The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-10-23


and returned thanks 20 God. and Mar
TIN Alcnzo repeated the 'Gloria in Ex-
celsis. In which he was joined by his
own crew and that Of the admiral.
The seainen now mounted TO the mast
head or climbed about the rigging.
straining their eyes in the direction
pointed ont The conviction became 80
general Of land in that quarter. and the
Joy Of the people 50 ungovernable. that
Columbus found II necessary 70 vary
from his usual course and stand all
night 70 the southwest The morning
hight. however. put an end 70 all their
hopes. ms 10 dream The fancied land
proved 70 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
10 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 50 calm that the sailors
amused themselves with swimming
about the vessel. Dolphins began to
abound, and flying fish. darling into the
cir. fell upon the decks. The continued
signs Of land diverted the attention Of
the crews aud insensibly beguiIed them
onward.
On the let Of October. according to
the reckoning Of the pilot Of the ad-
mirai's ship. they had come $50 leagues
west since leaving the Canary islands.
The reckoning which Columbus showed
the crew was 5S4. bat the reckoning
which he kept privately was 70s. On
the following day the weeds 6oated from
rust TO west. and on the third day no
blrds were to be seen.
The crews now began to fear that they
had passed between islands, from one to
the other Of which the birds had been
flying. Columbus had also some doubts
OF the kind. but refused to alter his west
ward course. The people again uttered
murmurs and menaces. but on the fol-
lowing day they were visited by such
flights OF birds. and the various indica-
tions OF land became so numerous, that
from state Of dependency they passed
to one Of confident expectation.
Eager to obtain the promised pension,
the seamen were continually giving the
cry Of land on the least appearance Of
the kind. To put a stop TO these false
alarms. which produced continual dlsap-
pointments. Columbus declared that
should any one give such notice. and
land not be discovered within three days
afterward. he should thenceforth forfeit
all claim to the reward.
On the evening Of the 9th Of October
Martin Alonzo Pnzon began to lose con-
fidence in their present course and pro-
posed that they should stand more 20 the
southwark. Columbus. however. still
persisted in steering directly west. OBJ
serving this difference Of opinion In
person 50 important in his squadron -
Pinzon, and fearing that chance or de-
sign might scatter the ships. be ordered
that. should either Of the caravels be
separated from him, 1t should stand to
the west, and endeavor as soon as posi-
bic to join company again; he directed.
also. that the vessels should keep near to
him at sunrise and sunset. a. at these
times the state Of the atmosphere il most
favorable to the discovery Of distant
land.
On the morning Of the 7th Of October,
at sunrise. several Of the admiral's crew
thought they beheld land in the west,
but so indistinctly that no one ventured
to proclaim it. lest he should be mis-
taken and forfeit all chance Of the re-
ward the Nina. however, being q good
sailer. pressed forward to ascertain the
fact In little while flag was hoisted
at her masthead. and gun discharged,
being the preconcerted signal for land
New Joy was awakened throughout the
little squadron. and every eye was turned
to the west AS they advanced. how
ever. their cloud built hopes faded away,
and before evening the fancied land had
again melted into air.
The crews now sank into q degree Of I
detection proportional to their recent
excitement. but new circumstances oc-
Cured to arouse them. Columbus. hav-
ing observed great flights Of small field
birds going toward the southwest, con-
cluded they must be secure Of some
land. where they could find
food and resting place. He knew the
Importance which the Portuguese voy-
ayers attached to the flight Of birds, by |
following which they had discovered
most of their islands. He had now come |
80 leagues. the distance at which he
had computed to find the island Of c.
pango; as there was no appearance Of |
il. he might have missed 1t through
Some mistake in the latitude. He deter
mined. therefore, ON the evening Of the
7th Of October, to alter his course to the
west-southwest. the direction in which
the birds generally flew. and continue
that direction for at least two days
After all it was no great deviation from |
his main course. and would meet the
wishes Of the Pinzons, as well ~ be in
spiriting 10 his followers generally.
For three days they stood in this d. !
rection, and the farther they went the
more frequent and encouraging were the
signs Of land. Flights Of small birds Of |
various colors. some Of them such a. sing
in the fields. came flying about the ships
and then continued toward ne south |
west. and Others were heard also flying |