Arizona weekly citizen., 1892-09-03

at ner masthead, ana gun olscnargeo,
 being the preconcerted signal for land.
 New joy was awakened throughout the
 little squadron, and every eye was turned
 to the west. As they advanced, how
 ever, their cloud built hopes faded away,
 and before evening the fancied land had
 again melted into air.
 The crews now sank into a degree. of dejection proportioned to their recent excitement, but new circumstances oc- cured to arouse them. Columbus, hay ing observed great flights of small field
 birds going toward the southwest, con- cluded they must be secure of some neighboring land, where they could find food and resting place. He knew the importance which the Portuguese voy-I | agers attached to the flight of birds, by following which they had discovered most of their islands. He had now come | 750 leagues, the distance at which he had computed to find the island of Ci- ! pango; as there was no appearance Of | 1t, he might have missed it through some mistake in the latitude. He deter mlned, therefore, on the evening of the | 7th of October, to alter his course to tho west-southwest, the direction in which the birds generally flew, and continue that direction for at least two days. After all 1t was no great deviation from his main course, and would meet the wishes of the Pinzons, as well as be in- spiriting to his followers generally. For three days they stood in this di- rection, and the farther they went the more frequent and encouraging were the signs of land. Flights of small birds of various colors, some of them such as sing in the fields, came flying about the ships and then continued toward the south west, and others were heard also flying by in the night. Funny fish played about the smooth sea, and a heron, a pelican and duck were seen, all bound in the same direction. The herbage which hOated by was fresh and green, as ifrecently from land, and the air, Colum- bus observes, was sweet and fragrant as April breezes in Seville.
 All these, however, were regarded by fhe crews as so many delusiOns beguiling them on to destruction, and when on the evening of the third day they beheld the sun go down upon a shoreless horizon. they broke forth into turbulent clamor. They exclaimed against this obstinacy in tempting fate by continuing on into a boundless sea. They insisted upon turn ing hOmeward and abandoning the voy- age as hopeless. Columbus endeavored to pacify them by gentle words and promises of large rewards; but finding that they only increased in clamor, he assumed decided tone. He told them it was useless to murnur, the expedition had been sent by the sovereigns to seek the Indies, and, happen what might, he was determined to persevere. until, by the blessing of God, he should accomplish the enterprise.
 Columbus was now at open defiance with his crew, and his situation became desperate. Fortunately the manifesto tions of tpe vicinity of land were such on the following day as no longer to ad- init a doubt. Besides a quantity of fresh weeds, such as grow in rivers, they saw a green fish of a kind which keeps about rocks; then branch of thorn with ber- ries on it. and recently separated from the tree, foated by them; then they picked up reed, a small board, and above all, staff artifcially carved. All gloom and mutiny now gave way to sanguine expectation; and throughout the day each one was eagerly on the watch, in hopes of being the first to dis cover the long sought for land.
 In the evening when. according to in- variable custom on board of the admir- al'sship, the mariners had sung the ''Salve Regina" or vesper hymn to the Virgin, he made an impressive address to his crew. He pointed out the goodness of God in thus conducting them by soft and favor ing breezes across tranquil ocean, cheer ing their hopes continually with fresh signs, increasing as their fears augment ed, and thus leading and guiding them to promised land He now reminded them of the orders he had given on leav- ing the Canaries, that, after sailing vest ward 700 leagues, they should not make sail after midnight. Present appearances authorized such a precaution. He thought it probable they would make land that very night; he ordered, therefore, wig liant lookout to be kept from the fore castle, promising to whomsoever should make the discovery a doublet of velvet. in addition to the pension to be given by the sOvereigns.
 This article was commenced in the issue of the CITIZEN bearing date August 10. '92 and will be continued from day to day til finished-l