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


fused eyes and quivering lips he thanked
him, saying, MAY heaven ever attend
you"
short time after this unhappy occur
renee, one of the Pinzons gave the cry Of
land. The cry fell with thrilling accents
on the mariners, who had given them
selves up for lost, and Columbus, when
the glad cry fell upon his ears, knelt in
thankful heart to the Creator of all things
But this delightful vision, which must
have seemed to these anxious sailors like
the haven of rest and glory to the ship
wrecked voyager over lifes troubled sea,
as he lifts his eyes heavenwa.d when
nearing the portals of the great unseen,
proved but deceptive mirage which re
solved into air at their near approach
The sailors, however, seemed to take
fresh courage and hope from this tickle
revelation, As though 1t were a hint of the
distant long sought land casting it's shad-
ow before. About this time the admiral
nal westerly course little from the lati
tude of Ferro to the southwest Had Co
lumbus kept the course he mapped out and
continued to follow up to this time, he
would have touched the Florida Of to-day
on the mainland instead of one of the
West India Islands.
As the middle of October drew nigh
birds iocked around the caravels 10 in
creaslng numbers, and with each days
progress the hopes OF making land grew
stronger. Pnzon showed the admiral
that II was Indispensable not only to shape
their course by the stars, but also by the
birds as the Portuguese had done before
For the birds not only hoyered about the
ships, gladdening the eye with their gay
plumage and tilling the air with their twit-
terings, but like true guiding pilots went
on before toward the land. 1t was on the
afternoon of October IL, 1892 The signs
Of land now made it high time to prepare
Tor the approaching Decentralization, for
all needful preparations had been planned
by ColSmbus He began by heaviug the
lead and found bottom instead Of the
hitherto fathomless deep. The winds too
shifted and blew from every quarter udi-
eating the winding course of the shore.
lie ordered the sails to be lowered when
he should give word, the other carayel-
running alongside and heaving to-
| will sketch the closing scene IN thi.
most thrilling and interesting chapter in
the life Of Columbus in the language of
an eminent historian: Each moment
brought revelation. A solitary half
tame turtle dove iiew near them The
dove was followed by a floating leafy
reed, when from the Nina was sighted
branch of hawthorn; a floating log was
seen, the net was cast and like a fish it
was shared IN its meshes. 1t proved to be
-killfully carved, another sure sign of lind
Ing the land they sought. The tdings
were borne to Columbus. He determined
To retire 10 his cabin and hold communion
with his inmost thoughts. He first knelt
in prayer, 1t was eight in the evening of
October llth. Columbus after having per
formed his daily devotions. went ON deck
and eagerly scanned the western space.
He stood alone. lie had scarcely slept
since leaving Palos and none Of his com
rades slumberei that night. Standing
there apart, for each sailor was Keeping
watch in his own place, and performing
his allotted duties, after an hour OF intense
self-communion with eyes fixed on the
surrounding scene, a glad cry lcapcd from
his heart He had seen light on land-a
light unlike the stars above or the phOs-
phorescent CLEAN Of the waves. He sum.
moned Pedro Gurterez chamberlain in the
kings service, who had. Joined him at
falos, and who, by reason of his dignity
and rank, was his constant associate and
less excited eyes. The chamberlain re-
piled that he saw the light But in his
JOY Columbus could scarcely credit the
assurance so welcome to his agitated
to them The purveyor of the fleet but
probably because he was expected to see
something he saw nothing. The horizon
relapsed into obscurity and Columbus into
his old anxiety. The little squadron sailed
swiftly on before the brisk breeze, Co
lumbus passed half the night motionle.s
and still as a statue, on deck, wrapped in
ecstatic thought He knew that the Pinta
and Nina being swifter ships We're more
likely to sight land, so he allowed them to
precede him, thinking of naught in that
slpreme hour save the speediest realiza-
ton of his coveted discovery.
The good fortune fell to the Pinta, and
about two in the morning of Oct. r. amid
the sheen of the stars and the phosphores.
cence of the sea, one of the crew a native
of Seville, with eyes accustomed to the
darkness, like some nocturnal creature,
gave the cry Of land. Martin Alonzo
Pinzon fired a gun whose resounding
echoes carried consolation to the feverishly
expectant sailors, who had we'll nigh lost
faith in the evidence of their own senses.
Columbus donned his richest apparel, flung
upon his shoulders cloak of rosy purple
grasped in one hand the sword of combat,
and in the other the Redeemers cross, and
standing beneath the sovereign banner,
spreading like canopy above his head
gold embroidered with the initials and the
Castilian crown, he assembled all the chief
comrades Of his voyage about him, as in a
peerless court pageant. Then dsembark-
ing he knelt upon the land and with uplift-
ed arms Joined with his followers in a song
of praise. The miracle was wrought, and
wrought by faith"
The result OF this voyage was the dis
covery of several of the West India ia.
lands. OFF the Island of Hayti the Santa
Maria went aground, owing to the care
lessness of the steersman and had to be
abandoned, but nc lives were lost, and Co
lumbus who was anxious to return to
Europe with the news of his discovery,
resolved to plant colony, and to con-
struct fort from the materials of the
stranded hulk. Forty-three Europeans
were placed in charge, and on the 10th of
Jan, 1893, Columbus who had lost sight
of Martin Pinzon, set sail alone in the
Nina for the east and four days later the
Pinta joined her sister ship off Monte
CristO storm however Sanaratad tho