The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-04-30
A FIGHT WITH SEA ROBBERS.

ulit ultthhtIn vi JllS tCutI uRts nt Dl-
rates had long been the scourge of the
honest Venetian traders Sometimes they
would disguise themselves as merchant
men trading peacefully to Gambia for
wine and then throwing off their dis
guises, would prey upon all around
them. No mercy was shown in these
fearful contests. Between the sea-rob-
bers and the merchants there was last
ing and deadly hostility. 1t was to the
pirate class that the Columbi belonged,
and of all the corsairs OF the day they
were the most renowned The elder Co.
lumbns had apparently lain in wait in
vain for the rich fleet that sailed yearly
to the north. But he had son. known
as Columbus Junior, who followed the
same profession, and whose true name
was Nicolo Griego, or Nicholas the
Greek. He at last succeeded in the pro-
icct which his father had so long es-
sayed in vain. The prize was n tempt
ing one to the bold buccaneers. The
Flanders galleys with their freight
were valued at two hundred thousand
ducats-perhaps two millions of dollars
and would have proved an immense
fortune to the captors could they have
retained the spoils.
In l4s5 the galleys were equipped
with unusual care We have the de-
cree of the senate under which they set
sail The Doge Giovanni Moncenigo APP
points the Noble Bartolomeo Mimic cap
tain. with salary of six hundred ducats
-Four great galleys are provided, an to
each captain bounty of $500 gol N
ducats is promised upon their safe e.
turn To Venice. This money was to
be paid out Of the tax on the Jews, and
calls up anew Shakespeare unreal pic
ture; it is plain that the merchants of
Venice were the true shyloclIS of the
time. A medical man was assigned to
the fleet: his salary was only nine
ducats "a month. Minute rules are
given fDr the conduct of the expedition.
The freight is to be paid to the state.
No decll-loads of tin on pewter ware are
allowed. no currants nor molasses are
to be stored in the hold. Two galleys
were to go to London or the English
ports, the rest to Sluys or Bruges. On
their passage they might touch at
Malaga and other ports in Spain; on
their return ship was detached to
trade with the MohammedanS along
the Barbary shore. The Venetians
We're too keen traders not to find profit
able markets even in the lands of the
infidcl.
The Columbi or the Griegos were at
last to seize their prize. They watched
with seven ships-powerful, no doubt
and we'll equipped off the Spanish
coast to intercept the fleet of Bartolomeo
Mimic. The commander of the pirates
was Nicolo Griego the son. we are told,
of the elder Columbus. His father had
disappeared from sight. But with him
in the pirate ships was another Column
bus the future discoyerer and admiral
of the Indies. In his Life" Fernando
Columbus boasts of his fathers share in
this famous engagement-fam be-
cause it led to the settlement of Column
bus at Lisbon. his marriage. and his fu-
ture exploits He was now "a man of at
least fifty, hardened by thirty-siX years
of ceaseless adventure. What position
he held in the pirate fleet, whether as
commander or seaman, his son does not
tell. We only know that he served
under his relative, Columbus or Griego,
and that he fought with desperate en-
ergy in the famous sca-fght off Cape
st. Vincent.
The corsairs or the Columbi APP
preached their prey in the evening; they
waited all night on the still Atlantic,
and in the morning rushed upon the
Venetians. 1t was seven, perhaps eight,
ships against four. The galleys were
heavy-laden and unmanageable, COM
pared to their swift aSsailants. The Co
lumbi had evidently resolved to make
sure of their prey. They sailed under
the French flag, and may have been
fitted out in Genoa. 1t was the custom
Of the pirates, it seems, to assume false
colors. But dreadful was the contest
and fierce the fight that ragged all day,
as Columbus had told his son, on the
tranquil seattle scene, nearly four CEN
turies later, of the battle of st. Vincent
and his narrative is confirmed by the
Venetian archives. The four great gal
leys under Bartolomeo Mimic defended
themselves with unfailing courage.
From the first to the twentieth hour
they beat off their savage assailants
The ships grappled with each other,
and fought hand to hand. They used,
we are told, artificial fire. and the pi-
rates fastened their ships to the galleys
by hooks and iron chains. Then no
doubt they boarded, and were ut last
successful. And then Fernando Colon
relates the romantic incident that lead.
he thinks, to the discovery of new
world. The ship in which his father
fought was lashed by chains and hooks
to Il great Venetian galley. The Vcne-
tiauS seem to have set Columbus ship
on fire. The flames consumed both yes
sells. The only resource left to the sur
viyors was to leap into the sea.
Columbus, an excellent swimmer,
seized an oar that tloated near him, and
partly resting on it and partly swim
ming sustained himself in the water.
He knew that he was about six miles
from the land, the coast of Portugal,
and made his way toward it. Wearied,
half inanimatc, he was dashed upon the
shore. He had much difficulty in re-
viving himself. But he was near Lis
bon, and made his way, a shipwrecled,
penniless seaman, to the Portuguese
capital, Eugene Lawrence, in Harper's
Magazine.
These Soft Jobs.
The young man had received n fat
government job, which was largely in
the nature of snap. One day friend
of his who had been noticing how little
work he did to earn his salary tackled