The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-10-04
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From ismarines Memoirs Of Celebrated Characters.
Columbus Discovering America.
At sunrise on the second day, som.
rushes recently torn up were seen near
the vessels. A plank evidently hewn by
an axe, a stick skilfully carved by some
cutting instrument, a bough of hawthorn
in blossom; and lastly, birds nest built
on branch which the wind had broken.
and full of eggs, on which the parent
bird was sitting amid the gently rolling
wavts--were seen floating past on the
waters. The sailors brought on board
these living and inanimatc witnesses of
their approach to land. They were a
voice from the shore, confirming the as.
suranccs Of Columbus. Before the land
actually appeared in sight, Its neiglbor
hood was inferred from these marks of
life. The mutineers fell on their knees
to the Admiral whom they had insulted
but the day before, cravcd pardon for
their mistrust, and struck up hymn Of
thanksgiving to God for a.sociatiug them
with this triumph. Night fell on these
songs Of the Church welcoming a new
world. The Admiral gave order. that
the sails should be closc.recfcd and the
lead kept going and that they should
sail slowly. being afraid of breakers and
shoals, and feeling certain that the first
CLEAN Of day break would discover land
under their bows
On that last anxious night none slept.
Impatient expectation had removed all
heaviness from their eyes the pilots
and the scamcn,clnging about the masts.
yards and shrouds, each tried to keep
the best place and the closest watch to
get the earliest 81 ght of the new hemis.
phcrc. The Admiral had offorcd re.
ward to the first who should cry Land.
provided his announcement was verified
by its actual discovery. Provideuce
however. reserved to Columbus himself
this first glimpse, which he had purchased
at the expense of twenty years cf bis
life. aud Of uniiring perseverance, amidst
such dangers While walking the quar-.
ter deck alone at midnight ard sweeping
the dark horizon with his keen eve.
glcam Of fire passed and disappeared and
again showed itself on The level Of the
waves. Fearful Of being deceived by
the phosphorescence Of the sea, be quiet
ly called Spanish gcntlemon of Isa.
bclla's court named Gutticrez. in whom
he had more confidence than in tho pi.
lots, pointed out the direction in which
he had seen the light, and asked him
whether he could discern anything there.
Gutticrcz replied that be did indeed see
fickcriug light in that quarter To
make indeed still more sure, Columbus
called Rodrigo Sanchez of Segovia, an
other in whom he had confidence San
chez had no more hesitation than Gutti-
ercz in rronouucing that here was u
light on Tie horizon. But Tie hlaze was
hardly seen before it again disappeared
in the ocean, to show itself anew tie
next moment, whether !, was the light
of FIRE on low shore alternately ap.
pearing beyond the broken horizon, Or
whether it was the floating beacon of q
tisherman's boat now rising on the waves
and now sinking in the trough Of the sea
Thus both land and safety appeared to-
gether in the shape Of fire to Columbus
and his two friends, on the night between
the ! tn and l2th of October, 1892.
The Admiral, cnjoining silence TO Rod.
rigo and Guttieren, kept his observation
to himself for fear of again raising false
hopes, and giving bitter disappointment
TO his ships company. He lost sight OF
the light and remained on deck until 2
in the morning, praying, hoping and des
pairing alono, awaiting the triumph or
the return on which the morrow was to
decide. He was seized with that an
guish which precedes the great discov
cries of truth, like the struggle which
anticipates the liberation of the soul by
death, when a cannon shot, sounding ovel
the sen few hundred yards in advance
of him. burst upon his ear--the an
nouncement of a newborn world, wbcl
made him tremble and fall upon hi,
knees. 1t was the signal of land in sight
made by firing q shot as had been ar
ranged with the Pintd, which was sail
ing in advance of the squadron, to guild,
, their course and take soundings. A
this signal general shout of Lant
! ho " arose from all the yards and rig
gngs of the ships. The sails were furlcd
and daybreak was anxiously awaited
. The mystery Of the ocean had breathe,
its first whisper in the bosom Of night
: Day break would clear it up openly I,
|, every eye. Delicious aud unknown per
fuples reached the vessels from the out
line Of the shore, with the roar of th
waves upon the reefs and tue soft Ian,
b breeze. The fire seen by Columbus in
dicated the presence Of man and of th
first element of civilization.
j. Never did the night appear so long i
clearing away from the horizon for thi