DECISIVE VOYAGES IN HISTORY.—DIAZ—COLUMBUS.
An Important Epoch in the History of Discovery—King John II. of
Portugal and his Enterprises—Diaz the Bold—Ventures out to
Sea—Rounds the Cape—Ignorant of the Fact—The Cape of Storms—King
John re-christens it—Columbus and the Narrative of his Son—His
Visit to Portugal—Marriage—An un-royal Trick—Sends his Brother to
England—His Misfortune—Columbus in Spain—A prejudiced and ignorant
Report—The One Sensible Ecclesiastic—Again Repulsed—A Friend at
Court—Queen Isabella Won to the Cause—Departure of the
Expedition—Out in the Broad Atlantic—Murmurs of the Crews—Signs of
Land—Disappointment—Latent Mutiny—Land at Last—Discovery of St.
Salvador—Cuba—Natives Smoking the Weed—Utopia in
Hispaniola—Columbus Wrecked—Gold Obtained—First Spanish
Settlement—Homeward Voyage—Storms and Vows—Arrival in
Europe—Triumphant Reception at Barcelona.
The Arctic and Antarctic voyages, purposely kept together and followed to
their latest developments, having been described, we now go back to the
most interesting and important period in the world’s history,
geographically considered. In little less than a dozen years three of the
grandest discoveries in geography were made. First, the discovery of a
passage round the Cape of Good Hope, the sea-portal to the Indian Ocean,
the Orient generally, Australasia (not, indeed, then discovered, or even
dreamt of), and the innumerable islands of the various Eastern
Archipelagos. Next, the passage of the Atlantic ocean to the far west, the
discovery of the West Indies and the New World. Last, and not least, in
its ultimate bearings on the prosperity of Great Britain, the passage by
sea direct to India—its conquest and settlement by the Portuguese. What
other epoch can boast so much accomplished in a time so brief?
To King John of Portugal are we indebted for the first of these great
discoveries. He fitted out a small squadron under Bartholomew Diaz, a
knight of the royal household, to attempt the passage by sea to India,
after endeavouring to learn all that was then known about that country.
For this important enterprise Diaz was supplied with two small caravels of
fifty tons each, accompanied by a still smaller vessel, or tender, to
carry provisions. The preparations being completed, he sailed in the end
of August, 1486, steering directly to the southward.
“We have,” says Clarke, “no relation of the particulars of this voyage,
and only know that the first spot on which Diaz placed a stone pillar, in
token of discovery and possession, was at _Sierra Parda_, in about 24°,
40’ S., which is said to have been 120 leagues further to the south than
any preceding navigator. According to the Portuguese historians, Diaz
sailed boldly from this place to the southward, in the open sea, and never
saw the land again until he was forty leagues to the east of the Cape of
Good Hope, which he had passed, without being in sight of land.” Here he
came in sight of a bay on the coast, which he called _Angra de los
Vaqueros_, or Bay of Herdsmen, from observing a number of cows grazing on
the land. From this place Diaz continued his voyage eastwards, to a small
island or rock in the bay, which is now called Algoa, on which he placed a
stone cross, or pillar, as a memorial of his progress, and named it on
that account Santa Cruz, or _El Pennol de la Cruz_.
It would appear that Diaz was still unconscious that he had long reached
and overpassed the extreme southern point of Africa, and was anxious to
continue his voyage still farther. But the provisions on board his two
caravels were nearly exhausted, and the victualling tender under the
command of his brother was missing. The crews of the caravels became
exceedingly urgent to return, lest they should perish with famine. With
some difficulty he prevailed on the people to continue their course about
twenty-five leagues further on, as he felt exceedingly mortified at the
idea of returning to his sovereign without accomplishing the discovery on
which he was bent. They accordingly reached the mouth of a stream now
known by the name of Great Fish River.
From this river, the extreme boundary of the present voyage, Diaz
commenced his return homewards, and discovered, with great joy and
astonishment, on their passage back, the long-sought-for and tremendous
promontory, which had been the grand object of the hopes and wishes of
Portuguese navigation during _seventy-four_ years, ever since the year
1412, when the illustrious Don Henry first began to direct and incite his
countrymen to the prosecution of discoveries along the western shores of
Africa. At this place Diaz erected a stone cross in memory of his
discovery; and owing to heavy tempests, which he experienced off the high
table-land of the Cape, he named it _Cabo dos Tormentos_, or Cape of
Storms; but the satisfaction which King John derived from this memorable
discovery, on the return of Diaz to Portugal, in 1487, induced that
sovereign to change this inauspicious appellation for one of more happy
omen, and he accordingly ordered that it should in future be called _Cabo
de bon Esperança_, or Cape of Good Hope, the title which it has ever since
retained.
[Illustration: BARTHOLOMEW DIAZ ON HIS VOYAGE TO THE CAPE]
Soon after the discovery of _The Cape_—by which shorter name it is now
pre-eminently distinguished—Diaz fell in with the victualler, from whom he
had separated nine months before. Of nine persons who had composed the
crew of that vessel, six had been murdered by the natives of the West
Coast of Africa, and Fernand Colozzo, one of the three survivors, died of
joy on again beholding his countrymen. Diaz and his companions were, of
course, honourably received by their sovereign, after a voyage of such
unprecedented length and unusual success. And now to the second of the
great discoveries of this epoch, which, chronologically considered,
follows that of Diaz.
In the long list of honoured names who have made geographical discovery
their aim, none shines with a greater effulgence than that of Columbus,
and although in his old age he was disgracefully ignored and even
maltreated, succeeding times have done full justice to his memory. The
present writer has gone to the fountain source for his information; the
whole of the narrative to follow is taken from the history written by his
son, Don Ferdinand Columbus. It would be easy, from the many popular
biographies written by well-known authors, to compile a more fanciful and
readable story, but some, at least, of these writers have not strictly
adhered to facts, but have wandered somewhat into the region of the
imagination. The account given to the world by the son of the great
navigator was compiled from the original letters and documents, from
actual information obtained direct, and from personal observation.
The narrative of Don Ferdinand commences amusingly. He avers that many
would have him prove a highly honourable descent for the admiral his
father, and because on his arrival in Portugal he had assumed the name of
Colon,(45) prove that he had come in direct line from Junius Colonus, who
brought Mithridates a prisoner to Rome, or from the two illustrious
Coloni, who gained a great victory over the Venetians. The son is,
however, candid, and says, “that however considerable they (his
progenitors) may once have been, it is certain that they were reduced to
poverty and want through the long wars and factions in Lombardy. I have
not been able to discover in what way they lived; though in one of his
letters the admiral asserted that his ancestors and himself had always
traded by sea.”(46) Don Ferdinand glories in his father as one of the
people, who had risen to his high estate by reason of honourable merit.
But however poor, he found means to leave his native city, Genoa, and
study astronomy, geometry, and cosmography, at the University of Pavia. He
is believed to have gone to sea at as early an age as fourteen. The date
of his birth is uncertain, but is believed to have been in 1447. Besides
voyaging constantly in the Mediterranean, he, as elsewhere recorded, made
a northern voyage of some importance. He distinctly states that “In
February, 1467, I sailed an hundred leagues beyond Thule, or Iceland.”
[Illustration: CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.
(_After a Portrait in the Gallery of Vicenza._)]
In his person Columbus was “above the middle stature, and well shaped,
having rather a long visage, with somewhat full cheeks, yet neither fat
nor lean. His complexion was very fair with delicately red cheeks, having
fair hair in his youth, which became entirely grey at thirty years of age.
He had a hawk nose, with fair eyes. In his eating and drinking, and in his
dress, he was always temperate and modest. In his demeanour he was affable
to strangers, and kind and condescending to his domestics and dependents,
yet with a becoming modesty and dignified gravity of manner, tempered with
easy politeness.” His regard for religion was strict and sincere, and he
had a great abhorrence of profane language. In a word, Columbus was one of
nature’s truest gentlemen.
His son states that the reason for his visit to Portugal “arose from his
attachment to a famous man of his name and family, named Columbus, long
renowned on the sea as commander of a fleet against the infidels.” He must
have commanded a goodly fleet, for while Christopher Columbus was with him
he took four large Venetian galleys, after a desperate fight. The vessel
in which Columbus was, took fire, and he had to leap into the water and
make for the land, two leagues distant. He was an excellent swimmer, and,
by the aid of a floating oar, he succeeded in landing on the coast near
Lisbon. This was his first introduction to that city. Here he married a
lady of good family, Donna Felipa Moniz. Her mother was the widow of
Perestrello, one of the captains who had re-discovered Madeira, and she
put at the disposal of Columbus all the charts and journals left by her
husband, from which he learned much of the discoveries made by the
Portuguese. It was at this time that he began to think seriously of
attempting a passage to the Indies by the westward.
Columbus first laid his plans before Prince John of Portugal, who lent a
favourable ear, but on account of the large expenses connected with his
expedition to the Guinea Coast, which had not hitherto been crowned with
any great success, could not promise immediate action. Later, by the
advice of one Doctor Calzadilla, in whom he reposed great confidence, the
King of Portugal resolved to attempt secretly the discovery which Columbus
had proposed. Accordingly, a caravel was fitted out under pretence of
carrying supplies to the Cape Verd Islands, with private instructions to
sail to the west. Those sent on the expedition had little knowledge or
enterprise, and after vaguely wandering about the Atlantic some time,
returned to the Cape Verde Islands, laughing at the undertaking as
ridiculous and impracticable. “When,” says the son, “this scandalous
underhand dealing came to my father’s ears, he took a great aversion to
Lisbon and the Portuguese nation.” Little wonder, one would think! His
wife was now dead, and he resolved to repair to Castile with his little
son. Lest, however, the Spanish sovereign might not consent to his
proposals, he determined to send his brother, Bartholomew Columbus, from
Lisbon, to make similar proposals to the King of England. Bartholomew was
experienced in seamanship, and understood the construction of charts,
globes, and nautical instruments. On the voyage he had the misfortune to
be taken by pirates, who stripped him and the rest of the ship’s company
of everything of value. Poor Bartholomew arrived in England in poverty and
sickness. Undaunted by his misfortunes, he commenced making and selling
charts, in order to recruit his finances. After much loss of time, he, in
February, 1480, presented a map of his own construction, and the proposals
of his brother, to the king, who became very favourably inclined towards
the project; and ordered an invitation to be sent to Columbus, desiring
him to come to England forthwith. But, alas! England was fated not to have
the services of this great navigator. “Providence,” says Ferdinand, “had
determined that the advantage of this great discovery should belong to
Castile; and by this time my father had gone upon his first voyage.”
About the end of the year 1484 the admiral stole away privately from
Lisbon, as he was afraid of detention. The king had by this time come
somewhat to his senses, and it is asserted that he was desirous of
renewing the conferences with Columbus. But he did not use much diligence,
and thereby missed his last grand opportunity. Columbus next addressed
himself to their Catholic Majesties of Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella, then
at Cordova. His affable manners and evident knowledge soon gained him a
hearing; but as their Majesties considered that a matter of such
importance required to be learnedly investigated, it was referred to the
prior of Prado, afterwards Archbishop of Granada, who was to obtain the
assistance of some cosmographers, and report on its practicability. The
report they presented was unfavourable to the enterprise. Some thought
Columbus presumptuous in expecting to accomplish that which skilful
sailors of all nations had not done, although several thousand years had
elapsed since the creation of the world. Others said that the world was of
such prodigious size, that they questioned whether he would reach the
Indies that way in three years. Others used the powerful argument that if
they sailed round the world _down_ from Spain, they would never get _up_
again! No ship could climb up-hill! The ecclesiastics quoted St.
Augustine, to the effect that the antipodes were an impossibility, and
that no one could go from one hemisphere to another. Ignorance and
credulity triumphed for the time, but not for long.
Columbus was not to be beaten. He followed the court to Seville, and was
again repulsed. He resolved to write to the King of France, and, if
unsuccessful there, follow his brother to England. But at this juncture he
acquired the friendship of the father guardian of the monastery of Rabida,
who, believing in his schemes, earnestly entreated him to postpone his
departure, saying that, as he was confessor to the Queen, he was resolved
to try his influence. All honour to Father Perez, the one sensible
ecclesiastic of his nation! A fresh conference was held, but the demands
of Columbus were deemed too high, and again the matter fell to the ground.
The admiral settled his affairs, and prepared to leave for France.
He had actually started on his journey, when an officer was despatched
after him to induce him to return. The queen had at last listened to the
good counsels of Santangel (comptroller of the royal disbursements), who
had before shown himself a friend to Columbus. He had pointed out to her
majesty that the sum of money required was small, and that she was missing
an opportunity that might redound greatly to the honour of her reign, and
the credit of which now some foreign monarch would reap. From comparative
apathy Isabella rose to enthusiasm, and the treasury being pretty well
exhausted by the war with Granada, she offered to pawn her jewels in order
to raise the necessary funds. Santangel immediately replied that there was
no occasion for this, and that he himself would readily advance his own
money in such a service.
All the conditions which the admiral required having been conceded, he set
out from Granada on May 21st, 1492, for Palos, that seaport having been
bound by the Crown to furnish two caravels. Columbus fitted these and a
third vessel with all speed. His own ship was the _St. Mary_; the second,
named the _Pinta_, was commanded by Martin Alonso Pinzon; and the third,
the _Nina_, by the latter’s brother, Vincent Yanez Pinzon. The united
crews comprised a force of ninety men. Columbus set sail on this, his
first voyage in the service of Portugal, on the 3rd of August, 1492,
making direct for the Canaries.
[Illustration: CARAVELS OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.
(_After an Engraving published in 1583._)]
The day after leaving, the rudder of the _Pinta_ broke loose, and, after
being repaired as well as they were able at sea, the fastenings gave way a
second time. Alonzo Pinzon was more than suspected of having caused this
damage purposely, as he had endeavoured to avoid proceeding on this voyage
before the expedition left Spain. Having again repaired the rudder, they
continued the voyage, and successfully came to an anchor at the Canaries
on August 12th. The admiral tried in vain to obtain another vessel for
Pinzon. At length the _Pinta_ having been patched up, the little squadron
set sail. “Now,” says Ferdinand, “losing sight of land, and stretching out
into utterly unknown seas, many of the people expressed their anxiety and
fear that it might be long before they should see land again; but the
admiral used every endeavour to comfort them, with the assurance of soon
finding the land he was in search of, and raised their hopes of acquiring
wealth and honour by the discovery.” He purposely under-stated the
distance made each day, in order to make his people believe that they were
not so far from Spain after all; but he carefully recorded the true
reckoning in private. On September 12th they discovered in the water the
trunk of a large tree; and the people in the _Nina_, a few days later,
observed a heron flying over them, and also a smaller bird. Next, a
quantity of yellowish-green sea-weed was observed floating in the water; a
small lobster and a number of tunny fish were also noted. These signs of
approaching land raised hopes which were not immediately fulfilled; and
the crews, being utterly unacquainted with the seas they now traversed,
seeing nothing but water and sky, began to mutter among themselves. Later,
a number of seagulls and small land birds were seen, the latter settling
sometimes in the rigging. Again, a vast floating field of sea-weed was
encountered. These appearances gave some assurances of comfort to the men
at times; but when the weeds became thick enough to partially impede the
progress of the vessels, they became terrified, lest the fabled fate of
St. Amaro in the frozen seas, whose vessel could neither move forward nor
backward, might be theirs. “Wherefore they steered away from those shoals
of weeds as much as they could.”
On the 23rd a brisk WNW. gale, favourable for their course, arose, and on
the same day a turtle-dove, a land fowl, and other birds, were seen. The
more these tokens were observed, and found not to be followed by the
anxiously-looked-for land, the more the crews rebelled; cabals were
formed, of which the admiral was only partially aware. “They represented
that they had already sufficiently performed their duty in adventuring
further from land and all possibility of succour than had ever been done
before, and that they ought not to proceed on the voyage to their manifest
destruction.” They growlingly remarked that Columbus was a foreigner, who
desired to become a great lord at their expense, that he had no favour at
court, and that the most learned men had scorned his ideas as visionary
and absurd. Some even went so far as to propose cutting the Gordian knot
by throwing him overboard. Poor Columbus! He had enough to do, sometimes
expostulating and sometimes threatening, and always in danger of a mutiny
upsetting all his grand projects. Nor were matters improved on September
25th, when Pinzon, whose vessel was near, shouted out to the admiral,
“Land! land, sir! let not my good news miscarry!” Next morning the
supposed land resolved itself into sea-clouds.
During the following days the men caught some fish “with gilt backs” with
the aid of a line, and numerous birds were observed. Still Columbus
persisted in a westerly course, although many on board, thinking that the
birds were flying from one unseen island to another, wished him to
deviate. About sunrise on Sunday, October 7th, some signs of land appeared
to the westward, “but being imperfect, no person would mention the
circumstance. This was owing to fear of losing the reward of thirty crowns
yearly for life which had been promised by their Catholic majesties to
whoever should first discover land; and to prevent them calling out ‘land!
land!’ at every turn without just cause, it was made a condition that
whoever said he saw land should lose the reward if it were not made out in
three days, even if he should afterwards actually prove the first
discoverer.” Those on the _Nina_, however, forgot this provision, and
fancying they saw land, fired a gun and hoisted their colours. This time
also they were disappointed, but derived some comfort by observing great
flights of large fowl and other birds going from the west towards the
south-west.
It would have been impossible for the admiral to have much longer
withstood the spirit of mutiny which was fast gaining ground, “but,” says
the narrative of Ferdinand, “it pleased God that, in the afternoon of
Thursday the 11th of October, such manifest tokens of being near the land
appeared that the men took courage and rejoiced at their good fortune as
much as they had been before distressed.” From the _St. Mary_ a rush was
seen to float past, and one of those green fish which are never found far
from rocks. Some of the other men noted in the water a branch of a thorn,
with red berries, a curiously-carved stick, and other plain indications of
being close to land. After the evening prayer, Columbus made a speech to
the men, in which “he reminded them of the mercy of God in having brought
them so long a voyage with such favourable weather, and in comforting them
with so many tokens of a successful issue to their enterprise.” As the
admiral was in his cabin that night about ten o’clock he believed that he
saw a light on shore; he called two of the men, one only of whom could
perceive it. It was again seen by the admiral and the sailor, but only for
a very brief space of time. “Being now very much on their guard,” says the
narrative, “they still held on their course until about two in the morning
of Friday the 12th of October, when the _Pinta_, which was always far
ahead, owing to her superior sailing, made the signal of seeing land,
which was first discovered by Roderick de Triana at about two leagues from
the ship. But the thirty crowns a year were afterwards granted to the
admiral, who had seen the light in the midst of darkness, a type of the
spiritual light he was the happy means of spreading in these dark regions
of error. Being now so near land, all the ships lay to; every one thinking
it long till daylight, that they might enjoy the sight they had so long
and anxiously desired.”(47)
[Illustration: COLUMBUS’S FIRST SIGHT OF LAND.]
When daylight arrived, the newly-discovered land was perceived to consist
of a flat island, without hills, but well timbered. It was evidently well
populated, for the beach was covered with people, who showed every sign of
wonder at the sight of the ships, which, says Ferdinand, “they conceived
to be some unknown animals.” The admiral and his commanders, each in their
own boat, with their colours flying, went ashore, where, on arrival, they
fell on their knees, and thanked God for his merciful kindness and for
their happy discovery of the new land. Columbus then took formal
possession of the island in the name of their Catholic majesties.
And now, these ceremonies concluded, the admiral went off to his fleet,
the natives following in canoes, and many indeed swimming off to the
vessels. Columbus named the island San Salvador, the title it still bears.
As he supposed himself to have landed on an island at the extremity of
India, he applied the term Indians to the aborigines he met, and the same
has in consequence become general to all the original inhabitants of the
New World. The islanders met by Columbus were friendly and gentle, and
usually quite nude. They were painted; this they might regard in the light
of costume, some, indeed, being coloured from head to foot. They had
little or no knowledge of metal weapons, for when shown a naked sword they
ignorantly grasped the whole blade, and were severely cut. Their javelins
were wood, armed with a piece of fish-bone. Their canoes ranged in size
from such as were only capable of holding one person to those built for
forty or more men, and were always hollowed in _one_ piece, as among the
northern Indians of British Columbia to-day, where canoes are to be seen
which will carry fifty to sixty persons and two or three masts with sails.
They had very little to offer in exchange for the toys and trinkets which
had been provided for use on the expedition, but the avarice of the
discoverers was soon excited by the sight of small ornaments of gold among
them, with which they parted as readily as with anything else. Gold, in
enterprises of discovery, being a royal monopoly, Columbus forbade any
traffic in it, except by express permission. Parrots were a prime article
of exchange among them, and cotton yarn. If they saw any trifle on board
that struck their fancy they were as likely to jump into the sea with it
as to offer anything for it, and, on the other hand, the Spaniards, after
the manner of explorers, did not hesitate to accept their valuables in
exchange for the merest trifles. The Indians would give twenty-five or so
pounds of cotton for three Portuguese brass coins not worth a farthing.
Enough; the story of their dealings is that of all times. It is scarcely
more than twelve years since the writer saw the same kind of thing going
on in Northern Alaska among unsophisticated natives. And, after all,
“value” is a somewhat indefinite term. The luxuries of some climes are the
drugs of others. The poor people met by Columbus highly valued a piece of
broken glass or earthenware, because unknown to them, and because the
possession of a fragment bestowed a proud distinction. Cannot we see the
same kind of thing among the most civilised? The rare and scarce must of
necessity be always the most valuable.
Columbus, continuing his voyage, discovered several minor islands.
Everywhere he inquired for gold, and everywhere he was informed that it
came from the south. He began to hear of an island in that direction named
Cuba, which, from the mistaken ideas of geography current at the time, he
took for Marco Polo’s famed gold island of Cipango. He determined to
proceed there, and eventually seek the mainland of India, which must be
within a few days’ sail, and then he would deliver the letters of their
Castilian Majesties to the Great Khan, and return triumphantly to Spain.
Filled with this magnificent scheme, he set sail. We need not say that he
reached neither Cipango, India, nor the Khan; but he did discover Cuba,
that beautiful island of the Caribbean Sea long dear to the heart of every
consumer of the fragrant weed. Every smoker of a good havana should think
of Columbus with deepest gratitude. The Spaniards were struck with
astonishment at seeing the natives roll up certain dried herbs, light up
one end, and putting the other in their mouth, exhale smoke. Cigars as
fresh as these are often smoked in Cuba to this day. Columbus extols the
beauty of the verdure and scenery of the island, and states, as a proof of
the gigantic nature of some of their trees, that he saw a canoe formed
from one trunk capable of carrying 150 people.
While Columbus, on leaving the eastern end of Cuba, was somewhat
undetermined which course to take, he descried land to the south-east,
gradually increasing to the view, and giving promise of an island of large
extent. The Indians on beholding it called out “Bohio” with obvious signs
of terror, and implored him not to go near it, as the inhabitants were
one-eyed cannibals, fierce and cruel. He, however, sailed closer and
closer, till the signs of cultivation and prosperous villages became
frequent. At first the natives fled. Even when only three sailors rambled
on shore, and encountered a large number, they could not be induced to
parley. The sailors at length succeeded in capturing a young female, in a
perfectly nude condition, having hanging from her nose only an ornament of
gold. Columbus soon soothed her terror, had her clothed, and gave her
presents of beads, brass rings, and other trinkets. She was sent on shore
accompanied by three Indian interpreters and some of the crew. By this
means, and after one of the interpreters had succeeded in overtaking some
of the natives, and had assured them that the strangers had descended from
the skies mainly for the purpose of making them presents, they were
induced to meet the Spaniards, whom they treated with the greatest
hospitality, setting before them fruit, fish, and cassava bread. The
description of these people given by Columbus to old Peter Martyr
represented them as holding a community of goods, “that ‘mine and thine,’
the seeds of all mischief, have no place with them.... They seem to live
in the golden world, without toil, living in open gardens, not entrenched
with dykes, divided with hedges, or defended with walls. They deal truly
one with another, without laws, without books, and without judges. They
take him for an evil and mischievous man who taketh pleasure in doing hurt
to another.” This must have been Utopia indeed! Alas, as we shall see, the
advent of so-called civilisation proved a veritable curse. Columbus named
the island Espannola, or Little Spain (_Anglicé_, Hispaniola). The island
is now known as Hayti, or San Domingo.
[Illustration: FACSIMILE OF AN ENGRAVING, REPUTED TO BE BY COLUMBUS,
PUBLISHED IN 1493, REPRESENTING THE DISCOVERY OF THE ISLE OF SPAIN (ST.
DOMINGO).]
The people of Hispaniola appeared handsomer to Columbus than any he had
yet met. He was at length visited by a young cacique or chief, and the
interview was graphically described by Columbus himself in his oration
before Ferdinand and Isabella and the court on his return to Spain.
Having put to sea on the morning of December 24th, at eleven in the
evening, Columbus, being very fatigued, retired to his cabin. The sea was
calm and the wind light at the time. No sooner had he left than the
steersman gave the helm to a _grummet_,(48) and the result was that the
current carried the vessel upon a treacherous sandbank. Scarcely had the
shock occurred than Columbus and his crew were on deck, but in spite of
aid from the other vessel, she speedily became a wreck, and had to be
deserted. The admiral immediately sent ashore to the village of the
cacique, at some little distance, and that chief with all his people with
canoes assisted to unload the unfortunate vessel. “From time to time,”
said Columbus, “he sent some of his people to me weeping, to beg me not to
be dejected, as he would give me everything he possessed. I assure your
highnesses that better order could not have been taken in any port in
Castile to preserve our things, for we did not lose the value of a pin.”
The Indians about this time brought in some few specimens of gold, worked
and in the rough state, and the cacique perceiving that the admiral was
much pleased at the sight, said he would order a quantity to be brought
from a place called Cibao, where it was abundant. After offering him to
eat, he presented him with gold ornaments and masks, in which latter the
precious metal formed part of the features.
The chief complained greatly of a nation named the Caribs, who carried off
and made slaves of his people, and Columbus, who was impressed with the
beauty and productiveness of the island, readily promised to leave some of
his people to protect him and form a colony. Cannons had not been very
long familiar to Europeans, and we hardly wonder, therefore, that the
natives “fell down as if dead” on hearing the reports of those fired by
order of the admiral. Finding so much kindness among these people, and as
the narrative of his son _naïvely_ remarks, “_such strong indications of
gold_,” he almost forgot his grief at the loss of his vessel. A fort or
block-house was immediately erected, and leaving three officers and
thirty-six men as garrison, he set sail for Spain.
[Illustration: RECEPTION OF COLUMBUS BY FERDINAND AND ISABELLA.]
On February 4th (1493) the vessels were overtaken by a fearful storm. The
whole company betook themselves to prayer, and cast lots which of them
should go on pilgrimage for the whole crew to the shrine of Our Lady of
Guadaloupe, which fell to Columbus. After other pilgrimages had been
vowed, and the storm still increasing, “they all made a vow to go
barefooted and in their shirts to some church of Our Lady at the first
land they might come to.” The admiral, fearing the loss to the world of
his discoveries, retired to his cabin to write two brief accounts of them.
These were wrapped in wax and enclosed in casks, one of which was thrown
into the sea, while the other was placed on the poop of his vessel, in
case she should founder. Happily, the storm subsided, and they reached the
island of St. Mary, where they were detained by some formalities of the
naval etiquette of the day. Leaving St. Mary’s, they encountered a second
gale of terrific force, during the continuance of which more vows were
made, and the lot again fell to Columbus, “showing,” says his son, “that
his offerings were more acceptable than others.” They were driven off the
rock of Cintra, and perforce had to anchor in the Tagus. When it was known
at Lisbon that the ship was freighted with the people and productions of a
new world the excitement was intense, and from morn to night the vessel
was thronged with visitors. In an interview with the king, Columbus
recited his adventures and discoveries. King John listened with the
deepest interest, and for the moment concealed his mortification. Columbus
himself was loaded with attentions and allowed to depart for Spain. Great
was the agitation and excitement in the little town of Palos, when the
well-known vessel of the admiral re-entered their harbour. Most of those
who thronged to the shore had relatives or friends on board, and the
previous winter had been one of the most severe and stormy within the
recollection of the oldest mariners. They awaited the landing of Columbus
and his crew, and then accompanied him to the principal church, where
solemn thanksgivings were offered, and soon every bell in the village sent
forth a joyous peal. His journey to Barcelona was one continued triumph.
He was accompanied by several of the native islanders, arrayed in their
simple barbaric costume, and decorated with rude collars, bracelets, and
ornaments of gold. He exhibited in the principal towns quantities of gold
dust, many quadrupeds, and gaily-coloured birds, then unknown in Europe,
with numerous specimens of natural productions in the vegetable and
mineral kingdoms. It was the middle of April when Columbus reached the
Court at Barcelona. The nobility, courtiers, and city authorities, came to
the gates to meet him, and escorted him to the royal presence. Ferdinand
and Isabella, seated under a superb canopy of state, rose as he
approached, and begged him to be seated—unprecedented marks of honour in
that proud court. Columbus had triumphed; he had for the time silenced the
sneers and cavils and specious arguments of courtiers and ecclesiastics.
Prescott(49) has well described the interview. In reciting his adventures,
“his manner was sedate and dignified, but warmed with the glow of natural
enthusiasm. He enumerated the several islands which he had visited,
expatiated on the temperate character of the climate, and the capacity of
the soil for every variety of agricultural productions.... He dwelt more
at large on the precious metals to be found in these islands.... Lastly,
he pointed out the wide scope afforded to Christian zeal, in the
illumination of a race of men, whose minds, far from being wedded to any
system of idolatry, were prepared by their extreme simplicity for the
reception of pure and uncorrupted doctrine. This last consideration
touched Isabella’s heart most sensibly; and the whole audience, kindled
with various emotions by the speaker’s eloquence, filled up the
perspective with the gorgeous colouring of their own fancies, as ambition,
or avarice, or devotional feeling, predominated in their bosoms. When
Columbus ceased, the king and queen, together with all present, prostrated
themselves on their knees in grateful thanksgivings, while the solemn
strains of the _Te Deum_ were poured forth by the choir of the royal
chapel, as in commemoration of some glorious victory.” All kinds of
attentions were showered upon him: he was permitted to quarter the royal
arms with his own, which consisted of a group of golden islands amid azure
billows; and received the substantial gratuity of 1,000 doblas of gold
from the royal treasury, besides the premium promised to the person who
first descried land. But that which pleased Columbus most were the
preparations of the court for further discoveries, on a scale befitting
their importance. The complement of the new fleet was originally fixed at
1,200 persons, but was eventually swollen to 1,500, and many who joined
were persons of rank and distinction among the royal household. The
squadron counted no less than seventeen vessels.