when he saw the Spaniards had taken up their abode in his country, and
ordered all his fighting men to be ready to drive them away. A brave man
named Diego Mendez offered to reconnoitre the Indian camp, and soon
returned to tell Columbus that he had seen a thousand Indians who seemed to
be arrayed for battle. After this, with only one companion, he contrived to
get to the chief's village, pretending that he was a surgeon, and could
cure a wound Quibain had received in some skirmish. As he approached the
house a horrible sight awaited him; for on a level plain in front of it the
heads of three hundred men were fixed on poles. This was enough to give a
terrible idea of the fury of Quibain, if it were once roused. Mendez was
not allowed, however, to enter the cacique's dwelling; and went back to the
settlement to tell Columbus what he had seen, and the news he had heard
that the Indians were coming to burn their houses and ships.
Now, as we have said before, Bartholomew Columbus was a very brave man, and
he set out from Belen with Diego Mendez, and about seventy armed men in
boats, and soon landed at the foot of the hill on which the chief dwelt.
Then he ascended the hill with only Diego and four men besides, ordering
the others to rush forward at the firing of a gun. Bartholomew went alone
to the spot where Quibain was sitting in the open air, and pretending to
look at his arm, held it tight until his comrade fired the gun which should
summon the rest. He had much ado to hold the chief in his grasp, but he
kept firm until he was bound hand and foot. The house was soon surrounded,
and all the family of Quibain were taken prisoners without the shedding of
a drop of blood; and Bartholomew returned to the settlement laden with
spoils, amongst which were many massive gold ornaments, and two coronets of
gold.
Quibain was committed to the care of the pilot of the fleet, and was tied
by a strong cord to a bench in the pilot's boat. In the darkness of night
the chief complained of the tightness of the cord, and the pilot, touched
with pity, loosened it, holding the end of it in his hand. When he was
looking another way for a moment, the wily Indian plunged into the water
and disappeared; the pilot of course was obliged to let go his hold or he
would have been pulled in after him.
Columbus now thought that since the greatest enemy of the Spaniards had
thus perished, and the river was again filled by the heavy rains, he might
safely return to Spain, and he sailed out of the harbour. But Quibain had
not been drowned; he swam cleverly to the shore, and when he found his
house deserted, he assembled all his warriors, intending to take his
revenge. Some of the Spaniards who were to remain were straying carelessly
about, when these wild men rushed out of their hiding places in the deep
woods, and killed and wounded several of them. Bartholomew and Mendez soon
drove them back with their fire arms; but Diego Tristan, the captain of one
of the vessels, who had gone on shore with eleven men to get wood and
water, was cruelly killed by the Indians, and only one Spaniard of the
whole party survived to tell the tale. So the remainder shut themselves up
in a fortress they made of a boat and some chests and casks, and defended
themselves as well as they could by their fire arms.
Columbus, meanwhile, was pursuing his voyage, and meant to touch at
Hispaniola on his way to Spain. Some of the Indian captives who were on
board his ship, escaped; the others killed themselves in their despair.
Diego Tristan not having returned to the admiral's vessel with his boat, a
brave pilot swam to the shore and gained tidings of all that had happened.
Columbus now resolved to break up his settlement, and take all his people
back to Spain, but even this he could not do for a very long time. First of
all a storm arose, as terrific as the previous ones had been: he was in the
deepest anxiety, when one night he had fallen asleep, he heard, in a dream,
a voice that consoled him for all that he had suffered, and reminded him of
the never-failing mercy of God, so that when he awoke he had fresh hope and
courage in his heart.
And before long there was a calm, which enabled him to reach the fortress
where his brother and his brave comrades were in such great distress. The
caravel that was with them was too much damaged to be of farther use, and
they were obliged to leave it behind. Thankful indeed were the Spaniards to
leave the country of Veragua, where they had gone through so many troubles
and left many of their countrymen lying dead. They embarked in the three
vessels that were left, but one of these was soon found to be in a very
dangerous condition, and the whole company crowded on two wretched
caravels. They could not reach Hispaniola on account of the storms, and
were glad to put into the harbour of St. Gloria, at Jamaica, where they
gave up the struggle. The two vessels were now run aground and tied
together, and cabins were constructed at the prow and stern, which were the
only parts of the caravels above water. They were thatched with straw, to
keep out the rain, and here for one long year Columbus remained with his
crew, forsaken and in much misery. The Indians indeed brought them cassava
bread, and fish and flesh, for which they gave them the usual toys and
beads; but how were they to make known their distress to Ovando, that he
might send vessels to their relief? At last the brave and faithful Mendez,
the only one who would undertake such a perilous journey, ventured in a
canoe with six Indians and one Spaniard to reach the island of Hispaniola.
The first time he tried he was surrounded by the savages and carried off by
them, but he contrived to make his escape and returned alone to the
harbour: it is not known what became of his companions. The second time he
tried he succeeded in reaching the island. During his absence a number of
the crew rebelled; Columbus, rising from his sick bed, endeavoured vainly
to pacify them, but they forsook him and went on shore, where they behaved
very ill to the Indians.
Eight months passed before Columbus received any tidings of Mendez, and he
began to fear that he had been killed by the savages or had perished in his
frail canoe. At last a messenger came from Hispaniola, and said that Ovando
would send a vessel for the forlorn band as soon as he had one large enough
to hold them all. When Columbus knew that they would be rescued, in the
greatness of his soul he offered a free pardon to the men who had
rebelled, and offered to take them safely to Spain if they would return to
the path of duty; all that he required was that their ringleader should be
kept a prisoner. But this bad man would not let them accept the pardon, and
persuaded some of the Indians to join them and take up their weapons
against Columbus. Bartholomew, of the martial spirit, had to go on shore
and quell the disturbance by force; after this their spirit was broken, and
they confessed their misdeeds and asked Columbus to forgive them. Ovando
sent two vessels, and Columbus then took them all on board and gave them
money to buy food and clothing, of which they were in sore need: he
succoured alike those who had been faithful throughout and those who had
rebelled, remembering how the merciful Lord maketh the sun to shine on all.
On his way to Spain he touched at St. Domingo, and embarked afresh.
Scarcely had he left the shore when the mast of his ship was carried away
by a squall. Storms went with him all the way home, and he was wearied out
with pain and anxiety when he anchored in the harbour of St. Lucar, never
more to sail on the sea he loved so well.
He only lived eighteen months after his arrival. The remainder of his life
may be told in a few sad words. Queen Isabella, his friend and patron, died
only a few days after his return to Spain. The King refused to listen to
his claim for the just reward of his services and those of his brave
companions, and it reflects no honor on the Spanish monarch that he allowed
him to pass the last days of his useful life in poverty and neglect.
On Ascension day, the 6th of May of the year 1506, Columbus died at
Valladolid. Friends were around him as he sank to rest, saying, with his
last breath, "Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit." And it may be that
the hardships he had endured, and the insults and reproaches of his
fellow-men, made him long more earnestly for that better land, fairer than
the loveliest island that had risen up from the ocean before his astonished
gaze, the land of the redeemed, where "the Lamb which is in the midst of
the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them into living waters; and God
shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."
As if to make amends for the neglect he had experienced whilst on earth his
remains were interred with great pomp in the convent of St. Francis at
Seville. They were removed three times after that, and now rest in the
cathedral of the Havannah at Cuba. He made by his will his son Diego his
heir, and ordered that one of his family should always reside at Genoa,
which shows that he preserved an affectionate remembrance of his native
city until the last days of his life.
His son Fernando tells us that he had a long face, a bright complexion, an
aquiline nose, and lively eyes of clear grey, which seemed to enforce
obedience. His hair was fair in his youth, but began to turn white when he
was only thirty years of age, which made him look much older than he really
was. He was very frugal, and dressed with great simplicity. Although
naturally hasty in temper he treated all persons around him with extreme
gentleness and kindness, and was always ready to succour those who were in
trouble or need. He was sincerely religious, and never omitted to praise
and to pray to God during his voyages either morning or night. In calm
weather and in stormy the voices of the mariners chanting their matins and
vespers rose from the lonely sea. Sunday to him was always a day of rest,
and he would never set sail on that day if he could avoid doing so.
This chapter ought not to end without the relation of the well-known story
of Columbus and the egg. One day, after his triumphal return from his first
voyage, he was dining at the table of the Grand Cardinal of Spain, and one
of the grandees present asked him if he did not think others could have
found out the way to the new shore as well as himself. Upon this Columbus
took an egg, and asked each person present to make it stand on the table.
Not one being able to do so, Columbus took the egg, and, breaking one end
of it, made it stand upright. Then he said that if one showed the way it
was easy enough for others to follow in his steps, just as the company
assembled could each make the egg stand on the table now that he had shown
them how to do it.
FOOTNOTES:
[12] A caravel was a small light bark, more fitted to sail on a river than
to cross the stormy seas.
[13] Salvador, Spanish for Saviour.
[14] A copper coin of Spain, thirty-four of which are worth one real.
[15] _Navidad_, Spanish for Nativity.
[16] Trinidad, Spanish for Trinity.
[17] Gracias a Dios, Spanish for "Thanks be to God."
[18] See Washington Irving.
[19] Now called Panama.
THE CHEVALIER DU BAYARD.
Pierre de Terrail Bayard was born in the year 1475, at the castle of
Bayard, in Dauphine. His ancestors had long been feudal lords of the part
of the province whence they took their name, and were always renowned for
their valour and loyalty. The great-great-grandfather of Pierre died in the
Battle of Poictiers at the feet of his king, John of France: his
great-grandfather fell at Cressy; his grandfather at Montheri; and his
father received so many wounds in an action with the Germans that he could
never after leave his Castle of Bayard. And when he was getting feeble, and
felt that his days were numbered, he called his four sons around him, and
asked each one of them what state of life he would choose for himself.
The eldest replied that he would like always to live at the old Castle of
Bayard, amongst his own people; so his father said to him, "Very well,
George, since you are so fond of home, you shall stay here and fight the
bears." Pierre, the second son, then thirteen years old, said that he
desired to follow the profession of arms, as his father had done; and that
he trusted through the grace of God to acquit himself with honour therein.
The third son said he would like to have an abbey, like his uncle, the
Monseigneur of Esnay, and the youngest wished to be a bishop, like his
uncle of Grenoble.
The Sire du Bayard rejoiced very much at the choice little Pierre had made,
but as he could not decide at once where he should be trained for the
service of his country, he sent in haste for his brother-in-law, the Bishop
of Grenoble, that he might tell him the glad news and ask his advice in the
matter.
The bishop came, and made good cheer at the Castle, several gentlemen of
Dauphine having been invited thither to render him honour. He was as much
delighted as the Sire du Bayard at the thought that Pierre would maintain
the glory of his ancestors, and the day after his arrival advised that he
should enter the service of Charles, Duke of Savoy. The Duke was then at
Chambery, a place not far from the Castle, and the Bishop of Grenoble
proposed taking his nephew to him the next morning.
Thus it was settled that little Pierre should leave his home for ever, and
part with his brothers, his merry playmates in the woods and fields around
Bayard, and his gentle mother, who loved him perhaps above all her other
sons; but his father felt that he was getting weaker every hour, and since
he was not rich, he was very anxious to provide for the welfare of his
children as far as he could before he died.
First of all, however, it was agreed that Pierre must be equipped as a
page, and the Bishop sent for his own tailor, bidding him bring with him
satin and velvet, and all that was necessary for a page's dress in those
days. The tailor had to work hard all night, and the next morning, Pierre
in his new habit went down into the courtyard and mounted a war-horse,
which stood there ready saddled, while his father and all his guests looked
on from the lower windows of the Castle. The horse feeling so light a
burden upon him grew restive, and it seemed each moment as if Pierre must
have been thrown, but to the delight and astonishment of all who beheld
him, the boy, who had left school only a fortnight before, managed his
horse, as an old French writer tells us, with as much skill as if he had
been thirty years of age.
The Sire du Bayard now bid him not to dismount, and gave him his blessing,
after which all the rest of the people took leave of him. Pierre's eyes
filled with tears when his father looked so proudly and lovingly at him.
"Monseigneur, my father," he said, "I pray to our Lord to give you a long
and happy life, and to me grace, so that before you quit this world, you
may hear good news of me."
In the meantime his mother was weeping alone in a turret chamber of the
Castle; for although she was glad that he had chosen to follow a soldier's
life for the honour of his name, she grieved bitterly at the thought of
parting with him, and feared that she should never see him again. She came
down into the courtyard by a back staircase, and there took leave of him
with many tears, and gave him words of advice which he remembered so well
all his life long that he gained both from his friends and from his foes
the title of "The good knight, without fear and without reproach."
These were some of the words she said: That he was to love and serve God,
without giving Him offence, as far as in him lay; and that he could do no
good work in this world without His help and blessing. That he was to be
gentle and courteous to all, casting away pride; humble, ready to serve his
fellow creatures, and sober in eating and drinking. That he was never to
tell a lie, or flatter, or be a tale-bearer, or be idle; that he was to be
loyal in deed and speech, to keep his word; to succour the widows and
orphans, for which the Lord would repay him, and that he was to share with
the needy such gifts as God might bestow upon him, since giving in honour
of Him made no man poor.
When the noble lady had spoken thus, she gave her son a little purse, which
contained a few pieces of gold, and then having implored a trusty servant
of the Bishop's to be careful of him, because he was so very young to leave
home, she bade him a last farewell.
The day after Pierre's arrival at Chambery was Sunday. After mass, a great
banquet was served in honour of the Bishop of Grenoble, who was a very holy
man, and much beloved by the Duke of Savoy. During the repast Pierre stood
beside his uncle and poured out his wine for him, and when it was ended he
did not linger over the remains of the feast with the pages and youths
belonging to Duke Charles's household, but hastened back to his lodgings
and saddled his horse, and having mounted it, went down to the courtyard of
the palace.
The Duke had remarked his graceful bearing during dinner, and now seated in
a gallery was watching him in the court below. Then the Bishop told him how
the Sire du Bayard, being too much enfeebled by his wounds to lift his
sword again, had sent his little son Pierre to him as a gift, and hoped
that he would allow him to enter his service. The Duke of Savoy said that
the present was both good and fair, and agreed to take young Bayard into
his service without delay. So the Bishop returned home, and Pierre was left
alone amongst strangers. He must have sorrowed at first for the old life at
Castle Bayard, and the watchful love of his mother, but whatever he felt,
he began to fulfil his duties with an earnest heart, and was kind and
gentle to all around him, and never forgot to pray morning and night that
the Almighty would give him grace to remain loyal and brave. Pierre lived
with the Duke at Chambery for six months, and during that time he made
himself beloved by every inmate of the house: he was a great favourite with
the Duchess of Savoy, and had one little playmate, amongst the young
maidens who were in attendance upon her, to whom he was much attached.
When the six months had expired the whole party set off on their mules,
according to the custom of travelling at that time, to visit King Charles
the Eighth in the city of Lyons. The king, struck with the reports he had
heard of Bayard's conduct, and the knightly grace he displayed in his
presence, made him his own page, and had him lodged in the house of the
Seigneur de Ligny, a prince of the house of Luxembourg, to be trained with
about thirty other noble youths in the use of arms.
There was a squire belonging to the household of the Duke of Savoy who
loved little Pierre very much, and they had scarcely arrived at Lyons
before he told him that he knew he should never be able to keep him after
the king had once seen him exercise in the meadow of Esnay. King Charles
witnessed the wonderful evolutions he performed on his war-horse with the
greatest delight; he was never weary of seeing him spur on the animal to
fresh gambols; "Pique,[20] pique, encore une fois!" he cried, and all the
little pages echoing the words of the king, cried in their shrill voices,
"Piquez, piquez!" so that Pierre was called long after by the familiar name
of "Piquet" in memory of the day.
Before the Duke of Savoy left Lyons he gave a supper to the Seigneur de
Ligny and some of the chief nobles in the city. The repast was enlivened by
the music of the royal minstrels and singers: it was served early, and when
it was ended the company played at various games all the remainder of the
evening, and drank spiced wines before they separated. This was the usual
manner of entertainment at that time, and if ladies were included in the
invitations, there would be dancing until midnight, which was considered a
very late hour.
The years passed on, and Pierre was very happy with his companions in the
house of the Seigneur de Ligny. There was then living in Burgundy a brave
knight named Claude de Vauldre, whom the king summoned to Lyons, in order
that the young nobles of the city might contend with him, and thus give
proof of the progress they had made in their martial studies.
As soon as Claude arrived he hung up his shield, and it was a custom that
if any person touched a shield thus suspended, he gave a sign that he was
ready to engage in combat with its owner.
One day, as Pierre was passing by, he sighed deeply, and said to himself,
"Ah, if I only knew how to equip myself for the combat, how gladly would I
touch yonder shield, and so gain some real knowledge of the use of arms!"
One of his comrades, Bellabre, seeing him so full of care, asked him what
he was thinking about; and when he told him of his desire, and his distress
at having no money to buy horses and weapons, Bellabre advised him to ask
help from his uncle, the rich Abbe of Esnay.
Bayard, with hope revived by this counsel, touched the shield, and after a
sleepless night set off for Esnay very early in the morning, in a little
boat, with Bellabre. They found the abbe saying his matins. He grumbled
terribly at first at his nephew's request, saying that the money given by
the founders of the abbey was to serve God with, and not to be spent in
jousts and tilting. Bayard, however, prevailed upon him to provide him with
a hundred crowns and two horses; and the abbe, in a more softened mood,
ordered a merchant of Lyons to furnish him with all other things that he
required.
The greatest wonder was expressed in Lyons that a youth not yet eighteen
years of age should venture to contend with an experienced knight like
Claude Vauldre; but when the day of trial came, Bayard repelled the thrusts
of his opponent in the most daring and fearless manner; and the ladies who
sat in the balconies, watching the combatants in the arena below, exclaimed
with one voice that he had done better than all the rest.
One morning, soon after the tournament, the Seigneur de Ligny called
Pierre to him, and told him that as the war the French had long been
carrying on in Italy was to be continued, he should now enter his company,
which was stationed at the little town of Ayre, in Picardy. The Seigneur
told him also that he would give him three hundred francs a year for his
service, and three horses, richly caparisoned. Bayard then went to take
leave of the king, who bestowed on him, at parting, the finest horse in his
stable; and last of all, he bade farewell with many tears to the good
seigneur himself, whose house had been for him a second happy home. It is
worthy of remark, throughout the life of the good knight, that in whatever
circumstances he was placed, he always spoke of his happiness. And what
_was_ the secret of that happiness, which neither the agony he endured when
he lay disabled by wounds could take from him, nor the hardships and toil
he had to go through during his numerous campaigns? Surely it was his
loving kindness to all around him, which sprang from his own love to
Almighty God and his Son Jesus Christ. To do good is truly to be happy, and
love begets love. Bayard was dreaded by the enemies of his country because
he was so steadfast and brave; but we never find that he had one personal
enemy, or that he harboured a quarrelsome thought.
As he drew near the little town of Ayre, his future comrades rushed out on
the road to meet him, they were so glad to have him amongst them, and the
ladies flocked to the windows to welcome him as he passed along the
streets. Bayard had sent his servant on before to prepare a great supper at
his lodgings, and there he entertained his new companions the night of his
arrival. And very soon after he had a tournament cried in Ayre, which
lasted two days and attracted a vast concourse of people to the spot.
It was the beautiful summer time, and the little town looked very gay with
the banners streaming from its windows, and the bright armour of the
knights and the jewels and silken robes of the ladies flashing in the
sunlight. The trumpets were sounded, and Bayard was the first to enter the
lists against one of his neighbours of Dauphine, who was a very rough man
of arms. The good knight, before he vanquished him, broke his lance in five
or six pieces. The trumpets sounded again in full clang, and in the next
trial Bayard very nearly had his arm broken, but he won from his opponent a
little casque adorned with plumes. Then came Bellabre and a formidable
Scottish captain, named David Fergus, who was greatly renowned for his
strength and skill.