Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-06-27

The DEgc0yereEs OF America.
Montgomery (AIa.) Advertiser and NALL
While the attention OF the people is
turned to the subject Of centennial Cele-
bratiOns, whereof there seems TO De q
most abundant crop north and south, it
may not be out of place to least a mo-
ment's fair regard" to those bold and
euteprising men who led in the difficult
and dangerous work of discovering and
c1lonjZing this western world. In read
| ing their rather romantic history one is
struck with the very important fact,
| characteristic of human nature in that
| half enlightened age, that few Or none
OF them escaped bitter persecution, while
at best, half Of their number suffered
| shameful deaths. Columbus, who dis
covered the West Indies and Sou h
| America, but who never saw the shores
OF North America, after playing at hide
and seek with tickle fortune for 3 score
or more of years, died in peDuTy and
distress, with no place to go to but az
| inn.
The Cabotts, John and Sebastian, who
discovered North America, were the
most fortunate OF all the adventures;
! they were not harassed to death or exc
cuted, asmanY others were, but died at a
green Old age, honored pensioners OF
the crown.
Amerigo Vespucci was no discOvereT
although claiming so to be. The coast
| of Paris, which he claims to have disCOV-
cred. was found the yesr before by CO.
| lumbus. But AmeTigO was an author,
and some OF his letters having been pU6-
lished in 1905 the world, which knew
little of the other VOysgers, awarded him
all the credit, although III point OF fact,
| he sailed as mere subordinate Or chief
pilot, and followed the chart which CO.
| lumbus himself had made for the sOveT-
eigns of Spain. Like many other men
who deserved nothing heTeceiyeJ large
and enduring reward,
Magolhaens sometimes called Ma
gellau) discOvsTer Of Patagonia and the
western coast Of South AmeIiGs, and
commander Of the fret expedition that
circumnaVigated the globe, was muir
dered by savages on the PHILIPPINE
| islands.
Cook, another distinguished circum-
navigator, was murdered by some Of
| King KaIakaus's ancestors who wound
ed him at the waters edge, jumped on
| bis body and held his head under the
water until life was extinct.
|
whose eyes rested OF the Pacific ocean,
was beheaded 10y & rival (Davils) on
what Is now called the Isthmus Of Da-
rien.
AlvsT Nunez (NFURycU), the d1sCOveTer
OF Texas, New Mexico and the Rocky
mountsins, after eight years wandeuDgs
| from 1928 to 1880 among the abOrig-
| ines, during which he was 81 one time
SO fsmished as to be forced TO turn can
nibal, at lest rescued the Spanish set
tIement in Mexico wreck in health
and fortune, and one OF four sole sur
vivOrs of an expedition OF three hundred
gallant men.
DeSoto, the GisCoverer of Alabama and
| the repUted discOVerer Of the Mississippi,
died in the wilderness and was buried
in the Mississippi river. Three hundT ed
and thirty-fVe years ago this intrepid
wanderer led his handful Of msil.CIad
Sp2Diards along what are now the streets
OF the city Of Montgomery.
NaTvaez, frat governor, sO-caiIed, Of
Florida and the real djScOveTer of the
Mississippi river, persisted st sea IN al
open boat made Ofth6 skins OF horses.
COrteZ, the cOn9ueror OF Mexico, died
in poverty, despi5td and foraker Of
friends.
Don Diego Columbus, son Of Christie
pber Columbus and sOn-in-iaw OF the
original Sheridan duke Of Alva), wore
himself cut in the vain endeavOr 10 Sc
cure those hOnOrs and emOIuments
which the Spanish sOyereigus had sol
EMMY pledged his father to best0W, and
after following the court from town to
town throughout all Spain, persisted OF
slow fever brought on by veXatiOus and
bitter disapp0intments.
Pizarr0, the illiter2te freebooter who
conquered Peru, was assassinated.
BoDadilla, who superseded Columbus
as viceroy Of Hispanioia (HayH), and
who tneTeup0n sent that celebrated nav
igatOr TO Spain in chains, was wrecked
and drowned, as he deserved to have
been.
EIcuesa, the first governor Of the coll
Ony st DaTien, was set atiGat with sew
enteen Of his friends and followers in 8
crazy caravel and never heard of more.
In all human probability the fishes
Toasted on him.
Nino, who made the first successful
voyage to the Pearl islands on the South
American coast, was imprisoned and
disgraced.
AIOnz0 de Ojeda, discOveTer Of Vene-
zuela, United States Of Columbia and
the IsthmUs Of Darien, died Of a wound
received il battle with fine Caribs-sO
poor that he had no means to provide
for his own burial, and so broken in
spirit that ne requested to be buried liz
the gates where none could enter with
out treading on his ashes.
Vinconte Yanez Pinz0n, GiscOverer Of.
the river AmsEOn and the BraziIs, died
IL poverty, his creditors having stripped
him Of all his effects.
Juan Ponce DeLaon, discOverer Of
Florida, died OF an arrow wound while
in search Of EldOrGdO De Bimiui.
Sir Francis Drake, discoverer Of Cali.
fornia, and the scourge OF the Spanish
navy, rose to high temporal honors, but
his mind was prey to all sorts Of rack
ing maiadies, which finally wrought his
death st sea off the coast of Venezuela,
where ne was left in the midst Of the
waves.
John Smith-tbe immortal John
seeing that he still lives and promises TO
live until the end Of time-founder Of
Virginia and discCverer of Plymouth
Rock for which last blessing zaGy the
devil fly away with HIM went every
where, saw everything and did almost
everything that anybody else had ever
done or attempted, except to marry an
Indian. He didn't do that, but it was
probably because he didn't think Of it
before his return to England. We shall
not undertake to cay how or where John |
died, because there are ten of him to-
day where there was but one then. III
things go on for a few more years as
they have been going, il is not quite sure
that John will not have to discover q I
new world in which to stow away the |
rapidly multiplying members Of his great |