THE VOYAGERS 



was easily passable, and that on the other side, over 

 against the coast of Spain, lay the fabled riches of China 

 and Japan. He planned his voyage to America because 

 he believed that no such country existed ; and he died 

 without being undeceived. 



The story of Columbus has been told a hundred times, 

 and need not be repeated at length. His overtures Offered to 

 to King John II of Portugal came to nothing, from ^'^^^^S^^- 

 causes readily intelligible and eternally operative in the 

 affairs of this world. A great man*s ideas are too broad 

 and simple to be understood by the trained official 

 mind. The King referred the proposal of Columbus 

 to a council of bishops, astronomers, and learned persons. 

 The fame of the Portuguese school of navigation stood 

 high ; the exploration of the coast of Africa and the 

 use of the astrolabe at sea were among its most recent 

 achievements ; and the school-bred geographers and 

 professors of navigation were in no mind to listen 

 patiently to the projects of a private visionary. Never- 

 theless the confidence and enthusiasm of Columbus made 

 an impression on some of his judges, and, at the in- 

 stigation of the bishop of Ceuta, a caravel was surrepti- 

 tiously equipped and despatched to attempt the adventure. 

 The seamen lost heart ; the attempt failed ; and when 

 this piece of sharp practice came to the knowledge of 

 Columbus he left Portugal, in 1484, to offer his services 

 elsewhere. For years his scheme went a-begging. It 

 was during this time, in 1488, that he sent his brother 

 Bartholomew into England with an offer to King Henry Jnd to 

 VII. Bartholomew fell into the hands of pirates, and ^^S^"^^^- 

 was long delayed in his journey, so that when at last he 

 returned to Spain to notify King Henry's joyful accept- 



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