Gloucester County Democrat., 1891-09-24

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 cours
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 inyariabls
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 whilo
the whole crew was buried in sleep. In
the meantime the treaeherous 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 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 be
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 otherf
OF the crew, half awake. The admiral
ordered them to take the boat aud carry
out an anchor asteTn, to warp the vessel
OF. The master and the sailors sprana
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 tc
the other caravel. about half a league h
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 hastened to thsrelief of the admiral,
followed by the recreant master covered
with shame and confusion.
1t 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 te
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 carayeL 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 light wind had sprung uI
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 daylight
The habitation of the caciqne was
about a league and a half from the
wreck. When he heard of the 1nisfor.
tune Of his guest he manifested the ut
most afhiction 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 Oh
sea and land, keeping vigilant 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 or 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
vaunted rites of hospitality more scrupu.
lousy observed than by this unculti.
waited savage. All the effects landed
from the ships were deposited near his
4 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 beheld 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 trifing ar
ticle. On the contrary a general SYM
pathy was visible in their countenances
and actions, and to have witnessed their
concern one would have supposed the
misfortune to have happened to them.
selves.
$50 loving, so tractable, SO peaceabls
are these people, says Columbus in his
journal, ''that swear to your najesties
there is not in the world better nation
nor u better land They love their
neighbors as themselves, and their dis
course is ever sweet aud gentle and ac-
companied with smile; and though
it is true that they are naked. yet
their manners are decorous and praise
worthy"