Autograph manuscript leaf, one page, 4.25 x 7.5, no date. Page from a working draft of Irving’s A History and Voyages of Christopher Columbus, headed: “Chapter 41, Voyage of Diego Mendez to Hispaniola—Deliverance of Columbus from the Island of Jamaica.” The body, in part: “It is proper here to give some account of the mission of Diego Mendez and Bartholomew Fiesco…When they had taken leave of the Adelantado east end of the island of Jamaica, they continued all day in a direct course; there was no wind, the sky was without a cloud, and the sea was…like a mirror reflecting the burning rays of the sun. The Indians who paddled the canoes would often leap into the water to cool their glowing bodies and refresh themselves from their toil. At the going down of the sun they lost sight of land…During the night the Indians took turns.” Affixed at corners to a slightly larger sheet. Small tears to corners on the right side (affecting the page number and a couple words), otherwise fine condition. Accompanied by a printed page that reads: “The following sheet contains a page of the Original Manuscript of Washington Irving. G. P. Putnam’s Sons. January, 1895.” Irving spent two years working on the book, which was an elaboration on a work in Spanish that he had been commissioned to translate, and it was published in 1828 in four lengthy volumes. A fantastic, boldly penned page from what is considered the most painstaking effort of Irving’s life. Pre-certified PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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