LIFE OF COLON, BY HIS SON.

27

with his two veffels to Gran Canaria , and failing the next day, met in the way theaforementioned bark, which was not yet arrived at Gran Canaria , by reafon of thecontrary winds. Having taken out the man he had fent aboard the bark, that nighthe failed clofe by Tenerife , where ' they faw flames gulh out of the high rock com-monly called the Peake, or rather El Pico, which his men admiring at, he told themthe occafion of that fire, proving what he faid by the example of Mount .ZEtna inSicily , and of many others like it. Leaving that ifland they arrived at Gran Canaria upon Saturday the twenty fifth, whither Pinzon with much difficulty was got in butthe day before. By him he was informed that the lady Beatrix was failed the Mondaybefore, with that veffel he took fuch pains to get, and the others being much troubledat it, he made the bed of whatever happened ; affirming, that fince it did not pleafeGod he fhould meet with that veffel, it was perhaps becaufe in finding it, he w'ould at thelame time have met with fome obftacle or oppofition in preffing of it, and have lolltime in fhipping and unfhipping the goods, which would be a hindrance to his voyage :for this reaion, fearing if he returned to feek it at Gomera, he might mifs of it by theway ; he refolved to repair his caraval the bell he could at Gran Canaria , making anew rudder, fhe having loft hers, and to change the fails of the other caraval calledLa Nina, which were fquare, to round, that fhe might follow the other {hips withlefs danger and agitation.

CHAP. XVIII. — How the Admiralfet fail from'the If and of Gran Canaria upon his Dif-covery , and what happened to him on the Ocean.

WHEN the fliips were refitted and in order to fail on Friday, (this by what followsought to be Saturday) the firft of September ; in the afternoon the admiral weighedanchor, and departed from Gran Canaria , arriving the next day at Gomera, wherefour days more were fpent in laying in provifions, wood and water; fo that nextThurfday in the morning which was on the fixth of September 1482, which may beaccounted the firft fetting out upon the voyage on the ocean, the admiral departedfrom Gomera, and flood away to the weftward, but made but little way by reafon ofthe calm. On Sunday about day, he found himfelf nine leagues weft of the iflandFerro, where they loft fight of land, and many fearing it would be long beforethey fhould fee it again, fighed and wept, but the admiral, after comforting them allwith great promifes of lands, and wealth to raife their hopes, and leffen the fear theyhad conceived of the length of the way, though they failed eighteen leagues that day,he pretended by his computation it was but fifteen, refolving all the voyage to keepfhort in his reckoning, that his men might not think themfelves fo far from Spain asthey were, if he fhould truly fet down the way he made, which yet he privately markeddown. Continuing thus his voyage, on Wednefday the twelfth of September, aboutfun-fetting, being about one hundred and fifty leagues weft of the ifland Ferro, he dis-covered a large body ofthe'maft of a tree of one hundred and twenty ton, which feemedto have been a long time upon the water. There and foinewhat further the current fetftrong towards the north-eaft ; but when he had run fifty leagues farther weftward, onthe thirteenth of September, he found that at night fall the needle varied half a pointtowards the north-eaft, and at break of day, half a point more, by which he underftoodthat the needle did not point at the north ftar, but at fome other fixed and vifible point.This variation no man had obferved before, and therefore he had occafion to be furprifedat it; but he was more amazed the third day after, jwhen he was almoft one hundredleagues'further ; for at night the needles varied about a point to the north-eaft, and in the

e 2 morning