Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-09-10
CHAPTER ~.
DISCOVERY OF LAND.

KING FERDINAND.
The situation of Columbus was daily
becoming more and more critical In
proportion as be approached the regions
where he expected to find land the impa-
tience of his crews augmented. The fa
vorable signs which increased his conf
dence were derided by them as delusive
and there was danger of their r. s-lling
and obliging him to turn back when on
the point of realizing the object of all
his labors. They beheld themselves with
dismay still waited onward over the
boundless wastes of what appeared to
them mere watery desert surrounding
the habitable world What was to be-
come of them should their provisions
fail? Their ships were too weak and de-
fective even for the great voyage they
had already made, but if they were still
to press forward. adding at every mo-
ment to the immense expanse behind
them, how should they ever be able to
return, having no intervening port where
they might victual and refit
In this way they fed each others
discontents, gathering together in little
knots and fomenting spirit of mutinous
opposition; and when we consider the
natural fire of the Spanish temperament
and its impatience of control, and that
a great part of these men were sailing on
compulsion, we cannot wonder that there
was imminent danger Of their breaking
forth into open rebellion and compelling
Columbus to turn back In their secret
conferences they exclaimed against him
as desperado, bent, in mad phantasy,
upon doing something extravagant to
render himself notorious What were
their sufferings and dangers to one evil
IDENTIFY content to sacrifice his own life
for the chance of distinction? What obi
cations bound them to continue on with
him or when were the terms of their
agreement TO be considered as fulfilled
They had already penetrated unknown
seas untraversed by a sail, far beyond
where man had ever before ventured
They had done enough to gain them
selves character for courage and hardi-
hood in undertaking such an enterprise
and persisting in it SO far How much
farther were they to go in quest of
merely conjectured land? Were they to
sail on until they perished or until all
return home became impossible? In such
a case they would be the authors OF their
own destruction.
On the other hand, should they con-
suit their safety and turn back before
too late, who would blame them? Any
complaints made by Columbus would be
of no weight; he was foreigner, with
out friends or influence; his schemes had
been condemned by the learned and dis
countenanced by people of all ranks. He
had no party to uphold him, and a host
of opponents whose pride of opinion
would be gratified by his failure. Or, as
an effectual means of preventing his
complaints, they might throw him into
the sea and give out that ne had fallen
overheard while busy with his instru-
ments contemplating the stars, report
which no one would have either the in
clination or the means to controyert.
Columbus was not ignorant of the
nutinous disposition of his crew, but he
still maintained a serene and steady
countenance, soothing some with gentle
words, endeavoring to stimulate the
pride or avarice of others, and openly
menacing the refractory with signal pun
ishment should they do anything to i'm
pede the voyage.
On the 25th of September the wind
again became favorable, and they were
able to resume their course directly to
the west The airs being light and the
sea calm the vessels sailed near to each
other, and Columbus bad much CONVEX
sation with Martin A:onzo Pinzcn on
the subject of a chart, which the former
had sent three days before ON board Of
che Pints. Pinzon thought that accord
ing to the indications of the map they
ought to be in the neighborhood of Ci-
pango and the other islands which the
admiral had therein delineated
Columbus partly entertained the same
idea, but thought it possible that the
ships might have been borne out of their
traSk by the prevalent currents, or that
they had not come so far as the pilots
had reczoned. He desired that the chart
might be returned, and Pinzon, tying it
to the end of cord, flung it on board to
him While Columbus, his pilots and
several of his experienced mariners were
studying the map, and endeavoring to
make out from it their actual position,
they heard shout from the Pinta, and
looking up beheld Martin Alonzo Pin
zon mounted on the stern of his vessel,
crying, 'Landl landI senior, claim my
reward" He pointed at the same time
to the southwest, where there was in
deed an appearance Of land at about
twenty-five leagues distance. Upon this
Columbus threw himself on his knees
and returned thanks to God, and Mar
tin Alonzo repeated the "Gloria in Ex-
celsis, in which he was joined By bis
own crew and that of the admiral.
The seamen now mounted to the mast
head or climbed about the rigging,
straining their eyes i'll tho direction
pointed out. The conviction became SO
general of land in that quarter, and the
JOY of the people SO ungovernable, that
Columbus found it necessary to vary
from his usual course and stand all
night to the southwest The morning
light, however, put an end to all their
hopes, as TO dream. The fancied land
proved to be nothing but an evening
cloud and had vanished in the night.
With detected hearts they once more re-
sumed their western course, from which
Columbus would never have varied but
in compliance with their clamorous
wishes.
For several days they continued on
with the same propitious breeze, tran
quill sea and mild, delightful weather.
The water was SO calm that the sailors
amused themselves with swimming
about the vessel. Dolphins began to
abound. and flying fish, darting into the
air, fell upon the decks The continued
signs of land diverted the attention Of
the crews and insensibly beguiled them
onward.
On the list of October, according to
the reckoning Of the pilot Of the adj
mirals ship, they had come $50 leagues
west since leaving the Canary islands.
The reckoning which Columbus showed
the crew was 5S4, but the reckoning
which he kept privately was 707. On
sA~srSlrsr4na dnh fI,dxn1nis 1d Hrnsn