Evening star., 1919-04-06
Gothic Window Is the Only Relic Of Columbus

IOuay II mlSnt nave less Weisht' poi
haps. but in those times the rigid
rules by which noble families named
their children were broken only for
some very special cause. Now, ~hi!e,
according to such precedents' ths
child should have been called atter
his maternal grandfather. he was
given this name Of Christopher,-un-
known in the family. And this hith-
erto unknown name Of Chrlstopher
remained among the descendants or
Esmeraldo." says the Lisbon Acade-
mician, -"even when the direct maie
line was extraordinarily to show
the relations between their fore-
father and the great admiral to whose
tenacity and genius were due the dis
covery of the new world"
The local traditions of Columbus'
early days in this house have been
embodied in an historical novel,
."rhe Daughter of Tristan des
Damas." by J. Refs Comes and pub
lished at Funchal
Columbus was quite young man:
With plenty of glossy fair curls."
DEsmenault (Esmeraldo), "the rich
Hrenchman n settled in Madeira.
Columbus. was "eldersh. clean
shaven, stout and with a kindly and
open expression"
According to this ancient gossip.
Columbus had imagined himself In
love with the daughter Of one
him TO. Dona Isabel Moni. and her
daughter Filippa. whom he did. as
historical fact. afterward marry.
They belonged to "the oldest aris-
tocracy"; but 1t was an aristocracy
which enriched itself by fitting out
even heading the adventure in per-
son. Esmeraldo was too rich. busy.
elderly and stout for such trips, but
he wanted to push young Columbus.
for whom he had conceived great
friendship and sdmiration. He gave
Of the mansion, where he 1colum.
bus) had sort of office Uhe room
of the wlndow) for the drawing and
painting OF his sea maps" by which
the young dreamer made his living.
Let us peep into the window from
the outside.
Five hundred and forty-fve years
ago.
On a summer afternoon. a year
later in the square room of Christie.
piers apartment, on a big table. sew
eral maps were spread. torn and yell
lowish, spheres and models Of ships:
and there. in hot conversation, were
old Joao Esmeraldo. Christopher Co
lumbus and Pedro Correa. ex-captain
of Porto Santo and his future
brother-in-law.
"The adventure Of seeking those
seas Is to be feared" said Esmeraldo.
Look at poor Alfonso Sanches whom
have lately sheltered, and the hard.
ships which he has suffered! l feat
that he will not live long"
In ~ vat& l@tv
ed in Correa. The governor OF
Machico seemed not to think so in
his hour Of need" interrupted Co.
lumbus. Alfonso had to come to
you. Nicer Joao!' Esmeraldo an,
swered gently. eve. We're nearer at
always care for humble people"
siage of Columbus. The town of
Funchal developing rapidly in riches
and population, these mixed mar
riages with foreigners are becoming
frequent.
Il have already met your lovely
bride at my house." says Goncalyes
to Columbus. on page 96. II wonder
ed II the marriage could take place
as early as YOU had fxed. as hear
dying"
1t Is. of course, the famous Ship
wrecked pilot" Of historic legend. In
his death scene. on page 12S, the
old man sketches into a map the
lands which he had seen on his
tragic voyage. All happened, re-
member. in this house of the window,
which silly municipality has de.
molished wantOnly.
Historically. Gaspar Fructuoso, in
his "Sandades da Terra" written IN
1850, gives the shipwrecked pilot
rather fully: y,
"A man of Italian nation, from
Genoa. called Christovam Colon, ma
tive from Gogores or Nervi, a Seica
from Genoa. owner Of no big property,
but clever and handy IN the art OF
navigation. having come to this Is!
land OF Madeira. there he married and
lived by sketching sea maps" wrote
Fructuoso Now to this island came,
In 1896, ship. some say from BIS.
caya, others from Anda1usia,i or even
from Portugal, which. having sailed
with contrary winds. came abon faiids
we now call West Indies or itrw
world. ' = -
THE pilot. whose name and nation.
ality are ignored. though some ats-
sure he was a Portuguese, aha Il Hw,
two or three, Of his comrades, cannot
give an account Of their travelling dn-
guided through the ocean in Its un.
known part but they came, at last,
to lands which they had never seen
before or heard spoken of.
"A tempest took them there, and
another storm brought them back,
but SO worn out that only the pilot
and three other men could cccana mud