The Washington herald., 1912-06-02

The coming unwilling Of the Columbus
memorial has awakened anew the human
interest which must ever attach to that
great explorer whose restless spirit gave
rs a new worId-that man who, more
than any. other, perhaps. experienced
hopes happiest illusions and knew ita
keenest disappointment
in the ancient city OF Genoa in 144t
christopher Columbus, who, II not the
actual discoverer, at least gave America
10 the world. first saw the light OF day,
This much seems beyond dispute, al
though he was credited with as many
birth places as burial spots. Fairly
versed In Latin. mathematics, nautical
astronomy and geography, at fourteen
he was before the mast. The years
spent in Portugal were Important as q
preparatlon for the momentous under
takinEs OF after years, and his early
dreams OF great discoveries to be made
on AfrIca's western shores became the
germ Of one Of the greatest enterprises
of all time.
II must have required tremendous cour-
age for any man obscure and thread
bare. to seek audience with the Spanish
monarchs, before whom to unfold his
widest projects, and especially at a
time when, as Irving says, "suoh a west
ern voyage into the midse OF that bound
less waste in quest OF visionary lands
must have appeared as extrayagant as
a balloon sent into spec In quest OF
some distant star would appear to-day. y
Compelling Character.
Despite the darker side Of his nature
we must ever feel an admiration for a
character so compelling and so persua-
slve as to command the attention and
fnal support OF Spain's King and Queen
though months OF weary waiting en-
sued before they granted Columbus his
original terms. Leaving Palos August
3. 1892. the sails OF his three little cara
vels unfurled for that mysterious voy-
age across the unknown sea-and the
FIRST scientific voyage Of all the ages
was begun. ... 49,.
Surrounded by men not in sympathy
with him, with g mutinous crew liter
ally forced into his service and threat
ening death to the commander unless
land appeared within a certain time, II
Is not difhcult to realize something OF
that supreme hour when the Ptnta fired
its signal gun and the shores Of new
world became a splendid reality.
/. BIT the character OF the people was a
severe disappointment. Instead of ORR
entail Bplendor, he beheid naked saNases.
hideous in paint and tattoo-a people so
astounded at the-to .them-huge sailing
craft and the white-faced crew that
they called, Come and see the men who
have come down from heaven!
Arrives in Cuba.
Naming this island San Salvador, which
he believed must be the under outskirts
Of India, Columbus turned his vessels
until Cuba was reached-that beautiful
Pearl Of the Antilles, which, TO his ex-
cited imagination, seemed the mainland
OF, India In this belief. he sent two
Spaniards ito inform the Oriental mon
arch OF the coming OF the admiral sent
by Spain TO establish friendly relations
between their distant kingdoms" DIS
appointed In this mission, Columbus
steered his ships in quest OF Babeque,
where he had been told by a native
chief that gold was plenty" Before
morning his flagship, the Santa Maria,
was wrecked and the crew transferred
TO the Nina In this calamity was shown
the hospitality Of Hayti. which by day
and night kept guard over the wrecked
ships stores until removed TO safer
quarters provided by the old Cacique