8cS 



A7 VIEW OF REVIEWS. 



October l, 1913. 



potentialities of Australia, Nature has 

 been niggardly in her water supply, 

 .md for that cause alone South America 

 must ultimately become the greatest of 

 the three continents in the Southern 

 Hemisphere That Spanish and Portu- 

 guese are the languages of that huge 

 country is due to Columbus, who on 

 August 3rd, [492 ,1 Friday), set sail 

 from Palos in command of a little fleet 

 of three crazy ships, cheered by a huge 

 throng of well-wishers, who hoped 

 rather than expected that he would be 

 successful in what most regarded as a 

 mad enterprise. It is difficult to realise 

 what such a trip meant in those days. 

 There was still a belief that the world 

 was flat, not round, no Spanish sailor 

 of that time ventured out of sight of 

 land, and even the hardy Portuguese 

 and the skilful Genoese, countrymen of 

 Columbus, hugged the coast in their 

 more daring trips. So unskilful were 

 the officers and sailors who manned the 

 little vessels that Columbus, with his 

 30 years' experience, and his high de- 

 gree of maritime science, inspired them 

 with awe. He regulated everything by 

 his sole authority, he superintended the 

 execution of every order. Knowing that 

 his timorous sailors would become more 

 and more alarmed as the distance from 

 the land increased, Columbus gave out 

 the ships' run daily as far less than it 

 had actually been. None on board the 

 vessels detected the deceit ! Not only 

 had Columbus to see to every detail, 

 he had soon to use his utmost endea- 

 vours to prevent his men mutinying and 

 turning back again. Happily for him- 

 self and for the country by which he 

 was employed, he joined to the ardent 



temper and inventive genius of a pro- 

 jector, virtues of another species which 

 are rarely united with them. He pos- 

 sessed a thorough knowledge of man- 

 kind, an insinuating address, a patient 

 perseverance in executing any plan, the 

 perfect government of his own passion, 

 and the talent of acquiring an ascend- 

 ancy over those of other men. After 

 nine weeks' steady sail westwards the 

 fears of the sailors became so great that 

 they demanded instant return. Their 

 gallant leader solemnly promised to do 

 so if in three days more land were not 

 discovered. Columbus saw a light on 

 the night of October 1 ith, and next day 

 land was in sight. As soon as the sun 

 rose all boats were manned and armed. 

 They rowed toward the island with all 

 their colours displayed, with warlike 

 music and other martial pomp. The 

 coast was crowded with a multitude of 

 people drawn together by the novelty 

 of the spectacle. Columbus was the 

 first European who set foot in the new 

 world which he had discovered. He 

 landed in a rich dress and with a naked 

 sword in his hand. His men followed, 

 and kneeling down they all kissed the 

 ground which they had so long desired 

 to see. They next erected a crucifix, 

 and prostrating themselves before it, re- 

 turned thanks to God. They then took 

 solemn possession of the country for 

 Spain, with many formalities. Thus 

 Columbus won a vast empire for 

 the Spanish race. The island was 

 called San Salvador. Although in his 

 later voyages the great explorer landed 

 on the mainland of America, he died in 

 the belief that it was the eastern coast of 

 Asia he had discovered. 



The Battle of Hastings, October 14, 1066. 



The greatness of England may be 

 said to date from the battle of Hast- 

 ings, when the Normans, under Duke 

 William, defeated the Saxons, under 

 King Harold, and conquered England. 

 The subsequent fusion of the two races 

 created that sturdy stock from which we 

 spring. William landed unopposed, for 

 Harold and the Saxon troops were still 

 in the North, where they had just won 

 the battle of Stanford Bridge against 



the Danish invader. Harold hurriedly 

 marched south to meet William. Taking 

 up a strong position on Senlac Hill, 

 where Battle Abbey now stands, the 

 Saxons awaited the Norman attack. 

 The battle was fiercely contested, and 

 for some hours the result was doubtful. 

 The Saxons opposed brute force only 

 to the clever generalship of William, 

 but it was not until Harold was slain 

 th; I : rtory rested with the Normans. 



