The Admiral Then
Asked, Why, Since There Was Peace Between The Crowns Of Spain And Portugal,
He Had Sent Him Fresh Provisions, And A Message Inviting Him On Shore, And
Yet Had Basely Detained His Men?
Adding, that he was ready to shew his
commission from the king and queen of Castile.
The governor answered, that
he knew nothing of these sovereigns, of whom he did not stand in awe, and
whose commission he did not value, and that all he had done was by the
order of his own sovereign. After desiring his own men to bear witness of
these words, the admiral told him, if his boat and men were not
immediately restored, he would carry an hundred Portuguese prisoners into
Spain.
After this, the admiral brought his ship again to anchor, and as the wind
blew fresh, he caused all the empty casks to be filled with sea water to
ballast the vessel. The wind continued to increase, and as there was no
safe anchorage, he thought it safer to be out at sea, and therefore made
sail for the island of St Michael. During the whole night it blew a heavy
gale; and not being able to make the island of St Michael, the admiral
returned to St Marys. Soon afterwards a boat came off with two priests, a
notary, and five sailors; and, having received assurance of safety, the
notary and priests came on board and examined the admirals commission.
They returned to the shore, and shortly after, the governor sent back the
boat and Spanish seamen; saying he would have given any thing to have
taken the admiral, whom he had been ordered to seize by the king of
Portugal. Having recovered his men, and the wind being now fair for Spain,
the admiral set sail on an easterly course. On Saturday the 2d of March a
new storm arose, so that the ship drove under bare poles till four o'clock
on Monday, without hope of escaping. At that time, it pleased GOD that our
mariners discovered the Cape of Cintra, usually called the Rock of Lisbon;
and to avoid the tempest, the admiral resolved to put into the harbour,
being unable to come to anchor at Cascaes. He gave GOD thanks for his
deliverance from danger, and all men wondered how he had escaped, having
never witnessed so violent a tempest.
[1] The actual difference of longitude, between Ferro in 17 deg. 45' 50", and
the eastern side of Guanahani in 75 deg. 40', both west, is 57 deg. 54' 11" or
almost 58 degrees; which at 17-1/2 Spanish leagues to the degree, the
computation previously established by our present author, would extend
to 1015 leagues. - E.
[2] Some error has crept into the text, easily corrected. Columbus took
his departure from Gomera on Thursday the 6th September, and landed on
Guanahani on Friday the 12th October, both 1492. The time, therefore,
which was employed in this first passage across the Atlantic, not
including the 12th, because the land was observed in the night before,
was exactly 36 days.
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