The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-11-20
EXTRACT FROM
MERCEDES OF CASTLE,
. po,,.nee of the DAYS Of Columbus.

Romance Of the Days Of Columbus.
BY THE AUTHOR or THE SPY, &c.
nFor now from sight Of land diverted clear,
They drove uncertain DER the painless steep
Nor gave the adverse gale due course to steer,
Nor burst they the designd direction keep
The gathering tempest quickly ragged so high,
The wave encompass boat but family reachd
Vision Of Paii<nes
Such was the state of things on the morning OF the
18TH and shortly after the sun arose the oiy ~
land heard from alott. Il Is worthy OF peihg me-
toned that this land made directly ahead 30
rate all the admras calculations ana -
did he feel Of his position ON the chart dozen OPT
MONS however prevailed among the pilots and people
concerning this welcome sight some ianeying the
Continent of Europe while others believed II TO DC
Madeira Columbus, himself publicly announced
10 be of the Azores
Ecb bour was lessening the distance between this
welcome spot of earth and the adventurers when the
gale chopped directly round, bringing the island dead
10 windward Throughout long and weary day the
little barque kept turning up against the Storm IN or
der to reach this much desired haven, but the heau-
ness of the swell and the foul wind made their progress
both slow and painful The sun set in wintry gloom
again and the land still lay in the wrong quarter and
apparently a distance that was unattainaele Hour
after hour passed and still in the darkness the Nina
was struggling to get TO the spot where the
land had been seen. Columbus never left his post
throughout these anxious scenes, for TO him seemed
as if the fortunes of his discoveries now suspend
ed as might be, by hair Our hero was less watch
full but even he began feel more anxiety in the re-
suit the moment approached when the late oil iie
expedition 10 be decided,
As the every eye turned inquirngiy around
the watery view and TO the common disappointment
no land was visible Some fancied all had been iu-
sion, but the admiral believed they had passed the
island in the darkness and he hove about, with view
70 stand farther south. This change IN the course
had not been made more than an hour or two when
land again dimly seen astern, and in quarter
where il could not have been previously perceived
For this island the carave tackled and until dark she
beating up for it, against strong gale and heavy
sea Night again drew around her, and the land once
more vanished in the gloom.
At the usual hour of the previous night the people
ofthe Nina had assembled to chant the saire fac,
gina the evening to the Virgin for il is Of the
touching incidents Of this extraordinary voyage that
these rude sailors first carried with them into the un-
known wastes of the Atlantic the songs Of their re
gion and the Christians prayers. While thus en-
ployed, light had been made to lccward, which was
supposed be the island first seen, thus encoura
gng the admiral in his belief that he in the centre
OF group and that by keeping well to windward, he
would certainly find himself in a situation TO reach
port IN the morning. That morning, however, had
produced other change than the noted, and he
was now preparing to pass another night or that of
the 18th in uncertainty, when the cry of land ahead
suddenly cheered the spirits Of all in the vessel
The Nina stood boldly in, and before midnight she
heavy both wind and sea, however that the ca
BILE parted, thus rejecting them, as it were, from the
regions to which they properly belonged Sail was
made and the effort to get to windward renewed and
by daylight the carayel enabled to in and get
anchorage the north side of the island. Here
the weared and almost exhausted mariners learned
that Columbus right usual, and that they had
reached the island of st. Mary one Of the Azores.
II does not belong to this tale to record all the
dents that occurred while the Nina lay st the port -
hav aunhra neal nj
part Of the Portuguese, who as they had been the
last harrass the admiral his departure from the
old world the first to beset him on his return
All their Vaccinations failed however, and after hav
ing the best portion of his crew in their power and
actually having sailed from the island without
the men, the admiral finally arranged the matter, and
took his departure for Spain, with all his people
board on the 2ith Of the month
Providence seemed to favor the passage Of the adj
venturers, for the first few days the wind being ia
vorabe and The sea smooth. Between the morning OF
the 2fth and the evening of the Doth the carave had
made nearly hundred leagues directly on her
TO Paos when she was met with foul wind and
other heavy sea. The gale now became violent again
east little norherly, occasionally hauling ahead
The weather was rough, but the admiral knew he
was drawing in with the continent of Europe, he did
pot complain cheering his people with the hopes Of
speedy arrival In this manner the time passed unit
the turn Of the day, Saturday. March ID, when Co
lumbus believed himself to be within hundred miles
OF the coast of Portugal the long continuance Of the
scant southerly winds having set him thus far north
The night commenced favorably, the carayel strug
cling ahead through tremendous that sweep
ing down from the south, having the wind abeam
blowing so fresh to cause the sails to be reduced
within manageable size. The Nina was an excellent
craft as had been thoroughly proved, and she
steadler than when first assaed by the tempest hc
pilots having filled still more Of the casks than they
had been able to do during the late storm.
Thou hast lived at the helm, Sancho Mundo,
since the late gales commenced" said the admiral
cheerfuy, as, about the last hour of the first watch
he passed the post of the old " II is
small honor to hold that station in the cruel gales we
have been fated to endure"
9 SO consider it, Senior Don Almirante; and 7 hope
their illusrious and most excellent Highncsses, tie
two Sovereigns will look upon it with the eyes
so far as the weight of the duty is concerned"
And why not respects the honor, friend San.
cho ~ put in Luis, who had become sworn friend Of
the seaman since the rescue of the rocks
Honor, Senior Master Pedro is cold food, and sits
i'll on poor mans stomach One dobla is worth two
dukedoms to such ! am, since the doblu
would help to gain me respect whcr,a the dukedoms
would only draw down ridicule upon my head No
no-Mlaster Pedro, your worship, give pocket
iul of gold and leave honors to such have fancy
for them. II man must be raised in the world be-
gin at the beginning, or lay solid foundation; after
which he may be made knight Of ST. James, if the
soveregns have need of his name to make out list .
hou art too garruous for helnsman. Sancho
though so excellent otherwise" observed the admiral
gravey " Look TO thy course; doblas will not be
wanting when the voyage is ended"
Many thanks Senior Almirane and as a proof
that my eyes are not shut, even though the tongue
wags, will just desire your exceency, and the pilots
to study that rag OF cloud that il gathering up here
at the south west, and ask yourselves if it evil
good
/" BY the mass the is right, Don Christopher
exclaimed Bartolemeo Roldan, who was standing
near; " that is most sinister looking cloud and is
not unlike those that gave birth to the white squalls OF
Africa
I" Sec TO it-scc to it--good Bartolemeo," returned
Columbus, hastily. We have, indeed counted too
much on good fortune and have culpably overlook
ed the aspect Of the heavens Let Vlcent Yanex and
all our people be called we may have need of them"