Down into his dark cabin he went, and there, while the little
_Nina_ staggered and pitched on the mountainous waves, he steadied
his swinging lantern with one hand, and with the other hastily wrote on
a parchment what he had done. This he tied in waterproofed cloth, placed
it in a wooden cask, and threw it overboard. Then, for fear it might
never be washed ashore, he hurriedly prepared a second cask and lashed
it to the deck, hoping that the little caravel, even if he and all his
men perished, might toss about till it reached the Azores, which he
judged must be near. And sure enough, next morning land was in sight,
and the sailors shouted for joy though the storm still raged. It was not
until the 18th that the sea had subsided sufficiently for them to
approach the rocky coast. When finally they were able to cast anchor,
they found they were at Santa Maria, one of the Azores group.
The Azores, you will remember, were inhabited by Portuguese. Columbus,
knowing there would surely be a church there dedicated to the Virgin,
sent half the crew ashore to make the penitential procession they had
vowed; but this first boat load were promptly made prisoners by the
Portuguese. What a sad reward for religious men who were trying to keep
a vow! The governor of the island then ordered Columbus to come ashore
and be made prisoner also, which you may be sure he did not do.
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