62                 DISCOVERY OF

tion and guidance of Heaven. With this view, he, togeth-
er with all the persons under his command, marched in
solemn procession to the Monastery of Rabida, where, hav-
ing confessed their sins, they received the holy sacrament
from the hands of the guardian, Juan Perez, who joined
his prayers to theirs for the success of an enterprise which
he had so zealously patronized.
  Next morning, being Friday the third day of August, in
the year one thousand four hundred and ninety-two, Co-
lumbus set sail, a little before sun rise, in presence of a
vast crowd of spectators, who sent up their supplications
to heaven, for the prosperous issue of the voyage, which
they wished rather than expected. Columbus steered di-
rectly for the Canary islands, and arrived there, August 13,
1492, without any occurrence that would have deserved
notice on any other occasion. Butt, in a voyage of such
expectation and importance, every circumstance was the
object of attention. The rudder of tbc! Pinta broke loose
the day after she left the harbour, and that accident alarm-
ed the crew, no less superstitious than unskilful, as a cer-
tain omen of the unfortunate destiny of the expedition.
  Even in the short run to the Canaries, the ships were
found to be so crazy and ill-appointed, as to be very im..
proper for a navigation, which was expected to be both
long and dangerous.  Columbus refitted them, however,
to the best of his power, and having supplied himself with
fresh provisions, he took his departure from Gomera, one
of the most westerly of the Canary islands, on the sixth
day of September.
  Here the voyage of discovery may probably be said to
begin; for Columbus, holding his course due west, left im-
mediately the usual track of navigation, and stretched into
unfrequented and unknown seas. The first day, as it was
very calm, he made but little way; but on the second, he
lost sight of the Canaries; and many of the sailors, de-
ected already and dismayed, when they contemplated the
boldness of the undertaking, began to beat their breasts
and to shed tears, as if they were never more to behold