AMERICA.



65



ocean; that these floating weeds would obstruct their
farther progress, and conceal dangerous rocks, or some
large tract of land, which had sunk, they knew not how,
in that place. Columbus endeavoured to persuade them,
that what had alarmed, ought to have encouraged them,
and was to be considered as a sign of approaching land.
At the same tinme a brisk gale arose, and carried them for-o
ward. Several birds were seen hovering about the ships,
and directed their flight towards the west. The despond-
ing crew resumed some degree of spirit, and began to ene
tertain fresh hopes.



  Upon the first of October they were, according to the
Admiral's reckoning, seven hundred and seventy leagues
to the west of the Canaries; but lest his men should
be intimidated by the prodigious length of navigation, he
gave out that they had proceeded only five hundred and
eighty-four leagues; and fortunately for Columbus, neither
hi own pilot, nor those of the other ships, had skill suffi-
cient to correct this error and discover the deceit. They
had now been above three weeks at sea, and had advanced
far beyond what former navigators attempted or deemed
possibe . All their prognostics of discovery, drawn from
the fight of birds and other circumstances prtoved falla-
cious. This disappointment made first an impression on
the minds of the timid and ignorant; but by degrees the
contagion spread from ship to ship. From secret whis-
perings and murmurings, they proceeded to open cabals
and public complaints. They taxed their sovereign with
inconsiderate credulity, in paying such regard to the vain
promises and rash conjectures of an indigent foreigner.
They affirmed that they had done their duty, by venturing
so far in an unknown and hopeless course, without any



probability of
commander d
   Columbus
tion. He had
operation of
mortification,



±L



discovering those new
escribed.
was now fully sensiblh
[ observed with great
ignorance and fear.
that the disaffection



-countries which thei r



of h is perilous situ a-
: uneasiness the fatal
He saw to his great
among the crew was



W