The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-10-30
RVINC'S COLUMBUS.
The Great Discoverer's First
Voyage to America.
CHAPTER XII.
sIIlPwREcK.

On the morning Of the 24th. Of De-
cember Columbus set sail from Port st.
Thomas before sunrise and steered to
the eastward, with an intention of an
choring at the hartor of the cacique
Guacanagari. The wind was from the
land, but SO light as scarcely to fill the
sails, and the ships made but little prog
ress. At II o'clock at night, being
Christmas eve, they were within a
league or league and a half of the resi-
dence of the c;lcique, and Columbus, who
had hitherto kept watch, finding the sea
calm and smooth and the ship almost
motionless, retired to rest, not having
slept the preceding night. He 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 be intrusted to the boys.
The rest of the mariners who had the
watch took like advantage of the alb
sence of Columbus, and in 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, bnt with force,
upon sandbank. The needless boy had
not noticed the breakers, although they
made roaring that might have been
heard league. No sooner, however,
did he feel the rudder strike, and hear
the tumult of the rushing sea, than he
began to cry for aid. Columbus, whose
careful thoughts never permitted him
to sleep profoundly, was the first on
deck. The master of the ship, whose
duty it was to have been on watch, next
made his appearance, followed by others
of the 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
an alarm, instead of obeying the COM
mands of Columbus they rowed off to
the other caravel, about half q league to
windward
In the meantime the master had
reached the caravel and made known
the perilous 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 tn-s % De reovvu,miral,
- ivrmer tenant haxiRnmaster covered
rhe FIRE is approximation
a It 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.
The shock had opened several seams.
while the swell Of the breakers. striking
her broadside, 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 perished amid
the currents and breakers.
The 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 imme-
diately sent on shore as ENJOYS to the
cacique Guacanagari, to inform him of
the intended visit Of the admiral and of
his disastrous shipwreck. In the mean
time, as q light wind had sprung up
from shore and the admiral was ignorant
Of his situation and of the rocks and
banks that might be lurking around
him, he lay TO until &sylght.
Fhe habitation OF the cacique was
about q league and half from the
wreck. When he heard Of the misfor-
tune Of his guest he manifested the ut
most af1iction and even shed tears He
Immediately sent all his people, with all
the canoes, large and small, that could
be mustered; and SO active were they in
their assistance that in little while the
vessel was unloaded. The cacique him
self and his brothers and relatives rem
dered all the aid in their power. both on
sea and land. keeping gigilant guard
that everything should be conducted
with order and the property secured
from injury or theft. From time to time
he sent some one of his family OF some
principal person of his attendants to con-
sole and cheer the admiral, assuring him
that everything he possessed should be
at his disposal.
Never, in civilized country, were the
yaunted rites of hospitality more scrupu-
lously observed than by this unculti-
Vated 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 beield what must in their
eyes have been inestimable 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 trifiing ar
ticle On the contrary a general SYM