Evidence of French Discoveries of New York, etc. 311 



was at the disposal of the king for this purpose. Spain was all on fire 

 with the news of fabulous lands in the west, with their treasures of 

 gold and silver; and to crown all, tidings of a wonderful fountain that 

 imparted perpetual youth drifted across the ocean to the cabarets of 

 Spain, rilled with spare-featured graybeards who would gladly welcome 

 a rejuvenation. The cities of Italy, along the Mediterranean, had caught 

 the spark of enthusiasm, and Genoa and Florence sent its winged 

 messengers across the no longer trackless ocean. The mariners' com- 

 pass and the science of Descalicrs had opened a high-way. Portugal 

 joined in the quest of land and treasure, but like Spain confined its 

 explorations to the south. England, until the reign of Henry VIII, 

 had. no marine to spare for explorations; but in 1497 and 1498, the 

 Cabots explored along the coasts of New Foundland and Nova Scotia, 

 and set up the arms of the British king. There was, then, a large 

 stretch of territory from Nova Scotia to Florida unknown, unvisited, 

 and unclaimed, except by the preposterous claim of Spain, at times 

 advanced, to all the western world, on the ground of the discovery of 

 the West India Islands and South America by Columbus. France 

 had her opportunity and improved it, Francis I, in 1524, sent out 

 John Verazzano, before mentioned, on a voyage of discovery, and here 

 is his account of the result. He first made land on the coast of what 

 is now North Carolina, sailed south, exploring for harbors and a short 

 cut to the Indies, then turned northward and skirted along the whole 

 coast, in his course entering Chesapeake bay, and so on till he arrived 

 at Sandy Hook. While off the coast of Maryland or Virginia, he 

 says: "Having our abode three days in this country, riding on the 

 coast for want of harbors, we concluded to depart from thence, trend- 

 ing along the shore between the north and east, sailing only in the 

 day-time, and riding at anchor by night. In the space of 100 leagues 

 sailing, we found a very pleasant place, situated amongst certain lit- 

 tle steep hills; from amidst the which hills there ran down into the 

 sea a great stream of water, which within the mouth was very deep, 

 and from the sea to the mouth of the same, with the tide, which we 

 found to rise eight feet, any great vessel laden may pass up. " This was, 

 of course, the mouth of the Hudson, called by all the early naviga- 

 tors, "The Great River." He says they passed up the river about half 

 a league and found the country well-peopled, and the inhabitant 

 received the visitors with great shouts of admiration. This was the 

 extent of his explorations of New York harbor. Again: « We weighed 

 anchor and sailed toward the east, for so the coast trended, and so 

 always for fifty leagues; being in the sight thereof, we discovered ar 



