BOOK II.

Birth and education of Columbus.

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mong the foreigners whom the fame of the discoveries made by the Portuguese had allured into their fervice, was Chriftopher Colon or Columbus, a fubject of the republic of Genoa. Neither the time nor place of his birth are known with certainty (a); but he was defcended of an honourable family, though reduced to indigence by various misfortunes. His ancestors having betaken themselves for fubfi- ' ftence to a fea faring life, Columbus difcovered, in his early youth, the peculiar character and talents which mark out a man for that profeffion. His parents, instead of thwarting this original propensity of his mind, feem to have encouraged and confirmed it, by the education which they gave him. After acquiring fome knowledge of the Latin tongue, the only language in which science was taught at that time, he was inftructed in geometry, cofmography, aftronomy, and the art of drawing. To these he applied with fuch ardour and predilection, on account of their connection with navigation, his favourite object, that he advanced with rapid proficiency in the ftudy of them. (1461) Thus qualified, he went to fea at the age of fourteen, a) See NOTE XI,

and began his career on that element which conducted him to fo much glory. His early voyages were to thofe ports in the Mediterranean which his countrymen the Genoese frequented. (1467.) This being a sphere to narrow for his active mind, he made an excurfion to the northern feas, and vifited the coafts of Iceland, to which the English and other nations had begun to refort on account of its fifhery. As navigation, in every direction, was now become enterprifing he proceeded beyond that ifland, the Thule of the ancients, and advanced feveral degrees within the polar circle. Having fatisfied his curiofity by a voyage which tended more to enlarge his knowledge of naval affairs, than to improve his fortune, he entered into the fervice of a famous fea captain, of his own name and family. This man commanded a small fquadron, fitted out at his own expence, and by cruifing fometimes against the Mahometans, fometimes against the Venetians, the rivals of his country in trade, had acquired both wealth and reputation. With him Columbus continued for feveral years, no lefs diftinguished for his courage, than for his experience as a failor. At length, in an obftinate engagement, of the coaft of Portugal, with fome Venetian caravels, returning richly laden from the Low Countries, the veffel on board which he ferved took fire, together with one of the enemy's fhips, to which it was faft grappled. In this dreadful

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extremity his intrepidity and prefence of mind did not forfake him. He threw himself into the fea, laid hold of a floating oar, and by the fupport of it, and his dexterity in swimming, he reached the fhore, though above two leagues diftant, and faved a life referved for great undertakings b).

He enters into the Portuguese service.

As foon as he recovered ftrength for the journey, he repaired to Lifbon, where many of his countrymen were fettled. They foon conceived fuch a favourable opinion of his merit, as well as talents, that they warmly folicited him to remain in that kingdom, where his naval fkill and experience could not fail of rendering him confpicuous, To every adventurer, animated either with curiofity to vifit new countries, or with ambition to distinguish himfelf, the Portuguese fervice was at that time extremely inviting. Columbus liftened with a favourable ear to the advice of his friends, and having gained the efteem of a Portuguese lady, whom he married, fixed his refidence in Lisbon. This alliance, inftead of detaching him from a fea faring life, contributed to enlarge the sphere of his naval knowledge, and to excite a defire of extending it ftill farther. His wife was a daughter of Bartolomew Pereftrello, one of the captains employed by prince Henry in his navigations. and who, under his protection

Life of Columbus c.

had discovered and planted the iflands of Porto Santo and Madeira. Columbus got poffeffion of the journals and charts of this experienced navigator, and from them he learned the courfe which the Portuguese had held in making their discoveries, as well as the various circumftances which guided or encouraged them in their attempts. The ftudy of thefe foothed and inflamed his favourite paffion; and while he contemplated the maps, and read the defcriptions of the new countries which Pereftrello had feen, his impatience to visit them bebecame irrefiftible. In order to indulge it, he made a voyage to Madeira, and continued during feveral years to trade with that ifland with the Canaries, the Azores, the fettlements in Guinea, and all the other places which the Portuguese had discovered on the continent of Africa c).

The effects of their difcoveries upon him.

By the experience which Columbus acquired, during such a variety of voyages to almoft every part of the globe with which, at that time, any intercourfe was carried on by fea, he was now become one of the moft fkilful navigators in Europe. But, not fatisfied with that praife, his ambition aimed at fomething more. The fuccefsful progrefs of the Portuguese navigators had awakened a spirit of curiosity and c) Life of Columbus, c. iv. v.

emulation, which fed every man of science upon examining all the circumftances that led to the discoveries which they had made, or that afforded a profpect of fucceeding in any new and bolder undertaking. The mind of Columbus, naturally inquifitive, capable of deep reflection, and turned to fpeculations of this kind, was fo often employed in revolving the principles upon which the Portuguese had founded their schemes of discovery, and the mode in which they had carried them on, that he gradually began to form an idea of improving upon their plan, and of accomplishing difcoveries which hitherto they had attempted in vain.

He forms the idea of a new courfe to India,

To find out a paffage by fea, to the Eaft Indies, was the great object in view at that period. From the time that the Portuguese doubled Cape de Verd, this was the point at which they aimed in all their navigations, and, in comparison with it, all their difcoveries in Africa appeared inconfiderable. The fertility and riches of India had been known for many ages; its fpices and other valuable commodities were in high requeft through out Europe, and the vast wealth of the Venetians arifing from their having engroffed this trade, had raifed the envy of all nations. But how intent fo ever the Portuguese were upon difcovering a new route to thofe defirable regions, they fearched for it onROBERTSON Vol. I,

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