Columbus, Providence, and the Discovery of America
by Ronald M. Mann
In 1992 we celebrated the Quincentenary Anniversary
of Christopher Columbus' discoveries. Any reading of the great number of materials
published during that period gave many different impressions of Columbus and
his accomplishments. He was accused of being vain, ambitious, a dealer in
slaves, a murder, and certainly not the original discover of America. Was
this the real Columbus or was he the hero we read about in our youth. What
is so important about Columbus and his discoveries? Certainly others came
to the Americas before Columbus! Was he inspired by the Holy Ghost as he often
stated? What could have possibly motivated him for so many years to discover
Cypango - modern day Japan?
The material for this paper comes from some of the
best and most reliable sources available see the bibliography at the end of
this paper. Perhaps the most accurate are the two books written on Columbus by
Dr. Samuel Elliot Morison (1887-1976), Admiral of the Sea, published in 1940,
for which he won the Pulitzer Prize and his most recent one Christopher
Columbus, The Voyage of Discovery 1492. Dr. Morison was a full professor of
History at Harvard as well as an Admiral in the Naval Reserve. He traced the
routes of Columbus and was intimately familiar with nautical terms, the oceans
and ships. He was a thorough scholar and an excellent researcher. Another great
book is: Christopher Columbus, His Life and Discovery in the Light of His
Prophecies, by Kay Brigham. This book is most unique because she uses the only
book written by Columbus, “The Book of Prophecies” as one of her main sources.
Significance of the Discoveries of Columbus
“Five
hundred years ago an obscure Genoese mariner sailing in the service of Their
Catholic Majesties, the Sovereigns of Spain, made the single greatest voyage of
discovery the world has ever known. The consequences of the First Voyage of
Columbus were so momentous that even today they are difficult to grasp. From
that voyage stemmed not only a great Age of Exploration that would shortly
transform other men’s understanding of the planet on which they lived, but
indeed the entire history of the United States, of Canada and of all the nations
of the Central and South America. It is no wonder that October 12 is celebrated annually throughout the
length and bread of the Western Hemisphere.” Christopher Columbus, The Voyage
of Discovery 14 Samuel Eliot Morison, Dorset Press, Inside of cover)
"The
entire history of Europeans in America stems from Columbus's First Voyage. The
Northmen's discovery of Newfoundland almost five centuries earlier proved to be
a dead-end. Pre-Columbian Portuguese, Welsh, Irish, English, and Venetian
voyages to American are modern-made myths, phantoms which left not one
footprint on the sands of time. But Columbus' First Voyage proved to be the
avant-garde for thousands of hidalgos (Spanish noblemen) who, weary of
sustaining their haughty pride in poverty, were ready to hurl themselves on the
New World in search of gold and glory." (ibid, p 12))
Once the ocean highway had been established by
Columbus, the Spaniards came and they were followed by the Portuguese, then the
flood gates opened and a torrent of humanity came to America. Eventually those
who became the colonizers were English many of whom came mostly for religious
freedom. Within a year of Columbus's discovery the first permanent European
colony would be established in American, Hispaniola.
Christopher Columbus - The Man
Christopher Columbus was born Cristoforo Columbo -
the Christ-bearer, in or near the city of Genoa, Italy, some time between 25
August and the end of October 1451. He was the son and grandson to woolen
weavers who had been living in various towns of the Genoese Republic for at
least three generations. He was tall, well built, with an aquiline nose, blue
eyes and blond/red hair that turned gray by the time he was in his thirties. He
had a fine presence and an innate dignity that impressed people of whatever
estate. He was loyal to the Spanish Sovereigns, devoted to his religious faith
and had an unquenchable faith in divine Providence. He disliked profanity and
had regular daily prayers. He has been claimed as a Castilian, Portuguese,
French, German, English, Irish, Greek, Armenian, Polish and Russian, and the
list continues to grow with time, none of which are true.
Very
little is known about Columbus’s youth, it isn't until he is about 22 that we
learn much about him. We do know that he was very determined and had a strong
belief that he was destined to make the discovery of a new land. It is also
very likely that he had little formal education. In his later years most of his
writing was in Spanish and Portuguese. Samples of his notes and letters are
available which shows his writing. He wrote one book, “The Book of Prophecies.”
Genoa, where he was born and raised certainly must have had an impact on him, his thinking and future life. He was the eldest of five children. Two of his brothers, Bartholomew and Diego, were to accompany him to the New World. Genoa lies on the northern coast of Italy and had one of the finest and busiest harbors in Italy, which helps explain his great interest in things nautical. Certainly every young boy went sailing where and whenever he could. Columbus learned seamanship the old way, the hard way, and the best way; in the school of experience. Genoa also was noted for its map makers, which provided charts to half of the Mediterranean as well as helping the Portuguese chart their African possessions. Certainly the skills and knowledge gained there would prove invaluable to him in his later life. In about 1470 he started making longer and longer voyages. Since, he could not navigate, he only rated an officer’s billet. Contrary to myth, during Columbus' time most people were aware that the earth was round, nevertheless they held some very strange beliefs. For example they believed if they traveled to or beyond the Equator they would run into boiling water or would have to sail up hill because of the earth’s surface. Other significant unknowns were the exact size of the earth, the width of the ocean and the proportion of land to water. Moreover, no one suspected that a huge continent lay between Europe and the Orient.
An Accident That Changed History
During May of 1476 Columbus signed up with the ship Bechalla, which was assigned to escort a convoy shipping Chian mastic (a substance from which gum is made) from Lisbon to England. On 13 August the convoy was attacked off the coast of Portugal near Lagos by a Franco-Portuguese war fleet. The Bechalla was sunk. Columbus was lucky enough to grab a long oar and by pushing it ahead of him, even though he was wounded, eventually reach shore. Providence surely must have been with him in order for him to have made it to shore, six miles distance, exhausted, wounded and through enemy ships. The people of Lagos treated him kindly and passed him on to Lisbon where a local colony from Genoa took him in. This was a consequential event in the life of Columbus. Portugal was the center of blue-water voyaging and over-seas discovery. It provided him with vast new opportunities. While here Columbus learned Portuguese, Castilian, Latin, mathematics and astronomy for celestial navigation. In due time he was given command of a ship, found and married a lady of Portuguese nobility, Felipa Perestrello Moniz. Columbus's shipmates, were some of the world's finest mariners of that era. They taught him how to handle a caravel in hard wind and sea. How to claw off a lee shore, the kind of sea store to take on long voyages and how to store it, and what sort of trading truck is wanted by primitive people. Above all he learned from the Portuguese confidence that a good crew, ship and with his strong belief in the availability of God's assistance the boundaries of the known world could be indefinitely enlarged. During his time spent in Portugal he became one of the greatest navigators of his era. Moreover, it was while here that he was inspired with the idea of reaching Asia by sailing west.
Relocates to Spain
In
1483, after having lived and sailed out of Portugal for seven years, he was
ready to make his revolutionary proposal to the king of Portugal for his
"Enterprise to the Indies," as he called it. He scheduled a meeting
with the king of Portugal and sent his bother Bartholomew on a promotional trip
to England and France. Both failed in their attempts to get support. In
Portugal a newly formed maritime committee agreed to hear his plan. They
subsequently, politely but firmly, dismissed his plan “as vain, simply found on imagination, or things like that Isle of
Cypango of Marco Polo.” About the middle of 1485 a disheartened Columbus
and his son took passage (his wife had died) to Spain. Unfortunately King
Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were preoccupied with war with the Moors and
unavailable to hear Columbus’s proposal.
Eventually through his friends at the monasteries of La Rabida and Las
Cuevas he was introduced to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. Although unable to
do much at that time they did appoint a commission to study his proposal and
placed Columbus on the royal payroll. In December of 1486 he briefed the
Talavera Commission on his proposal. He had to wait until late 1490 for the
Talavera Commissions unfavorable report.
“The report advised the Queen that the West-to-the
Orient project ‘rested on weak foundation;’ that its attainment seemed
‘uncertain and impossible to any educated person;’ that the proposed voyage to
Asia would require three years’ time , even if the ship returned, which was
doubtful; that the Ocean was infinitely larger than Columbus supposed, and much
of it unnavigable. And finally, God would never have allowed any uninhabited
land of real value to be concealed from His people for so many centuries.”
(ibid., pg. 39) During these “. . . six years he had to sustain a continual battle against prejudice,
contumely, and sheer indifference. A proud, sensitive man who knew that his
project would open fresh paths to wealth and for the advancements of Christ’s
kingdom, he had to endure clownish witticisms and crackpot jest by ignorant
courtiers, to be treated like a beggar; even at times to suffer. Hardest of
all, he learned by experience the meaning of the phrase cosas de Espana, the
endemic procrastination of Spaniards.” (ibid, pg. 37) Columbus often
alluded to these bitter experiences often.
Columbus Inspiration
It
is interesting to observe that Columbus always found more friends and
supporters among the priests and religious people than the layman. Columbus’s
dogged determination was driven by much more than simply gold as several modern
historians have reported. He believed in the absolute sovereignty of God over
creation and history. He firmly believed in the Bible and felt God spoke to man
through it. He also believed that each child of God has the high mission to be
God’s instrument, to collaborate with the Lord in the fulfillment of his
purposes. (See Christopher Columbus, His Life and Discovery in the Light of
his Prophecies, Kay Brigham, CLIE Publishers, 1990, pp.52-55) This
perspective, is revealed in the only book he wrote: “Book of Prophecies”, which
is seldom referred to by modern historians. It was redacted in 1502 between his
third and fourth voyages. It is a compilation of passages from the Bible and
his observations as he thought they applied to him. What follows are two
arguments put forth by him supporting his feelings as given to various
sovereigns:
“At this time I have seen and put in study to look
into all the scriptures, which our Lord opened to my understand (I could sense
his hand upon me), so that it became clear to me that it was feasible to
navigate from here to the Indies; and he gave me the will to execute the idea…
I have already said that for the execution of the enterprise of the Indies,
neither reason nor mathematics, nor world maps were profitable to me; rather
the prophecy of Isaiah was completely fulfilled. And this is what I wish to
report here for the consideration of your highnesses.” (Fols. 4,4 vs., 5 rvs.)
“The working out of all things was entrusted by our
Lord to each person, {but it happens} in conformity with his sovereign will,
even though he gives advice to many…I found our Lord well-disposed toward my
heart’s desire, and he gave me the spirit of intelligence for the task. . .Who
doubts this illumination was from the Holy spirit? He {the Spirit}, with
marvelous rays of light, consoled me through the holy and sacred Scriptures, a
strong and clear testimony,…encouraging me to proceed, and, continually, without
ceasing for a moment, they inflame with a sense of great urgency.” (Fols. 5
rvs. 4)
The
writings of Columbus reveal much more than the speculations of historians five
hundred years after the event, for it reveals the heart of one of histories
greatest heroes.
A New Appeal
During
December of 1491 Columbus again made an appeal to a new commission. It most
likely recommended that Columbus be allowed to try. Subsequently the Royal Council
rejected it; they felt the cost was too high. In his first appeal in 1485 he
asked only for expenses, this time he demanded he be given title of Admiral,
governor and viceroy of any new lands he might discover and that both titles be
hereditary in his family and that he be given 10 percent cut on the trade. This
was of course all contingent on his success. He had suffered enough insults and
outrages during the past eight years in Spain and he was not about to give all
the glorify to Spain for nothing. After his rejection at the hearing, he
saddled his mule and dejectedly headed for France. The very day Columbus left,
the keeper of King Ferdinand’s privy purse called on the Queen and urged her to
meet Columbus’s demands. He reminded her that the war with the Moors was over
and that the expedition would cost less than a week’s entertainment of a
foreign prince. Queen Isabella was convinced of the merits of Columbus’s
project and offered her crown jewels to finance it. She too was a Christian and
had believed in Columbus. Sufficient funds were found within the treasury to
support the project therefore it was not necessary for the Queen to give up the
crown jewels. A messenger was immediately dispatched to find Columbus and if
possible convince him to return.
Columbus’s Plan Accepted
The
messenger from the queen over took Columbus about four miles outside the city
and persuaded him to return. Four months later, April, 1492, the contracts
between Columbus and the Sovereigns were signed and sealed. Now after more than
a decade of lobbying the kings of Europe, being abused and mocked Columbus was
finally given the necessary support to begin his voyage. For practical reasons
it was decided to out fit the fleet and recruit the men at Palos, the location
where Columbus had first set foot in Spain. There he had friends, the Pinzon
family, leading ship-owners and master mariners. As fortune would have it the
city leaders at Palos had committed a misdemeanor for which the queen now fined
the city two well equipped caravels - Nine and Pinta. Luckily they were both available for the voyage. At that
time the ship, Santa Maria, owned and captained by Juan de La Galicia lay in
port and was also available for chartering, which was quickly done.
The Fleet
The Santa Maria - the Flagship - was 85 feet long, carried
about 100 tons and had a crew of forty. The second ship, the Pinta, a square-rigged
caravel, 69 feet long, carried 60 tons, and a crew of 27. The third ship the
Nina, a caravel, 55 feet long, carried 50 tons and a crew of 21. The crew
was homogeneous and in good health -- not one man died at sea, an incredible
record when compared with later voyages. Crew members received about seven
dollars in gold a month and the boys about $4.60. Of the three ships Nina
was Columbus’s favorite. After the Santa Maria was grounded and destroyed
the Nina was selected by him for the return trip to Spain. Columbus was confident
that he was God’s instrument and was prepared to meet any hardships
of the sea with stoic endurance. He had the habit of putting on the head of
most of his letters a little cross and often concluded with the prayer: “Jesus
and Mary, Be with us on the way.”
Finally The Voyage Begins
On August 3rd, 1492 Columbus’s small
fleet, the Santa Maria, Pinta, and Nina set sail for India from Palos, Spain.
In addition to his other concerns, rumor had it that the Portuguese had sent
a fleet to intercept and destroy his fleet and were waiting for him somewhere
between Spain and the Carnally Islands. Fortunately this rumor never materialized.
Columbus navigated by the use of a several instruments that were then available:
the common quadrant used for celestial navigation and lead line, mariner’s
compass and dividers for course determination, a half hour sand clock (called
ampolleta), sea charts and ruler. Speed was determined by a seamen watching
the bubbles or the gulfweed float by. Essentially Columbus used “dead
reckoning” to determine his daily positions at sea, and trace his course
across the unknown ocean. Dead-reckoning simply means laying down a compass
course and then estimating distances on your charts. Dead-reckoning was about
99% of the navigator’s art during this period. A slight error of ½
degree in a course could mean more than a 250 miles in landfall on an ocean
crossing. Columbus excellent landfall in 1496 proves his incredible navigation
skills.
No such dead-reckoning navigators exist today, no man
alive, limited to the instruments and mean at Columbus disposal, could obtain
anything near the accuracy of his result. Judged therefore not simply by
what he did, but by how he did it, Columbus was a great navigator.”(Admiral Of
The Sea, A Life of Christopher Columbus, Samuel Eliot Morison, Little Brown and
Co., pp. 195-196)
Two Sets of Records
Columbus had decided to keep two sets of books, an accurate reckoning for himself and a phony one for the crew. The reason for the two records was so that if it proved necessary, because of the distance covered, he could hide the distance and therefore the crew would not complain of being taken too far from home. As luck would have it, the phony log proved to be the more accurate of the two. In spite of the juggling of the two sets of books the crew constantly threatened mutiny anyway. Columbus had mistakenly calculated the distance to Cipangu (Japan) as 2400 nautical miles compared to the real distance (by air) of 11,766 nautical miles. This colossal mistake is the reason for assuming he had found Cypangu and naming the islands Las Indios, as he thought he had found India. The most momentous voyage in history required only thirty-three days from departure to land fall, moreover it was one of the easiest from a weather and nautical standpoint. The shake down cruse from Palos to the Canaries proved the ships were in fine shape, except for the need to repair the Pinta’s rudder that had jumped its gudgeons and some re-rigging. At Gomera they replenished their stocks of water, breadstocks, cheese and salted down local beef. On September 6th they departed the Canary Islands for the Indies.
Mutiny
After
about three weeks on the seas the crews started to grumble. They were then
further away from land than they had ever been. Nevertheless, Columbus was able
to convince them to continue the voyage since it was useless to complain, “since he had come to go the Indies, and so
had to continue until he found them, with the help of our Lord.” Whatever
the reasons given, be behaved like a man who knew where he was going.
Thankfully the crews were placated, at least for the moment. However, by the ninth
of October the crews were again about to mutiny and do violence to Columbus.
Samuel Eliot Morison, author of the definitive work on Columbus wrote of that
momentous date, after the course was changed to West by North and when the
speed was only about two knots:
Martin Alonso and Vicente Yanez (captains of the Nina
and Pinta) came aboard the flagship (Santa Maria), held a more or less stormy
conference with Columbus in his cabin, demanded that the search for land be
abandoned, and that advantage be taken of the southerly breeze to start home.
But Columbus (supported by the bird flights already seen) succeeded in
persuading the brothers to carry on three more days, and they returned to their
respective vessels.” (ibid
220-221)
Columbus
must have been very convincing, as later;
“he admitted in a letter that he been
inspired of God. de las Casas thought; ‘God had held his Hand.’ His words moved
the hearts and resolve of everyone, especially the three Pinzons.” (Columbus,
For Gold, God and Glory, John Dyson,1991, Simon & Schuster)
Signs A Plenty
The next day trade winds picked up, pushing the fleet
along at seven knots causing new fears among the crews that they would never
get back to Spain. This would explain the near violent mutiny on the 10th.
Subsequently, Columbus made the same promise to the crews, as he had done to
his captains. What happened next too many is nothing less than a miracle. I
believe that Columbus, who was very religious, had probably spent a good share
of the night of the October ninth in prayer. I further believe the events that
followed were a direct answer to his prayers.
“All day Thursday, October 11, the trade winds still
blew a gale, the sea rose higher than any time on the voyage, and the fleet ran
78 miles between sunrise and sunset, and average speed of 6.7 knots. But signs
of land were so many and frequent that ‘everyone breathed more freely and grew
cheerful.’ Nina picked up a green branch with a little flower that resembled
the dog roses on hedgers in Castile. Pinta gathered quite a collection: a cane
and a stick, a piece of board, a land plant, and another little stick
fashioned, as it appeared, with iron, doubtless cared by an Indian with a stone
chisel.” (ibid. p.221)
During
the eleven hours since sunrise on the 11th the ships averaged almost seven
knots. After sunset gale force winds increased their speed to nine knots.
Columbus ordered a change in course from WSW back to the original west. Nobody
could explain his action, perchance it was inspiration or perhaps just a hunch.
Whatever, it certainly was a good decision, otherwise he may have missed
Guanahani. As the night wore on with all ships at full sail they rushed into
the unknown. All three ships were filled with great anticipation; surely they
must have felt that they were on the verge of something momentous. Within a few
hours the most consequential event ever experienced any ship in any sea was
about to transpire. History would be changed forever and the earth would
suddenly become smaller.
About
ten pm Columbus reported seeing lights as did other members of his ship.
Columbus reported: “it was like a little
wax candle rising and falling.” It may have been an illusion created by the
excitement of the moment. However,
“Mars. Ruth Malvin, a long-time resident of San Salvador,
believes it to have been a bonfire lighted by natives living on cliffs or hills
on the windward side, to keep sand flies out of their cabins; and plantation
yet made. She had fires lighted on High Cay and other places, and when some 28
miles out to sea could see lights ‘rising and falling’ just as Columbus did.”(Christopher
Columbus, The Voyage of Discovery, Samuel Eliot Morison, Dorst Press, 1991,
p. 61-62)
Others
have supposed that it was a supernatural light sent by the Almighty to guide and
encourage Columbus, others have felt it could have been a fire lit for other
reasons, but inspired by Providence to likewise encourage the crew.
Tierra! Tierra, Land is Sighted
At
2:00 AM Ridrugi de Triana, a lookout on the Pinta’s forecastle saw something
like a white sand cliff gleaming in the moonlight on the western horizon and
yelled out “Tierra! Tuerra!” Time quickly proved that indeed he
had seen land. What most believed they saw was the eastern coast of one of
the now officially named Bahamas - or Watling Islands. It is the only island
in the vicinity that fits Columbus’s description. San Salvador as Columbus
named it, is a coral island about 13 miles by six miles wide. The morning
of the 12th of October they navigated their ships to the western
shore. Somewhere on this shore the initial landing by Columbus was made. Again
according to Samuel Eliot Morison:
“Presently they saw naked people, and the
Admiral went ashore in the armed ship’s boat with the royal standard displayed.
So did the captains of Pinta and Nina, Martin Alonso Pinzon and Vicent Yanez
his brother, In their boats, with the banners of the Expedition, on which were
depicted a green cross with an F on one arm and a Y on the other, and over each
his or her crown. And, all having rendered thanks to Our Lord kneeling on the
ground, embracing it with tears of joy for the immeasurable mercy of having
reached it, the Admiral arose and gave this island the name San Salvador -- Our
Lord and Savior.” (Admiral of the
Ocean Sea - 228-229)
The
first natives encountered on Guanahani (the Indian’s name for the island) at
first fled to the jungle when the saw the fleet, later their curiosity got the
best of them and they came to the shore. These Indians were of the Taino branch
of the Arawak language group. They were a very peaceful, kind and hospitable
people that quickly accepted their visitors. There were other islands that were
occupied by Indians that were more hostile and cannibals that constantly
terrorized the Taino Indians. Had Columbus landed on one of their islands his
story of discovery might have been different. During the first voyage to the
Americas Columbus discovered many island including Cuba and Hispaniola, on
which his ship Santa Maria was grounded and destroyed on Christmas day. As a
result a he built a fort called Navidad from the remains of the Santa Maria and
left forty men behind to explore the island.
Homeward Bound
Columbus
than took command of the Nina and began his homeward voyage. Near the Azores
they ran into the coldest and most blustery winters on record. That winter, “hundreds of vessels went down, scores
crashed ashore, ships lay wind bound at Lisbon for months and the harbor of
Genoa froze over.” (Christopher Columbus, The Voyage of Discovery, 1991,
pg 81-82)
They
passed through three horrific weather fronts that separated the two vessels and
more than once nearly sank the Nina. The storm got so bad that Columbus began
to doubt if they would survive. As a result he prepared a special cask and
placed a copy his diary detailing his discovery and threw it overboard in hopes
that his discovery might be found should his ship go down. But thanks to
Providence and Columbus’s navigational genius, Nina eventually found safe
harbor in one of the Azores. Once on land the crew had vowed during the storm
if they survived they would immediately go to church and thank God for their
survival. Enroute to church the crew was arrested and put in jail square sail
between him and destruction he elected to enter into the being accused on poaching
in Africa. When Columbus heard this he threaten to shoot up the town if his
crew was not released. Needless to say they were immediately released and set
sail for Spain. Between the Canary Islands and Portugal they experienced yet
another horrible storm, even worst then the first one. It stayed with them all
the way to Portugal, giving the Nina a worst beating than the previous one.
Columbus reported that at times he felt as if they were airborne. It was truly
miraculous that his ship wasn’t sunk or smashed to bits on the coast of
Portugal.
From
here he sailed the Nina to Lisbon and then made a request to D. Joao for
supplies. The King agreed to the request and invited Columbus to visit Him.
Columbus made the 34 mile journey on mule back with several Indians and crew
members to Santa Maria das Virudes, where the king was staying. After a short visit with the king, and
another at a different location with the queen, he departed Portugal on the
13th of March and set sail for Palos. His ship had been completely stocked,
refitted with a new set of sails and running rigging. Finally on the 15th of
March 1493 the Nina sailed into Palos.
A few hours later the Pinta arrived. On the 20th of April
1493 he met with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella and spent considerable time
detailing his discoveries. Thus ended after 224 days the greatest voyage ever
recorded in history. The following is Columbus’s final Prophecy to King
Ferdinand and Queen Isabella:
“So, since our Redeemer has given this victory
to our most illustrious King and Queen, and to their famous realms, in so great
a matter, for this all Christendom ought to feel joyful and make celebrations
and give solemn thanks to the Holy Trinity with many solemn prayers for the
great exaltation which it will have, in the turning of so many peoples to our
holy faith, and afterwards for material benefits, since not only Spain but all
Christians will hence have refreshment profit.” (Christopher Columbus, The
Voyage of Discovery, Morison, pg 87)
The Hand of Providence
Subsequently Columbus made three more trips to the new world, details of which will not be covered in this paper. For information on subsequent voyages any of the books in bibliography may be consulted. On the 20th May 1506 Columbus died in Valladolid, Spain. A summary of the coincidences of Columbus’s voyage to the new world inclines one to conclude that Providence surely must have been involved, even as Columbus had so often said: “that God would be his instrument in finding Cypango.”
Epilogue
In his
Book “Columbus, Don Quixote of the Seas”, Jacob Wasserman wrote in his
initial chapter a paragraph that makes for an excellent epilogue to this paper.
In it he attempts to convey the significance of Columbus discovery in terms we
might understand:
“The course of his life bears much resemblance to a
mediaeval legend. Over a period of twenty years, with certain intervals, I have
been engaged on the study of his history: and every time I took it up again I
had to ask myself: Is this authentic? Is this merely legend? Are not such and such events
apocryphal, and these others no more than probable? He rose from nothing, a vagabond Italian
adventurer, to become Grand Admiral of Spain, and Viceroy of a mighty Empire;
he paid for seven years of glory and of power by sudden ruin and such
humiliation as few men have know: and after a feeble afterglow of fame, he died
a lonely death, almost forgotten.
“A strange destiny: and, to understand it, account
must be taken of the strange state of the world at that time. This can only be
done by clearing the inner vision of all preconceived notions, and all attempts
to stamp a system on the past, which merely leads to the distortion of ideas
and causalities. To keep a clear judgment, one should be like a man risen from
the dead and look at the story against a background of spiritual atmosphere and
the ideas of the age, and across the intervening abyss of time, bring these
warring elements into unity. But, as our ambition may not rise so far, we must
content ourselves with less, and try to get as near to such an attitude as we
can.”
In these days (1930) some reckless airman resolved to fly to Mars and actually set out: and if, on his way, he discovered a hitherto unknown planet and returned with his story of this new star—bringing news of unfamiliar beings, animals, and plants unknown before, that thrived in that strange air; of dimensions and proportions that made everything to which our eyes had been accustomed hitherto, seem dwarfish; this would about represent the revolution in the human imagination evoked by the discoveries of Columbus. For such, indeed, was its main effect: revolution in the imagination. A New World: now a geographical idea; to the man of the fifteenth century a blend of superstition and religion.” (p. 5 & 6)
1. Admiral of The Sea, A Life of Christopher Columbus, Samuel Eliot Morison, 1942, Little, Brown and Co.
2.
Christopher
Columbus, The Voyage of Discovery,
Samuel Eliot Morison, 1974, Dsorset Press.
3.
Christopher
Columbus, His Life and Discovery in the Light of His Prophecies, Kay Brigham, editorial, 1990, editorial clie,
4.
Columbus, Don
Quixote of the Seas, Jacob
Wassermann, 1930, Little Brown & Co.
5.
Columbus, For God -
God and Glory, John Dyson, 1991,
Madison Press Books.
6.
Christopher Columbus, Zachary Kent, 1992, Children Press Chicago.