The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1892-06-09

as to withstand the battle of the elements
during that long and weary journey
over the trackless Atlantic.
On account of these ships being built
high at the ends and low amidships,
high seas would often be taken upon the
decks when sailing with a side wind,
and to prevent this high stanchions or
posts were inserted in the upper plank
Of the rails, to which screens of heavy
canvas were laced, making temporary
bulwark, which proved to be very effec-
tive in keeping out the water. In the
case of the two smaller ships heavy mats
and large tarpaultns were stretched
across the beams to keep the water from
running into the holds and swapping
them; the vessels of four centuries ago
were not supplied with pumps.
The Santa Maria was rugged with four
masts--the three foremost ones being fit
ted with yards or square rugged, while
the after mast was supplied with lateen
sails. A long bowsprit projected from
her bow, but carried no jibs or head
sails. No sails were carried aloft above
the topsails.
During favorable winds sail was set
Under tho bowsprit reaching to the
water, and known as the Waterfall or
spritsail. This sail fell into disuse over
fwo centuries ago.
The Pinta and Nina were caravels,
but rugged exclusively with lsteen sails
The former, however, was partially
square rugged prior to sailing, and the
latter was similarly changed before the
feet left the Canaries from Palos. Ships
in the days of Columbus were supposed
to make Roadway through the water
only when the wind blew in favorable
direction. The idea of lacking against
q head wind was entirely unknown to
the mariners of the past, notwithstand-
ing the fact that ships have been pro-
PEELED by sail power alone for thousands
Of years. Yet in spite of all these OBJ
stacles and disadvantages we find in the
logbook Of the Santa Maria that speed
of seven knots an hour was not an I'M
usual occurrence
As it was customary to employ oars
against contrary winds, the crews of the
ships were necessarily larger in pro-
portion to their size than in modern
ships. No less than 100 men were en-
ployed to sail the ships of Columbus.
The officers were known as the patron
or captain, Waterman or first mate, q
counselor or navigator, the master Of
the deck, scribe or secretary who wrote
the ships log. steward and a surgeon.
The rigging consisted entirely of hemp.
Their anchor cables were hemp hawsers,
each following the old rule of four times
the mainmast in length. Each ship was
supplied with boat called launch,
which was always towed astcrn. Re-
fractory sailors were punished by being
placed In the launch for many days
upon short allowances and exposed to
the heat Of the sun and heavy drenching
Of the waves.
Although the compass was known to
the Arabs long before Columbus mid
by the Chinese as far back as the begin
ming of the Christian era, yet this in
strument was in itself not sufficient to
navigate vessel over an unknown sea-.
The quadrant, an instrument known to
Columbus as the astrolabe, was sup
piled to each ship; by it's use in astro-
nomical. observations the ships position
upon the high seas with respect to the
equator could be readily ascertained,
and also errors existing ,inthe compasses
causing the ships to deviate from their
true courses were found and tho proper
adjustments accordingly made
Thus Columbus was able to embark
and sail away with that feeling of self
reliance which had won him success on
all his previous expeditions. The little
town of Palos, then the greatest seaport
on the Mediterranean, never sent out q
grander marine spectacle than when
Columbusembarked and weighed anchor
and stood boldly down the Rio Tinto to
sea, followed closely in his wake by the
Pinta and Nina. The lavish golden
carvings which decorated these ships,
the red and yellow standards of Spain,
the gay streamers floating in the breeze
from every mast and spar, these alto
gether presented to the cheering crowds
gathered ON the wharves, housetops and
neiyhboring hills q picturesque sight.
TWAS Indeed the browning spectacle Of
the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella.
LIEUT.. R. 81. UBERRorH, o. s. r. II.