The Elbert County tribune., 1912-06-21
AzaSH oVAIA2ASeSAOORS -HlHE2E
CCHLIA5Z'S HIS REGEIYED


finances are absolutey drained by this war"
Still she could not renounce the project. and re-
mained much attentive to 1t than TO the
wonderful plaster palace into which the court had
just moved. Thither came Don Luis de Santangel
treasurer of the church revenues and stanch
friend of Columbus and sought audience with her
majesty. He asked in amazement If she would
let the patry Columbus demanded deprive
her and Spain OF Unreasonable glory. Ail he
needs TO set the expedition ahoat. said Santange
lis a million maravedi!' (between three and five
thousand dollars) and he straghtway offered to
advance the money.
This generous offer seems have piqued its
royal hearer into proper contempt for the courts
niggardlness. Also It put end to her mis-
givings and to her Difference to Ferdinand's opin-
ion. For the first time the scheme broke upon
her in all its grandeur and the palace wall that
had echoed many languorous Arabian love
songs rang to her stirring cry: Il will under
take this enterprise for my own kingdom OF Cas-
tile! And if its treasury is empty will convert
my jewels into the necessary money"
So messengers dispatched instantly to
bring Columbus back. They overlook him some
ten miles on just he crossing the Bridge
of Pinos-a fine little stone structure with turrets
and abutments. massively built for the Cubillas
has great volume there In spring. This Pinos.
an ancient Roman town, is prettfly situated at the
foot of the Sierre de Elvira. 1t has been the
of many bloody encounter between Mos
lem and Christian. In 1919 the Castilians suffered
frightful defeat there at the hands of the Moors.
both the royal princes Don Pedro and Don Juan,
being killed. But Pinos great date is 1892. when
a lonely traveller on mueback. pondering detected
ly on how large part OF his life had away
and must still wear away in frutless solicitings.
halted on the bridge by the queens messen-
gers and brought back to Granada. That bridge
more than any other spot in Europe tsave perhaps
the convent of La Rabida) should be held sacred
by Americans. Yet few take the trouble to visit
It, though many climb to the spot in the mountain
now called The Moor's Last Sigh"
Columbus soul-slck of royal promises. needed
much urging he left the little bridge and
turned back: but when next he rode his mule out
of Granada his head and his hopes high.
his heart sang; the capitulations had been signed
Santa Fe and he carried in his pocket order
to the citizens OF the little port OF Palos to fur
nish him with ships and Thus this most
momentous and adventurous journey ever re
corded in history may truly be considered to have
begun in Granada.
Today this city OF many memories ia de-
scribed as living ruin" But even the city
itself has suffered mildly compared with the AL
hambra. Charles ", Isabellas grandson. pulled
down a large portion of II In order to erect his
still unfinished Renaissance residence. The Sala
de los Mocarabes and the Court of Lions were
injured by powder explosion Just hundred
years after Columbus eyes had first gazed on
them. In 171s Philip V. took for his personal
the revenues formerly assigned for the preserva-
tion of the Alhambra and the famous building fell
into total neglect.
Down below the hilltop. in the city Itself, dirt
and decay reign where the Moorish nobility had
their palaces. The Spanish. Immediately after
their conquest erected some fine buildings prln.
cipally the superb Gothic cathedral built as the
mausoleum Of Ferdinand and Isabella But these
too. are in sad need of preservation