The Bones of Columbus

Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of America, was born in Genoa, Italy, about the year 1435 A.D., and died at Valladolid, Spain, in profound obscurity, May 20, 1506.

His body was deposited in a vault in the Convent Church of the Franciscans, where it remained for some time; but afterwards, according to a request made in his will, his remains were removed to the city of Santo Domingo in his "beloved Hispaniola," and placed in a small, enclosed vault in the cathedral.

Just to the right of the vault were deposited the remains of Don Diego, the son of Columbus, who died at Montalban, in 1526; and long afterwards the bones of Don Luis, the grandson of Columbus, were brought to the same place. Thus there were three crypts in the Cathedral of Santo Domingo,--one containing the remains of Christopher Columbus, one those of Diego, and the third those of Luis.

With regard to all these remains, the obscurity seems to have been profound until the year 1783. It was known to students of local history, that the remains of Christopher Columbus were somewhere in the building; but even the traditions as to his son and grandson were lost, or at least very vague. In that year, while making some slight repairs and alterations, a crypt was unexpectedly found, and in it a small metallic case, without any inscription, which was at once accepted as containing the remains of Christopher Columbus.

In the year 1795 the war between France and Spain was brought to a close, and the Spaniards were compelled to cede to the French all the Spanish part of the island of Santo Domingo; but by the courtesy of the French officials they were allowed to convey the supposed remains of Columbus to Havana, and the exhumation was solemnly made on the 20th of December, 1795.

On the 14th of May, 1877, the crypt containing the remains of Don Luis was accidentally discovered. This discovery caused much excitement, and revived an old tradition, that the bones removed in 1795 were not those of Christopher Columbus. The authorities now decided to make a careful investigation, which should verify, or else forever set at rest, the tradition. Their efforts were crowned with success. On the gospel side of the chapel (the left facing the altar) they found two crypts, the first one empty, because the remains had been carried away in 1795: the second one contained a small metallic case, with inscriptions in Spanish on both the outside and inside of the cover,--"Most illustrious and renowned personage, Don Cristoval Colon," and "Discoverer of America, First Admiral." The chest was opened, only to increase the certainty: on the interior of the cover were found the words, "Most illustrious and renowned personage, Don Cristoval Colon."

On the two sides, and on the front, were the letters C. C., A., meaning Christopher Columbus, Admiral. Upon careful examination of the contents, there were found bones and bone-dust, very few and small, with a small bit of the skull, a leaden ball, and a small silver plate inscribed "U. Cristoval Colon."

Dr. Coppee says in his article on this subject in Stoddart's "Review," and from which this is mainly taken,--

"Every one who was present at once accepted this ocular proof, that what was left of the body of the great discoverer had not been taken away to Havana, but was really there before his eyes, with an indubitable record of identification. It may be doubted whether in the wildest scenes of internecine strife and blood in all its history, Santo Domingo had ever witnessed such popular excitement. Time had brought them the knowledge of a great treasure. Te Deums were sung. The Legislature at once made an appropriation from 'the extraordinary funds' of ten thousand dollars as a contribution to a fitting monument. The archbishop, Roque Cocchin, kept his secretaries busy in sending the news of the discovery everywhere. . . .

"When the news reached the Spanish capital, it struck everybody, court and people alike, with painful surprise. The honor of Spain was supposed to be impugned. It was not only humiliating in itself, but it argued great carelessness in the Spanish officials, at the time of the translation, that for more than seventy years they should have fixed upon Spain the delusion that the precious remains of the great discoverer were resting in the Cathedral of Havana, and that generations of reverential visitors to 'the pilgrim shrine' had been wasting their sentiment on a mistaken object.

"The letter of the archbishop, with the accompanying proofs, was placed, by order of the king, in the hands of the most appropriate body, La real Academia de la Historia. A special committee was appointed to take the matter in hand. Of course they reported adversely, charging the San Domingians with schemes and fraud, and absurd credulity.

"The controversy that ensued brought out a work of three hundred and thirty-seven pages from the hand of the archbishop. In this valuable work he goes over much historical matter not before generally known. An unprejudiced perusal dissipates every shadow of art or deception. Few things are so clearly proven, as that the remains of the great discoverer are still preserved in the Cathedral Church of Santo Domingo, the spot which he selected as his burial-place. It has been proposed to erect a lofty column over the sacred dust, which shall tell the passing ships of every nation of 'the gratitude of mankind to Christopher Columbus,'--'A Cristoval Colon la humanidad agradecida.'"