Khan. Their journey lay through Armenia, through the old city of Nineveh to Baghdad, where they lost Caliph had been butchered by the tartars. Entering Persia as traders, the Polo family passed on to Ormuz, hoping to take a ship from here to China. But for some unknown reason this was impossible, and the travelers made their way north-eastwards to the country about the sources of the river Oxos. Here young Marco fell sick of a low fever, and for a whole year could not proceed. Resuming their journey at last in high spirits, they crossed the great highlands of the Pamirs, known as the Roof of the World, and descending on cotton found themselves face-to-face with the great Gopi desert. For thirty days the journeyed over the sandy wastes of the silent wilderness, till they came to a city in the province of Tangut, where they were met by messengers from the Khan who had heard of their approach. But it was not till May 1275 that they actually reached the court of Kublai Khan, after their tremendous journey of one thousand days. The preaching friars had long since turned homewards, alarmed at the dangers of the way, so only the three stout-hearted Polos were left to deliver the Pope's message to the ruler of Mongol Empire. The Lord of all the earth, as he was called by his people, received them very warmly. He inquired at once who was the young man with them. My Lord replied, Nicolaus, he is my son and your servant. Then said the Khan, he is welcome, I am much pleased with him. So the three Venetians abode at the court of Kublai Khan. His summer palace was at Chang Tu, called Hanudu by the poet Coloridge. In Hanudu did Kublai Khan a stately pleasure-dome decree, whereup the sacred river ran, through caverns measureless to man, down to a sacred sea, so twice five miles of fertile ground, with walls and towers for a girl drowned. And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills, where blossom many an incense-bearing tree, and here were forests ancient as the hills, enfolding sunny spots of greenery. So the three Venetians abode at the court of the Chinese Emperor, for no less than seventeen years. Young Marco displayed so great intelligence, that he was sent on a mission for the Khan some six months journey distant. And so well did he describe the things he had seen, and the lands through which he had passed, that the Khan heaped on him, owners and riches. Let us hear what Marco says of his Lord and Master. The great Khan, Lord of Lords, named Kublai, is of middle stature, neither too full nor too short. He has a beautiful fresh complexion, his color is fair, his eyes dark. The capital of the Empire, Pekin, two days journey from the sea, and the residence of the court during the month of December, January and February, called out unbounded enthusiasm of the Polos. The city, two days journey from the ocean, in the extreme northeast of Kathi, had been newly rebuilt in the regular square, six miles on each side, surrounded by walls of earth, and having twelve gates. The streets are so broad and so straight, says Marco, that from one gate another is visible. It contains many beautiful houses and palaces, and a very large one in the midst containing a steeple, with a large bell, which at night sounds three times, after which no man must leave the city. At each gate a thousand men keep guard, not from dread of any enemy, but in reverence of the mourner who dwells within it, and to prevent injury by robbers. This square form of Pekin, the great breath of the straight streets, the closing of the gates by sound of a bell, the largest in the world, is noted by all travelers to this far eastern city of Kathi. But greater even than Pekin was the city of King Sai, Hang Chow Fu, the city of heaven in the south of China. It had but lately fallen into the hands of Kublai Khan. And now I will tell you all its nobleness, says Marco, for without doubt it is the largest city in the world. The city is one hundred miles in circumference, it has twelve thousand stone bridges, and beneath the greater part of these a large ship might pass. And you need not wonder there are so many bridges, because the city is holy on the water, and surrounded by it like Venice. The merchants are so numerous and so rich, that their wealth can neither be told nor believed. They and their ladies do nothing with their own hands, but live as delicately as if they were kings. These females also are of most angelic beauty, and live in the most elegant manner. The people are idolaters, subject to the great Khan, and use paper money. They eat the flesh of dogs and other beasts, such as no Christian would touch for the world. In the city too, are four thousand baths, in which the citizens, both men and women, take great delight, and frequently resort thither, because they keep their persons very cleanly. They are the largest and most beautiful bath in the world, in so much, that one hundred of either sex may bath in them at once. Twenty-five miles from the entrance is the ocean, and there is a city named Bo, which has a very fine port, with large ships and much merchandise of immense value, from India and other quarters. But though Marco revels in the description of wonderful cities, he is continually leading us back to the great Khan himself. His festivals were splendid, the tables were arranged so, that the emperor sat higher than all the others, always with his face to the house. His sons and daughters were placed so, that their heads were on a level with his feet. Some forty-thousand people feast on these occasions, but the Khan himself is served only by his great-parents, their mouths wrapped in rich towels, embroidered in gold and silver, that their breath might not blow upon the plates. His presence were on a colossal scale, it was no rare occurrence for him to receive five-thousand camels, one-hundred-thousand beautiful horses, and five-thousand elephants covered with gold and silver. And now I will relate a wonderful thing, says Marco. A large lion is led into his presence, which, as soon as it sees him, drops down, and makes a sign of deep humility, owning him its lord and moving about without a chain. His kingdom was ruled by twelve barons, all living at Peking. His provinces numbered thirty-four, hence their method of communication was very complete. Messengers are sent to diverse provinces, says Marco, and on all the roads they find at every twenty-five miles a post, where the messengers are received. A teacher's a large edifice containing a bed, covered with silk, and everything useful and convenient for a traveler. Here, too, they find full four-hundred horses, whom the prince has ordered to be always inviting, to convey them along the principal roads. Thus they go through the provinces, finding everywhere inns and horses for their reception. Moreover, in the intervals between these stations, at every three miles are erected villages of about forty houses inhabited by food runners, also employed on these dispatches. There are very large girdles set round these bells, which are heard at a great distance. Receiving a letter or packet, one runs full speed to the next village, when his approach being announced by bells, another is ready to start and proceed to the next, and so on. By these pedestrian messengers, the Khan receives news in one day and night, from places ten days journey distant, in two days from those twenty off, and in ten from those a hundred days journey distant. Thus he sends his messengers through all his kingdoms and provinces, to know if any of his subjects have had their corpse injured through bad weather, and if any such injury has happened, he does not accept from them any tribute for that season. Nay, he gives them corn out of his own stores to subsist on. This first European account of China is all so delightful, that it is difficult to know where to stop. The mention of coal is interesting. Throughout the whole province of Cathy, says Marco, are a kind of black stones cut from the mountains in veins, which burn like logs. They maintain the fire better than wood. If you put them on in the evening, they will preserve it the whole night, and it will be found burning in the morning. Throughout the whole of Cathy, this fuel is used. They have also wood, but the stones are much less expensive. Neither can we pass over Marco's account of the wonderful stone bridge, with its twenty-four arches of pure marble across the Broad River, the most magnificent object in the whole world, across which ten horsemen could ride a breast, or the Yellow River, Hong Ho, so large and broad, that it cannot be crossed by a bridge, and flows on even to the ocean, or the wells of mulberry trees throughout the land, on which lived the silkworms that have made China so famous for her silk. Then there are the people famous for their manufacture of fine porcelain there. Great quantities of porcelain eras were here collected into heaps, and in this way exposed to the action of the atmosphere for some forty years, during which time it was never disturbed. By this process it became refined and fitted for manufacture, such as Marco's only allusion to Chinaware. With regard to tea, he is entirely silent. But he is the first European to tell us about the islands of Japan, fifteen hundred miles from the coast of China, now first discovered to the geographers of the West. See Pungu, says Marco, is an island situated at a distance from the mainland. The people are fair and civilized in their manners. They possess precious metals and extraordinary abundance. The people are white of gentle manners, idolaters in religion, and are a king of their own. These folk were attacked by the fleet of Kublai Khan in 1264 for their gold, for the king's house, windows and floors were covered with it. But the king allowed no exportation of it. Thus Marco Polo records in dim outline the existence of land beyond that ever dreamed of by Europeans. Indeed, denied by Ptolemy another geographers of the West. In the course of his service under Kublai Khan, he opened up the eight provinces of Tibet, the whole of Southeast Asia, from Canton to Bengal, and the archipelago of farther India. He tells us, too, of Tibet, the twilight country, vanquished and wasted by the Khan for the space of twenty days' journey. A great wilderness wanting people, but overrun by wild beasts. Here were great Tibetan dogs as large as asses. Still on duty for Kublai Khan, Marco reached Bengal, which borders upon India. But he was glad enough to return to his adopted Chinese home, the richest and most famous country of all the East. At last the Polo family varied of card owners, and they were anxious to return to their own people at Venice. However, the Khan was very unwilling to let them go. One day their chance came. The Persian ruler was anxious to marry a princess of the house of Kublai Khan, and it was decided to send the lady by sea under the protection of the trusted Polos, rather than to allow her to undergo the hardships of an overland journey from China to Persia. So in the year 1292, they bade farewell to the great Kublai Khan, and with the little princess of 17, and her suit, they set sail with an escort of 14 ships for India. Bathed in many islands, with gold and much trade, after three months at sea they reached Java, at this time supposed to be the greatest island in the world, above 3000 miles round. At Sumatra they were detained five months by stress of weather, to at last they reached the bay of Bengal. Sailing on a thousand miles westwards they reached Ceylon, the finest island in the world, remarks Markall. It was not till two years after their start, and the loss of 600 sailors, that they arrived at their destination, only to find that the ruler of Persia was dead. However, they gave the little bride to his son, and passed on by Constantinople to Venice, where they arrived in 1295. And now follows a strange sequel to the story. After their long absence and in their travel-stained garments, their friends and relations could not recognize them, and in vain did they declare that they were indeed the Polos, father, son and uncle, who had left Venice 24 long years ago. It was no use, no one believed their story. So this is what they did. They arranged for a great banquet to be held, to which they invited all their relations and friends. They say attended in robes of crimson satin. Then suddenly Markall rose from the table, and going out of the room, returned with the three-course, travel-stained garments. They ripped open seams, tore out the lining, and a quantity of precious stones, rubies, sapphires, diamonds, and emeralds poured forth. The company were filled with wonder, and when the story spread, all the people of Venice came forth to do honor to their famous fellow-of-countrymen. Markall was surname Markall of the Millions, and never tired of telling the wonderful stories of Kublai Khan, the great emperor, who combined the rude magnificence of the desert with the pomp and elegance of the most civilized empire in the old world. A Book of Discovery by M. B. Singh Chapter 18 The End of Medieval Exploration The two names of Ibn Battuta and Sir John Mandeville now conclude our medieval period of travel to the eastward. Both the Arab and the Englishmen date their travels between the years 1325 and 1355. But while Ibn Battuta, the traveler from Tangiers, adds very valuable information to our geographical knowledge, we have to lay the travel volumes of Sir John Mandeville aside, and acknowledge sadly that his book is made up of borrowed experiences, that he has wantonly added fiction to fact, and distorted even the travel stories told by other travelers. And yet strange to say, while the work of Ibn Battuta remains entirely disregarded, the delightful work of the Englishmen is still read vigorously today, and translated into nearly every European language. In it we read strange stories of Pastor John, the great emperor of India, who is served by seven kings, 72 dukes, and 360 earls. He speaks of the Isle of Kathi. He repeats the legend of the island near Java, on which Adam and Eve wept for 100 years, after they had been driven from paradise. He speaks of giants 30 feet high, and of pygmies who came dancing to see him. We turn to the Arab traveler for a solid document, which rings more true, and we cannot doubt his accounts of shipwreck and hardships encountered by the way. Ibn Battuta left Tangiers in the year 1324, at the early age of 21, on a pilgrimage to Mecca. He made his way across the north of Africa to Alexandria. Here history relates, he met a learned and pious man named Imam. I perceive, said Imam, that you are fond of visiting distant countries. That is so answered Ibn Battuta. Then you must visit my brother in India, my brother in Persia, and my brother in China, and when you see them present my compliments to them. Ibn Battuta left Alexandria, with the resolve to visit these three persons, and indeed, wonderful to say, he found them all three, and presented to them their brother's compliments. He reached Mecca and remained there for three years, after which he voyaged down the Red Sea to Adam, a port of much trade. Coasting along the east coast of Africa, he reached Mombassa, from which port, so soon to fall into the hands of the portages, he sailed to Ormus, a city on the seashore, at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. Here he tells us of the head of a fish, that might be compared to a hill. Its eyes were like two doors, so that people could go in at one eye, and out of other. Crossing central Arabia and the Black Sea, he found himself for the first time in a Christian city, and was much dismayed at all the bells ringing. He was anxious to go north through Russia, to the land of darkness, of which he had heard such wonderful tales. It was a land where there were neither trees, nor stones, nor houses, where dogs with nails in their feet drew little sledges across the ice. Instead he went to Constantinople, arriving at sunset when the bells were ringing so loud, that the very horizon shook with the noise. Ibn was presented to the emperor as a remarkable traveller, and a letter of safe conduct was given to him. He then made his way through Bokhara and Herod, Kandahar and Kabul, or the Hindu Kush and across the Indus to Delhi, the greatest city in the world. But at this time it was a howling wilderness, as the inhabitants had fled from the cruelty of the Turkish emperor. Into his presence our traveller was now called, and graciously received. The Lord of the world appoints you to the office of judge in Delhi, said the emperor. He gives you a dress of honour with a saddle horse, and a large yearly salary. Ibn held this office for eight years, till one day the emperor called him and said, I wish to send you as ambassador to the Emperor of China, for I know that you are fond of travelling in foreign countries. The Emperor of China had sent presents of great value to the Emperor of India, who was now anxious to return the compliment. Quaint indeed were the gifts from India to China. There were all one hundred hybrid horses, one hundred dancing girls, one hundred pieces of cotton stuff, also silk and wool, some black some white, blue-green or blue. There were swords of state and golden candlesticks, silver basins, brocade dresses, and gloves embroidered with pearls. But so many adventurers did Ibn Batuta have on his way to China, that it is certain that none of these things ever reached that country. For eighty miles from Delhi the cavalcade was attacked, and Ibn was robbed of all he had. For days he wandered alone in a forest, living on leaves, till he was rescued, more dead than alive, and carried back to Delhi. The second start was also unfortunate. By a circuitous route he made his way to Calicut, on the Malabar coast, where he made a stay of three months, till the monsoons should permit him to take ship for China. The harbor of Calicut was full of great Chinese ships called junks. These junks struck him as unlike anything he had seen before. The sails are made of caged reed, moving together like a mat, which, when they put into port, they leave standing in the wind. In some of these vessels there will be a thousand men, sailors and soldiers. Built in the ports of China only, they are rowed with large oars, which may be compared to great masts. On board are wooden houses in which the higher officers reside with their wives. The time of the voyage came. Thirteen huge junks were taken, and the imperial presence were embarked. All was ready for a start on the morrow. Ibn stayed on shore, praying in the mosque till starting time. That night a violent hurricane arose, and most of the ships in the harbor were destroyed. Treasurer, crew and officers all perished, and Ibn was left alone and almost penniless. He feared to return to Delhi, so he took ship, which landed him on one of a group of a thousand islands, which Ibn calls one of the wonders of the world. The chief island was governed by a woman. Here he was made a judge, and soon became a great personage. But after a time he grew restless. And set sail for Sumatra. Here at the court of the king, who was a zealous disciple of Mohammed, Ibn met with a kind reception, and after a fortnight provided with provisions, the restless Mohammedan again voyage northwards into the calm sea, or the Pacific, as we call it now. It was so still disturbed by neither wind nor waves that the ship had to be towed by a smaller ship till they reached China. This is a vast country, writes Ibn, and it abounds in all sorts of good things, fruit, corn, gold and silver. It is traversed by a great river, the waters of life, which runs through the heart of China for a distance of six months' journey. It is bordered with villages, cultivated plains, orchards and markets, just like the Nile in Egypt. Ibn gives an amusing account of the Chinese poultry. The cocks and hens are bigger than our geese. I one day bought a hen, he says, which I wanted to boil, but one pot would not hold it, and I was obliged to take two. As for the cocks in China, they are as big as ostriches. Poo cried an honour of Chinese foals. There are cocks in China much bigger than that. And I found he had said no more than the truth. Silk is very plentiful, for the worms which produce it require little attention. They have silk in such abundance that it is used for clothing even by poor monks and beggars. The people of China do not use gold and silver coin in their commercial dealings. Their buying and selling is carried on by means of pieces of paper about the size of the palm of the hand, carrying the seal of the emperor. The Arab traveler has much to say about the superb painting of China. They study and paint every stranger that visits their country, and the portrait they have taken is exposed on the city wall. Thus, should a stranger do anything to make flight necessary, his portrait would be sent out into every province, and he would soon visit China. And he would soon be discovered. China is the safest as well as the pleasantest of all the regions on the earth for a traveler. You may travel the whole nine months journey to which the empire extends without the slightest cause to fear, even if you have treasure in your charge. But it afforded me no pleasure. On the contrary, my spirit was sorely troubled within me to see how paganism had the upper hand. Troubles now broke out among the Khan's family, which led to civil wars and the death of the great Khan. He was buried with great pomp. A deep chamber was dug into the earth, into which a beautiful couch was placed, on which was led the dead Khan with his arms and all his rich apparel, the earth over him being heaped to the height of a large hill. But who to now hurried from their country to Kajang to Samatra, then to Kalikut and by Orman's home to Tangier, where he arrived in 1348. He had done what he set watch to do. He had visited the three brothers of Imam in Persia, India and China. In addition, he had traveled for 24 years and accomplished in all about 75,000 miles. Was him the history of medieval exploration would seem to end? For within 80 years of his death, the modern epoch opens with the energies and enthusiasm of Prince Henry of Portugal. For the last few centuries, we have found all travel undertaken more or less as a religious crusade. So far, during the last centuries, travel had been for the most part by land. Few discoveries had been made by sea. Voyages were too difficult and dangerous. The Phoenicians had ventured far with intrepid courage. The Vikings had tossed furlously over the stormy northern seas to the yet unknown land of America. But this was long ago. Throughout the Middle Ages, hardly a sail was to be seen on the vast Atlantic and Pacific oceans. No ships ventured on what was held to be the Sea of Darkness. No man was emboldened to risk life and money under unknown waters beyond his own safe home. End of chapter 18 Chapter 19 of A Book of Discovery This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org A Book of Discovery by M. B. Sing Chapter 19 Medieval Maps We cannot pass from the subject of medieval exploration without a word on the really delightful, if ignorant, maps of the period, for they illustrate better than any description the state of geography at this time. The Ptolemy map, summing up all the Greek and Roman learning with its longitudes and latitudes, with its shaped continents and its many towns and rivers, indicates the high water mark of a tide that was soon to ebb. With the decline of the Roman Empire and the coming of Christianity, we get a new spirit inspiring our medieval maps, in which Jerusalem, his or two totally obscure, dominates the whole situation. The Christian topography of Cosmas in the 6th century sets a new model. Figures blowing trumpets representing the winds still blow on to the world, as they did in the days of Ptolemy, but the earth is once more flat, and it is again surrounded by the ocean stream. Round this ocean stream, according to Cosmas, is an outer earth, the seat of paradise. The earth beyond the ocean where men dwelt before the flood. Although these maps of Cosmas were but the expression of one man's ideas, they served as a model for others. There is a Turin, a delightful map of the 8th century with the four winds and the ocean stream as usual. The world is divided into three, Asia, Africa and Europe. Adam and Eve stand on the top. To the right of Adam lies Armenia and the Caucasus. To the left of Eve are Mount Lebanon, the River Jordan, Cedon and Mesopotamia. At their feet lie Mount Cannell, Jerusalem and Babylon. In Europe we find a few names, such as Constantinople, Italy, France, Britannia and Scotland, are islands in the Earth's circling sea. Africa is suitably represented by the Nile. Of much the same date is another map known as the Albi, preserved in the library at Albi in Languedoc. The world is square with rounded corners. Britain is an island of the coast of Spain and the beautiful green sea flows round the hole. An example of 10th century map making known as the Cotoniana or Anglo-Saxon map is in the British Museum. Here is a mixture of biblical and classical knowledge. Jerusalem and Bethlehem are in their place and the pillars of Hercules stand at the entrance of the Mediterranean Sea. The British Isles are still distorted and quantities of little unnamed islands lie about the north of Scotland. In the extreme east lies an enormous saloon. In the northeast corner of Asia is drawn a magnificent lion with mane and curling tail. With the words around him here lions abound. Africa as usual is made up of the Nile, Alexandria at its mouth and its source in a lake. There is another form of these early maps. They are quite small and round. They are known as T-Maps being divided into three parts Europe, Asia and Africa. Jerusalem is always in the center and the ocean stream flows round. After the manner of these only on a very large scale is the famous Mapa Mundi by Richard of Haudinghan on the walls of the Hereford Cathedral of the 13th century. Jerusalem is in the center and the crucifixion is there depicted. At the top is the last judgment with the good and bad folk divided on either side. Adam and Eve are there so are the pillars of Hercules, Scula and Caribdies, the red sea-colored red, the Nile and the mountains of the moon, strange beasts and stranger men. With the Hereford map came in that pictorial geography that makes the maps of the later Middle Ages so delightful. This is indeed the true way to make a map, says a modern writer. If these old maps aired in the course of their rivers and the lines of their mountains and space they are not so misleading as your modern atlas with its two accurate measurements. For even your most primitive map with paradise in the east a gigantic Jerusalem in the center gives a less distorted impression than that which we obtain from the most scientific chart of America's projection. End of chapter 19 Chapter 20 of A Book of Discovery This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org A Book of Discovery by M. B. Singh Chapter 20 Prince Henry of Portugal But now a new era was about to begin. A new age was dawning and we opened a wonderful chapter in the history of discovery perhaps the most wonderful in all the world. In Portugal a man had a reason who was to awaken the slumbering world of travel and direct it to the high seas. And the name of this man was Henry a son of King John of Portugal. His mother was an English woman daughter of John of Gaunt time-honored Lungaster. The prince was, therefore, a nephew of Henry IV and great-grandson of Edward of England. But if English blood flowed in his veins he too was the son of the greatest king that ever sat on the throne of Portugal. And at the age of twenty he had already learned something of the sea that lay between his father's kingdom and the northern coast of Africa. Thus, when in the year 1415 King John planned a great expedition across the narrow seas to Tzota an important Moorish city in North Africa. It fell to Prince Henry himself to equip seven threeremies six birremies, twenty-six ships of burden and a number of small craft. These he had ready at Lisbon when news reached him that the queen, his mother, was stricken ill. The three sons were soon at her bedside. It was evident that she was dying. What wind blows so strongly against the side of the house, she asked suddenly. The wind blows from the north, replied her sons. It is the wind most favourable for your departure, replied Philippa. And with these words the English queen died. This is not the place to tell how the expedition started at once when the queen had wished. How Tzota was triumphantly taken and how Prince Henry distinguished himself till all Europe rang with his fame. Henry V of England begged him to come over and take command of his forces. The Emperor of Germany sent the same request. But he had other schemes for his life. He would not fight the foes of England or of Germany. Rather would he fight the great ocean whose waves dashed high the coast of Portugal. He had learned something of inland Africa, of the distant coast of Guinea, and he was fired with the idea of exploring along this west coast of Africa and possibly reaching India by sea. Let us recall what was known of the Atlantic only six centuries ago. It was, says an old writer, a vast and boundless ocean on which ships dared not to venture out of sight of land. For even if the sailors knew the direction of the winds, they would not know whether those winds would carry them. And as there is no inhabited country beyond, they would run great risk of being lost and missed in vapor. The limit of the west is Atlantic Ocean. The ocean was a new and formidable foe, hitherto unconquered and unexplored. At last one had arisen and attempt its conquest. As men had lifted the whale from the unknown land of China, so now the mists were to be cleared from the sea of darkness. On the inhospitable shores of southern Portugal, amid the sadness of a waste of shifting sand, in a neighborhood so barren that only a few astounded trees struggled for existence. On one of the coldest, dreariest spots of sunny Portugal, Prince Henry built his naval arsenal. In this secluded spot, far from the guiotes of court life, with the vast Atlantic rolling measureless and mysterious before him, Prince Henry took up the study of astronomy and mathematics. Here he gathered round him men of science. He built ships and trained Portuguese sailors in the art of navigation, so far as it was known in those days. Then he urged them seawards. In 1418 two gentlemen of his household, Zarco and Vaz, volunteered to sail to Cape Bojador towards the south. They started off and as usual hugged the coast for some way, but a violent storm arose and soon they were driven out to sea. They had lost sight of land and given themselves up for lost when, at break of day, they saw on inland not far off. Delighted at their escape they named it Porto Santo and overjoyed at their discovery hastened back to Portugal to relay their adventures to Prince Henry. They described the fertile soil and delicious climate of the newly found island, the simplicity of its inhabitants and they requested leave to return and make a Portuguese settlement there. To reward them Prince Henry gave them three ships and everything to ensure success in their new enterprise. But unfortunately he added a rabbit and her family. These were turned out and multiplied with such astonishing rapidity that in two years time they were numerous enough to destroy all the vegetation of the island. So Porto Santo was colonized by the Portuguese and one Perestrilo was made governor of the island and it is interesting to note that his daughter became the wife of Christopher Columbus. But the original founders Zarco and Vaz had observed from time to time a dark spot on the horizon which aroused their curiosity. Sailing towards it they found an island of considerable size, uninhabited and very attractive but so covered with woods that they named it Madeira the island of woods. But although these two islands were very beautiful today and although Portugal claimed their discovery it has been proved that already an Englishman and his wife had been there and the names of the islands appear on an Italian map of 1851. The story of this first discovery is very romantic. In the reign of Edward a young man named Robert Macin sailed away from Bristol with a very wealthy lady. A northeast wind carried them out of their course and after thirteen days driving before a storm they were cast on to an island. It was uninhabited and well-wooded and watered. But the sufferings and privations proved too much for the poor English lady who died after three days and Macin died a few days later of grief and exposure. The crew of the ship sailed away to the coast of Africa there to be imprisoned by the Moors. Upon their escape in 1416 they made known their discovery. So Zarco and Vaz divided the island of Madeira calling half of it Funchal, the Portuguese for Feno which grew here in great quantities. And the other half Machitzo after the poor English discovery Macin. The first two Portuguese children born in the island of Madeira were called Adam and Eve. Year after year Prince Henry launched his little ships on the yet unknown uncharted seas urging his captains to venture farther and even farther. He launched for them to reach Cape Bojador and bitter was his disappointment when one of his squires dismayed by traveller's tales turned back from the cannery islands. Go out again urged enthusiastic Prince and give no heed to their opinions for by the grace of God you cannot fail to derive from your voyage both honour and profit. And the squire went forth from the commanding presence of the Prince resolved to double the Cape which he successfully accomplished in 1434. Seven years passed away till in 1441 two men, Gonzalez, master of the wardrobe a strange qualification for difficult navigation and Nuno Tristam a young knight started force on the Prince's service with orders to pass Cape Bojador where a dangerous surf breaking on the shore had terrified other navigators. There was a story too that any man who passed Cape Bojador would be changed from white into black that there were sea monsters sheets of burning flame beyond. The young knight Tristam discovered the white headland beyond Cape Bojador named it Cape Blanco and took home some moors of high rank to the Prince. A large sum was offered for the ransom so Gonzalez conveyed them back to Cape Blanco and coasted along to the south discovering the island of Arqueen of the Cape Verde group and reaching the neighbourhood of Sierra Leone reached by Hano many centuries before this. Here he received some gold dust and with this and some thirty negroes he returned to Lisbon where the strange black negroes caused the most lively astonishment among the people. The small quantity of gold dust created a sensation among the Portuguese explorers and the spirit of adventure grew. No longer had the Prince to urge his navigators force to new lands and new seas they were already unwilling to go for the reward was now obvious. The news was soon noised abroad and Italians then reckoned among the most skillful seamen of the time flocked to Portugal anxious to take service under the Prince. Love of gain was the magic wand that drew them on and on into unknown leaks of waters into wild adventures and desperate affrays. The navigator himself looked beyond these things. He would find a way to India he would teach the heathen to be Christians. He was always ready to welcome these with superior knowledge of navigation so in 1454 he sent an Italian known to history as Cadamosto to sail the African seas. The young Venetian was by 21 and he tells his story simply. Now I, Luigi Cadamosto had sailed nearly all the Mediterranean coasts but being caught by a storm of Cape St. Vincent had to take refuge in the Prince's town and was there told of the glorious and boundless conquest of the Prince the witch did exceedingly stir my soul eager as I was for gain above all things else. My age, my vigor, my skill are equal to any toil above all my passionate desire to see the world and explore the unknown set me all on fire with eagerness. In 1455 Cadamosto sailed from Portugal for Madeira, now sickly people with Portuguese. From Madeira to the Canaries from the Canaries to Cape Blanco natives black as moles were dressed in white-flowing robes with turbans wound round their heads. Here was a great market of Arab traders from the interior. Here were camels laden with brass, silver and gold as well as slaves innumerable. But Cadamosto pushed on for some 400 miles by the low, sandy shore to the Senegal River. The Portuguese had already sailed by this part of the coast and the Negroes had sought their ships to be the great birds from afar cleaving the air with their white wings. When the cruise forwarded their sails and drew into shore, the natives changed their minds and so they were fishes and all stood on the shore gazing stupidly at this new wonder. Cadamosto landed and pushed some 250 miles up the Senegal River where he set up a market exchanging cotton and clothes for gold while the Negroes came stupidly crowning round me wondering our white color which they tried to wash off our garments of black silk and robes of blue clothes. Joined by two other ships from Portugal, the Italian explorer now sailed on to Cape Verde so cold from its green grass. The land here, he tells us, is all low and full of fine large trees which are continually green. The trees never wither like those in Europe. They grow so near the shore that they seem to drink the water of the sea. The coast is most beautiful. Many countries have I been in to east and west but never did I see a prettier sight. But the Negroes here, big, comely men were lawless and impossible to approach shooting at the Portuguese explorers with poisoned arrows. They discovered that the capital of the country was called Gambra where lived a king but the Negroes of the Gambra were unfriendly. There was little gold to be had. His cruise fell sick and ill and Cademosto turned home again. But he had reached a point beyond all other explorers of the time. A point where only once did we see the North Star which was so low that it seemed almost to touch the sea. We know that he must have been to within eleven degrees of the equator and it is disappointing to find the promising young Italian disappearing from the sea of history. And now we come to the last voyage planned by Prince Henry that of Diego Gomez his own faithful servant. It followed close on Cademosto's return. No long time after the prince equipped a ship called the Vren and set over it Diego Gomez with two other ships of which he was commander in chief. Their orders were to go as far as they could Gomez wrote his own travels and his adventures are best told in his own words. We take up his story from the far side of Cape Blanco. After passing a great river beyond Rio Grande we met such strong currents in the sea that no anchor could hold. The other captains and their men were much alarmed thinking we were at the end of the ocean and begged me to put back. In the mid currents the sea was very clear and the natives came off from the shore and brought us their merchandise. As the current grew even stronger we put back and come to a land where we are groves of palms near the shore with their branches broken. There we found a plain covered with hay and more than 5,000 animals like stags but larger who showed no fear of us. Five elephants with two young ones came out of a small river arranged by trees. We went back to the ships and next day made our way from Cape Verde and saw the broad mouth of a great river which we entered and guessed to be the Gambia. We went up the river as far as Cantor some 500 miles. Farther than this the ships could not go because of the thick groves of trees and underwood. When the news spread through the country that the Christians were in Cantor they came back to the north from Mount Gelu in the south. Here I was told there is gold in plenty and caravans of camels crossed over there with goods from Cartage, Tunis, Fez, Cairo and all the land of the Saracens. I asked the natives of Cantor about the road to the gold country. They told me the king lived in Cookia and was lord of all the mines on the right side of the river of Cantor and that he had before the door of his palace a mass of gold just as is what is taken from the earth so large the twenty men could hardly move it and that the king always fastened his horse to it. While I was thus trafficking with these negroes my men became worn out with the heat and so we returned towards the ocean. But Diego Gomez succeeded in making friends with the hostile natives of this part. He left behind him a better idea of Christian men than some of the other explorers had done. His own account of the conversion of the Mohammedan king who lived near the mouth of the river Gambia which was visited on the return voyage is most interesting. Now the houses here are made of seaweed covered with straw and while I stayed here at the river mouse three days I learned all the mischiefs that had been done to the Christians by a certain king so I took pains to make peace with him and sent him many presents by his own men in his own canoes. Now the king was in great fear of the Christians lest they should take vengeance upon him. When the king heard that I had always treated the natives kindly he came to the riverside with great force and sitting down on the banks sent for me and so I went and paid him all respect. There was a bishop there of his own face who asked me about the god of the Christians and I answered him as god had given me to know. At last the king was so pleased with what I had said that he sprang to his feet and ordered the Mohammedan bishop to leave his country within three days. So when the Portuguese returned home Prince Henry sent a priest and a young man of his own household to the black king at the mouth of the Gambia this was in 1458. In the year of our lord 1460 Prince Henry fell ill in the town of Capescent Vincent says his faithful explorer and servant Diego Gomez and of that sickness he died. Such was the end of the man who has been called the originator of modern discovery. What had he done? He had inspired and financed the Portuguese navigators to sail for some 2,000 miles down the West African coast from his way washed home he inspired the courage of his men and planned their voyages and by the purity of his actions and the devotion of his life really lived up to his inspiring motto talent the bien-faire and more than this for each successive discovery had been carefully noted at the famous sacred settlement and this had been worked up by an Italian monk named Framauro who had been called an Italian monk named Framauro into an enormous wall-map over six feet across crammed with detail the work of three years incessant labor. Chapter 21 of A Book of Discovery this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org A Book of Discovery by M. B. Sing Chapter 21 Bartolomeu Diaz reaches the stormy Cape but though Prince Henry was dead the enthusiasm he had aroused among Portuguese navigators was not dead and Portuguese ships still stole force by two's and three's to search for treasure down the West African coast in 1462 they reached Sierra Leone the farthest point attained by Hano of olden days each new headland was now taken in the name of Portugal wooden crosses already marked each successive discovery and many a tree near the coast bore the motto of Prince Henry carved roughly on its bark Portugal had officially claimed this kingdom of the seas as it was called and henceforth stone crosses some six feet high the name of the navigator and the date of discovery marked each newly found spot it was not until 1471 that the navigators unconsciously crossed the equator into a new heaven a new earth they saw stars unknown in the northern hemisphere and the northern pole star sunk nearly out of sight another 13 years a night of the king's household found the mouth of the Congo and erected a great Portuguese pillar on the famous spot it was in the year 1484 that Diego Kamm was ordered to go as far to the south as he could he crossed the equator which for past years had been the limit of knowledge and continuing southwards he reached the mouth of the mighty river Congo now known as the second of all the African rivers for size the explorer ascended the river falling in with peacefully inclined natives but they could not make themselves understood so Kamm took back four of them to Portugal where they learned enough Portuguese to talk a little they were much struck with Portugal and the kind treatment they received from the king who sent them back to their country laden with presents for their black king at home so with Diego Kamm they all sailed back to the Congo river they were received by the king in royal state seated on a throne of ivory raised on a lofty wooden platform he could be seen from all sides his black and glittering skin shining out above a piece of damask given to him to wear by the Portuguese explorer from his shoulder hung a dressed horses tail a symbol of royalty on his head was a cap of palm leaves it was here in this Congo district that the first Negro was baptized in the presence of some 25,000 heathen comrades the ceremony was performed by Portuguese priests and the Negro king ordered all idols to be destroyed throughout his dominions here too a little Christian church was built and the king and queen became such earnest Christians that they sent their children to Portugal to be taught the discoveries of Diego Kamm pale before the great achievement of Bartolomu Diaz who was now to accomplish the great task which Prince Henry the Navigator had yearned to see fulfilled the rounding of the Cape of Storms the expedition set sail for the south in August 1486 passing the spot where Diego Kamm had erected his farthest pillar Diaz reached a headland now known as Diaz Point where he too placed a Portuguese pillar that remained and broken till about a hundred years ago still to the south he sailed struggling with wind and weather to Cape Voltas close to the mouth of the Orange River then for another fortnight the little ships were driven before the wind south and ever south with half reefed sails and no land in sight long days and longer nights passed to find them still drifting in an unknown sea knowing not what an hour might bring forth at last the great wind ceased to blow and it became icy cold they had sailed to the south of South Africa steering north Diaz now fell in with land land with cattle near the shore and cohorts tending them but the black cohorts were so alarmed at the sight of the Portuguese that they fled away inland we now know what neither Diaz nor his crew even suspected that he had actually rounded without seeing the Cape of Good Hope the coast now turned eastward till a small island was reached in a bay we now call Algoa Bay here Bartolomiu Diaz set up another pillar with its cross and inscription naming the rock Santa Cruz this was the first land beyond the Cape ever trodden by European feet unfortunately the natives kafirs threw stones at them and it was impossible to make friends and to land the crews too began to complain they were worn out with continual work weary for fresh food terrified at the heavy seas that broke on these southern shores with one voice that protested against proceeding any farther but the explorer could not bear to turn back he must sail onwards now just three days more and then if they found nothing he would turn back they sailed on and came to the mouth of a large river the great fish river against the keen explorer would sail on and add to his already momentous discoveries but the crews again began their complaints and deeply disappointed Diaz had to turn when he reached the little island of Santa Cruz and bade far well to the cross which he had there erected it was with grief as intense as if he were leaving his child in the wilderness with no hope of ever seeing him again to him it seemed as though he had endured all his hardships in vain he knew not what he had already accomplished as yet but his eyes were soon to be opened sailing westward Diaz at last came in sight of the remarkable Cape hidden from the eyes of man for so many centuries remembering their perils past he called it the Stormy Cape and hastened home to the king of Portugal with his great news the king was overjoyed but he refused to name it the Cape of Storms would not such a name deter the semen of the future was not this the long sought passage to India rather it should be called the Cape of Good Hope the name which it has held throughout the centuries in the course of one voyage Diaz had accomplished a great task which for the past 70 years Prince Henry had said before his people he had lifted for the first time in the history of the world the whale that had hung over the mysterious extremity of the great African continent the Phoenicians may have discovered it some 1700 years before Diaz but the record of tradition alone exists now is the new art of printing which was transforming the whole aspect of life the brilliant achievement of Bartholomew Diaz was made known far and wide it was shortly to be followed by a yet more brilliant feat by a yet more brilliant navigator the most illustrious that the world has seen the very name of Christopher Columbus calls up the vision of a resolute man beating right out into the westward unknown seas and finding as his great reward a whole new continent a new world of whose existence mankind had hardly dreamed End of Chapter 21 Chapter 22 of a book of discovery this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org a book of discovery by M. B. Sing Chapter 22 Christopher Columbus Every event in the eventful life of Christopher Columbus is of supreme interest we linger over all that leads up to the moment to start westwards where you call his birth and early life at Genoa towards the middle of the 15th century his apprenticeship to his father as a weaver of clothes his devotion to the sea his love of the little sailing ships set past in and out of the busy Genoese harbor from all parts of the known world at the age of 14 the little Christopher went at sea a red-haired sunburned boy with bright blue eyes he learned the art of navigation his so foreign countries he learned to chart the seas he possibly worked with some of the noted Italian draughtsmen at the age of 28 in 1474 he left Genoa for Portugal famous throughout the world for her recent discoveries though as yet the stormy cape lay availed in mystery Columbus wanted to learn all he could about these discoveries he made voyages to Guinea, Madeira and Porto Santo he also went to England in 1477 he was now a recognized seaman of distinction with gorgeous manners and fine appearance he set himself to study maps and charts at Lisbon giving special attention to instruments for making observations at sea for many long years he had been revolving a scheme for reaching India by sailing westward instead of the route by Africa the more he studied the things the more convinced he became he was right what if wise men had as far back as Ptolemy judged that the earth like an orange was round none of them ever said come along follow me sail to the west and the east will be found it was not till the year 1480 that Columbus proposed to the king of Portugal his idea of sailing westwards he explained his reasons how there were grounds for sinking there was an unknown land to the west how artistically structured pieces of wood had been driven across the ocean by the west wind suggesting islands not yet discovered how once the corpses of two men with broad faces unlike Europeans had been washed ashore how on the west coast of Ireland seeds of tropical plants had been discovered the king listened and was inclined to believe Columbus but his consulers persuaded him to get from the genuese navigator his plans and while they kept Columbus waiting for the king's answer they sent off some ships privately to investigate the whole matter the ships started westward encountered great storm and returned to Lisbon scoffing at the scheme of the stranger when this news reached his ears Columbus was very angry he would have nothing more to do with Portugal but left that country at once for Spain to appeal to the king and queen of that land Ferdinand and Isabella were busy with affairs of state and could not give audience to the man who was to discover a new world it was not till 1491 that he was summoned before the king and queen once more his wild scheme was laughed at and he was dismissed by the court not only was he again indignant but his friends were indignant too they believed in him and would not rest till they had persuaded the queen to take up his cause he demanded a good deal he must be made admiral and visceral of all the new seas and lands he might discover and was receiving a large portion of his gains the queen was prevailed on to provide means for her expedition and she became so enthusiastic over it that she declared she would sell her own jewels to provide the necessary supplies Columbus was created admiral of the ocean in all the islands and continents he might discover two little ships were made ready and it seemed as though the dream of his life might be fulfilled the explorer was now 46 his red hair had become grey was waiting and watching for the possibility of realizing his great scheme at last the preparations were complete the Santa Maria was to lead the way with the admiral on board John's burden with the high poop and forecastle it had been difficult enough to find a crew men were shy about venturing with the stranger from Genoa on unknown seas and it was a motley party that finally took service under Columbus the second ship, the Pinta was about half the size of the flagship she had a crew of 18 and was the fastest sailor of the little squadron while the third, the Ninja also carried 18 men on third of August 1492 the little fleet sailed force from Spain on a quest more perilous perhaps than any yet on record no longer could they sail along with the coast always in sight day after day and night after night they must sail on an unknown sea in search of an unknown land no one ever expected to see them again it has well been said that looking back at all that has grown out of it in the 4th centuries that have elapsed we now know that the sailing of those three little boats over the bar was since the fall of Rome the most momentous event in the world's history the ship steered for the Canary Islands and it was not till 9th of the September that the last land faded from the eyes of that daring little company something of a panic among the sailors ensued when they realized their hopeless position some even burst into tears begging to be taken home the days passed on by the 16th they had come within the influence of the trade winds the weather was like April says Columbus in his journal still westward they sailed eagerly looking for signs of land now they see two pelicans an indication that land was near now a large dark cloud to the north another sign that land is near as the days pass on their hopes die away and the temper of the cruise was getting uglier and uglier as the three little vessels forged westward through the blue weeds through waters on 9th October hope revives all night they hear birds passing through the still air on the evening of the 11th a light was seen glimmering in the distance from the high stern deck of the Santa Maria it could be plainly seen and when the sun rose on that memorable morning the low shores of a land a few miles distant could be plainly seen sea birds are wailing overhead heedless of the intruders but on the shore human beings are assembling to watch the strange birds which now spread their wings and sail towards the island the Pinta Leeds and her crew are rising the Tedeum the crews of the Santa Maria and the Ninja join in the solemn chant and many rough men brush away tears Columbus the two pinzons and some of the men step into the cutter and route to the shore Columbus fully armed under his scarlet cloak sprang a shore the unclothed natives fleeing away at sight of the first white man who had ever stepped on their shores then unfurling the royal standard of Spain and setting up a large cross the great navigator fell on his knees and gave thanks to God for this triumphant ending of his perilous voyage he named the island San Salvador and formally took possession of it for Spain it was one of the Bahama group and is now known as Lottling Island British thus was the mighty enterprise achieved, mighty in its conception, still more important in its results but Columbus thought he had discovered the Indies a new route to the east and the Kathy of Marco Polo he had done more than this he had discovered another continent he had sailed over 3,000 miles without seeing land a feat and paralleled in the former history of discovery he made friends with the natives who resemble those of the Canary Islands I believe they would easily become Christians, wrote Columbus if it pleased our Lord at the time of my departure I will take six from here that they may learn to speak he also notes that they will make good slaves from island to island he now made his way, guided by natives he hoped to find gold he hoped to find Kathy for he had a letter from Perdinand and Isabella to deliver to the great Can the charm and beauty of these enchanted islands were a source of joy to the explorer the singing of the little birds is such that it appears a man would wish never to leave here and the flocks of pirates obscures the sun the island of Cuba seemed like heaven itself but Columbus could not forget that he was searching for gold for oriental spices for the land of Marco Polo as he hastened from point to point from island to island already the Pintia and their Martian Pinzon had gone off independently in search of a vague land of gold to the vexation of the admiral a war's disaster was now to befall him on Christmas day of the island of Haiti the Santa Maria struck upon a reef and went over Columbus and his crew escaped on board the little Ninja but she was too small to carry home the double crew and Columbus made a little fortress on the island where the native king was friendly and there a little colony of Spaniards he now prepared for the homeward voyage and on January day in 1493 he left the newly discovered islands and set his face for home in company with the Pinta which by this time had returned to him for some weeks they got on fairly well then the wind rose a violent storm came on the sea was terrible the waves breaking right over the little ships which tossed about helplessly for long days and nights suddenly the Pinta disappeared the wind and sea increased the little 40 ton Ninja was in extreme peril and the crew gave themselves up for lost their provisions were nearly finished Columbus was agonized lest he should perish and the news of his great discovery should never reach Spain taking a piece of parchment he noted down as best he could amid the tossing of the ship a brief account of his work and wrapping it in a waxed clothes he put it into an empty cask and threw it overboard then while the mountainous sea threatened momentary destruction he waited and prayed slowly the storm abated and on 18th February they reached the Azores a few days for refreshment and on he sailed again furiously anxious to reach Spain his great news but on 3rd March the wind again rose to hurricane and death stared the crew in the face still and their bare poles and in a heavy cross sea they scutted on until they reached the mouth of the Tagus the news of his arrival soon spread and excited crowds hurried to see the little ship that had crossed the fierce Atlantic Bartolomio Diaz came aboard the Ninja and for a short time the two greatest explorers of their century were together an enthusiastic welcome awaited him in Spain was he not the admiral of the ocean sea visceral of the western Indies the only man who had crossed the unknown for the sake of a cherished dream seven months had passed since Columbus had sailed from Spain in the dim light of that summer morning now he was back through tempestous seas he had guided his ship well and Spain knew how to do him honor his journeys from the coast to the court was like a royal progress the roads were lined with excited people the air was rent with shouts of joy on Palm Sunday 1493 he passed through the streets of Seville a procession preceded him in which walked the six natives or Indians as they were called returned home by Columbus parrots and other birds with strange and radiant coloring were also born before the triumphant explorer who himself rode on horseback among the mounted chivalry of Spain from windows and roofs a dense strong watched Christopher Columbus as he rode through the streets of Seville from here he passed on to Barcelona to be received by the king and queen the city decked herself to meet me, roared by a name the king, the queen let me be seated speak and tell them all the story of my voyage and while I spoke the crowd's roar fell as at the peace be still and once I ceased to speak the king, the queen, sang from their thrones and melted into tears and knelt and lifted hand and heart and voice in praise to God who led me through the west and then the great Laudamus rose to heaven it is curious to think what a strange mistake caused all their rejoicing not only Spain but the whole civilized world firmly believed that Columbus had discovered some islands of the coast of Asia not far from the land of the great Khan in the Indian seas hence the islands were called the West Indies which names they have kept to this day End of Chapter 22 Chapter 23 of A Book of Discovery This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org A Book of Discovery by M. B. Sing Chapter 23 A Great New World The departure of Columbus six months later on his second voyage was a great contrast to the uncertain start of a year ago The new fleet was ready by September 1493 The three largest ships were some 400 tons burden with 14 smaller craft and crews of 15,000 men There was no dwarves of volunteers this time Highborn Spaniards thirsting for the wealth of the Indies offered their services while Columbus took his brother James and a Benedictine monk chosen by the Pope They took orange and lemon seeds for planting in the new islands Horses, pigs, bulls, cows, sheep and goats besides fruit and vegetables So full of hope and joyful expectation they set sail And so well had Columbus calculated his distance and direction with but imperfect instruments at his disposal that he arrived at the islands again on 3rd of November It was another new island which he named Dominica as the day was Sunday Making for the island of Haiti where he had left his little Spanish colony he passed many islands naming Quadaloupe, Saint Martin, Santa Cruz and others Puerto Rico was also found but they arrived at Haiti to find no trace of Spaniards Disaster had overtaken the colony and the deserted men had been killed by the natives who had apparently been so friendly Another spot was selected by Columbus and a town was soon built to which he gave the name of Isabella This is not the place to tell of the miserable disputes and squabbles that befell the little Spanish colony We are here concerned with the fuller exploration of the West Indies by Columbus Taking three ships, provisioned for six months with a crew of 52, he set out for the coast of Cathy He found the island of Jamaica with its low hazy blue coast of extreme beauty Still convinced that he was near the territory of the Great Khan he explored the coast of Cuba not realizing that it was unhighland He sailed about among the islands till he became very ill fever seized him and at last his men carried him ashore at Isabella thinking that he must die He recovered to find a discontented colony members of which had already sent back stories to Spain of the misdeeds of their founder Columbus made up his mind to return to Spain to carry a true report of the difficulties of colonization in the Indies It was June 1496 before he found himself again in the harbor of Cadiz People had crowded down to greet the great discoverer but instead of a joyous crew flushed with new success with golden indies a feeble train of wretched men crawled on shore sin, miserable and ill Columbus himself was dressed as a monk in a long gown, girded with a cord His beard was long and unshaven The whole man was utterly broken down with all he had been through But after a stay of two years in Spain Columbus again started off on his third voyage With six ships he now took to a more southerly direction hoping to find land to the south of the West Indies As this he did, but he never lived to know that it was the great continent of South America Through scorching heat which melted the tar of their rigging they sailed onwards till they were rewarded by the sight of land at last Columbus had promised to dedicate the first land he saw to the Holy Trinity The land appeared from which arose three distinct peaks which he at once named La Trinidad The luxurients of the island pleased the Spaniards and as they mained their way slowly along the shore their eyes rested for the first time and unconsciously on the mainland of South America It appeared to the explorer as a large island which he called Isla Santa Here oysters abounded and parrots as large as hens Between the island and the mainland lay a narrow channel through which flowed a mighty current While the ships were anchoring here a great flood of fresh water came down with a great roar nearly destroying the little Spanish ships and greatly alarming both Columbus and his men It was one of the mouths of the river Orinoco to which they gave the name of the dragon's mouth The danger oars they sailed on with the beautiful shores the sight of the distant mountains and the sweetness of the air Columbus decided that this must be the center of the earth's surface and with its mighty rivers Surely it was none other that the earthly paradise with the rivers of the Garden of Eden that some of the fathers had declared to be situated in the extreme east of the old world and in a region so high that the flood had not overwhelmed it The world then said Columbus could not be a perfect round but pure shaped With these conclusions he casted across the high tea where his brother was ruling over the little colony in his absence but treachery and mutiny had been at work matters had gone ill with the colony and Columbus did not improve the situation by his presence He was a brilliant navigator but no statesman Complaints reached Spain and a Spaniard was sent out to replace Columbus This high-handed official at once put the poor navigator in chains and placed him on board a ship bound for Spain Queen Isabella was overwhelmed with grief when the snowy-haired explorer once again stood before her his face lined with suffering He was restored to royal favor and provided the ships to sail forth on his fourth and last voyage but his hardships and perils had told upon him and he was not really fit to undertake the long voyage to the Indies However, he arrived safely off the coast of Honduras and searched for the straits that he felt sure existed but each were not to be found till some 18 years later by Magellan The natives brought him coconuts which the Spaniards now tasted for the first time They also brought merchandise from far land denoting some high civilization Columbus believed that he had reached the Golden East when the gold had been obtained for Solomon's Temple Had Columbus only sailed west he might have discovered Mexico with all its wealth and a succession of splendid discoveries would have shed fresh glory on his declining age instead of his sinking amidst gloom neglect and disappointment At the Isthmus of Darien Columbus gave up the search He was weary of the bad weather Incessant downpours of rain storms of thunder and lightning with terrific seas these discouraged him Disaster followed disaster The food was nearly finished The biscuit was so full of maggots that the people could only eat in the dark when they were not visible Columbus himself seemed to be at the point of death Never, he wrote Was the sea scene so high, so terrific so covered with foam the waters from heaven never ceased It was like a repetition of the deluge He reached Spain in 1504 to be carried ashore on a litter and to learn that the Queen of Spain was dead He was friendless, penniless and sick unto death After twenty years of toil and peril he says beautifully he found a roof in Spain Bedridden and alone cast off put by scouted by Count and King the first discoverer starves And so the brilliant navigator Christopher Columbus passed away all unconscious of the great new world he had reached Four centuries have passed away but when shall the world forget the glory and the debt indomitable soul immortal genuese Not while the shrewd salt gale winds him in shroud and sail about the rhythmic droll and thunder of the seas It has been well said injustice was not buried with Columbus and soon after his death an attempt was made and made successfully to names in your world after another a Florentine pilot, Amerigo Vespucci It was but natural that when the first discoveries of the Columbus of land to westward had been made known that others should follow in the track of the great navigator Amongst these was a handsome young Spaniard one Hoyeda who had accompanied Columbus on his second voyage Soon after he fitted out an expedition 1499 reaching the mainland of the yet unknown continent near the Trinidad of Columbus with him was Amerigo Vespucci Here they found a native village with houses built of tree trunks and connected by bridges It was so like a bit of old Venice that the explorers named it Little Venice or Venezuela which name it the earth today Nothing was publicly known of this voyage till a year after the death of Columbus when men had coasted further to the south of Venezuela and discovered that this land was neither Asia nor Africa that it was not the land of Marco Polo but a new continent indeed It is proper to call it a new world says Amerigo Vespucci Men of old said over and over again that there was no land south of the equator but this last voyage of mine has proved them wrong since in southern regions I have found a country more sickly inhabited by people and animals than our Europe or Asia or Africa These words among others and an account of his voyages published in Paris 1507 created a deep impression A letter from Columbus announcing his discoveries had been published in 1498 but he said nothing because he knew nothing of a new world Men therefore said that Amerigo Vespucci had discovered a new continent where for the new continent ought to be called America from its discoverer Amerigo a man of rear ability in as much as Europe and Asia derived their names from women Chapter 24 of a book of discovery This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org A book of discovery by MB Singh Chapter 24 was called The Gama Reaches India Thus the name of America was gradually adopted for the new world though the honor and glory of its first discovery must always belong to Christopher Columbus But while all this wonderful development westwards was thrilling the minds of men other great discoveries were being made to the east wither the eyes of the Portuguese were still straining Portugal had lost Columbus she could lay no claim to the shores of America discovered by Spaniards but the steward to India by the east was yet to be found by one of her explorers Vasco da Gama His achievement stands out brilliantly at this time for within a few years of the discovery of the new world he had been able to tell the world that India and the east could be reached by the cape of good hope The dream of Prince Henry the navigator was fulfilled How Vasco da Gama was chosen for the great command has been graphically described by a Portuguese historian whose words are received with caution by modern authorities The king of Portugal Don Manuel having set his kingdom in order being inspired by the lord took the resolution to inform himself about the affairs of India He knew that the province of India was very far away inhabited by dark people who had great riches and merchandise and there was much risk in crossing the wide seas and land to reach it But he felt it a secret duty to try and reach it He ordered ships to be built according to a design of Bartolomu Diaz the hero of the cape Low amid ships with high castles towering for an aft they rode the water like ducks The ships ready The king prayed the lord to show him the man whom it would please him to send upon this voyage Days passed One day the king was sitting in his hall with his officers when he raised his eyes and saw a gentleman of his household crossing the hall It suddenly occurred to the king that this was the man for his command and calling Vasco da Gama he offered him the command at once He was courageous resolute and firm of purpose On his knees he accepted the great owner A silken banner blazing with the cross of the order of Christ was bestowed upon him He chose the same grabbiel for his flagship appointed his brother to the Saint Raphael and prepared for his departure Books and charts were supplied Bartolomu's geography was on board as well as the book of Marco Polo All being ready Vasco da Gama and his captains spent the night in the little chapel by the sea at Belem built for the manners of Henry the navigator Next morning, it was July they walked in solemn procession to the shore lighted candles in their hands priests chanting a solemn litany as they walked The beach was crowded with people and their blazing summer sun they nailed once more before taking leave of the whipping multitudes Listen to the Portuguese poet Camões who makes Vasco da Gama the hero of his Louisiana The neighboring mountains murmured back the sound as if to pity mood for human woe and counted as the grains of golden sand the tears of thousands fell on Belem's strand So the Portuguese embarked weighed anchor and unfurled the sails that bore the red cross of the order of Christ The four little ships started on what was to be the longest and most momentous voyage on record while crowds stood on the shore straining their eyes till the fleet under full sail vanished from their sight After passing Cape Verde in order to escape the currents of the Gulf of Guinea Vasco da Gama steered southwest into an unknown part of the South Atlantic He did not know that at one time he was within 600 miles of the coast of South America Day after day week after week passed they sailed a very monotony as they sailed the wide ocean that surrounds St Helena a lonely dreary waste of seas and boundless sky Everything ends at last and having spent 96 days out of sight of land and sailed some 4,500 miles they drifted on to the southwest coast of Africa It was a record voyage for even Columbus had only been 2,600 miles without seeing land November found them in a broad bay and says the old log of the voyage We named it St Helena which name it still retains After skirmish with some tonic colored hotendots the explorers sailed on putting their trust in the Lord to double his cape But the sea was all broken with storm higher all the waves and so short were the days the darkness prevailed The crews grew sick with fear and hardship and all clamored to put back to Portugal With angry words Vascodigama bathed them be silent though he well saw how much reason they had at every moment to despair of their lives The ships were now letting in much water and cold rain soaked them all to the skin All cried out to God for mercy upon their souls for now they no longer took heed of their lives At last the storm seized the seas grew calm and they knew that without seeing it they had doubled the dreaded cape on which great joy fell upon them and they gave great praise to the Lord But their troubles were not yet over The sea was still very rough for the winter of that country was setting in and even the pilot suggested turning back to take refuge for a time When Vascodigama heard of turning backward that they should not speak such words because as he was going out of the bar of Lisbon he had promised God in his heart not to turn back a single span's breath of the way and he would throw into the sea whosoever spoke such things None could withstand such an iron will and they struggled on to Mosel Bay already discovered by Diaz Here they landed and bought a fat ox for three bracelets This ox we dined off on Sunday we found him very fat and his meat nearly astute some at the beef of Portugal A pleasant meal indeed after three months of salted food Here too they found penguins as large as ducks which had no feathers on their wings and which bray like asses But there was no time to linger here They sailed onwards till they had passed and left behind the last pillar erected by Diaz near the mouth of the great fish river All was new now No European had sailed these seas No European had passed this part of the African coast On Christmas Day they found land to which in commemoration of Christ's Nativity there gave the name of Natal Passing Delagoa Bay and Sofala without sighting them was Godogama at last reached the mouth of a broad river now known as Quillimane river but called by the weary mariners the river of mercy or good tokens Here they spent a month cleaning and repairing and here for the first time in the history of discovery the fell disease of scurvy broke out The hands and feet of the men swelled their gums grew over their teeth which fell out so that they could not eat This proved to be one of the surges of early navigation the result of too much salted food on the high seas and no cure was found till the days of Captain Cook Arrived at Mozambique a low-lying coral island they found no less than four ocean-going ships belonging to Arab traders laden with gold, silver, clothes, pepper, ginger, rubies and pearls from the east There were rumors too of a land belonging to Prestor John where precious stones and spices were so plentiful that they could be collected in baskets His land could only be reached by camels This information rendered us so happy that we cried with joy and prayed God to grant us health that we might behold what we so desired relates the faithful journal But difficulties and delays prevented their reaching the ever mythical land of Prestor John Their next landing place was Mombasa killed by some treacherous Mohammedans who hated these dugs of Christians as they called them And the Portuguese were glad to sail on to Melindi where the tall whitewashed houses standing round the bay with their cocoa palms, maize fields and hop gardens reminded them of one of their own cities on the Tagus Here all was friendly The king of Melindi sent three ships and three leave for the strangers Vasco in return sent the king a casco two strings of coral three wash-hand basins a hat and some bells Whereupon the king splendidly dressed in a damaged robe with green satin and an embroidered turban allowed himself to be rode out to the flagship He was protected from the sun by a crimson satin umbrella Nine days were pleasantly passed in the port of Melindi and then, with the Christian pilot provided by the king the most thrilling part of the voyage began with a start across the Arabian Gulf to the west coast of India For twenty-three days the ships sailed to the northeast with no land visible Suddenly the dim outline of land was sighted and the whole crew rushed on deck to catch the first glimpse of the unknown coast of India They had just discerned the lofty mountains when a thunderstorm burst over the land and the downpour of heavy rain blotted out the view At last, on 21st May nearly eleven months after the start from Portugal the little Portuguese ships anchored off Calicut What has brought you thither cried the natives probably surprised at their foreign dress and what sea-key so far from home We are in search of Christians Why was the ready answer? A lucky venture plenty of emeralds yet over great thanks to God for having brought you to a country holding such riches was the Mohammedan answer The city of Calicut runs a diary it's inhabited by Christians They are of a tawny complexion some of them have big birds and long hair whilst other slips are hair short as a sign that they are Christians They also wear moustache Within the town merchants lived in wooden houses touched with film leaves It must have been a quaint sight to see Vasco da Gama accompanied by a certain of his Portuguese waving the flag of their country carried shoulder-high through the densely crowded streets of Calicut on his way to the chief temple and on to the palace of the king Rooms and windows were strong with eager spectators anxious to see Europeans from so far a country Many a scuffle took place outside the palace gates knives were brandished and men were injured before the successful explorer reached the king of Calicut The royal audience took place just before sunset on 28th of May 1498 The king lay on a couch covered with green velvet under a gilt canopy while Vasco da Gama related an account of Portugal and his king the lord of many countries and the possessor of great wealth exceeding that of any king of these parts adding that for 60 years the Portuguese had been trying to find the sea road to India The king gave leave for the foreigners to barter their goods but the Indians scoffed at their offer of hats, scarlet hoods corals, sugar and oil That which I ask of you is gold, silver, corals and scarlet clothes to the king for my country is rich in cinnamon, cloves, ginger, pepper and precious stones Vasco da Gama left India with a scant supply of Christians and spices but with his great news he now hurried back to Portugal What if he had lost his brother Paul and over 100 of his men after his 2 years absence he had discovered the ocean road to India a discovery more far reaching than he had any idea of at this time and the king relied the old historian overjoyed at his coming sent a nobleman and several gentlemen to bring him to court where being arrived through crowds of spectators he was received with extraordinary honour from this glorious price of service the privilege of being called done was annexed to his family to his arms was added part of the kings he had a pension of 3000 dukats yearly and he was afterwards presented to greater owners for his services in the Indies where he will soon appear again End of chapter 24