Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-07-26
AMERICAS DISCOVERY.



Fitted Out.
The statement is sometimes made
that Queen Isabella OF Spain pawnee
her Jewels in order to provide funds To-
fitting out the expedition for the dis.
coyery " America. This Is a very old
story. first told not long after the dealt
OF Columbus, and though IL is not true.
It's origin Is not difficult To discover. A.
every fact about the great voyage Is q;
interest Ia Americans, especially nov
that We are soon to celebrate it's fou,
hrndtedth anniversary, we Will briefiy
give the facts about the raising Of the
money.
Columbus went 10 the Spanish courl
To lay his ambitious project before tn,
King and Queen just a. the last greai
stronghold ~ the Moors, Granada. hal
surrendered to the forces OF Ferdinand
and Isabella
IN some respects IL was an inoppor
tan" time. The country was exhausted
BY the war which had just closed with
mis- splendid success, and the ioint
monarcns were not Inclined TO embark
upon any new aud uncertain adventure.
and what was more important, the treas
urie- "f both Aragun and CASTLE were
nearly empty. Queen isabelle, In fact.
had been obliged TO pledge her jewell
to get money for the prosecution OF tn.
war against the Moors.
The Genoese navigator pleaded hi
cause In vain. both King and Queer
listened coldly TO his enthusiastic plans
In which the recovery OF the Holy sep
ufchre from the Turks was strangel,
mingled. They refused To assist hi
enterprise, and Columbus In despair lefi
Granada, intending to make a tina
effort for assistance at the French court
At his audience with the Spanisl
m"nsrchs- however. there were two per
sons who were convinced OF the truth .
his daring theories, or at last of tn,
wisdom Of attempting TO prove them /,
be true. They were, singularly, th'
finance ministers OF the two crowns, NJ
Angel for Aragon and QulntAnilla 10
Castillo.
ST. Angel obtained an audience q
soon as possible with the Queen. and =.
warm was his advocacy Of the theorie
of the Genoese stranger, so convincin,
bis arguments for assisting him. tina
Isabella, fired BY his enthusiasm, ca
claimed, II undertake the entsrpris
for my own crown of Castillo. and viii
pledge my private ss~eis TO raise tn,
necessary funds
The minister assured her that thi
generous measure would be unnecessary
and FASTENED from the royal presence /
send a messenger after Columbus, VIII
R,a...lflta pstft
rangements for the expedition wer
speedily made. ~. Angel supplied abou
seventeen thousand forms from Ia
treasury OF Aragun.
The three pinzou Brothers. ship-build
er- ~ palos de Mogner, loaned Colnu
huS onc-cighth Of the necessary none.
Il" having assumed this share Of til
expense In consideration OF his reeeisin
ane.eighth Of the profits. They ais
furnished additiona. money and two {
h" vessels. and all three OF the brother
went upon the expedition, two as cal
tnins - the earayels La Nina and /
i'Intn. the other as pilot The thir
vessel. La rinta was impressed, 20 th
great terror Of the owner and the cres
may be we'll 10 add that Columbu
repaid the loan made by 81. Angel Wit
the gold which he brought back from III
Now World. ON his first voyage. po
tion nf this gold vas employed in gil,
ing the vaults and ceilings OF the roy
saloon Of King feriinand's grand pala,
Al LaragoLa, OF ~aragossa, the Aljaferi
; where possibly Il may still b. visible
the American pilgrim. Con
panlun.