life among the Americar Indians of Mexico and South America. Boys and girls will be more likely to read these books, however, after their attention has been called to interesting passages. In fact, it seems to us much better to help young people to select passages than to direct them to read such books entire. It is just as well to caution the children against an implicit confidence in the extravagant accounts given by the Spanish explorers with their overwrought imaginations. Henty's "By Right of Conquest" and Lew Wallace's "Fair God" will be of great interest, as they vividly contrast the weak, vacillating, superstitious Montezuma with the crafty, cruel, and fearless Cortez. Montezuma's manner of life, his relations with his people, his capture by the Spaniards, the bloody fighting in the streets of the city, and the "melancholy night," will aid in calling attention to a picturesque chapter in Spanish and American history. All this, however, can be done incidentally, in connection with the special topics and outside readings. It will be noted that the Spaniards were just as conspicuously unsuccessful in North America, excepting Mexico, as they were successful in Mexico, South America, and the West Indies. Physical conditions will largely account for this significant fact. In southern latitudes they enjoyed the following advantages: 1. The trade winds made navigation easy from Spain almost directly west to the West Indies and surrounding regions; 2. The peaceful nature of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, except in the hurricane season, greatly aided the Spaniards in their explorations; 3. The climate was very similar to that of Spain; 4. The natives were easily subdued and enslaved. In these tropical regions the Indians, enervated by a warm climate and supporting themselves by a rude and primitive agriculture, were totally unlike the savages of the North, who were made hardy and brave by a life of hunting and continual warfare. These could not be enslaved and compelled to work. Reasons for Spanish failures: Their objects were mainly wealth, conquest, adventure, and the Christianizing of the natives. The sudden wealth they found in Mexico and South America unfitted them for patient toil in developing agriculture, trade, and commerce. Their morals were lax, their home state weakly organized; and they were barbarously cruel to the natives. Their intermarriage with the Indians had no small effect in debasing the Spanish blood. Still, all these influences were trivial as compared with those exercised by geographic conditions. NARVAEZ AND CABEZA DE VACA I. REFERENCES. Richardson, pp. 43, 44; Winsor's History of America, II., pp. 242-244; Wright's American History, pp. 85-103; Bryant, I., pp. 151-156; Bancroft, I., pp. 27-31; Classic Readings, No. 5, pp. 10-13. II. SPECIAL TOPICS. The Inca a Prisoner, Prescott's Conquest of Peru, I., pp. 407-410; The Inca's Ransom, Prescott's Conquest of Peru, p. 450; The Inca's Execution, Prescott's Conquest of Peru, pp. 469-472; Magellan, Anderson, pp. 32, 33, Richardson, pp. 41, 42. III. OUTSIDE READINGS. History: Strange Voyage of Cabeza de Vaca, Higginson's Young Folks' Series, No. 2, Higginson's American Explorers, pp. 73-96; Pizarro and Peru, Winsor's History of America, II., pp. 505-573; Peruvian Religion, Prescott's Conquest of Peru, I., pp. 88-117; Pizarro's Early History, Prescott's Conquest of Peru, I., pp. 204207; Interview with the Inca, Prescott's Conquest of Peru, I., pp. 385-390; Pizarro's Desperate Plan to seize the Inca, Prescott's Conquest of Peru, I., pp. 391-409; The Inca a Prisoner, Prescott's Conquest of Peru, I., pp. 401424; The Inca's Trial and Execution, Prescott's Conquest of Peru, I., pp. 463-472; Pizarro's Assassination, Prescott's Conquest of Peru, II., pp. 165–172; Pizarro's Character, Prescott's Conquest of Peru, II., pp. 176–187; Magellan, Winsor's History of America, II., pp. 591613 Towle's Heroes (Pizarro); Pizarro invades Peru, Towle's Pizarro, pp. 138-157; The Inca's Court and Camp, pp. 157-171; Atahualpa a Prisoner, pp. 188–206; The Inca's Doom, pp. 206-229; The Death of Pizarro, pp. 315-327. DE SOTO AND THE MISSISSIPPI I. REFERENCES. Richardson, pp. 45-49; Anderson, pp. 35-38; Wright's American History, pp. 172-198; Bryant, I., pp. 156–170; Bancroft, I., pp. 38-49; Winsor's History of America, II., Pp. 244-253; Higginson's American Explorers, pp. 121140; Gilman, I., pp. 84-86; Butterworth, pp. 41-45; Morris's Half Hours, I., pp. 80-89; Montgomery, pp. 28– 30; Ellis, I., pp. 36-38; Bryant, I., pp. 156-169. II. SPECIAL TOPICS. De Soto and the Indian Princess, Wright's American History, pp. 182-184; De Soto's Death, Higginson's Young Folks' Series, No. 3, pp. 138-140. III. OUTSIDE READINGS. History: Adventures of De Soto, Higginson's Young Folks' Series, No. 3; The Spanish Discoverers, Higginson's United States, pp. 52-74; The Adventures of De Soto, Higginson's American Explorers, pp. 121-140. EXPLORERS FOR ENGLAND THE CABOTS AND NORTH AMERICA I. REFERENCES. Montgomery, pp. 18, 19; Bryant, I., pp. 129-138; Bancroft, I., pp. 11–13, 61, 62; Markham's Sea Fathers, pp. 90-95; Richardson, pp. 49-51; Wright's American History, pp. 61-64; Higginson's Young Folks, pp. 40-42; Monroe, pp. 37-45; Eggleston's First Book, pp. 18–23. II. SPECIAL TOPICS. Their Commission from Henry VII., Lossing, p. 46; Study of the Globe determines their Course, Barnes's Brief, p. 25. III. OUTSIDE READINGS. History Higginson's Cabot and Verrazzano, Higginson's Young Folks' Series, No. 2; Bryant, I., pp. 129138; Higginson's American Explorers, pp. 55-59; Hildreth, I., pp. 35-41; Winsor's Columbus, pp. 341–346. Readings in Contemporaneous History: Towle's History of England, pp. 180-186. SIR FRANCIS DRAKE I. REFERENCES. Anderson, pp. 33-35; Gilman, I., pp. 94–102: Winsor's History of America, III., pp. 64-73; Bryant, II., pp. 571577; Sheldon Barnes, pp. 41-43. II. SPECIAL TOPICS. The crowning of Drake by the Indians, Anderson, pp. 33, 34. III. OUTSIDE READINGS. History The Old English Seamen, Higginson's United States, pp. 75-107; Winsor's Columbus, pp. 643-646; Hale's Stories of Discovery, pp. 86–106; Drake crosses |