Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-03-07
,mise Columbus then turned to Ii

such difficulties, have abandoned the
enterprise, but Columbus seemed to de-
rive fresh courage from his defeats and
he struggled on till Isabella, moved by
his constancy and the apparent truth of
his conviction, offered to sell her jewel
ry to supply him with the required
funds. This magnanimous act, for
which Queen Isabella should ever be
held in grateful remembrance, so moved
the King that he receded from his for
mer resolution and gave his approval to
the enterprise. The conditions were
signed April 18th, 1892, Finally after
so many struggles, 50 many trials and
bitter disappointments, after having
been derided, insulted, and even pointed
at as an insane man, Columbus triumph
ed. 1t now remained for him to con-
duct his undertaking to a successful end,
and thus unmask the envy and ignor-
ance of the wise men of Salamanca and
all those who, without the least SYM
pathy, had taken every means in their
power to embitter his life and to close
to him every avenue of success by sur
rounding him with ridicule
On the morning of August Sd, 1892,
the shore of Palos, Spain, swarmed
with people. Three small SHIPS, orna-
mented with gay flags, were. anchored
near the shore, preparing to depart
Christopher Columbus, who had been
elected Grand Admiral of the seas, and
to whom all bowed, was everywhere
present, seeing that commands were
faithfully executed and that everything
was in order.
Soon all was ready, and the sails were
unfurled. The Admirals ship was the
San Maria another was the Pinta, COM
manded by AlonzO PinzOn, the brave
old navigator, who had invested his all
in the expedition. The third and small
est one was the Nina, commanded by
James Pinzon, a brother of the COM
mander of the Pinta.
The men who composed the crews of
the adventurous little fleet were actuated,
in enlisting in the enterprise, only by
the hope of riches, as they expected to
find gold by the handful in the newly
discovered lands. These men caused
Columbus much trouble. Three days
after leaving port a sailor of the Pinta
broke the helm Of the ship, and they
landed on the shore of the Canaries for
o ,N,,r,NCSo Of roIoiYino
In the meantime, Columbus learned
that several Portuguese ships were Civ
ing him chase, by order of the King of
Portugal, but he succeeded in Guiding
them.
After several weeks sailing, Column
bus, unknown to ALL commenced tOkecp
two logs, or registers. In one-his Dri-
vate one-hc marked the number of
leagues they had sailed; in the other a
less number, so as to deceive the sailors,
who had already beguntO murmur. One
morning about daybreak the report of a
cannon was heard from the Nina. This
was the salute agreed upon when land
should be discovered, and one may easily
imagine the JOY Of those who for sew
eral weeks had been in unknown waters,
and who had given up all hope Of dis
covering land.
But at the appearance Of the sun their
joy was turned to bitter delusion, as
what was supposed to be land proved to
be only a cloud, The crew, enraged by
this disappointment, gave vent to their
anger by threatening Columbus, and de
manded that he should return; other
wise they would throw him into the sea.
But in this trying moment he did not
falter or lose courage. He had observed
the flying of birds and several floating
plants, and the result of his calculations
made him suppose that land must be
near.
He made bold resolution, such an
one as a genius only knows how to grasp
in extreme circumstances. Having
somewhat Gained the irritated seamen,
he said to them, Give me three days
more, and if in this time land is not dis
covered we will return to Spain
This occurred October 10th, 1882,
seyenty-eight days after the departure
from Palos.
On the night Of October 18th, Column
bus remained on the quarter deck Of his
ship and anxiously watched the brown
horizon. All at once he discovered what
seemed to be fire, that appeared and
disappeared in a moment. He sprang
to his feet, and with all the power of his
vision fixed the point where he had seen
the light, and again it appeared. He
called two sailors, Sanctez and Gutierrez
who also saw the fire-a certain sign of
land; but he prohibited them from
speaking of it till morning, fearing that
it might possibly be another illusion.
How long was that night how late the
sun was in rising. and what anxiety,
what hopes and fears passed through the
troubled mind Of him who was to see
the fate of his darling project scaled be-
fore another sun should set,
At last the king of day appeared, and
revealed to the anxious explorer and his
observation-disclosures land entirely unknown
to them. Trees of a new species were
seen on the hills, and as they nrared the
shore they discovered men of a dark
color and without clothing. who watched
this strang" apparition with the greatest
curiosity
The crew broke forth in shouts of
! joy; they all embraced each other and
were SO much affected that tears courscd
down their bronzcd cheeks. The man
that three days before they had desired
to kill, they now gave most enthusiastic
ovations. Some kissed his clothes, and
others implored pardon for having Of
Tended him and for an instant doubted
l.