Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-10
A New Route to the Indies
BY Mary Mccoy

About four hundred and fifty years
ago the people of Western Europe
were getting silks, perfumes, shawls
ivory, spices and jewels fro msOuth.
eastern Asia, then called the Indies.
| But the Turks were Conquering the
countries across which these goods
were carried and as it was likely that
the trade would be stopped, the mer-
chants began to ask if somebody could
not find a new route to the Indies.
The King of Portugal thought he
could and began sending his sailors in
search Of q way around Africa. Year
after year his ships sailed down the
west coast each captain going farther
than the one before him, till at last
one of them reached the southern end
of the continent and entered the In
dian ocean. But long before this man
reached the Cape of Good Hope, the
merchants thought the new route to
the Indies would be too long. Then
they asked this question, Can not
somebody find shorter way?" This
question Christopher Columbus tried
| to answer.
Christopher Columbus was born at
Genoa in Italy. And from boyhood
was fond of the sea, fond of study and
especially fond of geography. When
he was fourteen years of age he went
to sea- Now the more he travelled.
and talked with the sailors, and stud
led geography, the surer he became
satisfied that the people who said the
earth was round were right.
Few people then believed this: but
Columbus did and believing it he
thought he could reach the Indies by
sailing westward over the sea as we'll
as travelling eastward over the land.
He went to Portugal and England
and finally to Spain. For seven years
he talked and argued in Spain.
At last nearly broken in health and
almost penniless, he gave up hope, and
was about to leave Spain forever.
When one of his friends Luis St. Angel
pleaded his case before the queen, I'll
take the risk she said at last, Find
him and bring him before me-
st. Angel fastened to obey
"Do you know whether Christopher
Columbus has passed out this gate to-
day." he asked Of the soldier who was
standing on guard at one Of the gates
of the old city of Granada.
hour ago. His mule is rather slow
traveller, and if you follow you can
easily overtake him before he has
gone far
st. Angel galloped onward in pursuit
Of Columbus. 1t was not long Till
slow mule with It's sad rider was seen
plodding along the dusty highway.
christopher Columbus" called his
friend, turn about and come back with
me. I have good news for you. Queen
Isabella bids me say she will help you.
Turn about and come back with me.
One morning in August 1892 there
was a great stir, in the little seaport
of Palos in Spain. The streets full OF
people. Near the shore were three
small ships. They were only little
larger than fishing boats. And in these
small ships Columbus was going to
sail into unknown seas. And to find
a new and better route to India.
Two of the ships the Nina and the
Pinta had no decks and were covered
only at the ends. The third called the
Santa Maria was larger and had deck
and on it's masthead floated the flag
of Columbus.
The last good byes were said. and
the three little vessels glided slowly
out Of the harbor. Two hundred miles
southwest Of Palos Is group of Is
lands called the Canary Islands.
In six days the three little vessels
reached the Canary Islands. The sail
ing had been very slow. The rudder
on one Of the smaller boats had been
broken. They stopped at the Islands
to fix it.
1t was not until the sixth of Septem.
Der that Columbus set sail again.
After they had been sailing o''tes
awhile the sailors began to get dis
couraged, and had about all planned
to throw Columbus overheard into the
sea. When they found out that the
sea was full Of seaweeds. The birds
were flying everywhere about the
ships. Then they were sure they
were near land and did not drown Co.
lumbus
Columbus was to give reward to
the person who saw land first One
night nobody slept. They were all on
the lookout for land. At last one of the
sailors cried. Land, Land, Land!'
Columbus himself had seen a light
moving like somebody running along
the shore with torch.
On October IL. 1892, Columbus land
ed on a beautiful island which he
named San Salvador in honor Of the
king and queen of Spain.
At first he thought he had landed on
the coast of India, so he called the in
habitants Indians.
But it was not India, it was what to-
dow we call "Our own country" and
the adjoining countries which together
make North and South America.
This is one Of my school compost
tons.
Mary S. Mccoy. aged II.
Ottumwa, Iowa, r. F. D. No. 3.