Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1879-04-19

ing of the existence OF such-but 20 reach India
by a western sea route. Il would be impossible
10 dverestina,e the decision OF character so char
acteristc Of Columbus. u eau DO what thous-
AID virtues without Il cannOt-it can make men
great ! refer now 10 promptness Of action. His
tory-Lile is fun of illustrations OF this. After
Yeas Of Investigation. stndy, rraection-as soon
a. the one idea to,k possession Of his head-the
great passion took possession Of his soul quick as
the aashiog Of Damascus blade, he became a
man OF action The opinion Of the church, Of
scAools Of learning. Of the world at large ceased
to influence him. lie determined to sail West
rsf- Would not poor old Horace Greedy have
loved such a man
20 ht out an expedition unaided was, Of course,
impossible TO Columbus, SO. being in Lisbon,
Nhither BE had been driven by shipwreek, be Of
fered his services to John Of Portugal This IL
lustrious rascal man Of intelligence who large
ly shared the enthusiasm for maritime discovery
that prevailed. gave Columbus a warm reception
aud called a council TO consider his theory and
project. This council denounced the whole thing
rs visionary and so It Eel! through. But John Of
Portugal having examined the maps and heard
the plans OF Columbus, equipped a. expedition of
his own, with secret Instructions 20 follow the
track pointed out By Columbus. Intending 20 rob
Columbus aud enrich himself. He need hardly
say thar this expedition was a failure. The Cap
tain frightened by a storm as soon as be was out
OF sight of land returncd with lying tale o. the
dangers Of the deep. Columbus. justly indignant,
returned 90 Genoa and offered his services to his
nwn country, but they were inscltingly refused.
lie thought % applying TO the King of England
% Venice he made numerous offers. gust think,
said Mr. Davies, Of a man begging bis way from
Count 70 Coar', VITA a New World in his gift
This tine was rotpropiiious coT attracting the
Royalear ofthc monarchs ofSpain to speculative
schemes, no matter bow attractive. for even now
Fef6inand and Isabella are engaged in prepare
toDs for the last struggle, tire result Of which is to
b. the 6aal expulsion Of the Moors from spain
In the year lass Columbus, in threadbare tunic,
we.-xora hose and wi,,ed plume, leading little
child by the hand, might have been seen near the
hHie sespor, Of Palos, walking a,oni the road to
Cordo-a, on his way 10 iay bis project before the
united sosc,egus OF Castle and Spaia. Stop
P'ag on ,he way at the convent Of Ia rabida, the
Prior whose name, juan Perez de Mlrchina,
saould never De forgotten In the story of Colum-
bus. Hospitality entertained him Tor a few days, de-
tanned bis child, Diego, { educate, and-being a
mar Of some influence a, Court he was ate wards
a Bishop gave Columbus letter OF introduce
ton e. the Queen's chapliue. When be arrived
al Cordoga, Court and people were engaged 10
preparations for war, aud small chance there was
for audience with the Kicg. Ye; such was his
~a- 80 e-f "a ff..t
taias) that notwithstanding delays, obstacles. in-
sai.s ihe hour tina: be had prayed FOR dswned q,
last The Hing tDd Queen ordered a council Of
the learned men o. asseube and consider the great
project. Th!s council met in Salamanca in l4SG.
lie sad they believed that the project Of Co!um-
bus was phi,osoph caliy false, religiocsy hereti-
ca, aud practically Impossible, and quite unbe-
coming the attention OF a christian prince, and
Columbus dsge'tcs, though not disAeartened, de-
m'red 90 lease spain aud offer his services to
France. Bat stopping al La Rabida to say fare
wellto ais child, the old Prior, anxioCs that Spain
shoaid reap the glory Of Columbus discovery, iu-
duced him 20 rrt.rn With letters Of Introduction
o Queen Isabella. The Queen became interested,
and fading chat there was no money in the treas
ury, declared that she would pawn her jewels. A
coatract was agreed on that ColumbUs should be
Yicc-oy of all TIE countries be should discover,
aud receive oas-tenth Of the profits Of the enter
prise.
Mr.. Davies vento on 10 glowing terms 20 picture
the departure from tie port Y Paios, August Srd,
l492, OF the three little vessels, The Sta Maria,
tie Piuta, aud the Nina, the commander and
crew receiving Tie sacrament, an anthem sung,
fsreNels said, and just as the Sun ro,e above The
blue waves % tie Mediterranean. the little fleet
s.a-Ied on It's ever memorable voyage. Storms
ragged and The .ca-s OF the crew are reused. bat
Columbus appeascd them the needle varied from
the north pole and The pilot was frightened, but
Columbus invented an explaua,ion OF the phenon-
euon, sad quoted bis fears Here Nr. Davies
made some very interesting quotations from the
Log Book. The crew mutinicd, but Columbus
cowcd them into subm ssion. An his thoughts
were Of Asia, Asia. At length signs Of land APP
pesr-a Eight is scent moves an hand. pace
the deck tia. night. The Piuta fires gun-after
seyeuty-oue DAYS at sea, Roderig Tr;ano sees land.
The next day reveals such a scene Of bcwi de-ing
beauty that the men e4claiu--" Il is Paradise"
Here the lecturer described the landing Of Co
lumbus-on DE le,h day Of October, 1892. day
ever IN memorable iu the annals Of mankind. Arid
inpos ing ceremouies allegiance was sworn to Co
lumbus as Y icero the Standard Of Spain was
painted, aud the place was called san Salvador.
Mr.. Dlvic. would noe attempt t. describe the low
l.u.s9 OF .ls leni ths betsty ana innoce nee that
everywhere abounled. The people were pure,
perfect no horses were Killed on rail roads-uo
appropriation bills passed with ca without riders
no crime. no reli gious conteatioas; $50 loving"
writes Columbus, 80 81 ,rActable. so peaeeable are
these people, that declare there is not in this
world b.ttsr nation or better laai. They love
their neigilors A. "a ,uselvcs." Chancellor Kent
aud jules Verne were quoted by the spe sSer as
giving similar testimony 70 the character Of the
people OF the newly discovered country Column
bls did not ind a. mach gold as was expected
thoagh DE- himself was searching for land, not
gold. But ia finding the potato, which be Gid il
Ca5a DE found something more useful 70 man thsa
gold. IN Cuba, too, be found Tobacco Mr. Dd-
vies would not venture % discuss the extent to
which 4, bad been a blessing-tho as az element
o. the national rev enue tobacco not to be snessed
ar, even when ground into STUFF On the return
OF C),ambIs io 5 pain the ast enlistment and de-
light Of the people knew 90 6ou nds. But success
is a dangerous ;hiny-tbs envy and jealousy OF
the spanish l5ili,y we're excited By that Of this
humble f5re cnsr This latter idea was mpli6ed,
and q superb quotation from one of the poets