The Russellville Democrat., 1879-12-04
BE SURE TO GIVE US A CALL BEFORE PURCHASING FL

became very fond of mathematics, in
 which he subsequently, excelled.
 When he was probably about thirty
 years of age he landed in Portugal, the
 country to which adventurous spirits
 from all arts of the world then resort
 ed, as the great theatre of maritime en- terprise. After arriving there he continued making voyages to the then
 shore he employed himself in making
 and selling charts and maps, and while
 there he obtained a better knowledge of Geography by reading papers which
 belonged to an eminent Portugues
 navigator, who was deceased rela-
 tive of his wife. Thus being stoed
 with all nautical science of his day he
 was convinced that the earth was
 round, and suppossing it to be much
 smaller than it is, he believed that
 Asia could be reached by sailing across
 the unknown Atlantic. Various ob- jects had been driven by the west winds
 on the Azores; among them were the
 bodies of two men that seemed of new
 race, and Columbus thinking they came
 from some land across the ocean was
 determined to reach it, but he was poor
 and had no ships. Filled with aspira-
 tion of accomplishing discovery, he
 submitted the theory on which he had
 founded his belief in the existence of q
 western route to King John the Second
 of Portugal. After unsuccessful nego-
 tiations with the Portugues he quilted
 in disgust, and determined to submit
 hls proposals, to the Spanish sover-
 igns. He landed at Spain the latter
 part of l4s4. Ferdinand andIsabella the
 soverigns were then waring with the
 Moors, and their treasury was very
 nearly exhausted, though Isabella con templated the proposal of Columbus in its true light, and pawncd her jewels to defray the expenses. Orders were sent to Seville ard the other ports of Andalusia, to furnish stores and other articles which were necessary for the
 voyage. The fleet consisted of three vessels, and when everything was in readiness, Columbus and his crew par took of the sacrement, and on the of the 3d of August l492 bade adieu to the old world, and sailed where no ship had ever sailed before. The trials of the voyage began when the last sight of the canaries faded from their view. The hearts of the sailors falling them. and many giving way to tears of dispair. Alas; how vain the efforts of Columbus to calm their fears. Many days of anxious watching for the expected land without success, and the variation of the needle from the north caused their desperations to drive them to mutiny. Imagine the delight of Columbus after nights of watching and eager expectation he beheld a dim light in the distance. The joyful cry of Hand" was raised (Oct. 18th 1492). Landing at sunrise his first act was to kneel and thank God with tears; his second to unfurl the royal banner in the name of his country and sovereigns. The land discovered was San Salvador one ot the Bahamas. After spending some months exploring the delightful regions presented for the first time to the eyes of the European, he embarked for Spain in the month of Jan. 1893. One vessel having foundered. another having deserted him, he was left alone to retrace his steps across the Atlantic. Great was the excitement of the little Of Palos on the reentering the harbor of the wellknown vessel of Columbus after an absence of several (Msrch 10th l493). Taking with him species of the products of the newly discovered country and ac- by several of the native islanders dressed in their simple bar baric costume he hurried on to Castile where he was received with very great honor by Ferdinand and Issabella. He made several subsequent voyages, and died at the gooi old age of Seventy (l5O6).