Columbus, in a rich dress, and with a drawn sword, soor after landed with his men, with whom having kneeled and kissed the ground with tears of joy, he took formal possession of the Island, in the name of Queen Isabella, his patron. Ca landing, the Spaniards were surprised to find a race of people, quite unlike any that they had ever seen before. They were of a dusky, copper colour-naked-beardless, with long black hair, floating on their shoulders, or bound in tresses round their heads. The natives were still more surprised at the sight of the Spaniards, whom they considered, as the children of the sun, their idol. The ships they looked upon as animals, with eyes of lightning, and voices of thunder. and in an

Having spent some time in examining the country, amicable traffic with the natives, Columbus set sail on his re turn. He was overtaken by a storm which had nearly proved fatal. During the storm, Columbus hastily enclosed in a cake of wax, a short account of his voyage and discovery, which he put into a tight cask, and threw it into the sea. This he did, hoping that if he perished, it might fall into the hands of some navigator, or be cast ashore, and thus the knowledge of his dis« covery be preserved to the world. But the storm abated, and he arrived safe in Spain, March 15th, 1493.

For this discovery, it being the first, and having laid the foun dation for all the subsequent discoveries in America, Columbus was doubtless entitled to the honour of giving a name to the New World. But he was robbed of it by the address of Ame ricus Vespucius. This adventurer was a Florentine who sailed to the New World in 1499, with one Alonzo Ojeda, a gallant and active officer, who had accompanied Columbus in his first voyage. On his return, he published so flattering an account of his voyage, that his name was given to the continent with manifest injustice to Columbus.

After this, Columbus made several other voyages, but did not discover the continent of America until Aug. 1, 1498, during his third voyage, at which time he made the land, now called Terra Firma, South America.

During this voyage Columbus was destined to experience severe afflictions. After his departure from Spain, having been appointed governor of the New World, his enemies, by false representations, persuaded the king to appoint another in his place. At the same time the king was induced to give orders that Columbus should be seized and sent to Spain. This order was executed with rigid severity, and the heroic Columbus returned to Spain in irons!

On his arrival, he was set at liberty by the king, but he never recovered his authority. Soon after a fourth voyage which he

made, finding Isabella his pátroness, dead, and himself neglected, he sunk beneath his misfortunes and infirmities, and died, May 20, 1506, in the fifty-ninth year of his age.

Section II. In May, 1497, John Cabot, and his son, Sebastian Cabot, commenced a voyage of discovery, under the patronage of Henry VII. king of England; and on the 24th of June, discovered land, which, being the first they had seen, they called, Prima Vista. This was the Island of Newfoundland. Leaving this, they soon after fell in with a smaller island, which they named St. Johns; thence, continuing westerly, they made the first discovery* of the Continent of America, and ranged its coast from Labrador to Virginia, or according to others, to Florida.

Section III. The French attempted no discoveries on the American coast until 1524. This year Francis I. commissioned Verrazano, a Florentine, for this purpose. He ranged the coast from Florida to the 50th degree of North Latitude, and named the country New France.

Section IV. In 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh, under commission of Queen Elizabeth, arrived in America, entered Pamplico Sound, now in North Carolina, and thence proceeded to Roanoke, an island near the mouth of Albemarle Sound. This country he took possession of, and, on returning to England, gave so splendid a description of its beauty and fertility, that Queen Elizabeth bestowed upon it the name of Virginia, in celebration of her reign, and in allusion to her being unmarried..

Section V. In 1602, Capt. Bartholomew Gosnold, from Falmouth, England, discovered and gave name to Cape Cod.

*There follow the authority of Dr. Holmes in his "American Annals," who places the first discovery of the Continent by Columbus, in 1498, as already related.

Gosnold, being bound to Virginia, his discovery was accidental. He named Cape Cod, in reference to the abundance of Codfish about it. Coasting south, he discovered Nantucket, Buzzard's Bay, Martha's Vineyard, and one of the Elizabeth Islands.

Other expeditions were fitted out and came to America for discovery; we have however noticed above the leading adventurers and their discoveries during this period.

Notes.

Section VI. As we are now about to enter upon a period which will exhibit our ancestors as inhabitants of this new world, it will be interesting to know what was its aspect when they rst set their feet upon its shores.

STATE OF THE COUNTRY.-On the arrival of the first settlers, North America was almost one unbroken wilderness. From the recesses of these forests were heard the panther, the catamount, the bear, the wildcat, the wolf, and other beasts of prey. From the thickets rushed the buffalo, the elk, the moose, and the carrabo; and scattered on the mountains, and plains, were seen the stag and fallow deer. Numerous flocks of the feathered tribe enlivened the air, and multitudes of fish filled the rivers, or glided along the shores. The spontaneous productions of the soil, also, were found to be vari-ous and abundant. In all parts of the land grew grapes, which historians have likened to the ancient grapes of Eshcol. In the south, were found mulberries, plumbs, melons, cucumbers, tobacco, corn, peas, beans, potatoes, squashes, pompions, &c. Acorns, walnuts, chesnuts, wild cherries, currants, strawberries, whortleberries, in ue season of them, grew wild in every quarter the country.

VII. ABORIGINES.-The country was inhabited by numerous tribes or clans of Indians Of their number, at the period the English settled among them, no certain estimate has been transmitted to us. They did not probably much exceed 150,000 within the compass of the thirteen original states.*

In their physical character, the different Indian tribes, within the boundaries of the United States, were nearly the same. Their persons were tall, straight, and well proportioned. Their skins were red, or of a copper brown; their eyes black, their hair long, black, and coarse. In constitution they were firm and vigorous, capable of sustaining great fatigue and hardship.

As to their general character, they were quick of apprehension, and not wanting in genius. At times, they were friendly, and even courteous. In council, they were distinguished for gravity and eloquence: in war, for bravery and address. When provoked to anger, they were sullen and retired; and when determined upon revenge, no danger would deter them; neither absence nor time could cool them. If captured by an enemy, they never asked life, nor would they betray emotions of fear, even in view of the tomahawk, or of the kindling faggot.

They had no books, or written literature, except rude hieroglyphics; and education among them was confined to the arts of war, hunting, fishing, and the few manufactures which existed among them, most of which every male was more or less instructed in. Their language was rude, but sonorous, metaphorical, and energetic. It was well suited to the purposes of public speaking, and, when accompanied by the impassioned gestures, and uttered with the deep guttural tones of the savage, it is said to have had a singularly wild and impressive effect. They had some few war songs, which were little more than an unmeaning

* This is the estimate of Dr Trumbull

chorus, out, it is believed, they had no other compositions which were preserved.

Their arts and manufactures were confined to the construction of wigwams, bows and arrows, wampt m, ornaments, stone hatchets, mortars for pounding corn, to the dressing of skins, weaving of coarse mats from the bark of trees, or a coarse sort of hemp, &c.

Their agriculture was small in extent, and the articles they cultivated, were few in number. Corn, beans, peas, potatoes, melons, and a few others of a similar kind, were all.

Their skill in medicine was confined to a few simple prescriptions and operations. Both the cold and warra bath were often applied, and a considerable number of plants were used with success. For some diseases they knew no remedy, in which case they resorted to their Powow, or priest, who under took the removal of the disease by means of sorcery.

It may be remarked, however, that the diseases to which the Indians were liable, were few, compared with those which pre vail in civilized society.

The employments of the men were principally hunting, fishing, and war. The women dressed the food; took charge of the domestic concerns; tilled their narrow and scanty fields; and performed almost all the drudgery connected with their household affairs.

The amusements of the men were principally leaping, shooting at marks, dancing, gaming, and hunting, in all of which they made the most violent exertions. Their dances were usually performed round a large fire. In their war dances they sung, or recited the feats which they or their ancestors had achieved; represented the manner in which they were per formed, and wrought themselves up to an inexpressible degree of martial enthusiasm. The females occasionally joined in some of these sports, but had none peculiar to themselves.

Their dress was various. In summer, they wore little be sides a covering about the waist; but in winter, they clothed themselves in the skins of wild beasts. They were exceedingly fond of ornaments. On days of show and festivity, their sachems wore mantles of deer-skin, embroidered with white beads, or copper, or they were painted with various devices. Hideousness was the object aimed at in painting themselves. A chain of fish-bones about the neck, or the skin of a wildcat, was a sign of royalty.

For habitations, the Indians had weekwams, or wigwams as pronounced by the English. These originally consisted of a strong pole, erected in the centre, around which, at the distance of ten or twelve feet, other poles were driven obliquely into the