Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-05-25

to the enchanted Isle Of San Domingo.
Curious old prints show the current
ficti0ns Of the time, against which the
prOsaic data of today seem tame. Here
the natives are pictured like apes, the
bodies covered with hair, long arms
with claw-ike fingers. They live In
trees. So large are these feathery
palms that a family takes refuge in
the top and hurls stones down upon the
white men. Bread is gathered by hold
ing baskets under trees. Surely here
the curse of Adam is lifted. Fish come
out on the shore to be caught, pea1ls
lie along the beach, and the waves daily
wash up a harvest Of gold that has
only to be gathered. Coral is corded
like wood and the rarest trees Of the
forest are cut up into rude paddles
to propel reed and skin beats. Here
are beetles as large as bats, alligators
that are captured by running long
pole down the throat, birds of wonder
full plumage, untold wealth, heather to
christianize.
How hose children of the forest must
have fed in terror when this old lom-
bard Numbered from Fort Conception
and the bell, now black ana broken
but still showing it's curious ornamental
ton, rang the matin and veSperS. No
less terrifying would be these cumber-
der blades of Toledo. This jointed az
NOR, like the shells of the giant beetles,
could be taken off and put on again
by the white magicianS without their
suffering any pain. No wonder many
embraced the cross, that mystic sym
Dol through whose power these mar
velous things were done
Now all that remains of the town of
Isabella is a heap of hewn stones tax
Ell from the fort, the governors house
or the chapel, the foundations of which
have been finally obliterated. A few
more historical paintings complete that
dramatic life; the return in triumph,
later voyages, chains, prison, death.
On the threshold of his first voyage
Queen Isabella's admiral knelt before
the holy family in the chapel and slept
i'll one of these narrow cells. The door
of back walnut, iron-barred, nail-stud-
ded, the Intel scarce five feet high,
compelled this tall, broad man to make
a low ObeiSance in entering For fur
niture he had bench, a clucifix, a
pallet of straw on the stone floor Here
he dreamed and here the results of
his dream are brought together; the
records, the few remains.
The books, pictures, manuscripts, ar
NOR, models of ships, historic paint
ingS come from the Escrrial, the Vati-
can and from the greatest libraries and
galleries of the world The new world
contributes the stones he laid, and
Specimens Of the island fauna and flora.
In the other alcoves are collections
relating to the voyages of his predeces-
sors. The drawing-board face of Kub-
lai Khan, who did a pleasure dome de-
cree, smirks ceiestially above the beard
ed face Of Marco Polo. Charts show
the way of peril by which Left Erikson
came to the Charles river near Boston
in the year 1000. The Morse fort is
pictured here and the model of a viking
ship. Spanish occupation of North
America is illustrated by relics from ST.
Augustine, New Mexico and the land
OF the AZtecs Maps and charts and
coli, passes and mariners logs line the
walls and priceless manuscripts fill the
cases. The visitor fights with Cortez,
the fair god, sinks in the Mississippi
with De Soto, searches the everglades
for the fountain of youth with Ponce
de Leon.
But primarily the exhibit is Columbus
redivivuS. He lives again in his deeds
on these walls. Every step in his wan
behring's is so graphically portrayed
tllat when you come to the great can
vas that represents his death it is star
ting. His son kneels at the head of
his cot, a candle burns at either end
group of monks in brown cowls are
int EinS prayer. One stands with bis
face hid, an emaciated hand extended.
The coverlet is drawn up about the
face and only the white hair sweeping
back from the forehead can be seen.
You are glad that the artist has been
so true to his theme that even in death
the square, determined jaw is not ieen
to drop helplesSly, as if his great pur-
poses We're abandoned