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


the flag Of command, and lastly came the
Nina AS they sped on their way the
sailors became more and more frightened,
and every new phenomenon was calculated
suit in pauic. The cone-like volcano Of
Tenerife shooting up Its volume of flame
and smoke, spreading out its molten wrath
over the troubled waters, seemed like the
crimson eye OF some monster demon of
the mighty deep, anchored there by the AL
mighty to challenge their progress but
the apt and eloquent explanation Of CO.
lumbus allayed their fears and restored
their tranquility. At length a favorlng
breeze sprung up and the ships sped arrow
like on their course. The land soon sank
from sight and the explorers found them
selves alone with the sea and sky. Colum-
bus kept two log books. one for himself
and the other. showing lesser distance,
for the crew-to deceive them as regards
the distance travelled. But in doing this
an unforeseen mystery arose. Their only
safe guide, the compass, which had ever
pointed to the north pole, began to Quaver
Although it is said that the strange phe-
nomenon, the variation of the compass,
had been known for two centuries. vet
many say 1t had never been observed until
then. This statement seems inconsistent
although asserted on good authority The
crew gave themselves up for lost and
imagine that for them even the one fixed
point was shifting, and that God had cast
them of. Columbus attempted to explain
this strange phenomenon by the shifting
of the polar star, but the sailors were not
satisfied with the explanation. The varia
tion OF the compass was new revelation
to Columbus aud his fellow pilots not
withstanding they had had access to the
library of the Vatican Of Rome, the store
house of all nautical and Astronomical
science of that day. Columbus, though
puzzled, managed to conceal his ignorance,
and the little fleet sped on It's way as if IN
der the guiding hand Of faith In his
signs of land Soon after leaving the
Cansries broken mast hDated past them,
which brought TO the timid minds OF the
crew visions Of .hpwreck, suffering and
death, and they looked upon it a, a hint
from the sea of mystery beyond TO turn
their course back
Soon, however, white winged birds be-
gan TO appear and hover around them like
snowy angels of hope to cheer them on
their way. Columbus was especially en-
couraged by the small size and frainess
OF those he saw, remarking that they must
live near habitations and cultivated fields,
where they could find proper food. Whales
too appeared which, to the experienced
mariner, is evidence that land Is not far
of. When all else failed Columbus dipped
up water In his hands from the vessels
wake and compared 1t. for -altness, with
water he had tasted in other times and
places, arguing that great volumes Of fresh
water pouring in from neighboring lands
would necessarily lessen the degree of salt
ness. pelican plunged him into fever Of
hope, a. his knowledge Of the habits of
these birds taught him that they take their
food from the ocean and carry it In large
pouches to the shore aud devour II. 'All
around them was bright and fair and smelied
as sweet as the Guadalquvir overhung by
srching orange bloom" The trade winds
famed their brows ana refreshed their
frames Shoals of leaping fish played be
side their huls. and focks of land birds
followed their sails aoft and the gentle
touch Of the genial climate rarefed the at
mosphe-e, and widcned their circle Of Wis
with hope by these many signs of land, the
sailors viewed them only as the allure
ments Of the siren destroyer tempting
them on to destruction hence arose the
belief that only birds and fishes could live
in this ambient medium OF air and water
Soon another strange phenomenon broke
upon their sight which served to intensity
their apprehension Of approaching de
structlon. great mass Of seaweed wo-
ven into vast plain OF vegetation, stretched
out like net Of destruction before them
steered his ship straight through this veg
etable sea amid the murmurs of the sailors
who had almost risen in revolt But the
dread Of the sailors had scarcely abated
when the winds quoted into dead calm,
as If held in the hand of the Omnipotent
Power for short space to give time for
reflection and forethought to the tmorous
superstltious crew, when the tornadoes OF
heaven should be hurled against their little
fleet and scatter it in fragments over the
merclless waters. 1t was one of those
long continued lulls in which the silence of
all active forces produces reaction upon
the soul of man, and gives rise to all those
strange representations born of fear.
A t no period in their long journey had the
crew become more restless, more timd,
more desirous of some change IN course or
weather. They began to find fault with
the admiral, and reflect upon him in harsh
terms. They saw with the quick eyes of
their imagination the last morsel of their
food and the last drop of water disappear
and long slow death of agony by starva-
ton and thirst follow, while their helpless
ships were aimlessly drifting on the bosom
of an endless ocean. Their murmurings
seemed like the muttering of distant thun-
der when the approaching storm is rapidly
gathering its forces to burst in terrific
fury and power upon helpless humanity.
Says one writer, with wrathful eyes and
curse-laden lips they became openly rebel
lious. While the dead calm palsied all
progress they writhed like men possessed.
They were right who called this Genoese
a madman, muttered the sailors. Instead
Of being himself bound he, with mad
mans cunning, had bound his opponents
to his own sad fate.
For the most part Columbus had spent
these weary hours in sleepless solitude, in
that moody silence which betokens the in
ward swell Of contending emotions Of hope
and doubt, that troubled sea of the mind
we call anxiety. He knew that this state
Of feeling could not long continue without
producing its natural fruit, open rebellion
and mutiny. When the crew demonstrated
Columbus answered them patiently; when
they thronged to listen he fascinated them
with his eloUuanra Rnt No soonar did