Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-05-25
Where Columbus Landed.


The subject of the landing OF Column
bus is one that has remained beclonded
in the historico-oratoreal mstiness
with which writer's upon the subject
have surrounded it; but it now appears
that modern research has taken hold
Of it, and that the exact spot at which
Columbus AID his crew landed from
rs wretched caravels can finally be
30 nted out with CRAFTY ing degree
of historic certainty.
Governor Blake. of Newfoundland.
recently gave n lecture before the
Atheneum of ST. Johns upon the SUBJ
ject of the landing of Columbus. to
which he had given n great deal of at
tention while governor of the Bahamas,
from which section he was transferred
To Newfoundland.
His excellency made several voyages
with this object in view, and, with tho
diary of Columbus in his hand, sailed.
over his course. noting what he noted,
and comparing his description with the
lakes and woods and beautiful capes
and everlasting vendure of these is
lands.
Columbus, according to the results
Of Governor Blake's Investigations,
started for the unknown new world in
three vessels-the Santa Maria, the
Punta and the Nina-three crazy car
avels only one OF which had deck.
His crew consisted of 100 men, nearly
all of whom had been forced into the
enterprise and hated it. and were ever
ready To mutiny.
The difficulty of determining the
exact location has arisen. to large
extent. from the fact that the Lucay
ans, the aboriginal inhabitants Of
these Stands. were carried off by the
Span ards TO work the gold mines Of
Hispanola, and through cruelty and
hard toll. all persisted miserably.
For n hundred years afterward the
islands were left uninhabited, so that
no vestige of tradition remained to
guide to The spot on which Columbus
! landed. The islands have been vari-
ously identified by writer's who have
never visited the spot or made a per-
sonal examination of them. His excel
lency has gone carefully over the whole
of these islands and compared their
appearance with the account of Column
I bus. so that his conclusions carry with
them great weight, He was led by an
irresistible weight OF the evidence thus
accumulated TO the conclusion that
: the island upon which he landed was
/ Watlng's island
He showed b. process of exhaus-
| ton, comparing each island in turn
with his description, that Watling's is
! land alone coresponded with the ac-
count contained i'm his diary, and that
the CORES pondence. in its case. was
/ perfect. while all the others entirely
/ failed to present any features TO war
ranc ident fication. Watling's island is
/ thirteen miles long. about eight miles
wide One-third of its area being occu-
/ pied bv II lake or lagoon of blackish
water; it IS very fertile and beautiful
: il is almost entirely surrounded bv a
coral reef, except at Graham's harbor,
/ formed by "A great sweep of the reef,
and about seven miles long and four
miles wide, with a narrow entrance
and prOmontory close by.
Every one of these features is men
toned in Columbus diary. so that the
question may be regarded ms settled.
/ for there Is no escaping from his ex-
celency's con clusion. AS the centen-
airy of Columbus discovery is to be OBJ
served IN 1892 and it is said Spain will
invite the European nations TO send
each flag ship to the spot for some
celebration on Il grand scale. the ques-
( ton in regard to the exact scene of his
landing is likely to be hotly debated.
/ Governor Blake has now made most
| important contribution TO the settle
ment of the question. boston Trdrel-
err