Great Expectations - 2
Naturally Fonseca held up his hands and wondered where it would all end. It was no easy
matter, moreover, on receipt of letters from the Queen about small matters which
occurred to her from time to time, to answer them fully and satisfactorily, and at the same
time to make out all the lists of things that would likely be required both for provisioning
the voyage and establishing a colony. The provisions carried in those days were not very
different from the provisions carried on deep-sea vessels at the present time—except that
canned meat, for which, with its horrors and conveniences, the world may hold Columbus
responsible, had not then been invented. Unmilled wheat, salted flour, and hard biscuit
formed the bulk of the provisions; salted pork was the staple—of the meat supply, with
an alternative of salted fish; while cheese, peas, lentils and beans, oil and vinegar, were
also carried, and honey and almonds and raisins for the cabin table. Besides water a large
provision of rough wine in casks was taken, and the dietary scale would probably
compare favourably with that of the British and American mercantile service sixty years
ago. In addition a great quantity of seeds of all kinds were taken for planting in Espanola;
sugar cane, rice, and vines also, and an equipment of agricultural implements, as well as a
selection of horses and other domestic animals for breeding purposes. Twenty mounted
soldiers were also carried, and the thousand and one impedimenta of naval, military, and
domestic existence.
In the middle of all these preparations news came that a Portuguese caravel had set sail
from Madeira in the direction of the new lands. Columbus immediately reported this to
the King and Queen, and suggested detaching part of his fleet to pursue her; but instead
King John was communicated with, and he declared that if the vessel had sailed as
alleged it was without his knowledge and permission, and that he would send three ships
after her to recall her—an answer which had to be accepted, although it opened up rather
alarming possibilities of four Portuguese vessels reaching the new islands instead of one.
Whether these ships ever really sailed or not, or whether the rumour was merely a rumour
and an alarm, is not certain; but Columbus was ordered to push on his preparations with
the greatest possible speed, to avoid Portuguese waters, but to capture any vessels which
he might find in the part of the ocean allotted to Spain, and to inflict summary
punishment on the crews. As it turned out he never saw any Portuguese vessels, and
before he had returned to Spain again the two nations had come to an amicable agreement
quite independently of the Pope and his Bulls. Spain undertook to make no discoveries to
the east of the line of demarcation, and Portugal none to the west of it; and so the matter
remained until the inhabitants of the discovered lands began to have a voice in their own
affairs.
With all his occupations Columbus found time for some amenities, and he had his two
sons, Diego and Ferdinand, staying with him at Cadiz. Great days they must have been
for these two boys; days filled with excitement and commotion, with the smell of tar and
the loading of the innumerable and fascinating materials of life; and many a journey they
must have made on the calm waters of Cadiz harbour from ship to ship, dreaming of the
distant seas that these high, quaintly carven prows would soon be treading, and the
wonderful bays and harbours far away across the world into the waters of which their
anchors were to plunge.
September 24th, the day before the fleet sailed, was observed as a festival; and in full
ceremonial the blessing of God upon the enterprise was invoked. The ships were hung
with flags and with dyed silks and tapestries; every vessel flew the royal standard; and
the waters of the harbour resounded with the music of trumpets and harps and pipes and
the thunder of artillery. Some Venetian galleys happened to enter the harbour as the fleet
was preparing to weigh, and they joined in the salutes and demonstrations which
signalled the departure. The Admiral hoisted his flag on the 'Marigalante', one of the
largest of the ships; and somewhere among the smaller caravels the little Nina, re-caulked
and re-fitted, was also preparing to brave again the dangers over which she had so
staunchly prevailed. At sunrise on the 25th the fleet weighed anchor, with all the
circumstance and bustle and apparent confusion that accompanies the business of sailingships
getting under weigh. Up to the last minute Columbus had his two sons on board
with him, and it was not until the ripples were beginning to talk under the bow of the
Marigalante that he said good-bye to them and saw them rowed ashore. In bright weather,
and with high hopes in his heart, the Admiral set out once more on the long sea-road.
Naturally Fonseca held up his hands and wondered where it would all end. It was no easy
matter, moreover, on receipt of letters from the Queen about small matters which
occurred to her from time to time, to answer them fully and satisfactorily, and at the same
time to make out all the lists of things that would likely be required both for provisioning
the voyage and establishing a colony. The provisions carried in those days were not very
different from the provisions carried on deep-sea vessels at the present time—except that
canned meat, for which, with its horrors and conveniences, the world may hold Columbus
responsible, had not then been invented. Unmilled wheat, salted flour, and hard biscuit
formed the bulk of the provisions; salted pork was the staple—of the meat supply, with
an alternative of salted fish; while cheese, peas, lentils and beans, oil and vinegar, were
also carried, and honey and almonds and raisins for the cabin table. Besides water a large
provision of rough wine in casks was taken, and the dietary scale would probably
compare favourably with that of the British and American mercantile service sixty years
ago. In addition a great quantity of seeds of all kinds were taken for planting in Espanola;
sugar cane, rice, and vines also, and an equipment of agricultural implements, as well as a
selection of horses and other domestic animals for breeding purposes. Twenty mounted
soldiers were also carried, and the thousand and one impedimenta of naval, military, and
domestic existence.
In the middle of all these preparations news came that a Portuguese caravel had set sail
from Madeira in the direction of the new lands. Columbus immediately reported this to
the King and Queen, and suggested detaching part of his fleet to pursue her; but instead
King John was communicated with, and he declared that if the vessel had sailed as
alleged it was without his knowledge and permission, and that he would send three ships
after her to recall her—an answer which had to be accepted, although it opened up rather
alarming possibilities of four Portuguese vessels reaching the new islands instead of one.
Whether these ships ever really sailed or not, or whether the rumour was merely a rumour
and an alarm, is not certain; but Columbus was ordered to push on his preparations with
the greatest possible speed, to avoid Portuguese waters, but to capture any vessels which
he might find in the part of the ocean allotted to Spain, and to inflict summary
punishment on the crews. As it turned out he never saw any Portuguese vessels, and
before he had returned to Spain again the two nations had come to an amicable agreement
quite independently of the Pope and his Bulls. Spain undertook to make no discoveries to
the east of the line of demarcation, and Portugal none to the west of it; and so the matter
remained until the inhabitants of the discovered lands began to have a voice in their own
affairs.
With all his occupations Columbus found time for some amenities, and he had his two
sons, Diego and Ferdinand, staying with him at Cadiz. Great days they must have been
for these two boys; days filled with excitement and commotion, with the smell of tar and
the loading of the innumerable and fascinating materials of life; and many a journey they
must have made on the calm waters of Cadiz harbour from ship to ship, dreaming of the
distant seas that these high, quaintly carven prows would soon be treading, and the
wonderful bays and harbours far away across the world into the waters of which their
anchors were to plunge.
September 24th, the day before the fleet sailed, was observed as a festival; and in full
ceremonial the blessing of God upon the enterprise was invoked. The ships were hung
with flags and with dyed silks and tapestries; every vessel flew the royal standard; and
the waters of the harbour resounded with the music of trumpets and harps and pipes and
the thunder of artillery. Some Venetian galleys happened to enter the harbour as the fleet
was preparing to weigh, and they joined in the salutes and demonstrations which
signalled the departure. The Admiral hoisted his flag on the 'Marigalante', one of the
largest of the ships; and somewhere among the smaller caravels the little Nina, re-caulked
and re-fitted, was also preparing to brave again the dangers over which she had so
staunchly prevailed. At sunrise on the 25th the fleet weighed anchor, with all the
circumstance and bustle and apparent confusion that accompanies the business of sailingships
getting under weigh. Up to the last minute Columbus had his two sons on board
with him, and it was not until the ripples were beginning to talk under the bow of the
Marigalante that he said good-bye to them and saw them rowed ashore. In bright weather,
and with high hopes in his heart, the Admiral set out once more on the long sea-road.
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