Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-11-03

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lumbus was two fold commercial and rel-
gious. He struck out for Asia, but by
making two mistakes, overestmatng the
extent of Asia, and Understanding the
size of the earth, he hit America, one Of
the grandest mistakes that ever a man
made. 1t was one of those rare mistakes
which sometimes occur Ia human life,
when failure Is the best success. The lit
tie maritime town of Palos, OF about
1000 inhabitants, was ordered to furnish
three caravels for the expedition. On the
18th of May, Columbus started from
Grenada for Cordova, where he stopped a
few days to provide for. and take leave of.
his family; thence he proceeded 10 Palos
to make preparations for his great voyage.
The town council published their formal
acceptance of the order toward the last OF
May, but up to the last Of June no steps
| had been taken to carry 1t into effect.
| Here another series of rebuffs awaited
the intrepid soul of Columbus. With the
king at his back exhausting all royal
modes to enforce the order, with the muni-
cipal authorities at his feet, with funds
pouring in from various sources, the peo-
| Pile Were In a state of non compliance or
! open opposition, and lis plans were liable
to be batiied on the very threshold of
execution when his soul was filed with
sanguine hope of success. For refusing
to comply with the kings order to furnish
! the necessary caravels, another grievous
burden was imposed on he people of that
little town, that of employing and provis-
! ioning the crew. 1t was little wonder that
| they murmured about the garrulous hight
| Of Columbus, whose untiring persistency
and sleepless energy had brought them to
! this plight and when the order for pro-
| visions for whole year was issued. the
! brayest hearts sank, and it Is said that the
sailors made the sign Of the cross to ward
/ of the wizard spell of this Genoese charla-
| tan, and vanished as II by magic. Co
! lumbus was in a severe strait. and his
mind well nigh distracted with disappoint-
| ment.
| He offered TO throw open the doors
of the jsils and prisons. and make up his
crew from the pardoned conyicts, and sug.
| gested other extreme and impossible
measures. which subjected him to the
charge OF being monomaniac, and the
danger OF being sent 70 an insane asylum
In the desperation Of despair his thought
at length turned to Juan Perez ecclesiss-
tic guardian OF the monastery of La Ra-
bida, who had not only helped him out Of
spiritual difficulties, but whose influence
had secured the aid of Queen Isabella in
behalf OF his great enterprise. He forth
with applied to this divine not only for
spiritual relief, but for practical advice in
this trying extremity. Juan was q man OF
great practical judgment and good sense,
and did not dismiss the desparng Colum-
bus simply with his spiritual bcnedicton,
but knowing that one Of the most potent
practical ways to tone upa dying cause,
ike this, was TO enlist the influence aud
aid Of men OF influence ard push in his be-
half. and he exerted his powerful influence
70 this end, And just here the curtain
rises, and there comes upon the stage a
partner in this enterprise, scarcely men
toned in our common histories, and but
for whose practical Nisuom, solid support
and fearless spirit. the great undertaking
of Columbus would have perlshed on the
very verge OF execution. George Pinzon,
large ship-owner and practical navigator
OF repute and influence, was enlisted in
the service of Columbus. He adopted the
views advocated by Columbus, rejected as
unseaworthy the three ships drafted by
order Of the King, and furnished three
ships from his own shipyards, contributed
10000 maravedis, or about els 900, to-
wards the funds already raised, and
pledged his own personal service. The
tide of popular feeling turned quickly to-
ward the great explorer His scheme
was viewed with favor rather than ridicule
The shipyards resounded with the hum of
the busy workmtn's hammers, volunteers
tocked in from the surrounding towns.
until one hundred and twenty seamen
thirty more than Columbus at first thought
necessary were enrolled as crews And
by the first Of August every preparation
was completed and BY the second of Au-
glst the sailors were ordered onboard.
The expedition consisted of the Santa Ma
ria, decked ship, with a crew Of fifty
men, commanded by the admiral 10 per-
son. and two caravels, the Pinta with thir-
Nina under Vincente Pinzon, with TWEEN
ty-folr men says one writer, making in all
l2i men.
Columbus had retired to the monastery
hence, to receive the last drop of spiritual
consolation afforded by his church and to
await the first favorable breeze that should
bear his little fleet out upon the bosom of
the mighty deep. 1t was a most solemn
hour with that great man and his compan-
ions. For eight long years, with the in
spiration Of heaven glowing upon the altar
of his soul, he had struggled against odds
the one fond dream of his life, and now,
far out upon the waters that no ship had
ever ploughed, and which the superstition
of ages had peopled with the dire.t dan
gers, he was to find the rich land that had
SO long lain picture of beauty in his
Imagination, or perish on the unknown
s'sea Of darkness"
About three O'Clock in the morning,
while the stars were yet shining out of
cloudless sky and the earth was wrapped
in the silence Of night, a gentle breeze
sprung up. With heaving soul Colum-
bus broke away from his near friends and
repaired to the shore. A few more prepa-
rations and leave-takings, and at o'clock
on Friday, August 3rd, 1892, amid the
waving of banners, the fattering of hand
kerchiefs and the huzZas Of the crowd, the
little feet started out on it's memorable
voyage.
Columbus bent his course toward 'Cadiz
and thence to the Canaries. The prov of
the flagship being resolutely headed to the
west Columbus descended to the cabin
and commenced his log at the head of
which, in bold letters, he wrote the name
of Christ. The journal serves to disclose
the motives of his undertaking, as well as
to show his course day by day. The first