116

ee

to the East Indies. He failed, however;
and in consequence of this disappoint-
ment, it is supposed, he quitted England,
and visited Spain. Here he was treated
with great respect, and appointed _pilot-
major. A rich company of Spanish
merchants soon after gave him the com-
mand of an expedition to the Spice
Islands, through the newly-discovered
Straits of Magellan, Accordingly, in
1535, he sailed from Cadiz to the Cana-
ries and Cape de Verd Islands. But his
crew were unruly, and through their op-
position, he failed of reaching the islands.
He proceeded to the river La Plata,
where he discovered what was after-
ward called San Salvador, and erected
a fort there. Afterward he reached the
river Paraguay, and remained on the
American coast a considerable time,
with the view of forming an establish-
ment. He was disappointed, however,
in the expected aid from Spain, and
finally returned home, with all his crew.
He was not very cordi
the government, owin
failure in respect to
and in part to his severe tr
mutineers of his crew. Still, he contin-
ued in the service of Spain for some
years longer.

At the latter end of the reign of Hen-

  
  

_. ry, VIIL. he returned to England. At

the beginning of the reign of Edward
VI. the crown settled on him a pen-
sion as grand-pilot of England. From
this time, he was consulted very general-
ly on all questions relating to trade and
navigation. In 1532, being governor of
a company of merchant adventurers, he
drew up instructions to procure a li-
cense for an expedition to discover a

. passage ‘to the East Indies by the north.

THE YOUTH'’S CABINET.

He was also governor of the Russian
company, and was very active in their
affairs,

He is supposed to have died in the
year 1557, at a very advanced age. In
many respects, we of this age are greatly
indebted to him, as a navigator. He
was the first who noticed the variations
of the compass, and he published a large
map of the world, much more reliable
and valuable than any of those then in
existence.

The picture at the head of this article
is a portrait of Cabot.

Kites in China.

MISSIONARY from this country,

residing in China, writes home

that the Celestial Empire is fa-

mous for kites. He says: “The
sky is in a universal flutter of kites. I
counted this afternoon, from my window,
ninety-three, which were flown at various
heights with great skill. Some repre-
sented hawks, and admirably imitated
their manceuvres in the air, poising them-
selves, and sailing and darting; gaudy
butterflies floated around; and dragons,
formed of a long succession of circular
kites, with a fierce head, flew about the
sky. The majority were merely of a fan-
ciful shape. Loud noises, like a wind
instrument, could be heard. from them.
The most amusing form was that of a
huge fish, as it swam through the blue
above, moving its tail and fins with a lu-
dicrously natural effect, Those like ani-
mals are also flown in pairs, and made to
ficht.”

~