Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-10-08
CHAPTER XX.

all maritime enterprises.
CHAPTER Xxx.
RECEPTION or coLUMBUs AT PALos
The triumphant return of Columbus
was prodigious event in the history Of
the little port of Palos, where everybody
was more or less interested in the fate Of
his expedition The most important and
wealthy sea captains of the place had en-
gagged in it, and scarcely a family but
had some relative or friend among the
navigators. The departure Of the ships
upon what appeared chimerioal and
desperate cruise had spread gloom and
dismay over the place, and the storms
which had ragged throughout the winter
had heightened the public dependency.
Many lamented their friends as lost,
while imagination lent mysterious hor-
rors to their fate, picturing them az
driven ahont over wild and desert wastes
of water without 4 shore, or as perishing
amid rocks and quicksands and whirl-
pools, or prey to those monsters of the.
deep with which credulity peopled every
distant and unfrequented sea. Theirs
was something more awful in such a
mysterious fate than in death itself un-
der any defined and ordinary form.
Great was the agitation Of the inhab-
itants, therefore, when they beheld one
of the ships standing up the river; but
when they learned that she returned in
triumph from the discovery Of a new
into transports Of joy. The bells were
rung, the shops were shut, all business
was suspended; for time there was moth
ing but hurry and tumult Some were
anxious to know the fate of a relative,
others Of friend and all to learn the
particulars Of so wonderful voyage.
When Columbus landed, the multitude
thronged to see and welcome him, and a
grand procession was formed to the prin.
cipal church to return thanks to God fol
SO signal discovery made by the people
of that place-forgetting in their exulta.
ton, the thousand difficulties they had
thrown in the way Of the enterprise.
WhereyerColumbus passed he was hailed
with shouts and acclamations What a
before, followed by murmurs and exc.
crations; or, rather, what contrast to
his first arrival at Palos, a poor pedes-
trian, craving bread and water for his
child at the gate of a conventl
Understanding that the court was At
Barcelona, he felt disposed to proceed
thither Immediately in his caravel; re
hecting, however, on the dangers and
disasters he had already experienced on
the seas, he resolved to proceed by land.
He dispatched letter to the king and
queen, informing them of his arrival,
and soon after departed for Seville tc
await their orders, taking with him siz
of the natives whom he had brought
from the New World. One had died at
sea and three were left i'll at Palos.
It is a singular coincidence, which ap
pears to be well authenticated, that OF
the very evening of the arrival of Co
lumbus at Palos, and while the peals Of
triumph were still ringing from its
towers, the Pinta, commanded by Mar.
tin Alonzo Pinzon, likewise entered the
river. After her separation from this
admiral in the storm, she had been
driven. before the gale into the Bay Of
Biscay, and had made the port of Bay
onne. Doubling whether Columbus had
survived the tempest, Pinzon had i'm
mediately written to the sovereigns. Civ
ing information of the discovery he had
made, and requested permission to come
to court and communicate the particu-
lars in person. As soon as the weather
permitted he had again set sail, antici-
pating a triumphant reception in his ma
tive port of Palos.
When, on entering the harbor, he be
held the vessel of the admiral riding al
anchor, and learned the enthusiasm with
which he had been received, the heart Of
Pinzon died within him. It is said thai
he feared to meet Columbus in this houl
of his triumph, lest he should put him
under arrest for his desertion on the
coast Of Cuba, but he was man Of toe
much resolution to indulge in such a
fear. 1t Is more probable that a con-
sciousness of his misconduct made him
unwilling to appear before the public in
the midst of their enthusiasm for Colum.
bus, and perhaps he sickened at the hon.
ors heaped upon man whose superiority
he had been so unwilling to acknowl
edge. Getting into his boat, therefore,
he landed privately and kept out of sight
until he heard of the admirals depart
ure He then returned to his home,
broken in health and deeply detected,
considering all the honors and eulogi-
ums heaped upon Columbus as SO many
reproaches on himself The reply of the
so7ereigns to his letter at length ar
rived 1t was of reproachful tenor,
and forbade his appearance at court.
This letter completed his humiliation
the anguish of his feelings gave viru.
lence to his bodily malady and in few
days he died, victim to deep chagrin.
Let no one, however, indulge in harsh
censures over the grave of Pinzonl His
merits and services are entitled to the
highest praise; his errors should be re-
garded with indulgence He was one
Of the foremost in Spain to appreciate
the project Of Columbus, animating him
by his concurrence and aiding him with
his purse when poor and unknown at
Palos He afterward enabled him to
procure and fit out ships, when even the
mandates of the sovereigns were inef-
fectual, and finally embarked in the ex-
pedition with his brothers and his
friends, stalking life property, every
thing upon the event. He thus entitled
himself to participate largely in the
glory of this immcftal enterprise; but
unfortunately, forgetting for moment
the grandeur Of the cause and the i'm
plicit obedience due to his commander,
he yielded to the Indictments of self in
terest and committed that act of in
subordination which has east shade
upon his name.
In extenuation of his fault, however,
may be alleged his habits of command.