Part 26 (1/2)

The two s.h.i.+ps started once more on the 10th, sometimes lying to at night for fear of shoals, making and naming cape after cape. On the 12th, entering a harbor, Columbus discovered an Indian, whom he took for a Carib, as he had learned to call the cannibals which he so often heard of. His own Indians did not wholly understand this strange savage. When they sent him ash.o.r.e the Spaniards found fifty-five Indians armed with bows and wooden swords. They were prevailed upon at first to hold communication; but soon showed a less friendly spirit, and Columbus for the first time records a fight, in which several of the natives were wounded. An island to the eastward was now supposed to be the Carib region, and he desired to capture some of its natives. Navarrete supposes that Porto Rico is here referred to. He also observed, as his vessels went easterly, that he was encountering some of the same sort of seaweed which he had sailed through when steering west, and it occurred to him that perhaps these islands stretched easterly, so as really to be not far distant from the Canaries. It may be observed that this propinquity of the new islands to those of the Atlantic, longer known, was not wholly eradicated from the maps till well into the earlier years of the sixteenth century.

[Sidenote: Caribs and Amazons.]

They had secured some additional Indians near where they had had their fight, and one of them now directed Columbus towards the island of the Caribs. The leaks of the vessels increasing and his crews desponding, Columbus soon thought it more prudent to s.h.i.+ft his course for Spain direct, supposing at the same time that it would take him near Matinino, where the tribe of women lived. He had gotten the story somehow, very likely by a credulous adaptation of Marco Polo, that the Caribs visited this island once a year and reclaimed the male offspring, leaving the female young to keep up the tribe.

In following the Admiral along these coasts of Cuba and Espanola, no attempt has here been made to identify all his bays and rivers.

Navarrete and the other commentators have done so, but not always with agreement.

[Sidenote: 1493. January 16.]

On the 16th, they had their last look at a distant cape of Espanola, and were then in the broad ocean, with seaweed and tunnies and pelicans to break its monotony. The ”Pinta,” having an unsound mast, lagged behind, and so the ”Nina” had to slacken sail.

[Sidenote: Homeward voyage.]

Columbus now followed a course which for a long time, owing to defects in the methods of ascertaining longitude, was the mariner's readiest recourse to reach his port. This was to run up his lat.i.tudes to that of his destination, and then follow the parallel till he sighted a familiar landmark.

[Sidenote: 1493. February 10.]

[Sidenote: February 13.]

[Sidenote: A gale.]

By February 10, when they began to compare reckonings, Columbus placed his position in the lat.i.tude of Flores, while the others thought they were on a more southern course, and a hundred and fifty leagues nearer Spain. By the 12th it was apparent that a gale was coming on. The next day, February 13, the storm increased. During the following night both vessels took in all sail and scudded before the wind. They lost sight of each other's lights, and never joined company. The ”Pinta” with her weak mast was blown away to the north. The Admiral's s.h.i.+p could bear the gale better, but as his ballast was insufficient, he had to fill his water casks with sea-water. Sensible of their peril, his crew made vows, to be kept if they were saved. They drew lots to determine who should carry a wax taper of five pounds to St. Mary of Guadalupe, and the penance fell to the Admiral. A sailor by another lot was doomed to make a pilgrimage to St. Mary of Lorette in the papal territory. A third lot was drawn for a night watch at St. Clara de Mogues, and it fell upon Columbus. Then they all vowed to pay their devotions at the nearest church of Our Lady if only they got ash.o.r.e alive.

[Sidenote: A narrative of his voyage thrown overboard.]

There was one thought which more than another troubled Columbus at this moment, and this was that in case his s.h.i.+p foundered, the world might never know of his success, for he was apprehensive that the ”Pinta” had already foundered. Not to alarm the crew, he kept from them the fact that a cask which they had seen him throw overboard contained an account of his voyage, written on parchment, rolled in a waxed cloth. He trusted to the chance of some one finding it. He placed a similar cask on the p.o.o.p, to be washed off in case the s.h.i.+p went down. He does not mention this in the journal.

[Sidenote: 1493. January 15.]

[Sidenote: January 16. Land seen.]

[Sidenote: At the Azores.]

[Sidenote: 1493. February 18.]

After sunset on the 15th there were signs of clearing in the west, and the waves began to fall. The next morning at sunrise there was land ahead. Now came the test of their reckoning. Some thought it the rock of Cintra near Lisbon; others said Madeira; Columbus decided they were near the Azores. The land was soon made out to be an island; but a head wind thwarted them. Other land was next seen astern. While they were saying their _Salve_ in the evening, some of the crew discerned a light to leeward, which might have been on the island first seen. Then later they saw another island, but night and the clouds obscured it too much to be recognized. The journal is blank for the 17th of February, except that under the next day, the 18th, Columbus records that after sunset of the 17th they sailed round an island to find an anchorage; but being unsuccessful in the search they beat out to sea again. In the morning of the 18th they stood in, discovered an anchorage, sent a boat ash.o.r.e, and found it was St. Mary's of the Azores. Columbus was right!

[Sidenote: 1493. February 21.]

After sunset he received some provisions, which Juan de Casteneda, the Portuguese governor of the island, had sent to him. Meanwhile three Spaniards whom Columbus sent ash.o.r.e had failed to return, not a little to his disturbance, for he was aware that there might be among the Portuguese some jealousy of his success. To fulfill one of the vows made during the gale, he now sent one half his crew ash.o.r.e in penitential garments to a hermitage near the sh.o.r.e, intending on their return to go himself with the other half. The record then reads: ”The men being at their devotion, they were attacked by Casteneda with horse and foot, and made prisoners.” Not being able to see the hermitage from his anchorage, and not suspecting this event, but still anxious, he made sail and proceeded till he got a view of the spot. Now he saw the hors.e.m.e.n, and how presently they dismounted, and with arms in their hands, entering a boat, approached the s.h.i.+p. Then followed a parley, in which Columbus thought he discovered a purpose of the Portuguese to capture him, and they on their part discovered it to be not quite safe to board the Admiral. To enforce his dignity and authority as a representative of the sovereigns of Castile, he held up to the boats his commission with its royal insignia; and reminded them that his instructions had been to treat all Portuguese s.h.i.+ps with respect, since a spirit of amity existed between the two Crowns. It behooved the Portuguese, as he told them, to be wary lest by any hostile act they brought upon themselves the indignation of those higher in authority.

The lofty bearing of Casteneda continuing, Columbus began to fear that hostilities might possibly have broken out between Spain and Portugal.

So the interview ended with little satisfaction to either, and the Admiral returned to his old anchorage. The next day, to work off the lee sh.o.r.e, they sailed for St. Michael's, and the weather continuing stormy he found himself crippled in having but three experienced seamen among the crew which remained to him. So not seeing St. Michael's they again bore away, on Thursday the 21st, for St. Mary's, and again reached their former anchorage.

The storms of these latter days here induced Columbus in his journal to recall how placid the sea had been among those other new-found islands, and how likely it was the terrestrial] paradise was in that region, as theologians and learned philosophers had supposed. From these thoughts he was aroused by a boat from sh.o.r.e with a notary on board, and Columbus, after completing his entertainment of the visitors, was asked to show his royal commission. He records his belief that this was done to give the Portuguese an opportunity of retreating from their belligerent att.i.tude. At all events it had that effect, and the Spaniards who had been restrained were at once released. It is surmised that the conduct of Casteneda was in conformity with instructions from Lisbon, to detain Columbus should he find his way to any dependency of the Portuguese crown.

[Sidenote: 1493. February 24.]

[Sidenote: February 25.]

[Sidenote: Rock of Cintra seen.]