The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-12-25

whom found inviting places in the shadow
Of sails, and ere long drifted into blissful
oblivion. IN a short hour more the
sturdy old Santa Maria was in charge Of a
noddlng helmsman and a boy. Soon the
former called his companion 10 the helm
20 take control Of the craft while he went
20 a water butt for n drink. Minutes
drowscd by and the helmsman did not
return. He. too. had succumbed 10 the
lassitude inevitable under the atmos-
| pheric conditions. The staunch ship,
which had weathered dozens Of gales
and journeyed 300 leagues in unknown
waters. was now in charge Of an over
confident lad. A few minute more and
hc. too. was nOdding.
a strong current was sweeping the ship
quickly along. Directly in her path was
"a sand bank. on which the breakers swept
with a roar, which open ears could have
heard half a mile away. but which now
| sounded no warning to any on board.
Suddenly the Santa Maria's keel grated
heavily for some moments on the sub
/ merged SAND and then she struck Vio-
| 1ently and lurched 10 one side with a
strain which sprung her masks.
All was confusion. The watch rushed
TO the bows and then jumped TO the ropes.
The seamen off duty came pouring up
from the bowels of the ship. The lad.
who had been hurled headlong forward,
campcred back TO the helm Columbus.
/ rushing out from the cabin, took In the
situation at first glance.
"Jesu Maria!' he exclaimed, 1--WE have
grounded
He realized In a moment the gravity OF
the calamity
Every effort was AT once made 10 rescue
the ship. Her cannon and anchors ana
part Of her stores were thrown overheard
to tighten her. Hawsers were run out TO
the Nina and 20 her w pinnace, That
her seamen pulling on them might slide
the hull back into deep water. a boat
was sent to Guacanagau to beg assist
auce, which came at once. But the
staunch old craft was too hrmly I'M
bedded in the sand 70 be rescued by any
means they could devise. The strain on
her timbers opened her seams, ana she
BEGAN 10 fiji. Yet the work was prolonged
with the force Of desperation throughout
the moonlit tropical night.
ADMINISTRATIONS mornlng-ddWA-d
on n scene of singular interest. Our fancy
likes to range back through four shadowy
centuries TO the New Worlds first Christ
mas and that remote and otherwise inslg-
/ ri6carf sand spit I'm the Caribbean-to
that forgotten picture in which the de-
yout children of Holy Mother Church ana
loyal subjects of their Most Catholic Ma
jestios of CASTLE, Aragon and Leon toheu
i'm thankful fellowship with the generous
| savages whom they had regarded as hea-
then. To scaward of the stranded vessel
Law the caravcl Nina and a small houla
OF canoes. Around ,lOated spars, casks
coops and wreclage. 10 had for some
| bolrs been evident that the ship was Goom-
ed 10 lay her bones 20 rest In Davy Jones
locker, and the admiral with the coming
of daylight began 10 transfer 10 the Nina
what was left of the provisions. In this
r 49, 1-.f-,4. .F4 Ifu zrDrlWuoF DrOfner
directly assisted him. Though articles
considered inestimable treasures were
handled i'm great quantities by the heath
EN-. among them the hawks bills SO tas-
ciDating 10 the Indians OF the Antilles,
not one article was stolen. Gu~acanagafl
himself stood guard over the stores. The
conduct of the natives was so gratifying
TO the admiral that he wrote in his jour
nal. to show to Ferdinand and Isabella;
SO amiable, so reasonable, so peaceable
are these that declare TO your maJesue5
that there is not in the world a better
peoule. They love their ncighbors as
themselves. And their discourse is ever
sweet and gentle. And though II is true
that they are naked, yet are their man
ners decorous and p~raiseworthy.
Toward noon the Spaniards discontin-
ued work. For almost eighteen hours
thev had labored with scarcely an inter-
mission anu lANANAL NRhAA tN@'@ '
Their immediate prospects were as bright
as they could reasonably hope for, as the
mare portable provisions and stores had
been Transported to the Santa Maria's
consOrt. They now determined 10 :cst
until the cool of the day, when they
should resume work. on coming 10 this
decision they rode 90 the shore. and IN
accordance with their custom, erected a
cross on the highest point within con-
I'D. Ie.tavaa UNfa ALnn tho NalInNU
banner of The Spanish kingdoms, with its
castles and lions. was displayed and mass
was celebrated I'm honor of the MY
sary. Toward nightfall the work Of trans
ferring was taken Up, but so great had
been the moral md physical strain on the
crews that IL was soon judged best TO
await the ensuing morning, and after a
vesper chant all hands save a small
watch turned in. some on the shore and
some on board the Nina. Thus ended CO.
lumbus' Christmas in the year OF dis
covery. 1872.
AS for PinZon. his Christmas was spent
either on the southern coast of Cuba or
the northern side OF Hispaniola. Partly
because the diminutive Nina, whose regu-
lar complement included but twenty-four
souls. was too small to hold In addition
the sixty-siX. in the Santa Maria company
and the six Bahama Indians. whom Co
lumbus wished TO take as captives to
Spain. and partly TO retain his hold over
the discovered islands. the admiral de-
cided TO build a fort and to leave a gar
rison in e.. While he was making up his
mind 10 this effect he made a search on
Christmas evening for a site. On the
same evening he also chose the name for
the fort. This was The Nativity AZ
soon as the remaining provisions n Z
either been removed 20 the caraveia. !
given I'm charge of Don Diego de left r
ri Cordovlan cavalier, who was tambus
I'm charge Of the fertilization, ton, in c
commenced the work OF exocanagarl. (
which he was assisted by the hostile Il
who feared a descent frsnts were nu- a
CARDS. Finding gold orp's people, Co ,
morous among the Gag into regarding c
llmbus reasoned hipstmas Eve as a Ii
his misfortune Of He wrote in his !
blessing I'm disgv a
journal: ~ return from Spain 10 v
I hope that. al hnd a ton Of gold OBJ {
this place. J. by those I shall leave be- a
tanned in trso mines and spices dis
hind; anSuch quantities that our SOW
coyeredef0re three years. shall be able
crelgna crusade for the deliyerance Of .
10 shy Sepulchre. 3,
tie DAYS were consumed In building, =
ing and provisioning the fort. on /
.rr f-..f.. n. 4..,. .rffl. % n