Children's Stories in American History

by Henrietta Christian Wright

The day broke, and the New World lay before them. About six miles away they saw an island thickly covered with trees and with crowds of natives running up and down its shores. At sunrise the small boats were lowered, and Columbus, bearing the royal standard of Castile, and Martin Pinzon and his brother, each bearing a flag with a green cross, were rowed to the shore to the sound of music. Columbus first stepped on the beach, the others followed, and all knelt and kissed the ground with tears and thanks to God. Then Columbus rose, shook out the gorgeous red and gold flag of Spain, and drawing his sword, took possession of the island in the name of the crown of Castile, calling it San Salvador.

The wondering natives looked on in silence; they thought their visitors were gods who had come down from heaven, whereas the Spaniards thought they had never seen a place so much like heaven as this beautiful island. Birds of gorgeous plumage hovered above them, while others made the place sweet with their music. The air was soft and pleasant, and flowers and fruits were abundant. After their long sea voyage they found it a most pleasant spot, and would gladly have remained there for a long time.

But Columbus did not consider that his work of discovery was yet done. Some of the natives, who wore ornaments of gold, told him of a country in the south from which it had come; so Columbus, taking seven of the natives with him, started off to find this land of gold, which he supposed to be Cipango (Japan). He did not find the gold which he sought, but he did find something else—the island of Cuba—which he first thought was Cipango, but afterward concluded it was the mainland of India. He then sailed on, discovering the island of Hayti, which he thought was Ophir, that land of gold from which had been brought the gold and jewels for Solomon's Temple. He called this island Hispaniola, or Little Spain, and, building a fort there of the timbers of the Santa Maria, and leaving in it thirty-nine men, he sailed for Spain, in the Nina, taking with him several natives. Martin Pinzon had in the meantime started off gold-hunting, on his own account, in the Pinta.

During the voyage back to Spain a fearful storm arose, and it was thought that the ship must go down; of course, if this happened the people in Europe would never know what had become of Columbus and his sailors; so he wrote an account of his voyage and discoveries, and, sealing it up in a cask, threw it overboard. But the storm at last ceased and they reached the Azores in safety, where the crew attended mass and gave thanks for their preservation. In March, six months from the time of their sailing, the Nina entered the harbor of Palos. Columbus was received with great honors by Ferdinand and Isabella. He was allowed to sit in their presence while he told the story of his wonderful adventures. The Spanish are a people very fond of romances and tales of daring, but never before had they listened to such a story as this. A story that told them that Spain would forever stand in history as the discoverer of a new world. No fairy tale was so marvellous as this. Aladdin's wonderful lamp and the vale of diamonds in the Arabian Nights were not to be compared to the riches of this new country, where the sands of every river sparkled with gold, where the stones and rocks shone with its glittering light, where the walls of the houses were studded with jewels, and where the poorest native wore ornaments that kings might envy. And in addition to these dazzling splendors they spoke of the mild and healthful climate, of the rare and delicious fruits that grew so abundantly, of the beautiful flowers, of the birds with sweetest songs and the most gorgeous plumage, of the rivers whose waters were health-giving, and of a wonderful fountain which gave immortal youth to all who might drink of it.

And so Columbus had no difficulty in fitting out a second expedition; men were eager to go, eager for gold, and, what was perhaps better, eager for glory; they did not have to be pressed into the service this time. In September, 1493, Columbus sailed from Cadiz with a fleet of seventeen ships and fifteen hundred men. But he had left his good fortune behind him; never again would such bright skies bend above him; never again would he sail under such benignant stars; henceforth his life was to be saddened by disappointment, and made bitter by the envy and hatred of those whom he had served.

Many of the men who took ship with him on this second voyage were led to do so from the love of gold, and when they reached the New World and did not find the gold they sought, they grew angry and mutinous and quarrelsome, throwing the blame on Columbus, who, they said, had deceived them. It was not pleasant to govern such a lot of unruly, discontented men; but Columbus was a man who never flinched in the face of danger, no matter of what kind; he kept on his way in spite of the murmurings of his men, and was rewarded by the discovery of the Windward Islands, Jamaica and Porto Rico—then he founded a colony in Hayti, and leaving his brother, Bartolommeó, to govern it, sailed for Spain, reaching Cadiz about three years after his departure from it.

Here he soon cleared himself of the complaints made against him, and silenced those who were jealous of his fame. Once, while sitting at table, a courtier said that, after all, it was not such a great thing to have discovered the new world, any one else could have done it. For answer Columbus asked him to make an egg stand on its end; the courtier tried, but could not do it. Columbus then struck the egg on the table, breaking the shell a little, and then stood it on the table.

"Any one can do that," said the courtier.

"When I have shown you the way," replied Columbus.

The courtier was silent, he knew well what Columbus meant.