The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-28
How II Was Spent by Columbus
and His Companions In
America.
Being the First Christmas Cele-
brated on This Side or the
Atlantic.
Luckiesa Day for tina Santa Maria and Hsr
Adventurous Crew-Tho Ship
Had Grounded.

pu0 AEob SAElbbLuB0 G0k60Fubcu ia tu0
occidental hemisphere. Aside from tho
cardinal points Of the Christian creed
Of the fifteenth or any other century, tho
Incas. the Nontezumas and tho rcd Indians
lacked even the gentle spirit taught by
Christ. Within 400 years from the old.
forgotten day whom the Genoan n%dvsnturer
celebrated the nativity, America has opened
her 1900. 900 square miles TO civilization:
and, in place of the 100 Caucasians who OBJ
served the Christmas of 1892 in the new
world. fully ITO, ZOO. 600 Americans hailed
the Christmas of 1892.
The frst American observance of the day
was far from a merry one. II was spent by
Columbus aud his ships company amid
scenes Of the greatest worldly excitement
consequent upon the greatest disaster which
had befallen the expedition. On Christ
mas eve the admiral's flagship. the Santa
Maria. which had 30 stoutly plowed un-
known seas since that distant September
day when she dropped astern the outer
most Canary island. laid her clumsy
ia now Hayti. Her crew spent the follow
ing day. Christmas, partly on the Haytian
shore and partly on her consort, the tiny
carayel Nina.
The story Of the disaster and the day may
be told In this wise.
Some time before, the other vessel of the
expedition, and the second in size, the car
avel Pinta, in command of the admiral's
trusted adviser. Martin Alonzo Pinzon, had
deserted. taking advantage OF a stress Of
weather "a a pretext to sail westward, ito
ward Cathay, in search of gold mines, said
by the aborigines to lie in that direction.
This information came to Columbus while
hn Uv0n ~}pr ~% kh> o~I 4 = 4 A..
northwestern extremity at Hayti. now
named Tortugarde Mar, the future hotbed
of the buccaneers and marooners of the
Spanish main. The news preyed on his
mind SO heavily as to unfit him for exsrtinR
himself with his accustomed viRor and
watchfulness. II was, perhaps, indirectly
responsible for the loss Of the Santa Maria.
Sailing after a brief interval from the
TortuRan roadshead the flagship squared
away for the coast of Hayti and entered
upon her closing days. On the 21st she
met the Nina, and. as night shutting down.
both came to anchor in the Bay of Acul,
now as then one of Mother Natures choic-
est tropical pictures. in a quarter of the
world whore she is q fond %spendthrift in
stead of the misery philosopher she ap-
pears in higher latitudes. The next morn
ing was one of unclouded %brilliance. When
the sun had fully chased the night shadows
away over the s~horelands, the Santa
Maria's lookouts discovered o canoe
rounding a little point. This was pro-
PEELED by two banks of oars and was manned
by the copper colored heather !"
now familiar to the good Catholic eyes Of
the Adventures. It rapidly approached.
AS it lay beside the flagship a RorReously
dressed STRIPPING arose in tho stern and
waved o small breach of some tropical
palm. He, the admiral, will the aid OF
the natives he had carried away as interpre-
tors from Watling's island, soon learned to
be an evoy from the oacique Tor ~prince) OF
that part of Hayti, bearing an invitation to
visit his master at the capital, situated on
the shore of an inlet about a league distant.
To this Columbus replied with a promise
that he would make the visit three days
later, on the 25th. The canoe then returned.
Shortly afterwards the admiral prudently
despatched a boats load to reoonnoitre.
Following in the direction of the visitors
this party presently found the inlet, and,
on the banks of a small river flowing into
the inlet, the capital. the largest and most
finely constructed town which they had as
yet seen since leaving the old world. They
received a hospitable welcome. or more
properly speaking, they were royalty feted.
Having previously given to the island the
name of Hispanola Cor Little Spain") ow-
ing to its gieen and inviting shore lands.
they were now more than ever pleased with
it and its inhabitants. They gave to the
river the name Punta Santa, which, during
the subsequent French occupation, WAS
changed to G;ande Riviere. They left
flushed with the aboriginal wine and with
stomachs sumptuously loaded with yams,
Cocoanut milk and strange t'iumphs of the
heather cuisine. On rejoining their COM
rades they SO drew the long bow and painted
such appetizing pictures that the whole ex-
petition at once became athirst for the
%cacique's hospitality. Among other items
of information the boats crew reported that
the name of their entertainer was Guacana-
Uari. and of the town. GuaricO.
In the morning watch of the Oath, the
day following their return. Columbus gave
orders that the expedition should start for
Guacnngari's capital. The yards of the
made in a light wind that blew almost dead
ahead. This breeze. light and battling as it
was, soon died down and by noon the two
tiny crafts rose and fell as slumberously
and rhythmically on the tranquil swell of
the Caribbean as lace sways on the bosom
slowly wore by to the same conditions.
The sun of the nineteenth ATTITUDES beat
dow On the motionless decks and filed the
air with. that languorous dream-inviting
quality which only travellers in the tropics
can understand. Shore and sea and sky
were bathed in drowsiness. The watch off
duty slept in shady hooks on deck or in
their hammocks below. Evening came, but
brought with IL no change. The old watch
sought relief in sleep and the new did the
least work necessary. Even the admiral,
overcome by the heat of the most uncom-
Portable dey of the entire voyage, retired to
his cabin. His departure was noticed by
the watch on deck, several of whom found
inviting places in the shadow of sails and
ere long drifted into blissful oblivion. In
a short hour more the sturdy old San IN
Maria was in charge of a nodding helms
man and a boy. soon the former called his
companion TO the helm to take control of
the craft while he went to q water butt for
n drink. Minutes drowsed by and the
helmsman did not return. He, too, had
succumbed to the iassitude inevitable un-
der the atmospheric conditions. The
staunch ship, which had weathered dozens
of gales and journeyed ZOO leagues in un-
known waters. WAS now in charge of an
~over-confdent lad. A few minutes more
and he. too, was nodding.
A strong current was sweeping tho ship
quickly along. Directly in her path was q
sand bank on which the breakers swept
with a roar, which open ears could have
heard half a mile away. but which now
sounded no warning to any on board. Sud
denly the Santa Naria's keel grated heavily
for some moments on the submerged sand
and then she struck violently and lurched
TO one side with a strain which sprung her
masts.
All was confusion. The watch rushed TO
the bows and then jumped to the ropes.
The Geamen off duty cane pouring mp from
the bowels of the ship. The lad. who had
been hurled headlonR forward. scampsfed
bnck to the helm. Columbus, rushing ont
from the cabin, took in the situation al