The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-10-02

KING FERDINAND
vorable signs which increased his conf
dence were derided by them as delusive,
and there was danger of their rebelling
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 yictual 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
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 desperate, bent, in mad phantasy,
upon doing something extravagant to
render himself notorious. What were
their sufferings and dangers to one evi.
IDENTIFY content to sacrifice his own life
for the chance of distinction? What obli-
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
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 a 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 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 he had fallen
overheard while busy with his instru-
ments contemplating the stars, a report
which no one would have either the in
clinatiop or the means to controvert
Columbus was not ignorant Of the
mutinous disposition of his crew, but he
still maintained a serene and steady
countenance, soothing some with gentle
words, endeayoring to stimulate the
pride or ayarice of others, and openly
menacing the refractory with signal pun
ishment should they do anything to inn
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 had much conver
sation with Martin Alonzo Pinzon on
the subject of chart. which the former
had sent three days before on board of
the PintA Pinzon thought that accord
ing to tho Indications of the map they
ought to be in the neighborhood of CT
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
track by the prevalent currents, or that
they had not come SO far as the pilots
had reckoned 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 We're
studying the map, and endeavoring to
make out from it their actual position,
they heard a shout from the Pinta, and
looking up beheld Martin Alonzo Pin
zon mounted on the stern of his vessel,
crying, 'I,andl land senior, claim my
EsWardi" 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
lin Aonzo repeated the 'Gloria in Ex-
celsis, in which he was Joined by his
own crew and that of the admiral.
The seamen now mounted to the mast
head or climbed about the rigging,
straining their eyes in the direction
pointed aut. The conviction became 80
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
Fight, however, put an end TO ell their
hopes, as to q dream. The fapciad 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 tha sailors
amused themselves with swimming