The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-11-09
DISCOVERY Of AMERICA.
ColunbuS Account Hay Prove Inter.
es&ing On the 4o0th Anniversary.

story ls dOubly interesting.
While Christopher Columbus was
returning to Europe he wrote q let
ter to Luis de Saint Angel, Chan
cellor of the E1chequer of Aragon,
giving q short account Of his voy-
age-such a resume, for instance,
Ss an interviewer in modern times
might get from a returning captain.
The letter tells but little of Co.
lumbus' trials; of the hardship,
encouragement and mutiny which
he conquered. He speaks rather in
glowing terms of the wonderful land
of promise revealed by him to all
the world; of it's timid, trustful ma
tives; of its fruits, flowers, trees
and metals. 1t is the jubilant out
burst of a hopeful heart overhowing
with success. And throughout the
entire letter runs q calm tone OF
thankfulness to the Creator, or sub
mission to the writer's earthly SOW
ereigns.
The distinguished letter writer
tells show in thirty-three days time
| I reached the Indies with the fleet
which the most illustrious King and
Queen, our sovereigns, gave to me,
| where l found very many islands
thickly peopled, of all which l took
possession without resistance for
their Highnesses by proclamation
made and with the royal standard
unfurled. To the first island that
l found I gave the name San Saliva
dor, in remembrance of his High
. Majesty, who hath marvelously
brought all these things to pass.
The indians call it Guanaham. 10
the second gave the name of Santa
Maria de Conception, the third l
called Fernandiana, the fourth lsa-
bella, the fifth Juana, and SO to each
one gave a new name. When 1
reached Juana l followed the coast
to the westward, and found it so
large that l thought it must be the
mainland-the province of Cathay'
and as l found neither towns nor
villages on the seacoast, but only a
few hamlets, with the inhabitants
of which / could not hold conver-
sation, because they all immediate
ly fled"
Another island is named Espa'
nola, and here he found "many
spices and mines of gold and other
, metals" The inhabitants of this
happy isle were shy at first, but
, "when they are reassured and have
thrown off this fear they are
guileless, and so liberal of all that
they have that no one would be
lieve it who had not seen it. They
never refuse anything that they
nossess when it is asked of them
ON the contrary, they offer it them
selves, and they exhibit 80 muct
loving kindness that they woule
even give their hearts, and whethe
| it be something of value or OF LITTLE
worth that is offered to them they
. are satisfied. l forbade that worth
less things, such as pieces OF bro
ken porringers and broken glas
and ends of straps, should be givel
to them, although when they sue
ceeded in obtaining them the.
thought they possessed the fines
Jewel in the world. 1t was ascer
tained that a sailor received for
leather strap piece of gold weigh
inc two castellanos and a-half, ant
others received for other objects O
far less value much more"
"The natives" said Columbus
chad never seen men with clothe
Y on nor vessels like ours. On reach
ing the Indies / took by force IN tn
first island that l discovered som
of these natives that they Nigh
learn our language and give m
K some information in regard to wha
existed in these parts, and 1t 8
happened that they soon under
stood us and We them either b
words or signs, and they have bee
J. very serviceable to us. They al
still with me, and from repeate
: conversations that I have had wit
them / find that they still bellev
that | came from Heaven. An
thew were the first to say this whe
ever | went and the others ran fro,
r house to houae and to the neigI
boring villages crying with a lou
voice: Come, come and see u
people from heaven!" 49,. ,o,
lie saw no savages, but hear
ia there were some "at an island wh.c
lies second in ones way in con11l
to the Indies" This island ~
m;nica) sis inhabited by a RAJ
- which is regarded throughout the
u Islands as extremely ferocious al
eaters of human flesh. These Pc
sess many canoes, in which tn
= visit visit Iii the Indian islands and r.
and plunder whatever they can"
"Finally," says the great naglg
tor, "and speaking only OF what .
=. taken place in this voyage, which a
n n been so hasty, their highnesses M
.er see that l shall give them all t !!
eS. es. gold they require. if they will 81