Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-17
How Columbus Was Wrecked.

From the Century.
Guacanagari was eager to see more of the
Spaniards and sent numbers OF light-hear. ted
people to welcome them and bring them gifts
Of every sort. Their enthusiasm was I'M
bounded, their generosity uns.in:cd. The land
was gay with festivities, the sea swarmed with
canoes. On nearing the caravels the Indians
that crowded them stood up, rendering ali
kinds OF offerings with gestures OF devotion,
in idola:rous worship.
Bcholding all this enthusiasm. Columbus
dispatched formal embassy to Guacanagari
and On hearing their report he determined
despite the prevailing land breeze. to weigh
anchor and's to the domnions of his friends,
which were soms five leagues distant. He set
out at daybreak on December "a. Little pro-
gress was made during all that day. The night
came, Christmas eve, and Columbus deter
mined to celebrate it as best betttcd his own
health and the comfort of his own d Jew by en-
joying a sound sleep. He retired, WI I'm out by
three nights Of vigil following three days of
Herculean labor. Sweet must have been his
rest His discovery Of that new world whose
very existence had been denied, the endless up
springing Of Eden Isles, the simple races
bound to nature by such mysterious ties and
soon TO be brought into the fold of civilization
and Christianity, must have filled his mind
with happy dreams on this the first restful
Christmas eve he had passed in thirty years Of
even with his own self.
1t was midnight, when the echoes of child
hood and OF times long past fill the slumbering
ear. The heavens smiled and the sea was calm.
The sailors slept soundly, sure Of their bearings
and sea room, because preceded by the little
fleet OF skiffs and canoes sent by Columbus to
the Indian king. A ships boy held the helm
So assured wore they all of the fairness of the
weather and the safety OF their course, when
the flagship suddenly struck upon sunken
reef. Columbus instantly OWNED his peril and
hurried on deck. With lightning rapidity he
gave orders to cut away the mast and throw the
cargo overheard. But the remedy was futile;
1t was no mere strsnding, it was o wreck.
With the desertion of the Pinta and the loss
OF the Santa Maria only the smallest and frail-
est of the three caravels that had set sail from
Palos remained. He went on board the Nina
and sent fresh embassy to Guacanagari Civ
ing an account OF the disaster, while he stood
off and on till day broke. When the chief
learned the misfortune he sought in every way
to alleviate it, sparing neither means nor sac
ritice. Disastrous indeed it was to face such
superstitious races, who confided in tho pros
perity and success of the supernatural, with
the slender remnants Of such a wreck, which
showed how tho sea overcomes all created
things and bows us all to its sovereign power.
But the sentiment OF hospitality was uppermost
in that faithful tribe and in their kindly mon
arch All the succor needed in that sad hour
and al requisite provisions for the future were
given to the sufferers with admirable orderli-
ness. The salvage of the wreck was piled on
chord and, under the chiefs orders, scrupu-
lousy guarded by the natives as though it were
their own. The cargo was rapidly discharged
and stored In place Of safety, without " loss
r. -