tian Cabot made rude charts of the coasts, which in engraved form and on parchment and oxhide, may yet be seen-particularly La Cosa's map, 1500, and the Cantiño map of 1502.

Of course Sebastian returned to England without having found the land of perfumes and spices which Spain, Portugal and England were so anxiously seeking, or a sailing route through the American continent by which he might sail to lands further west, (or as we understand it now, to Asia.) But Cabot at the time believed the land to be Asia, though not so rich a portion as he had expected and desired.

The final outcome of the Cabot voyages, we state in a few words. The only immediate resuts were to incite other navigators to go to the same regions for cargoes of codfish, and to renew the search for an all water route somewhere through the lands discovered, to the richer land, supposed to lie to the west. Their navigations were folowed by Frobisher, Rut, Grube, Hudson, Baffin, Drake and many others. In my "Discovery of America," published in 1892, in the early chapters will be found an epitome of early American navigators, and their relative claims to priority of discovery, to which I make neither additions or subtractions. As between John and Sebastian Cabot; we may say that John was master of the first expedition, and that Sebastian may or may not have accompanied his father. It appears more than probable that he did. Sebastian certainly sailed and reported the second expedition, and that his father was not in that voyage, but probably had died before the expedition sailed. If not so, and he did embark, a serious duty devolved-upon his son, on the return of the expedition, to account for the loss of his father. As this was not done or required, the inference is irresistable that John was not in that expedition. Neither of the voyages appear to have profited either the Cabots or the king a dollar. Mainly what we learn of the Cabots' voyages is from friendly and gossiping letters, written by foreigners in England, to friends

and acquaintances in Italy, Spain and Portugal. These letters have no official authority, but contain the common talk of the people in regard of the current news of the expedition of the Cabots.

During the eighty years, succeeding the discoveries of the Cabots, England might lawfully have claimed the lands and regions of this discovery, by right of discovery. England, however, never attempted to take permanent possession of her American discoveries, until the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and in the meantime other nations had visited the lands, which tended to obscure and somewhat obliterate the English title thereto. However, in 1607 she took possession on the coast of Virginia, for the purpose of colonization, which was followed in 1620, by the pilgrims of the Mayflower, taking possession at Plymouth, on the coast of Massachusetts. England, then as ever since, never relinquished voluntarily any right once acquired to an acre of land in any part of the world. Thus it was 110 years from the discovery of Cabots, to the first attempt made by England to make a permanent settlement of her American discoveries. Of course the pioneer settlers were English stock, and brought with them English language, English laws, English customs, and above all, in power and precious utility, the spirit of political independence, and in a full measure the spirit of religious liberty. The very soil of America seemed exactly and providentially adapted to the germination and growth of the spiritual seed sown, so dear to our forefathers and so precious to us, their descendants. Had our region of North America been colonized by Portugal, France, Italy or Spain, the great nation of the United States of America would never have been born. In recollection of their mother country, there is but little wonder that our early settlers named the new possession "New England."

Do you query what this country would have been or would be, under the auspices of Portugal or Spain? If so,

look upon a hundred thousand emigrants as they arrive upon our shores, or look at Cuba, or the Philipine islands, or the decadence of Portugal, where once originated the enterprises which culminated in the discovery of America, and all our grandeur as a nation.

I fancy I hear you ask: What motives impelled those early navigators and explorers to make such sacrifice of time and money, to embark upon such uncertain expeditions upon unknown waters and desert wastes; to imperil their lives and fortunes upon such rash ventures; to undergo years of toil, such terrible anxiety and suffering? With them, as with men in all ages, Gold and Glory took front rank among the motives. But strange as it may now seem, it was not the eye or ear's delight only, nor geographic curiosity, that was consulted. The sense of smell commanded a greater attention and was a greater factor in prompting the astounding enterprise. We are speaking of an age when sanitary science cut no figure in the affairs of life—an age before the ingenius Yankee had made and patented a thousand varieties of toilet soap-an age before a gospel of personal and general cleanliness was preached or practiced. fumery, to take the place of soap and water, was in great demand. Rare, expensive, and loud perfumes, to antagonize and stifle the offensiveness of unwashed nature, commanded a premium, and its extravagant use then indicated wealth, and the uppercrust of fashionable society. In keeping with the ideas of the times, it was the sign and seal of aristocracy, as creditable then as discreditable and unnecessary now, however rank the perfume. Spices and perfumes were not indigenous in Europe. Such merchandise came from the extreme and unknown East by caravan to Alexandria, in Egypt. The transportation, added to the cost of production, made such goods enormously expensive. Portugal first-followed by Spain, and lastly by England, all desired a monopoly of that trade. This it was that brought into

Per

prominence the great navigators already mentioned, including the men whose names and exploits we are assembled to honor and commemorate.

The people of the United States have grown to be a nation of the first rank in power, in wealth, in enlightened intelligence, and in prosperity. Our form of government, founded upon the eternal principles of liberty, governed by law, the equality of men and liberty of religious conscience, that we have amply demonstrated the powers of self-government by the people, without the burden of standing armies to keep the peace. We think our forefathers did wisely in divorcing the church from the state, and that time has now shown the world that people of all manner of religious opinions may dwell together in peace and harmony, and that our system and means of education make strong and secure the family, the church, and the state. In receiving the priceless inheritance, our people must realize the solemn and binding obligation which binds us to keep and preserve all our dear institutions, pure and intact, embellished in all their parts and principles, for all succeeding generations.

And now, imbued with the patriotism that is proper and becoming the occasion, we, without ostentation or pageant, without trumpet, drum or fiddle, in the absence of monument of either stone or brass, devote a passing hour in remembrance of the men whose names suggest this pleasant duty, and the four hundredth anniversary of their discovery of the land we possess in great peace and abundant prosperity.