condition of one of the vessels, called the Pinta, whose rudder had been
found to be unfit for service. This, after a detention of more than
three weeks, was repaired, and they then, on the 6th of September,
proceeded on their voyage. On the fourth day, land ceased to be in
sight, and now the fearful reality of their condition pressed upon the
minds of the sailors with overpowering weight. They had been pressed
into the service, and from the beginning were averse to the enterprise.
Columbus had reason, therefore, to expect the open manifestation of
discontent, if not insubordination and mutiny. The first exhibition of
their feelings, upon losing sight of land, was that of alarm and terror.
Many of them shed tears, and broke out into loud lamentations--all
before them seemed to be mystery, danger, and death. It was by no means
easy to quell their fears, and it required all the address of the
admiral to effect it. Their minds were, in a degree, soothed for that
time by the promises of land and riches, which he addressed to their
wants or their cupidity. Every unusual incident, however, on the
voyage, was calculated to awaken their gloomy and distressing
apprehensions, such as the sight of a part of a mast, when they had
sailed some one hundred and fifty leagues, and the variation of the
needles. The former presented to their imagination the probable wreck of
their own frail barks. The variation of the needle created surprise even
in the mind of the admiral, but to his crew the circumstance seemed
perfectly terrific. They felt as if the very laws of nature were
undergoing a change, and the compass was about to lose its virtues and
its power, as a guide over the waste of waters. Columbus, however, by
ascribing the variation of the needle to the change of the polar-star
itself, satisfied the minds of his pilots, inasmuch as they entertained
a high opinion of his knowledge of astronomy. The distance at which they
were every day carried from their homes, was a source of accumulating
uneasiness. Every sort of superstitious fear was indulged in. One while,
the prevalence of winds from the east, excited their apprehensions that
a return to Spain was impracticable. At another time, the slight
south-west breezes and frequent calms, causing the ocean to seem like a
lake of dead water, made them feel that they were in strange regions,
where nature was out of course, and all was different from that to which
they had been accustomed. Here they thought they might be left to
perish, on stagnant and boundless waters. Now, they seemed to themselves
to be in danger of falling on concealed rocks and treacherous
quicksands--then, of being inextricably entangled in vast masses of
seaweed which lay in their path. Although Columbus had contrived to keep
his men ignorant of the real distance they had come, yet the length of
time could but tell them that they must be far, very far from country
and home, and that their ever going on to the west, would at length
place the east too remote from them to hope ever reaching it. They had
been occasionally cheered with what were deemed indications of their
proximity to land, such as the flying of birds about their fleet, the
patches of weeds and herbs covering the surface of the water, and a
certain cloudiness in the distant horizon, such as hangs over land; but
these had proved fallacious; and the higher hope was raised by such
appearances, the deeper was its fall when the appearances passed away.
This state of things led to murmurs and discontent, and at one time, the
crew were on the point of combining in open and desperate rebellion. The
power which the great admiral possessed over the minds of men, was never
more signalized, than in putting down this spirit of insubordination and
mutiny. He was perfectly aware of their intentions, but preserved a
serene and steady countenance. He seemed intuitively to understand in
what way to address himself to the different portions of his company.
Some, he soothed with gentle words. Of others, he stimulated the pride
or avarice, by the offers of honors and rewards. The most refractory he
openly menaced with condign punishment, should they make the slightest
attempt at impeding the voyage.
After the experience of long-continued calms, the wind sprang up in a
favorable direction, and they were enabled efficiently to prosecute
their voyage. This was on the 25th of September, and the vessels
sailing quite near to each other, a frequent interchange of
conversation took place on the subject most interesting to them--their
probable position as to land. In the midst of it, a shout from the
Pinta was heard on board the Santa Maria, the admiral's ship, "Land,
land!"--the signal pointing to the south-west. Columbus, who had found
cause on other occasions to dissent from the opinions of his men, gave
way, in this instance, to the joyful feelings which were at once
excited in their bosoms: but it proved, at length, that what appeared
to be land, was nothing more than an evening cloud of a peculiar kind.
Thus were their hopes dashed, and nothing remained for them but to
press onward. Fain would the crew have turned back upon their course,
but the commander was sternly resolute on realizing his magnificent
project, and pressed forward still deeper into mid-ocean.
It is a necessary explanation of the character of this extraordinary
man, that he appeared all along to view himself under the immediate
guardianship of Heaven, in this solemn enterprise. He consequently
felt few or none of the misgivings which so strongly affected his
associates. For several days longer they continued on, till on the 1st
of October, they had advanced more than seven hundred leagues since
the Canary islands were left behind. Again the murmurs of the crew
were renewed, but, in this instance, became soon hushed by increasing
tokens of their nearness to land. Indeed, so sanguine were they on the
subject, that on the 7th of October, on board of the Nina, land was
again announced. But it proved a delusion, and all except Columbus
were ready to abandon hope. At the end of three days more, they saw
the sun, after renewed appearances betokening their neighborhood to
land, go down upon a shoreless horizon. At this time the turbulence of
the crew became clamorous--they insisted upon turning homeward, and
abandoning the voyage as a forlorn hope. The commander now, after
trying to pacify them by kind words and large promises, and trying in
vain, arose in the majesty of his undaunted heart, and gave them to
understand that all murmuring would be fruitless, and that, with God's
blessing, he would accomplish the purpose for which his sovereigns had
sent him on a voyage of discovery. Fortunately, at this juncture, when
the conduct of Columbus had become nearly desperate, the indications
of neighboring land could not be mistaken. Besides fresh weed, the
limb of a tree, a reed, and a small board, they picked up an
artificially carved staff. Soon despondency and rebellion gave way to
hope, and, throughout the day, every person on board of the little
fleet was on the watch for the long-wished-for land.
[Illustration: First sight of land from Columbus' ship.]
The following evening was a time of intense anxiety to Columbus. He
could but infer that he was near to the goal of his adventures and his
hopes. But was it so indeed? That was the question, and it must now be
soon decided. Would the night reveal it to him? Would its discoveries
settle for ever the truth of his theory, and bring to him the immortal
honor which he sought, as the end of all his toil and suffering? Taking
his station in a conspicuous part of his vessel, he maintained an
intense and unremitting watch. A few hours only had transpired, when
suddenly he thought he beheld a light glimmering at a great distance.
One and another was called to examine the appearance, in order to
confirm the commander in his impression, if indeed it was correct. They
gave their opinion in the affirmative. Soon, however, the light
disappeared, and few attached any importance to it, except Columbus.
They pursued their course until two in the morning, when from the Pinta,
which generally sailed ahead, the thundering signal was heard, the order
being that a gun should be fired as soon as land hove in sight. It was
indeed land at this time. It lay before them, now dimly seen, about two
leagues distant. The joy which Columbus and his crew felt at the sight,
surpasses the power of description. It is difficult, even for the
imagination, to conceive the emotions of such a man, in whose
temperament a wonderful enthusiasm and unbounded aspiration prevailed,
at the moment of so sublime a discovery. Utterance was given to his
intense feelings by tears, and prayers, and thanksgivings.
It was on the morning of Friday, 12th of October, 1492, that Columbus
first saw the new world. A beautiful, fragrant, verdure-crowned island
lay before him, and evidently populous, for the inhabitants were seen
darting, in great numbers, through the woods to the shore. That
greenhouse appearance, which the regions within the tropics are known
generally to assume, together with the purity and blandness of the
atmosphere, struck the senses of the voyagers, as though it had been
Eden itself. They could give vent to their feelings only in tears of
gratitude--in prayers and praises to God, who had conducted them to
such happy destinies. Having made the necessary preparations, Columbus
landed with his crew on the delightful shore, in an ecstasy of joy and
devotion, taking possession of the whole region in the name of his
sovereigns, and calling the island _San Salvador_. It proved to be one
of what has since been known as the Bahama islands.
The conduct and appearance of the natives were such as to show that
the Spaniards had no reason to fear their hostility or treachery.
Simple, harmless, naked, and unarmed, they seemed rather to be at the
mercy of their visitors. Equally timid and curious, they were at first
shy; but being encouraged to approach the strangers, they at length
became entirely familiar with them, and received presents with
expressions of the highest delight. The new comers to their shores
were thought to have dropped from the skies, and the articles bestowed
were received as celestial presents. All was a scene of wonder and
amazement indeed to both parties.
As Columbus supposed himself to have landed on an island at the
extremity of India, he gave to the natives the general appellation of
Indians, by which, as a distinct race, they have ever since been known.
[Illustration: Interview of Columbus with the Natives of Cuba.]
After having noticed the features of the new-found island
sufficiently, and learned what he was able from the natives in respect
to other lands or islands, and particularly in respect to the gold
they might contain, he explored the archipelago around, touched at
several of the groups, and finally discovered the larger and more
distant islands of Cuba and Hispaniola. Many interesting adventures
occurred during his sojourn among these islands, in his intercourse
with the natives, upon which we cannot enlarge. Suffice it to say,
that he succeeded according to his wishes in conciliating the
affections of the people, and in the extent of his discoveries for the
first voyage, but found a less amount of gold than he expected, and
was unfortunate in the shipwreck of the Santa Maria, the principal
vessel. His trials, also, with several of his subordinates in office,
were severe; as, on more than one occasion, they proved unfaithful to
his interests and disobedient to his commands.
[Illustration: Columbus casting a barrel into the sea.]
It was on the 4th of January, 1493, that Columbus set sail for Spain.
He left a part of his men in the island of Hispaniola (Hayti, in the
language of the original inhabitants), to occupy a fort he had built
near a harbor, which he had named _La Navidad_. While coasting on the
eastern side of the island, he met the Pinta, which had for a time,
under its disaffected captain, deserted from him. Joined by this
vessel again, they proceeded homeward on their voyage; but they met
with tempests, which their frail barks were little able to encounter.
The Pinta, being separated from the Nina, was supposed to have been
lost; but this proved to have be a mistake, as she reached Spain
nearly at the same time with the other caravel. At the time of their
greatest extremity, when all hope of safety had departed, Columbus,
anxious that the knowledge of his discovery might be communicated to
the world, wrote a brief account of his voyage; and having properly
secured it in a barrel, committed the latter to the ocean, in the hope
that it might afterwards be found, should he and his crew never see
land again.[3] But they were mercifully preserved, as the storm at
length subsided, and, within a few days, they reached the island of
St. Mary's, one of the Azores.
While he was at that island, where he had sought a refuge for his
wearied men and his own over-tasked body and mind, he encountered a
species of persecution most disgraceful to civilized society. It was
the result of the mean malignity of the Portuguese, who were piqued
that the honor of the discovery should not have been secured for
themselves, and was manifested by the imprisonment of a portion of his
crew, and other vexatious treatment. At length, regaining his men, he
set sail for home; but, meeting with tempestuous weather, he was
forced to take shelter in the Tagus. Here astonishment and envy seemed
to be equally excited by the knowledge of his discoveries; and, could
certain courtiers of the monarch have had their own way, the great
adventurer would have been stricken down by the hand of the assassin.
So black a deed of treacherous villany had been advised. The king,
however, treated him with generosity, and Columbus being dismissed
with safety, soon found himself entering the harbor of Palos, just
seven months and eleven days since his departure from that port.
His arrival in Spain excited the most lively feelings of astonishment,
joy, and gratitude. The nation was swayed by one common sentiment of
admiration of the man and his exploits. Ferdinand and Isabella, who
seemed to derive so much glory from his success, most of all
participated in this sentiment. He was the universal theme, and most
amply was he indemnified by the honors now bestowed upon him, and the
enthusiasm with which he was every where welcomed, for all the neglect
and contumely he had previously suffered, as a supposed insane or
fanatical projector. His progress through Spain was like the triumphal
march of a conqueror. But it is impossible, within the limited compass
of this narrative, to present any thing like an adequate idea of the
sensation which was produced throughout the nation and Europe at
large, by the events that had thus transpired, or to enumerate the
hundredth part of the marks of consideration, which "the observed of
all observers" received from prince and peasant--from the learned and
ignorant. The government confirmed anew to him all the dignities,
privileges, and emoluments for which he had before stipulated, and
others were added to them. But to Columbus, the most satisfactory
consideration accorded to him by his sovereigns at this time, was the
request to attempt a second voyage of discovery. For this, the
preparations were on a scale commensurate to the object in view.
The complement of the fleet amounted to fifteen hundred souls. Among
these were many who enlisted from love of adventure or glory, including
several persons of rank, hidalgos, and members of the royal household.
The squadron consisted of seventeen vessels, three of which were of one
hundred tons burden each. With a navy of this size, so strongly
contrasting with that of his former voyage, he took his departure from
the Bay of Cadiz on the 25th of September, 1493. He sailed on a course
somewhat south of west, instead of due west as before, and after being
upon the sea one month and seven days, he came to a lofty island, to
which he gave the name of Dominica, from having discovered it on Sunday.
The liveliest joy was felt by the numerous company, and devout thanks
were returned to God for their prosperous voyage.
Sad reverses, however, awaited the great commander during this voyage
of discovery. The garrison which he had left on the island of
Hispaniola had disappeared, and the natives seemed less favorably
disposed towards the white man than at first--a change which probably
accounts for the fate of the garrison. Columbus, indeed, added other
islands to the list of those before known, planted stations here and
there on the principal island above named, and showed his usual
unequaled energy and skill in the conduct of the expedition. But, as
he could not be every where at once, his absence from a place was the
sure signal of misrule and insubordination among that class of
adventurers who had never been accustomed to subjection or labor. His
cautious and conciliating policy in the treatment of the natives was
abandoned, where he could not be present to enforce it, and, the
consequence was, that they were aroused to resentment, on account of
the injuries inflicted upon them. The treatment of the female natives,
on the part of the colonists, was of that scandalous character
calculated to produce continual broils and collisions. Eventually, a
fierce warlike spirit was excited among portions of this naturally
gentle and timid people; but they proved to be unequal to the
civilized man, with the superior arms and discipline of the latter, in
hostile encounter, and were driven before him as the leaves of autumn
before a storm. There was such a war of extermination, that, in less
than four years after the Spaniards had set foot on the island of
Hispaniola, one-third of its population, amounting probably to
several hundred thousand, was destroyed.
Complaints were made by the colonists against the administration of
Columbus, so that eventually he felt the necessity of returning home
to vindicate his proceedings. Ferdinand and Isabella, however, took no
part with the malcontents against him. They treated him with marked
distinction; but it was evident that with the novelty of his
discoveries, the enthusiasm of the nation had passed away. It was
generally felt to be a losing concern. The actual returns of gold and
other products of the new world were so scanty, as to bear no
proportion to the outlays.
A third expedition was projected, and after various hindrances, arising
from the difficulty of meeting the expense, and the apathy of the
public, Columbus took his departure from the port of St. Lucas, May 30,
1498. Proceeding in a still more southerly direction than before, on the
1st of August following, he succeeded in reaching _terra firma_. He thus
entitled himself to the glory of discovering the great southern
continent, for which he had before prepared the way.
It is not necessary to detail the events of this expedition, except to
say, that it proved a source of untold evil and suffering to the
veteran navigator. After his arrival at Hispaniola, he was involved in
inextricable difficulties with the colonists, the final result of
which was, that he was sent home in chains. This shocking indignity
was the unauthorized act of a commissioner, named Boadilla, sent out
by the government to adjust the differences that had taken place. The
king and queen of Spain thus became unwittingly the cause of his
disgrace. This was too much for the kind and generous feelings of the
queen in particular. Columbus was soothed by the assurances of her
sympathy and sorrow for his trials. "When he beheld the emotion of his
royal mistress, and listened to her consolatory language, it was too
much for his loyal and generous heart; and, throwing himself on his
knees, he gave vent to his feelings, and sobbed aloud."[4] As an
indication of the continued confidence of the king and queen in his
fidelity, wisdom, and nautical skill, they proposed to him a fourth
voyage. To this he assented, with some reluctance at first; but,
cheered by their assurances, he quitted the port of Cadiz on the 9th
of March, 1502, with a small squadron of four caravels. This was his
last voyage, and more disastrous than any which preceded it. Among
other misfortunes, he was wrecked on the island of Jamaica, where he
was permitted to linger more than a year, through the malice of
Ovando, the new governor of St. Domingo. On his return, the 7th of
November, 1504, after a most perilous and tedious voyage, he was
destined to feel the heaviest stroke of all, in the death of his most
constant and liberal supporter, the queen; and, with her death, to
fail of that public justice which he had looked for as the crown of
all his labors, hardships, and sacrifices. The king, always wary and
distrustful, though he treated Columbus with high public
consideration, seems to have regarded him "in the unwelcome light of a
creditor, whose demands were never to be disavowed, and too large to
be satisfied." The great discoverer lived only a year and a half after
his return; and, though poorly compensated by the king in his last
days, he bore his trials with patience, and died on the 5th of May,
1506, in the most Christian spirit of resignation.
[Illustration]
FOOTNOTES:
[1] History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, by Wm. H. Prescott.
[2] History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus, by
Washington Irving.
[3] It gives an interesting view of the depth of Columbus' solicitude
and grief, as well as of the peculiar spirit by which he was actuated in
his great enterprise, to learn the following from his own pen, in a
letter to his sovereign: "I could have supported this evil fortune with
less grief, had my person alone been in jeopardy, since I am debtor for
my life to the Supreme Creator, and have at other times been within a
step of death. But it was a cause of infinite sorrow and trouble to
think, that after having been illuminated from on high with faith and
certainty to undertake this enterprise; after having victoriously
achieved it, and when on the point of convincing my opponents and
securing to your highness great glory and vast increase of dominion, it
should please the Divine Majesty to defeat all by my death. It would
have been more supportable also, had I not been accompanied by others,
who had been drawn on by my persuasions, and who in their distress
cursed not only the hour of their coming, but the fear inspired by my
words, which prevented their turning back as they had at various times
determined. Above all, my grief was doubled when I thought of my two
sons, whom I had left in school at Cordova, destitute in a strange land,
without any testimony of the services rendered by their father, which,
if known, might have inclined your highness to befriend them. And
although, on the one hand, I was comforted by a faith, that the Deity
would not permit a work of such great exaltation to his church, wrought
through so many troubles and contradictions, to remain imperfect; yet,
on the other hand, I reflected on my sins, for which he might intend, as
a punishment, that I should be deprived of the glory which would redound
to me in this world." It is ever to be kept in mind, that Columbus had
the most exalted ideas of the effect of his discoveries on the extension
of Christianity. Connected with this pious motive, was the questionable
one of consecrating the wealth hence to be derived to the rescue of the
holy sepulchre, a project which he had contemplated. This faith or
enthusiasm runs through the whole tissue of his strange and chequered
life.
[4] Prescott's History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella.
III. SEBASTIAN CABOT.
Although the evidence of history establishes the claim of Columbus, as
the first discoverer of the new world, including in that term the West
Indian archipelago, yet there were other meritorious voyagers, who
extended the knowledge of these new regions, thus laid open to mankind.
Others there were, who, stimulated by his success, and following his
steps, enlarged the boundaries of geographical science even beyond the
actual discoveries of Columbus. Among these voyagers was the admirable
Sebastian Cabot, whose merits have never been fully acknowledged as they
deserved to be, having been overlooked, in a measure, through the
greater admiration bestowed on his predecessor. He belonged to a family
distinguished for their spirit of adventure, as his father before him
was an eminent navigator, and he was associated with two brothers,
apparently possessing the same love of a sea-faring life. The father of
Sebastian was an Italian, but the son was born in Bristol, England, in
1477. The family was fitted out with five ships, for the purpose of
discovery, by the English government, who granted a patent, under date
of March 6th, 1496, to John Cabot, the father, as leader of the
expedition. He was, however, rather the overseer or adviser of the
concern, than the leader. The real conductor of it was Sebastian, who,
through his modesty, failed to secure for himself that consideration
from the world which was his due.
His object, like that of Columbus, was to find a passage to India; but
not in the direction which the latter took. The idea which possessed the
mind of Cabot was, that India might be reached by sailing _north-west_.
He left Bristol in the spring of 1497, and on the 24th of June, in
pursuing his course, he came unexpectedly, and to his disappointment, in
sight of land, and was thus impeded as to his progress in that
direction. It was the North American continent which he had approached.
The land seen was the coast of Labrador, as also an island that
received the name of St. John's island, from the day on which it was
discovered. Cabot has recorded, in all simplicity, how the affair
happened. He supposed himself to be on the direct route to India, "but,
after certayne dayes," said he, "I found that the land ranne towards the
north, which was to mee a great displeasure." St. John's island he
describes as "full of white bears, and stagges far greater than the
English." From this point he steered his course towards the bay since
called Hudson's bay; but, after several days' sailing, he yielded to the
discontent of the crew, and returned to England.
Cabot conducted a second expedition, which sailed from Bristol in
1498. He reached Labrador again, where he left a portion of his crew,
in order to commence a colony, while he proceeded on his voyage. But
success did not reward his attempt, and, on his return to Labrador, he
found the colonists, from the sufferings they had experienced in that
cold and sterile region, clamorous for a return. He accordingly
submitted to their demands, and, laying his course to the south as far
as the Cape of Florida, he rëcrossed the ocean. The notes which he
took of his voyage have unhappily been lost.
In 1517 he was again employed, in an expedition from England; but though
he penetrated to about the sixty-seventh degree of north latitude, and
entered Hudson's bay, giving names to various places in the vicinity, he
was compelled to return, through the cowardice of an officer high in
command, Sir Thomas Pert, and the disaffection of the crew. They had not
the spirit to encounter the rigor and privations of the climate.