Columbus, Christopher
Christopher (1446-1506), the discoverer of America. He was born at Genoa in 1446 and died at Valladolid, Spain, May 21, 1506. The Italians called him Cristoforo Colombo; the Spaniards, Christobal Colon. His father was a Genoese wool comber. Beyond the facts that he received a good education, was fond of mathematics, geography, and travel, and that he went to sea early in life, little is known of young Colombo. In 1470 he married a sea 'captain's daughter at Lisbon, then the most enterprising seaport in the world. Columbus appears to have inherited a lot of charts and instruments belonging to her father. He mastered books of travel, studied the various theories of the shape of the earth and investigated the traditions of new lands in the west.
The Turks had intrenched themselves about the eastern end of the Mediterranean, cutting off former lines of traffic by ship and caravan with India and the far east. The southern route by way of the Cape of Good Hope was unknown. The ships of the Mediterranean lay rotting at the wharves. Merchant princes had empty warehouses. People long accustomed to the products of the east went without. The profitable commerce of centuries, thus interrupted, was seeking new lines of travel, not controlled by the Turks. The Portuguese emboldened by the mariner's compass, lately come into use, were seeking a passage around the southern end of Africa. Columbus was of the opinion that a route directly westward would lead to India. Filled with the great idea, he made application to his native city, Genoa, to John II of Portugal, and to Henry VII of England for money and ships to make a trial voyage. He passed eighteen years in a struggle with poverty, striving to overcome ridicule and opposition. Finally-call it credulity, faith, or statesmanship-a woman, Isabella, queen of Spain, one of the most gracious personages in history, listened to his plea and declared that so great a project should be carried out, even though she were obliged to pawn her jewels to find the means.
Friday, August 3, 1492, Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain with three small ships, the Pinta, the Nina, and the Santa Maria. He went by way of the Canary Islands, where he took aboard a last supply of fresh water and sailed boldly forth into unknown waters. Terror seized his sailors, and nothing but his commanding presence and skillful management prevented their throwing him overboard and returning home. The picture of Columbus-anxious, fearless, determined-explaining his views to his officers, watching every floating bit of grass or weed, but sailing on and on over pathless waters and under strange skies, is an inspiring theme. Finally birds were seen, and the prows of the little ships were turned to follow. The smell of growing trees seemed to be wafted from the west. Columbus offered a reward to the first to see land. He himself was the first to sight a twinkling light over the waves. At two o'clock on the morning of October 12th, sixty-nine days after their setting out, a cannon shot from the Pinta announced the sight of land. It is no wonder that on landing Columbus threw himself on the ground, kissed the very earth, and returned thanks for the coming true of a lifetime of hope and prayer. Then, drawing his sword and raising aloft the banner of Spain, he took possession of a New World in the joint names of Ferdinand and Isabella, sovereigns of Castile and Leon.
The first land discovered was the island of San Salvador, one of the Bahama Islands. Columbus built a wooden fort, and left thirty-nine volunteers to hold it. He also visited Cuba and Hayti before returning.
When Columbus set sail from Palos the courtiers jeered at his wild scheme, the populace wept and bewailed the fate of friends who should never return, and many a curse was hurled at the head of so hare-brained and wild an adventurer. On his return the same people could not cheer loud enough; bells were rung; cannon thundered salvos of welcome. Columbus and his companions were conducted to their sovereign in procession. Indians, palm trees, fruits, all sorts of specimens from the new country were carried along in view of the excited people. A chair for Columbus was placed next the throne of the king, and he was invited to relate his adventures. There was no difficulty in getting a hearing from Ferdinand now. Columbus was made viceroy of the New World and made three additional voyages to explore and to locate forts. Believing he had found India, he called the region the West Indies, and the natives Indians.
It would require volumes to relate the troubles that befell after the first flush of success had passed by. Envy, greed, and calumny assailed him. Some wanted the gold there might be in a new country, others coveted the possession of the New World. To Ferdinand they represented that Columbus designed to create and rule an independent empire beyond the sea. To Isabella they drew a picture of cruelty to the Indians. As a result orders were given. Columbus was sent home in chains like a dangerous criminal. Once face to face with the queen, we may believe he had no difficulty in clearing his good name. None the less, he died broken-hearted at Valladolid, desiring that his chains be placed in his coffin. According to his wish, his remains were transported to the city of St. Domingo, which his brother had founded. When, in 1795, the city with the island became a possession of France, the coffin of Columbus, as it was supposed, was removed with every sign of high honor to the Cathedral of Havana. In 1898, when Cuba was granted independence, the remains were taken to Spain. They now rest beneath the pavement of the grand old Cathedral of Seville. A marble slab bears the famous inscription, "To Castile and Leon, Columbus gave a new world." Historical accuracy requires the addition of a statement to the effect that in 1877 a lead casket was found in the old monastery at Santo Domingo that is thought to contain the true remains of the great discoverer. It is believed quite generally that the body removed was that of his son, and that Columbus still reposes at Santo Domingo, the resting place of his choice.
Documents recently brought to light in the archives of Genoa indicate the poverty of the famous expedition. The great admiral was paid a salary of $300 a year. The two captains who accompanied him received a salary of $200 each. The members of the crew were paid at the rate of $2.50 a month. The fleet was worth about $3,000. The entire expense of discovering America did not exceed $7,000,--less than the cost of a mere salute fired nowadays by a battleship in honor of the president.
Columbus was a man of pure life, a scholar, an enthusiast, a man of large views, integrity of purpose, sagacious, enterprising, persistent, and possessed of executive ability in no ordinary degree. He lived in an atmosphere of ignorance, prejudice, and selfishness, to say nothing of malice and the blackest treachery. His life is the record of a great man, thwarted and denied a free hand by authority, pestered by petty foes, and hunted to death by powerful ones. The best account of his life and services likely to be at hand is to be found in John Fiske's Discovery of America.
