Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-10-08
IRVING'S COLUMBUS.
The Great Discoverer's First
Voyage to America.
CHAPTER XIX.
ARRIVAL AT PORTUGAL.

CHAPTER XIX.
ARRIVAL AT PORTUGAL.
Columbus remained two days longer
at the island of ST. Mary's endeavoring
to take in wood and ballast. but was
prevented by the heavy surf which broke
upon the shore. The wind veering tc
the south and being dangerous for yes.
sells at anchor off the island, but favor
able for the voyage to Spain, he set sail
on the oath of February, and had pleas.
ant weather until the 27th, when, being
within 1876 leagues Of Cape st. Vincent,
/ he again encountered contrary gales and
boisterous sea- His fortitude was
scarcely proof against these perils and
delays, which appeared to increase the
nearer he approached his home, and he
could not help uttering a complaint at
thus being repulsed, as it were, ''from
the very door of the house He con-
trasted the rude storms which ragged
about the coasts of the Old World with
the genial airs, the tranquil seas and
balmy weather which he supposed per
4 petually to prevail about the countries
he had discovered. ''Well," says he,
''may the sacred theologians and sage
philosophers declare that the terrestrial
paradise is in the uttermost extremity Of
the east, for it is the most temperate Of
regions.
After experiencing several days of
stormy and adverse weather, about mid,
night on Saturday, the Cd of March, the
caravel was struck by a squall ofwind,
which rent all her sails, and, continuing
4 to blow with resistless violence, obliged
/ her to scud under bare. poles, threaten
1 ing her each moment with destruction.
In this hour of darkness and peril the
1 crew again called upon the aid of heay-
1 en-. A lot was cast for the performance
/ of barefooted pilgrimage TO tho shrine
! of Santa Maria de la Cueva in Huelva,
and, as usual, the lot fell upon Column
bus There was something singular in
the recurrence Of this circumstance.
Las Casas deyoutly considers it as an in
| timation from the Deity to the admiral
that these storms were all on his ac-
count, to humble bis pride and prevent
his arrogating to himself the glory of a
/ discovery which was the work of God,
and for which he had merely been chosen
as an instrument.
/ Various signs appeared of the vicinity
of land, which they supposed must be
the coast of Portugal; the tempest, how
ever, increased to such a degree that
they doubted whether any of them would
survive to reach a port The whole crew
made vow, in case their lives were
spared, to fast upon bread and water the
4 following Saturday The turbulence OF
the elements was still greater in the
course of the following night. The sea
was broken, wild and mountainous; at
one moment the light caravel was tossed
high in the air, and the next moment
seemed sinking in yawning abyss.
The rain at times fell in torrents, and
the lightning flashed and thunder pealed
from various parts of the heavens.
In the first watch of this fearful night
the seamen gave the usually welcome
cry Of land, but it now only increased
the general alarm. They knew not
where they were, nor where to look for
harbor. They dreaded being driven
on shore or dashed upon rocks, and thus
the very land they had SO earnestly de-
sired was terror to them. Taking in
sail, therefore, they kept to sea as much
as possible and waited anxiously for the
morning light.
At aybreak on the 4th of March they
| found themselves off the rock of Cintra,
at the mouth Of the Tagus. Though en-
tertaining a strong distrust Of the good
will of Portugal, the still prevailing
tempest left Columbus no alternative
but to run in for shelter. He according
ly anchored, about 8 o'clock, opposite to
Rastello, to the great joy of the crew,
who returned thanks to God for their es-
cape from so many perils.
The inhabitants came off from various
parts of the shore, congratulating them
upon what they considered miraculous
preservation. They had been Watching
the vessel the whole morning with greae
anxiety and putting up prayers for her
safety. The Oldest mariners of the place
assured Columbus they had never known
50 tempestuous q winter; many vessels
had remained for months In port
weather bound, and there had been nu-
merous shipwrecks.
4 Immediately on his arrival Columbus
4 dispatched a courier to the king and
1 queen of Spain with tidings of his dis
covery. He wrote also to the king of Por-
/ tugal, then at Valparaiso, requesting
permission TO 60 with his vessel to Lis
bon, for report had gone abroad that
his caravel was laden with gold, and he
felt insecure in the mouth of the Tagus,
in the neighborhood of place like Ras-
4 tello, scantily peopled by needy and ad-
venturous inhabitants. To prevent any
misunderstanding as to the nature OF
his voyage, he assured the king that he
/ had not been on the coast of Guinea, nor
| to any other Of the Portuguese colonies,
but had come from Cipango and the ex.
tremity of India, which he had discov
cred by sailing to the west.
On the following day, Don Alonzo dc
Acuna, the captain of a large Portuguese
man-of-war, stationed at Rastello, sum.
moned Columbus on board his ship to
give an account of himself and his yes
sci. The latter asserted his rights and
dignities as admiral Of the Castilian soy.
ereigns, and refused to leave his vessel,
or to send any one in his place. No
sooner, however, did the commander
learn his rank and the extraordinary ma
ture of his voyage than he came to the
carayel with great sound Of drums, flies,
and trumpets, manifesting the courtesy
of brave and generous spirit, and max.
ing the fullest offer of his services.
When the tidings reached Lisbon Of
this wonderful bark anchored in the
Tagus, freighted with the people and
/ productions of newly discovered world,
the effect may be more easily conceived
than described. Lisbon for nearly
century had derived its chief glory from
its maritime discoveries but here was
an achievement that eclipsed them all.
Curiosity could scarcely have been more
excited had the vessel come freighted
with the wonders Of another planet.
For several days the Tagus presented q
gay and moving picture, covered with
barges and boats Of every kind. swarm
ing round the caravel. From morning