on his great voyage across the ocean.]

Then Columbus gave the order to furl sails, and the three vessels
came to a stop and waited for the dawn. When the sun rose on Friday,
October 12th, 1492, Columbus saw a beautiful island with many trees
growing on it. That was his first sight of the New World.


13. Columbus lands on the island and names it; who lived on the
island.--Attended by the captains of the other two vessels, and by
their crews, Columbus set out in a boat for the island. When they
landed, all fell on their knees, kissed the ground for joy, and gave
thanks to God. Columbus named the island San Salvador[14] and took
possession of it, by right of discovery, for the king and queen of
Spain.

[Illustration: LANDING OF COLUMBUS.]

He found that it was inhabited by a copper-colored people who spoke
a language he could not understand. These people had never seen a
ship or a white man before. They wore no clothing, but painted their
bodies with bright colors. The Spaniards made them presents of
strings of glass beads and red caps. In return they gave the Spaniards
skeins of cotton yarn, tame parrots, and small ornaments of gold.

After staying here a short time Columbus set sail toward the south,
in search of more land and in the hope of finding out where these
people got their gold.

[Footnote 14: San Salvador (San Sal-va-dor'): meaning the Holy