Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-10-01
NUMBER T

lars Of this unparalleled voyage.
In the evening three men of the island
hailed the caravel, and boat being sent
for them they brought on board fowls,
bread and various refreshments from
Juan de Castaneda, governor of the
island, who claimed an acquaintance
with Columbus, and sent him many
compliments and congratulations. He
apologized for not coming in person,
owing to the lateness Of the hour and
the distance Of his residence, but prom
ised to visit the caravel the next morn
ing, bringing further refreshments and
the three men, whom he still kept with
him to satisfy his extreme curiosity re-
specting the voyage. a. there were NO
houses on the neighboring shore tha
messengers remained on board all night.
On the following morning Columbus
reminded his people Of their vow to per-
form pious procession at the first place
where they should land On the neigh
boring shore, at no great distance from
the sea, was a small hermitage or chapel
dedicated to the Virgin, and he made i'm
mediate arrangements for the perform
ance Of the rite. The three messengers
on returning TO the village sent priest
70 perform mass, and one-half of the
crew landing, walked in procession, bare
footed and in their shirts, To the chapel,
while the admiral awaited their return
to perform the same ceremony with the
remainder.
An ungenerous reception, however,
awaited the poor tempest tossed mari
ners on their first return to the abode Of
civilized men, far different from the
sympathy and hospitality they had ex-
perienced among the savages Of the New
World. Scarcely had they begun their
prayers and thanksgivings, when the
rabble Of the village, horse and foot,
headed by the governor, surrounded the
hermitage and took them all prisoners.
As an intervening point Of land hid
the hermitage from the view of the car
ayel, the admiral remained In ignorance
of this transaction. When II o'clock
arrived without the return Of the pill
grims, he began to fear that they were
detained by the Portuguese or that the
boat had been shattered upon the surf
beaten rocks which bordered the island.
Weighing anchor, therefore, be stood in
direction to command view Of the
chapel and the adjacent shore, whence
he beheld q number of armed horsemen,
who, dismounting, entered the boat and
made for the caravel. The admiraTs
ancient suspicious of Portuguese hostil-
ity toward himself and his enterprises
were Immediately revived, and he or
dered his men to arm themselves, but to
keep out of sight, ready either to defend
the vessel or surprise the boat.
The latter, however, approached in d
pacific manner; the governor Of the
island was On board, and coming within
hail demanded assurance Of personal
safety in case be should enter the caravel-
This the admiral readily gave, but the
Portuguese stiIl continued at a wary dis
tance. The indignation of Columbus now
broke forth; he reproached the governor
with his perhdy and with the wrong he
did. not merely to the Spanish monarchs,
but to hts own sovereign, by such dis
honorable outrage. He informed him Of
bis own rank and dignity, displayed his
letters patent, sealed with the royal seal
Of CASTLE, and threatened him with the
vengeance OF his government Castaneda
replied in vein of contempt and de-
fance. declaring that all be had done
was in conformity to the commands Of
the king, his sovereign.
After an improbable alteration the
boat returned to shore, leaving Colum-
bus much perplexed by this unexpected
hostility, and fearful that war might
have broken out between Spain and P0r-
tugal during his absence. The next day
the weather became 30 tempestuous that
they were driven from their anchorage
and obliged To stand to sea toward the
Island or st. Michael Tor two days the
ship continued beating about in great
peril, half Of her crew being detained on
shore, and the greater part of those on
board being landsnen and Indians, al
most equally useless in difficult navi-
cation. Fortunately, although the waves
ran high, there were none Of those cross
seas which had recently prevailed, other
wise, being 80 feebly manned, the cara
vel could scarcely have lived through
the storm
On the evening Of the 22d, the weather
having moderated, Columbus returned
to his anchorage at st. Mary's. Shortly
after his arrival boat came of, bring
ing two priests and a notary. After
cautious parley and an assurance Of
safety they eameon board and requested
a sight of the papers Of Columbus, on the
part Of Castaneda, assuring him that it
was the disposition Of tie governor to
render him every service in his power,
provided he really sailed In service OF the
Spanish sovereigns. Columbus supposed
ii maneuver Of Castaneda to cover d
retreat from the hostile position he had
assumed; restraining his indignation,
however. and expressing his thanks for
the friendly disposition of the governor,
he showed his letters Of commission,
which satisfied the priests and the
notary. On the following morning the
boat and mariners were liberated. The
latter, during their detention, had col
lected information from the inhabitants
which elucidated the conduct .of Casta-
media
The king Of Portugal, jealous lest The
expedition Of Columbus might interfere
with his own discoveries, had sent or
ders to his commanders Of islands and
distant ports to seize and detain him
wherever he should be met with. Ii
compliance with these orders Castaneda
had, in the first instance, hoped to sur
prise Columbus in the chapel, and, fail
ing in that attempt, had intended to get
him In lii power by stratagem, but was
deferred byfinding him On his guard.
Such was the first reception or the ad-
miral on his return t, the Old World, an
earnest Of the crosses and troubles with
which he was to be requited throughout
life for one Of the greatest benefits that
ever man conferred upon his fellow
beings.
fro BE CONTINUED
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