CHRISTMAS,
DECEMBER 25, 1492 - AN UNKNOWN ACCOUNT
Dear UB-TAH Teachers,
Let me share
with you an account I found about eight years ago. It is
about the true story of the first Christmas in the Americas. The
encounter of the Tainos*1 and Columbus as was told by Christopher
Columbus himself but reported by very few historians. In my
opinion, this is a great piece of history to share with our
students.
Monday, December
24, 1492
"Your Highnesses may believe that in all the world there cannot be
better or more gentle people. Your Highnesses must be greatly
pleased because you will soon make them Christians and will teach
them good custom of your realms, for there cannot be better people
or country. The people are so numerous and the country so great that
I do not know how to describe it...Indeed it is true that the things
here are marvelous, and so also are the great villages of this
Island Hispaniola*2... And all the people behave in a
remarkable friendly manner..."
Tuesday,
December 25, 1492 - Christmas Day
"Our Lord Willed that at midnight, when the crew saw me lie me down
to rest and also saw that there was a dead calm and the sea was in a
bowl, they all down to sleep and left helm to a boy. The current
carried the ship (Santa Maria) upon one of these banks.
Although it was night, the sea breaking on them made so much noise
that they could be hear and seen at a 3 miles distance. The ship
went upon the bank so quietly that it was hardly noticeable.
When the boy felt the rudder ground and hear the noise of the sea,
he cried out...The master and many others jumped into the small
boat, and I assumed they were going to follow my orders.
Instead, their only thoughts were to escape to the Niña...When I saw
that some of my own crew were fleeing and that the sea was becoming
more shallow with my ship broadside to it, I did the only ting I
could. I ordered the mast cut and the ship lightened as much as
possible, to see if it could be refloated. But the water became even
more shallow, and the ship settled more and more to one side.
Although there was little or no sea, I could not save her (Santa
Maria)...
On hearing the news
the King (Taino) wept, showing great sorrow at our disaster. Then he
sent all the inhabitants of the village out to the ship in many
large canoes. Thus we began to unload her (Santa Maria) and in very
short time we had cleared the decks. Such was the help that this
King gave us. After this, he himself with his brothers and
relations, did everything they could both in the ship and on shore
to arrange things for our comfort. And from time time he sent
various of his relatives to implore not to grieve, for he would give
me everything he had.
I assure your
Highnesses that nowhere in Castile would one receive such great
kindness or anything like it. He had all our possessions brought
together near his house and kept them there until some houses had
been emptied to receive them. He appointed armed men to guard
them and made them watch right through the night. I certify to your
Highnesses that in no part of Castile could things be so secure; not
even a shoe string was lost!"
(*1) Tainos is the
name of the group of Natives who welcomed Columbus
(*2) Haiti and Dominican Republic
Source:
Columbus Diary, 1492
Fuson, R.H. (Ed.), The Log of Christopher Columbus,
International Marine Publisher Co., Camden, Maine, 1987
Cohen, J.M.,
(Ed.),
Christopher Columbus, The Four Voyages,
Penguin Books Ltd., New York, New York, 1969
Landstron, B., Columbus, The Story of Don Cristobal Colon
Admiral of the Ocean and his Four Voyages Westward to the Indies,
The Macmillan Company, New York, 1967
If you
need information about the UB-TAH the address is:
UB-TAH, USU Uintah
Basin Extension
987 East Lagoon (124-9)
Roosevelt, Utah 84066
E-Mail:
Antonio Arce, Project Coordinator
Phone: (435) 722-1736
If you would
like to collaborate in the development of this site and be an
important part of the Uintah Basin Teaching American History Project
(UB-TAH,) please
contact us or call us (435) 722-1736
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