246 DOTTINGS ON THE ROADSIDE. [Ciiap. XV.—B. P. 
in his journal that there was an almost incessant tem¬ 
pest of the heavens, with heavy rains, and such thunder 
and lightning that it seemed as if the end of the 
world was at hand. Those who have had any expe¬ 
rience of the rainy season in the tropics know full 
well that this description is not exaggerated. 
At last he reached the north-east extremity of the 
Mosquito Coast, where his troubles, at all events as 
regards an adverse wind and current, came to an end, 
for after rounding this point he found the north-east 
trade-wind no longer blowing in his teeth, hut now a 
fair wind driving his ships along bravely on their 
course to the southward. It is no wonder that a man 
of his deeply religious frame of mind should have 
commemorated his thankfulness and relief by calling 
the point he had just rounded, with so much diffi¬ 
culty and dauger, Cape 11 Gracias a Dios,” thanlcs to 
God, a name which it bears to this day. 
Proceeding on his voyage, Columbus sailed along the 
Mosquito Coast, of which, however, he gives hut a 
meagre description, probably from the disinclination of 
his people to land in the face of a numerous race of 
natives, both hostile and warlike. This is scarcely to 
he wondered at when it is considered how disheart¬ 
ened the sailors had become by a continuance of the 
heavy rains and sharp squalls which characterize the cli¬ 
mate on this coast from June to October. The men no 
doubt suffered great hardships, confined as they were 
in small undecked vessels, affording no protection 
from the weather. Nevertheless, Columbus persevered, 
buoyed up by the hope of taking his ships direct to 
