280 MAJOR JOHN F. LACEY 



his journey to the west. He had determined that he 

 would steer due west and allow no circumstances to vary 

 his course. The variation of the magnetic needle puzzled 

 him, but he held his prow straight to the west, directly 

 towards the shores of the present United States of Amer- 

 ica. His plans were well matured. He was seeking the 

 Indies and due west they must lie. 



But the sailors grew uneasy at the appalling length of 

 the voyage and when the flight of little green parrots was 

 observed it was noted that they flew to the southwest. 

 Columbus reluctantly yielded to the wishes of his crew 

 and turned his course to the southwest. 



The soothsayers of old times determined when and 

 how a battle should be fought or a campaign carried on 

 by observing the flight of birds. Many a bloody conflict 

 was fought because the signs were propitious. The Ro- 

 man consul carried his coop of chickens and fed them to 

 see from their manner of picking at the grain whether 

 the time was favorable. The flight of a vulture was an 

 omen of great moment. 



But never did the flight of birds direct the course of 

 events so greatly and with so much effect as when Co- 

 lumbus turned to the southwest and landed in the West 

 Indies instead of upon the shores of the United States. 

 Spain planted her power in Cuba, Porto Rico, and South 

 America, leaving the best of North America for the Eng- 

 lish and French adventurers of a later day. The slight- 

 est of all circumstances then led to the greatest of all 

 events. 



Chance and choice struggled for the mastery at Mar- 

 athon. The Greek generals were equally divided as to 

 the propriety of bringing the battle, and Miltiades cast 

 the deciding vote and the history of mankind was 

 changed for all time. 



At Shiloh when the night of the first day's disaster had 



