FuceCB.'] SARGASSUM. 97 



the west of tlie Canaries, lie found the sea so covered with 

 weeds, that it resembled a meadow of vast extent, and in 

 some places they were so thick as to retard the motion of 

 the vessels. This strange appearance occasioned new alarm 

 and disquiet to the sailors. They imagined that they were 

 now arrived at the utmost boundary of the navigable ocean, 

 that these floating weeds would obstruct their further pro- 

 gress, and concealed dangerous rocks, or some large tract 

 of land, which had sunk, they knew not how, in that place. 

 Columbus endeavoured to persuade them that what had 

 alarmed, ought rather to have encouraged them, and was to 

 be considered as a sign of approaching land. At the same 

 time a brisk gale arose, and carried them forward. Several 

 birds were seen hovering about the ship, and directed their 

 flight towards the west. The desponding crew resumed 

 some degree of spirit, and began to entertain fresh hopes.''"''^ 

 Sar^/assum is found over a wide extent of ocean, but be- 

 cause it was early observed to be very abundant in the GuK 

 of Mexico, it has very generally been called '' gulf-weed." 

 It seldom fails to attract the attention ^of landsmen, passen- 

 gers to or from foreign countries; and even sailors, who 

 are less disposed to attend to such -appearances than natu- 



* Robertson's ' History of America,' vol. i. p. 120. 



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