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

KIS0 TERDISASD.
The situation Of Columbus was daily
becoming more and more critical. In
proportion as he approached the regions
where he expected to find land the impa-
thence Of his crews augmented. The IA
vorable signs which increased his conf
dence We're derided BY them AZ delusive.
and there was danger Of their rebelling
and oblig1ng 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 he-
come Of them should their provisions
faili Their ships We're too weak and de-
sective even for the great voyage they
had already made. but IL they were still
TO press forward. adding 1T every mo
Enent TO the immense expanse behind
them, how should they ever be able to
return. having no intervening port where
hey might victual and reft.
In this way they fed each others
discontents. gathering together in little
knots and fomenting a spirit Of mutinous
opposition; and when we consider the
natural fire Of the Spanish temperament
and its impotence Of control. and that
= great part ~ 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
~ desperate. bent. in mad phantasy,
upon doing something extravagsnt to
render himself notorious What were
their sutferings and dangers 70 one evil
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 az fulfilled
They had already penetrated unknown
seas untraversed by . sail, far beyond
where man had ever before ventured
They had done enough to gain them
Felves character for courage and hardi-
hood in undertaking such an enterprise
and.persistinx ia it so far How much
farther were they 70 go in quest Of
merely conjectured lands Were they to
sail on until they persisted or until all
return home became impossible7 La 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
700 hate, who would blame them? Any
complaints made by Columbus would be
d no weight. he was g foreigner, with
out friends or influence. his schemes had
been condemned by the learned and dis
countenanced by people OF all ranks He
mad no party to uphold him. and host
Of opponents whose pride OF opinion
would be gratiied by his failure Or. -
m effectual means Of preventing hts
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, report
which no one would have either the in
clination or the means TO controyert.
Columbus was not ignorant Of the
mutinous disposition OF his crew, but he
still maintained serene and steady
countenance. soothing some with gentle
words. endeavoring 70 stimulate the
pride OF avarice OF Others. and openly
menacing the refractory with signal pun
ishment should they do anything 70 inn
pede the voyage
On the 9th Of September the wind
again became favorable, and they were
able TO resume their course directly to
he west. The airs being light and the
rea calm the vessels sailed near 10 each
0ther, and Columbus had much CONVEX
eation with Martin 'Alonxo Pinzon on
the subject ri chart. which the former
tad sent three days before on board q
tic Pinta- Pinson thought that accord
ing 70 the Indications Of the map they
chi ht 70 be- in the neighborhood Of Ci-
pango and the other islands which the
admiral had therein delineated.
columbus partly entertained the same
idea, but thought II possible that the
EhiIs might have been borne out Of their
track by the prevalent currents, or that
thcy had not come 80 far a. the pilots
hnd reckoned. He desired that the chart
might be returned. and Pinxon. tying 1t
~ the end Of cord. flung II on board to
him While Columbus. his pilots and
several Of his experienced mariners were
studying the map. and ondcavoring 10
make ont from II their actual position,
they heard shout from the Pinta. and
looking up behed Martin Alonzo Pin
ron mounted on the stern OF his vessel
crying, Land landl senior, claim my
reward" He pointed at the same time