Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/66

 World? The answer is: Vespueius wrote a book—an account of his voyages. If Columbus ever wrote any report of his discovery voyage, it was buried under the envy and malice that finally destroyed him, and was not given to the world at that time.

The reader must now go with the historian to a little school at the little old town of St. Die at the foot of the Vosgian Alps mountains in France. In the year 1507 this school was in the hands of some pious monks, as were all schools in those days. The over-lord of this institution was Rene II., Duke of Lorraine; who on one of his Ducal visits to the little school carried with him, being a patron of arts and sciences, a Mss. book of French, which he had then recently received from Italy, entitled "Quatre Navigations d'Amerique Vespuce." But whether Vespueius was the author of this book or not, there is no account. That incident took place thirty-nine years after the death of Gutenberg, the inventor of printing. At that date the monks and governors of the little school had just purchased and set up the first printing press in that part of France; and were at that time preparing to print a geography of the world, and which they entitled a ' ' Cosmography. ' ' Here then was a grand chance for the new book—a piece of up-todate geography; and so the manuscript brought by the Duke must go into the new book. And it went in under the title

and the introduction to it on page 30 of the book reads: "There is a fourth quarter of the world which America Vespuci has discovered, and which for this reason we call 'America, the land of Americ' "And further along the book says: "We do not see why the name of the man of genius, Americo, who has discovered them, should not be given to these lands—the more so as Asia and Eiirope bear the names of women." Alack! and alas! The mighty deeds of the great Columbus overlooked or forgotten within a year after his poor body was laid in the grave! And this was the New World, named by the French who had not then sent out a single voyage of discovery; and who by that book and printing press were successful in giving to a man whose work had not been conspicuous, the name which rightly belonged to the great Columbus. On another page is given the pictiire of the building, yet standing, where America got its name.