Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-06-28

Five years ago or so small procession
OF Swe1es and Norwegians-1,5O0 in all
marched down Commonwealth avenue,
In Boston. to the accompaniment of in
spring Norseland music. The procession
was augmented by handful of American
men and women later, and the usual tail
of small boys, and its destination was a
mueiiid. shapeless object in the middle Of
the road before IL. The object reached,
there was halt; and then with a good
deal OF pOmp for so small band, bronze
gentleman, clad in an airy costume for
navigator, consisting, as IL did, OF short
tunic only, was unveiled to the admlring
YazeOf sympathetic Norsemen. The statue
was that OF Lief Ericsson, the diScoverer
of America ca, and the eloquence OF the
speeches made on the occasion, the rev.
erence paid the somewhat tardily ac-
knOwledged hero, showed a devotion
even the name Of Lief Ericsson Is not
entirely assured and there is cOnsidera
BILE doubt in the minds Of many stout Col
umbianS as to whether or not he existed
at all. Not in the minds of the band
which unveiled him, however, and COW
cred him with garlands on that memora-
Die day, the date of which, oddly enough,
has escaped me. They made up in fierce
ness what they lacked in historical &C
curacy, and they saw, no doubt in the
event which crowned years Of hard work
for them-fOr they raised $4,000 for this
statue-a new era for America. II the
era dawned, however, its dawn was
superseded before breakfast by an early
and inglOriOus dusk, for the continent
has not been moved to its center
as yet. nor has our old friend Columbus
suffered irretrievably from his fame's
furnishing. OF course, the cheeseman's
have their arguments and OF course the
Norsemen did come to America 500 years
before America was "discovered;' for
fishing on an unknown coast, without
knowing IL is an unknown coast, Is of no
possible benefit to mankind at large: and
and a discovery is not discovery unless
&C is known as such. To Christopher
Columbus belongs. and always shall be-
long, the glory of the finding of this con-
Ninent; and as well may Gibraltar be
stOrmed by bird shot and expected to sur
render as the fame Of that noble explorer
be clouded by the Guttering Of a Lei
EricssOn's tiny mantle.
The approach OF the fourth centenary
of that wonderful first voyage made by
Columbus has reused new interest in the
exploits of that remarkable man. TIL,
Spanish government has offered an enor
NOUS prize-something like Sl0,OOO-fO
the best life, of Columbu in any Ian
Uuage, and that offer alone Will probably
create variety Of interesting histories
The diary of Columbus is preserved, for
Gunately, and there is no more romanti,
nor pathetic writing in the world thar
this daily record OF the greatest achieve
ment history has known. For with sub
lime faith and heroism, beset by ever,
species of annoyance, with frightened
snDerstitious, mutinous idiots hamperin
and marrying and deserving him, the grea
hero calmly and unswervingly pursue
his course, guided by the knowledge tina
was in him and by his indomitabe will
His labors were crowned and after fou
centuries, with the wells of doubt an
misunderstanding cleared away, we Sc
see him revealed-the greatest benefacto
humanity has ever seen. by his deed
should humanity judge him.
TCharles Paul Mackie has written won
s3erfully interesting account of the frs
voyage of Columbus, called The Admire
of the Ocean Sea-" The diary forms tn
ground work, and the book Is HISTORICAL
accurate; the conversations and elabOra
lions of incident. in most cases the au
ahor's own, are consistent and charmingl
done, aud the volume cannot fail to thri