The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1893-09-01
mo. 20

people at the Spanish court. Here ALSO
Columbus took up his abode while. hiss
carave!s were being fitted up for him in the
neighboring port of Palos, and here it was,.
again, that the monks welcomed him with,
''Te Deum" on the return from his first
| voyage.
The pope at Rome. the Spanish Govern
nent, the British Museum in sLondon, the
| National Library of Paris all have sent
| their most precious, priceless treasuressre.
| garding the ''Great Genoese" and his dis .
covery, and by their united efforts have suo.
ceeded in creating Columbus museum. the
like OF which, in point of completeness at
least, the world has never seen and probably
never will see again. The original docu-
mems, autograph letters, curious weapons
are so valuable that United States troops
are stationed in and around the building
guarding 1t and its contents night and day
Little wonder, therefore, that La Rabida
should be crowded with visitors s'from sarly
morn till dewy eve." For the historiar,a.
visit to this spot alone is worth coming to
the Fair even from far away Webfoot.
| What is there in this building to warrant
the above assertion: hear you ask. Enter
with me through the humble gate into the,
| sanctum; long, low, cold, whitewsshed.
room, in which there is an altar. an exact
| reproduction of the one before which Coll
umbus knelt, and split cross erected bv
HIM on Guanahai at his first landing. Care.
fully arranged under glass, you will SEQ
documents and letters, once the property of
Columbus, now in possession of the Duke
OF Veragua. who kindly loaned them to the,
managers OF the Fair. Here is the original
Of the contract with the sovereigns of
Spain, the commission issued to him Great
ing him "Admiral of the Ocean Seas. -
'Gentlemen will remove their hats to show
their reverence for the age of the document
may be read on a little piece of pnper pinned
to the above document. The suggestion is
generally carried out.
In another part of the room may be seem
his letters to Isabella, before and after the
discovery of America; there is letter from
Francis Rolden-that fatal document. thes
accusations contained therein causing the,
arrest of Columbus and his forced return
from San Diego 20 Spain in chains. There,
are numerous valuable paintings showing.
scenes IRON the life OF 5he diacoverer from.
his first erlbarkatlon to his obscure diving
place in house of the city of Valladolid. /,
There are clay models and Photographic
views OF ali those places visited by Column
bus in his eventful career, his nautical
charts, his log. books, rusty anchor and y
piece of cloth from one of the sails OF HIS
flag ship Santa Maria, time worn wooden
cross erected by him at his landing in the
new world, several canoes once the property
of Indians as they came to meet him out at
sea- There is that priceless bell, brought,
by Columbus to America. the first bell ever
seen or heard on this continent. then there
Is great number of tiny bells introduced
into this country by Columbus for the pur-
pose of carrying on traffic in them with tho
Indians VINO priced these bells very highly
fastening them around their wrists and
finger joints. Touching ones profoundest
sympathies is letter addressed by Colum-
w
fore his death. With trembling hand, I'M
marked contrast with his steady hand ex-
hibited on other documents. he informs the
authorities that he now begs his daily
bread at street corners and had not where.
with to provide for even the most common
wants.
Leaving the chapel the visitor steps'out
into the inner court, where benches invite
the weary pilgrim to a welcome rest, and
palm trees and exotic flowers charm his
imagination, transporting it to the shores
of lovely Spain. On all sides of this quad
rangular court are located the cells for the
monks, filed with an invaluable store Of
rare documents, paintings, maps, curios and
relics Then you may see the urn with the
(supposed) ashes of the glorious discoverer,
doorsill of one of the houses oace inhab,A
tied hy him, sections of window. blinds,
doors, bolt from the chain with which he
was fastened to his prison.cell; his will,
document brown with the load of years.
Then there are copies of the first books.
published about America, manuscripts, fac.
SMILES and illustrations of endless varje-
ties. You may see books of rare value,
costumes, armor, model showing the
course of the first voyage. Of singular n
terest is a fac-simile of the globe as con-
structed by Martin Bohain, of Nurem berg,
in the year 1892, likewise the charts illus-
trating the limited geographical knowledge
of the explorer. To all this has been added
a collection that includes the original, or a
copy, of every portrait of Columbus that
was ever PARTED or engraven-eighty in
all-and a model or a photograph of every
monument or statue that was ever erected
to that great mans memory. Indeed tho
entire collection is treasure ofiincalculable
value and pity it seems that all this, got =
ten thget'ier with infinite pain and trouble
and at a sacrifice of vast SUMS of money
-