The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1923-08-31
COLUMBUS DAY

stitious. He never knew that tn,
"Indies" bordered on new cont
nent. He declared that the eartl
was pear-shaped, with the Garden o.
Eden at its apex, which he located
at the source of the Orinoco (o1
whatever river it was that he dis
covered) writings, 400. He declared
that the "Holy Trinity" had inspired
him with the knowledge that he coult
reach Indian by sailing due west
Writings, s3). Some young women
sent by a wicked magician, having
magic power concealed in thei,
clothes, came aboard at the place, but
he escaped humiliation by promptly
sending them ashore (Orig. Doc, 400
Writings, .225).
Columbus Revealed Traits of Trickery
He required his crew to subscribe
to his erroneous idea concerning the
land he had discovered, under threat
of heavy fine for officers, and com.
mon sailors to have their tongues
torn out, if they recanted (Winsor
1866. The common sailor named
Triana, who first sighted land, was
defrauded Of the reward promised by
Isabella, Columbus claiming he had
seen a light the previous night. II
was paid him annually from the rev.
enues of the slaughterhouse at Sc.
vile Helps, 176; Winsor, 2o9).
He pretended to have had celes.
tial vision, and had a book of prob.
ecies compiled to show that he was
parsonage foretold in the Scrip.
lures (Orig. Doc, 100, 404, Ala, foot.
note).
It is quite obvious that his recall
from the New World and his virtual
Imprisonment was due to his tyran.
meal rule and his diversion Of roya'
perquisites to his own pocket. This
may be seen from his lame explana.
ton of the gold and jewels found in
his possession when superseded by
Bobadilla (Orig. Doc, 373). Boba.
dilla and Fonseca, his chief oppo.
nents, were ecclesiastics. Fonsecs
had many bishoprics and was called
"the third king Of Spain"
There is no proof that Columbus
ever offered to undertake a voyage
on behalf of his "native land" HI
tried to sell his allegiance to Por.
tugal and was finally accepted by
the Spanish sovereigns. When he
felt confident of their interest hi
threatened to go to France.
Henry Vignaud pretty conclusively
shows that Columbus was possessed
of specific information concerning
certain islands in the Western ocean
obtained from a shipwrecked pilot
who died in his house. The Pinzor
brothers, who contributed one of thu
ships of his feet, are said to have
been French seamen who had taken W
abode in Spain after desertion or mu
tiny in the French navy, and thai
they, too, had seen such island.
(Parkman, Pioneers of France, 1907
The disappearance of the maps
and log of the Cabots was laid to the
Spanish ambassador (Winsor, 343)
A document from the Spanish ar.
chives, recently published, justifes
suspicion (Orig. Doc, 430). Similar
grounds may be ascribed for the pau
city Of written evidence as to Morse
Portuguese, French and other voy.
ages. The Bulls issued by Alexander
vi, May 8 and 4, 1893, bestowed thu
New World on Spain, and the priest.
hood would naturally seek to uphold
the justice of this award bulls art
cited in full in Spanish history by
Navarrete, II, %, ,2s, 100. I wish
they might be brought out in English
by the Congressional Record.
Columbus Moral Conduct Not Abov.
Ronronch