Page:The life of Christopher Columbus.djvu/81

], the consequences of which incline us to believe that this event did not occur but by a special interposition of Providence, in favor of him who was afterwards to be his peaceful and faithful servant.

If Colombo, the old Genoese Admiral, was greatly renowned, Colombo the younger, his nephew, was not less celebrated in the Mediterranean, since he there commanded a squadron against the Mahometans. This circumstance, no doubt, led Christopher to attach himself to him; for, in the midst of the turmoils of his youth, he preserved alive the faith, — the germ of which was developed in his heart by parental example. Besides, the ardor of the Genoese against the Mahometans was inscribed on the walls of the city. Not far from the gateway of St. Andrew, and from Mulcento Street, in which Dominic Columbus resided, we still, at this day, see the street of the Moor-slayers, — via de Matamoras.

Concurrent, then, with the fortunes of his kinsman Colombo il mozo, or the younger, Christopher, having quitted the seas of the Levant, embarked as an officer in a vessel cruising near the coast of Portugal, to wait there for some Venetian vessels, with rich cargoes. Having given them chase, he attacked them at daybreak, between Lisbon and Cape St. Vincent. The Venetians defended themselves with intrepedity; the combat lasted until evening; and the fury was equal on both sides. Towards nightfall, the Venetian ship took fire; this vessel was hooked by grappling irons to the one commanded by Columbus, to which it was held so fast by iron chains, that it became impossible to separate them. The fire spread rapidly from one ship to the other. All the wooden pumps were vainly put in play. Soon the two ships were burnt, presenting the aspect of a horrible furnace. Now, friends and enemies have no other resource but the sea: Genoese and Venetians dart into it; but the danger had only changed its form. The waves spread out a distance of two leagues before becoming spent on the nearest coast.