Many of the men were filled with a strange dread and begged and pleaded
to return home. Still on and on they went, each day taking them further
and further from all they had ever known or loved before. Day after day
passed, and week after week until two months had elapsed.

The provisions which they had brought with them were getting scarce, and
the men now dreaded starvation. They grew angry with Columbus, and
threatened to take his life if he did not command the ships to be turned
back towards Spain, but his patience did not give out, nor was his faith
one whit the less. He cheered the hearts of the men as best he could.
Often telling them droll, funny stories to distract their thoughts from
the terrible dread which now filled all minds.

He promised a rich reward to the first man who should discover land
ahead. This somewhat renewed their courage, and day and night watches
were set and the western horizon before them was scanned at all hours.
Time and again they thought they saw land ahead, only to find they had
mistaken a cloud upon the horizon for the longed-for shore. Flocks of
birds flying westward began to be seen. This gave some ground for hope.
For surely the birds must be flying toward some land where they could
find food, and trees in which to build their nests. Still fear was great
in the hearts of all, and Columbus knew that he could not keep the men
much longer in suspense, and that if land did not appear soon they would
compel him to turn around and retrace his steps whether he wished to or
not.

Then he thought of all the benighted heathen who had never heard of
God's message of love to man through Christ, and he prayed almost
incessantly that courage might be given him to go on. Hour after hour he
looked across the blue water, day and night, longing for the sight of
land. In fact, he watched so incessantly that his eyesight became
injured and he could scarcely see at all.

At last one night as he sat upon the deck of the ship he was quite sure
that a faint light glimmered for a few moments in the distant darkness
ahead. Where there is a light there must be land, he thought. Still he
was not sure, as his eyesight had become so dim. So he called one of the
more faithful sailors to him and asked him what he saw. The sailor
exclaimed:

"A light, a light!"

Another sailor was called, but by this time the light had disappeared
and the sailor saw nothing, and Columbus' hopes again sank. Still he
felt