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or of the new application of words already existing. From the 

 earliest times of human speech, there must doubtless have been 

 terms whereby to express the idea of the upspringing and growth 

 of vegetation, which the revival of the year brings with it to gladden 

 our hearts; and hence, when men had distinguished this from other 

 colours, and wished to give expression to the distinction, they 

 likened it to "growing" things. If, then, round such words of 

 common everyday use, and, to unobservant ireaders, at least, of such 

 ordinary significations, we can group information that is interesting, 

 and sometimes, too, instructive ; much more can we do so with 

 those more significant expressions, names of places, or to speak 

 technically, local names. Among the Bahama Islands there is one 

 bearing the name of " San Salvador." It is a small piece of land 

 of coral formation, and of little commercial importance; yet, 

 nevertheless, noteworthy for all time as the first land sighted in the 

 New World by Columbus in that voyage of discovery, which has 

 perhaps done more than any other event recorded in history to 

 affect the condition of mankind. It would be foreign to my 

 purpose to enter into the story of Columbus, or to follow him in 

 his voyages. . . . All this has been admirably told by 

 Washington Irving. We can well imagine the deep thankfulness 

 of the man, when after seventy days of buffeting with the waves 

 and storms of a wide and unknown ocean, and the still greater 

 perils he had escaped from at the hands of a mutinous crew, he at 

 length set foot upon a new shore. One of his first acts, we learn, 

 was to erect the symbol of the Christian faith, and kneel before it 

 in deep thankfulness for the great mercies bestowed upon him; and 

 then rising, he proclaimed that the land should hereafter bear the 

 name of San Salvador, i.e. the Holy Saviour. Doubtless he called 

 to mind that other voyager of ancient days, who submitting himself 

 to the Divine will, and committing himself to the same protection, 

 in token of his thankfulness for the preservation of himself and 

 family, "builded an altar to the Lord" on Mount Ararat. It was 

 not until five years after this event that Continental America was 

 discovered. John Cabot, a Venetian merchant settled at Bristol, 

 was sent out by Henry VII. of England. He reached that part of 



