Notable Voyagers | Page 6

fitting out the caravels.
When, however, the nature of the service was explained, the owners of
vessels refused to furnish them, and the seamen shrank from sailing
into the wilderness of the ocean.
Several weeks elapsed, and not a vessel had been procured. The
sovereigns therefore issued further orders, directing the magistrates to
press into the service any caravel they might select, and to compel the
masters and crews to sail with Columbus in whatever direction he
should be sent.
Notwithstanding this nothing was done, until at length Martin Alonzo
Pinzon, with his brother, Vincente Yanez Pinzon--both navigators of
great courage and ability, and owners of vessels--undertook to sail on
the expedition, and furnish one of the caravels required. Two others
were pressed by the magistrates under the arbitrary mandate of the
sovereigns.
The owners of one of the vessels, the Pinta, threw all possible obstacles
in the way of her being fitted out. The caulkers performed their work in
an imperfect manner, and even some of the seamen who had at first
volunteered repented of their hardihood, and others deserted.
The example of the Pinzons at length overcame all opposition, and the
three vessels, two of them known as caravels, not superior to the
coasting craft of more modern days, were got ready by the beginning of
August.

Columbus hoisted his flag on board the largest, the Santa Maria; the
second, the Pinta, was commanded by Martin Alonzo Pinzon,
accompanied by his brother Francisco Martin as pilot; and the third, the
Nina, was commanded by Vincente Yafiez Pinzon. The other three
pilots were Sancho Raiz, Pedro Alonzo Nino, and Bartolomeo Roldan.
Roderigo Sanches was inspector-general of the armament, and Diego
de Arana chief alguazil. Roderigo de Escobar went as royal notary. In
all, one hundred and twenty persons.
Columbus and his followers, having solemnly taken the communion,
went on board their ships. Believing that their friends were going to
certain death, the inhabitants of Paios looked on with gloomy
apprehensions, which greatly affected the minds of the crew.
The little squadron set sail from Palos half an hour before sunrise on
the 3rd of August, 1492, and steered a course for the Canary Islands.
Columbus had prepared a chart by which to sail. On this he drew the
coasts of Europe and Africa, from the south of Ireland to the end of
Guinea, and opposite to them, on the other side of the Atlantic, the
extremity of Asia, or rather India, as it was then called. Between them
he placed the island of Cipango or Japan, which, according to Marco
Polo, lay one thousand five hundred miles from the Atlantic coast. This
island Columbus placed where Florida really exists. Though he saw his
hopes of commencing the expedition realised, he had good reason to
fear that his crews might at any moment insist on returning.
On the third day after sailing, it was discovered that the rudder of the
Pinta was broken and unslung, probably a trick of her owners. The
wind was blowing so strongly at the time that he could not render
assistance, but Martin Alonzo Pinzon, being an able seaman, succeeded
in securing it temporarily with ropes.
As the Pinta also leaked, Columbus put into the Canaries on the
morning of the 9th of August, and was detained there three weeks,
trying to obtain a better vessel. None being found, the lateen sails of the
Pinta were altered into square sails. While here the crews were
frightened by seeing flames burst out of the lofty peak of Teneriffe.

Shortly after a vessel arrived from Ferro, which reported that three
Portuguese caravels were watching to capture the squadron of
Columbus, who, suspecting that the King of Portugal had formed a
hostile plan in revenge for his having embarked in the service of Spain,
immediately put to sea and stood away from the coast. He was now
striking off from the frontier islands of the Old World into the region of
discovery. For three days the squadron was detained by a calm. On the
9th of September he saw Ferro, the most western of the Canary Islands,
where the Portuguese were said to be waiting for him, about nine
leagues distant. At length, a breeze filling the sails of his ships, he was
able to stand on his course, as he hoped, free of all danger. Chaos,
mystery, and peril were before them. The hearts of his crew sank as
they lost sight of land, and many of the seamen broke into loud
lamentations. The Admiral tried to soothe their distress, and to inspire
them with his own glorious anticipations by describing to them the
magnificence of the countries to which he was about to conduct them,
and the wealth and glory which would be theirs.
He now issued orders