Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-10-16

slept the preceding night. lie was, in
general, extremely wakeful on his coast
Ing voyages, passing whole nights upon
deck in all weathers, never trusting to
the watchfulness of others where there
was any difficulty or danger to be pro-
vided against. In the present instance
he felt perfectly secure, not merely on
account Of the profound calm, but be-
cause the boats on the preceding day in
their visit to the cacique had reconnoi-
tered the coast and had reported that
there were neither rocks nor shoals in
their course.
No sooner had he retired than the
steersman gave the helm in charge to one
of the ship boys and went to sleep. This
was in direct violation Of an invariable
order of the admiral that the helm
should never bo iutrusted to the boys.
The rest of the mariners who had the
watch took like advantage of the alb
sence of Columbus, and in a little while
the whole crew was buried in sleep. In
the meantime the treacherous currents,
which run swiftly along this coast car
ried the vessel quietly, but With force,
upon a sandbanil The Needless boy had
not noticed the breakers, although they
made a roaring that might have been
heard league. No sooner, however,
did he feel the rudder ctrike, and hear
the tumult of the rushing sea, than he
begun to cry for aid. Columbus, whose
careful thoughts never permitted him
to sleep profoundly, was the first on
! deck. Tho master of the ship, whose
/ duty it was to have been on watch, next
made his appearance, followed by others
of tho crew, half awake The admiral
ordered them to take the boat and carry
! out an anchor astern, to warp the vessel
! off. The master and the sailors sprang
| into the boat, but, confused, as men are
| apt to be- when suddenly awakened by
ain alarm, instead Of obeying the COM
mands of Columbus they rowed off to
| the other caravel, about half league to
windward.
Ir the meantime the master had
reached the caravel and made known
the periouS state in which he had left
/ the vessel. He was reproached with his
pusillanimous desertion The COM
mander of the caravel manned his boat
and FASTENED to the relief Of the admiral,
followed by the recreant master covered
/ WIN shame ana CONFUSION,
1t was too late to save the ship, the
current having set her more upon the
bank. The admiral, seeing that his boat
had deserted him, that the ship had
swung across the stream, and that the
water was continually gaining upon her,
ordered the mast to be cut away in the
hope of tightening her sufficiently to
float her off, Every effort was in vain.
The keel was firmly bedded in the sand.
Tho shock had opened several seams,
while the swell Of the breakers, striking
her broadoide, left her each moment
more and more aground Until she fell
over on one side, Fortunately the
weather continued calm. Otherwise the
ship must have gone to pieces and the
whole crew might have persisted amid
the currents and breakers.
Wue admiral and his men took refuge
on board the caravel. Diego de Arana,
chief Judge of the armament, and Pedro
Gutierrez, the kings butler, were immc-
diately sent on shore as ENJOYS to the
caciQue GuacanaSari, 10 inform him Of
the intended visit Of the admiral and of
his disastrous shipwreck. In the mean
time, IS light wind had sprung up
from shore and the admiral was ignorant
OF his situation and of the rocks and
banks thar might be lurking around
him, he lay to until daylight.
The habit8tion Of the c1cique was
about league ana a half from the
wreck. When lie heard of the plisfor-
tune Of his guest lie manifested the ut
most affection and even shed tears. lie
immediately sent all his people, with all
tie canoes, large and small, that could
be mustered; and so active We're they in
their assistance that in little while the
vessel WAS unloaded. The cacique him
self and his brothers and relatives rem
dored all the aid in their power both on
sea and land, keeping vigilant guard
that everything should be conducted
w.,h order and the property secured
from iuiary or theft. From time to time
he sent some one of his family or some
principal person Of his attendants to con-
sole and cheer the admiral assuring him
that everything he possessed should DO
at his disposal.
Never in a civilized country, were the
, vaunted rites OF hospitality more scrupU-
! lousy observed than by tAs uuculti-
waited savage. All the effects landed
from the ships were deposited near his
dwelling, and an armed guard surround
ed them all night until houses could be
prepared in which to store them. There
= seemed, however, even among the com
mon people, no disposition to take ad-
vantage of the misfortune Of the stranger.
, Although they beheld what must in their
eyes have been iuestinabie treasures.
cast, as it Were, upon their shores and
. open to depreciation, yet there WAS not
the least attempt to pilfer, nor, in trans
porting the effects from the ships, had
= they appropriated the most trfing ar
tjcle, On the contrary q general SYM
pathy was visible in their countenances
and actions, and to have witnessed their
concern one would have supposed tho
misfortune to have happened to them
selves.
p $50 loving, so tractabls, so peaceabla