Favoured the world with his own commentaries of this greatest
enterprise that was ever achieved by man. - Ed.
* * * * *
Abridged Series of the Epochs of American Discovery[2].
A.D. 982. East Greenland discovered by the Norwegians or Icelanders, who
planted a small colony. This was long afterwards shut in by the
accumulation of arctic ice, and entirely lost.
1003. Winland, either Newfoundland or Labradore, was discovered by the
Icelanders, but soon abandoned and forgotten.
1492, August 3d. COLUMBUS commenced his first voyage. 12th October
discovered Guanahani, one of the Bahama group, which he named St
Salvador, now named Cat Island. In this voyage, besides several others
of the Bahama islands, he discovered Cuba and Hispaniola, leaving a
colony in the latter, which was cut off by the natives. He returned to
Spain from this voyage on the 4th March 1493.
1494, September 25th. Second voyage of COLUMBUS began; in which he
discovered the Carribbee islands, and founded a permanent colony in
Hispaniola or Haiti. He returned from this voyage in 1496.
1497. Giovanni Gabotta, a Venetian, employed by Henry VII. of England,
discovered Newfoundland, and traced the eastern coast of North America
as far south as Virginia.
1498. Third voyage of COLUMBUS, in which he discovered Trinidad and the
coast of Paria in South America; now called the Spanish Main by the
English.
