abundance of room for all, and no disturbance of any kind.
I commenced with Columbus and the discovery of the New World, briefly referring to the state of the country and its inhabitants when he landed, and contrasted the condition of things then with the vast prosperity and high civilization the greater part of it enjoyed at the present time. Vasco de Gama and his memorable trip to India came next. Then I spoke of Magellan and his wonderful feat, the circumnavigation of our planet, also his discoveries and sad end. I then passed on to Drake and Anson, giving an account of their piratical expeditions, and the manner in which they plundered the defenceless towns along the west coast of America. Time would admit of nothing more than a mere sketch of the lives of Franklin, McClintock, Hall, Parry, and Nares. I dwelt upon the important discoveries of Tasman, the genius, humanity, and sad fate of Captain Cook and La Perouse, paying the highest tribute to the memory of the latter, and at the same time referring to the mystery that surrounded his absence for such a long period.
Breathless, however, was their attention when I began to speak of James Poss, who had penetrated
