Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-07-29
Ingenious Stratagem OF COlum.
bus.

Thou Luther of the darkened deepl
Nor less intrepid, too, than he
Whose courage broke earth 8 bigot sleep,
While thine unbarred the sea!
During the fourth voyage Of Colum'
bus, while prosecuting his discoveries
among the West India Islands and along
the coast Of the continent, his vessels,
from continuous subsection to the tenn
pestuous weather, and being, to use
his own expression, "bored by the
worms as full of holes as honeycomb, v
were reduced to mere wrecks, unable to
keep the sea, and were finally stranded
on the shore of Jamaica. Being beyond
the possibility of repair, they We're fit
ted up for the temporary use of Colum.
bus, who was in feeble health, and of
such Of his crew as were disabled by
sickness, those who were we'll being
sent abroad for assistance and supplies.
Their immediate wants were amply
provided for, Diego Mendez having
made arrangements with the natives
for daily exchange of knives, combs,
beads, fish hooks. &C.. for cassava bread
fish and other provisions. In the
course Of short time, however, pro-
visions became scarce, and the supplies
began gradually to fall off. The ar.
rangements for the daily deliverance Of
certain quantities were irregularly at
tended to, and finally ceased entirely
The Indians no ipnger thronged to the
barber with provisions, and often re-
fused them when applied for. The
Spaniards were obliged to forage about
the neighborhood for their daily food,
but found more and more difficulty in
procuring it; and now, in addition to
their other causes of dependency, they
began to entertain horrible apprehen.
sions of famine.
The admiral heard the melancholy
forebodings of his men. and beheld the
growing evil, but was at loss for a
remedy. To resort to force was an al.
tentative full of danger, and of but
temporary efficacy. 1t would req uire
all those who We're we'll enough to bear
arms to sally forth, while he and the
rest of the in6rm would be left defence
less on board the wreck, exposed to the
vengeance of the natives.
In the meantime the scarcity daily
increased. The Indians perceived the
the wants of the white men, and had
learned from them the art of making
bargains. They asked ten times the
former quantity of European articles
for given amount of provisions, and
brought their supplies in scsnty guam
titles, to enhance the eagerness of the
Spaniards. At length even this relief
ceased, and there was an absolute dis
tress for want of food. the natives with
holding all provisions, in hopes either
Of starving the admiral and his people,
or of driving them from the island.
In this extremity, fortunate idea
suddenly presented itself to Columbus.
From his knowledge of astronomy, he
ascertained that within three days
there would be total eclipse Of the
moon, in the early part of the night.
He sent, therefore, an Indian of the
island Of Hispaniola, who served as his
interpreter, to summon the principal
caciques to a grand conference, appoint
ing for it the day Of the eclipse. When
all were assembled, he told them, by
his interpreter, that he and his fellows
were worshippers of diety who lived
in the skies; that this diety favored
such as did well, but punished all
transgressors; that, as they must all
have noticed, be had protected Diego
Mendez and his companions in their
voyage, they having gone in obedience
to the orders of their commander, but
that, on the other hand, he had visited
Francisco de Porras and his companions
with all kinds of crosses and Affections,
in consequence of their rebellion; that
this great deity was incensed against
the Indians who had refused or neg
lected to furnish his faithful worship
pers with provisions, and intended to
chastise them with pestilence and fam.
inc. Lest they should disbelieve this
warning, signal would be given that
very night in the heavens, They would
behold the moon change its color, and
gradually lose its light,-a token of
the fearful punishment which awaited
them.