St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1890-04-19
Written for the FARxER.1
HISTORY OF CHRISTOPHER
COLUMBUS.

HISTORY OF CHRISTOPHER
COLUMBUS.
At this time, when all the Repub.
lies Of America are preparing to
celebrate, at Chicago, ILL.,, the
4OOth anniversary Of the great dis
covery Of this continent, it may
not be amiss to give . short sketch
OF the daring man and Providential
circumstances which led to the
greatest Of all discoveries, opening
up to the pOpulOus and oppressed
nations Of Europe . new world Of
transcendent beauty aud riches, and
giving wealth and freedom to al
most all the down-trodden people
Of the Christian faith.
Christopher Columbus was born
about the year 1885, in Genoa,
Italy, and from his early youth had
an irresistible f0ndness for the sea.
His father, . poor wool carder,
gave him . good education. and At
the early age Of IA years he began
to navigate in the Mediterranean.
He afterwards was in command Of
. vessel fighting against Mohamme-
dams, but his vessel taking fire, he
saved himself by swimming to the
shore.
There was at that time . great
overland trade to India, and he
conceived the idea of going to it by
the west instead Of the east. This
idea came from believing the earth
was round like . ball, while the
philosophers taught that it was dat.
The wise men did not deny that the
earth was round like . plate, for
they could see its shadow in eclipses ;
but few believed in its sphericity.
Columbus did, and tried to get his
countrymen to build and ct out .
vessel Of discovery but they laugh
ed at his scheme as wild and vision
ary. He then went to Portugal,
which promised help, but finally
declined.
He then repaired to Spain, but
met with no better luck, the phi
losophers all deciding against his
theory, until finally Isabella, Queen
Of CASTLE and Aragon, . part Of
determined to pledge her
jewels to raise the necessary funds.
Thus, when kings and princes all
refused to assist the great explorer,
he was indebted to . woman for
success.
Three little vessels, the Pinta,
Nina and PinzOn, only one Of which
had . deck, started out on Friday,
8, 1892, with 12O men, to
sail on unknown seas to reach the
eastern coast Of India, for Column
bus never dreamed Of finding q new
country, but only to 60 by water to
one already known.
He stopped ON the coast Of Afri-
%, at the Canary Islands, to get
fresh water, and then launched out
into the mighty deep, to sail as into
! strange and unknown world, not
knowing, rs the belief was then,
hat they might fall OF into vacant
space.
But there had been found some
strange sort Of plants, and . broken
had been picked up on the
shore which had evident
fl0ated from some other land, IS
hone such before were ever seen.
After sailing in . sOuthwesterly
81 days, his crew rebelled,
declaring his scheme was visionary
md that he was mad, going tn bring
hem all to dreadful end, and
vere about to con.ine him and re-
urn but God 80 ordained it that .
lock Of beautiful birds passed over
hem, and this inspired new hopes.
was then steering toward
'ur own country, which would have
,iven North America to Spain; but !
leeming the course of these birds /
ed to the nearest shore, he changed
10 route and followed it, and on the |
1th he discovered land. and saw at .
light a light on the shore. So on
he following day, Friday, October
?, 1892, they landed. Columbus I
I'd the way, and with the others
alling ON their knees, they offered
p thanks to God for their wonder 6
preservation. and Columbus
AIMED the island San Salvador, the
for st. Savior.
Thinking he was in India, he II.
allied the natives Indians. . mis- :
omer which they still retain, and =
e little dreamed that he was almost Q
5000 miles still short Of India. He s :
we'd to find out his error, and re- :
Diced the more, that instead Of 3
nding . densely settled kingdom, &
e had found . new and wonderful =
ointment, where all things man de- ,
red abOunded. The natives SUPP
osed the ships were birds. the sails
their wings, and the men had
ropped from the skv. l.
Columbus visited several other \
but did not reach the :
lain land till his third voysge. At
first return to Europe he was
srried in triumph to the king and S
aeen. He showed them all the
nu4n~HI~1 AAs~- L. IL --