St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-11-08


offered by the Knights of Columbus
for the best essay on Christopher
Columbus were announced as fol-
lows: First prize, Katherine Boyn-
ton, grade six, Summer street; sec
ond prize, Eva Torrant, grade eight,
Summerville; third prize, Marjorie
Cramton, grade six, Summer street.
The Caledonian takes pleasure in
publishing the essays in the order of
merit.
Miss Katherine BOyntOn.
Christopher Columbus was born in
Genoa, Italy, 1896.
His father was WOol-cOmber.
Christopher did not care to learn
that trade, but wanted to become d
sailor. So his father sent him to
school where he could learn geogra-
ply, map-drawing and other studies
which would be necessary when he
was at sea. When he was IA years
old Columbus went to sea.
After many exciting adventures he
went to Lisbon and there married
the daughter of a famous sea cap
tain. For a long time after the
marriage Columbus earned his living
by drawing maps and selling them,
and making voyages to different
countries.
The only parts of the world which
were known then were Europe, Asia
and a small part of Africa. Column
bus believed that the earth was
round but the rest of the people
thought it was fat. They had many
queer and terrible ideas about the
ocean, which they called 1.-THE Sea
of Darkness" They thought if
they sailed very far out they would
go over the edge of the earth, and
they told stories of the ''sea mon
sters'' which would eat them alive.
Columbus did not believe all this
foolishness. He wanted to do what
no other man dared, to sail across
the Atlantic ocean and find a short
er way to the East Indies.
Columbus hadn't money enough
to buy ships for himself. He had
lost all his old ships in a sea fight
before he came to Lisbon. He spent
seven years in searching for help.
First he went to the king of Portu-
gal, but the king would not believe
him. He went to other countries
and had no better success. At last
Queen Isabella, who said she would
sell her jewels if necessary. She
bought three ships which she gave
to Columbus.
On August 3, 1892 Columbus sail
ed from Palos. The voyage was a
long and hard one. Columbus men
got frightened after they had been
at sea many days. They threatened
to throw Columbus overheard if he
didn't turn back. Columbus said
that if three more days passed with
out signs of land he would turn
back.
Land was discovered before three
days were over, on October IL, 1892.
Columbus thought he had found the
East Indies and called the island
where he landed San Salvador.
Columbus made three voyages to
this island which was not one of the
East Indies but one in the groups of
islands a little south of the south
ern shore of North America. They
are now called the West Indies.
When Columbus returned from his
third voyage he found that Queen
Isabella was dead.
The king was disappointed that
Columbus did not bring back enough
gold to amount to anything. The
Spanish governor of San Domingo
hated Columbus and as soon as Col
umbus reached that island he was
arrested, put in chains and sent to
Spain, but he proved innocent and
was soon set free.
Columbus was an old man now,
and broken in health. He was poor,
in debt and without a home. He once
wrote to the king saying:
A1a~,4
is not gray, my body is weak and
all that was left to me was taken
away and sold, even to the coat
which 1 wore"
Columbus died of poor health and
a broken heart in the year of 1906.
He was first buried in Spain. Then
his body was taken up and carried
to San Domingo, where he wished
to be buried. Whether it rests there
today, or whether it was carried to
Havana and deposited in the Cattle
dral of that city no one can posi-
lively say. But wherever the grave
of this great sailor may be, his mem
DRY will remain in every heart as
the first man who dared to cross
the ''Sea of Darkness" and he dis
covered America.
Eva Torrant.
Columbus was born in or near
Genoa, Italy, about 1880. He was
the eldest of four children. His faith
er's name was Domenico COLOMBIA
and he was a wool comber. When
Columbus was quite young he was
sent to school, and his father had
his education directed mainly to fit
him out as a navigator as Columbus
was very fond of the sea. When he
was quite young he had many adven-
lures at sea. When he was a young
man he married Dona Felipa; soon
after their son, Diego, was born.
Columbus was much interested in
the maps and charts left him by his