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

NOAa4tiOA VI lis SHIPS, D6 Was buuU6uly
brought to pause. AS long as he pro-
tracted his return the whole fate of his
discovery was at the mercy of a thousand
contingencies, and an adverse accident
might bury himself, his crazy barks and
all the records of his voyage forever in
the ocean. Repressing, therefore, the
strong inclination to seek further discov-
cries, and determined to place what he
had already made beyond the reach Of
accident, he once more shifted sail. to
the great Joy OF his crews, and resumed
his course for Spain.
CHAPTER XVII.
RETURN VOYAGE = ARRIVAL AT THE
AZORES
TIE trade winds which had been 30
propitious to Columbus on his outward
voyage were equally adverse to him on
his return. The favorable breeze soon
died away, and throughout the remain
der of January there was prevalence
of light winds from the eastward, which
prevented any great progress. He was
frequently detained also by the bad sail
ing Of the Pinta, the foremast Of which
was so defective that it could carry but
little sail. The weather continued mild
and pleasant and the sea so calm that
the Indians whom they were taking to
Spain would frequently plunge into the
water and swim about the ships. They
saw many funny fish, one OF which they
killed, as likewise large shark These
gave them temporary supply Of pro.
visions, Of which they soon began to
stand in need, their sea stock being re-
duced to bread and wine and Agi pep
pers, which last they had learned from
the Indians to use as an important ar.
ticle of food.
In the early part of February, having
run to about the thirty-eighth degree OF
north latitude, and got out of the track
swept by the trade winds, they had
more favorable breezes and were en-.
abled to steer direct for Spain From
the frequent changes OF their course the
pilots became perplexed in their reckon
ings, differing widely among themselves
and still more widely from the truth
Columbus, besides keeping a careful
reckoning, was vigilant observer Of
those indications furnished by the sea,
the air and the sky. The fate of himself
and his ships in the unknown regions
which he traversed often depended
upon these observations, and the sa-
gacity at which he arrived in decipher-
ing the signs Of the elements was looked
upon by the common seamen as some
thing almost supernatural In the pres
ent instance he noticed where the great
bands Of floating weeds commenced
and where they finished, and in emerg
ing from among them concluded him
self to be in about the same degree Of
longitude as when he encountered them
on his outward voyage-that is to say.
about 260 leagues west Of Ferro
On the 10th Of February, Vicente
Yanes Pinzon, and the pilots Ruiz and
Bartolomeo Roldan, who were on board
Of tho aaniral's ship examined the
charts and compared their reckonings to
determine their situation, but could not
come to any agreement They all sup
posed themselves at least $50 leagues
nearer Spain than what Columbus be-
heved to be the true reckoning, and in
the latitude of Madeira, whereas he
knew them to be nearly in a direction
for the Azores. He suffered them, how
ever, to remain in their error, and even
added to their perplexity that they
might retain but confused idea Of the
voyage, and he alone possess q clear
knowledge Of the route to the newly dis
covered countries.
On the 18th of February, as they were
fattering themselves with soon coming
in sight of land, the wind came on to
blow violently, with heavy sea; they
still kept their course to the east, but
with great labor and peril On the fol-
lowing day after sunset the wind and
swell increased; there were three flashes
of lightning in the north-northeast.
considered by Columbus as signals Of an
approaching tempest 1t soon burst upon
them wiSi frightful violence; their
small and crazy vessels, open and with
out decks, were little fitted for the wild
storms of the Atlantic; all night they
MClC W SCuQ DdI6
As the morning of the 14th dawned
there was transient pause, and they
made little sail; but the wind rose
again from the south with redon bled ve-
hemencc, raging throughout the day
and increasing in fury in the night.
while the vessels labored terribly in q
cross sea, the broken waves of which
threatened at each moment to over
whelm them or dash them to pieces.
For three hours they lay to. with just
sail enough to keep them above the
waves. but the tempest still augmenting
they were obliged again to scld before
the wind. The Pinta was soon lost sight
of in the darkness of the night The ad-
miral kept as much as possible to the
northeast to approach the coast Of Spain
and made signal lights at ihe masthead
for the Pinta to do the same, and to keep
in company. The latter, however, from
the weakness Of her foremast, could not
hold the wind, and was obliged to scud
before it directly north. For some time
she replied to the signals of the admiral,
but her lights CLEANED more and moro
distant until they ceased entirely, and
nothing more was seen of her
Columbus continued to scud all night
full Of forebodings Of the fate Of his own
vessel and Of fears for the safety OF that
Of Pinzon AS the day dawned the sen
presented frightful waste OF wild,
broken waves lashed into fury by tho
gale. He looked around anxiously for
the Pinta, but she was nowhere to 10
seen. He now made little sail to keep
his vessel ahead of the sea, lest its huge
waves should break over her. As the
sun rose, the wind and the waves rose
with it, and throughout dreary day
the helpless bark was driven along by
the fury Of the tempest.
Seeing all human skill baffled and CON
founded, Columbus endeavored to pro-
pitiate heaven by solemn vows and acts
OF penance. BY his orders number Of
beans, equal to the number Of persons on
board, were put into cap, on one Of
which was cut the sign of the cross.
Each of the crew made a VOW that,
should he draw forth the marked bean,
he would make a pilgrimage to the
shrine Of Santa Maria de Guadalupe,
bearing wax taper Of five pounds
weight. The admiral was the first to
put III his hand and the lot fell upon him.
From that moment he considered him