Читать книгу Christopher Columbus - Joachim Heinrich Campe - Страница 5

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Columbus was overjoyed at the success which at last crowned his efforts and at once began actively fitting out the necessary vessels. Those which the King placed at his disposal were so small and poorly built that no man but Columbus would have trusted himself in them upon a vast, unknown sea whose dangerous spots were uncharted. The vessel which he commanded was named the Santa Maria; the second, the Pinta; and the third, the Nina. The last two were hardly larger than good-sized boats. The little squadron was provided with subsistence for twelve months and ninety men.[12] The cost of the expedition was not more than 5300 ducats, a sum which at that time seemed so large to the impoverished Court that the whole undertaking might have been abandoned had it not been that the citizens of Palos provided two of the vessels, the King sending only one. At last all the preparations were made and the vessels lay at their anchors ready to sail.

Before weighing anchor, however, Columbus considered it a duty to invoke the favor of the Creator of the ocean, the Creator and Ruler of all the earth, for the expedition which he had so much at heart, for it was also his purpose to spread the knowledge of the only true God in the ignorant wilderness whither Divine Providence was to conduct him. Accompanied by all his companions, Columbus went in solemn procession to a monastery in the vicinity of Palos and there publicly implored divine help, his seamen following his pious example. Then they returned, full of confidence in the Most High. The next morning, August 3, 1492, they set sail in God’s name amid the cheers of a great multitude of spectators. Columbus commanded the larger vessel, the Santa Maria, and the two brothers, Martin and Vicente Pinzon, the two smaller vessels.

According to Columbus’ plans the fleet was to sail first to the Canaries, but on the second day out a slight accident happened which might have ruined the expedition if Columbus had been as weak as his superstitious comrades. The rudder of the Pinta was broken, purposely, it is believed, by the helmsman, who was afraid of the voyage and hoped in this manner to force Columbus to go back. The crew declared that the accident foretold disaster. “We shall be lost,” they shouted, “if we do not go back at once.”

“But why?” asked Columbus.

“Why?” they replied. “Heaven has already shown clearly enough by this broken rudder that it will be disastrous if we do not abandon the undertaking at once.”

“I really do not know,” answered Columbus, “how you have learned that this unexpected event is a sign of coming disaster. So far as I know, a broken rudder only means that we must mend it.”

“The Admiral is a freethinker,” the seamen whispered to each other; “he does not believe in signs.”

Columbus, who knew their thoughts, realized the necessity of overcoming as far as possible the superstition of his ignorant companions, as a hundred opportunities might occur for similar outbreaks. He explained the matter to them in detail and showed them how unreasonable it was to regard it as a sign of future disaster, for God had never promised He would make the future known by signs. Wisely and mercifully Heaven had concealed the future from us. Therefore it was useless and foolish to expect disaster because of any sign. All that a wise and pious man could do was to perform his duties faithfully and industriously all his days, trusting in divine oversight and having no fear of the future. “Let this be the rule to govern us throughout our voyage,” said he. By representations of this kind Columbus, although he could not entirely remove their superstitious fears, rendered them less dangerous. Nothing further of particular consequence happened and at last they came to anchor at the Canary Islands. There the necessary repairs were made and on the sixth of September they weighed anchor and started upon their great western voyage over the uncharted sea.

Little progress was made the first day, as they were becalmed, but on the second, some say the third, the Canaries disappeared from view. They were hardly out of sight of land when the seamen began to lose courage. They wept, beat their breasts, and cried aloud as if they were going to instant destruction. Columbus stood steadfast as a rock in the ocean, undisturbed by their deafening wails, and showing such composure and confidence that the cowards plucked up a little courage. He made them ashamed of their weakness, and so clearly explained to them the honor and profit which they would receive at the end of the voyage that all were inspired by his words and promised to follow wherever he should lead.

Columbus devoted most of his time on the deck of his vessel to the plummet and instruments of observation. The plummet, a heavy piece of lead, attached to a long rope, was let down into the water to ascertain its depth, and thus avoid the danger of stranding. The exact location of the vessel at any given time was ascertained in Columbus’ day by the astrolabe,[13] with the help of the location of the stars and their distance from each other. To-day mariners have much more perfect instruments for observation. Columbus made all his measurements and observations himself. He gave only a few hours to sleep and rest, in the meantime exhibiting such composure as to impress even the weakest of his sailors with confidence in him and his undertaking. Only to such a man was this great task possible. In the hands of a man of less courage, foresight, and ability it must have failed.