Latest / This Country of Ours, Part 1 / 03 - This Country of Ours, Part 1 by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall

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03 - This Country of Ours, Part 1 by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall · This Country of Ours, Part 1

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  Speaker 1: This Country of Ours chapter three. This is a LibriVox recording.
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  Speaker 1: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
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  Speaker 1: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. This
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  Speaker 1: reading by Kara Shaalenberg. This Country of Ours by H. E. Marshall,
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  Speaker 1: Chapter three, How Columbus fared forth upon the sea of
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  Speaker 1: darkness and came to pleasant lands beyond. At first the
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  Speaker 1: voyage upon which Columbus and his daring companions now set
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  Speaker 1: forth lay through seas already known. But soon the last
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  Speaker 1: landmark was left behind, and the three little vessels, smaller
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  Speaker 1: than river craft of to day, were alone upon the
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  Speaker 1: trackless waste of waters. And when the men saw the
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  Speaker 1: last trace of land vanish, their hearts sank, and they
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  Speaker 1: shed bitter tears, weeping for home and the loved ones
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  Speaker 1: they thought never more to see. On and on they sailed,
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  Speaker 1: and as day after day no land appeared, the men
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  Speaker 1: grew restless. Seeing them thus restless, and lest they should
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  Speaker 1: be utterly terrified at being so far from home upon
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  Speaker 1: this seemingly endless waste of waters, Columbus determined to keep
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  Speaker 1: them from knowing how far they had really gone, So
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  Speaker 1: he kept two reckonings. One in which the real length
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  Speaker 1: of the ship's daily journey was given he kept to himself.
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  Speaker 1: The other, in which the journey was given as much shorter,
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  Speaker 1: he showed to the sailors. A month went past, six
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  Speaker 1: weeks went past, and still there was no trace of land.
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  Speaker 1: Then at length came signs. Snow birds, which never ventured
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  Speaker 1: far to sea, flew round the ships. Now the waves
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  Speaker 1: bore to them a rudely carved stick. Now the ships
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  Speaker 1: plowed away through masses of floating weeds. All these signs
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  Speaker 1: were at first greeted with joy and hope, and the
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  Speaker 1: sailors took heart. But as still the days went past
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  Speaker 1: and no land appeared, they lost heart again. The fields
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  Speaker 1: of weeds, which they had at first greeted with joy,
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  Speaker 1: now became an added terror. Would they not be caught
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  Speaker 1: in this tangle of weeds, they asked, and never more
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  Speaker 1: win away out of it. To their fearful and superstitious minds,
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  Speaker 1: the very breeze which had borne them softly onward became
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  Speaker 1: a menace. For if the wind always blew steadily from
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  Speaker 1: the east, how was it possible ever to return to Spain.
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  Speaker 1: So Columbus was almost glad when a contrary wind blew,
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  Speaker 1: for it proved to his trembling sailors that one at
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  Speaker 1: least of their fears was groundless. But it made little difference.
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  Speaker 1: The men were now utterly given over to gloomy terrors.
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  Speaker 1: Fear robbed them of all ambition. Ferdinand and Isabella had
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  Speaker 1: promised a large sum of money to the man who
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  Speaker 1: should first discover land, but none cared now to win it.
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  Speaker 1: All they desired was to turn home once more. Fear
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  Speaker 1: made them mutinous. Also, so they whispered together and planned
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  Speaker 1: in secret to rid themselves of Columbus. It would be easy,
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  Speaker 1: the thought, to throw him overboard some dark night, and
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  Speaker 1: then give out that he had fallen into the sea
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  Speaker 1: by accident. No one would know, No one in Spain
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  Speaker 1: would care, for Columbus was, after all, but a foreigner
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  Speaker 1: and an upstart. The great Ocean would keep the secret,
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  Speaker 1: they would be free to turn homeward. Columbus saw their
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  Speaker 1: dark looks, heard the murmurs of the cruise, and did
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  Speaker 1: his best to hearten them again. He spoke to them cheerfully,
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  Speaker 1: persuading and encouraging, laughing at them, while in his heart
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  Speaker 1: he wept still. The men went sullenly about their work.
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  Speaker 1: But at length one morning a sudden cry from the
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  Speaker 1: Pinta shook them from out their sullen thoughts. It was
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  Speaker 1: the captain of the Pinta who shouted, land, Land, my Lord.
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  Speaker 1: He cried, I claim the reward. And when Columbus heard
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  Speaker 1: that shout, his heart was filled with joy and thankfulness,
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  Speaker 1: and baring his head, he sank upon his knees, giving
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  Speaker 1: praise to God. The crew followed his example. Then their
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  Speaker 1: hearts suddenly light and joyous. They swarmed up the masts
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  Speaker 1: and into the rigging to feast their eyes upon the
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  Speaker 1: goodly sight. All day they sailed onward toward the promised land.
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  Speaker 1: The sun sank, and still all night the ships sped
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  Speaker 1: on their joyous way. But when morning dawned, the land
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  Speaker 1: seemed no nearer than before. Hope died away again, and sorrowfully.
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  Speaker 1: As the day went on, the woeful truth that the
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  Speaker 1: fancied land had been but a bank of clouds was
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  Speaker 1: forced upon Columbus again. For days the ships sailed on,
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  Speaker 1: and as still no land appeared, the men again began
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  Speaker 1: to murmur. Then one day, when Columbus walked on deck,
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  Speaker 1: he was met not merely with sullen looks, but with
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  Speaker 1: angry words. The men clamored to return, and if the
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  Speaker 1: admiral refused, why so much the worse for him, they
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  Speaker 1: would endure no longer. Bravely, the admiral faced the mutineers.
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  Speaker 1: He talked to them cheerfully. He reminded them of what
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  Speaker 1: honor and gain would be theirs when they returned home,
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  Speaker 1: having found the new way to India, of what wealth
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  Speaker 1: they might win by trading. Then he ended sternly, complain,
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  Speaker 1: how you may, he said, I have to go to
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  Speaker 1: the Indies, and I will go on till I find them,
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  Speaker 1: So help me God. For the time being, the Admiral's stern,
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  Speaker 1: brave words cowed the mutineers, but not for much longer.
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  Speaker 1: Columbus knew right well would they obey him if land
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  Speaker 1: did not soon appear, and in his heart he prayed
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  Speaker 1: God that it might not be long delayed. The next night,
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  Speaker 1: Columbus stood alone upon the poop of the Santa Maria.
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  Speaker 1: Full of anxious thoughts. He gazed out into the darkness.
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  Speaker 1: Then suddenly it seemed to him that far in the
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  Speaker 1: distance he saw a glimmering light appear, and disappear once
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  Speaker 1: and again. It was as if some one walking carried
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  Speaker 1: a light. But so fearful was Columbus lest his fervent
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  Speaker 1: hopes had caused him to imagine this light that he
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  Speaker 1: would not trust his own eyes alone. So he called
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  Speaker 1: to one of his officers and asked him if he
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  Speaker 1: saw any light. Yes, replied the officer, I see a light.
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  Speaker 1: Then Columbus called a second man. He could not at
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  Speaker 1: first see the light, and in any case, neither of
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  Speaker 1: them thought much of it. Columbus, however, made sure that
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  Speaker 1: land was close, and calling the men about him, he
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  Speaker 1: bade them keep a sharp lookout, promising a silken doublet
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  Speaker 1: to the man who should first see land. So till
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  Speaker 1: two o'clock in the morning, the ships held on their way.
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  Speaker 1: Then from the Pinta there came again a joyful shout
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  Speaker 1: of land. Land. This time it proved no vision. It
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  Speaker 1: was land, indeed, and at last the long looked for
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  Speaker 1: goal was reached. The land proved to be an island
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  Speaker 1: covered with beautiful trees, and as they neared the shore,
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  Speaker 1: the men saw naked savages crowding to the beach in
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  Speaker 1: awed one way under. These savages watched the huge white birds.
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  Speaker 1: As the ships with their great sails seemed to them,
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  Speaker 1: nearer and nearer they came. And when they reached the
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  Speaker 1: shore and folded their wings, the natives fled in terror
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  Speaker 1: to the shelter of the forest, but seeing that they
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  Speaker 1: were not pursued, their curiosity got the better of their fear,
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  Speaker 1: and returning again, they stood in silent astonishment to watch
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  Speaker 1: the Spaniards land. First of all came Columbus, over his
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  Speaker 1: glittering steel armor. He wore a rich cloak of scarlet,
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  Speaker 1: and in his hand he bore the royal standard of Spain. Then,
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  Speaker 1: each at the head of his own ship's crew, came
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  Speaker 1: the captains of the Pinta and the Nina, each carrying
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  Speaker 1: in his hand a white banner with a green cross
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  Speaker 1: and the crowned initials of the King and Queen, which
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  Speaker 1: was the special banner devised for the great adventure. Every
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  Speaker 1: man was dressed in his best and the gay colored clothes.
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  Speaker 1: The shining armor and fluttering banners made a gorgeous pageant
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  Speaker 1: upon it. The sun shone in splendor, and the blue
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  Speaker 1: sky was reflected in a bluer sea, while scarlet flamingoes
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  Speaker 1: startled at the approach of the white men rose in
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  Speaker 1: brilliant flight. As Columbus landed, he fell upon his knees
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  Speaker 1: and kissed the ground, and with tears of joy running
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  Speaker 1: down his cheeks, he gave thanks to God. The whole
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  Speaker 1: company following his example. Then, rising again to his feet,
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  Speaker 1: Columbus drew his sword and solemnly took possession of the
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  Speaker 1: island in the name of Ferdinand and Isabella. When the
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  Speaker 1: ceremony was over, the crew burst forth into shouts of
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  Speaker 1: triumph and joy. They crowded round Columbus, kneeling before him
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  Speaker 1: to kiss his hands and feet, praying forgiveness for their
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  Speaker 1: insolence and mutiny, and promising in the future to obey
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  Speaker 1: him without question. For Columbus, it was a moment of
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  Speaker 1: pure joy and triumph. All his long years of struggle
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  Speaker 1: and waiting had come to a glorious end. Yet he
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  Speaker 1: knew already that his search was not finished, his triumph
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  Speaker 1: not yet come. He had not reached the eastern shores
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  Speaker 1: of India, the land of spice and pearls. He had
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  Speaker 1: not even reached Sepango, the rich and golden Isle. But
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  Speaker 1: he had, at least, he thought, found some outlying island
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  Speaker 1: off the coast of India, and that India itself could
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  Speaker 1: not be far away. He never discovered his mistake. So
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  Speaker 1: the group of islands, nowhere near India but lying between
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  Speaker 1: the two great continents of America, are known as the
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  Speaker 1: West Indies. Columbus called the island upon which he first
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  Speaker 1: landed San Salvador, and for a long time it was
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  Speaker 1: thought to be the island which is still called San
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  Speaker 1: Salvador or cat Island. But lately people have come to
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  Speaker 1: believe that Columbus first landed upon an island a little
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  Speaker 1: further south, now called Watling Island. From San Salvador, Columbus
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  Speaker 1: sailed about and landed upon several other islands, naming them
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  Speaker 1: and taking possession of them for Spain. He saw many
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  Speaker 1: strains and beautiful fruits, trees of a thousand sorts, straight
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  Speaker 1: and tall enough to make masts for the largest ships
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  Speaker 1: of Spain. He saw flocks of gaily colored parrots, and
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  Speaker 1: many other birds that sang most sweetly. He saw fair harbors,
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  Speaker 1: so safe and spacious that he thought they might hold
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  Speaker 1: all the ships of the world. But of such things
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  Speaker 1: Columbus was not in search. He was seeking for gold
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  Speaker 1: and jewels, and At every place he touched, he hoped
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  Speaker 1: to find some great Eastern potentate, robed in splendor and
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  Speaker 1: seated upon a golden throne. Instead, everywhere he found only
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  Speaker 1: naked savages. They were friendly and gentle, and what gold
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  Speaker 1: they had, but it was little. Indeed, they willingly bartered
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  Speaker 1: for a few glass beads or little tinkling bells by signs. However,
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  Speaker 1: some of these savages made Columbus understand that further south
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  Speaker 1: there was a great king who was so wealthy that
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  Speaker 1: he ate off dishes of wrought gold. Others told him
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  Speaker 1: of a land where the people gathered gold on the
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  Speaker 1: beach at night time by the light of torches. Others
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  Speaker 1: again told him of a land where gold was so
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  Speaker 1: common that the people wore it on their arms and legs,
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  Speaker 1: and in their ears and noses as ornaments. Others still
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  Speaker 1: told of islands where there was more gold than earth.
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  Speaker 1: But Columbus sought these lands in vain. In his cruisings,
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  Speaker 1: Columbus found Cuba and thought at first it must be
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  Speaker 1: the island of Sepango, But finding himself mistaken, he decided
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  Speaker 1: at length that he had landed upon the most easterly
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  Speaker 1: point of India. He could not be far, he thought,
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  Speaker 1: from the palace of the Grand Khan, and choosing out
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  Speaker 1: two of his company, he sent them as ambassadors to him.
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  Speaker 1: But after six days the ambassadors returned, having found no gold,
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  Speaker 1: and instead of the Grand Khan, having seen only a
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  Speaker 1: savage chieftain, these ambassadors found no gold. But had they
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  Speaker 1: only known it, they found something quite as valuable. For
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  Speaker 1: they told how they had met men and women with
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  Speaker 1: fire brands in their hands, made of herbs, the end
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  Speaker 1: of which they put in their mouths and sucked, blowing
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  Speaker 1: forth smoke. And these fire brands they called tobaccos. The
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  Speaker 1: Spaniards also discovered that the natives of these islands used
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  Speaker 1: for food a root, which they dug out of the earth.
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  Speaker 1: But they thought nothing of these things, for what were
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  Speaker 1: roots and dried herbs to those who came in search
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  Speaker 1: of gold and gems and precious spices. So they brought
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  Speaker 1: home neither potatoes nor tobacco. So far the three little
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  Speaker 1: vessels had kept together, But now the captain of the
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  Speaker 1: Pinta parted company with the others. Not because of bad weather,
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  Speaker 1: says Columbus in his diary, but because he chose and
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  Speaker 1: out of greed, for he thought that the Indians would
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  Speaker 1: show him where there was much gold. This desertion grieved
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  Speaker 1: Columbus greatly, for he feared that Pinzon might find gold
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  Speaker 1: and sailing home before him, cheat him of all the
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  Speaker 1: honor and glory of the quest. But still the admiral
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  Speaker 1: did not give up, but steered his course in the
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  Speaker 1: name of God, and in search of gold and spices,
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  Speaker 1: and to discovered land. So from island to island he went,
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  Speaker 1: seeking gold, and finding everywhere gentle, kindly savages, fair birds
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  Speaker 1: and flowers, and stately trees. End of Chapter three, read
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  Speaker 1: on October fourteenth, two thousand seven, in Oceanside, California,