Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-12-04
THE NEW WORLD vIsrrs THE OLD.
THE "USIoS."
II Trip Of ne United States Steamer Princeton
10 the Birthplace of Columbus.

was elegaphed from one Of the heights Genoa She
was reported vessel Of war; bearing the American flag.
The vessels of that distant nation have appeared in the
Mediterranean without exciting peculiar enthusiasm
among the people of these beautiful but unfortunate countries
and thousands crowded the shores expectation Of the
arrival OF the mysterious stranger for the telegraph had not
ventued to tell what kind of vessel she and the pub
lie curiosity still excited by the appearance of
baleshiP which rapidly nearing the port without the
aid OF sails apparently Of steam for her slim nass prang
gracefully up without Sails and the all calm around
her except far in her wake where the early sunlight played
on the waters and yet and she came dashng
up into the delightful harbor of Genoa.
The crowd increased the vessel entered the port, and
casting her anchor swung gracefully around to the breeze
which came freshly down from the Apprentices. "Who is
this mysterious stranger the question that rapidly
from one TO another amongst the dense that had already
darkened the shore. And yet could There
she lay in the quiet blue of the port thousands gazi
on her dark form and slim yards, without pipe, smoke
wheels, or sails. Who or what could she be
1t not long that light boat lowered from her side
and went sweeping gracefully through the water with the
measured but noseess stroke of twelve oarsmen "Dev
lesser Americana" all exclaimed s'perche 81 vede la
bandiera degli Stat Un-non We puno d dubbo-ma che
razza d vasceo puo queo che mostu, ne umo
ruoti, ne vele." s.
The PaINcEToN had been daysin port and invitations
were esueu 10 nohe party 10 board Tor
of pleasure down the western riviera Of Genoa the I'd Of
October, to visit the birthplace of COLUMBUS, if the day
should be fair. thousand hopes excited and thou
sand fears also agtated the hearts of those whose good for
tune had numbered them the list of the invited guests
for the day the invitations issued ained till o'clock
in the evening" and there seemed little hope of enjoying the
expected pleasure.
But the light of the next morning had hardly begun to break
when heavy signal gun from the Princeton its echoes
up the Apprentices, to greet the his coming and dis
urbed the umbers of the city, by announcing the guests
that fair day WAS breaking, and that the steamer had lighted
her fires. os
At 10 o'clock the guests were all on board Except few
who could not believe the ship would sail exactly the hou
and the Princeton weighed her anchor and turned her PROV
to the sea- The Mediterranean which had lately been
dashed into fury, sleeping quiet though bosom
had been rued and blue the heavens above it,
The mysterious ship dashed the waters from her bow
she swept round the lighthouse and went gliding down the
coast
In hour the birthplace of CoLUMBus came in sight and
many brave tar who had heard much Of the first sailor
that ever let anchor the coast of the New World
for the first time the of the navgatos childhood The
commander, the guests and all the officers who on
duty crowded to the side to catch the sight And sight
to stir the blood any born beyond the Atlantic. There
lay the village Of Cogoetto white and quiet the bosom of
the mountains The commander ordered the decks cleared
and salute OF nine in quick succession announced to
the wonderstrcken inhabitants of the simple village that
powerful but unknown stranger approaching their
They ocked to the shore, and before the Prncetons boats
were lowered score OF light skfs approaching. The
commander the officers and the guests landed amdst silent
and excited crowd of thousand admirers and were
met by the sndco of the King who being told that the
ship in the ong had come from the country Columbus had
discovered to visit his birthplace, showed the party
with thousand ncinations and thanks to the house whose
inscriptions declare that within walls the great navigator
first the light.
Ii is strong, well-bui stone MANSION standing the
beach, inhabited by officer and devoted the first
floor the socabe purposes of cafe where the villagers
who have few soi to SPEND assemble times to talk
the glory Of their great citizen.
fha tlo ~
lumbus said have been born was proposed to erect
bust to him in the church where he baptized and which
at that moment was ringing out merry chime in honor Of the
strange visitors The proposal received with universal
EXPLANATIONS of joy and the spot the resolution made
to do it. The sndaco told the people, who received the joy
full news with shouts of enthusiasm and gratitude They had
long desired to erected Columbus but
the poor fishermen who chiefly compose the population had
never felt able to do it, and foreigners had proared
them aid.
In the midst of the universal excitement which now filed
the village the party proceeded to the hail. where the
slndaco exhibited ancient portrait of Columbus, whose
thentcty nobody felt inclined question, if except
grave midshpman, who suggested (asid) that the world
must have been in sad state when painted, if such
work of ait had not made the painter acquainted with the hal
ter then to the church, where they showed the altar
where the boy Columbus baptized The whole party
stood silent and uncovered before it, Around were sus-
pended many votve offerings such poor fishermen might
bring; among Others two tiny ships, fu-rgged Oh course,
all brought away some souvenir from the dwelng-some
nall some stone, and some piece of plaster One officer
seriously cast his eye up TO iron ring firmly fastened into
the ached ceiling The arrangement made black
smith sent for and few solid wrenches tore away the
unmstakcable relic Il is somewhat doubtful the proprietor
would have yielded any other OCCASION and hardly this
perhaps if the petitioner had said that he wished
it OF the greatest Senators in America He said the
truth, for il was intended for Mr.. Benton.
But the day wearing away, and the party embarked
for the ship As the boats pushed off humble but hearty
salute of nine fred from the village cannons which
ringing with thousand shouts away among the hills
The moment the party board the Princeton return
cd the peasants salute with nine guns and turned her bow
towards Genoa The shouts Of the villagers back faint
ly the waters Eighteen States Of the Union had al
ready spoken. owe Will give the Discoverer" said the
=" gun for every State" The guns were re-
loaded then followed another salute Of nine cannon which
made twenty They yet playing among the hills
when the great gun the bow poured forth its thunder and
sent its reverberaons away among distant mountains The
villagers returned it, but could only the smoke Of their
small guns.
Every had spoken Not heart all that broad land
from which the steamer had come, but found uerance that
day for all the enthusiasm for Columbus that the magical pen
of Irving has stirred in the breasts Of his counrymen
We swept round vine-covered hill, and the little village
OF Cegoetto was hid from sight
Wfe the last ten guns firing hundred flags were
run up the three mas which, in their furngs and many
colors, dressed out the like fair bride for gala
day As the declining the Alps the Princeton
once more entered the hatbor amidst the cheers Of the city,
and swung gracefully round to her moorings
The tables Of the Prncetons cabin spread with
elegant and abundant epast and the hostabe board
surrounded by gay and grateful guests. Every body
happy. We drank TO Columbus, who discovered the new