The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-09-20
! 9istoritOl Skettb.
From Lamarotne's Memories of Celebrated Chars
The First Discovery Of Columbus.


From Lamarotines Memories of Celebrated Chars
The First Discovery OF Columbus.
At sunrise on the second day, some rush.
es recently torn up were seen near the yes.
sells. A plank evidently hewn by an axe,
a stick skillfully carved by some cutting in.
strument, 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 waves, wers'seen floating
past ON the waters. The sailors brought
on board these living and inanimate wit.
nesses Of their approach to land. They
were voice from the shore, confirming the
assurance of Columbus.
Before the land actually appeared in sight
its neighborhood was inferred from these
marks of life. The mutineers fell on their
knees to the Admiral whom they had insult.
ed but the day before, craved pardon for
their mistrust, and struck up hymn oI
thanksgiving to God for assocating them
with this triumph. Night fell on these songs
ofthe Church welcoming new world
The Admiral gave order that the sales
should be close-reefed, and the lead kept
going; and that they should sail slowly, be-
ing afraid of breakers and shoals, and feel
ing certain that the first CLEAN of daybreak
I. :. -. ...1 ..
would discover land under their bows. I
10 On that last anxious night none sleept.-
impatient expectation had removed all heav-
mess from their eyes; the pilots and the
seamen, clinging about the masts, pards and
shrouds,, each tried to keep the best place
and the closest watch to get the earlieet sight
of the new hemisphere. The Admiral had
offered a reward to the first who should,
cry Land, provided his announcement was
verified by its actual discovery. Providence.
however, reserved to Columbus himself this
first glimps, which he had purchased at the
expense Of twenty years ofhi life, and of
untiringl perseverance amidst such dangers.
While walking the quarterback alone at
midnight, and sweeping the dark horizon
with his keen eye, a gleam of fire passed and
disappeared, and again showed itself on the
level of the waves. Fearful of being de-
ceived by the phosphorescence of the sea,
he quietly called Spanish gentleman Of
Isabella's court, named Guttierez, in whom
he had more confidence than in the piolets,
pointed out the direction in which he had
seen the light, and asked him whether be
could discern anything there. 'Guttierez re-
=. piled that he did indeed see Pickering light
lin that quarter. TO make indeed still more
sure, Columbus called Lodrigo Sanchez, ci
sSegoyia another in whom he had confidence
Sanchez had no more hesitation than Gut.
tierez in pronouncing that there was a light
on the horizon. But the blaze was hardly
!, seen before it again disappeared in the
ii ocean, to show itself anew the next moment
whether 1t was the light of fire on low
shore alternately appearing and disappear
ing beyond the broken horizon. or whether
ut was the floating beacon Of a fisherman.
II boat now rising on the waves and now
sinking in the trough Of the sea.
nv Thus both land and safety appeared to-
! gether in the shape of fire to Columbus an,
d his two friends, on the night between tn,
9,llth and 18th Of October, l492. The Ad
srniral enjoihed silence to Rodrigo and Gut
tierez, kept his observation to himself, 70
fear of, againg raising false hopes, and Civ
% ing bitter disappointmentto to his sship's com
/. panies. He lost sight of the light and re
tnained on deck until in the morning, hop
ing and ,despairing alone, awaiting the tri
umph or the return on which. the! morrow
,twas to lbeeide. He was seized with tina
anguish which precedes the great discove
I. ries of truth, like the struggle which antic
ipates the liberetion Of the soul by death
when cannon shot, sounding over the se
fla few hundred yards in advance Of hin
! burst upon his ear, the announcement Of
newborn world, which made him trembl
i, and fall upon his knees. twas the sigma
itofiland in sight, made by firing a shot, a
had been arranged witnthe Pinta, which wa
!, y sailing il advance Of the squadron, TO gppid
their course and take soundings. AT thi
. signal 10 general shout ef"tLand holr- aros
10 from all the yards and riggings Of the ships
- The sales were furled, and daybreak wa