Evening star., 1938-10-16
RELIGIOUS Fanaticism Started
Columbus West, Says Historian
Story of Explorer Suffers With Too Much Telling
and Fewer Real Facts Are Known of Him
With Passing of Years.
By A. Curtis WHsns.
Washin


OF only few great men in history can it
be said that we know less and less about
them with the passing years But such is
true Of Christopher Columbus, whose dis
coyery Of small portion OF the Western
Hemisphere is remembered each year on
October II. On this day throughout the
hemisphere, and in other parts of the world
as we'll the name Of this intrepid navigator
is on many lips and school children praise
his deeds.
But though his name is so widely men,
toned, he is still virtually an unknown man
an historical enigma and one of the most
mysterious characters OF the worlds past.
More legends and myths have doubtless
grown up about his name than about the
name of any other historical parsonage.
. Certainly less is known about Columbus
than about many great figures in fiction or
fact. Without doubt the story of the ex-
plorer has suffered from too much telling,
for many persons have elaborated the tale
with wishful thinking and fictitious fancy
Who then, was Columbus? Where and
when was he born? What was his early
life? What did he look like? Was he edu-
Gated or illiterate? Was he a good sailor
and navigator and a good Colonial admin
istrator? Was he better or worse than the
men of his time When, where and how
did he die? Where is he buried? These and
many other questions about him cannot be
answered by historians of today with any
degree Of certainty.
Claimed by Greeks
Only short time ago small book with
a big title was published called Christopher
Columbus Was Greek and His Real Name
. was Nikolaos Ypshilantis From the Greek
Island of Chios." But the arguments Of
fered by its author, Spyros Cateras, were
even less supported by proof than are those
in other books which attempt to discuss the
origin of Columbus. Some serious scholars
would have us believe that Cristobal Colon,
as he is called in Spanish. was really
navigator named Christopherus Sanchez
Enrlquez, while others say that his name
was Portuguese in origin being Salvador
Gonzales Zarco. Still other authorities give
him Jewish and non-Christian names
Probably for all time we shall be uncertain
on this point.
When and where was he born? The find
Ing OF the answers to this question may well
make any mans name immortal There
are Is cities in Italy where the traveller
today may see the birthplace" of Column
bus. And outside of Italy there are dozen
places in Spain, Portugal and France where
the tourist will also be shown the ancestral
home Of the admiral Certainly some one
will again discover" another birthplace. for
realtors and tourist bureaus are ever inter-
ested in the problem.
The date of Columbus birth. according
to the best authorities cannot be fixed
definitely, but he probably saw the light of
day between l446 and 145l. Unfortunately
no birth record exists, or is it ever likely
to be found, so that this question cannot
be settled to the satisfaction of all scholars
Early Life Is Blank
We know practically nothing about the
early life Of the discoverer 1t has never
been proved that Columbus attended a uni
versity or that he ran away to sea. or that
his father was a woolcomber. 1t is not
known whether Columbus travelled widely
before the year of his great discovery. The
pages of his early life. like those of George
washington, are crowded with legend, myth
and fiction, all of which makes interesting
reading but poor history.
There are at least Al different portraits
. Of Columbus, no two of which seem to de-
pict the same individual and none of which
seems to have been painted during his life
time. These pictures show many varied
characteristics and range from a French
appearing dandy to a half -witted- looking
man with a basket of eggs on his arm
staring foolishly at an egg which he holds
up before him. No doubt this portrait aims
to perpetuate the story OF Columbus and the
egg, known to all school children. like the
,cherry tree story Of George Washington,
which is probably apocryphal, being an in
vention of an early historian. Even the
friends Of Columbus differed in describing
his appearance Some said that he had red
hair, others that it was light. Some said
that he was of middle stature others that
ne was above medium height. Some said
that ne had a white complexion, others
That ne was OF ruddy countenance.
A great English authority on Columbus,
the late Cecil Jane, believed that the dis
eoverer may very probably have been
hliterate when he sailed westward. He also
sees proof that the admiral was poor navi-
gator and only reached America because
the other two ships of his small fleet were
In charge of the Pinzon brothers. both of
whom were excellent navigators. Certainly
Columbus was poor sailor for he was
seasick much OF the time and fiat on his
back in bed. Mr.. Jane also believed that
Columbus was a poor colonial admins
trator-there is ample proof for ths-and
that he always caused dissension among his
followers. This authority believed that the
discoverer was religious fanatic who
sailed westward with the fixed idea than
he had been appointed by God to convert
the heathen. wherever they might be found
to Christianity.
s The character Of Columbus has been
criticised by many Investigators, for he vas