happened that a sailor received for a leather strap as much gold
as was worth three golden nobles, and for things of more trifling value
offered by our men, the Indian would give whatever the seller required.

On my arrival I had taken some Indians by force from the first island
that I came to, in order that they might learn our language. These men
are still traveling with me, and although they have been with us now a
long time, they continue to entertain the idea that I have descended
from heaven; and on our arrival at any new place they published this,
crying out immediately with a loud voice to the other Indians, "Come,
come and look upon beings of a celestial race": upon which both men and
women, children and adults, young men and old, when they got rid of the
fear they at first entertained, would come out in throngs, crowding the
roads to see us, some bringing food, others drink, with astonishing
affection and kindness.

Although all I have related may appear to be wonderful and unheard of,
yet the results of my voyage would have been more astonishing if I had
had at my disposal such ships as I required. But these great and
marvelous results are not to be attributed to any merit of mine, but to
the holy Christian faith, and to the piety and religion of our
Sovereigns; for that which the unaided intellect of man could not
compass, the spirit of God has granted to human exertions, for God is
wont to hear the prayers of his servants who love his precepts even to
the performance of apparent impossibilities.

Thus it has happened to me in the present instance, who have
accomplished a task to which the powers of mortal men had never hitherto
attained; for if there have been those who have anywhere written or
spoken of these islands, they have done so with doubts and conjectures,
and no one has ever asserted that he has seen them, on which account
their writings have been looked upon as little else than fables.

Therefore let the king and queen, our princes and their most happy
kingdoms, and all the other provinces of Christendom, render thanks to
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who has granted us so great a victory
and such prosperity.

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.

EXPRESSION: In connection with this letter, read again the story of
the discovery as narrated by Washington Irving, page 43. In what
respect do the two accounts differ?

II. GOVERNOR WINSLOW TO A FRIEND IN ENGLAND

DEAR FRIEND,--