The Forrest City times., 1893-08-18
WORLDS FAIR NOTES.

sue Of the Memphis Commercial is pub. ilshed in lieu of an original article. and Is interesting throughout:
 The convent of La Rabida with us collection of relics, which re. cal events m the life and discoveries or Col''m0us, Is replete with interest to tile VlSltorS at the Worlds Far. It Is located on the lake shore, in the rr- mote southern part of the grounds. but It IS tilr0bged with visitors from early morning until nightfall.
 The convent is a reproduction of the Convent of La Rabida, in the chapel of Which Columbus, discouraged and dis lleartened, sought consolation. Father De Marchena, the Franciscan priest. became interested in the explorer. and enlisted the sympathies of Queen Isa. bella.
 The doors, the windows, tie stair ways. everything are in that ancient Spanish style that makes the visitor feel as though treading on holy ground. Standing m the altar alcove is cross, reproduction of the first cross erected in San Domingo. Beside it stands the door of the prison cell into which Go lumbuS was thrown on his return from his voyage of discovery. In this same room are a number of valuable pictures from the Vatican loaned by his hoii- ness, Pope Leo XIII. Among them there are number of mosaics, the fin est specimens of this class of work in existence. A few feet away they ap- pear to be paintings. The blending of cOlors, the lights and shades are so fine that the casual observer passes with only admiration for the scene presented losing sight of lhe fact that the entire picture is made up of small pieces, none larger than d garden pea and many smaller. Included in the num- Der is The Roman Forum" d piece of considerable size. Another above the facade aud colonnade of St. Peters aud the Vatican palace when the pope from the Loggia blessed the people. In the foreground is crowd of people num- bering thousands, each one of whom is worked out in small bits of different colored marble, varying in size from the point ol pin to squares of all eighth of an inch. St. Peter Weeping" is another of these, after an original painting by Guido Reni, and another is Theology" after an original paint ing by Raphael.
 The Pope sent beautifully bound album of fac-simile reproductions of famous documents relating to Colum- bus now in the archives of the Vatican. It is bound in royal plush and contains the coat-of-arms of the Pope and deli catey wrought corner pieces of solid gold. The binding has for its interior white watered silk.
 The two maps from the Vatican are also objects of great interest. Hang ing in the corridor of the first floor IS the famous BOrgian map, the date of the execution of which is unknown. It is supposed to have been made, how ever. about 1855. It has the straits of Mapellen and the coast line from Nova Scotia to Cape Horn. including the whole of the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coast line of the United States, Cuba and the Bahama Islands, and Central and South America, and 1t IS wonder fully true to the maps of the present day. It shows the Paraguay rlver from it's mouth almost to its source, but the Amazon river appears only as a bay. Ecuador, instead of being shown as part of the mainland, IS erroneously marked as an island. The Mississippi river Is not shown, neither is the Rio Grande. though the mouths of both appear as bays. The other map. which is of au even earlier day, is also correct as far as 1t goes.
 Carefully protected by heavy glass eases is an exhibit of authentic relics of Christopher Columbus. These are a part of the valuable articles loaned by the government of Spain to the | nl- ted States. and they are guarded nlghl and day by regular soldiers. and will he until the close of the exposition. Asa mark of special honor thls coun- try sent wwrship to Spain to bring the exhibits to the United States, and they will be sent back in tue same way next November.
 Among these articles is an original draft drawn by Columbus m loo4 Ill Ia, vor of Viscaiuo Nino. Ihls IS signed with the cryptogram Of Columbus the meaning of which IS yet m dispute and under that "El Almlrante, the admiral. as was i'll vogue those days the signing of the title instead or the name. Alongside of It IS an ofiGiiiai autographic statement of gold soid oy Columbus in Castle. There IS an origl- nal draft of a letter written by Col'im- hus in which he sets forth his claims and privileges. under the royal grants of Ferdinand and Isabella, because ot his discoveries. By this time Colun- hus had been raised to the rank of wee roy and the signature consists or HIS cryptogram, as on the other document aud the words Vice Roi." There IS another draft, drawn by Columbus. and in his own handwriting. for loo gold castpllanos. It is dated Grenada October 23, 1901. ,