The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-11-20

OF America, who was in London at the
time and was inspired by the event with
| a generous spirit of emulation.
Every member of civilized society, in
fact, rejoiced in the occurrence. as one
in which he was more or less interested.
To some it opened new and unbounded
field of inquiry; to others. Of enterprise,
and every ore awaited with intense
eagerness the further development of
this unknown world, still covered with
mystery, the partial gliInpses of which
were SO full of wonder. We have a brief
testimony Of the emotions of the learned
in letter, written at the time, by Peter
Martyr to his friend. Pomponious Lac
tus. "You tell me, my amiable Pom
ponius," he writes, "that you leaped for
joy, and that your delight was mingled
with tears. when you read my epistle,
certifying to you the hitherto hidden
world of the antipodes You have felt
and acted as became man eminent for
learning, for can conceive no allment
more delicious than such tidings to
cultivated and ingenious mind feel
wonderful exultation of spirits when
SOAfCASO WILL UtCu WIZ udF0
returned from these regions It is like
an accession of wealth to miser. Our
minds, soiled and debased by the COM
mon concerns of life and the vices of So
ciety, become elevated and ameliorated
by contemplating such glorious events"
Notwithstanding this universal en-
thusiasm, however, no one was aware
Of the real importance of the discovery.
No one had an idea that this was
totally distinct portion of the globe,
separated by oceans from the ancient
world. The opinion of Columbus was
universally adopted that Cuba was the
end Of the Asiatic continent, and that
The adjacent islands were in the Indian
seas. This agreed with the opinions of
the ancients, heretofore cited, about the
moderate distance from Spain to the ex-
tremity of India. sailing westwardly.
The parrots were also thought to reser1-
BILE those described by Pliny as abound
ing in the remote parts of Asia. The
lands, therefore. which Columbus had
visited were called the West Indies, and
as he seemed to have entered upon
vast region of unexplored countries ex-
isting in a state of nature, the whole re-
ceived the comprehensive appellation of
''the New World"
During the whole of his sojourn at
Barcelona the sovereigns took every oc-
casion to bestow on Columbus personal
marks Of their high consideration. He
was admitted at all times to the royal
presence, and the queen delighted to con-
verse with him on the subject of his en-
terprises The king, too, appeared occa-
sionally on horseback, with Prince Juan
on one side and Columbus on the other.
To perpetuate in his family the glory of
his achievement coat of arms was as
signed him, in which the royal arms,
the castle and the lion, were quartered
with his proper bearings, which were
group of islands surrounded by waves.
To these arms was afterward annexed
the motto:
A Castillo a Leon,
Nuevo mundo dio Colon.
CTo CASTLE and Leon
Columbus gave new worldly
The pension which had been decreed
by the sovereigns to him who in the first
voyage should discover land was adj
judged to Columbus for having first seen
the light on the shore. 1t is said that
the seaman who first deserted the land
was SO incensed at being disappointed of
what he conceived his merited reward,
that he renounced his country and his
faith, and going into Africa turned Mus
sulman; an anecdote which rests merely
on the authority of Oviedo. who is ex-
tremely incorrect in his narration of this
voyage, and inserts many falsehoods
told him by the enemies of the admiral
It may at first sight appear but little
accordant with the acknowledged mag
nanimity of Columbus to have borne
away the prize from this poor sailor, but
this was a subject in which his whole
ambition was involved, and he was
doubtless proud of the honor of being
personally the discoverer of the land as
well as protector of the enterprise.
Next to the countenance shown him
by the king and queen may be mentioned
that of Pedro Gonzalez de Mendoza, the
grand cardinal of Spain and first subject
of the realm, man whose elevated char
acter for piety, learning and high prince
like qualities gave signal value to his
favors. He invited Columbus to ban
quet, where he assigned him the most
honorable place at table and had him
served with the ceremonials which in
those punctilious times We're observed
toward sovereigns. At this repaSt is
said to have occurred the well known
anecdote of the egg. A shallow courtier
present, impatient of the honors paid to
Columbus and meanly jealous of him as
foreigner, abruptly asked him whether
he thought that, in case he had not dis
covered the Indies, there were not other
men in Spain who would have been ca
pable of the enterprise? To this Columbus
made no immediate reply, but taking an
egg invited the company to make it stand
on one end. Every one attempted it, but
in vain; whereupon he struck it upon
the table so as to break the end and left
it standing on the broken part. illustrat-
ing in this simple manner that when he
had once shown the. way to the New
World nothing was easier than to fol-
low it.
The favor shown Columbus by the
sovereigns insured him for time the
caresses of the nobility For in court
every one vies with his neighbor in Law
ishing attentions upon the man ''whom
the king deliohteth to honor" Column