The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-12-18
IRyIyC'S COLUMBUS.
The Great DISCOVERIES First
Voyage TO America.
= Far siorr Wonderful story Than
she Most brilliant Inauguration Has
Vet ConJurcd. Told IN the words
Of One Of d Masters Of Iascra-
sura
Washington living,
lrosrIsrral


On the morning Of the cath Of De
cemorr Columbus set sail from Port st
Thomas before sunrise and steered 4
the eastward. with an intention Of an
chorlng at the harbor OF the caciau.
-Gnacanagari- The wind was from III,
land. but 20 light as scarcely 10 fiji ia,
sails. and the SHIPS made but little prog
ress. AT II o'clock at night, bein1
Christmas eve. they were within I
league or a league and 4 half Of the resi-
dence OF the cacique. and Columbus, whc
mad hitherto kept watch, finding the seq
caim and smooth and the ship almos,
in~otionless, 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 BRO
vided against. In the present instance
ne felt perfectly secure. not merely on
account Of the profound calm. but be-
cause the boats On the preceding day in
their visit 70 the cacique had reconnoi-
tered the coast and had reported that
there We're neither rocks nor shoals in
their course
NO sooner had he retired than the
steersman gave the helm in charge 70 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 " be intrusted TO the bows.
The rest Of the mariners who had the
watch took like advantage Of the ab-
Eenceo Of Columbus. aud in a 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, but with force.
upon a sandbank. The needless boy had
not noticed the breakers. although they
made a roaring that might have been
heard a 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
70 sleep profoundly. was the first on
deck. The master Of the ship. whose
duty IL was to have been on watch. next
made his appearance. followed by Others
OF he crew. half awake. The admiral
ordered them to take the boat and carry
out an anchor astern. to warp the vessel
on. The master and the sailors sprang
into the boat. but, confused. as men are
apt to Do when suddenly awakened by
N alarm, instead Of obeying the COM
Of Columbus they rowed OF to
the other c~aravel. about half a league to
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 deserfion- The com-
OF the caravel manned his boat
md FASTENED 70 the relief Of the admiral.
followed BY the recreant master covered
shame and confusion.
1t was too late to save the shin. the
current having set her more upon the
The admiral. seeing that his boat
deserted him. that the ship had
swung across the stream, and that the
was continually gaining upon her,
'rdered the mast to be Z away in the
hope Of tightening her sufficiently to
her of. Every effort was in vain.
h keel was firmly bedded in the sand.
lne shock had opened several seams.
While the swell IL the breakers. striking
Ter b~roadsiie. left her each moment
more a more aground until she fell
'ver on one side. fortunately the
continued calm. Otherwise the
hip must have gone to pieces. and the
Whole crew might have persisted amid
he currents and breakers.
The admiral ard his men took refuge
~ board the caravel Diego de Arana.
hief judge of the Armament. and Pedro
'nlerrez, the kings butler, were imme-
lately seut on shore as ENJOYS 10 the
Guacanagari. 10 inform him Of
intended visit ii the admiral and az
y disastrous scipwreck- In the mean
~ a light wind had sprung M
shore and the admiral was Ignorant
! ms situation and " the rocks and
that might he lurking around "
i'm, he lay to until daylight.
The habitAtion Of the cacique was :
bout a league and a half from the
'reck. When be heard Of the misfor- 4
N' $1,000 At n4tiAAle,ltl the UT- III
lost aidirtion and even shed tears. He u
Immediately sent all his people. with all y
canoes. large and small, that could u
9 mustered: and 50 active were they in 4
heir assistance that in q little while the b
essel was unloaded. The cacique him 4
IA and his brothers and relatives rem n
cred all the aid in their power. both on y
"a and land. keeping vigiiant guard .
nat everything should be conducted p
nth order and the property secured u
'om injury or theft. From time to time
. sent some one Of his family or some
rincipal person or his attendants to con-
Die and cheer the admiral. assuring him
nat everything he possessed should b \
{ his disposal.
Never. ia 4 civilized country. were the !
aunted rites " hospitality more scrupu- \
'usly observed than BY this unculti- .
ated savage. All the effects landed \
rom the ships were deposited near his
yelling. and an armed guard surround
II them NIL night until h<r..