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 COLUMBUS; 
 
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 "BllITANNICUS. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 ALFRED W. BENNETT, 
 
 -j, BISHOPSGATE STREET WITHOUT.
 
 PR 
 »7l9c 
 
 ADDRESS, 
 
 To toe Reader, 
 
 The following pages embrace the conception and 
 realization, by the Great Navigator, of the project of the 
 discovery of a Western World, or what is tantamount thereto 
 — a short and easy passage to the extremity of Asia by a 
 westerly course. The publication of the sequel, which will 
 contain the subsequent voyages and death of Columbus, 
 involving matter scarcely inferior in interest, if in import- 
 ance, to that on which this volume is based, is reserved for 
 a second volume, the issue of which may depend on the 
 reception of the present one with the reading public. 
 
 I may state that I was unaware that anything in the 
 shape of a poem on the subject of Columbus's great achieve- 
 ment had ever been attempted by an English author, until 
 I discovered in a note to Mr. Murray's edition of Byron's 
 poems a reference to the ' Columbus of Mr. Rogers.' 1 
 have since read his poem more than once and have only to 
 remark that beside the fact of it being a translation from 
 a manuscript found in the Convent of La Rabida, the 
 
 •fl £ ;Q
 
 structure is so entirely dissimilar, and the narrative so 
 mixed up with the extravagant superstitions of the age 
 (though withal truly poetical and beautiful) that practically 
 the ground still appeared to me to he unoccupied. 
 
 I have endeavoured to preserve the thread of the 
 actual events, taking only such license as I helieve is fully 
 conceded to the writer of Poetry — and must acknowledge 
 how greatly I have been indebted to the enchanting history 
 of Mr. Washington Irving, the elegance of whose style 
 renders every subject that he touches peculiarly fascinating. 
 
 I have only to add that although Columbus lived and 
 died in the belief of his discovery being neither more nor 
 less than the extremity of Asia, yet as but a few years 
 elapsed before the land was demonstrated to be the threshold 
 of a new continent, I have assumed his knowledge of the 
 fact, and hence in the congratulatory addresses at the close 
 of this volume the writers are made to refer to it as a 
 ' fait accompli," 
 
 The Atjthoe.
 
 COLUMBUS. 
 
 PROLOGUE. 
 
 How Colon conquered from the watery space 
 A world substantial, wonderful, and new ; 
 With mountains, plains, and rivers on its face, 
 And grass and trees, which since creation grew, 
 As in the olden world, I now present to you. 
 
 Wonder with me that out of means so small, 
 
 Against a learned ignorance so vast, 
 
 Which had, with cruel fetters, held in thrall 
 
 The human mind in generations past, 
 
 He rear'd so great a monument of fame at last. 
 
 B
 
 2 COLUMBUS; [prologue. 
 
 Had he a soul of more than finite sweep ? 
 
 An eye that pierced the Occidental night ? 
 
 Or had he thoughts which would not let him sleep, 
 
 Straining to catch the first faint streak of light — 
 
 Precursor of a day of glory long and bright ? 
 
 A passing fancy it might oft have been 
 To musing minds — it was not so to him : 
 He did believe that westward, tho' unseen, 
 A world there was of beauty ; 'twas no whim, 
 Or boyish flight, but deep conviction to the brim. 
 
 Over that waste of waters there had roll'd, 
 
 Upon each crested wave, a fleet of thought, 
 
 The rude imaginings of seamen bold, 
 
 Or complicated fancies of the taught, 
 
 But the result to man, age after age, was naught. 
 
 The great Atlantic was a sea unkeel'd, 
 
 Where Fancy mountains saw of Alpine height, 
 
 Matched only by abysses, which reveal'd, 
 
 Deep down, the slimy monsters, black as night, 
 
 Shaped in all fearful forms, the boldest to affright.
 
 tkologue.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 3 
 
 Such to our hero was not that broad sea 
 
 On which the sun's warm beams in summer shone ; 
 
 It seemed to say to him, " It is for thee 
 
 To carry o'er my depths the golden zone, 
 
 Which shall to Europe bind a world as yet unknown." 
 
 The strong impulse to break the ancient spell 
 Which held all common and all learned eyes 
 Entranc'd for ages, he did nurse so well — 
 Believing it descended from the skies — 
 That all things shrunk in presence of his enterprise. 
 
 A vow he made, that he would dedicate 
 
 The golden prize his soul had prepossessed 
 
 To rescue from the Turk, whom he did hate, 
 
 Jerusalem, the city of the blessed, 
 
 And from his grasp the Holy Sepulchre to wrest. 
 
 How aim of such transcendent scope did grow 
 Into a fact and substance more sublime 
 Than even he dared hope for — though the flow 
 Of his bold thoughts, in that age maritime, 
 And thousand schemes, out-distanced all — hear now 
 in rhyme.
 
 CANTO I. 
 
 A Maeinee he was. 
 Courageous, frank, and free, 
 From Genoa's city, famed of old 
 For daring deeds at sea. 
 
 Columbus he was named, 
 Of ancient lineage, 
 Tho' humble now his worldly lot, 
 And poor his parentage. 
 
 Two brothers had the boy, 
 One Bartolomeo, 
 And one in Spain called Diego, 
 At home Giacomo.
 
 COLUMBUS; [CANTO I. 
 
 Like many youths, he burn'd 
 The glorious sea to roam, 
 A name and power to obtain 
 He could not get at home. 
 
 On every hand he saw 
 Colossal mansions rise 
 In Genoa's city, built therein 
 By ocean enterprise. 
 
 Could he not raise a fane 
 As beautiful and fair ; 
 Was not the deep sea free to all 
 Who would but venture there ? 
 
 With thoughts like these inflamed, 
 He panted to begone, 
 Laughing all opposition and 
 All boyish fears to scorn. 
 
 Some knowledge he acquired 
 In Pavia's famous school, 
 Of charts and compass, planes and spheres, 
 By system and by rule.
 
 canto i.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 
 
 And at this time arrived, 
 By every home-bound sail, 
 Intelligence of new-found lands, 
 Rich as in Arab tale, 
 
 On Afric's western shore, 
 By daring Portuguese, 
 Pushing adventure to the South, 
 Within the torrid seas. 
 
 Under the auspices 
 Of Henry, noble prince 
 As e'er directed Lisbon's weal 
 Before that time or since ; 
 
 For he had set his mind, 
 By bold hydrography, 
 His country's limits to enlarge 
 Upon the distant sea. 
 
 All that a generous heart 
 Or cultivated thought 
 Designed, with princely power he 
 To bear upon it brought.
 
 COLUMBUS; [CANTO I. 
 
 He founded naval schools, 
 Bestowing famed degrees 
 On graduates ; rewarding those 
 Who made discoveries. 
 
 Thus from all quarters he 
 A galaxy of light 
 Attracted to his native land, 
 
 Which rose in wealth and might. 
 
 He laid the corner-stone 
 Of the famed edifice, 
 Which Vasco and Columhus reared 
 Out of the sea's ahyss. 
 
 He died ere Providence 
 The Western world unveiled, 
 And ere De Gama round the Cape 
 With his hold fleet had sailed. 
 
 He died. Oh ! that earth's kings 
 Might leave a memory 
 But half as sweet to after times 
 As good Prince Henry.
 
 cakto I.] OE, THE NEW WORLD. 
 
 Columbus swelled the train 
 Of spirits bold and free 
 On Tagus' stream, from lands afar, 
 And islands of the sea. 
 
 Drawn hitber by the fame 
 Of Portuguese emprise, 
 He came to do a deed which should 
 His name immortalise. 
 
 Not forty summers had 
 Passed o'er his manly brow, 
 Yet care thus early on his head 
 Had placed a wreath of snow. 
 
 He was of stately form, 
 And powerful in frame, 
 An eagle eye lit up his face 
 And augured future fame. 
 
 In manners he was grace 
 No rudeness showed he, 
 Fitted to stand before a throne, 
 Yet sailor-like and free.
 
 10 COLUMBUS ; [canto i. 
 
 Not unimpressed by love, 
 He sought Felipa's hand ; 
 Her sire, now dead, was famed among 
 Prince Henry's naval band. 
 
 Donna Felipa brought 
 No fortune but her heart, — 
 A better dowry this than gift 
 Of lands, or wealth of mart. 
 
 Columbus now abode 
 In his wife's mother's home, 
 Now making charts for mariners, 
 Now taking a sea roam. 
 
 One hundred leagues he sailed 
 Beyond the ancient Thule, 
 Proving it farther north and west 
 Than Ptolemy's chart rule. 
 
 Thus he his mind informed 
 By slow but sure degrees, 
 On storms and currents, tides and calms, 
 Bays, capes, shoals, coasts, and seas.
 
 caxto I.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 11 
 
 Now he his plan unfolds 
 To a skilled Florentine, 
 Of seeking India by a route 
 Across the Western brine. 
 
 And Toscanelli gave 
 Him great encouragement— 
 A chart and letter on the scheme 
 He to Columbus sent, 
 
 Who had not heard or read 
 Of the famed journey East, 
 By Polo, the Venetian Count ; 
 His book the traveller's feast. 
 
 To the remotest bound 
 Of Asia's continent, 
 'Gainst nature's interposing bars, 
 And hostile tribes, he went. 
 
 Visiting cities vast 
 In Oriental realms, 
 Where kings in cloth of gold were throned, 
 Whose state the mind o'erwhelms.
 
 12 COLUMBUS; [CANTO I. 
 
 There reigned the mighty Khan 
 Of Tartary, whose name 
 Calls up at once all visions of 
 Barbaric pomp and fame. 
 
 There halls of ivory 
 And jewelled thrones were seen, 
 Columns adorned with rubies red, 
 And priceless emeralds green; 
 
 And not alone within ; — 
 The domes and cupola 
 Dazzled the sight with plates of gold, 
 Reflecting rays solar. 
 
 There bowers of roses twined, 
 And sweetest spices flung 
 Their odours on the passing gale, 
 Rushing the groves among. 
 
 Thus did Polo inflame 
 The traveller of his day, 
 Thus did he tell of Mangi's coasts, 
 Cipango and Cathay.
 
 canto I.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 13 
 
 Columbus felt the fire 
 Coursing through every vein, — 
 Might he not win a fame as great 
 Upon the watery main ? 
 
 Was not the earth a sphere 
 Of known circumference, 
 Then steering westward Ind must be 
 Ahead — fair inference. 
 
 If by a daring sail 
 Westward a few degrees, 
 He found Cipango's golden isle, 
 And Mangi in those seas, — 
 
 What glory would redound 
 To the great pioneer, 
 Who should their boundless riches brin°- 
 Within the Christian sphere! 
 
 Thenceforth his humble name 
 Would shine with lustre bright, 
 The noblest sailor in all time, 
 Who brought a world to light.
 
 CANTO II. 
 
 Now John the Second wore 
 The crown of Portugal, 
 And anxious was to break the hands 
 Which held the Ship in thrall. 
 
 So naval science felt 
 A mighty change come o'er, 
 Casting away the leading-strings 
 By which it hugged the shore. 
 
 Thus was the astrolabe 
 Applied the ship to steer, 
 Which ere that age the sight of land 
 Ne'er quitted but with fear.
 
 canto ii.] COLUMBUS. 15 
 
 Columbus then proposed 
 His project to King John, 
 Whose favour so desirable 
 Columbus counted won. 
 
 The King a council called, 
 The question to decide — 
 Should he explore the Western held, 
 Or by the old abide ? 
 
 This council set its face 
 Against a scheme so wild ! 
 Did ever council in the world 
 Favour a poor man's child ? 
 
 One nobleman there was — 
 De Menesis by name ; 
 His arguments and patriot views 
 Saved Portugal from shame. 
 
 Else had she then refused 
 Not only to comply 
 With Christoval's appeal for help, 
 But laid her own schemes by.
 
 16 COLUMBUS; [canto ii. 
 
 One reprobate was there. 
 Bishop of Ceuta named, 
 His counsel well deserves a mark — 
 Base, crooked, and ill-famed. 
 
 " Get but the stranger's charts 
 And plans, as if to weigh 
 The scheme more fully; then equip 
 A fleet without delay, 
 
 And gain the golden prize;" 
 So said the priest to John, 
 Who yielded, casting thus a shade 
 His kingly shield upon. 
 
 That from Columbus he 
 The victory might snatch, 
 In secret haste a caravel 
 Westward he did despatch. 
 
 This treacherous act received 
 A fitting recompense, 
 The crew refused to face the winds 
 And rolling waves immense.
 
 canto ii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 17 
 
 To Lisbon quick returned 
 The fated caravel ; 
 No ship, 'twas now asserted, could 
 Ride an Atlantic gale. 
 
 Yet John thought otherwise, 
 And to Columbus turned; 
 But the offended Genoese 
 The crafty monarch spurned. 
 
 And from the Portuguese 
 In anger turned away, 
 Resolved his plans in other lands 
 Before their kings to lay. 
 
 Thus ere he left he sent 
 His brother to this Isle, 
 Perchance the Seventh Henry's aid 
 To gain for them meanwhile.
 
 CANTO III. 
 
 Now he in sunny Spain 
 His project did unfold ; 
 Would not the Dukes Medina head 
 An enterprise so hold ? 
 
 'Twas worthy of their rank ; 
 At anchor lay their fleet ; 
 Ambition beckoned them to go, — 
 Fear said it was not meet. 
 
 Should they discoveries make 
 Across the Western main, 
 Who would lay claim to sovereign, rights. 
 Who but the crowns of Spain ?
 
 cawto in.] COLUMBUS. 19 
 
 Then let the Spanish crowns 
 Take up this enterprise ; — 
 So reasoned the Medina Dukes ; 
 Who'll say they were not wise ? 
 
 With letters from the Dukes, 
 Columbus sought the power 
 Of Ferdinand and Isabel, 
 To aid him from that horn-. 
 
 But they were busied much 
 In struggles with the Moor; 
 On them all Christendom now gazed 
 It being a holy war. 
 
 To drive from Christian Spain 
 The Crescent now they sought ; 
 And gallant knights from many lands 
 Came to their field and fought. 
 
 The monarchs who maintained 
 This conflict, on the page 
 Of history, in bold relief, 
 
 Stand out and mark the age.
 
 20 COLUMBUS; [canto in. 
 
 The King was proud, but free, 
 In form erect, and grace 
 With loftiness of manner stamped 
 Each movement, to a pace. 
 
 His eye was quick and showed 
 A large intelligence ; 
 His mouth, deep carved in graceful lines, 
 Spoke of resolve intense. 
 
 He could, whilst reading yours, 
 His own deep thoughts conceal ; 
 He made you think his heart unveiled, 
 The better yours to steal. 
 
 Few in diplomacy 
 Could match the Spanish King, 
 He sucked the victim's vital stream, 
 And soothed him with the wing. 
 
 Yet he enlarged the bounds 
 Of his inheritance, 
 In Africa and Italy, 
 
 In Granada and France.
 
 cakto in.] OR, THE NEW WOELD. 21 
 
 He laid the Crescent low ; 
 He di'ove the Jews from Spain, 
 And reared the Inquisition there 
 The crosier to maintain. 
 
 Thus Ferdinand displayed 
 The soul of Dominic, 
 And was, in honour, by the Pope 
 Styled the Most Catholic. 
 
 Such titles oft hestowed 
 
 On such as he or worse, 
 
 The Popes of Italy dispensed 
 
 By rule of grace inverse. 
 
 His wife — one turns to her 
 With feelings of relief; 
 A noble pattern of a queen, 
 She sympathized with grief. 
 
 Graceful she was in mould, 
 Her skin was wondrous fair, 
 Her eye was blue, her forehead smooth. 
 Her tresses auburn were.
 
 22 COLUMBUS; [canto hi. 
 
 Queenly in every sense, 
 If seated on a throne, 
 Or moving through embattled hosts 
 Mounted her charger on. 
 
 She had a soul as wide 
 As human sympathies ; 
 A grovelling, contracted aim 
 As certainly marked his. 
 
 He for the present day, 
 The space denned, did live ; 
 She for all time and for the world, 
 Her wealth, herself did give. 
 
 In spite of priestly craft, 
 Which poisoned all her life, 
 She stands sublime midst earth's high dames 
 As woman, queen, and wife. 
 
 And in another age, 
 Or had she reigned alone, 
 A glorious realm she might have raised 
 Eadiant with freedom's sun.
 
 canto ill.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 23 
 
 Such were the sovereign powers 
 Columbus now besought 
 To aid him in an enterprise 
 
 With doubt and danger fraught. 
 
 He waited till their arms, 
 Thro' Christendom renowned, 
 On the rich plains of Granada 
 With victory were crowned. 
 
 At length King Ferdinand 
 An audience granted him, 
 And he, with admirable skill, 
 Unfolded all his scheme. 
 
 With cautious, eager ear, 
 The King attention gave, 
 Perchance new fields of enterprise 
 Lay o'er th' Atlantic wave. 
 
 E'er restless to extend 
 His sceptre's vigorous sway, 
 A project like the seaman's bold 
 He dared not fling away.
 
 24 COLUMBUS; [canto hi. 
 
 For tried e'en by the tests 
 Of reason, fact, and sense, 
 It did commend itself to him — 
 Advantage this immense. 
 
 But ever scrupulous 
 His kingly power to hind, 
 Save where the gain was clearly his, 
 He thus declared his mind : — 
 
 " Thy scheme appears to me 
 Both feasible and sound ; 
 But it involves much learned research 
 And reasonings profound. 
 
 "A congress must thy plans 
 Discuss and ponder o'er, 
 It shall its calm conclusions then 
 The sovereigns lay before." 
 
 With much parade he then 
 A famous council calls, 
 The stars of science in their day, 
 Within St. Stephen's walls.
 
 canto ill.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 
 
 There coronet and cowl, 
 Mitre and crook were seen, 
 Summoned by Talavera, 
 Confessor of the Queen. 
 
 Before this learned bench 
 Columbus now appeared ; 
 Nor prince, nor cardinal, nor monk 
 With tonsured head, he feared. 
 
 Boldly he now propounds 
 His dearly cherished scheme, 
 Based on a thousand arguments, 
 But still so like a dream. 
 
 His reasonings awoke 
 Among the grave unwise 
 Many a latent prejudice 
 Against the enterprise. 
 
 Some few, with loftier views, 
 Listened with deep attent; 
 Their thoughts beyond the present time 
 And present vista went.
 
 26 COLUMBUS ; [canto hi. 
 
 Gravely did some insist 
 The earth was all a plane, 
 From whose far limits rose the skies, 
 O'er-arching as a fane. 
 
 All by old Ptolemy 
 In cosmography were led, 
 Who held the sun rose with the morn, 
 And nightly went to bed. 
 
 How then by sailing west 
 Could India e'er be reached; 
 He who maintained a thought so wild 
 Great Ptolemy impeached. 
 
 But little dreamed they 
 The theory they brought 
 To crush the sailor, would ere long 
 Be cast aside as nauarht. 
 
 ■©* 
 
 He mainly upon facts, 
 They on a proud conceit 
 Their reasonings built ; he calmly, they 
 With fierce dogmatic heat.
 
 canto in.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 27 
 
 A few short years at most 
 Set all dispute at rest ; 
 Copernicus the earth revolved, 
 Colon unveiled the West. 
 
 Thus was Columbus met 
 By piles of learned lore, 
 Unshapen, unsubdued, unwrought, 
 A vast unwieldly store. 
 
 Such learning not illumes, 
 An inert mass it stands, 
 And hangs upon the human mind, 
 Like fogs on undrain'd lands. 
 
 To unlearn such conceits, 
 And clear the mental skies, 
 Eight well became the noble minds 
 Of later enterprise. 
 
 Copernicus, Colon, 
 Luther, with Verulam, 
 And Galileo — stars of light — 
 Scattered the hoary sham.
 
 28 COLUMBUS; [canto hi. 
 
 The congress dragged along, 
 And many might detect 
 A stern resolve the enterprise 
 To slay hy cold neglect. 
 
 The Bench at length pronounced 
 Upon the ocean scheme, 
 As baseless, reckless, and absurd, 
 A madman's airy dream. 
 
 The sovereigns heard, and bade 
 De Talavera say 
 They might the subject entertain 
 Upon a future day. 
 
 But Colon was resolved 
 The negative to take 
 From the two sovereigns' lips alone, 
 Which might his heart-strings break. 
 
 Their presence then he gains, 
 Perchance to shake their will ; 
 'Twas vain — 'twas secretly resolved 
 To thwart his purpose still.
 
 canto in.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 29 
 
 A courtly "Nay" was given, 
 With many a deep regret 
 That enterprise so glorious had 
 No better favour met. 
 
 They hinted, it is true, 
 A willingness to aid 
 A man of genius so bold, — 
 
 At least, that's what they said. 
 
 But he took all for lost, 
 His toil and throes and pain, 
 And bade adieu to King and Queen 
 And dignities of Spain.
 
 CANTO IV. 
 
 High was the sun, and hot its heains, 
 
 On Andalusia's plains, 
 As the gate of an ancient convent 
 
 A sunburnt stranger gains, 
 And asks for his child a little drink 
 
 To cool his feverish veins. 
 
 Columbus was the stranger's name, 
 
 The house Santa Maria, 
 Its Prior was a generous man, 
 
 His name to history dear, 
 Called Juan Perez, one who proved 
 
 A patron most sincere.
 
 canto iv.] COLUMBUS. 31 
 
 He saw Columbus at the door, 
 
 And marked his lofty mien. 
 A more conspicuous man he thought 
 
 His eyes had never seen ; 
 And when the child had 'suaged its thirst 
 
 He asked the stranger in. 
 
 " Whence come you ? " said the worthy Prior ; 
 
 " Your weary limbs now ease ; 
 What is your name? and whither bent? 
 
 Art French or Portuguese?" 
 " My name is Christoval Colon, 
 
 And I'm a Genoese." 
 
 " For many years I've sought the help 
 
 Of both the crowns of Spain, 
 To aid me India to reach 
 
 Across the western main ; 
 My years, and intellect, and strength, 
 
 Have all been spent in vain. 
 
 "I leave these shores for other lands, 
 
 My cherished scheme to lay 
 Before their sovereigns, resolved
 
 32 COLUMBUS ; [canto iv. 
 
 Still to pursue my way, 
 Until upon that ocean dark 
 I pour the light of day." 
 
 "And is it so," the good man said, 
 
 " To enterprise so grand 
 Queen Isabella doth refuse 
 
 To lend a helping hand? 
 'Twould be," he said, "a lasting stain 
 
 Upon his native land. 
 
 " Bide here," the Prior said, " and I 
 
 My neighbours will consult ; 
 There is a good physician here, 
 
 In laws known and occult 
 Well skilled; I'll ask the doctor's aid — 
 
 Who knows what the result ? 
 
 "There is, beside, a mariner, 
 
 As bold as ever sailed, 
 One Martin Alonza Pinzon, 
 
 A man who never quailed 
 Before a storm ; we'll ask him in 
 
 Your plans to hear detailed."
 
 canto iv.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 33 
 
 This little jury tried the scheme 
 
 By every test they knew, 
 'Till it into reality 
 
 And into grandeur grew ; 
 And all proclaimed the stranger's plans 
 
 Both wonderful and true. 
 
 The Prior undertook to write 
 
 A letter to the Queen, 
 Though it was many years since he 
 
 Her Majesty had seen, 
 Albeit, in younger days' to her 
 
 Confessor he had been. 
 
 A pilot from the neighbouring port 
 
 Agreed at once to bear 
 The letter to the royal hand, 
 
 Which Perez did prepare, 
 And for the Court in Granada 
 
 Set out on errand rare. 
 
 The Queen the letter read, and wrote 
 
 In answer to the Prior, 
 That to converse with him thereon 
 
 :)
 
 34 COLUMBUS; [cavto iv. 
 
 Was her most warm desire; 
 And begging him to come to Court, 
 Nor in his mission tire. 
 
 The Prior readily complied 
 
 With the royal dame's request, 
 And journeyed Moorish countries thro', 
 
 Halting at times for rest, 
 'Till in the royal chamber he 
 
 Reposed an honoured guest. 
 
 And there so well he urged the claims 
 
 Of Christoval Colon, 
 That Isabella thought 'twere shame 
 
 Them longer to postpone ; 
 And so the Lady Moya thought, 
 
 The Sovereign's cicerone. 
 
 Columbus now must reappear 
 
 At Isabella's court, 
 Who money forwarded to him. 
 
 By one of Palos' port, 
 That he might fit apparel get, 
 
 And on his way be brought.
 
 canto iv.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 35 
 
 And when he came into the court — 
 
 'T was held at Santa Fe — 
 A spectacle, most highly wrought 
 
 With colours rich and gay, 
 Burst on his view, for crowds of knights 
 
 And nobles lined the way. 
 
 Ah ! little recked the throng of knights 
 
 And nobles at the camp 
 Of Ferdinand and Isabel, 
 
 Mid trumpet clang and tramp 
 Of mailed heel and high bred steed, 
 
 Save on the Moor to stamp. 
 
 Long Ages Spain had battled with 
 
 Its swarthy Afric foe, 
 And oft the Crescent, oft the Cross, 
 
 Had been in dust laid low ; 
 But now the Cross had triumphed 
 
 By the Spaniard's lance and bow. 
 
 It was a day of great renown 
 
 To all the land of Spain, 
 For there th' unbending turbaned Moor.
 
 36 COLUMBUS; [canto iv 
 
 Upon his native plain, 
 Lay prostrate by the Spaniard's sword, 
 And Spanish prowess slain. 
 
 1 1 l-eat was the day Spain now observed, 
 
 And great was the event ; 
 But there was yet a day in store 
 
 With greater wonders pent, 
 When from the regions of the West 
 
 The curtain should be rent. 
 
 All unobserved amid the crowd 
 
 There stood the chosen man, 
 Who to the conquest of a world 
 
 Should lead the glorious van, 
 And yet the gathered multitude 
 
 His genius failed to scan. 
 
 &■ 
 
 How oft in the world's history 
 Such blindness doth appear, 
 
 As if the heroes of our race 
 
 Were made by what they wear. 
 
 And not by souls divinely stamped 
 With genius "rich and rare."
 
 canto iv.] OE, THE NEW WOELP. M 
 
 The Sovereigns now Colon received, 
 
 And heard again his scheme, 
 Enforced by the old arguments 
 
 And new views, for the theme 
 Grew mightier in the sailor's hands, 
 
 Just like a swelling stream. 
 
 And they approved the enterprise, 
 
 But stumbled when they heard 
 Him ask for titles high and powers, 
 
 Pronouncing it absurd ; 
 They risked, they said, their dignity, 
 
 He but a stranger's word. 
 
 What made him ask vice-royalty 
 
 O'er countries yet unknown ? 
 Why asked he for the second place 
 
 Next to the royal throne? 
 Presumption such as his, 'twas said, 
 
 In history stood alone. 
 
 But so in history stood his aim, 
 
 Most wondrous and profound, 
 To prove the world whereon we live
 
 :iK COLUMBUS ; [CANTO IV. 
 
 Was not a plane but round, 
 That ships by sailing outward might 
 Be also homeward bound ! 
 
 Aye but a fancy, nothing more 
 
 At best must be the scheme : 
 Nay 'twas not an imagining, 
 
 Or visionary's dream, 
 It was a real, a glorious thing, 
 
 A mighty fact to him. 
 
 If Ingot darkness proudly dared, 
 
 His reasonings to impeach, 
 He knew that it had all to learn 
 
 And he had much to teach, 
 And that posterity would stand 
 
 Beside him in the breach. 
 
 With opposition he became 
 
 Stronger and more sublime, 
 Like gallant ship when ocean breaks 
 
 On it in tempest time ; 
 His purpose steady as a rock, 
 
 Was now just in its prime.
 
 canto IV.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 39 
 
 Once more he bids the court adieu, 
 He cannot longer bide, 
 
 Patience, the heritage of few, 
 Has here been sorely tried, 
 
 But still survives, and victory- 
 Shall yet be on his side. 
 
 Now pensively he turns bis back 
 
 On 'famous Santa Fe, 
 His efforts to commence anew 
 
 In countries far away, 
 Wherein success, if ever met, 
 
 Must be at distant day.
 
 CANTO V. 
 
 Meantime one who had heard his plans, 
 And marked their features well, 
 
 The Chancellor of Aragon, 
 Luis d' St. Angel, 
 
 On seeing Colon leave the place, 
 Hastened the Queen to tell. 
 
 And burning with a noble zeal, 
 He urged her yet to pause, 
 
 Ere she refused to patronize 
 The seaman's glorious cause, 
 
 Which might an empire win for her, 
 Her diadem and laws.
 
 canto v.] COLUMBUS. U 
 
 And well he pleaded with the Queen, 
 
 For in her kindling eyes 
 The stranger's proposition seemed 
 
 Already a great prize, 
 Which the Castilian monarch might, 
 
 Unaided realize. 
 
 Therefore the Queen proposed alone 
 
 The conquest to attempt, 
 Of a new world, of which mankind 
 
 Till then had never dreamt, 
 And from the cost of the campaign 
 
 Her husband to exempt. 
 
 For she designed her jewels to pledge, 
 
 To aid the Genoese, 
 Which purpose did so mightily 
 
 The good St. Angel please, 
 That to advance the money he 
 
 Most cheerfully agrees. 
 
 In truth, the money was supplied 
 
 From Ferdinand's own purse, 
 A shrewd arrangement 'twas for him,
 
 42 COLUMBUS; [canto r. 
 
 For come success or worse, 
 He did make sure with interest, 
 His loan to reimburse. 
 
 Oh least magnanimous of kings ! 
 
 Was it not mean I say, 
 When empire beckoned thee along, 
 
 To grudge the paltry pay, 
 And on thy wife the burden of 
 
 The enterprise to lay. 
 
 Whilst thus St. Angel was engaged, 
 
 Columbus had arrived, 
 At Mount Elvira, on his way 
 
 From Granada, and dived 
 Into a defile, where his hopes 
 
 Were soon to be revived. 
 
 Here as he turned to ascertain 
 
 Whence came a distant sound, 
 He saw a rider urging steed 
 
 Along a broken ground, 
 And paused to learn of him upon 
 
 What errand he was bound.
 
 canto v.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 43 
 
 And when the messenger arrived, 
 
 Columbus asked him whence 
 He came, and what his business was ; 
 
 He answered, " It is hence 
 To bring thee back to Santa Fe, 
 
 And at the Queen's expense. 
 
 " For she hath now resolved," said he, 
 
 "Your mission to advance, 
 With all the power of her throne, 
 
 Therefore look not to France ; 
 Castile will grant you all you want, 
 
 Power, titles, and finance." 
 
 And when Columbus heard the pledge 
 
 By Isabella given, 
 He felt his hopes revive anew 
 
 As by a beam from heaven, 
 And reined his mule towards Santa Fe, 
 
 Thro' plains where Moors had thriven. 
 
 And now the Queen most graciously 
 
 Received the patient man, 
 And by her warmth of heart his thought
 
 44 COLUMBUS ; [canto v. 
 
 And fancy all outran, 
 " 'Twas glorious," she said, " in such 
 A cause to lead the van." 
 
 She dragged her husband with her too, 
 
 Tho' his consent was cold, 
 Oh ! what cannot a woman do, 
 
 In enterprises bold, 
 Her services cannot be weighed, 
 
 Cannot be bought for gold. 
 
 A solemn treaty 'twixt the crowns 
 
 And Colon now was made, 
 They granted him the honours asked, 
 
 Being those of highest grade, 
 And share in all the profits he 
 
 Might gain by righteous trade. 
 
 Power they gave him o'er the lands 
 
 Discovered in his cruise, 
 Assured that he that power ne'er 
 
 Would venture to abuse, 
 Nor did they even o'er those lands 
 
 Vice-royalty refuse.
 
 canto v.] OE, THE NEW WORLD. t5 
 
 And he thereafter might he styled, 
 
 As Spanish grandees, a Don, 
 To make him great in Spanish eyes, 
 
 Fixed dignities upon ; 
 Though we prefer the simple name 
 
 Of Christoval Colon. 
 
 And furthermore, his elder son, 
 
 A youth yet under age, 
 The Queen, her kindness still to mark, 
 
 Appointed as a page, 
 To the Crown Prince, with revenue 
 
 And proper appanage. 
 
 Now full of hope, Columbus bade 
 
 The monarchs a farewell, 
 And parted till the glorious time 
 
 When he should have to tell 
 Of conquests, wondrous and sublime, 
 
 And thanks from them compel.
 
 CANTO VI. 
 
 Then hastening to Palos' port, 
 
 He sought the faithful friar, 
 For in his grateful estimate 
 
 No man in Spain stood higher, 
 And poured a fervent stream into 
 
 The ear of the good Prior. 
 
 A.rmed with the mandate from the crowns. 
 
 Columbus now subpoened 
 The port's authorities, and read, 
 
 When they were all convened, 
 The royal command — around there lay 
 
 Ships rigged, and ships careened.
 
 canto vi.] COLUMBUS. 47 
 
 Two caravels equipped, they should 
 
 The Genoese provide, 
 Within ten days the vessels were 
 
 In harbour there to ride, 
 And be prepared to put to sea 
 
 By any following tide. 
 
 All this they cheerfully agreed 
 
 To do without delay, 
 But when they heard the vessels' course, 
 
 Tbey staggered with dismay, 
 And all refused to bear a part 
 
 In men, or ships, or pay. 
 
 Thus many days and weeks rolled by, 
 
 And still was nothing done, 
 New pains and powers were decreed, 
 
 The people were not won, 
 Till from the crowd of mariners 
 
 Stepped forth the brave Pinzon. 
 
 How often in the field of strife, 
 
 When hosts would flee away, 
 One man doth stand his ground, and change
 
 18 COLUMBUS; [canto vi. 
 
 The fortune of the day, 
 Such were the Pinzons in this " hope " 
 " Forlorn " of Palos Bay. 
 
 Money the brothers now subscribed, 
 
 And offered to command 
 A vessel in the little fleet, 
 
 Each one an able hand, 
 And bring what seamen they could get, 
 
 To swell the gallant band. 
 
 And now the vessels soon were rigged, 
 
 And fitted for the sea, 
 Manned with a crew of sailors stout, 
 
 E'en generous and free, 
 But loving not a cruise so taut 
 
 As this was like to be. 
 
 And many tumults there arose, 
 
 'Mong the reluctant crews, 
 Who did their work but tardily, 
 
 And often did refuse, 
 Alleging that the Admiral, 
 
 His powers did abuse.
 
 canto vi.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 49 
 
 Still on Columbus pushed the work 
 
 Thro' hatred, fear, and scorn, 
 The night was long, intensely dark, 
 
 But bright would be the morn, 
 And this he felt whilst watching for 
 
 The first grey streak of dawn. 
 
 At length the ships were put in trim, 
 
 And ready all to sail, 
 And many hearts beat mournfully, 
 
 And many lips turned pale, 
 One only of the little band 
 
 Did ne'er for momeut quail. 
 
 He stood all manfully erect, 
 
 Upon the broad sea beach, 
 And read the duties of each ship, 
 
 The muster-roll of each, 
 And sought by patriotic love 
 
 The hearts of all to reach. 
 
 And solemnly he bent the knee 
 
 A blessing to receive, 
 At Perez' hands, the generous Prior, 
 
 E
 
 50 COLUMBUS; [canto ti. 
 
 And of his sons took leave, 
 -Exhorting all in heaven to trnst, 
 And not o'er them to grieve. 
 
 And now came partings all around, 
 
 It was a saddening sight, 
 There old men trembled for their sons, 
 
 And mothers held them tight, 
 Whilst tears rolled down their aged cheek* 
 
 Blanched to a deathy white. 
 
 And wives their husbands clasped, but not 
 
 With turbulent embrace, 
 Their woe ran deep and wrung the heart 
 
 Within its hiding place, 
 Yet all upon their features might 
 
 The silent anguish trace. 
 
 Was never that loved one to see 
 
 His native land again ? 
 Was she a widowed one to be 
 
 And all her prospects slain ? 
 Her child an orphan p 'twas she thought 
 
 On Isabel a stain.
 
 canto VI.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 51 
 
 And there were sweethearts on the shore, 
 
 Pale trembling ones they were, 
 Who to the world's end would have gone. 
 
 Their loved one's lot to share, 
 And in their faces was engraved 
 
 The aspect of despair. 
 
 "Cheer up, cheer up," the strong man said. 
 
 But choked he spoke no more, 
 And tears till now pent up rolled down 
 
 His cheeks ; and then he tore 
 Himself away ; the sobs were drowned 
 
 By breakers on the shore. 
 
 Now entered each his gallant bark, 
 
 And found his proper place, 
 But wistful" eyes still strove to read 
 
 On shore the loved one's face, 
 Whilst those on land gazed on the ships 
 
 Their dearest ones to trace. 
 
 And many eyes on Colon's ship 
 Were fixed as by a spell,
 
 52 COLUMBUS; [canto vi. 
 
 " Santa Maria"* she was called 
 
 Why ? gratitude may tell ; 
 On "Pinta"* and on "Nina"* too 
 
 A thousand gazes fell. 
 
 Now ran the Admiral his flag, 
 
 Up to his ship's mast head, 
 Now weighed he anchor and from thence 
 
 Swift to the ocean led, 
 The other vessels, sails all set, 
 
 Upon his track then sped. 
 
 Then climbed the people to the cape, 
 
 A rugged rock and bare, 
 And waved aloft their tokens sad 
 
 Upon the balmy air, 
 And when the ships were out of sight 
 
 They still were lingering there. 
 
 P>ut from the winter of their woe 
 
 A crop of hopes up grew, 
 Now here a blade, now there a blade, 
 
 * The names of the three caravels.
 
 canto vi.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 53 
 
 " What if it should he true, 
 And the strange man should find," they said, 
 " A world entirely new ? 
 
 " Shall we not then rejoice indeed 
 
 That we have home a part ; " 
 And this bright thought did really cheer 
 
 Mauy a broken heart, 
 Though now and then the wound would from 
 
 The healing bandage start. 
 
 Peace, peace, ye loved ones, there are yet 
 
 Long days of joy in store; 
 Those gallant ones shall set their foot 
 
 Again upon this shore, 
 And bring with them the tidings of 
 
 A world unknown before !
 
 CANTO VII. 
 
 Twas early morn of August third, 
 Year Fourteen-ninety-two, 
 
 That sails all set, the little fleet, 
 Steered west with its hold crew ; 
 
 A favouring hreeze adown the gulf, 
 On its aft quarter hlew. 
 
 And after losing sight of land, 
 The dear old land of Spain, 
 
 The expedition took a course, 
 Canary to attaia,. ... 
 
 The last supply of victuals 
 And of water to lay in.
 
 canto vii.] COLUMBUS. 55 
 
 But soon the Pinta hung aloft, 
 
 A signal of distress, 
 The cause Columbus was not left 
 
 Long time in doubt to guess, 
 The vessel threatened to become 
 
 Ere long quite rudderless. 
 
 A damaged vessel to command, 
 
 So early on his course, 
 Gave Colon much anxiety ; 
 
 It had been got by force, 
 And doubtless it had crippled been 
 
 Th' Admiral's plans to cross. 
 
 So he resolved, if possible, 
 
 The Pinta to exchange, 
 If 'mong the famed Canarv group 
 
 A better came in range, 
 Tho' its endamaged state appeared 
 
 To him still very strange. 
 
 Much time he spent about those Isles, 
 
 To find another ship, 
 But failing he at length was fain
 
 56 COLUMBUS; [canto tit. 
 
 The Pinta's stern to strip, 
 And with a rudder newly made, 
 The vessel to equip. 
 
 Whilst lingering that group among, 
 
 The lofty Teneriffe 
 Sent forth such wreaths of smoke and flame, 
 
 That in the crude belief 
 Of sailors nothing waited them 
 
 But storms and loss and grief. 
 
 Columbus strove to calm their fears, 
 
 And the phenomena 
 Explained, for he was learned in 
 
 Fire, water, earth and star, 
 Nor did believe they e'er presaged 
 
 Loss, sorrow, storm or war. 
 
 Scarce was the Admiral prepared 
 
 The voyage to resume, 
 Ere information reached his ears 
 
 Which filled his mind with gloom — 
 The Portuguese a hostile fleet 
 
 Had sent to bring him home.
 
 canto vii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 57 
 
 Still favouring breezes served Colon, 
 
 He stood at once to sea, 
 Anxious the threatening men-of-war 
 
 Beyond the reach to be ; 
 And soon all danger he had left 
 
 Far distant on his lee. 
 
 And now his hopes revived apace, 
 Bright prospects filled his mind, 
 
 Before him lay the great unknown, 
 The old world lay behind. 
 
 What would the future now disclose, 
 What regions should he find ? 
 
 Upon what spot in Fame's long scroll 
 
 Should he inscribe his name ? 
 How distant was the wished-for goal ? 
 
 Was't not his highest aim 
 Across the western wave to roll 
 
 The sound of Jesus' name ? 
 
 But whilst Columbus thus indulged 
 
 In loftiest desire, 
 Far other feelings did the minds
 
 58 COLUMBUS; [canto vii. 
 
 Of his sad crews inspire ; 
 The past was every thing to them, 
 The future dark and dire. 
 
 He strove, howe'er, to raise their hopes 
 
 The rolling waves among ; 
 And when the evening service bell 
 
 By his command was rung, 
 They joined with him in prayer and praise, 
 
 And unto Jesus sung. 
 
 "When our native shores are fled, 
 When new skies o'er-arch our head, 
 When we climb the mountain wave, 
 Jesus Christo ! look and save. 
 
 " When we raise our evening prayer, 
 In the silent twilight air, 
 When we for thy pardon crave, 
 Jesus Christo ! hear and save. 
 
 " When we lay us down to sleep, 
 On the foaming billowy deep,
 
 canto rn.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 59 
 
 Whilst the waters round us lave, 
 Jesus Christo ! watch and save. 
 
 " For our loved ones we would pray ; 
 Keep them all from day to day ; 
 Absent, still our care they have ; 
 Jesus Christo ! bless and save. 
 
 '• Should we never more return 
 To the homes o'er which we mourn, 
 But in ocean find a grave, 
 Then, Oh Jesus Christo ! save. 
 
 "If on India's soil we roam, 
 Helpless, sad, and far from home, 
 May we until death be brave, 
 Then, Oh Jesus Christo ! save. 
 
 " But should we return to Spain, 
 Home and kindred see again, 
 Bring the tidings of new lands, 
 Won for thee by our hands, 
 Then a joyful song we'll raise, 
 Jesus Christo, in thy praise."
 
 CANTO VIII. 
 
 The morning rose upon a boundless sea ; 
 On every hand deep only called to deep ; 
 
 No other sail the dome around enclosed, 
 As gazing forth from their unquiet sleep 
 The sailors thought but on their woes to weep. 
 
 
 
 Not so did he who led the bold emprise, 
 
 His faith grew stronger as each wave was crossed ; 
 
 He summoned them each morn and eve to prayer, 
 And in the future all the past he lost, 
 Whilst his good ship was on the billows tossed.
 
 canto viii.] COLUMBUS. 61 
 
 Nothing was left undone which could ensure 
 Success to his long-cherished enterprise ; 
 
 Each star was marked, from the great cynosure 
 Which did entrance the common seaman's eyes, 
 Down to the humblest, in the northern skies. 
 
 And soon he noticed what, unknown before, 
 Is now received, and as a world-wide fact, 
 
 The needle vary from its steady pole, 
 
 And then the cause his busy reason racked, 
 Which soon he found as he the brierht star tracked ; 
 
 At least, he thought that he had found the cause, 
 And this sufficed his fears to set at rest ; 
 
 So when the pilots noticed the same thing, 
 
 He said " the star did move " — resolve the best, 
 Since for the cause deep thought is still in quest. 
 
 New food for wonder was each day supplied, 
 As onward still the daring fleet advanced ; 
 
 Now in the air, then in the sky or flood, 
 As to each element in turn they glanced, 
 Whilst o'er the rolling wave their light ships danced.
 
 62 COLUMBUS; [canto Tin. 
 
 To-day a bank of cloud, as like the land 
 
 As anything so aerial could be, 
 A meteor, a lightning streak, a band 
 
 Of porpoises upon the distant sea, 
 
 Puzzling the sailors much what they might be. 
 
 And then a plank, rent like a piece of rag 
 
 From some strong bark, or else a broken spar, 
 
 To nourish thoughts of danger yet to come, 
 
 How near they could not tell, nor yet how far, 
 But sent by Heaven their further course to bar. 
 
 So reasoned all, save but a few at most, 
 Upon each fragment by the deep cast up ; 
 
 They were, they thought, but courting certain death, 
 And filling for their draught its bitter cup; 
 Why not give their rash leader his last sup ? 
 
 Who among all the crews his loss would mourn, 
 If overboard the Admiral they hurled? 
 
 His body by no chance could e'er be borne 
 Upon the Atlantic waters, smooth or cm-led, 
 To tell the tale of blood to the old world.
 
 canto viii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 63 
 
 And then some better thoughts became supreme. 
 And their worse nature for a time laid by ; 
 
 To evil drawn if in the sea they looked, 
 To better things if gazing on the sky, 
 As if they saw therein the Omniscient eye. 
 
 To sail due west for seven hundred leagues, 
 Columbus had to each ship orders given, 
 
 And then if either, by a varying wind 
 
 Or other cause, should out of sight be driven. 
 It should lay -to till morn, if in the even. 
 
 Of the ships' way he kept each day account, 
 A true one for himself, but for the crews 
 
 He did abate from the exact amount 
 
 A score, lest mutinous they should refuse 
 To pass the given distance in their cruise. 
 
 We mourn o'er this deflection from the line 
 Of high integrity which marked his course, 
 
 But many doubtless in the chief's design 
 Will recognise alone, or most, the force 
 Of mind, and not the consecpience, remorse.
 
 64 COLUMBUS; [canto tiii. 
 
 Still onward sailed the fleet, and still no land 
 On either quarter or look-out appeared ; 
 
 The wind blew steady, and for many days 
 All hands observed that it had never veered, 
 Indeed the ships scarce needed to be steered. 
 
 The air was light and beautifully fresh, 
 As soft and balmy as in Spain in spring ; 
 
 And birds came hovering around the ship, 
 Small, and possessing little strength of wing, 
 The sign of land not far, and they did sing. 
 
 And there were other indications found, 
 And each was noted with an eager eye, 
 
 For much all wished to see the solid ground, 
 So long had they but gazed on sea and sky. 
 But now the wind did drop provokingly. 
 
 The ships were then becalmed, new fears arose, 
 What if the calm should evermore prevail ? 
 
 Could worse be wished them by their bitterest foes 
 Than thus to rot ? Oh, send them but a gale, 
 Rather than sea of glass and helpless sail.
 
 canto vin.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 65 
 
 Again the spirit of revolt appeared; 
 
 No power now, they all alleged, could save : 
 
 What they had oftentimes expressed and feared 
 Was now being realized, for not a wave 
 The sea e'er ruffled — 'twas a living grave. 
 
 And not to thoughts alone did they confine 
 Their discontent — it rose in words aloud ; 
 
 They meditated vengeance on their chief, 
 
 And talked of giving him his funeral shroud : 
 When hope was reinstated by a cloud. 
 
 It was no bigger than a sailor's hand 
 
 When first perceived, but wondrously it grew, 
 
 Until it poured down ram, which the air fanned. 
 Cooling their burning breasts ; the wind then blew 
 Quite briskly, and the ships before it flew. 
 
 How often, whilst these varying scenes passed o'er, 
 Colon would stand all wrapt in pensive mood, 
 
 Whilst through his mind there passed a stream of 
 thoughts, 
 Now plain and simple, or a loftier brood, 
 Feeding his hungry soul, which loved such food.
 
 66 COLUMBUS; [canto Till. 
 
 His eye would range upon the distant sea, 
 Observe its strange contortions in white foam, 
 
 As if amid those waves he wished to he, 
 Or they were thus inviting him to come, 
 With their wild arms and hands and motions dumb. 
 
 The sea he thought was meant to be his home, 
 Now rocking him to rest as child in arms, 
 
 Then testing all his manhood and his strength 
 By storms which shake the weak with wild alarms, 
 Or patience testing by its deadly calms. 
 
 Amid the uproar, or amid the peace 
 
 Of boundless waters still he kept his trust 
 
 In the unseen, but ever present, God; 
 
 Nor would allow his hope and faith to rust, 
 
 As he each brood of black thoughts from him thrust. 
 
 "Oh! thou who fill'st all heaven and earth and sea," 
 Hear him address the Father of mankind, — 
 
 "Who hast from earliest infancy to me 
 
 Been father, friend, and guardian, keep my mind 
 From turning with each treacherous doctrine's wind.
 
 canto vin] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 67 
 
 " Oh, thou who spread'st this broad expanse above, 
 Rich in cerulean blue and countless dyes, 
 
 Of which the more, the less I feel, I know, 
 So doth it mock me with its mysteries, 
 Lowly me make, but heaven to win all wise. 
 
 "And thou who pour'dst this restless boundless sea, 
 "Which thou dost mete within thine hollow palm. 
 
 If lengthened life thy will hath fixed for me, 
 Content I Jive, but if swift death, then calm 
 I die, and wait the last great trump's alarm. 
 
 •' But yet once more, as Father of mankind, 
 Redeemer, Spirit of all Grace, to thee 
 
 I call, and ask thee, if thy gracious will 
 Should so incline, to bear me o'er this sea, 
 And I thy servant evermore will be. 
 
 1 That I may plant the Cross on India's soil, 
 And open up a highway o'er the wave; 
 
 Well pleased, if I thy glory serve, I toil — 
 But if therein thou hast prepared my grave, 
 I'll die, convinced that he who smites will save."
 
 68 COLUMBUS; [canto viii. 
 
 So prayed Colon, and so his heart reposed 
 On the Allwise, Omniscient, tho' unseen; 
 
 Meanwhile the fleet sped onward, and apace, 
 
 Till signs of land, which none could contravene, 
 Appeared in one vast weedy sea of green. 
 
 And here and there a hough, fresh plucked, with fruit 
 Thereon — a fish of the Crustacea kind — 
 
 A whale, exhibiting its corpus huge, 
 Like barque keel uppermost, they find* 
 As thro' the weeds they go before the wind. 
 
 These for a time the sailors did amuse, 
 Or for employment better cast the lead, 
 
 But still no line sufficed to sound the depths 
 Of the profound abyss o'er which they sped, 
 Which only added to their cup of dread. 
 
 'Hie wilderness of weeds thro' which they steered 
 Suggested thoughts of a submerged land, 
 
 On which perchance great empires once were reared. 
 But, overwhelmed by some convulsion grand, 
 Had sunk to be washed o'er with waves and sand.
 
 canto Tin.] OR, THE NEW WORLD., 69 
 
 The weeds became so dense as to impede 
 Their progress, which the Admiral conceived 
 
 Gave stronger tokens of some land ahead. 
 
 Oh, could the seamen thus have thought, relieved, 
 They would not endlessly their chief have grieved ! 
 
 Something to do ! so restless is the soul ! 
 
 Something to ease the wheels of time they sought ; 
 They could not, like Columbus, if they would, 
 
 Find endless occupation in quiet thought ; 
 
 They were but common seamen, little taught. 
 
 They fished, they wrestled, and they climbed the masts, 
 From keel to pennant th' ships were overhauled, 
 
 To find employment, and day after day, 
 Still the monotony their spirits galled — 
 No land, no change, all round for ever walled. 
 
 Sometimes they sang — -Columbus oft did hear 
 Their deep-toned voices harmonise aloft, 
 
 A song of Spain, or of a lady fair, 
 
 Now loud, and then in melodies so soft, 
 
 That he would pencil down the strains full oft.
 
 70 COLUMBUS j [canto viii. 
 
 Thus sang they of their dear old country Spain, 
 Hear it who love a song with its refrain. 
 
 " Land of the juicy vine, 
 
 Give us thy green-clad hills, 
 
 To thee this arnber wine, 
 Each man his cup now fills. 
 
 Land of the juicy vine! 
 
 "There's not in Europe o'er 
 
 Thine equal charming land ; 
 We in thine honour pour 
 This cup, hand over hand. 
 
 Land of the juicy vine ! 
 
 " Oh ! but to see again 
 
 Thy valleys, plains, and heights ! 
 'Twould banish all our pain, 
 
 And bring back our delights. 
 
 Land of the juicy vine!
 
 canto Tin.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 71 
 
 " Then here's to thee, old Spain, 
 For whose fair fields we pine, 
 
 May we yet drink again 
 
 Thy new and generous wine. 
 
 Land of the juicy vine ! 
 
 And thus they sang of maidens in Castile ; 
 List ye who love for England's daughters feel — 
 
 " Oft in travel, maiden fair, 
 
 Spoils or makes the gazer's weal, 
 
 But no heauty is so rare 
 As the maiden's of Castile. 
 
 " Be her tresses hlack or gold, 
 
 Be her clime what 't may, you feel 
 
 Never yet did eye behold 
 Maid like her of old Castile. 
 
 " When her voice is heard in song, 
 What like it can make you thrill PJ 
 
 Who th' emotion can prolong 
 As the songstress of Castile ?
 
 72 COLUMBUS ; [canto tiii. 
 
 " View her in the mazy dance, 
 
 Or the wild and daring reel, 
 Who your senses can entrance 
 
 As the maid of old Castile ? 
 
 " Would you on one woman fair 
 All your heart's affections seal, 
 
 Who life's joys with you can share 
 Like the maiden of Castile ? " 
 
 And of the Spanish hero they would sing-, 
 Until they made the very welkin ring. 
 
 "Arm ! arm ! for the Moor has come down in the plain, 
 And reared the proud Crescent defiant again ; 
 Let the Cross be erected, and summon each knight 
 To the conflict, with weapons well tempered and bright. 
 
 " Let the trumpet be sounded till heard from afar, 
 To arouse every hero again for the war ; 
 For the Moor has presumed to come down in the plain 
 And dare the proud Spaniard to battle again.
 
 canto vili.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 73 
 
 " Let the fingers of beauty weave quickly a scarf, 
 To be worn by each knight in his lady's behalf, 
 And let prayer be uplifted, that heaven may nerve 
 The arm of the Spaniard if help he deserve. 
 
 " Come bowmen and spearmen, come knight and esquire, 
 
 And light at the altar the old Spanish fire ; 
 
 Go forth every hero, strive first in the fight, 
 
 And put the dark Moor and the Crescent to flight." 
 
 Such and a score of other strains they sang, 
 The tedious days and nights to pass away; 
 
 Not that new phases of the watery route 
 
 Did not present themselves from day to day, 
 But they soon glided by — they did not stay. 
 
 The Crowns had promised to bestow reward 
 
 Upon the man who first shoidd sight the land, 
 
 And often at the early dawn or eve, 
 When the horizon wore a hazy band, 
 Each kept a sharp look out, eyes under hand.
 
 74 COLUMBUS; [canto viii. 
 
 Or, with an optic glass, the best then known, 
 They swept the distant sky, to catch the shape 
 
 Of some more prominent object in advance — 
 A mole, a rock, a tower, or a cape, 
 With eye o'erstrained, breath hushed, and mouth 
 agape. 
 
 And oftentimes the clouds did so deceive, 
 
 That e'en the Admiral thought the land was there, 
 
 But after waiting for an hour or so, 
 The outline died away in thinnest air, 
 And the delusive landscape proved nowhere. 
 
 But once, when deep intent upon a chart, 
 Columbus heard the welcome cry of "Land!" 
 
 The voice was Pinzon's, and this time no doubt 
 Was entertained by any of the band, 
 
 That the discovery was made — 'twas grand ! 
 
 Then on their knees the sailors prostrate fell, 
 And to the Highest highest glory gave ; 
 
 They rose, the land had vanished as by spell, 
 And nought was visible but sky and wave, 
 Then frantic some like lunatics did rave,
 
 canto Tin.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 75 
 
 And some did to despair their spirits yield — 
 
 Nor art nor words could rouse them ; the full strain 
 
 Of joy in which they had indulged, unsealed 
 What little hoard of manhood did remain, 
 Till reason shook, hut hope revived again. 
 
 For now the cry of "Land" was heard each hour, 
 And only hy its frequency maintained 
 
 The drooping corn-age of the heart-sick crews, 
 Which rose spasmodically when they thought 'twas 
 
 gained, 
 And sunk as surely when the vision waned. 
 
 Was this to last for ever? Were they still 
 By going on to tempt a dreadful fate ? 
 
 All led hy one wild, stern, imperious will: 
 Would none arise ere it was found too late, 
 And force the chief to bend to their dictate ? 
 
 The murmurs rose, and clamorous, some dared 
 To utter menaces against Colon ; 
 
 But he, unused to bend, at once declared 
 
 No threats should make him turn and meet the sun, 
 To find land west he came, and he'd go on.
 
 76 COLUMBUS ; [cajjto Tin. 
 
 This stern resolve, attended by new signs 
 Of land, diverted for a time the crew, 
 
 For wild ducks, pelicans, and other birds 
 Of varied colour, round the vessels flew, 
 That dumb, the men now thought Columbus true. 
 
 At length the Admiral strong hopes indulged 
 That land was somewhere, and not far, ahead, 
 
 And orders issued that when midnight came 
 
 Each ship should sound for bottom with the lead, 
 Heave-to, set watch, and quietly go to bed. 
 
 • 
 
 All day the indications had been great, 
 Above, below, and in the very air; 
 
 The clouds by glorious hues, by drifts the sea, 
 And by sweet currents did the atmosphere 
 Say to the fainting souls, " 'Tis near, 'tis near ! " 
 
 At night Columbus called the crew to prayers, 
 And after service all on board addressed — 
 
 " See," said he, " how distinguished we have been, 
 The winds and waves by heaven have been blessed 
 To waft us o'er this sea, and soon we rest.
 
 canto vin.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 77 
 
 " Let thanks unfeigned, then, to God be given, 
 For that our prayers are answered doubt no more ; 
 
 The prize may long have been withheld by heaven, 
 And but for sin might have been won before ; 
 But now I'm sure that we approach some shore.'" 
 
 At ten o'clock, the night being warm and still, 
 The Admiral stood, arms folded, on the poop, 
 
 Watching the dappled sea, when lo ! he saw 
 
 A light, which rose, and then it seemed to stoop, 
 As passing 'long a fort from loop to loop. 
 
 That this was on or near the land he knew, 
 And for a witness to the fact he sent 
 
 For Pedro Gruttierez, who saw it too, 
 
 But ere a third could see it it was spent, 
 Or something: came between to intervent. 
 
 "& 
 
 Having still a favourable wind, they run 
 All night before it, till the early morn, 
 
 And o'er a tranquil sea, when lo ! a gun 
 Fired by the Pinta, ere the break of dawn, 
 Annoiuwed throughout the fleet the land was born!
 
 78 COLUMBUS; [canto viii. 
 
 Then rose upon the resonant air a shout, 
 
 Which must have startled from their quiet sleep 
 
 The denizens of all the shores about, 
 
 And made both fowl and tenants of the deep 
 Awake, to nutter, fly, crawl, swim, or leap, 
 
 As each would know what strange unwonted cry 
 Had roused them from their rest at such an hour, 
 
 And whence it came, if from the deep or sky, 
 If threatening weather, or the clouds did lour, 
 And promise to their skins a cold-bath shower. 
 
 And now the ships were brought to a dead stand, 
 It being dangerous further on to go, 
 
 Where every fathom they might strike the land, 
 Or some tremendous rock concealed below, 
 Much harder than the strongest vessel's bow. 
 
 There was an interval of deep suspense 
 To all, but chiefly to that wondrous man 
 
 Who stood and cogitated the immense 
 
 Unfathomed gulf o'er which he'd led the van, 
 Unkeeled by vessel since the world began.
 
 canto Tin.] OE, THE NEW WORLD. 79 
 
 The thought was overwhelming; could it be? 
 Was it not some delusion of the brain, 
 
 Some wild ungovernable phantasy ; 
 
 Was he not still upon the soil of Spain, 
 Battling with monks and courtiers o'er again ? 
 
 Who has not felt, in less or great degree, 
 
 How hard belief is in th' accomplished scheme, 
 
 Which thro' long weary years has ceaselessly 
 His days and nights absorbed, until the theme 
 Became, if sleeping or awake, a chronic dream ? 
 
 So was it with Colon ; precisely when 
 The project by his fancy was evolved, 
 
 We know not, but of years a score and ten 
 At least had passed ; since then how oft revolved ! 
 But now with day the mystery would be solved.
 
 CANTO IX. 
 
 As when the curtain rises on a scene 
 Of painted loveliness, or mist of morn 
 
 Rolls off, uncovering a glowing vale ; 
 
 As when the bowers, streams and verdant lawn 
 Of Eden, did on Adam's vision dawn ; 
 
 So rose from out the placid sea the land, 
 
 Long sought, and often doubted, save by one ; 
 
 A sight so marvellous and sternly grand 
 That not a voice broke silence, or a gun, 
 The heart alone did throb, " 'Tis won, 'tis won!"
 
 canto ix.] COLUMBUS. 81 
 
 And there it lay all gorgeous on the sea, 
 Feasting the weary mariner with the sight- 
 
 To break the spell of silence now would be 
 Profane — a prospect so serenely bright 
 Seemed as 't could charm the eye all day and night. 
 
 At length the pause was broken by the Chief, — 
 All ears attent to catch his every word, — 
 
 He spoke in sentences deep-felt and brief, 
 Ascribing glory to the Sovereign Lord, 
 For having thus his mercies on them poured. 
 
 He called upon all present to devote 
 
 Their lives thenceforth unto the Highest alone, 
 
 Who had thus far kept their frail barks afloat, 
 Trusting that He, for Jesus' sake, would own 
 Their souls and labours on his judgment throne. 
 
 Then ordered he the boats to be got out, 
 And manned imposingly, since the event 
 
 The greatest was in their lifetime or his, 
 And should be duly solemnized, each bent 
 To glorify but the Omnipotent. 
 
 o
 
 82 COLUMBUS; [canto ix. 
 
 Thus charged each ship its boat detached with crew, 
 And chief and civil servants of each grade, 
 
 Led by Columbus, whose tall form e'er threw 
 The common run of men into the shade, 
 And on the sbore a gorgeous line displayed. 
 
 With banners bearing the royal arms of Spain, 
 And Cross uplifted from the boats they reach 
 
 Along the shore, a slow advancing train, 
 Devoutly singing as they thread the beach 
 " Non Nobis Domine " in native speech. 
 
 " Not unto us, not unto us, 
 Oh, Lord ! but unto Thee, 
 
 Be all the glory and renown 
 Of this discovery. 
 
 " O'er boundless and unfathomed seas 
 We've come, a sinful band, 
 
 And still are travelling within 
 The hollow of thine hand.
 
 canto ix.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 83 
 
 " Great Sovereign, may this thought e'er be 
 
 Our comfort and delight, — 
 We cannot from thy presence flee, 
 
 Or wander from thy sight. 
 
 " Great God, all space, as but a speck, 
 
 Before thy view doth lie, 
 And endless time is but a streak 
 
 In thine eternity. 
 
 " The earth, Oh ! Lord, is thine, and all 
 
 The fullness of the globe ; 
 This world is but thy footstool, and 
 
 Its light thy dimmest robe. 
 
 " Yet here our boundaries are fixed, 
 And Thou hast said, 'Subdue, 
 
 Replenish, and with fruitfulness 
 Its beauty e'er renew.' 
 
 " Then in thy name we claim this land, 
 
 To make thy glory known; 
 We would o'erthrow each heathen god, 
 
 And only Thee enthrone.
 
 84 COLUMBUS; [canto ix. 
 
 "Not unto us, not unto us, 
 
 Oh ! Lord, but unto Thee, 
 Be all the glory and renown 
 
 Of this discovery." 
 
 They halt, and plant the Standard of the Crowns, 
 And on their knees the Chief and each one fell ; 
 
 Then rising, claimed the cities, forts, and towns, 
 And lands for Ferdinand and Isabel, 
 And promised in their names to govern well. 
 
 And then the craven spirits 'mong the crew, 
 Who had insulted their now glorious Chief, 
 
 Crouched at his feet, as they would lick his shoe. 
 And asked forgiveness for their disbelief, 
 With real or feigned humility and grief. 
 
 And then they see the natives from the trees 
 Make their approach with timid steps and slow, 
 
 And nearer come by gradual degrees 
 Till they arrive, then bowing very low 
 Examine every one from top to toe.
 
 canto ix.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 85 
 
 The Spaniards beards and faces too they feel, 
 And they admire the leader's scarlet cloak, 
 
 Thrown o'er a suit of armour — burnished steel, 
 Which on their rude imaginations broke 
 Like glancing meteor, or lightning stroke. 
 
 The strangers were unearthly beings they thought, 
 Descended in their ships winged from the skies, 
 
 They little dreamed their visitors had brought 
 Chains for their freedom, and did greatly prize 
 That which was dross in their untutored eyes. 
 
 Gold ! the sight of which, though but a single piece, 
 Suspended glittering from a native's ear, 
 
 Did so excite the avarice of the crews, 
 That Colon was compelled to interfere, 
 And put the royal prerogative in here. 
 
 The exclusive right to barter for all gold 
 Had been reserved by the King and Queen ; 
 
 'Twas hard the Spaniards' lust in check to hold, 
 But when a royal mandate comes between, 
 Inferiors must submit, and gulp their spleen.
 
 86 COLUMBUS j [canto ix. 
 
 Columbus named this land San Salvador, 
 
 An island, as he learned, and, as he thought, 
 
 But one among some scores or hundreds more, 
 With which Polo in his account had taught 
 The traveller to expect these seas were fraught. 
 
 And thus believing he had Asia reached, 
 He called the natives " Indians," a name 
 
 Which still they bear, nor can it be impeached, 
 For what if what he found was not his aim, 
 He found a world, and left a deathless fame. 
 
 His theory was on science truly based, 
 
 That this terraqueous world was nearly round, 
 
 And its circumference he sought to test 
 
 By sailing westward, where the adventurer found 
 A continent, by mighty oceans bound. 
 
 'Tis true he did not know 'twas a new world, 
 Hence all his efforts failed to make his end 
 
 Dovetail with that which Polo eastward left ; 
 
 The parts he could not fit, nor would they bend 
 To any shape that he could comprehend.
 
 canto ix.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 87 
 
 Hawks-bells and beads, and other trifling gifts, 
 Columbus gave the natives, ere he went 
 
 In quest of other lands, where he might find 
 
 Gold, precious stones, and drugs whose balmy scent 
 He recognised in breezes Occident. 
 
 So weighing anchor he set sail, and found 
 Conception, Ferdinand, Juan and Isabel, 
 
 Isles green and beautiful, and on their shores 
 The standard raised of Spain, nor need we tell 
 How each upon his atlas he did spell. 
 
 Then Cuba burst on his astonished view, 
 A sight to his delighted eyes sublime ; 
 
 Forest and savannah, backed by mountains blue, 
 Swept past enchantingly, for autumn time 
 Had scarce yet come upon its lovely clime. 
 
 Apace the fleet did scud before the breeze, 
 New scenes of beauty bringing into view, 
 
 Broad streams, and silvery water threads, and trees 
 From lowly fern to lofty palm there grew, 
 With leaf of every shape, and size, and hue.
 
 88 COLUMBUS. [canto IX. 
 
 A vision so unwonted filled each sense 
 With pleasures none had ever felt hefore ; 
 
 They could have gazed with extacy intense 
 All day and night upon that glorious shore, 
 Which now its most inviting aspect wore — 
 
 All day, for over it a cloudless sun 
 
 Grlowed but to gild each peak and warm each vale, 
 
 All night, for then the colder moon upon 
 
 Each glade and streamlet, forest, hill and dale, 
 Did cast its broidered, beauteous silver veil. 
 
 But now the waning sun upon a coast 
 
 Unknown warned them to anchor for the night ; 
 
 They had, thro' favouring breezes, made the most 
 Of day, and pillowed on the shaking waters bright 
 They fell asleep, and waited for the light.
 
 CANTO X, 
 
 Next mora Columbus anchored in a bay, 
 And went ashore to plant the flags of Spain, 
 
 Assured this was Cipango or Cathay, 
 Resolved, if possible, to ascertain 
 Where was the city of the mighty Khan, 
 
 With presents and instructions Colon sent 
 A little band to thread a river's marge, 
 
 Perchance to find, as inwardly they bent 
 Their steps, the chief or Indian in charge 
 Of this outlying province, state, or Raj.
 
 90 COLUMBUS; [canto x. 
 
 And thro' such prince, or governor, or chief, 
 To say that he, holding the Spanish power, 
 
 Desired an audience, however brief, 
 
 And would attend the Khan in spicy bower 
 Or ivory palace, at the imperial hour. 
 
 Meantime Columbus strayed a league or so, 
 
 New scenes each moment meeting his rapt gaze, 
 
 If fixed upon the river's winding flow, 
 Or on the grassy glades, or other phase 
 Of landscape, sometimes but a tangled maze. 
 
 Thus as he strolled Columbus reached a spot 
 Where lofty trees o'er-arching formed a shade 
 
 So cool and green that here he cast his lot, 
 
 Stretched on a velvet couch, whence he surveyed 
 From end to end this gothic grand arcade. 
 
 The air seemed burthened with unnumbered sweets, 
 'Mong which he thought that he did recognise 
 
 Choice spices, drugs, and aromatic gums, 
 All rare commodities in Colon's eyes, 
 And such as Europeans highly prize.
 
 canto x.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 91 
 
 A thousand notes of birds rang out aloft, 
 Such as his ears had never heard before, 
 
 Save here and there a strain so rich and soft, 
 It seemed the nightingale from Europe's shore, 
 A kind of "prima donna" in the choir. 
 
 The plumage of these tenants of the grove 
 
 Surpassed the feathered tribes the sea beyond; 
 
 Gold, blue, and crimson, with then- blended hues, 
 Glowed in the vaulted roof, as if the wand 
 Of an enchanter ruled this nouveau monde. 
 
 Parrots and parroquets and cockatoos, 
 
 And gay flamingoes in their scarlet cloaks, 
 
 These strutting with an air that did amuse 
 Colon, who'd never seen such brilliant folks 
 Fly, walk, or flutter 'mong his native oaks. 
 
 The insect tribes, with woven net- work wings, 
 And gorgeously arrayed, did float along, 
 
 Sheathing, on first acquaintance, their dread stings, 
 And e'en attempting something of a song, 
 Like the vibration of a tuning prong.
 
 92 COLUMBUS; [canto x. 
 
 And then the flowers, with unrivalled dyes, 
 Of marvellous luxuriance, yet wild, 
 
 Fascinated with their charms his eyes, 
 
 As round their masses of gay hloom they piled, 
 And with their odours his soothed sense heguiled. 
 
 O'ercome with Nature's splendid hanquet, he 
 Yielded to sleep, and dreamed that Eden fair 
 
 Had thrown its portals wide for him to see 
 And taste its peace and happiness so rare, 
 A bliss with which nought earthly could compare. 
 
 And in his dream he wandered by the banks 
 
 Of life's deep stream, whose waters, crystal clear, 
 
 Invited him to drink and be revived ; 
 
 He drank, and felt 'tis "heaven to be here," 
 Where nature doth no shade of sadness wear. 
 
 And now he walked upon a level mead, 
 
 And saw, in the bright vision, his dear boys, 
 
 With happy faces and resilient tread, 
 
 Bound towards him, whom, with adolescent voice, 
 They welcomed to their amaranthine joys.
 
 canto x.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 93 
 
 Then round him rose unnumbered leafy bowers, 
 From palest green to myrtle more profound, 
 
 Where jasmines, roses and sweet-scented flowers 
 Were intermingled and entwined around, 
 And not a leaf lay withered on the ground. 
 
 And from the bowers sprang a joyous troop, 
 All redolent with health, and wondrous fair, 
 
 Which round him gathered in a beauteous group, 
 And seemed to talk with him on topics rare, 
 And then to melt in circumambient air. 
 
 Before his vision then a crystal rock 
 Lifted its kingly brow above the scene, 
 
 A.nd shed therefrom a foaming cataract, 
 On which the iris in its loveliest sheen 
 Played up and down, with snowy wreaths between. 
 
 And then on every hand o'er-arching trees 
 
 In vistas stretched away, from which there hung, 
 
 In glowing clusters, fruits of varied hue ; 
 These groves delicious Colon roved among, 
 And from the fruit the choicest nectar wrung.
 
 94 COLUMBUS; [canto x. 
 
 Then night came on as sudden as eclipse, 
 But only hid the sun — the sky was clear, 
 
 And looked upon him with its heauteous eyes, 
 Whilst pceans, as from the celestial sphere, 
 Came floating down upon his charmed ear. 
 
 " Columbus the brave ! 
 
 Thou hast dared the sea wave, 
 
 To conquer a world 
 
 And get glory: 
 Thy wonderful name 
 The first place doth claim 
 In the records of fame, 
 
 Great and hoary. 
 
 " The deed is now done, 
 
 A new would thou hast won, 
 
 And thy victory's not 
 
 Stained or gory : 
 Thine adventure bold 
 Shall the centre place hold, 
 And thro' ages be told 
 
 In bright story."
 
 canto x.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 95 
 
 The music ceased, and on his ravished sight 
 A vision of angelic beings broke, 
 
 Floating on outstretched pennons, snowy white, 
 Who seemed as they would kiss him ere they spoke, 
 But with the fancied impress he awoke. 
 
 And for a moment Colon lay confused: 
 
 Was he in Spain ? and had his fancy mocked 
 
 Him with ideal ships, and men, and route, 
 And had he been on unreal billows rocked ? 
 Such and like fancies quickly round him nocked ; 
 
 But soon dispelled he rose, for now the men 
 Whom he had sent exploring had returned; 
 
 They'd met but with a village and some huts, 
 Where they, tho' well received, had nothing learned 
 Of the great Khan, or gold for which they burned. 
 
 But on their way they saw, for the first time, 
 The natives twist and smoke the "tyrant weed," 
 
 Which has since then, in every age and clime, 
 Been pounded for the nose, or chewed for feed, 
 Or smoked, or taxed for revenue " in need."
 
 96 COLUMBUS; [canto x, 
 
 Ere leaving Cuba he prevailed upon 
 Some Indians to accompany his ships. 
 
 Hoping, thro' them, the favour might be won 
 Of other tribes, in his short coasting trips, 
 And easier parley had thro' native lips. 
 
 " Bohio," so the Indians ever named 
 
 The place of gold, did Colon much perplex; 
 
 'Twas south, they told him, and was greatly famed, 
 So south he steered, designing to annex 
 It to the realms of Spain's great Queen and Eex. 
 
 But now occasion of alarm was given 
 By Pinzon who all signalling despised 
 
 And, favoured by the darkness of the even, 
 
 Sailed oft*, on some pretence which he disguised, 
 But which, in any case, was ill-advised. 
 
 Still south Columbus sailed, when in the sky, 
 Dimly outlined, the lofty peaks arose 
 
 Of the enchanting island called Hayti ; 
 
 The land of plenty, freedom, chains and woes, 
 Republics, kingdoms, empires, friends and foes.
 
 cajsto x.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 97 
 
 A harbour, beautiful, commanding, deep, 
 Invites ; he enters, and his anchor casts, 
 
 Whilst night's dark shadows warned the crews to sleep 
 Amid tall pines, which, like a fleet of masts, 
 Stood round, defying time and tempest blasts. 
 
 With morn the men were early on the decks, 
 
 As they would know what land they now had made. 
 
 When lo ! a damsel passed between the trees 
 With graceful steps, in Nature's dress arrayed, 
 And plunging in a pool through it did wade. 
 
 It was her simple toilet, soon 'twas o'er, 
 Her tresses, black, luxuriant and warm, 
 
 Serving to veil, adorn and shield, she wore 
 Curled like convolvulus around her form, 
 To parry Sol's bright beams or pelting storm. 
 
 The Spaniards gazed a moment on the maid, 
 Then in a boat they quickly pulled to shore; 
 
 The timid stranger fled in haste, afraid, 
 But was o'ertaken by a swift pursuer, 
 And from her native greensward gently bore.
 
 98 COLUMBUS; [canto x. 
 
 Tliey carried her aboardship, where Colon, 
 
 Who had observed from his look-out the scene, 
 
 Directed them the maiden to release, 
 And decorating her with tinselled sheen, 
 Soothed her with words ; her age was scarce fifteen. 
 
 Then placed her softly on her native banks, 
 Where, free, she bounded quickly out of sight ; 
 
 But presently appeared a multitude, then" thanks 
 To render Colon for the gifts so bright 
 With which he had their gentle maid bedight. 
 
 They brought him cotton and cassava bread, 
 And calabashes filled from icy springs, 
 
 And much admired the white men and their head, 
 Colon, but chiefly the great ships with wings, 
 Now motionless at their firm anchorings. 
 
 Kindly acknowledged all their presents were, 
 And in exchange were given bells and beads, 
 
 Much to the Indians' delight, who thought 
 
 Themselves the gainers — thus the white man feeds 
 The wild man's passions, and his ruin speeds.
 
 canto x.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 99 
 
 Again Columbus did his anchor weigh., 
 
 And coasting marked the outline of the land, 
 
 Each swelling cape, or deep indented bay, 
 High undulating cliffs, or level strand, 
 Forest of palms, green meads, or beach of sand. 
 
 Now heaving-to, and from the neighbouring shore 
 Receiving visits from the local chief, 
 
 Or sending deputations on before, 
 
 To some supposed outlying state or fief 
 Of Khan, who ruled o'er all in his belief. 
 
 Thus trending the bold island, he received 
 An earnest message from a young cacique, 
 
 One Guacanagari, who much desired 
 
 To converse with Colon, and did bespeak 
 A visit to some neighbouring bay or creek. 
 
 Columbus steered compliant to his wish ; 
 
 'Twas Christmas-eve — the hour eleven o'clock — 
 
 The steersman had the helm left to a boy — 
 When lo ! the ship received a violent shock, 
 It struck, and broke upon a sunken rock.
 
 100 COLUMBUS; [canto x. 
 
 The pilot, coward, seized a boat and fled, 
 
 Believing all on board the ship would drown, 
 
 And reached the Nina, which was on ahead, 
 But there he met young Pinzon's withering frown, 
 Who drove him back, or would have cut him down. 
 
 The Nina hastened to the Admiral's aid, 
 And took Colon and all the crew on board, 
 
 Then left the ship, for he was much afraid 
 
 That she would founder, for the breakers roared, 
 And o'er her bulwarks all their fury poured. 
 
 Then anchoring she waited for the day, 
 Which brought the cacique, Guacanagari, 
 
 Who seeing the Admiral's dejected mien, 
 Strove, with his simple eloquence, to free 
 Colon from his depression — sad to see. 
 
 Columbus was invited to his house, 
 And aided to unfreight the caravel,, 
 
 For still it kept its head above the waves, 
 Nor did the Indians covet aught, but well 
 Protected all the freight, rare thing to tell.
 
 canto x.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 101 
 
 Reduced by wreck and treachery to one 
 Frail vessel, some did Colon now entreat 
 
 To be allowed to settle on tbe isle, 
 And form a little colony, the seat 
 It might be of a future empire great. 
 
 The proposition did so well accord 
 
 With Colon's quicker and maturer thought, 
 
 That he resolved at once the means t'afford, 
 
 And with the timbers from the shipwreck brought 
 To raise upon the island the first fort. 
 
 Prompt to fulfil, Columbus 'gan to build, 
 And soon arose to battlement from base 
 
 A fortress, which with armaments he filled, 
 Powder and ball, cannon and bow, and mace, 
 The latter for the governor of the place. 
 
 Then he invited all the natives near, 
 
 And kindly entertained them ere he left ; 
 
 But to impress on them a wholesome fear, 
 
 He made the Spaniards use their weapons deft, 
 And fire the Lombards, which the hard rocks cleft.
 
 102 COLUMBUS. [cajtto x. 
 
 The fort he called La Navidad, to mark 
 
 The day on which the caravel was wrecked, 
 
 And to Arana gave the chief conmand, 
 Ohedience to whom he did expect 
 As loj^al as if he stayed and ruled direct. 
 
 And now, all being ready, he departs ; 
 The farewells were affecting all around, 
 
 The Spaniards did embrace with sorrowing hearts — 
 Those who remained with grief much more profound 
 Than those who were to the old country bound.
 
 CANTO XL 
 
 Again Columbus marked eacb feature bold 
 Along tbe coast, as eastward be did sail, 
 
 And 'mong the more remarkable we're told 
 Was Monte Christi, a fine peak, where gale 
 Or storm fell harmless, as on Mount Michael. 
 
 He scarce had doubled Monte Christi's cape, 
 Ere the lost Pinta was full-sail descried 
 
 Bearing down on him, as if joyed to meet 
 An absent friend, and not a chief defied, 
 NVerless Colon his anger laid aside.
 
 104 COLUMBUS; [canto XI. 
 
 The interview with Pinzon was full cool, 
 
 Who strove, 'twas very hard, to frame excuse — 
 
 The winds and currents o'er his ship did rule : 
 The plea Colon admitted, lest abuse, 
 Or worse, Alonzo Pinzon should let loose. 
 
 Not that he feared the frown of any man, 
 But he had yet seven hundred leagues to sail, 
 
 Ere he could waive the self-imposed ban, 
 And if Pinzon again should Colon fail, 
 But one small ship remained, and that one frail — 
 
 Which might by storm or rock in ocean wide 
 Be struck or shivered, as the Saint Maria ; 
 
 Or if but shaken, would the timbers bide 
 
 The constant strain ? oh ! no, he much did fear 
 'T would sink, and with it all that he held dear. 
 
 And Europe and the world would never know 
 That he had fixed on a new world his sight. 
 
 Spain would denounce him as a dreamer low ; 
 His fame, which might have towered grandly bright, 
 Would then be shrouded in eternal night.
 
 canto xi.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 105 
 
 Such were the thoughts which filled his anxious mind, 
 As he now spread his mainsail to the hreeze, 
 
 And set his compass his way hack to find 
 O'er the vast, fathomless, untraversed seas — 
 Save by himself — a score and ten degrees. 
 
 For wood and water he a landing made, 
 
 And these supplies drew from the Golden Stream, 
 
 In native tongue the " Yacpii," where, 'tis said, 
 The precious metal was no idle dream, 
 But shone at bottom in the solar beam. 
 
 He anchored also at the River Grace, 
 
 Where Pinzon had been trafficking in gold, 
 
 For which this river was a famous place ; 
 The natives here, howe'er, Columbus told, 
 That with their kindred Pinzon had made bold. 
 
 Six had he stolen, and in bondage kept, 
 Whom Colon ordered him at once to free ; 
 
 In vain Alonzo stormed — the captives wept — 
 And Colon said that now Pinzon or he 
 Must master of the humble squadron be.
 
 106 COLUMBUS; [canto xi. 
 
 No power divided would he tolerate 
 
 Whilst he remained within the little fleet, 
 
 And Pinzon yielded — smothering his hate ; 
 
 The slaves were landed, and their friends did greet 
 Columbus with o'erflowing blessings meet. 
 
 The Eio Gracia now he left, and sped 
 Along the coast till near another cape — 
 
 Enamorado — so he called this head 
 Of land, for it was beautiful in shape, 
 And why not mark it thus upon the map ? 
 
 Not so the natives, they were black and fierce 
 And menaced Colon with their clubs of stone ; 
 
 But Spaniards knew with arrows how to pierce 
 Their enemies, and landing, made them own 
 That steel would strike and cleave them to the bone. 
 
 Thus matched, they flung their weapons all aside, 
 And, with the belt of amity, their Rex 
 
 They brought — a specimen of savage pride — 
 Towering above the tallest of his sex, 
 And by his subjects called Mayobenex.
 
 canto xi.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 107 
 
 With him Columbus entered into talk, 
 And to him gave a necklace and a ring 
 
 And bells, which music made as he did walk, 
 Imagining himself more like a king 
 Than with his feathers plucked from eagle's wing. 
 
 And now Columbus stood away to east — 
 The island melting like a lambent flame 
 
 Did still continue his rapt eyes to feast; 
 Hispaniola, so he called its name, 
 Acquired in history a blood-red fame. 
 
 The wind, so favourable when sailing west, 
 Impeded his return to the old land, 
 
 But still his astute mind did make the best 
 Of each new phase, and so he tried his hand 
 At traverse sailing, if the wind but fanned. 
 
 The pilots in their reckonings, howe'er, 
 
 Were sore perplexed; their course, entirely new, 
 
 Afforded them no help; sea, sky and air 
 But baffled all conjecture; Colon drew 
 Alone sound inference, his log being true.
 
 108 COLUMBUS; [canto xi. 
 
 Not, as when sailing westward, weather fair 
 Did they experience ; on their homeward sail, 
 
 Though traversing, they found the moving air 
 Less like a gentle current than a gale, 
 Which drove along their two poor vessels frail. 
 
 And now they scud like clouds before the blast, 
 Leaving the western hemisphere behind, 
 
 But, in their crazy state, they went too fast ; 
 Their canvas worn would scarcely hold the wind, 
 Which strained rope, sails and timbers all combined. 
 
 Still flying on, Columbus ne'er relaxed 
 
 His trust in Him who rules in storm and calm, 
 
 And tho' his faith was often sorely taxed, 
 He ever felt the comfortable balm 
 Of David, in the hundred-seventh psalm. 
 
 But now the gale increased, and bade prepare 
 For all the dread calamities of wreck ; 
 
 The lightning filled with blinding light the air, 
 The deluge fell upon the gaping deck 
 Of each poor bark, which seemed to each a speck.
 
 canto XI.] OK, THE NEW WORLD. 109 
 
 For wider grew the gulph which rolled between 
 The Nina and the Pinta, now forlorn, 
 
 And night with sable hues did supervene, 
 
 Then from the sight each ship from each was torn, 
 And neither saw the other in the morn — 
 
 A morn of desolation: ne'er before 
 
 Had Colon gazed on such a watery wild, 
 
 The ocean seemed to task its utmost power 
 
 To engulf his bark ; for wave on wave it piled 
 As 'twere in anger with her noblest child. 
 
 And now so hopeless seemed his ship's escape, 
 That lots were cast a pilgrimage to make 
 
 Unto the nearest shrine from bay or cape 
 First reached; the lot barefoot did undertake 
 To carry candle "for our Lady's sake." 
 
 At length the land, as dreaded in the storm 
 As welcome when 'tis o'er, in mountains soars 
 
 From out the flood; how grateful its fair form! 
 Many the guesses what might be those shores, 
 One only knew — they were the West Azores.
 
 110 COLUMBUS; [canto xi. 
 
 To him the sight of land was douhly hlessed: 
 In common with the humblest he now yearned 
 
 To gain his home, and there awhile to rest, 
 But mere repose his mighty spirit spurned, 
 To carry home his secret 'twas he burned. 
 
 He now a harbour sought, and anchoring safe 
 His shattered bark, dispatched a boat to land, 
 
 Requesting water and a few supplies, 
 Intending afterwards to lead his band 
 To the first shrine or chapel on the strand. 
 
 Meanwhile the boat's crew was detained all night. 
 
 Their tale incredible the governor hears — 
 A jealous Portuguese, who deemed it right, 
 
 Under strict orders from his superiors, 
 
 Exaggerated much by his own fears, 
 
 To capture Colon if he came ashore ; 
 
 And hearing of the intended walk barefoot 
 
 He held himself and warriors in store, 
 Intending, if the chance arose, to put 
 Colon in irons, and so Spain's schemes uproot.
 
 canto xi.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. Ill 
 
 But Christoval had so arranged his plans 
 That only some at first were sent ashore, 
 
 With orders to return after their bans, 
 
 When he would visit the same shrine with more. 
 And to their Great Deliverer thanks outpour. 
 
 Thus, undesignedly, Colon misled 
 
 The governor, who fell upon the earlier band, 
 
 And made them captives, doubting not their head 
 Had also ventured with them on the land, 
 And thus was fairly grasped in his rude hand. 
 
 Suspecting something wrong from the delay, 
 And better the whole scene to bring in view, 
 
 Columbus weighed, and stood along the bay, 
 When he discerned all prisoners his poor crew, 
 And scarcely could his gathering rage subdue ; 
 
 For soon a boat, filled with the Portuguese, 
 
 And rowed from shore, bore down upon his ship, 
 
 And apprehending something of a breeze, 
 
 He bade each man with arms himself equip, 
 Firmly each foe to meet and boldly grip.
 
 112 COLUMBUS; [canto xi. 
 
 But having seen their error, the boat's crew 
 Upon a mission peaceful now had come ; 
 
 And when Columbus placed before their view 
 His seals and titles, they did seem as dumb 
 As they had been subdued by shot or bomb. 
 
 Content, howe'er, to get the imprisoned men, 
 Colon resolved he would not go ashore, 
 
 Lest the foul trick should be played o'er again, 
 So weighing anchor for the main once more, 
 He bade farewell to the unkind Azore. 
 
 Fair weather served him for a day or so, 
 
 But then it changed, the clouds the sun did veil, 
 
 The wind from every quarter 'gan to blow, 
 And with such violence that ere a sail 
 Was reefed, the breeze became a gale, 
 
 And rent the Nina's canvas like a rag; 
 
 Her masts o'erstrained, started the kelson in ; 
 
 The crew wrought at the pumps till they did flag, 
 In vain endeavouring, amid the din 
 Around, upon the water in the hold to win.
 
 canto xi.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 113 
 
 New vows were made, and fresh lots cast to gain 
 Divine compassion through their patron saint ; 
 
 But lest their suit should fail for some hid sin, 
 And as the o'erwrought hand began to faint — 
 For who their sufferings now could speak or paint — 
 
 Colon inscribed on vellum an account 
 Of his discovery, and enclosed in wax 
 
 The precious document, and then in wood : 
 This in the sea he cast, laying as a tax 
 Upon the finder never to relax 
 
 His efforts, till he had through Europe wide 
 Proclaimed that Colon, the poor Genoese, 
 
 Had found a world across the Atlantic tide : 
 That carrying to Spain this new world's keys 
 His bark had foundered hi the old world's seas. 
 
 This done, all hope from them entirely fled ; 
 No effort to control the ship was made, 
 
 Under bare poles 'neath thunder clouds she sped, 
 And o'er the angry waves ; whose dreadful raid 
 The spirit of Columbus e'en dismayed.
 
 114 . COLUMBUS ; [canto xi. 
 
 Oh ! dismal thought ! that such a little space 
 As that which separated him from Spain 
 
 Should sternly hurl defiance in his face, 
 
 As it would say — though thou hast crossed the main, 
 "lis past thy power to get hack again. 
 
 And the old world would call him charlatan, 
 Or visionary, or it may be worse, 
 
 Who had deluded Spain by his trepan, 
 
 And lured her sons to death ; on him a curse 
 Would be invoked by her beyond reverse. 
 
 And his poor boys ! what would become of them ? 
 On their young heads would rest their father's crime; 
 
 No merit of their own could ever stem 
 The storm of indignation in their time, 
 Or whilst they sojourned in the Spanish clime. 
 
 Such were the sad reflections of Colon : 
 
 But, struggling to maintain his faith alive, 
 
 His thoughts would still with fondness dwell upon 
 The satisfaction which he misrkt derive. 
 Should he the rain and hurricane survive.
 
 canto xi] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 115 
 
 The tempest waxed yet fiercer, till it grew 
 Too dreadful for them hut to pray and weep ; 
 
 How near some coast they were not any knew, 
 Too near they feared to suffer them to sleep, 
 Who waited now their grave within the deep. 
 
 To meet that grave the crew were called to prayers, 
 It was a moment ne'er to be forgot ; 
 
 One only hope and sentiment was theirs ; 
 A common danger did each grudge out blot, 
 And hatred was just then remembered not. 
 
 So will the tiger and the leopard creep 
 
 To some dark cave, and with the deer down lie, 
 
 If more than usual danger threat, and sleep 
 Within one lair, mingling a mortal cry, 
 As if but one in their last agony. 
 
 Night closed upon them — terrible, profound; 
 Billows and foam divided the dark sea; 
 
 Clouds rolled along the sky, and thunder sound, 
 With lightning flashing on their angry lee, 
 Told but too truly what their fate must be.
 
 CANTO XII. 
 
 * 
 
 Could such a morn have sprung from such a night ? 
 Where all was blackness now 'tis crystal clear — 
 
 The waters He around serenely bright, 
 
 And seem to say, what can he have to fear 
 Who peacefully reposes his head here? 
 
 Say what this water ? it is Tagus' stream ! 
 This city ? it is Lisbon ! all astir, 
 
 And yonder lies the Nina; 'tis no dream, 
 
 She weathered all, passed the bold rock Cintra, 
 And anchored safely in this famed river.
 
 canto xii.] COLUMBUS. 117 
 
 But what a wreck! sans sheets, and yards, and shrouds, 
 Aloof upon the bosom of the stream, 
 
 As if too mean to mingle with the crowds 
 Of vessels from all nations, which do seem 
 Proud of their outline, rig, and noble beam. 
 
 Soon the news spreads, and reaches e'en King John — 
 The stranger vessel is a craft of Spain, 
 
 The Commodore the very same Colon 
 
 Who once proposed the vision of his brain 
 To him, who did decline it with disdain. 
 
 The King has left his city, and abides 
 Just then at Valparaiso with his court, 
 
 When lo ! a messenger from Lisbon rides 
 And asks an audience, on matters fraught 
 To the royal interest with deep import. 
 
 'Tis granted, when, in private, thus he speaks : — 
 " Last night, my gracious Sovereign, in the gale 
 
 A bark ran for the Tagus, and now seeks 
 
 Permission to refit." "What tale! what tale!" 
 Exclaimed the King — the messenger turned pale
 
 118 COLUMBUS; [canto xii. 
 
 And added, " "lis a Spanish caravel." 
 
 " And what of that ? " said the impatient John ; 
 
 ' Your Majesty, strange tales the sailors tell 
 Of their commander, one Christoval Colon, 
 Who went a wondrous enterprise upon, 
 
 " And has returned with the unlikely news 
 
 That he with his frail hark a world hath found!" 
 
 " Wiry thus do ye my royal ear ah use ? " 
 Said John, and falling with a heavy sound, 
 Lay fainting and outstretched upon the ground. 
 
 '' What now," the courtiers cried, as rushing in 
 They saw their master speechless and aghast. 
 
 "Speak, traitor, or our swords their way shall win 
 To thy false heart," — the Monarch cries " 'Tis past: 
 I did hut faint — the faintness will not last." 
 
 " Norona," said the King, " to Lisbon speed ; 
 
 There lies a hark — the Nina — in mid stream, 
 Commanded by one Colon, I have need 
 
 To speak with him ere the next sun doth beam ; 
 
 Haste, bring him hither by thy swiftest team.
 
 canto xii.] OK, THE NEW WORLD. 119 
 
 " With honour treat him, and his slightest whim 
 Humour, and his ship with every needful thing 
 
 Provide ; let nothing he withheld from him, 
 Obey his wishes, as you would your King, 
 And use for your authority this ring." 
 
 Norona, thus empowered, to Lisbon went, 
 And in the Nina Colon quickly sought, 
 
 Informing him that John the King had sent 
 To bring the Commodore unto his court, 
 Where many notables did then resort. 
 
 To John's recmest Colon at once accedes, 
 And with the outfit placed at his command, 
 
 He and Norona start on rapid steeds 
 To Valparaiso, where a gallant band 
 Conducted Colon to the King's right hand. 
 
 With a respect sincere, or perhaps but feigned, 
 For either supposition fits the case, 
 
 King John Columbus treats, and unconstrained 
 Begs him to be, insisting in that place 
 That Colon gives and not receives the grace.
 
 120 COLUMBUS; [canto xii. 
 
 Thus flattered, though uninfluenced, did Colon 
 Recount his wondrous voyage in the ears 
 
 Of King and courtiers, dwelling much upon 
 The country, rivers, natives, clubs and spears, 
 Birds, beasts and fishes, insects, atmospheres. 
 
 Gravely the Monarch listened, and the while 
 Revolved how foolishly he'd lost the prize ; 
 
 Then, only as in play, and with a smile, 
 Said to Columbus — " We do much surmise 
 Our empire does this new found land comprise." 
 
 Colon assured the King this could not be, 
 Since European ne'er had crossed those seas ; 
 
 Whereat the King replied, " We'll see, we'll see ; 
 Doubtless thou would'st do nothing to displease, 
 But there exist, you know, the Pope's decrees." 
 
 Of them Columbus said he nothing knew, 
 And did refer all doubtful points to Spain, 
 
 Assured that what was right, on a review 
 
 Of all the facts, the King would there attain ; 
 Less the King would, and more he could, not gain.
 
 canto xil.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 121 
 
 His Majesty professed himself much pleased 
 With Colon's answer, and his royal aid 
 
 Offered to hear him overland to Spain ; 
 Columbus thanked his Majesty, hut said 
 He much preferred the sea-coast line to thread. 
 
 And if the King would kindly grant him leave, 
 He would refit the Nina and return 
 
 That way: " Be 't so," said John, " tho' it doth grieve 
 Me much to part with thee Colon : to earn 
 A place in thy regard all men will burn. 
 
 " Eest here this night, and with the early morn 
 A cavalcade shall thy return attend, 
 
 Thy news will occupy when thou art gone 
 First place within our royal mind — the end, 
 Midst, and the beginning: Grod rest thee send!" 
 
 But there were murderous men around the throne, 
 Who urged the assassination of the guest : 
 
 This counselled they in vengeance, to atone 
 
 For their ill deed, for they had done their best 
 John to dissuade against the project west,
 
 122 COLUMBUS; [canto xii. 
 
 But John the dark design rehuked, for he, 
 Tho' not magnanimous, such means did hate 
 
 Of making his this famed discovery, 
 
 And told such counsellors he'd rather wait 
 And try diplomacy at any rate. 
 
 With early dawn Colon was on his way 
 To Lisbon, halting for an hour or so 
 
 At a famed convent, where the Queen did stay, 
 Who anxiously desired of him to know 
 All the particulars of his voyage, oh ! 
 
 She listened rapt, as did her ladies too, 
 
 Whilst Christoval depicted each charmed scene, 
 
 Attention to surprise, and that to marvel grew, 
 How such a world had since Creation been 
 Excluded from their eyes as by a screen, 
 
 Thick, dark, impervious to all but him, 
 
 The most mi daunted and keen-visioned man: 
 
 What shaped a thought, so shadowy and dim, 
 To the bright burning project, but the fan 
 Of the Almighty, who all space doth scan.
 
 canto xii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 123 
 
 'Twas even so, Columbus said, and we 
 But instruments most feeble are and low, 
 
 Who come when he doth bid ; nor can we flee 
 His presence, till his voice command us "Go;" 
 So stills he boisterous winds, or makes them blow. 
 
 To open up this world doubt not I am 
 Kaised from the dust by the Omnipotent, 
 
 Who spoke the thought to life, and nursed the flame 
 Through all the scorn and pain I underwent, 
 Until I sailed to the dark Occident. 
 
 "And now, right royal lady, grant me leave 
 My journey to the Tagus to resume, 
 
 To quit thy presence I sincerely grieve, 
 
 But I must haste to Spain, and then to Rome, 
 Tell my glad news, and clasp my boys at home. 
 
 " Go, gallant man," the noble matron said, 
 Farewell ! farewell ! tho' not for aye I trust. 
 
 Oh ! that for Portugal thy fleet had made 
 This conquest, of all victories the first, 
 Since bloodless is thy path, thy object just."
 
 124 COLUMBUS ; [canto xii. 
 
 So Colon parted with the generous Queen, 
 And hastened to the capital, where he 
 
 Received deep homage from all ranks, and e'en 
 Substantial contributions, and quickly 
 The Nina he refitted for the sea. 
 
 Now proudly left the little bark the stream — 
 How different from her entrance in the gale ! 
 
 The ships all manned, and gaily in the beam 
 Of the bright sun glanced the snow white sail, 
 Or streamed their colours, the event to hail. 
 
 Fair winds the voyage served, and yet once more 
 St. Vincent's bold and stormy cape he passed: 
 
 And then he stood for Andalusia's shore — 
 And Palos' port, which he in August last 
 Had left, he gained, and made his anchorings fast. 
 
 Wild was the joy, as thro' the little place 
 The tidings of the ship like lightning flew; 
 
 Sires, mothers, wives, sweethearts and sisters race 
 To prove the news — almost too good for true, 
 Each crying, wondrous ! who would have thought 
 it, who ?
 
 OAirro xii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 125 
 
 Down ca\^e the governor and the alguazil, 
 And all the notabilities in port ; 
 
 The people throng the harbour, and they fill 
 
 The church — first resting place that Colon sought, 
 To pay his homage in God's earthly court. 
 
 And then the first in the admiring crowd 
 
 Sought by Columbus, was the worthy Prior; 
 
 Of him the Admiral was ever proud, 
 
 But now the excellent old man stood higher 
 In his esteem than in a son's his sire. 
 
 True, generous, and great, the Prior stood — 
 Without an occult motive or desire, 
 
 Aiming to further his dear country's good, 
 And rouse resistless her awakened fire 
 To conquer for the Cross a vast empire. 
 
 And Perez gathered unto Sant' Maria, 
 Within the hall of audience, that night, 
 
 All the chief people of the place, to hear 
 Columbus his adventures there recite ; 
 And ne'er were listeners' eyes more glowing bright.
 
 126 COLUMBUS; [canto xii. 
 
 Breathless they hung upon the smallest word, 
 As measuredly he did his tale unfold ; 
 
 For surely never was a history heard 
 By audience, in the modern time or old, 
 So full of wonder, or so truly bold. 
 
 Excitement often made them weep or laugh, 
 
 Lean forward, grasp their seat, or upright stand, 
 
 That half the world should know not t'other half 
 For five milleniums, until Colon's hand 
 Did raise the veil from off the hidden land. 
 
 But whilst they listened to the tale sublime, 
 . And whilst the bells from Palos church rang out, 
 And whilst the people passed the evening time 
 Among the sailors, parcelled all about, 
 A kind of " elder brother " stood without. 
 
 In the dark shadow of La Rabida, 
 Alonzo Pinzon, with a palid face, 
 
 Having the storm tossed caravel, Pinta, 
 
 Brought safe to port, stood, as in deep disgrace, 
 And ever and anon the walls did pace.
 
 canto xii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 127 
 
 Since he was torn from Colon, on that night 
 So dark and stormy, near the West Azores, 
 
 He sought security, as best he might, 
 
 Within some port upon the nearest shores, 
 And found it in Bayonne, where Biscay roars. 
 
 Here, rashly reck'ning on Colon's demise, 
 He wrote the monarchs of his native Spain, 
 
 Claiming the honour of the western prize, 
 Begging their sacred majesties would deign 
 T' accept his homage to their glorious reign ; 
 
 And suffer him in person to attend 
 
 Their royal presence, and the cruise narrate, 
 
 As soon as he his native port should gain, 
 Adding how deeply he deplored the fate 
 Of Colon, in the recent gale so great. 
 
 After remitting this unkind dispatch 
 
 He weighed, and stood to southward with all speed, 
 
 So to reach home, and the reward to snatch, 
 Trusting, if Colon yet survived, in need 
 His Spanish blood would stand 'gainst foreign breed.
 
 128 COLUMBUS; [canto xii. 
 
 Judge his surprise when Palos he attains 
 To see the Nina anchored safe and trim! 
 
 Great were his fears, and hitter his heart pains, 
 For now he felt the future was for him 
 All fraught with misery — with danger grim. 
 
 Hence like a criminal he crept ashore, 
 
 And swept the land with keen and rapid gaze ; 
 
 How swiftly conscience travels *us before ! 
 He reached La Rabida, where his amaze 
 Increased, for through a chink by the sun's rays 
 
 He saw, as ransomed from the sea's abyss, 
 Columbus, on whom hung with 'rapt delight 
 
 All the old faces, he not one did miss : 
 
 For very shame he dared not make that night 
 One of the audience, 'twas a sick'ning sight ! 
 
 His count'nance fell ; one only refuge lay 
 
 Before him, 'twas his home, and there his head, 
 
 His throbbing head, he cast ; that night, next day, 
 And next, he tossed upon his weary bed, 
 For sleep and happiness had from him fled.
 
 canto xii.] OK, THE NEW WORLD. 129 
 
 And shortly, as to deepen his despair, 
 
 A message from the sovereigns was Drought, 
 
 Forbidding him their presence then and there, 
 For letters had meanwhile arrived at court 
 From Colon, sent o'erland from Lishon's port. 
 
 This message, like an arrow thro' his heart, 
 Struck the hold mariner, and presaged death : 
 
 With all he loved he painfully did part, 
 
 Venting, in saddening sighs, his latest hreath ; 
 How like a shadow man ! the wise man saith. 
 
 Who has not seen a noble mind struck down 
 In mid career through some fell derelict 
 
 Which less exalted might commit unscathed ? 
 And who their silent anguish shall depict 
 Who stand at their own conscience har convict ? 
 
 So Pinzon hy one fatal error fell, 
 
 Who might have been hut less than Great Colon, 
 Whose crown his daring fingers strove to pluck 
 But missed, thus casting evermore a shadow on 
 His scutcheon, which through ages might have 
 shone. 
 
 J
 
 130 COLUMBUS; [canto xa. 
 
 Shed on this memorable grave, 
 Which holds the ashes of ^a brave 
 And generous but erring man, 
 
 A tear; 
 And sympathizingly his failings scan. 
 
 He, when all men on Colon frowned, 
 Boldly stood forth, and drew around 
 Of seamen vigorous and hale, 
 
 A band, 
 "Which stood him less in calm than in a gale. 
 
 With these Colon adventured far 
 Beyond the ancient ultima, 
 And won for Leon and Castile 
 
 A world : 
 With Pinzon's errors then, oh ! lightly deal. 
 
 If he did sin, his punishment 
 Was swift and heavy its extent ; 
 Then cover thickly o'er his sin 
 
 A veil ; 
 And let his virtues now your homage win.
 
 canto xii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 131 
 
 At a late hour the Prior's friends broke up, 
 
 But news of Pinzon reached them ere they went, 
 
 And gladly welcomed had he been to sup 
 With them, the memory of the late event 
 Columbus to blot out being well content. 
 
 But long ere this Pinzon had sought his home, 
 From friends a self-imposed banishment, 
 
 Who deep regretting that he failed to come 
 'Mongst them, did separate whilst midnight lent 
 Her brightest lamp, as each one his way went ; 
 
 And some to speculation, some to dream, 
 Did give the remaining hours of the night ; 
 
 For surely never was more fruitful theme 
 For either ; whilst the Prior's olive light 
 Burnt onward with a steady flame and bright. 
 
 For he and Colon oft renewed the past, 
 
 Its checks and disappointments and despair — 
 
 " We'll thank God," said the Prior, " that at last 
 The generous Isabella heard our prayer, 
 And thus enabled you the deed to dare."
 
 132 COLUMBUS. [canto xii. 
 
 And then each counselled each to trust in God — 
 In all things great or small and in all time — 
 
 Who gives for weary feet the soft green sod, 
 When they no longer can the rough rock climb, 
 And out of small things kindles the sublime.
 
 CANTO XIII. 
 
 By the same messenger that brought Pinzon 
 Eebuke, Colon received a letter full of grace 
 
 From both the Crowns, telling him his son 
 And they did long again to see his face, 
 And to delay the very briefest space. 
 
 The royal commands, that on the journey he 
 Should be distinguished as the highest grade, 
 
 Were giv'n each local notability; 
 Thus on the route both the great Sovereigns made 
 His way as pleasant as a grassy glade.
 
 134 COLUMBUS; [canto xiii. 
 
 From Palos unto Seville, and again from thence 
 To Barcelona, where the court did stay, 
 
 His progress was one lengthened recompence 
 For past neglect ; huge multitudes the way 
 Lined, from the early dawn 'till close of day. 
 
 Garlands with laurel wreaths were flung along 
 His path, as onward thro' the crowds he rode, 
 
 And admiration found its vent in song, 
 Extemporaneous and in varied mode, 
 Or in some loftier form — the Spanish ode. 
 
 Arrived in sight of Barcelona's towers, 
 The jubilations rose to such a height, 
 
 That arches, columns, monumental howers, 
 Entwined with amaranth and flowers bright, 
 Contended heauteously to swell the sight. 
 
 And whilst the steeples of the city gave 
 Their joyous peals into the ambient air, 
 
 The shouts rolled forth, like undulating wave, 
 From myriad throats, embrowned hecause all hare, 
 Whilst kerchiefs told the raptures of the fair.
 
 canto xin.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 135 
 
 And then from forth the city, all arrayed 
 In suits of burnished silver or of steel, 
 
 With lance, or axe, or famed Toledo blade, 
 
 Came forth, on steeds of Arab blood — whose heel 
 Struck fire — proud knights of Leon and Castile. 
 
 A guard of honour, noble knights they were, 
 Such would not note Colon in days gone by, 
 
 But now his presence did the nation stir, 
 And make the noblest and the bravest vie 
 To do him honour 'neath the Monarchs' eye. 
 
 Preceded thus Columbus passed beneath 
 Triumphal arches, flags and evergreens, 
 
 Whilst fell before him many a beauteous wreath, 
 Woven with skill by maidens in their teens, 
 'Mong whom were many future May-day queens. 
 
 And all along the stirring line of route, 
 
 By royal command, the Spanish warriors stood, 
 
 With glittering helm, hand gauntleted, and suit 
 Of scarlet, stretching on for "many a rood," 
 Who for the nonce were in their merriest mood.
 
 136 COLUMBUS; [canto xiii. 
 
 But when the city Colon entered, he 
 Beheld a spectacle which far outshone 
 
 The extra mural, for within, each tree, 
 Casement and door, parapet and stone, 
 Its multitudes contained, within or on, 
 
 Who gazed with wonder on the Genoese, 
 Slow pacing on an Andalusian steed, 
 
 Through avenues of lime and orange trees, 
 With his "brown mariners — the Nina's meed, 
 And specimens of transatlantic breed — 
 
 Indians, with coronals of gold displayed, 
 Painted all colours, or in fleshly sheen 
 
 By oil produced, and natively arrayed, 
 
 Wondering as much at what they saw as e'en 
 The Spaniards marvelled such beings could have been. 
 
 Then followed from the occidental Ind 
 Rare specimens of gentle, graceful deer, 
 
 With hirds of gorgeous plumage, such as find 
 Their home in countries where the atmosphere 
 The glorious palm and plantain tree doth rear.
 
 canto xiii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 137 
 
 These, with a thousand beauteous, oderous plants 
 Destined the royal gardens to adorn, 
 
 Together with the Cacique's gifts and grants 
 Of Tomahawks and clubs, which they had worn 
 In battle, were in the procession borne. 
 
 In the Grand Plaza of the city great, 
 
 A noble scene met Colon's charmed view — 
 
 There on a throne of more than regal state, 
 And 'neath a canopy of gold and blue, 
 Sat Ferdinand and Isabel, the two 
 
 Equal in state and power, but as wide 
 As the far poles in sentiment and grace — 
 
 He her admirer — she his faithful bride, 
 And glad to give as he to take the place 
 Of honour, won by her chivalric mace. 
 
 And round the throne a glittering company 
 
 Of Spain's high blood, and knights and their esquires, 
 
 Archbishops, cardinals of famed degree, 
 
 Abbots, confessors — self-made lightning spires 
 Heaven's wrath to avert — kindlers of martyr fires —
 
 138 COLUMBUS; [canto xiii. 
 
 And famed ambassadors from other courts, 
 
 In splendid suits, and diamond hilted swords- 
 England's and France's, and the German powers' — 
 Italy's republics', medieval lords 
 Of ocean, and from untamed hordes 
 
 Along the Baltic Sea, and Volga's stream, 
 Were there to represent their native states. 
 
 And hear the wonders — passing Arab dream — 
 Which Colon, who had opened ocean's gates, 
 Had come to tell, with places, names and dates. 
 
 All these presented to the Admiral's eye 
 A scene so gorgeous, that he felt no land 
 
 With Spain in that barbaric age could vie, — 
 Save famed Cipango or Cathay, whose strand 
 He hoped to reach on his next voyage grand. 
 
 At length before the Crowns Columbus halts, 
 Who rise and gratefully extend their hands ; 
 
 They feel his great discovery exalts 
 
 Both them and him ; they bid him sit ; but stands 
 He in their presence with his sailor bands :
 
 canto xiii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 139 
 
 And then, all eyes and ears around attent, 
 He reads a journal from a vellum scroll, 
 
 A simple narrative, beginning with the bent 
 Of boyhood ever leisurely to stroll 
 Along the beach, and mark the blue sea roll ; 
 
 Observing thoughtfully, when on the sea 
 
 And out of sight of land, how smoothly round 
 
 The water always did appear to be, 
 
 And how the top, then sails and hull, he found, 
 Of ship did rise, as 'twere from the profound. 
 
 And how he nursed the thought, assured that God 
 Had planted it within his youthful mind, 
 
 And how in school days he, retired, did plod 
 Thro' geometric rules, the key to find 
 By which o'er western waves to reach the Ind. 
 
 And afterwards, thro' numerous tedious years, 
 How he had sought from Portugal and Spain, 
 
 The means to demonstrate his theories ; 
 
 And how they had all thro' that period lain 
 Untried, until at length he had been fain
 
 140 COLUMBUS; [canto xiii. 
 
 To give them up for aye ; when, heaven moved, 
 The Queen extended her royal patronage, 
 
 And for the sake of Jesus, whom she loved, 
 Did, with her august consort, then engage 
 To dare the boldest deed of any age. 
 
 How their emprise had issued, he would now 
 With all exactness and with truth detail, 
 
 From the first moment when the fated prow 
 Of Sant' Maria left the port of Pale, 
 To when the Nina reached it aft' the gale. 
 
 He then described each step the voyage out, 
 
   The strong emotions of himself and crew 
 Whilst traversing alone the dreaded route, 
 The great excitement as more surer grew 
 The evidences of near land, — not few. 
 
 And how, when it was certainly descried, 
 Their feelings were so utterly o'ercome 
 
 That all expression was to them denied, 
 
 For they were then as human beings dumb, 
 Some from o'er joy — from deep emotions some.
 
 canto xiii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 141 
 
 And then how, in their Majesties' joint name, 
 He did possession take of each hroad isle, 
 
 San Salvador — first in this roll of fame — 
 Cuba and Hayti — greatest — where did smile 
 Perpetual spring, their sojourn to beguile. 
 
 And how, tho' he did not then reach Cathay, 
 Cipango or Mangi, of mighty Khan 
 
 The seat, he had of gold seen such display, 
 Wrought from the virgin ore, by natives worn, 
 And worthy Spain's high beauties to adorn; 
 
 That he no doubt did entertain next fleet 
 Would open up to their benignant reign 
 
 A land with gold and spices so replete, 
 
 And jewels, that, so enriched, the Crowns of Spain 
 Might win the Holy Sepulchre again. 
 
 And then how he had laboured to impress 
 The natives with a sense of the vast power, 
 
 Wisdom, justice, grace and gentleness, 
 Of his famed Sovereigns, the flower 
 Of European greatness at that hour.
 
 142 COLUMBUS; [canto xiii. 
 
 Then Colon dwelt upon the balmy elime 
 Of that delightful region, where no storm 
 
 Furious did rage thro' all their happy time; 
 But which did ever vivify and warm 
 Shrubs of unnumbered hues and glorious form. 
 
 The natives were magnanimous and brave, 
 Or else as gentle as the meek gazelle, 
 
 Who thought that out of heaven, beyond the wave, 
 The Spaniards had sailed forth, and as by spell 
 Did gaze with wonder on each caravel. 
 
 Columbus then commanded, and there passed 
 Before the Monarchs, in " well ordered file," 
 
 The Indians, birds and animals ; and then last 
 The Nina's crew with things most rare — a pile 
 Of spears, whereat the Spanish knights did smile ; 
 
 And clubs, and knives and axes, these of stone ; 
 Arrows, bright feathered and of curious work, 
 
 Polished and pointed sharply with fish-bone ; 
 A native belt fastened with thong and dirk, 
 With which the warrior did sometimes lurk
 
 canto xiii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD 143 
 
 In ambush, if a deed of blood he'd do; 
 A string of human scalps from Carib torn, 
 
 An elegantly shaped and carved canoe ; 
 
 Flowers and shrubs, and woods by Spaniards sawn. 
 Were by the Nina's crew in order borne. 
 
 And last, not least, although not named before, 
 In Spanish eyes the real copia corn 1 — 
 
 Anklets and rings, and plates of virgin ore, 
 
 Bracelets and coronals, which the chiefs had worn, 
 Of which for bells they gladly had been shorn. 
 
 This ended, Christoval did dedicate 
 The fruits of his discovery to Spain, 
 
 And called upon the Monarchs from that date, 
 As her just rulers, graciously to deign 
 T' extend to Western Ind their Christian reiarn. 
 
 *a' 
 
 Thus spake Columbus, and the Monarchs then 
 On bended knee did pledge their sovereign word 
 
 Justly to govern all the tribes of men 
 
 Brought 'neath their sceptre by th' Admiral's sword. 
 And to them all just privileges accord.
 
 114 COLUMBUS; [canto xiii. 
 
 And to Columbus they did ratify 
 
 The titles, powers, immunities and rights, 
 
 Which by a protocol, of date July, 
 Previous year (the patent so recites), 
 They did him grant, as witness peers and knights. 
 
 Then from the Plaza to the sacred, fane 
 A grand procession, by the priesthood led, 
 
 Was formed, the Sovereigns seeking to obtain 
 A blessing from the Christian church's head 
 Upon an enterprise thus nobly sped. 
 
 No service more imposing e'er could be : 
 Chanted the choristers in sweetest tone, 
 
 And lowly all the worshippers the knee 
 
 Did bow before Jehovah's sovereign throne, 
 As in his presence all and each alone. 
 
 And then an anthem through the ancient pile 
 Arose, and shook the transept, nave and aisle. 
 
 We praise Thee, mighty God, 
 Let heaven and earth adore Thee :
 
 canto xin.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 145 
 
 All kings and realms and powers 
 Are but as dust before Thee. 
 
 Thy state no eye can look upon, 
 Thou Infinite, Eternal One. 
 
 The angels who retain 
 Their pristine state before Thee, 
 Though sinless they would fain 
 Shrink from Thy peerless glory. 
 
 If angels blench Thy presence in, 
 Where shall we fly who daily sin r 
 
 Our trust it is alone 
 
 On Jesu's blood, a fountain 
 
 Which rose sin to atone 
 
 On Calvary's dread mountain. 
 
 Oh ! for His sake whose blood was spilt, 
 Forgive our sin, blot out our guilt. 
 
 And now, Great God, we lay 
 Our humble gifts before Thee
 
 146 COLUMBUS; [canto xiii. 
 
 Accept our thanks this day 
 
 Who would alone adore Thee. 
 
 And 'till we see thee face to face, 
 Oh! fortify us by Thy grace. 
 
 CHORUS. 
 
 Holy ! holy ! holy Lord ! 
 Speak as in thine ancient word ; 
 Let thine enemies bow down, 
 Own thy sceptre and renown ; 
 Let all worlds thy glory see, 
 Hell and death before Thee flee, 
 Let the seraph, winged with light, 
 Let the cherubim so bright, 
 All the famed angelic choir, 
 Thy dread presence fall before. 
 Holy ! holy ! holy Lord ! 
 Ever be Thy Name adored.
 
 CANTO xiii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 147 
 
 Thus ended the great service of the dome, 
 But not the public joy, which swept along, 
 
 Now loudly, then like current deep ; and some 
 To soft delights did give themselves ; the strong 
 To conflicts harmless, interwove with song. 
 
 A banquet, sumptuous as the King and Queen 
 
 With their unrivalled powers could command, 
 
   
 
 Was to Columbus on the occasion given, 
 Graced by ambassadors from every land, 
 And lit with beauty in the palace grand. 
 
 Here in the place of honour Colon sat, 
 Beside his Sovereigns, upon their right, 
 
 Where the Grand Cardinal his scarlet hat 
 
 Was wont to place, but for this festive night 
 Ceded to one of whom all sought the sight. 
 
 Congratulations poured upon the Crowns 
 And Colon from the representatives 
 
 Of nations, great in power and renown ; 
 Whilst floral art on the occasion weaves 
 A crown of amaranthine laurel leaves.
 
 148 COLUMBUS; [canto xiii. 
 
 Music and poetry their wedded aid 
 
 Did lend, and painter's art its glowing sheen, 
 
 And eyes, yet lovelier, of the Spanish maid, 
 To heighten the effect of the hright scene, 
 O'er which presided Spain's most glorious Queen. 
 
 The banquet o'er, the King now led the way — 
 For his royal selfishness was deeply stirred — 
 
 To the apartments where Colon should stay, 
 And ere he left spoke many a gracious word ; 
 Alas ! how like some Kings the mocking bird. 
 
 One wonders not that after such a day 
 Columbus strove his eyes to close in vain ; 
 
 He travelled o'er and o'er again the way 
 
 From Genoa to Lisbon, and from thence to Spain ; 
 To Palos' port, and Santa Fe again. 
 
 Half slumbering, fought the battle nine times o'er, 
 With books and maps, and facts and argument, 
 
 And laid his enemies upon the floor; 
 Not dreaming of the wonderful event 
 Which had for ever their strong fabric rent.
 
 canto xin ] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 149 
 
 The morning dawned, and did dispel his dreams ; 
 Fresh honours from the Crowns Colon received ; 
 
 For brightly shone on him the royal beams, 
 
 As 'twere to banish aught that might have grieved 
 His noble mind when he was not believed. 
 
 Day after day his vestibule was thronged 
 With visitors, all anxious him to see ; 
 
 Nobles and knights, and learned men, who longed 
 To arather something: of astronomv, 
 Earth, air or water, o'er the Atlantic Sea. 
 
 Nor was the Navigator's fame confined 
 
 To home or Spain, for speedily there came 
 
 From many lands, by horses fleet as wind, 
 Couriers who bore, in their great masters' name, 
 Congratulations varied, but the subject same. 
 
 'Mong these, as claiming an especial place 
 In this memoir, some two or three we give ; 
 
 Nay all would interest but for the space, 
 Therefore we choose, as representative, 
 The following, and by the reader's leave : —
 
 150 COLUMBUS; [canto xiii. 
 
 " Genoa, May the first, year Ninety-three, 
 
 Thy honoured letter, and addressed to me, 
 
 Transmitting- to this Government the fact 
 
 Of a discovery heyond the sea, 
 
 And west from Portugal forty degrees, 
 
 Or thereahouts, of islands and vast tracts 
 
 Of land (which 'till this present year of grace 
 
 Have never been suspected to exist) 
 
 By one Columbus, of this city horn — 
 
 I do acknowledge, and with great respect. 
 
 Th' intelligence, as you may well surmise, 
 
 Has stirred all minds to their profoundest depths. 
 
 The learned Toscanelli, whose research 
 
 Has won for him a name through Christendom, 
 
 Declares this feat the greatest in all time ; 
 
 Since what has been the darkest mystery 
 
 For o'er five thousand years, and has perplexed 
 
 The most acute philosophers, and men 
 
 Of vast and wondrous parts, is here resolved ; 
 
 I mean the earth's now proved sphericity. 
 
 In honour of this great event the State 
 
 Hath voted an address, which I transmit 
 
 Herewith ; in moving which Francisco
 
 canto xiii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 151 
 
 Doria spoke the eulogy now next : — 
 
 ' Seignor, the President, and grave seignors, 
 
 The members of the Senate of Genoa's 
 
 Great Republic. By our ambassadors 
 
 It hath to us just been made known that one 
 
 Columbus, born within this city's bounds, 
 
 But long since domiciled in Spain, where he, 
 
 Like many of our countrymen elsewhere, 
 
 Had nursed the spirit of bold enterprise — 
 
 Hath in three caravels, of burden light, 
 
 Ventured to traverse the Atlantic Sea, 
 
 And westward upwards of three thousand miles : 
 
 A feat which never was essayed before 
 
 By Genoese — the highest of all types 
 
 Of naval daring — since that vast ocean 
 
 Has ever shrouded been in darkest nia-ht. 
 
 And clothed with terrors to the boldest mind. 
 
 Nor is this all, or greatest, or as aught 
 
 Compared with the stupendous fact that he 
 
 Hath found a world (sensation), yes a world, 
 
 And planted on its shores the flags of Spain; 
 
 And hath from its strange clime to Europe brought 
 
 Men, beasts, birds, fishes, trees and flowers, and gold — 
 
 'Tis said the land is Ophir, known of old, —
 
 152 COLUMBUS ; [canto xiii. 
 
 For this I cannot vouch, but do appeal 
 
 Unto, the learned Toscanelli, who 
 
 Is now from Tuscany on visit here. 
 
 A vast result, howe'er, I'm told is gained 
 
 By this discovery, whereat astronomy 
 
 Perplexed, stands wondering — that this world's a 
 
 sphere ; 
 A thought oft hazarded, as oft dismissed. 
 That this great conquest, not the only one 
 By Genoa's sons, hut greatest certainly, 
 Is gained by one who first saw light within 
 This city, and whose alma mater is 
 Renowned Pavia, is a fact of which 
 The Commonwealth may he most justly proud ; 
 And therefore, with profound respect, I move 
 That this Assembly do Colon address 
 In terms to this effect : — 
 
 " To Don Christoval Colon, High Admiral 
 Of seas and oceans to the Crowns of Spain, 
 Castile and Arragon, the ancient weal 
 Of Genoa greeting sends. Forasmuch 
 As it has learned by her ambassador 
 That by a matchless daring and foresight
 
 canto xiii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 153 
 
 Thou hast adventured o'er the Atlantic wave 
 And found a world, which hath from all been 
 
 screened 
 Until this present age, our Commonwealth 
 Is moved t' address thee, Don. That we can claim 
 Kindred, exalts not thee, but us ; for since 
 Man first assayed the deep to cleave, thy deed 
 No equal finds; and in its consequence 
 We see vast changes must result to man, 
 To science and to art. That thou wert moved 
 To this achievement by the Almighty God 
 Thee humbles and doth raise, for in his hand 
 Doubtless the greatest of our sinful race, 
 In common with the lowliest, servants are ; 
 Wherefore to him be all the power and praise. 
 To thee long life and health, and happiness 
 Refined and elevate. That this event 
 May to thy good as much redound as to 
 Thy country's, thine adopted, and o'er all 
 To His great glory whose we are and serve, 
 Is now the highest wish of Genoa's weal: — 
 
 This do I move, and that the same be signed, 
 In Genoa's name, by our respected President.'
 
 154 COLUMBUS; [canto xiii. 
 
 " With fitting honour thou wilt then convey 
 To Colon Genoa's testimony 
 Of esteem and admiration, and add 
 My own profound respect. Accept, seignor, 
 The salutations most sincere of thine 
 
 " GrIMALDI, 
 
 " Secretary of Legations. 
 
 "To Seignor Francisco Carini, 
 
 " Ambassador to the Courts of Leon and Castile." 
 
 "City of Paris, tenth of May, 
 Year of grace Fourteen-ninety-three. 
 Dear Christoval, I marvelled much 
 That nigh ten months had sped since I 
 A letter had received from thee ; 
 ' Tis now resolved. Oh wonderful ! 
 And it is true ! You know that I 
 Did e'er helieve it so, and ne'er 
 A doubt expressed ; hut now, when all 
 Is proved, my mind seems sceptical. 
 How strange ! I must suppose, o'ertaxed 
 By years of toil, to get thee aid, 
 It now recoils. God keep it sound !
 
 canto xiii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 155 
 
 But Christoval if mine, what thine ? 
 
 How wilt thou hear the hurden vast 
 
 Which fame will now upon thee heap ? 
 
 But thou wilt long to know how I 
 
 Became acquaint with thy success, 
 
 For thou hadst lost my track. ' Twas thus ; — 
 
 Here, seeking to enlist the aid 
 
 Of France in favour of thy scheme, 
 
 And thro' the intervention of 
 
 The Tuscan embassy, I came. 
 
 Capri, • the legate, I oft saw, 
 
 From whom repeated acts of grace 
 
 I have received. From him, at times, 
 
 A letter I did get, with the request 
 
 That I would come to his levee. 
 
 There did Capri most kindly speak 
 
 With the prime minister of France, 
 
 About thy scheme ; alas ! how oft 
 
 To ears which heard, but would not hear. 
 
 This did so oft hefal me, dear 
 
 Brother, that I despaired success, 
 
 And, oh ! forgive me, wearied was 
 
 Of my great suit. ' Twas thus, indeed, 
 
 But yestermorn, as sitting sad
 
 156 COLUMBUS; [canto xiii. 
 
 Before my fire (not as in Spain 
 Is't here) within my lodging house, 
 
 Rue St. Antoine and number , 
 
 When my good hostess, all aghast, 
 Rushed in and shouted — 'Don! there waits 
 A carriage at the door, and thou, 
 On business of great moment, must 
 Depart for Palais Royal just now.' 
 'No doubt,' she added, 'our august 
 
 But gracious master, hath now heard 
 
 Thy prayer and hath resolved to aid 
 
 Thee in thy plans,' and 'bon voyage, 
 
 Don, ah! I feel, I know, that I 
 
 Shall loose thee, for my heart doth knock 
 
 Against my side so violently.' 
 
 All this was in a breath, and I, 
 
 To say the truth, as nervous felt 
 
 As if an officer had come 
 
 To lodge me in a dark stone cell. 
 
 The carriage proved to be from the 
 
 Prime minister himself, and, from 
 
 The deference the men me showed, 
 
 I did conclude that something had 
 
 Been by the King resolved upon
 
 •ca»to xiii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 157 
 
 At length, as to the outfit asked. 
 
 What thoughts convulsively rushed thro' 
 
 My mind in the short space from Rue 
 
 St. Antoine to the Palais Royal, 
 
 I cannot now recall. Arrived, 
 
 Howe'er, my visions were dispelled 
 
 To be replaced, oh Christoval ! 
 
 I tremble while I write, by one — 
 
 Oh no not by a vision now, — 
 
 But by a great reality. 
 
 The minister me took unto 
 
 The King, and he most graciously 
 
 Extended me his hand, and looked 
 
 As tho' he honour did receive 
 
 Not give. T dare not trust myself 
 
 The terms to write in which of thee 
 
 He spoke, and of thy deed. Thou hast 
 
 Me so exalted, by thy fame, 
 
 That I do feel as if I had 
 
 Contributed substantial aid ; 
 
 Forgive me Christoval that I 
 
 Have not. I would have done, 'twas in 
 
 My heart, God knows it was, to help 
 
 Thee as a brother should. The King
 
 158 COLUMBUS; [canto xiit. 
 
 Me introduced to many men of fame, 
 And to the representatives 
 Of many realms. He gave me help, 
 Much needed, so that I now count 
 The tedious days which intervene 
 As interdicting me thy face ; 
 Which now of all things I most long 
 To see, and will — GJ-od helping me — 
 Full soon. ' Tis my intent to reach 
 Bordeaux hy post, and thence to Spain 
 Or Lishon, hy some vessel swift. 
 Dear Christoval in bonds of love 
 And true devotion ever thine, 
 
 "Bartolomeo." 
 
 "To our right trusty and beloved 
 Stanley — greeting and good health. We 
 Thy dutiful epistle do 
 Acknowledge, and with gratitude. 
 By thee our dignity doubtless 
 Is sustained, and our honour well
 
 canto xin.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 159 
 
 Secured. But this remember, that 
 In Ferdinand thou hast a man 
 Deep read in human ways, and one 
 So subtle and profound in all 
 Things politic, and yet so fair 
 And seeming unsophisticate, 
 That need wilt thou of all the wit 
 Wherewith Dame Nature hath endowed 
 Thee, added to thine accpiired skill 
 And long diplomacy, to match 
 So great a master in thine own 
 Recondite art. This pardon me, 
 Who deeply anxious feel just now, 
 Lest Ferdinand's ambition, great, 
 O'ershoot just limits ; for the Pope 
 A Spaniard is, and doubtless will 
 His sacerdotal power throw 
 Into the Spanish scale, which, thus 
 Preponderated, will o'erawe 
 The lesser powers, and chance to bring 
 These realms, else quiet, into a foul 
 Antagonism with her Crowns. 
 Reasons of weight do deprecate 
 Event so sad, chiefly the draught
 
 160 COLUMBUS ; [canto xiii. 
 
 Which on our royal treasury 
 
 A campaign would necessitate. 
 
 Not that we fear collision aught 
 
 With any power on Europe's soil, 
 
 As thou, clear cousin, knowest well, 
 
 Who with us fought famed Bosworth's field. 
 
 But there he other claims upon 
 
 Th' exchequer, and these bring me to 
 
 The main contents of thy dispatch. 
 
 The fact thou hast detailed so well 
 
 Three days ago I learned from one 
 
 Sebastian Cabot, who hath earned 
 
 Distinction in our Bristol port, 
 
 As having penetrated far 
 
 Into the northern seas. The same 
 
 Received it from De Gama, who 
 
 For Portugal hath won renown 
 
 Upon the coast of Afric, 'long which 
 
 He hath, we're told, pushed on e'en to 
 
 Th' extreme, and named the cape which yet 
 
 Defies his doubling — Tormentosa. 
 
 But now to thine. With thee and with 
 
 Cabot I do agree, Colon 
 
 Hath far surpassed all ancient and
 
 canto xiii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 161 
 
 All modem deeds at sea. As yet 
 
 I cannot realize th' event — 
 
 ' More like divine than human 'tis.' 
 
 I pray you ne'ertheless, in terms 
 
 As fit the occasion and do 
 
 Comport with our royal dignity, 
 
 To bear to him our deep regard; 
 
 And add, he would have found in us 
 
 A willing patron of his great 
 
 Emprise, had fortune cast him in 
 
 Our way; — and yet should he these realms 
 
 E'er visit, we will him receive 
 
 As does befit his splendid deed, 
 
 And our royal state. And now we would 
 
 That thou should'st glean from him what facts 
 
 Thou canst about the voyage out; 
 
 Eor it is in our royal minds, 
 
 In the interest of these realms, 
 
 At once an expedition to 
 
 Ecmip, that we the glory may 
 
 Participate, and in the profit too. 
 
 As this will great expense involve, 
 
 Thou'lt see how much to deprecate
 
 162 
 
 COLUMBUS; [canto xiii. 
 
 A war we have just now. But if 
 Our enterprise be crowned with 
 Success, and golden revenue 
 Accrue from Western India, then, 
 Come war or peace 'tis one, we shall 
 Be able, willing and prepared 
 To meet the knights of Aragon, 
 Albeit great renown they gained 
 Against the Moors of Granada 
 The terrible; in which great strife 
 Howe'er we don't forget that none 
 Did win a nobler name than our 
 Chivalric Brvers and his band 
 We purpose the supreme command 
 Of this our fleet to give Cabot, 
 In whom we have great confidence, 
 He being learned in all things 
 Pertaining to the sea and sky, 
 Whose stellar motions guide the ship 
 When land no longer lends its certain 
 Aid. That thou wilt get from Colon, 
 And without rousing his alarm, 
 As many facts as possible 
 We will not doubt, but wait thy next
 
 canto XIII.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 163 
 
 With patience, if we can. Woodstock, 
 June fourth, and year of grace Fourteen- 
 Hundred-ninety-three. 
 
 "Henet Seventh.'' 
 
 "To Don Christoval Colon, High 
 Admiral of seas and oceans 
 To Spain, her crowns of Leon and 
 Castile: — Old friend and much esteemed, — 
 Thy welcome letter, with the glorious news 
 Of thy achievement o'er the Atlantic Sea 
 I have received, with its companion chart. 
 'Twould be impossible to make thee know 
 By words the feelings thine aroused 
 In me. For though with thee I long have felt 
 Success would follow a bold enterprise 
 To the far Occident, I was but ill 
 Prepared for the stupendous feat thou hast 
 Announced. And now I am but half myself: 
 My agitated mind is yet but too 
 Unsteady fairly in the face to look
 
 164 COLUMBUS; [canto xiii. 
 
 At thy great deed — a deed by which thou hast 
 
 Thy kindred, country and mankind rendered 
 
 Illustrious. Oh! Colon, what is not 
 
 Yet shrouded in that ocean vast ! It doth 
 
 Remain for thee, and those to whom thou hast 
 
 The way thus shown across those seas, 
 
 To tell. What islands, continents and realms 
 
 Have from our eyes been hid these cycles past, 
 
 Who shall predict ? 'T would give me great delight 
 
 To converse with thee upon this and all 
 
 Things correlate. This may not be just now, 
 
 Howe'er, and the desire must hotter burn 
 
 By being postponed. To night for Genoa 
 
 I leave, Francisco Doria to see, 
 
 And others of renown, who greatly will 
 
 Rejoice to know that through a countryman 
 
 Of theirs the night of ages hath been pierced, 
 
 And light — a flood — thrown on the western wave. 
 
 With this some further sketches of the coast 
 
 Of Mangi and Cathay, drawn from some fresh 
 
 MSS. of Polo's just to hand. 
 
 They may thee aid when next thou visitest 
 
 The west. That thy great services may long 
 
 To Spain, mankind and us be spared, thou know'st
 
 canto xin.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 165 
 
 Is now, next heaven, the great desire of thy 
 Profound admirer, 
 
 " Tosca>*elli. 
 
 " Florence, April the twenty-eighth, and year 
 Fourteen-ninety-three." 
 
 To Don Christoval Colon. , 
 
 Since first the men of Tyre the solid shore 
 
 Forsook, and faced the great sea's boisterous roar 
 
 Since famed Egyptia's sons upon the main 
 
 Adventured with their corn to Eome and Spain ; 
 
 Or since Pytheas, with his seamen bold, 
 
 From far Phoenicia dared the ocean cold 
 
 Of Iceland's region, there is not a name 
 
 'Mong naval heroes equal thine in fame 
 
 Oh! Colon, born of Italy's great race v , 
 
 Deep though the records of mankind we trace. 
 
 Against belief the sun did rise and set ; 
 Against the persecution that did fret 
 Thy soul ; against experience and might 
 Arrayed to quench thy scheme in endless night ;
 
 166 COLUMBUS; [canto xiii. 
 
 In opposition to the learned throng, 
 
 To whom much lore ne wisdom doth belong ; 
 
 Against the Ptolemaic universe — 
 
 All heretics to which but earned a curse — 
 
 Thou didst thy own hold theory essay ; 
 
 Thy foes lie prostrate — thou hast won the day. 
 
 The Occident thou hast of horror stripped, 
 And with sunlight its waves of darkness tipped ; 
 Hast slain the monsters of the watery deep, 
 And laid the storms which there did never sleep ; 
 Enchanter like thou hast destroyed the spell 
 Which fear and ignorance had nursed so well ; 
 From their dark hiding place thou hast to light 
 Dragged islands, continents, and races dight 
 In novel dress, or else in none arrayed, 
 Perhaps since they from us, their brethren, strayed. 
 
 What first the bold emprise within thy mind 
 
 Begot, which leaves all kindred schemes behind ? 
 
 What did sustain the thought through tedious years, 
 
 Amid the cold neglect, resistance, sneers, 
 
 Of courtiers, pedants, bigots, sciolists, 
 
 Who hover round the human mind like mists ?
 
 canto xiii.] OR, THE NEW WORLD. 167 
 
 What made thee triumph over all, when lo ! 
 Thy failure was predicted should'st thou go ? 
 Say, hrave Columbus, that all coming time 
 May meditate with awe thy deed sublime. 
 
 Thou wilt receive from Emperors and Kings 
 
 Imperial thanks and regal flatterings ; 
 
 From Italy's republics there will speed 
 
 To thee great homage — not more than thy meed ; 
 
 True sons of science, spurning bigot chains, 
 
 Will pour their gratitude in honest strains ; 
 
 Painters, poets, sculptors, will enshrine 
 
 Thy deed, thy person, in their works divine ; 
 
 But in this age, or any by-gone, none 
 
 Can me exceed in homage Great Colon. 
 
 Aeiosto.
 
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