The vessels provided for the voyage, were such as no seaman at the present day would think safe out of sight of land. Only one of them had any deck. This one, which was the largest, was called the Santa Maria. It was commanded by Columbus himself. The second was called the Pinta. Her captain was Martin Alonzo Pinzon. Nina was the name of the third, and was commanded by Vincente Yanez Pinzon. All the souls on board the three amounted to one hundred and twenty. * * * * * LUCIUS VALERIUS PUDENS.――Lucius Valerius was born at Hisconium, in the reign of Trajan. At thirteen years of age, he became a competitor for the prize of poetry. This prize was a beautiful gold medal and an ivory lyre, which was every five years adjudged to the author who produced the best poem. Valerius, though opposed by a number of poets double his age, was victorious. Among other honors paid to him, it was determined to erect a bronze statue, which should be placed in the most conspicuous part of the city. The day of the presentation of this statue to the public view, presented a trait in the character of Valerius, still more lovely than his talents. At the moment when the chief magistrate was placing a crown of laurel on the head of the statue, Valerius perceived a young man who had contested the prize with him,――and who was, in the opinion of many, little inferior to him,――looking upon this scene with a sorrowful and dejected countenance. Valerius instantly discovered the cause of his chagrin, and determined to remove it, which he did in the following manner. He seized the laurel crown, and, pressing towards his disappointed rival, placed it on his head, saying, “You are more deserving of it than I am; I obtained it more on account of my youth than my merit, and rather as an encouragement than a reward.” This generous conduct called forth enthusiastic admiration from the spectators; and the astonished youth, who thus unexpectedly received the crown of victory from the hands of the victor, was overcome with gratitude and joy. To preserve the remembrance of an action, which evinced at once so much modesty and such kind feelings, the people conferred on Valerius the surname of _Pudens_, which signifies modest,――an honor greater even than that which he derived from his poetry. Ancient Castles. In ancient times, when war was common, kings and chiefs used to live in strong places, called castles. These consisted of high stone walls, built so as to enclose a square piece of ground in the centre, called the court. They were, in fact, quadrangular buildings, with a great many rooms in them. They were contrived so that the king or chief to whom they belonged, might shut himself in, with all his soldiers, and thus defend himself from armies without.