The Litchfield County post., 1828-06-05

now reminded them of the orders he had gwen on leaving the Canaries, that after sailing westward seven hundred leagues. they should not make sail after midnight.-- Present appearances authorized such Precaution: He thought it probable that they would make land that very night he ordered, therefore, a vigilant lookout to he kept from the forecastle, promisipp to whomsoever should make the discovo-,, doublet of velvet, in addition tc the nen, sions given by the sovereigns. The h.eeZo had been fresh all day, with more sea tbsn usual, al d they had made great progress, = At sunset they had stood again to the west
 md were ploughing the waves at a r.n;J rate, the Pinta keeping the lead, from har superior sailing. The greatest animat;os prevailed throughout the ships not an eve was closed that night. As the eyen;no darkened, Columbus took his station at the top of the castle or cabin, ,on the hieh noon of his vessel. However he might carrv P cheerful and confident countenance dnr;n~ the day, it was to him time of the moe, painful anxiety; and now, when he was wrapped from observation by the shades of night, he maintained an intense and unre- nitting watch, ranging his eye along inc dusky horizon, in search ofthe most vagro ~ indications of land. Suddenly, about ten. he thought he beheld light glimmeripg at distance. Fearing that his eager homes might deceive him, he called to Pedro Gn- tierez, gentleman of the kings bedcham- Der, and inquired whether he saw lieht in that direction the latter replied in tbe affirmative.
 Columbus, yet doubtful that it might not be some delusion the fancy. called Rod. rigo Sanchez, of Segovia. and made ,bo same inquiry. By the time the latter had ascended the round house, the lipbt had disappeared. They saw it once or twice afterwards, in sudden and passing pleams as it it We're torch in the bark of a fisher.. man, rising and sinking with the waves. or Tn the hand ot someperson on shore borne uk and down as he passed from house to house. So transient and uncertain w4re these gleams that few attached any ;mnor- tance to them; Columbus, however ron. sldered them as certain signs of land, and moreover, that the land was inhabited.-
 They continued their course until two in the morning, when gun from the Pint, gave the joyful signal of the land. Tt was tlrst discovered by mariner named Rod- rIgo de Triana; but the reward was after- wards adjudged to the admiral, for having, previously perceived the light.
 The land was now clearly seen abou+ two leagues distant, whereupon they took
 in sail, and laid to, waiting impatientlv for the dawn. The thoughts and feelings oc Columbus in this little space of time. must have been tumultuous and intense. Al length, in spite of every difficulty and dan ger, he had accomplished his object. The great mystery of the ocean was revealed . his theory, which had been the scofr If sages, was triumphantly established. he had secured to himself glory which must be as durable as the world itself Tt ;s difficult even for the imagination to com ceive the feelings of such man at the mn. ment of so sublime discovery. What he-. w'lderlng crowd of conjectures must have thronged upon his mind as to theland which lay in darkness That it was fr,Iif- tuI, was evident from the vegetables which iioated from its shores He thought. toe. he perceived in the balmy air the fragrance of aromatic groves. The moving lipbt which he had beheld, proved that it was the residence of man. But what were it's inhabitants Were they like those of the parts of the globe or were they some strange and monstrous race, such as the imagination in those times was prone to give all remote and unknown regions q- t1ad ne come upon some wild island far in the Indian sea |? or was this the famed Cipango itself, the object of his goIden, fancles A thousand speculations of this Kind must have swarmed upon him. as. with his anxious crews, he waited for the n'ght to pass away wondering whether the morning light would reveal savage will derness, or dawn upon spicy groves, and gl'ttering fanes, and gilded cities. and all the splendor of oriental civilization. Itwvs cn the the morning of Friday, the l2th of October. 1492, that Columbus first beheld the New World. When the day dawn ed he saw before him level and beautiful island, several leagues in extent. of great freshness and verdure, and covered with trees like a continual orchard. Though every thing appeared in he wild luxuri- ance of untamed nature. yet the island was evidently populous, flor the inhabitants were seen issuing from the woods, and running from all parts ot the shore, where they