The Poems of Philip Freneau Volume I Part 22

_Columbus, solus_

Why, nature, hast thou treated those so ill, Whose souls, capacious of immense designs, Leave ease and quiet for a nation's glory, Thus to subject them to these little things, Insects, by heaven's decree in shapes of men!

But so it is, and so we must submit, Bending to thee, the heaven's great chancellor!

But must I fail!--and by timidity!

Must thou to thy green waves receive me, Neptune, Or must I basely with my ships return, Nothing accomplish'd!--not one pearl discover'd, One bit of gold to make our queen a bracelet, One diamond for the crown of Ferdinand!

How will their triumph be confirm'd, who said That I was mad!--Must I then change my course, And quit the country that would strait appear, If one week longer we pursued the sun!-- The witch's gla.s.s was not delusion, sure!-- All this, and more, she told me to expect!--[55] (_To the crew_) "a.s.semble, friends; attend to what I say: "Signs unequivocal, at length, declare "That some great continent approaches us: "The sea no longer glooms unmeasur'd depths,[56]

"The setting sun discovers clouds that owe "Their origin to fens and woodland wastes, "Not such as breed on ocean's salt domain:-- "Vast flocks of birds attend us on our way, "These all have haunts amidst the watry void.

"Sweet scenes of ease, and sylvan solitude, "And springs, and streams that we shall share with them.

"Now, hear my most importunate request: "I call you all my friends; you are my equals, "Men of true worth and native dignity, "Whose spirits are too mighty to return "Most meanly home, when nothing is accomplish'd-- "Consent to sail our wonted course with me "But one week longer, and if that be spent, "And nought appear to recompence our toil, "Then change our course and homeward haste away-- "Nay, homeward not!--for that would be too base-- "But to some negro coast,[57] where we may hide, "And never think of Ferdinand again."

_Hernando_

One week!--too much--it shall not be, Columbus!

Already are we on the verge of ruin, Warm'd by the sunshine of another sphere, Fann'd by the breezes of the burning zone, Launch'd out upon the world's extremities!-- Who knows where one week more may carry us?

_Antonio_

Nay, talk not to the traitor!--base Columbus, To thee our ruin and our deaths we owe!

Away, away!--friends!--men at liberty, Now free to act as best befits our case, Appoint another pilot to the helm, And Andalusia be our port again!

_Columbus_

Friends, is it thus you treat your admiral, Who bears the honours of great Ferdinand, The royal standard, and the arms of Spain!

Three days allow me--and I'll show new worlds.

_Hernando_

Three days!--one day will pa.s.s too tediously-- But in the name of all our crew, Columbus, Whose speaker and controuler I am own'd; Since thou indeed art a most gallant man, Three days we grant--but ask us not again!

PICTURE XIV.

Columbus at Cat Island

_Columbus, solus_

Hail, beauteous land! the first that greets mine eye Since, bold, we left the cloud capp'd Teneriffe, The world's last limit long suppos'd by men.-- Tir'd with dull prospects of the watry waste And midnight dangers that around us grew, Faint hearts and feeble hands and traitors vile, Thee, Holy Saviour, on this foreign land We still adore, and name this coast from thee![A]

In these green groves who would not wish to stay, Where guardian nature holds her quiet reign, Where beardless men speak other languages, Unknown to us, ourselves unknown to them.

[A] He called the island San Salvador (Holy Saviour). It lies about ninety miles S.E. from Providence; is one of the Bahama cl.u.s.ter, and to the eastward of the Grand Bank.--_Freneau's note._

_Antonio_

In tracing o'er the isle no gold I find-- Nought else but barren trees and craggy rocks Where screaming sea-fowl mix their odious loves, And fields of burning marle, where devils play And men with copper skins talk barbarously;-- What merit has our chief in sailing hither, Discovering countries of no real worth!

Spain has enough of barren sands, no doubt, And savages in crowds are found at home;-- Why then surmount the world's circ.u.mference Merely to stock us with this Indian breed?

_Hernando_

Soft!--or Columbus will detect your murmuring-- This new found isle has re-instated him In all our favours--see you yonder sands?-- Why, if you see them, swear that they are gold, And gold like this shall be our homeward freight, Gladding the heart of Ferdinand the great, Who, when he sees it, shall say smilingly, "Well done, advent'rous fellows, you have brought "The treasure we expected and deserv'd!"-- Hold!--I am wrong--there goes a savage man With gold suspended from his ragged ears: I'll brain the monster for the sake of gold; There, savage, try the power of Spanish steel-- 'Tis of Toledo[B]--true and trusty stuff!

He falls! he falls! the gold, the gold is mine!

First acquisition in this golden isle!--

[B] The best steel-blades in Spain are manufactured at Toledo and Bilboa.--_Freneau's note._

_Columbus, solus_

Sweet sylvan scenes of innocence and ease, How calm and joyous pa.s.s the seasons here!

No splendid towns or spiry turrets rise, No lordly palaces--no tyrant kings Enact hard laws to crush fair freedom here; No gloomy jails to shut up wretched men; All, all are free!--here G.o.d and nature reign; Their works unsullied by the hands of men.-- Ha! what is this--a murder'd wretch I see,[58]

His blood yet warm--O hapless islander, Who could have thus so basely mangled thee, Who never offer'd insult to our sh.o.r.e-- Was it for those poor trinkets in your ears Which by the custom of your tribe you wore,-- Now seiz'd away--and which would not have weigh'd One poor piastre!

Is this the fruit of my discovery!

If the first scene is murder, what shall follow But havock, slaughter, chains and devastation In every dress and form of cruelty!

O injur'd Nature, whelm me in the deep, And let not Europe hope for my return, Or guess at worlds upon whose threshold now So black a deed has just been perpetrated!-- We must away--enjoy your woods in peace, Poor, wretched, injur'd, harmless islanders;-- On Hayti's[C] isle you say vast stores are found Of this destructive gold--which without murder Perhaps, we may possess!--away, away!

And southward, pilots, seek another isle, Fertile they say, and of immense extent: There we may fortune find without a crime.

[C] This island is now called Hispaniola, but is of late recovering its ancient name.--_Freneau's note._

PICTURE XV.

Columbus in a Tempest, on his return to Spain

The storm hangs low; the angry lightning glares And menaces destruction to our masts; The Corposant[A] is busy on the decks, The soul, perhaps, of some lost admiral Taking his walks about most leisurely, Foreboding we shall be with him to-night: See, now he mounts the shrouds--as he ascends The gale grows bolder!--all is violence!

Seas, mounting from the bottom of their depths, Hang o'er our heads with all their horrid curls Threatening perdition to our feeble barques, Which three hours longer cannot bear their fury, Such heavy strokes already shatter them; Who can endure such dreadful company!-- Then, must we die with our discovery!

Must all my labours, all my pains, be lost, And my new world in old oblivion sleep?-- My name forgot, or if it be remember'd, Only to have it said, "He was a madman "Who perish'd as he ought--deservedly-- "In seeking what was never to be found!"-- Let's obviate what we can this horrid sentence, And, lost ourselves, perhaps, preserve our name.

'Tis easy to contrive this painted casket, (Caulk'd, pitch'd, secur'd with canvas round and round) That it may float for months upon the main, Bearing the freight within secure and dry: In this will I an abstract of our voyage, And islands found, in little s.p.a.ce enclose: The western winds in time may bear it home To Europe's coasts: or some wide wandering ship By accident may meet it toss'd about, Charg'd with the story of another world.

[A] A vapour common at sea in bad weather, something larger and rather paler than the light of a candle; which, seeming to rise out of the sea, first moves about the decks, and then ascends or descends the rigging in proportion to the increase or decrease of the storm.

Superst.i.tion formerly imagined them to be the souls of drowned men.--_Freneau's note._

PICTURE XVI.

Columbus visits the Court at Barcelona

_Ferdinand_

Let him be honour'd like a G.o.d, who brings Tidings of islands at the ocean's end!

In royal robes let him be straight attir'd.

And seated next ourselves, the n.o.blest peer.

_Isabella_

The merit of this gallant deed is mine: Had not my jewels furnish'd out the fleet Still had this world been latent in the main.-- Since on this project every man look'd cold, A woman, as his patroness, shall shine; And through the world the story shall be told, A woman gave new continents to Spain.

_Columbus_

A world, great prince, bright queen and royal lady, Discover'd now, has well repaid our toils; We to your bounty owe all that we are; Men of renown and to be fam'd in story.

Islands of vast extent we have discover'd With gold abounding: see a sample here Of those most precious metals we admire; And Indian men, natives of other climes, Whom we have brought to do you princely homage, Owning they hold their diadems from you.