Part 1

Produced by Juliet Sutherland, LN Yaddanapudi and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

GREAT DAYS IN AMERICAN HISTORY SERIES

DAYS OF THE DISCOVERERS

L. LAMPREY

Author of "In the Days of the Guild", "Masters of the Guild", etc.

ILLUSTRATED BY

FLORENCE CHOATE and ELIZABETH CURTIS

NEW YORK FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY PUBLISHERS

Copyright, 1921, by

FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY

All rights reserved, including that of translation into foreign languages

Made in the United States of America

TO FORESTA

Upon the road to Faerie, O there are many sights to see,-- Small woodland folk may one discern Housekeeping under leaf and fern, And little tunnels in the grass Where caravans of goblins pass, And airy corsair-craft that float On wings transparent as a mote,-- All sorts of curious things can be Upon the road to Faerie!

Along the wharves of Faerie-- There all the winds of Christendie Are musical with hawk-bell chimes, Carillons rung to minstrels' rimes, And silver trumpets bravely blown From argosies of lands unknown, And the great war-drum's wakening roll-- The reveille of heart and soul-- For news of all the ageless sea Comes to the quays of Faerie!

Across the fields to Faerie There is no lack of company,-- The world is real, the world is wide, But there be many things beside. Who once has known that crystal spring Shall not lose heart for anything. The blessing of a faery wife Is love to sweeten all your life. To find the truth whatever it be-- That is the luck of Faerie!

Above the gates of Faerie There bends a wild witch-hazel tree. The fairies know its elfin powers. They wove a garland of the flowers, And on a misty autumn day They crowned their queen--and ran away! And by that gift they made you free Of all the roads of Faerie!

CONTENTS

PAGE To Foresta v

I ASGARD THE BEAUTIFUL (1348) 1 The Viking's Secret 17

II THE RUNES OF THE WIND-WIFE (1364) 18 The Navigators (1415-1460) 34

III SEA OF DARKNESS (1475) 35 Sunset Song 48

IV PEDRO AND HIS ADMIRAL (1492) 50 The Queen's Prayer 65

V THE MAN WHO COULD NOT DIE (1493-1494) 66 The Escape 80

VI LOCKED HARBORS (1497) 81 Gray Sails 93

VII LITTLE VENICE (1500) 94 The Gold Road 104

VIII THE DOG WITH TWO MASTERS (1512) 105 Cold o' the Moon (1519) 117

IX WAMPUM TOWN (1508-1524) 121 The Drum 133