The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985-1503 Part 6

_Friday, 3d of August_

We departed on Friday, the 3d of August, in the year 1492, from the bar of Saltes, at 8 o'clock, and proceeded with a strong sea breeze until sunset, towards the south, for 60 miles, equal to 15 leagues;[91-1]

afterwards S.W. and W.S.W., which was the course for the Canaries.

_Sat.u.r.day, 4th of August_

They steered S.W. 1/4 S.

_Sunday, 5th of August_

They continued their course day and night more than 40 leagues.

_Monday, 6th of August_

The rudder of the caravel _Pinta_ became unshipped, and Martin Alonso Pinzon, who was in command, believed or suspected that it was by contrivance of Gomes Rascon and Cristobal Quintero, to whom the caravel belonged, for they dreaded to go on that voyage. The Admiral says that, before they sailed, these men had been displaying a certain backwardness, so to speak. The Admiral was much disturbed at not being able to help the said caravel without danger, and he says that he was eased of some anxiety when he reflected that Martin Alonso Pinzon was a man of energy and ingenuity. They made, during the day and night, 29 leagues.

_Tuesday, 7th of August_

The rudder of the _Pinta_ was shipped and secured, and they proceeded on a course for the island of Lanzarote, one of the Canaries. They made, during the day and night, 25 leagues.

_Wednesday, 8th of August_

Opinions respecting their position varied among the pilots of the three caravels; but that of the Admiral proved to be nearer the truth. He wished to go to Gran Canaria, to leave the caravel _Pinta_, because she was disabled by the faulty hanging of her rudder, and was making water.

He intended to obtain another there if one could be found. They could not reach the place that day.

_Thursday, 9th of August_

The Admiral was not able to reach Gomera until the night of Sunday, while Martin Alonso remained on that coast of Gran Canaria by order of the Admiral, because his vessel could not be navigated. Afterwards the Admiral took her to Canaria, and they repaired the _Pinta_ very thoroughly through the pains and labor of the Admiral, of Martin Alonso, and of the rest. Finally they came to Gomera. They saw a great fire issue from the mountain of the island of Tenerife, which is of great height.

They rigged the _Pinta_ with square sails, for she was lateen rigged; and the Admiral reached Gomera on Sunday, the 2nd of September, with the _Pinta_ repaired.

The Admiral says that many honorable Spanish gentlemen who were at Gomera with Dona Ines Peraza, mother of Guillen Peraza (who was afterwards the first Count of Gomera), and who were natives of the island of Hierro, declared that every year they saw land to the west of the Canaries; and others, natives of Gomera, affirmed the same on oath. The Admiral here says that he remembers, when in Portugal in the year 1484, a man came to the King from the island of Madeira, to beg for a caravel to go to this land that was seen, who swore that it could be seen every year, and always in the same way.[93-1] He also says that he recollects the same thing being affirmed in the islands of the Azores; and all these lands were described as in the same direction, and as being like each other, and of the same size. Having taken in water, wood, and meat, and all else that the men had who were left at Gomera by the Admiral when he went to the island of Canaria to repair the caravel _Pinta_, he finally made sail from the said island of Gomera, with his three caravels, on Thursday, the 6th day of September.

_Thursday, 6th of September_

He departed on that day from the port of Gomera in the morning, and shaped a course to go on his voyage; having received tidings from a caravel that came from the island of Hierro that three Portuguese caravels were off that island with the object of taking him. (This must have been the result of the King's annoyance that Colon should have gone to Castile.) There was a calm all that day and night, and in the morning he found himself between Gomera and Tenerife.

_Friday, 7th of September_

The calm continued all Friday and Sat.u.r.day, until the third hour of the night.

_Sat.u.r.day, 8th of September_

At the third hour of Sat.u.r.day night[94-1] it began to blow from the N.E., and the Admiral shaped a course to the west. He took in much sea over the bows, which r.e.t.a.r.ded progress, and 9 leagues were made in that day and night.

_Sunday, 9th of September_

This day the Admiral made 19 leagues, and he arranged to reckon less than the number run, because if the voyage was of long duration, the people would not be so terrified and disheartened. In the night he made 120 miles, at the rate of 12 miles an hour, which are 30 leagues. The sailors steered badly, letting the ship fall off to N.E., and even more, respecting which the Admiral complained many times.[94-2]

_Monday, 10th of September_

In this day and night he made 60 leagues, at the rate of 10 miles an hour, which are 2-1/2 leagues; but he only counted 48 leagues, that the people might not be alarmed if the voyage should be long.

_Tuesday, 11th of September_

That day they sailed on their course, which was west, and made 20 leagues and more. They saw a large piece of the mast of a ship of 120 tons, but were unable to get it. In the night they made nearly 20 leagues, but only counted 16, for the reason already given.

_Wednesday, 12th of September_

That day, steering their course, they made 33 leagues during the day and night, counting less.

_Thursday, 13th of September_

That day and night, steering their course, which was west, they made 33 leagues, counting 3 or 4 less. The currents were against them. On this day, at the commencement of the night, the needles turned a half point to north-west, and in the morning they turned somewhat more north-west.[95-1]

_Friday, 14th of September_

That day they navigated, on their westerly course, day and night, 20 leagues, counting a little less. Here those of the caravel _Nina_ reported that they had seen a tern[96-1] and a boatswain bird,[96-2] and these birds never go more than 25 leagues from the land.[96-3]

_Sat.u.r.day, 15th of September_

That day and night they made 27 leagues and rather more on their west course; and in the early part of the night there fell from heaven into the sea a marvellous flame of fire, at a distance of about 4 or 5 leagues from them.

_Sunday, 16th of September_

That day and night they steered their course west, making 39 leagues, but the Admiral only counted 36. There were some clouds and small rain. The Admiral says that on that day, and ever afterwards, they met with very temperate breezes, so that there was great pleasure in enjoying the mornings, nothing being wanted but the song of nightingales. He says that the weather was like April in Andalusia. Here they began to see many tufts of gra.s.s which were very green, and appeared to have been quite recently torn from the land. From this they judged that they were near some island, but not the main land, according to the Admiral, "because,"

as he says, "I make the main land to be more distant."

_Monday, 17th of September_

They proceeded on their west course, and made over 50 leagues in the day and night, but the Admiral only counted 47. They were aided by the current. They saw much very fine gra.s.s and herbs from rocks, which came from the west. They, therefore, considered that they were near land. The pilots observed the north point, and found that the needles turned a full point to the west of north. So the mariners were alarmed and dejected, and did not give their reason. But the Admiral knew, and ordered that the north should be again observed at dawn. They then found that the needles were true. The cause was that the star makes the movement, and not the needles. At dawn, on that Monday, they saw much more weed appearing, like herbs from rivers, in which they found a live crab, which the Admiral kept. He says that these crabs are certain signs of land. The sea-water was found to be less salt than it had been since leaving the Canaries.

The breezes were always soft. Every one was pleased, and the best sailors went ahead to sight the first land. They saw many tunny-fish, and the crew of the _Nina_ killed one. The Admiral here says that these signs of land came from the west, "in which direction I trust in that high G.o.d in whose hands are all victories that very soon we shall sight land." In that morning he says that a white bird was seen which has not the habit of sleeping on the sea, called _rabo de junco_ (boatswain-bird).[97-1]