1.The discover y of America was not a lucky accident，which might equally well have happened at any time before or after the time when it actually did happen.The way had been paved for it by centuries of experiment and speculation，and the actual circumstances which led up to it form an interesting study in the history of mankind.
2.From the remotest ages，an overland trade had been carried on between Asia and Europe by means of caravans，river navigation，and coasting voyages round the Mediterranean.The great stream of caravan traffic which still crosses Asia to Russia is a branch of this old-world trade，continued under scarcely alteredconditions.But，towards the close of what we call theMiddle Ages，a barrierwas suddenly thrown acrossthe channel of this traffic at Constantinople，when that city was captured by the Turks in 1453.
3.Soon the Turkish Empire spread over Asia Minor，Arabia，and Persia，and westward over all the northern shores of Africa and the south of Spain；an empirewhich threatened Christendomitself，for the religionof Mohammed，more powerful than the Turk，becamehis great ally.The new creed was accepted from Gibraltar to the Hoogly，and the world bade fair to be turned upside down.
4.Great cities，fostered by the trade with the East，had sprung up around the shores of the Mediterranean.Tyre and Sidon of old had lived on it；Athens and Rome had been strengthened by it；Venice，Florence，Genoa，Marseilles，Cadiz，and Lisbon arose on the ruins of the Roman Empire as the great markets of the world.Now this trade was barred by the Turk；and civilized Europe，divided against itself as it then was，was powerless to restore its course.The religious enthusiasm which showed itself in so many crusades，spent itself in vain against the new empire of the East.
5.The traffic which had enriched the Latin raceswas at an end.The Germanic races，hitherto regardedas barbarians，were now to take the lead in Europeand in the world.Up to this time England had counted for little among the nations.She had no share in the carrying trade of the Mediterranean.She was behindthe southern nations in civilization.But now，since trade could no longer be carried on by land，and since men must look to the sea as their highway，the opportunity of England and of the northern races was at hand.
6.For ages men had speculated as to the shape of the earth；but now that a water route to the East was necessary，this problem became of some practical interest.Many bold thinkers affirmed，from what they already knew of the earth，that it must be a sphere，which could be everywhere navigated；and if so，it was plain that the far East could be reached by sailing westwards.It was in entire confidence in this theory that Columbus sailed westward to reach the east coast of Asia；and to his dying dayhe believed that Asia was what he had actually reached.
7.Not only was the road unknown to Columbus，but the means of travelling wereridiculously inadequate ，according to our modern ideas.Ignorant of the vast ocean，he thought only ofthe shores beyond，and hepreferred small vessels，in order to reach the land more easily.His largest ship，the Santa Maria，was only about the size of a modern coasting schooner，and carried no more than fifty men；while the two others，the Pinta and the Nina，are described as “small open boats，”-that is，only partly decked.
8.The form of sail then in use，as it still is in the Mediterranean and on the Nile，was the lateen sail，a large triangular sail with avery long yard.The square sail was less common，though also used when running before the wind.Columbus tells us in his diary that on reaching theCanar y Islands，they madethe Pinta square-rigged instead of lateen；and this would be of some advantage in sailing before the trade-winds，which wafted them across the Atlantic.
9.Before this time，ships of war had been moved chiefly by oars；and a raised platform，or “castle，”at either end was provided for the soldiers.Hence we stillcall the forward part of ourships the “fore-castle.”This cumbrousarrangementis seen in the ships of Columbus，and it gives them an appearance very different from those of our own time.
10.In spite of all hindrances，Columbus made his great venture；and if he did not reach Asia，he at least showed how Asia might bereached.The ocean was to be henceforth the great highway of commerce；the Atlantic was to become the Mediterranean or “Midland Sea”of a larger w o r l d ，a n d t h e m a r i t i m e nations of Western Europe were to take the place so long held by those of the southas the carriers of the world‘strade.With this great revolution the Middle Ages close，and modern history begins.
THE SEA-WEED
11.The flying sea-bird mocked the floating dulse：“Poor，wandering water-weed，where dost thou go，Astray，upon the ocean’s restless pulse？”
12.”At a cliff ‘s foot I clung，and was content，Swayed to and fro by warm and shallow waves：Along the coast the storm-wind raging went，And tore me from my caves.
13.“I am the bitter herbage of that plainWhere no flocks pasture，and no man shall have Homestead，nor any tenure there may gainBut for a grave.
14.”A worthless weed，a drifting，broken weed，What can I do in all this boundless sea？
No creature of the universe has need，Or any thought，of me.“15.Hither and thither，as the winds might blow，The sea-weed floated.Then a refluent tide Swept it along to meet a galleon’s prow-“Land，ho！”Columbus cried.