The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-10-02
sun, COUNTY. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2 1891.

ing breezes across tranquil ocean, cheer
ing their hopes continually with fresh
signs, increasing as their fears augment
ed, and thus leading and guiding them
to promised land. He now reminded
them of the orders he had given on leav-
ing the Canaries, that, after sailing west
ward 700 leagues, they should not make
sail after midnight. Present appearances
authorized such a aprecaution. He thought
it probable they would make land that
very night; he ordered, therefore, vig-
liant lookout to be kept from the fore
castle, promising to whomsoever should
make the discovery doublet of velvet,
in addition to the pension to be given by
the sovereigns.
The breeze had been fresh all day,
with more sea than usual, and they had
made great progress At sunset they
had stood again to the west, and were
plowing the waves at rapid rate, the
Pinta keeping the lead from her superior
sailing. The greatest animation pre-
vailed throughout the ships; not an eye
was closed that night. As the evening
darkened Columbus took his station on
the top of the castle or cabin on the high
poop of his vessel, ranging his eye along
the dusky horizon and maintaining an
intense and unremitting watch. About
10 o'clock he thought he beheld light
glimmering at q great distance. Fear
ing his eager hopes might deceive him
he called to Pedro Gutierrez, gentleman
of the kings bedchamber, and inquired
whether he saw such light; the latter
replied in the affirmative Doubtful
whether it might not yet be some de-
lusion of the fancy. Columbus called
Rodrigo Sanchez, of Segovia, and made
the same inquiry. By the time the latter
had ascended the roundhonse, the light
had disappeared. They saw it once or
twice afterward in sudden and passing
CLEANS, as if it were torch in the
bark of fisherman, rising and sinking
with the waves; or in the hand of some
person on shore, borne up and down as
he walked from house to house. So
transient and uncertain were these
CLEANS that few attached any importance
to them; Columbus, however, considered
them as certain signs of land. and, more
over, that the land was inhabited.
They continued their course until in
the morning, when gun from the Pinta
gave the joyful signal to land. 1t was
first deserted by a mariner named Rod
rigo de Triana; but the reward was af-
terward adjudged to the admiral, for
having previously perceived the light.
The land was now clearly seen about two
leagues distant, whereupon they took in
sail and laid to, waiting impatiently for
the dawn.
The thoughts and feelings Of Column
bus in this little space of time must have
been tumultuous and intense. At length.
in spite of every difficulty and danger,
he had accomplished his object. The
great mystery of the ocean was revealed;
his theory, which had been the scoff of
sages, was triunphantly established; he
had secured to himself glory dura-
BILE as the world itself
It is difficult to conceive the feelings
of such man at such moment, or the
conjectures which must have thronged
upon his mind as to the land before him.
covered with darkness That it was
fruitful was evident from the vegetables
which foated from its shores He
thought too that he perceived the ira
grange of aromatic groves. The moving
light he had beheld proved it the resi-
dence of man. But what were its in
habitants? Were they like those of the
other parts of the globe, or wore they
some strange and AAonstrous race, such
as the imagination was prone in those
times to give to all remote and unknown
regions? Had he come upon some wild
island far in the Indian sea, or was this
the famed Cipango itself. the object
Of his gnlden fanoies9 A thousand specu-
lations of the kind must have swarmed
upon him, as, with his anxious crews, he
waited for the night to pass away; Ven
dering whether the morning light would
reveal savage Wilderness or dawn upon
spicy groves, and glittering fanes, and
gilded cities, and all the snleador Of
oriental civilization.