The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-02-05
SPAIN IN A JIFFY
BY Arthur Walbrldge North, Author
Of Camp and Canine


OF Camp and Canine
Palos, Spain, Jan. 1.--For a nom
ent we lay in dead calm where the
slack tide met the sluggish waters
Of the Rio Tinto and the Huelva.
Then came the merest wisp of a
breeze trickling along the CLASSY sur
face and taking before 1t our light
craft glided forward toward the
wharf on the western shore OF the
Tinto. Inland furlong from the
landing stretched fine avenue OF
saplings leading to a bluff set with
garden shaded by tall trees. The
bluff was crowned with a monastery
high above which lowered an impress
siye white column.
"The monument to Cristobal Colon
senior" vouchsafed my Spanish cap
tain, marking the priory OF La Ra-
bida. Yonder to the left among the
trees lies Palos town, but only at
high tide can we there make land.
ing. Here Colon lived befriended by
the good Padre Juan Perez de March.
ent, who finally when the Moorish
war was over secured for him an au.
dencia with the very Catholic Queen
Isabella. You have seen Granada,
senor?"
My thoughts barking back to Christ
mas, crowded seven days past, !
nodded. Was | not on that festival
in the very hall OF ambassadors
where the queen receiving Columbus
had granted him the long sought
commission?
ITO our right" continues the cap
tain, you can well nigh see just
where the river waters flowing past
yonder point of this small peninsula
lose themselves in the ocean. Listen
hard by that point Colon, boarding
his caravel. was blessed by the good
padre. That was long long ago; but
in the priory there is painting OF
those days showing the embarcation. "
Leaving the crew." an ancient
Spaniard. in charge OF the craft. the
captain escorts me to the heights,
With an abrupt leftward turn the av.
enue suddenly leaves its 1.-THE sap
lings, ascending between rows. OF
stately palms toward the slender
globe crowned white shaft. On the
crest, amidst sweet scented roses and
wilderness OF blooming geraniums
/ paused in the dreamy sunlight, mon
ument and priory ahame in the soft
glow Once, on a day like this, In
June, | had visited Mt. Vernon, and
as then so now | stood reverently
impressed with the essentially of q
single man. AS we approached the
priory a small maiden gazed at us
inquiringly. from the ancient portal
which had offered haven to Colum
bus.
Nina" said the Captain. kindly
greeting the child, and for the firsl
time | appreciated the name of Col
umbus' bark, Little Girl" Was the
frail caravel christened thus in that
spirit of scoffing ever shown those
in advance of their age? Here you
Christobal Colon, here is the Nina
Sail along with her. you'll get about
as far as a little girl could lead one.
Presently we were shown seven
by-nine bedroom. barren, dark, save
for one small window piercing the
| thick wall. Here Columbus lived.
peered through the window. The
narrow blue strait leading to the At
lantic was the sole prospect. Fol
the seven years prior to August. 1892
this, with the passing caravels of the
day, was the view spread before Col
umbus. Now, with slow wreaths o
dense smoke, a great Glasgow freigh
err was entering on the tide, ready I,
take from the Huelva wharfs a car
go OF copper ore. What collosa
irony of Dame Fortunel Here. a
Palos. Columbus, and thirty years la
ter, Cortez and Pizarro foregathereI
and intent on voyaging in search o
transatlantic treasure. left at thei
very doors mineral wealth create
than that which they were to snatch
from a reluctant Montezuma or tor
tured Inca. Indeed, II remained 10
SNUG English mining engineers II
recent years to develop these Ri
Zinto and Tharsis mines now repres
enting some fifty million pounds o
invested British capital.
And this reminds me that mus
90 aield, even though the impulse b
to write but OF Palos the spell Q
which is close wrought about me
And yet all Spain is fascinating. l
the past nineteen days I've covere
some three thousand miles here
abouts. Nine Of the nights found m
sitting up in some narrow train con
partment. there being no provisio
for rest. And yet, even though nign
before last ladrone robbed me Will
| slept, still | say Spain is fascin'
ting.
Quickly over one falls the spe
OF it's blue sky and It's sunshine, ca
thedrals and palaces, its hospitabl
sons and its "salted"--how can on
translate the strange Andalusla
term for verve and charm In girl
senoritas. And what abandon an
witchery does mark the graceiu
dancing OF these same daughters o
the Moorl
spain is the least visited OF Euro
mean countries. They tell me ina
the other day King Alfonso, who j
game and possesses some moderl
ideas exclaimed, THE rest OF Eu
rope corners all the tourists mi
lionsl what's wrong7 Suppose W
improve our roads that they may IN
vile the motorists and incldentall
drop bit OF hauteur."
Here's hoping his suggestions oea
truitl IT,. N.