AN INTERESTING RELIC.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 361, 12 January 1880, Page 2

AN INTERESTING RELIC.

A relic of one of the expeditions.which sailed to the West.Tiidiea under tho com.inand of Columbus, has, it ia-atated by a M.irtiiiiquo journal, been recently disco-: veied. On die 4di of August, • 1498, a small squadron of three vessels under the orders of Christopher Columbus were, an-

ohored off ihe south-western extremity of the Island of Trianidad. Late at night Columbus, it is related by Washington Irving, suddenly saw a wall of water approaching towards the fleetfrom the south, His own vessel was lifted up so high by the oncoming wave that he feared it would be either submerged or dashed on shore, while the cable of one of the other ships parted under the strain to which it was subjected. The crews of the vessels gave' themselves up for lost; but after a time the wave, which it is surmised must hart been caused by an exceptionally large body of.water.coming suddenly down one. of the rivers flowing into the Gulf of Paria, ebbed back again. This sudden, rise of the waters of the gulf is mentioned by Columbus's son, Ferdinand, who adds that the fleet suffered no damage save the loss of one anchor. It is this anchor which has njw been found; and strangely enough, it was dug up at a depth of 6feet below the surface of the ground, at a spot 375 feet from the nearest point of the coast line. The land, it is well-known, is gaining upon the sea along the shores of Venezuela, so that where ships once rode at anchor gardens are now planted. The auchor itself is of simple form and comparatively rude manufacture, the itook being Bft long and round, with a ring at one end Ift in diameter to which to make fast the cable, and with flukes sft long, the whole weighing 11001b.