time that any European had explored the largest river on earth, and one of the boldest enterprises recorded. Gonzalo, confounded at the treachery of Orellana, was obliged to return to Quito, distant twelve hundred miles, in which journey, four thousand Indians and two hundred and ten Spaniards perished with famine and fatigue. 174. Fate of Pizarro and Almagro. Mankind are seldom contented even with the splendor of power and riches. The conquerors of Peru soon began to be jealous of each other, and to contend for dominion. Each having the government of a certain district of country, but the limits not well known, a civil war commenced, in which Almagro was defeated and taken prisoner; tried, condemned and executed. His son Almagro, though young, resolved to avenge his father's wrongs, and collecting a body of firm adherents, he privately marched to the house of Pizarro, attacked him at midday, and slew him and his attendants. Such was the fate of these bold, but inhuman conquerors, and such the reward of their cruelty, avarice and perfidy! QUESTIONS. 151. Who discovered America? What led Columbus to suppose the existence of a continent west of Europe? 151, 152. To what courts did Columbus apply for assistance? and what was his success? 152, 153. When did Columbus first sail, and what difficulties did he encounter? 153, 151. When was the first land discovered, and what isle ? 154. What lands did Columbus next discover and settle? Being exposed to danger on his return to Europe, what plan did Columbus form to insure his discoveries from being lost? 155. What discoveries did Columbus make in his second voyage? 156. When and where was made the first permanent settlement in America? 157. What discoveries did Columbus make in his third voyage? What treatment did Columbus receive from his enemies? 158. From whom did this continent receive its name? 159. What discoveries did Columbus make in his fourth voyage? 160. What was the fate of Columbus? 161. What grant did the king of Spain obtain from the pope? 162. Who discovered the Maranon, or Amazon, the largest river in the world, and when? Who discovered Brazil ? 163. Who discovered and named Florida? Who discovered the Pacific Ocean? 164. Who discovered Yucatan, and New Spain or Mexico? 165. By whom was Mexico conquered? 166. By what means was Mexico conquered? 167. Who first sailed round the world, and what discoveries were made in the voyage? 168. Who discovered Peru? 169. Who conquered Peru? How did Pizarro treat the king of Peru? 170. By what means did Atahualpa, when a prisoner, attempt to obtain his release? 171. What was the state of Peru, when conquered, and who governed it? 172. What caused the ruin of Peru? 173. Who crossed the Andes and sailed down the Maranon? 174. What was the fate of Pizarro and Almagro ? CHAPTER VI. DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT OF NORTH AMERICA. 175. Of Cabot. Soon after the new world was discovered by Columbus, a spirit of enterprise was excited in all the commercial nations of Europe. The first adventurer from England was John Cabot, a native of Venice, residing in Bristol, who, under a commission from Henry VII., sailed on a voyage of discovery. On the 24th of June 1494 or 5, he discovered land, which he called Prima Vista, which in Italian, his native language, signify first sight. This land is supposed to be Newfoundland. He discovered also an isle which he called St. John's, on which he landed. His son Sebastian is understood to have accompanied him in this voyage. 176. Second voyage. King Henry granted to John Cabot and his three sons, Lewis, Sebastian, and Sanctius, a commission dated March 5th, 1496, authorizing them to discover and take possession of unknown lands, and to erect his banners on any land by them already discovered. On the third of February, 1498, he gave them a license to take ships for this purpose in any port of the kingdom. In this year, Sebastian Cabot first discovered the continent, north of the St. Lawrence, since called Labrador, and coasted along the shore from the sixty-seventh degree of north latitude to Florida. He made a chart of the coast, which, for a century, hung under his picture in Whitehall. He was the first discoverer of the continent, for he made the lanu June 11, old style. Whereas, Columbus did not discover the continent till August 1. 177. Other voyages to North America. Cabot made a voyage to America, and proceeded south as far as Brazil, in 1516. One Verrazano was sent by the French king to make discoveries in 1524, and this man sailed along the North American coast to the fiftieth degree of N. latitude. He named the country New France. In 1528, Narvaez, a Spaniard, sailed from Cuba, with four hundred men, to make a settlement in Florida. He landed and marched into the country of the Apalaches; and after traveling over two or three hundred leagues of country, with incredible fatigue, finding no gold or silver of any value, harassed by the savages, and reduced by hunger to the necessity of feeding on human flesh, most of them perished, and a few survivors only found their way to Mexico. 178. First attempt to settle Canada. One Cartier, a Frenchman, sailed to America and entered the bay of St. Lawrence, in 1534, with a view to find a northwest passage to India. He returned to France, but the next year he pursued the same course, entered the river, and penetrated as far as Montreal, where he built a fort and spent the winter. The next summer, he invited some of the natives on board of his ship, and treacherously carried them to France, to obtain from them a more perfect knowledge of the country. But the natives were so much provoked, that the intercourse of the French traders with them was much retarded. time a settlement was not effected. At this 179. First settlement of Acadia. Cartier obtained from the French king, Francis I., a commission for discovering and planting new countries, dated October 17, 1540. The royal motive assigned in the commission was to introduce among the heathen the knowledge of the gospel and the Catholic faith. With this authority, Cartier, in connection with the Baron de Roberval, brought two hundred men and women to America and began a plantation four leagues above the haven of St. Croix. This territory was called Acadia by the French; but by the English has been called Nova Scotia. 180. Soto's expedition in Florida. Ferdinand de Soto had served under Pizarro in the conquest of Peru, with such reputation as to obtain from the king of Spain the government of Cuba, with the rank of general of Florida, and marquis of the lands he should conquer. This enterprising commander collected a body of nine hundred foot and three hundred and fifty horse, for an expedition into Florida, where he landed in May, 1539. From the gulf of Mexico he penetrated into the country northward, and wandered about in search of gold, exposed to famine, hardships, and the opposition of the natives. He pursued his course north to the country inhabited by the Chickesaws, where he spent a winter. He then crossed the Mississippi, being the first European that had discovered that vast river. After a long march into the country westward, in which Soto died, the remains of his troops returned to the Mississippi. Here they built a number of small vessels, in which they sailed down the stream, and made the best of their way to Panuco, in Mexico, where they arrived in September 1543. In this extraordinary expedition, of more than four years' duration, in the wilderness, and among hostile savages, more than half the men perished. Such was the unconquerable desire of gold in the Spaniards of that age. 181. Settlement of South Carolina by the French. In 1562, John Ribaud, a French Protestant, during the civil wars in France, formed a design of making a settlement in America, as a retreat from persecution. With two ships of war and a considerable body of forces, he sailed to America, made land in the thirtieth degree of latitude, and not finding a harbor, proceeded northerly, till he discovered a river, which he called May river, now Edisto. Near this he built a fort, in which he left a garrison of twenty-six men, and called it Caroline, returned to France. During the following winter, the garrison mutined, assassinated Albert, their commander, and fearing they should not receive supplies, they embarked, in the spring, for Europe. Being becalmed for twenty days, and provisions failing, they appeased their hunger with human flesh; at last they were taken up by an English ship, landed in England, and conducted to the queen to relate their adventures. 182. Progress of the French settlement. In 1564, Laudoniere, another Frenchman, carried another colony and planted them on the same spot. But the Spaniards, jealous of this settlement, sent a large force, which destroyed the colony, putting to death old and young, in the most barbarous manner, a few only escaping to France. Melandez, the Spanish commander, left there a garrison of twelve hundred men. One Gourges, a native of Gascony, to revenge this cutrage, equipped three ships, landed in 1568, and with the assistance of the Indians, took the fort, razed it to the ground, and slew most of the Spaniards. Not being in a situation to keep possession, the French returned to France, and both nations abandoned the country. 183. The voyages of Frobisher, Drake, and Gilbert. In 1567, captain Frobisher sailed from England for the purpose of discovering a north-west passage to the East Indies; but after penetrating the northern bays, as high as the sixty-third degree of latitude, the ice compelled him to desist, and he returned. Sir Francis Drake.circumnavigated the globe from 1577 to 1580; which was the second voyage round the world. In 1578, sir Humfrey Gilbert obtained a patent from queen Elizabeth, for discovering and taking possession of unknown lands, which patent was dated June 11. The conditions of |