diff options
Diffstat (limited to '1492-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 1492-0.txt | 5971 |
1 files changed, 5971 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/1492-0.txt b/1492-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0baac1d --- /dev/null +++ b/1492-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5971 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Life of Christopher Columbus from his +own Letters and Journals, by Edward Everett Hale + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Life of Christopher Columbus from his own Letters and Journals + +Author: Edward Everett Hale + +Release Date: February 15, 2006 [EBook #1492] +Last Updated: November 7, 2016 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE OF COLUMBUS *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Keller and David Widger + + + + + +THE LIFE OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS + +FROM HIS OWN LETTERS AND JOURNALS + +AND + +OTHER DOCUMENTS OF HIS TIME. + + + +by EDWARD EVERETT HALE, + + + [This was originally done on the 400th Anniversary + of 1492, as was the great Columbian Exposition in Chicago. + Interesting how our heroes have all been de-canonized in the + interest of Political Correctitude] + --Comments by Michael S. Hart + + + + +PREFACE. + +This book contains a life of Columbus, written with the hope of +interesting all classes of readers. + +His life has often been written, and it has sometimes been well written. +The great book of our countryman, Washington Irving, is a noble model +of diligent work given to a very difficult subject. And I think every +person who has dealt with the life of Columbus since Irving’s time, has +expressed his gratitude and respect for the author. + +According to the custom of biographers, in that time and since, he +includes in those volumes the whole history of the West India islands, +for the period after Columbus discovered them till his death. He also +thinks it his duty to include much of the history of Spain and of the +Spanish court. I do not myself believe that it is wise to attempt, in a +book of biography, so considerable a study of the history of the time. +Whether it be wise or not, I have not attempted it in this book. I have +rather attempted to follow closely the personal fortunes of Christopher +Columbus, and, to the history around him, I have given only such space +as seemed absolutely necessary for the illustration of those fortunes. + +I have followed on the lines of his own personal narrative wherever we +have it. And where this is lost I have used the absolutely contemporary +authorities. I have also consulted the later writers, those of the +next generation and the generation which followed it. But the more one +studies the life of Columbus the more one feels sure that, after the +greatness of his discovery was really known, the accounts of the time +were overlaid by what modern criticism calls myths, which had grown up +in the enthusiasm of those who honored him, and which form no part of +real history. If then the reader fails to find some stories with which +he is quite familiar in the history, he must not suppose that they are +omitted by accident, but must give to the author of the book the credit +of having used some discretion in the choice of his authorities. + +When I visited Spain in 1882, I was favored by the officers of the +Spanish government with every facility for carrying my inquiry as far as +a short visit would permit. Since that time Mr. Harrisse has published +his invaluable volumes on the life of Columbus. It certainly seems as +if every document now existing, which bears upon the history, had been +collated by him. The reader will see that I have made full use of this +treasure-house. + +The Congress of Americanistas, which meets every year, brings forward +many curious studies on the history of the continent, but it can +scarcely be said to have done much to advance our knowledge of the +personal life of Columbus. + +The determination of the people of the United States to celebrate fitly +the great discovery which has advanced civilization and changed the face +of the world, makes it certain that a new interest has arisen in the +life of the great man to whom, in the providence of God, that discovery +was due. The author and publishers of this book offer it as their +contribution in the great celebration, with the hope that it may be of +use, especially in the direction of the studies of the young. + +EDWARD E. HALE. + +ROXBURY, MASS., June 1st, 1891. + + + + +TABLE OF CONTENTS. + + CHAPTER 1. EARLY LIFE OF COLUMBUS. + His Birth and Birth-place--His Early Education--His + experience at Sea-His Marriage and Residence in Lisbon-- + His Plans for the Discovery of a Westward + Passage to the Indies + + CHAPTER II. HIS PLANS FOR DISCOVERY. + Columbus Leaves Lisbon, and Visits Genoa--Visits Great + Spanish Dukes--For Six Years is at the Court of Ferdinand + and Isabella--The Council of Salamanca--His + Petition is at Last Granted--Squadron Made Ready + + CHAPTER III. THE GREAT VOYAGE. + The Squadron Sails--Refits at Canary Islands--Hopes + and Fears of the Voyage--The Doubts of the Crew-- + Land Discovered + + CHAPTER IV. + The Landing on the Twelfth of October--The Natives and + their Neighbors--Search for Gold-Cuba Discovered + Columbus Coasts Along its Shores + + CHAPTER V. + Landing on Cuba--The Cigar and Tobacco--Cipango and + the Great Khan--From Cuba to Hayti--Its Shores and + Harbors + + CHAPTER VI. + Discovery of Hayti or Hispaniola--The Search for Gold-- + Hospitality and Intelligence of the Natives--Christmas + Day--A Shipwreck--Colony to be Founded--Columbus + Sails East and Meets Martin Pinzon-The Two + Vessels Return to Europe--Storm--The Azores-- + Portugal--Home + + CHAPTER VII. + Columbus is Called to Meet the King and Queen--His + Magnificent Reception--Negotiations with the Pope and + with the King of Portugal--Second Expedition Ordered + --Fonseca--The Preparations at Cadiz + + CHAPTER VIII. + The Second Expedition Sails From Cadiz--Touches at + Canary Islands--Discovery of Dominica and Guadeloupe + --Skirmishes with the Caribs--Porto Rico Discovered + --Hispaniola--The Fate of the Colony at La Navidad + + CHAPTER IX. + The New Colony--Expeditions of Discovery--Guacanagari-- + Search for Gold--Mutiny in the Colony--The + Vessels Sent Home--Columbus Marches Inland-- + Collection of Gold--Fortress of St. Thomas--A New Voyage + of Discovery--Jamaica Visited--The South Shore + of Cuba Explored--Return--Evangelista Discovered + --Columbus Falls Sick--Return to Isabella + + CHAPTER X. THE THIRD VOYAGE. + Letter to the King and Queen--Discovery of Trinidad and + Paria--Curious Speculation as to the Earthly Paradise + --Arrival at San Domingo--Rebellions and Mutinies in + that Island-Roldan and His Followers--Ojeda and + His Expedition--Arrival of Bobadilla--Columbus a + Prisoner + + CHAPTER XI. SPAIN, 1500, 1502. + A Cordial Reception in Spain--Columbus Favorably + Received at Court--New Interest in Geographical + Discovery--His Plans for the Redemption of the Holy + Sepulchre--Preparations for a Fourth Expedition + + CHAPTER XII. FOURTH VOYAGE. + The Instructions Given for the Voyage--He is to go to + the Mainland of the Indies--A Short Passage--Ovando + Forbids the Entrance of Columbus into Harbor + Bobadilla’s Squadron and Its Fate--Columbus Sails Westward + --Discovers Honduras, and Coasts Along Its Shores + --The Search for Gold--Colony Attempted and Abandoned + --The Vessels Become Unseaworthy--Refuge at + Jamaica--Mutiny Led by the Brothers Porras--Messages + to San Domingo--The Eclipse--Arrival of Relief + --Columbus Returns to San Domingo, and to Spain + + CHAPTER XIII. + Two Sad Years--Isabella’s Death--Columbus at Seville-- + His Illness--Letters to the King--journeys to Segovia + --Salamanca and Valladolid--His Suit There--Philip + and Juana--Columbus Executes His Will--Dies--His + Burial and the Removal of His Body--His Portraits-- + His Character + + APPENDIX A + + APPENDIX B + + APPENDIX C + + + + +THE LIFE OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. + + + +CHAPTER I. -- EARLY LIFE OF COLUMBUS. + +HIS BIRTH AND BIRTH-PLACE--HIS EARLY EDUCATION--HIS EXPERIENCE AT +SEA--HIS MARRIAGE AND RESIDENCE IN LISBON--HIS PLANS FOR THE DISCOVERY +OF A WESTWARD PASSAGE TO THE INDIES. + +Christopher Columbus was born in the Republic of Genoa. The honor of his +birth-place has been claimed by many villages in that Republic, and the +house in which he was born cannot be now pointed out with certainty. But +the best authorities agree that the children and the grown people of +the world have never been mistaken when they have said: “America was +discovered in 1492 by Christopher Columbus, a native of Genoa.” + +His name, and that of his family, is always written Colombo, in the +Italian papers which refer to them, for more than one hundred years +before his time. In Spain it was always written Colon; in France it is +written as Colomb; while in England it has always kept its Latin form, +Columbus. It has frequently been said that he himself assumed this form, +because Columba is the Latin word for “Dove,” with a fanciful feeling +that, in carrying Christian light to the West, he had taken the mission +of the dove. Thus, he had first found land where men thought there was +ocean, and he was the messenger of the Holy Spirit to those who sat in +darkness. It has also been assumed that he took the name of Christopher, +“the Christ-bearer,” for similar reasons. But there is no doubt that +he was baptized “Christopher,” and that the family name had long been +Columbo. The coincidences of name are but two more in a calendar in +which poetry delights, and of which history is full. + +Christopher Columbus was the oldest son of Dominico Colombo and Suzanna +Fontanarossa. This name means Red-fountain. He bad two brothers, +Bartholomew and Diego, whom we shall meet again. Diego is the Spanish +way of writing the name which we call James. + +It seems probable that Christopher was born in the year 1436, though +some writers have said that he was older than this, and some that he was +younger. The record of his birth and that of his baptism have not been +found. + +His father was not a rich man, but he was able to send Christopher, as a +boy, to the University of Pavia, and here he studied grammar, geometry, +geography and navigation, astronomy and the Latin language. But this was +as a boy studies, for in his fourteenth year he left the university and +entered, in hard work, on “the larger college of the world.” If the date +given above, of his birth, is correct, this was in the year 1450, a few +years before the Turks took Constantinople, and, in their invasion of +Europe, affected the daily life of everyone, young or old, who lived in +the Mediterranean countries. From this time, for fifteen years, it +is hard to trace along the life of Columbus. It was the life of an +intelligent young seaman, going wherever there was a voyage for him. He +says himself, “I passed twenty-three years on the sea. I have seen all +the Levant, all the western coasts, and the North. I have seen England; +I have often made the voyage from Lisbon to the Guinea coast.” This he +wrote in a letter to Ferdinand and Isabella. Again he says, “I went to +sea from the most tender age and have continued in a sea life to this +day. Whoever gives himself up to this art wants to know the secrets of +Nature here below. It is more than forty years that I have been thus +engaged. Wherever any one has sailed, there I have sailed.” + +Whoever goes into the detail of the history of that century will come +upon the names of two relatives of his--Colon el Mozo (the Boy, or the +Younger) and his uncle, Francesco Colon, both celebrated sailors. The +latter of the two was a captain in the fleets of Louis XI of France, +and imaginative students may represent him as meeting Quentin Durward at +court. Christopher Columbus seems to have made several voyages under +the command of the younger of these relatives. He commanded the Genoese +galleys near Cyprus in a war which the Genoese had with the Venetians. +Between the years 1461 and 1463 the Genoese were acting as allies with +King John of Calabria, and Columbus had a command as captain in their +navy at that time. + +“In 1477,” he says, in one of his letters, “in the month of February, I +sailed more than a hundred leagues beyond Tile.” By this he means Thule, +or Iceland. “Of this island the southern part is seventy-three degrees +from the equator, not sixty-three degrees, as some geographers pretend.” + But here he was wrong. The Southern part of Iceland is in the latitude +of sixty-three and a half degrees. “The English, chiefly those of +Bristol, carry their merchandise, to this island, which is as large as +England. When I was there the sea was not frozen, but the tides there +are so strong that they rise and fall twenty-six cubits.” + +The order of his life, after his visit to Iceland, is better known. +He was no longer an adventurous sailor-boy, glad of any voyage which +offered; he was a man thirty years of age or more. He married in the +city of Lisbon and settled himself there. His wife was named Philippa. +She was the daughter of an Italian gentleman named Bartolomeo Muniz de +Perestrello, who was, like Columbus, a sailor, and was alive to all the +new interests which geography then presented to all inquiring minds. +This was in the year 1477, and the King of Portugal was pressing the +expeditions which, before the end of the century, resulted in the +discovery of the route to the Indies by the Cape of Good Hope. + +The young couple had to live. Neither the bride nor her husband had +any fortune, and Columbus occupied himself as a draftsman, illustrating +books, making terrestrial globes, which must have been curiously +inaccurate, since they had no Cape of Good Hope and no American +Continent, drawing charts for sale, and collecting, where he could, the +material for such study. Such charts and maps were beginning to assume +new importance in those days of geographical discovery. The value +attached to them may be judged from the statement that Vespucius paid +one hundred and thirty ducats for one map. This sum would be more than +five hundred dollars of our time. + +Columbus did not give up his maritime enterprises. He made voyages to +the coast of Guinea and in other directions. + +It is said that he was in command of one of the vessels of his relative +Colon el Mozo, when, in the Portuguese seas, this admiral, with his +squadron, engaged four Venetian galleys returning from Flanders. A +bloody battle followed. The ship which Christopher Columbus commanded +was engaged with a Venetian vessel, to which it set fire. There was +danger of an explosion, and Columbus himself, seeing this danger, flung +himself into the sea, seized a floating oar, and thus gained the shore. +He was not far from Lisbon, and from this time made Lisbon his home for +many years.(*) + + (*) The critics challenge these dates, but there seems to be + good foundation for the story. + +It seems clear that, from the time when he arrived in Lisbon, for +more than twenty years, he was at work trying to interest people in his +“great design,” of western discovery. He says himself, “I was constantly +corresponding with learned men, some ecclesiastics and some laymen, +some Latin and some Greek, some Jews and some Moors.” The astronomer +Toscanelli was one of these correspondents. + +We must not suppose that the idea of the roundness of the earth was +invented by Columbus. Although there were other theories about its +shape, many intelligent men well understood that the earth was a globe, +and that the Indies, though they were always reached from Europe by +going to the East, must be on the west of Europe also. There is a +very funny story in the travels of Mandeville, in which a traveler is +represented as having gone, mostly on foot, through all the countries +of Asia, but finally determines to return to Norway, his home. In his +farthest eastern investigation, he hears some people calling their +cattle by a peculiar cry, which he had never heard before. After he +returned home, it was necessary for him to take a day’s journey westward +to look after some cattle he had lost. Finding these cattle, he also +heard the same cry of people calling cattle, which he had heard in the +extreme East, and now learned, for the first time, that he had gone +round the world on foot, to turn and come back by the same route, when +he was only a day’s journey from home, Columbus was acquainted with such +stories as this, and also had the astronomical knowledge which almost +made him know that the world was round, “and, like a ball, goes spinning +in the air.” The difficulty was to persuade other people that, because +of this roundness, it would be possible to attain Asia by sailing to the +West. + +Now all the geographers of repute supposed that there was not nearly +so large a distance as there proved to be, in truth, between Europe and +Asia. Thus, in the geography of Ptolemy, which was the standard book +at that time, one hundred and thirty-five degrees, a little more than +one-third of the earth’s circumference, is given to the space between +the extreme eastern part of the Indies and the Canary Islands. In fact, +as we now know, the distance is one hundred and eighty degrees, half the +world’s circumference. Had Columbus believed there was any such immense +distance, he would never have undertaken his voyage. + +Almost all the detailed knowledge of the Indies which the people of +his time had, was given by the explorations of Marco Polo, a Venetian +traveler of the thirteenth century, whose book had long been in the +possession of European readers. It is a very entertaining book now, and +may well be recommended to young people who like stories of adventure. +Marco Polo had visited the court of the Great Khan of Tartary at Pekin, +the prince who brought the Chinese Empire into very much the condition +in which it now is. He had, also, given accounts of Japan or Cipango, +which he had himself never visited. Columbus knew, therefore, that, +well east of the Indies, was the island of Cipango, and he aimed at that +island, because he supposed that that was the nearest point to Europe, +as in fact it is. And when finally he arrived at Cuba, as the reader +will see, he thought he was in Japan. + +Columbus’s father-in-law had himself been the Portuguese governor of the +island of Porto Santo, where he had founded a colony. He, therefore, +was interested in western explorations, and probably from him Columbus +collected some of the statements which are known to have influenced +him, with regard to floating matters from the West, which are constantly +borne upon that island by the great currents of the sea. + +The historians are fond of bringing together all the intimations which +are given in the Greek and Latin classics, and in later authors, with +regard to a land beyond Asia. Perhaps the most famous of them is that of +Seneca, “In the later years there shall come days in which Ocean shall +loose his chains, and a great land shall appear . . . and Thule shall +not be the last of the worlds.” + +In a letter which Toscanelli wrote to Columbus in 1474, he inclosed a +copy of a letter which he had already sent to an officer of Alphonso V, +the King of Portugal. In writing to Columbus, he says, “I see that you +have a great and noble desire to go into that country (of the East) +where the spices come from, and in reply to your letter I send you a +copy of that which I addressed some years ago to my attached friend in +the service of the most serene King of Portugal. He had an order from +his Highness to write me on this subject. . . . If I had a globe in +my hand, I could show you what is needed. But I prefer to mark out the +route on a chart like a marine chart, which will be an assistance to +your intelligence and enterprise. On this chart I have myself drawn the +whole extremity of our western shore from Ireland as far down as the +coast of Guinea toward the South, with all the islands which are to be +found on this route. Opposite this (that is, the shores of Ireland and +Africa) I have placed directly at the West the beginning of the Indies +with the islands and places where you will land. You will see for +yourself how many miles you must keep from the arctic pole toward +the equator, and at what distance you will arrive at these regions so +fertile and productive of spices and precious stones.” In Toscanelli’s +letter, he not only indicates Japan, but, in the middle of the ocean, he +places the island of Antilia. This old name afterwards gave the name by +which the French still call the West Indies, Les Antilles. Toscanelli +gives the exact distance which Columbus will have to sail: “From Lisbon +to the famous city of Quisay (Hang-tcheou-fou, then the capital of +China) if you take the direct route toward the West, the distance will +be thirty-nine hundred miles. And from Antilia to Japan it will be two +hundred and twenty-five leagues.” Toscanelli says again, “You see that +the voyage that you wish to attempt is much legs difficult than would be +thought. You would be sure of this if you met as many people as I do who +have been in the country of spices.” + +While there were so many suggestions made that it would be possible to +cross the Atlantic, there was one man who determined to do this. This +man was Christopher Columbus. But he knew well that he could not do +it alone. He must have money enough for an expedition, he must have +authority to enlist crews for that expedition, and he must have power to +govern those crews when they should arrive in the Indies. In our times +such adventures have been conducted by mercantile corporations, but in +those times no one thought of doing any such thing without the direct +assistance and support of some monarch. + +It is easy now to see and to say that Columbus himself was singularly +well fitted to take the charge of the expedition of discovery. He was an +excellent sailor and at the same time he was a learned geographer and +a good mathematician. He was living in Portugal, the kings of which +country had, for many years, fostered the exploration of the coast of +Africa, and were pushing expeditions farther and farther South. + +In doing this, they were, in a fashion, making new discoveries. For +Europe was wholly ignorant of the western coast of Africa, beyond the +Canaries, when their expeditions began. But all men of learning +knew that, five hundred years before the Christian era, Hanno, a +Carthaginian, had sailed round Africa under the direction of the senate +of Carthage. The efforts of the King of Portugal were to repeat the +voyage made by Hanno. In 1441, Gonzales and Tristam sailed as far as +Sierra Leone. They brought back some blacks as slaves, and this was the +beginning of the slave trade. + +In 1446 the Portuguese took possession of the Azores, the most western +points of the Old World. Step by step they advanced southward, and +became familiar with the African coast. Bold navigators were eager to +find the East, and at last success came. Under the king’s orders, in +August, 1477, three caravels sailed from the Tagus, under Bartolomeo +Diaz, for southern discovery. Diaz was himself brave enough to be +willing to go on to the Red Sea, after he made the great discovery of +the Cape of Good Hope, but his crews mutinied, after he had gone much +farther than his predecessors, and compelled him to return. He passed +the southern cape of Africa and went forty miles farther. He called it +the Cape of Torments, “Cabo Tormentoso,” so terrible were the storms he +met there. But when King John heard his report he gave it that name of +good omen which it has borne ever since, the name of the “Cape of Good +Hope.” + +In the midst of such endeavors to reach the East Indies by the long +voyage down the coast of Africa and across an unknown ocean, Columbus +was urging all people who cared, to try the route directly west. If +the world was round, as the sun and moon were, and as so many men of +learning believed, India or the Indies must be to the west of Portugal. +The value of direct trade with the Indies would be enormous. Europe had +already acquired a taste for the spices of India and had confidence in +the drugs of India. The silks and other articles of clothing made in +India, and the carpets of India, were well known and prized. Marco Polo +and others had given an impression that there was much gold in India; +and the pearls and precious stones of India excited the imagination of +all who read his travels. + +The immense value of such a commerce may be estimated from one fact. +When, a generation after this time, one ship only of all the squadron of +Magellan returned to Cadiz, after the first voyage round the world, she +was loaded with spices from the Moluccas. These spices were sold by +the Spanish government for so large a sum of money that the king was +remunerated for the whole cost of the expedition, and even made a very +large profit from a transaction which had cost a great deal in its +outfit. + +Columbus was able, therefore, to offer mercantile adventurers the +promise of great profit in case of success; and at this time kings were +willing to take their share of such profits as might accrue. + +The letter of Toscanelli, the Italian geographer, which has been spoken +of, was addressed to Alphonso V, the King of Portugal. To him and +his successor, John the Second, Columbus explained the probability of +success, and each of them, as it would seem, had confidence in it. +But King John made the great mistake of intrusting Columbus’s plan to +another person for experiment. He was selfish enough, and mean enough, +to fit out a ship privately and intrust its command to another seaman, +bidding him sail west in search of the Indies, while he pretended that +he was on a voyage to the Cape de Verde Islands. He was, in fact, +to follow the route indicated by Columbus. The vessel sailed. But, +fortunately for the fame of Columbus, she met a terrible storm, and +her officers, in terror, turned from the unknown ocean and returned to +Lisbon. Columbus himself tells this story. It was in disgust with the +bad faith the king showed in this transaction that he left Lisbon to +offer his great project to the King and Queen of Spain. + +In a similar way, a generation afterward, Magellan, who was in the +service of the King of Portugal, was disgusted by insults which he +received at his court, and exiled himself to Spain. He offered to the +Spanish king his plan for sailing round the world and it was accepted. +He sailed in a Spanish fleet, and to his discoveries Spain owes the +possession of the Philippine Islands. Twice, therefore, did kings of +Portugal lose for themselves, their children and their kingdom, the fame +and the recompense which belong to such great discoveries. + +The wife of Columbus had died and he was without a home. He left Lisbon +with his only son, Diego, in or near the end of the year 1484. + + + +CHAPTER II. -- HIS PLANS FOR DISCOVERY. + +COLUMBUS LEAVES LISBON, AND VISITS GENOA--VISITS GREAT SPANISH +DUKES--FOR SIX YEARS IS AT THE COURT OF FERDINAND AND ISABELLA--THE +COUNCIL OF SALAMANCA--HIS PETITION IS AT LAST GRANTED--SQUADRON MADE +READY. + +It has been supposed that when Columbus left Lisbon he was oppressed by +debts. At a subsequent period, when King John wanted to recall him, he +offered to protect him against any creditors. But on the other hand, it +is thought that at this time he visited Genoa, and made some provision +for the comfort of his father, who was now an old man. Christopher +Columbus, himself, according to the usual opinion regarding his birth, +was now almost fifty years old. + +It is probable that at this time he urged on his countrymen, the +Genoese, the importance of his great plan; and tried to interest them +to make the great endeavor, for the purpose of reaching the Indies by a +western route. As it proved, the discovery of the route by the Cape +of Good Hope was, commercially, a great injury to Genoa and the other +maritime cities of Italy. Before this time, the eastern trade of Europe +came by the ports of the eastern Mediterranean, and the Italian cities. +Columbus’s offer to Genoa was therefore one which, if her statesmen +could have foreseen the future, they would have considered eagerly. + +But Genoa was greatly depressed at this period. In her wars with the +Turks she had been, on the whole, not successful. She had lost Caffa, +her station in the Crimea, and her possessions in the Archipelago were +threatened. The government did not accept Columbus’s proposals, and he +was obliged to return with them to Spain. He went first to distinguished +noblemen, in the South of Spain, who were of liberal and adventurous +disposition. One was the Duke of Medina Celi, and one the Duke of Medina +Sidonia. Each of these grandees entertained him at their courts, and +heard his proposals. + +The Duke of Medina Celi was so much interested in them, that at one time +he proposed to give Columbus the direction of four vessels which he +had in the harbor of Cadiz. But, of a sudden, he changed his mind. The +enterprise was so vast, he said, that it should be under the direction +of the crown. And, without losing confidence in it, he gave to Columbus +an introduction to the king and queen, in which he cordially recommended +him to their patronage. + +This king and queen were King Ferdinand of Aragon, and Queen Isabella of +Castile. The marriage of these two had united Spain. Their affection for +each other made the union real, and the energy, courage and wisdom of +both made their reign successful and glorious. Of all its glories the +greatest, as it has proved, was connected with the life and discoveries +of the sailor who was now to approach them. He had been disloyally +treated by Portugal, he had been dismissed by Genoa. He had not +succeeded with the great dukes. Now he was to press his adventure upon +a king and queen who were engaged in a difficult war with the Moors, who +still held a considerable part of the peninsula of Spain. + +The king and queen were residing at Cordova, a rich and beautiful city, +which they had taken from the Moors. Under their rule Cordova had been +the most important seat of learning in Europe. Here Columbus tarried at +the house of Alonso de Quintinilla, who became an ardent convert to +his theory, and introduced him to important friends. By their agency, +arrangements were made, in which Columbus should present his views to +the king. The time was not such as he could have wished. All Cordova was +alive with the preparation for a great campaign against the enemy. But +King Ferdinand made arrangements to hear Columbus; it does not appear +that, at the first hearing, Isabella was present at the interview. But +Ferdinand, although in the midst of his military cares, was interested +in the proposals made by Columbus. He liked the man. He was pleased by +the modesty and dignity with which he brought forward his proposals. +Columbus spoke, as he tells us, as one specially appointed by God +Himself to carry out this discovery. The king did not, however, at once +adopt the scheme, but gave out that a council of men of learning should +be called together to consider it. + +Columbus himself says that he entered the service of the sovereigns +January 26, 1486. The council to which he was referred was held in +the university city of Salamanca, in that year. It gave to him a full +opportunity to explain his theory. It consisted of a fair representation +of the learning of the time. But most of the men who met had formed +their opinions on the subjects involved, and were too old to change +them. A part of them were priests of the church, in the habit of looking +to sacred Scripture as their only authority, when the pope had given no +instruction in detail. Of these some took literally expressions in the +Old Testament, which they supposed to be fatal to the plans of Columbus. +Such was the phrase in the 104th Psalm, that God stretches out the +heavens like a curtain. The expression in the book of Hebrews, that the +heavens are extended as a tent, was also quoted, in the same view. + +Quotations from the early Fathers of the church were more fatal to the +new plan than those from the Scripture. + +On the other hand there were men who cordially supported Columbus’s +wishes, and there were more when the congress parted than when it met. +Its sessions occupied a considerable part of the summer, but it was not +for years that it rendered any decision. + +The king, queen and court, meanwhile, were occupied in war with the +Moors. Columbus was once and again summoned to attend the court, and +more than once money was advanced to him to enable him to do so. Once he +began new negotiations with King John, and from him he received a letter +inviting him to return to Portugal. He received a similar letter +from King Henry VII of England inviting him to his court. Nothing was +determined on in Spain. To this day, the people of that country are +thought to have a habit of postponement to tomorrow of that which +perplexes them. In 1489, according to Ortiz de Zuniga, Columbus fought +in battle in the king’s army. + +When, however, in the winter of 1490, it was announced that the army +was to take the field again, never to leave its camp till Grenada had +fallen, Columbus felt that he must make one last endeavor. He insisted +that he must have an answer regarding his plans of discovery. The +confessor of the queen, Fernando da Talavera, was commanded to obtain +the definite answer of the men of learning. Alas! it was fatal to +Columbus’s hopes. They said that it was not right that great princes +should undertake such enterprises on grounds as weak as those which he +relied upon. + +The sovereigns themselves, however, were more favorable; so was a +minority of the council of Salamanca. And the confessor was instructed +to tell him that their expenses in the war forbade them from sending him +out as a discoverer, but that, when that was well over, they had hopes +that they might commission him. This was the end of five years of +solicitation, in which he had put his trust in princes. Columbus +regarded the answer, as well he might, as only a courtly measure of +refusal. And he retired in disgust from the court at Seville. + +He determined to lay his plans before the King of France. He was +traveling with this purpose, with his son, Diego, now a boy of ten or +twelve years of age, when he arrived at night at the hospitable +convent of Saint Mary of Rabida, which has been made celebrated by that +incident. It is about three miles south of what was then the seaport of +Palos, one of the active ports of commercial Spain. The convent stands +on level ground high above the sea; but a steep road runs down to the +shore of the ocean. Some of its windows and corridors look out upon +the ocean on the west and south, and the inmates still show the room in +which Columbus used to write, and the inkstand which served his purposes +while he lived there. It is maintained as a monument of history by the +Spanish government. + +At the door of this convent he asked for bread and water for his boy. +The prior of the convent was named Juan Perez de Marchena. He was +attracted by the appearance of Columbus, still more by his conversation, +and invited him to remain as their guest. + +When he learned that his new friend was about to offer to France the +advantages of a discovery so great as that proposed, he begged him to +make one effort more at home. He sent for some friends, Fernandos, a +physician at Palos, and for the brothers Pinzon, who now appear for the +first time in a story where their part is distinguished. Together they +all persuaded Columbus to send one messenger more to wait upon their +sovereigns. The man sent was Rodriguez, a pilot of Lepe, who found +access to the queen because Juan Perez, the prior, had formerly been her +confessor. She had confidence in him, as she had, indeed, in Columbus. +And in fourteen days the friendly pilot came back from Santa Fe with a +kind letter from the queen to her friend, bidding him return at once to +court. Perez de Marchena saddled his mule at once and before midnight +was on his way to see his royal mistress. + +Santa Fe was half camp, half city. It had been built in what is called +the Vega, the great fruitful plain which extends for many miles to the +westward of Grenada. The court and army were here as they pressed +their attack on that city. Perez de Marchena had ready access to Queen +Isabella, and pressed his suit well. He was supported by one of her +favorites, the Marquesa de Moya. In reply to their solicitations, +she asked that Columbus should return to her, and ordered that twenty +thousand maravedis should be sent to him for his traveling expenses. + +This sum was immediately sent by Perez to his friend. Columbus bought a +mule, exchanged his worn clothes for better ones, and started, as he was +bidden, for the camp. + +He arrived there just after the great victory, by which the king and +queen had obtained their wish--had taken the noble city of Grenada and +ended Moorish rule in Spain. King, queen, court and army were preparing +to enter the Alhambra in triumph. Whoever tries to imagine the scene, in +which the great procession entered through the gates, so long sealed, or +of the moment when the royal banner of Spain was first flying out upon +the Tower of the Vela, must remember that Columbus, elate, at last, with +hopes for his own great discovery, saw the triumph and joined in the +display. + +But his success was not immediate, even now. Fernando de Talavera, +who had had the direction of the wise council of Salamanca, was now +Archbishop of Grenada, whose see had been conferred on him after the +victory. He was not the friend of Columbus. And when, at what seemed the +final interview with king and queen, he heard Columbus claim the right +to one-tenth of all the profits of the enterprise, he protested against +such lavish recompense of an adventurer. He was now the confessor of +Isabella, as Juan Perez, the friendly prior, had been before. Columbus, +however, was proud and firm. He would not yield to the terms prepared +by the archbishop. He preferred to break off the negotiation, and again +retired from court. He determined, as he had before, to lay his plans +before the King of France. + +Spain would have lost the honor and the reward of the great discovery, +as Portugal and Genoa had lost them, but for Luis de St. Angel, and +the queen herself. St. Angel had been the friend of Columbus. He was an +important officer, the treasurer of the church revenues of Aragon. +He now insisted upon an audience from the queen. It would seem that +Ferdinand, though King of Aragon, was not present. St. Angel spoke +eloquently. The friendly Marchioness of Moya spoke eagerly and +persuasively. Isabella was at last fired with zeal. Columbus should go, +and the enterprise should be hers. + +It is here that the incident belongs, represented in the statue by Mr. +Mead, and that of Miss Hosmer. The sum required for the discovery of a +world was only three thousand crowns. Two vessels were all that Columbus +asked for, with the pay of their crews. But where were three thousand +crowns? The treasury was empty, and the king was now averse to any +action. It was at this moment that Isabella said, “The enterprise is +mine, for the Crown of Castile. I pledge my jewels for the funds.” + +The funds were in fact advanced by St. Angel, from the ecclesiastical +revenues under his control. They were repaid from the gold brought in +the first voyage. But, always afterward, Isabella regarded the Indies +as a Castilian possession. The most important officers in its +administration, indeed most of the emigrants, were always from Castile. + +Columbus, meanwhile, was on his way back to Palos, on his mule, alone. +But at a bridge, still pointed out, a royal courier overtook him, +bidding him return. The spot has been made the scene of more than one +picture, which represents the crisis, in which the despair of one moment +changed to the glad hope which was to lead to certainty. + +He returned to Isabella for the last time, before that great return in +which he came as a conqueror, to display to her the riches of the New +World. The king yielded a slow and doubtful assent. Isabella took +the enterprise in her own hands. She and Columbus agreed at once, and +articles were drawn up which gave him the place of admiral for life on +all lands he might discover; gave him one-tenth of all pearls, precious +stones, gold, silver, spices and other merchandise to be obtained in his +admiralty, and gave him the right to nominate three candidates from whom +the governor of each province should be selected by the crown. He was to +be the judge of all disputes arising from such traffic as was proposed; +and he was to have one-eighth part of the profit, and bear one-eighth +part of the cost of it. + +With this glad news he returned at once to Palos. The Pinzons, who had +been such loyal friends, were to take part in the enterprise. He carried +with him a royal order, commanding the people of Palos to fit out two +caravels within ten days, and to place them and their crews at the +disposal of Columbus. The third vessel proposed was to be fitted out +by him and his friends. The crews were to be paid four months’ wages in +advance, and Columbus was to have full command, to do what he chose, if +he did not interfere with the Portuguese discoveries. + +On the 23rd of May, Columbus went to the church of San Giorgio in Palos, +with his friend, the prior of St. Mary’s convent, and other important +people, and the royal order was read with great solemnity: + +But it excited at first only indignation or dismay. The expedition was +most unpopular. Sailors refused to enlist, and the authorities, who had +already offended the crown, so that they had to furnish these vessels, +as it were, as a fine, refused to do what they were bidden. Other orders +from Court were necessary. But it seems to have been the courage and +determination of the Pinzons which carried the preparations through. +After weeks had been lost, Martin Alonso Pinzon and his brothers +said they would go in person on the expedition. They were well-known +merchants and seamen, and were much respected. Sailors were impressed, +by the royal authority, and the needful stores were taken in the same +way. It seems now strange that so much difficulty should have surrounded +an expedition in itself so small. But the plan met then all the +superstition, terror and other prejudice of the time. + +All that Columbus asked or needed was three small vessels and their +stores and crews. The largest ships engaged were little larger than the +large yachts, whose races every summer delight the people of America. +The Gallega and the Pinta were the two largest. They were called +caravels, a name then given to the smallest three-masted vessels. +Columbus once uses it for a vessel of forty tons; but it generally +applied in Portuguese or Spanish use to a vessel, ranging one hundred +and twenty to one hundred and forty Spanish “toneles.” This word +represents a capacity about one-tenth larger than that expressed by our +English “ton.” + +The reader should remember that most of the commerce of the time was the +coasting commerce of the Mediterranean, and that it was not well that +the ships should draw much water. The fleet of Columbus, as it sailed, +consisted of the Gallega (the Galician), of which he changed the name to +the Santa Maria, and of the Pinta and the Nina. Of these the first two +were of a tonnage which we should rate as about one hundred and thirty +tons. The Nina was much smaller, not more than fifty tons. One writer +says that they were all without full decks, that is, that such decks as +they had did not extend from stem to stern. But the other authorities +speak as if the Nina only was an open vessel, and the two larger were +decked. Columbus himself took command of the Santa Maria, Martin Alonso +Pinzon of the Pinta, and his brothers, Francis Martin and Vicente Yanez, +of the Nina. The whole company in all three ships numbered one hundred +and twenty men. + +Mr. Harrisse shows that the expense to the crown amounted to 1,140,000 +maravedis. This, as he counts it, is about sixty-four thousand dollars +of our money. To this Columbus was to add one-eighth of the cost. His +friends, the Pinzons, seem to have advanced this, and to have been +afterwards repaid. Las Casas and Herrera both say that the sum thus +added was much more than one-eighth of the cost and amounted to half a +million maravedis. + + + +CHAPTER III. -- THE GREAT VOYAGE. + +THE SQUADRON SAILS--REFITS AT CANARY ISLANDS--HOPES AND FEARS OF THE +VOYAGE--THE DOUBTS OF THE CREW--LAND DISCOVERED. + +At last all was ready. That is to say, the fleet was so far ready that +Columbus was ready to start. The vessels were small, as we think of +vessels, but he was not dissatisfied. He says in the beginning of his +journal, “I armed three vessels very fit for such an enterprise.” He +had left Grenada as late as the twelfth of May. He had crossed Spain to +Palos,(*) and in less than three months had fitted out the ships and was +ready for sea. + + (*) Palos is now so insignificant a place that on some + important maps of Spain it will not be found. It is on the + east side of the Tinto river; and Huelva, on the west side, + has taken its place. + +The harbor of Palos is now ruined. Mud and gravel, brought down by the +River Tinto, have filled up the bay, so that even small boats cannot +approach the shore. The traveler finds, however, the island of Saltes, +quite outside the bay, much as Columbus left it. It is a small spit of +sand, covered with shells and with a few seashore herbs. His own account +of the great voyage begins with the words: + +“Friday, August 3, 1492. Set sail from the bar of Saltes at 8 o’clock, +and proceeded with a strong breeze till sunset sixty miles, or fifteen +leagues south, afterward southwest and south by west, which is in the +direction of the Canaries.” + +It appears, therefore, that the great voyage, the most important and +successful ever made, began on Friday, the day which is said to be so +much disliked by sailors. Columbus never alludes to this superstition. + +He had always meant to sail first for the Canaries, which were the most +western land then known in the latitude of his voyage. From Lisbon to +the famous city of “Quisay,” or “Quinsay,” in Asia, Toscanelli, his +learned correspondent, supposed the distance to be less than one +thousand leagues westward. From the Canary islands, on that supposition, +the distance would be ten degrees less. The distance to Cipango, or +Japan, would be much less. + +As it proved, the squadron had to make some stay at the Canaries. The +rudder of the Pinta was disabled, and she proved leaky. It was +suspected that the owners, from whom she had been forcibly taken, had +intentionally disabled her, or that possibly the crew had injured her. +But Columbus says in his journal that Martin Alonso Pinzon, captain of +the Pinta, was a man of capacity and courage, and that this quieted +his apprehensions. From the ninth of August to the second of September, +nearly four weeks were spent by the Pinta and her crew at the Grand +Canary island, and she was repaired. She proved afterwards a serviceable +vessel, the fastest of the fleet. At the Canaries they heard stories of +lands seen to the westward, to which Columbus refers in his journal. On +the sixth of September they sailed from Gomera and on the eighth they +lost sight of land. Nor did they see land again for thirty-three days. +Such was the length of the great voyage. All the time, most naturally, +they were wishing for signs, not of land perhaps, but which might show +whether this great ocean were really different from other seas. On the +whole the voyage was not a dangerous one. + +According to the Admiral’s reckoning--and in his own journal Columbus +always calls himself the Admiral--its length was one thousand and +eighty-nine leagues. This was not far from right, the real distance +being, in a direct line, three thousand one hundred and forty nautical +miles, or three thousand six hundred and twenty statute miles.(*) It +would not be considered a very long voyage for small vessels now. In +general the course was west. Sometimes, for special reasons, they sailed +south of west. If they had sailed precisely west they would have struck +the shore of the United States a little north of the spot where St. +Augustine now is, about the northern line of Florida. + + (*) The computations from Santa Cruz, in the Canaries, to + San Salvador give this result, as kindly made for us by + Lieutenant Mozer, of the United States navy. + +Had the coast of Asia been, indeed, as near as Toscanelli and Columbus +supposed, this latitude of the Canary islands would have been quite near +the mouth of the Yang-tse-Kiang river, in China, which was what Columbus +was seeking. For nearly a generation afterwards he and his followers +supposed that the coast of that region was what they had found. + +It was on Saturday, the eighth of September, that they lost sight of +Teneriffe. On the eleventh they saw a large piece of the mast of a ship +afloat. On the fourteenth they saw a “tropic-bird,” which the sailors +thought was never seen more than twenty-five leagues from land; but +it must be remembered, that, outside of the Mediterranean, few of the +sailors had ever been farther themselves. On the sixteenth they began +to meet “large patches of weeds, very green, which appeared to have been +recently washed away from land.” This was their first knowledge of the +“Sargasso sea,” a curious tract in mid-Atlantic which is always green +with floating seaweeds. “The continent we shall find farther on,” wrote +the confident Admiral. + +An observation of the sun on the seventeenth proved what had been +suspected before, that the needles of the compasses were not pointing +precisely to the north. The variation of the needle, since that time, +has been a recognized fact. But this observation at so critical a time +first disclosed it. The crew were naturally alarmed. Here was evidence +that, in the great ocean, common laws were not to be relied upon. But +they had great respect for Columbus’s knowledge of such subjects. He +told them that it was not the north which had changed, nor the needle, +which was true to the north, but the polar star revolved, like other +stars, and for the time they were satisfied. + +The same day they saw weeds which he was sure were land weeds. From them +he took a living crab, whose unintentional voyage eastward was a great +encouragement to the bolder adventurer westward. Columbus kept the crab, +saying that such were never found eighty leagues from land. In fact +this poor crab was at least nine hundred and seventy leagues from the +Bahamas, as this same journal proves. On the eighteenth the Pinta ran +ahead of the other vessels, Martin Alonso was so sure that he should +reach land that night. But it was not to come so soon. + +Columbus every day announced to his crew a less distance as the result +of the day than they had really sailed. For he was afraid of their +distrust, and did not dare let them know how far they were from home. +The private journal, therefore, has such entries as this, “Sailed more +than fifty-five leagues, wrote down only forty-eight.” That is, he wrote +on the daily log, which was open to inspection, a distance some leagues +less than they had really made. + +On the twentieth pelicans are spoken of, on the twenty-first “such +abundance of weeds that the ocean seemed covered with them,” “the sea +smooth as a river, and the finest air in the world. Saw a whale, an +indication of land, as they always keep near the coast.” To later times, +this note, also, shows how ignorant Columbus then was of mid-ocean. + +On the twenty-second, to the Admiral’s relief, there was a head wind; +for the crew began to think that with perpetual east winds they would +never return to Spain. They had been in what are known as the trade +winds. On the twenty-third the smoother water gave place to a rough sea, +and he writes that this “was favorable to me, as it happened formerly to +Moses when he led the Jews from Egypt.” + +The next day, thanks to the headwinds, their progress was less. On the +twenty-fifth, Pinzon, of the Pinta, felt sure that they were near the +outer islands of Asia as they appeared on the Toscanelli map, and at +sunset called out with joy that he saw land, claiming a reward for such +news. The crews of both vessels sang “Glory to God in the highest,” and +the crew of the little Nina were sure that the bank was land. On this +occasion they changed from a western course to the southwest. But alas! +the land was a fog-bank and the reward never came to Martin Pinzon. On +the twenty-sixth, again “the sea was like a river.” This was Wednesday. +In three days they sailed sixty-nine leagues. Saturday was calm. They +saw a bird called “‘Rabihorcado,’ which never alights at sea, nor goes +twenty leagues from land,” wrote the confident Columbus; “Nothing is +wanting but the singing of the nightingale,” he says. + +Sunday, the thirtieth, brought “tropic-birds” again, “a very clear sign +of land.” Monday the journal shows them seven hundred and seven leagues +from Ferro. Tuesday a white gull was the only visitor. Wednesday they +had pardelas and great quantities of seaweed. Columbus began to be sure +that they had passed “the islands” and were nearing the continent of +Asia. Thursday they had a flock of pardelas, two pelicans, a rabihorcado +and a gull. Friday, the fifth of October, brought pardelas and +flying-fishes. + +We have copied these simple intimations from the journal to show how +constantly Columbus supposed that he was near the coast of Asia. On the +sixth of October Pinzon asked that the course might be changed to the +southwest. But Columbus held on. On the seventh the Nina was ahead, and +fired a gun and hoisted her flag in token that she saw land. But again +they were disappointed. Columbus gave directions to keep close order +at sunrise and sunset. The next day he did change the course to west +southwest, following flights of birds from the north which went in that +direction. On the eighth “the sea was like the river at Seville,” the +weeds were very few and they took land birds on board the ships. On the +ninth they sailed southwest five leagues, and then with a change of wind +went west by north. All night they heard the birds of passage passing. + +On the tenth of October the men made remonstrance, which has been +exaggerated in history into a revolt. It is said, in books of authority, +that Columbus begged them to sail west only three days more. But in the +private journal of the tenth he says simply: “The seamen complained +of the length of the voyage. They did not wish to go any farther. The +Admiral did his best to renew their courage, and reminded them of the +profits which would come to them. He added, boldly, that no complaints +would change his purpose, that he had set out to go to the Indies, and +that with the Lord’s assistance he should keep on until he came there.” + This is the only passage in the journal which has any resemblance to the +account of the mutiny. + +If it happened, as Oviedo says, three days before the discovery, it +would have been on the eighth of October. On that day the entry is, +“Steered west southwest, and sailed day and night eleven or twelve +leagues--at times, during the night, fifteen miles an hour--if the log +can be relied upon. Found the sea like the river at Seville, thanks to +God. The air was as soft as that of Seville in April, and so fragrant +that it was delicious to breathe it. The weeds appeared very fresh. Many +land birds, one of which they took, flying towards the southwest, also +grajaos, ducks and a pelican were seen.” + +This is not the account of a mutiny. And the discovery of Columbus’s own +journal makes that certain, which was probable before, that the romantic +account of the despair of the crews was embroidered on the narrative +after the event, and by people who wanted to improve the story. It was, +perhaps, borrowed from a story of Diaz’s voyage. We have followed the +daily record to show how constantly they supposed, on the other hand, +that they were always nearing land. + +With the eleventh of October, came certainty. The eleventh is sometimes +spoken of as the day of discovery, and sometimes the twelfth, when they +landed on the first island of the new world. + +The whole original record of the discovery is this: “Oct. 11, course +to west and southwest. Heavier sea than they had known, pardelas and a +green branch near the caravel of the Admiral. From the Pinta they see a +branch of a tree, a stake and a smaller stake, which they draw in, and +which appears to have been cut with iron, and a piece of cane. Besides +these, there is a land shrub and a little bit of board. The crew of +the Nina saw other signs of land and a branch covered with thorns and +flowers. With these tokens every-one breathes again and is delighted. +They sail twenty-seven leagues on this course. + +“The Admiral orders that they shall resume a westerly course at sunset. +They make twelve miles each hour; up till two hours after midnight they +made ninety miles. + +“The Pinta, the best sailer of the three, was ahead. She makes signals, +already agreed upon, that she has discovered land. A sailor named +Rodrigo de Triana was the first to see this land. For the Admiral being +on the castle of the poop of the ship at ten at night really saw a +light, but it was so shut in by darkness that he did not like to say +that it was a sign of land. Still he called up Pedro Gutierrez, the +king’s chamberlain, and said to him that there seemed to be a light, +and asked him to look. He did so and saw it. He said the same to Rodrigo +Sanchez of Segovia, who had been sent by the king and queen as inspector +in the fleet, but he saw nothing, being indeed in a place where he could +see nothing. + +“After the Admiral spoke of it, the light was seen once or twice. It was +like a wax candle, raised and lowered, which would appear to few to be +a sign of land. But the Admiral was certain that it was a sign of land. +Therefore when they said the ‘Salve,’ which all the sailors are used to +say and sing in their fashion, the Admiral ordered them to look out well +from the forecastle, and he would give at once a silk jacket to the man +who first saw land, besides the other rewards which the sovereigns had +ordered, which were 10,000 maravedis, to be paid as an annuity forever +to the man who saw it first. + +“At two hours after midnight land appeared, from which they were about +two leagues off.” + +This is the one account of the discovery written at the time. It +is worth copying and reading at full in its little details, for it +contrasts curiously with the embellished accounts which appear in the +next generation. Thus the historian Oviedo says, in a dramatic way: + +“One of the ship boys on the largest ship, a native of Lepe, cried +‘Fire!’ ‘Land!’ Immediately a servant of Columbus replied, ‘The Admiral +had said that already.’ Soon after, Columbus said, ‘I said so some time +ago, and that I saw that fire on the land.’” And so indeed it happened +that Thursday, at two hours after midnight, the Admiral called a +gentleman named Escobedos, officer of the wardrobe of the king, and told +him that he saw fire. And at the break of day, at the time Columbus +had predicted the day before, they saw from the largest ship the island +which the Indians call Guanahani to the north of them. + +“And the first man to see the land, when day came, was Rodrigo of +Triana, on the eleventh day of October, 1492.” Nothing is more certain +than that this was really on the twelfth. + +The reward for first seeing land was eventually awarded to Columbus, and +it was regularly paid him through his life. It was the annual payment +of 10,000 maravedis. A maravedi was then a little less than six cents +of our currency. The annuity was, therefore, about six hundred dollars a +year. + +The worth of a maravedi varied, from time to time, so that the +calculations of the value of any number of maravedis are very confusing. +Before the coin went out of use it was worth only half a cent. + + + +CHAPTER IV. -- THE LANDING ON THE TWELFTH OF OCTOBER + +--THE NATIVES AND THEIR NEIGHBORS--SEARCH FOR GOLD--CUBA +DISCOVERED--COLUMBUS COASTS ALONG ITS SHORES. + +It was on Friday, the twelfth of October, that they saw this island, +which was an island of the Lucayos group, called, says Las Casas, “in +the tongue of the Indians, Guanahani.” Soon they saw people naked, and +the Admiral went ashore in the armed boat, with Martin Alonzo Pinzon +and, Vicente Yanez, his brother, who was captain of the Nina. The +Admiral unfurled the Royal Standard, and the captain’s two standards of +the Greek Cross, which the Admiral raised on all the ships as a sign, +with an F. and a Y.; over each letter a crown; one on one side of the +{“iron cross symbol”} and the other on the other. When they were ashore +they saw very green trees and much water, and fruits of different kinds. + +“The Admiral called the two captains and the others who went ashore, +and Rodrigo Descovedo, Notary of the whole fleet, and Rodrigo Sanchez of +Segovia, and he said that they must give him their faith and witness how +he took possession before all others, as in fact he did take possession +of the said island for the king and the queen, his lord and lady. . . . +Soon many people of the island assembled. These which follow are +the very words of the Admiral, in his book of his first navigation and +discovery of these Indies.” + +October 11-12. “So that they may feel great friendship for us, and +because I knew that they were a people who would be better delivered +and converted to our Holy Faith by love than by force, I gave to some of +them red caps and glass bells which they put round their necks, and many +other things of little value, in which they took much pleasure, and they +remained so friendly to us that it was wonderful. + +“Afterwards they came swimming to the ship’s boats where we were. And +they brought us parrots and cotton-thread in skeins, and javelins and +many other things. And they bartered them with us for other things, +which we gave them, such as little glass beads and little bells. In +short, they took everything, and gave of what they had with good +will. But it seemed to me that they were a people very destitute of +everything. + +“They all went as naked as their mothers bore them, and the women as +well, although I only saw one who was really young. And all the men I +saw were young, for I saw none more than thirty years of age; very well +made, with very handsome persons, and very good faces; their hair thick +like the hairs of horses’ tails, and cut short. They bring their hair +above their eyebrows, except a little behind, which they wear long, and +never cut. Some of them paint themselves blackish (and they are of the +color of the inhabitants of the Canaries, neither black nor white), and +some paint themselves white, and some red, and some with whatever they +can get. And some of them paint their faces, and some all their bodies, +and some only the eyes, and some only the nose. + +“They do not bear arms nor do they know them, for I showed them +swords and they took them by the edge, and they cut themselves through +ignorance. They have no iron at all; their javelins are rods without +iron, and some of them have a fish’s tooth at the end, and some of +them other things. They are all of good stature, and good graceful +appearance, well made. I saw some who had scars of wounds in their +bodies, and I made signs to them (to ask) what that was, and they showed +me how people came there from other islands which lay around, and tried +to take them captive and they defended themselves. And I believed, and I +(still) believe, that they came there from the mainland to take them for +captives. + +“They would be good servants, and of good disposition, for I see that +they repeat very quickly everything which is said to them. And I believe +that they could easily be made Christians, for it seems to me that they +have no belief. I, if it please our Lord, will take six of them to your +Highnesses at the time of my departure, so that they may learn to +talk. No wild creature of any sort have I seen, except parrots, in this +island.” + +All these are the words of the Admiral, says Las Casas. The journal of +the next day is in these words: + +Saturday, October 13. “As soon as the day broke, many of these men came +to the beach, all young, as I have said, and all of good stature, a very +handsome race. Their hair is not woolly, but straight and coarse, like +horse hair, and all with much wider foreheads and heads than any other +people I have seen up to this time. And their eyes are very fine and +not small, and they are not black at all, but of the color of the Canary +Islanders. And nothing else could be expected, since it is on one line +of latitude with the Island of Ferro, in the Canaries. + +“They came to the ship with almadias,(*) which are made of the trunk +of a tree, like a long boat, and all of one piece--and made in a very +wonderful manner in the fashion of the country--and large enough for +some of them to hold forty or forty-five men. And others are smaller, +down to such as hold one man alone. They row with a shovel like a +baker’s, and it goes wonderfully well. And if it overturns, immediately +they all go to swimming and they right it, and bale it with calabashes +which they carry. + + (*) Arabic word for raft or float; here it means canoes. + +“They brought skeins of spun cotton, and parrots, and javelins, and +other little things which it would be wearisome to write down, and they +gave everything for whatever was given to them. + +“And I strove attentively to learn whether there were gold. And I saw +that some of them had a little piece of gold hung in a hole which they +have in their noses. And by signs I was able to understand that going to +the south, or going round the island to the southward, there was a king +there who had great vessels of it, and had very much of it. I tried +to persuade them to go there; and afterward I saw that they did not +understand about going.(*) + + (*) To this first found land, called by the natives + Guanahani, Columbus gave the name of San Salvador. There is, + however, great doubt whether this is the island known by + that name on the maps. Of late years the impression has + generally been that the island thus discovered is that now + known as Watling’s island. In 1860 Admiral Fox, of the + United States navy, visited all these islands, and studied + the whole question anew, visiting the islands himself and + working backwards to the account of Columbus’s subsequent + voyage, so as to fix the spot from which that voyage began. + Admiral Fox decides that the island of discovery was neither + San Salvador nor Watling’s island, but the Samana island of + the same group. The subject is so curious that we copy his + results at more length in the appendix. + +“I determined to wait till the next afternoon, and then to start for the +southwest, for many of them told me that there was land to the south and +southwest and northwest, and that those from the northwest came often +to fight with them, and so to go on to the southwest to seek gold and +precious stones. + +“This island is very large and very flat and with very green trees, and +many waters, and a very large lake in the midst, without any mountain. +And all of it is green, so that it is a pleasure to see it. And these +people are so gentle, and desirous to have our articles and thinking +that nothing can be given them unless they give something and do not +keep it back. They take what they can, and at once jump (into the water) +and swim (away). But all that they have they give for whatever is given +them. For they barter even for pieces of porringus, and of broken glass +cups, so that I saw sixteen skeins of cotton given for three Portuguese +centis, that is a blanca of Castile, and there was more than twenty-five +pounds of spun cotton in them. This I shall forbid, and not let anyone +take (it); but I shall have it all taken for your Highnesses, if there +is any quantity of it. + +“It grows here in this island, but for a short time I could not believe +it at all. And there is found here also the gold which they wear hanging +to their noses; but so as not to lose time I mean to go to see whether I +can reach the island of Cipango. + +“Now as it was night they all went ashore with their almadias.” + +Sunday, October 14. “At daybreak I had the ship’s boat and the boats +of the caravels made ready, and I sailed along the island, toward the +north-northeast, to see the other port, * * * * what there was (there), +and also to see the towns, and I soon saw two or three, and the people, +who all were coming to the shore, calling us and giving thanks to God. +Some brought us water, others things to eat. Others, when they saw that +I did not care to go ashore, threw themselves into the sea and came +swimming, and we understood that they asked us if we had come from +heaven. And an old man came into the boat, and others called all (the +rest) men and women, with a loud voice: ‘Come and see the men who have +come from heaven; bring them food and drink.’ + +“There came many of them and many women, each one with something, giving +thanks to God, casting themselves on the ground, and raising their heads +toward heaven. And afterwards they called us with shouts to come ashore. + +“But I feared (to do so), for I saw a great reef of rocks which +encircles all that island. And in it there is bottom and harbor for +as many ships as there are in all Christendom, and its entrance very +narrow. It is true that there are some shallows inside this ring, but +the sea is no rougher than in a well. + +“And I was moved to see all this, this morning, so that I might be able +to give an account of it all to your Highnesses, and also (to find out) +where I might make a fortress. And I saw a piece of land formed like an +island, although it is not one, in which there were six houses, which +could be cut off in two days so as to become an island; although I do +not see that it is necessary, as this people is very ignorant of arms, +as your Highnesses will see from seven whom I had taken, to carry +them off to learn our speech and to bring them back again. But your +Highnesses, when you direct, can take them all to Castile, or keep them +captives in this same island, for with fifty men you can keep them all +subjected, and make them do whatever you like. + +“And close to the said islet are groves of trees, the most beautiful I +have seen, and as green and full of leaves as those of Castile in the +months of April and May, and much water. + +“I looked at all that harbor and then I returned to the ship and set +sail, and I saw so many islands that I could not decide to which I +should go first. And those men whom I had taken said to me by signs that +there were so very many that they were without number, and they repeated +by name more than a hundred. At last I set sail for the largest one, and +there I determined to go. And so I am doing, and it will be five leagues +from the island of San Salvador, and farther from some of the rest, +nearer to others. They all are very flat, without mountains and very +fertile, and all inhabited. And they make war upon each other although +they are very simple, and (they are) very beautifully formed.” + +Monday, October 15, Columbus, on arriving at the island for which he had +set sail, went on to a cape, near which he anchored at about sunset. He +gave the island the name of Santa Maria de la Concepcion.(*) + + (*) This is supposed to be Caico del Norte. + +“At about sunset I anchored near the said cape to know if there were +gold there, for the men whom I had taken at the Island of San Salvador +told me that there they wore very large rings of gold on their legs and +arms. I think that all they said was for a trick, in order to make their +escape. However, I did not wish to pass by any island without taking +possession of it. + +“And I anchored, and was there till today, Tuesday, when at the break of +day I went ashore with the armed boats, and landed. + +“They (the inhabitants), who were many, as naked and in the same +condition as those of San Salvador, let us land on the island, and gave +us what we asked of them. * * * + +“I set out for the ship. And there was a large almadia which had +come to board the caravel Nina, and one of the men from we Island of San +Salvador threw himself into the sea, took this boat, and made off; and +the night before, at midnight, another jumped out. And the almadia went +back so fast that there never was a boat which could come up with her, +although we had a considerable advantage. It reached the shore, and they +left the almadia, and some of my company landed after them, and they all +fled like hens. + +“And the almadia, which they had left, we took to the caravel Nina, to +which from another headland there was coming another little almadia, +with a man who came to barter a skein of cotton. And some of the sailors +threw themselves into the sea, because he did not wish to enter the +caravel, and took him. And I, who was on the stern of the ship, and saw +it all, sent for him and gave him a red cap and some little green glass +beads which I put on his arm, and two small bells which I put at his +ears, and I had his almadia returned, * * * and sent him ashore. + +“And I set sail at once to go to the other large island which I saw at +the west, and commanded the other almadia to be set adrift, which the +caravel Nina was towing astern. And then I saw on land, when the man +landed, to whom I had given the above mentioned things (and I had not +consented to take the skein of cotton, though he wished to give it to +me), all the others went to him and thought it a great wonder, and it +seemed to them that we were good people, and that the other man, who +had fled, had done us some harm, and that therefore we were carrying him +off. And this was why I treated the other man as I did, commanding him +to be released, and gave him the said things, so that they might have +this opinion of us, and so that another time, when your Highnesses send +here again, they may be well disposed. And all that I gave him was not +worth four maravedis.” + +Columbus had set sail at ten o’clock for a “large island” he mentions, +which he called Fernandina, where, from the tales of the Indian +captives, he expected to find gold. Half way between this island and +Santa Maria, he met with “a man alone in an almadia which was passing” + (from one island to the other), “and he was carrying a little of their +bread, as big as one’s fist, and a calabash of water and a piece of red +earth made into dust, and then kneaded, and some dry leaves, which must +be a thing much valued among them, since at San Salvador they brought +them to me as a present.(*) And he had a little basket of their sort, in +which he had a string of little glass bells and two blancas, by which I +knew that he came from the Island of San Salvador. * * * He came to the +ship; I took him on board, for so he asked, and made him put his almadia +in the ship, and keep all he was carrying. And I commanded to give him +bread and honey to eat, and something to drink. + + (*) Was this perhaps tobacco? + +“And thus I will take him over to Fernandina, and I will give him all +his property so that he may give good accounts of us, so that, if it +please our Lord, when your Highnesses send there, those who come may +receive honor, and they may give us of all they have.” + +Columbus continued sailing for the island he named Fernandina, now +called Inagua Chica. There was a calm all day and he did not arrive in +time to anchor safely before dark. He therefore waited till morning, and +anchored near a town. Here the man had gone, who had been picked up the +day before, and he had given such good accounts that all night long the +ship had been boarded by almadias, bringing supplies. Columbus directed +some trifle to be given to each of the islanders, and that they should +be given “honey of sugar” to eat. He sent the ship’s boat ashore for +water and the inhabitants not only pointed it out but helped to put the +water-casks on board. + +“This people,” he says, “is like those of the aforesaid islands, and +has the same speech and the same customs, except that these seem to me a +somewhat more domestic race, and more intelligent. * * * And I saw also +in this island cotton cloths made like mantles. * * * + +“It is a very green island and flat and very fertile, and I have no +doubt that all the year through they sow panizo (panic-grass) and +harvest it, and so with everything else. And I saw many trees, of very +different form from ours, and many of them which had branches of many +sorts, and all on one trunk. And one branch is of one sort and one of +another, and so different that it is the greatest wonder in the world. * +* * One branch has its leaves like canes, and another like the lentisk; +and so on one tree five or six of these kinds; and all so different. Nor +are they grafted, for it might be said that grafting does it, but they +grow on the mountains, nor do these people care for them. * * * + +“Here the fishes are so different from ours that it is wonderful. There +are some like cocks of the finest colors in the world, blue, yellow, red +and of all colors, and others painted in a thousand ways. And the colors +are so fine that there is no man who does not wonder at them and take +great pleasure in seeing them. Also, there are whales. As for wild +creatures on shore, I saw none of any sort, except parrots and lizards; +a boy told me that he saw a great snake. Neither sheep nor goats nor +any other animal did I see; although I have been here a very short time, +that is, half a day, but if there had been any I could not have failed +to see some of them.” * * * + +Wednesday, October 17. He left the town at noon and prepared to sail +round the island. He had meant to go by the south and southeast. But as +Martin Alonzo Pinzon, captain of the Pinta, had heard, from one of +the Indians he had on board, that it would be quicker to start by the +northwest, and as the wind was favorable for this course, Columbus took +it. He found a fine harbor two leagues further on, where he found some +friendly Indians, and sent a party ashore for water. “During this time,” + he says, “I went (to look at) these trees, which were the most beautiful +things to see which have been seen; there was as much verdure in the +same degree as in the month of May in Andalusia, and all the trees were +as different from ours as the day from the night. And so (were) the +fruits, and the herbs, and the stones and everything. The truth is that +some trees had a resemblance to others which there are in Castile, but +there was a very great difference. And other trees of other sorts +were such that there is no one who could * * * liken them to others of +Castile. * * * + +“The others who went for water told me how they had been in their +houses, and that they were very well swept and clean, and their beds +and furniture (made) of things which are like nets of cotton.(*) Their +houses are all like pavilions, and very high and good chimneys.(**) + + (*) They are called Hamacas. + + (**) Las Casas says they were not meant for smoke but as a + crown, for they have no opening below for the smoke. + +“But I did not see, among many towns which I saw, any of more than +twelve or fifteen houses. * * * And there they had dogs. * * * And there +they found one man who had on his nose a piece of gold which was like +half a castellano, on which there were cut letters.(*) I blamed them for +not bargaining for it, and giving as much as was asked, to see what it +was, and whose coin it was; and they answered me that they did not dare +to barter it.” + + (*) A castellano was a piece of gold, money, weighing about + one-sixth of an ounce. + +He continued towards the northwest, then turned his course to the +east-southeast, east and southeast. The weather being thick and heavy, +and “threatening immediate rain. So all these days since I have been in +these Indies it has rained little or much.” + +Friday, October 19. Columbus, who had not landed the day before, now +sent two caravels, one to the east and southeast and the other to the +south-southeast, while he himself, with the Santa Maria, the SHIP, as he +calls it, went to the southeast. He ordered the caravels to keep their +courses till noon, and then join him. This they did, at an island to the +east, which he named Isabella, the Indians whom he had with him calling +it Saomete. It has been supposed to be the island now called Inagua +Grande. + +“All this coast,” says the Admiral, “and the part of the island which I +saw, is all nearly flat, and the island the most beautiful thing I +ever saw, for if the others are very beautiful this one is more so.” He +anchored at a cape which was so beautiful that he named it Cabo Fermoso, +the Beautiful Cape, “so green and so beautiful,” he says, “like all the +other things and lands of these islands, that I do not know where to go +first, nor can I weary my eyes with seeing such beautiful verdure and so +different from ours. And I believe that there are in them many herbs and +many trees, which are of great value in Spain for dyes (or tinctures) +and for medicines of spicery. But I do not know them, which I greatly +regret. And as I came here to this cape there came such a good and sweet +odor of flowers or trees from the land that it was the sweetest thing in +the world.” + +He heard that there was a king in the interior who wore clothes and +much gold, and though, as he says, the Indians had so little gold that +whatever small quantity of it the king wore it would appear large to +them, he decided to visit him the next day. He did not do so, however, +as he found the water too shallow in his immediate neighborhood, and +then had not enough wind to go on, except at night. + +Sunday morning, October 21, he anchored, apparently more to the west, +and after having dined, landed. He found but one house, from which +the inhabitants were absent; he directed that nothing in it should be +touched. He speaks again of the great beauty of the island, even greater +than that of the others he had seen. “The singing of the birds,” he +says, “seems as if a man would never seek to leave this place, and the +flocks of parrots which darken the sun, and fowls and birds of so many +kinds and so different from ours that it is wonderful. And then there +are trees of a thousand sorts, and all with fruit of their kinds. +And all have such an odor that it is wonderful, so that I am the most +afflicted man in the world not to know them.” + +They killed a serpent in one of the lakes upon this island, which Las +Casas says is the Guana, or what we call the Iguana. + +In seeking for good water, the Spaniards found a town, from which the +inhabitants were going to fly. But some of them rallied, and one of them +approached the visitors. Columbus gave him some little bells and glass +beads, with which he was much pleased. The Admiral asked him for water, +and they brought it gladly to the shore in calabashes. + +He still wished to see the king of whom the Indians had spoken, but +meant afterward to go to “another very great island, which I believe +must be Cipango, which they call Colba.” This is probably a mistake in +the manuscript for Cuba, which is what is meant. It continues, “and +to that other island which they call Bosio” (probably Bohio) “and the +others which are on the way, I will see these in passing. * * * But +still, I am determined to go to the mainland and to the city of Quisay +and to give your Highnesses’ letters to the Grand Khan, and seek a reply +and come back with it.” + +He remained at this island during the twenty-second and twenty-third of +October, waiting first for the king, who did not appear, and then for a +favorable wind. “To sail round these islands,” he says, “one needs many +sorts of wind, and it does not blow as men would like.” At midnight, +between the twenty-third and twenty-fourth, he weighed anchor in order +to start for Cuba. + +“I have heard these people say that it was very large and of great +traffic,” he says, “and that there were in it gold and spices, and great +ships and merchants. And they showed me that I should go to it by the +west-southwest, and I think so. For I think that if I may trust the +signs which all the Indians of these islands have made me, and those +whom I am carrying in the ships, for by the tongue I do not understand +them, it (Cuba) is the Island of Cipango,(*) of which wonderful things +are told, and on the globes which I have seen and in the painted maps, +it is in this district.” + + (*) This was the name the old geographers gave to Japan. + +The next day they saw seven or eight islands, which are supposed to be +the eastern and southern keys of the Grand Bank of Bahama. He anchored +to the south of them on the twenty-sixth of October, and on the next day +sailed once more for Cuba. + +On Sunday, October 28, he arrived there, in what is now called the +Puerto de Nipe; he named it the Puerto de San Salvador. Here, as he went +on, he was again charmed by the beautiful country. He found palms “of +another sort,” says Las Casas, “from those of Guinea, and from ours.” He +found the island the “most beautiful which eyes have seen, full of very +good ports and deep rivers,” and that apparently the sea is never rough +there, as the grass grows down to the water’s edge. This greenness to +the sea’s edge is still observed there. “Up till that time,” says Las +Casas, “he had not experienced in all these islands that the sea was +rough.” He had occasion to learn about it later. He mentions also that +the island is mountainous. + + + +CHAPTER V. -- LANDING ON CUBA + +--THE CIGAR AND TOBACCO--CIPANGO AND THE GREAT KHAN--FROM CUBA TO +HAYTI--ITS SHORES AND HARBORS. + +When Columbus landed, at some distance farther along the coast, he found +the best houses he had yet seen, very large, like pavilions, and very +neat within; not in streets but set about here and there. They were all +built of palm branches. Here were dogs which never barked (supposed +to be the almiqui), wild birds tamed in the houses and “wonderful +arrangements of nets,(*) and fish-hooks and fishing apparatus. There +were also carved masks and other images. Not a thing was touched.” The +inhabitants had fled. + + (*) These were probably hammocks. + +He went on to the northwest, and saw a cape which he named Cabo de +Palmas. The Indians on board the Pinta said that beyond this cape was +a river and that at four days’ journey from this was what they called +“Cuba.” Now they had been coasting along the Island of Cuba for two or +three days. But Martin Pinzon, the captain of the Pinta, understood this +Cuba to be a city, and that this land was the mainland, running far to +the north. Columbus until he died believed that it was the mainland. + +Martin Pinzon also understood that the king of that land was at war with +the Grand Khan, whom they called Cami. The Admiral determined to go to +the river the Indians mentioned, and to send to the king the letter +of the sovereigns. He meant to send with it a sailor who had been to +Guinea, and some of the Guanahani Indians. He was encouraged, probably, +by the name of Carni, in thinking that he was really near the Grand +Khan. + +He did not, however, send off these messengers at once, as the wind +and the nature of the coast proved unfit for his going up the river the +Indians had spoken of. He went back to the town where he had been two +days before. + +Once more he found that the people had fled, but “after a good while +a man appeared,” and the Admiral sent ashore one of the Indians he had +with him. This man shouted to the Indians on shore that they must not be +afraid, as these were good people, and did harm to no man, nor did +they belong to the Grand Khan, but they gave, of what they had, in many +islands where they had been. He now jumped into the sea and swam ashore, +and two of the inhabitants took him in their arms and brought him to a +house where they asked him questions. When he had reassured them, they +began to come out to the ships in their canoes, with “spun cotton and +others of their little things.” But the Admiral commanded that nothing +should be taken from them, so that they might know that he was seeking +nothing but gold, or, as they called it, nucay. + +He saw no gold here, but one of them had a piece of wrought silver +hanging to his nose. They made signs, that before three days many +merchants would come from the inland country to trade with the +Spaniards, and that they would bring news from the king, who, according +to their signs, was four days’ journey away. “And it is certain” says +the Admiral, “that this is the mainland, and that I am before Zayto and +Quinsay, a hundred leagues more or less from both of them, and this is +clearly shown by the tide, which comes in a different manner from that +in which it has done up to this time; and yesterday when I went to the +northwest I found that it was cold.” + +Always supposing that he was near Japan, which they called Cipango, +Columbus continued to sail along the northern coast of Cuba and explored +about half that shore. He then returned to the east, governed by the +assurances of the natives that on an island named Babegue he would find +men who used hammers with which to beat gold into ingots. This gold, +as he understood them, was collected on the shore at night, while the +people lighted up the darkness with candles. + +At the point where he turned back, he had hauled his ships up on the +shore to repair them. From this point, on the second of November, he +sent two officers inland, one of whom was a Jew, who knew Chaldee, +Hebrew and a little Arabic, in the hope that they should find some one +who could speak these languages. With them went one of the Guanahani +Indians, and one from the neighborhood. + +They returned on the night between the fifth and sixth of November. +Twelve leagues off they had found a village of about fifty large +houses, made in the form of tents. This village had about a thousand +inhabitants, according to the explorers. They had received the +ambassadors with cordial kindness, believing that they had descended +from heaven. + +They even took them in their arms and thus carried them to the finest +house of all. They gave them seats, and then sat round them on the +ground in a circle. They kissed their feet and hands, and touched them, +to make sure whether they were really men of flesh and bone. + +It was on this expedition that the first observation was made of that +gift of America to the world, which has worked its way so deep and far +into general use. They met men and women who “carried live coals, so +as to draw into their mouths the smoke of burning herbs.” This was the +account of the first observers. But Las Casas says that the dry herbs +were wrapped in another leaf as dry. He says that “they lighted one end +of the little stick thus formed, and sucked in or absorbed the smoke by +the other, with which,” he says, “they put their flesh to sleep, and it +nearly intoxicates them, and thus they say that they feel no fatigue. +These mosquetes, as we should call them, they call tobacos. I knew +Spaniards on this Island of Hispaniola who were accustomed to take them, +who, on being reproved for it as a vice, replied that it was not in +their power (in their hand) to leave off taking them. I do not know what +savour or profit they found in them.” This is clearly a cigar. + +The third or fourth of November, then, 1892, with the addition of nine +days to change the style from old to new, may be taken by lovers of +tobacco as the fourth centennial of the day when Europeans first learned +the use of the cigar. + +On the eleventh of November the repairs were completed. + +He says that the Sunday before, November 11 it had seemed to him that it +would be good to take some persons, from those of that river, to carry +to the sovereigns, so that “they might learn our tongue, so as to know +what there is in the country, and so that when they come back they may +be tongues to the Christians, and receive our customs and the things of +the faith. Because I saw and know,” says the Admiral, “that this people +has no religion (secta) nor are they idolaters, but very mild and +without knowing what evil is, nor how to kill others, nor how to take +them, and without arms, and so timorous that from one of our men ten +of them fly, although they do sport with them, and ready to believe and +knowing that there is a God in heaven, and sure that we have come from +heaven; and very ready at any prayer which we tell them to repeat, and +they make the sign of the cross. + +“So your Highnesses should determine to make them Christians, for I +believe that if they begin, in a short time they will have accomplished +converting to our holy faith a multitude of towns.” “Without doubt there +are in these lands the greatest quantities of gold, for not without +cause do these Indians whom I am bringing say that there are places in +these isles where they dig out gold and wear it on their necks, in their +ears and on their arms and legs, and the bracelets are very thick. + +“And also there are stones and precious pearls, and unnumbered spices. +And in this Rio de Mares, from which I departed last night, without +doubt there is the greatest quantity of mastic, and there might be more +if more were desired. For the trees, if planted, take root, and there +are many of them and very great and they have the leaf like a lentisk, +and their fruit, except that the trees and the fruit are larger, is +such as Pliny describes, and I have seen in the Island of Chios in the +Archipelago. + +“And I had many of these trees tapped to see if they would send out +resin, so as to draw it out. And as it rained all the time I was at the +said river, I could not get any of it, except a very little which I am +bringing to your Highnesses. And besides, it may be that it is not the +time to tap them, for I believe that this should be done at the time +when the trees begin to leave out from the winter and seek to send out +their flowers, and now they have the fruit nearly ripe. + +“And also here there might be had a great store of cotton, and I believe +that it might be sold very well here without taking it to Spain, in the +great cities of the Great Khan, which will doubtless be discovered, and +many others of other lords, who will then have to serve your Highnesses. +And here will be given them other things from Spain, from the lands of +the East, since these are ours in the West. + +“And here there is also aloes everywhere, although this is not a thing +to make great account of, but the mastic should be well considered, +because it is not found except in the said island of Chios, and I +believe that they get from it quite 50,000 ducats if I remember aright. +And this is the best harbor which I have seen thus far--deep and easy of +access, so that this would be a good place for a large town.” + +The notes in Columbus’s journals are of the more interest and value, +because they show his impressions at the moment when he wrote. However +mistaken those impressions, he never corrects them afterwards. Although, +while he was in Cuba, he never found the Grand Khan, he never recalls +the hopes which he has expressed. + +He had discovered the island on its northern side by sailing southwest +from the Lucayos or Bahamas. From the eleventh of November until the +sixth of December he was occupied in coasting along the northern shore, +eventually returning eastward, when he crossed the channel which parts +Cuba from Hayti. + +The first course was east, a quarter southeast, and on the sixteenth, +they entered Port-au-Prince, and took possession, raising a cross there. +At Port-au-Prince, to his surprise, he found on a point of rock two +large logs, mortised into each other in the shape of a cross, so +“that you would have said a carpenter could not have proportioned them +better.” + +On the nineteenth the course was north-northeast; on the twenty-first +they took a course south, a quarter southwest, seeking in these changes +the island of “Babeque,” which the Indians had spoken of as rich with +gold. On the day last named Pinzon left the Admiral in the Pinta, and +they did not meet again for more than a month. + +Columbus touched at various points on Cuba and the neighboring islands. +He sought, without success, for pearls, and always pressed his inquiries +for gold. He was determined to find the island of Bohio, greatly to the +terror of the poor Indians, whom he had on board: they said that its +natives had but one eye, in the middle of their foreheads, and that they +were well armed and ate their prisoners. + +He landed in the bay of Moa, and then, keeping near the coast, sailed +towards the Capo del Pico, now called Cape Vacz. At Puerto Santo he +was detained some days by bad weather. On the fourth of December he +continued his eastward voyage, and on the next day saw far off the +mountains of Hayti, which was the Bohio he sought for. + + + +CHAPTER VI. -- DISCOVERY OF HAYTI OR HISPANIOLA + +--THE SEARCH FOR GOLD--HOSPITALITY AND INTELLIGENCE OF THE +NATIVES--CHRISTMAS DAY--A SHIPWRECK--COLONY TO BE FOUNDED--COLUMBUS +SAILS EAST AND MEETS MARTIN PINZON--THE TWO VESSELS RETURN TO EUROPE +--STORM--THE AZORES--PORTUGAL--HOME. + +On the sixth of December they crossed from the eastern cape of Cuba +to the northwestern point of the island, which we call Hayti or San +Domingo. He says he gave it this name because “the plains appeared to +him almost exactly like those of Castile, but yet more beautiful.” + +He coasted eastward along the northern side of the island, hoping that +it might be the continent, and always inquiring for gold when he landed; +but the Indians, as before, referred him to yet another land, still +further south, which they still called Bohio. It was not surrounded by +water, they said. The word “caniba,” which is the origin of our word +“cannibal,” and refers to the fierce Caribs, came often into their talk. +The sound of the syllable can made Columbus more sure that he was now +approaching the dominions of the Grand Khan of eastern Asia, of whom +Marco Polo had informed Europe so fully. + +On the twelfth of the month, after a landing in which a cross had been +erected, three sailors went inland, pursuing the Indians. They captured +a young woman whom they brought to the fleet. She wore a large ring of +gold in her nose. She was able to understand the other Indians whom +they had on board. Columbus dressed her, gave her some imitation pearls, +rings and other finery, and then put her on shore with three Indians and +three of his own men. + +The men returned the next day without going to the Indian village. +Columbus then sent out nine men, with an Indian, who found a town of a +thousand huts about four and a half leagues from the ship. They thought +the population was three thousand. The village in Cuba is spoken of as +having twenty people to a house. Here the houses were smaller or the +count of the numbers extravagant. The people approached the explorers +carefully, and with tokens of respect. Soon they gained confidence +and brought out food for them: fish, and bread made from roots, “which +tasted exactly as if it were made of chestnuts.” + +In the midst of this festival, the woman, who had been sent back from +the ship so graciously, appeared borne on the shoulders of men who were +led by her husband. + +The Spaniards thought these natives of St. Domingo much whiter than +those of the other islands. Columbus says that two of the women, if +dressed in Castilian costume, would be counted to be Spaniards. He says +that the heat of the country is intense, and that if these people lived +in a cooler region they would be of lighter color. + +On the fourteenth of December he continued his voyage eastward, and +on the fifteenth landed on the little island north of Hayti, which +he called Tortuga, or Turtle island. At midnight on the sixteenth he +sailed, and landed on Hispaniola again. Five hundred Indians met him, +accompanied by their king, a fine young man of about twenty years of +age. He had around him several counselors, one of whom appeared to be +his tutor. To the steady questions where gold could be found, the reply +as steady was made that it was in “the Island of Babeque.” This island, +they said, was only two days off, and they pointed out the route. The +interview ended in an offer by the king to the Admiral of all that +he had. The explorers never found this mysterious Babeque, unless, as +Bishop Las Casas guessed, Babeque and Jamaica be the same. + +The king visited Columbus on his ship in the evening, and Columbus +entertained him with European food. With so cordial a beginning of +intimacy, it was natural that the visitors should spend two or three +days with these people. The king would not believe that any sovereigns +of Castile could be more powerful than the men he saw. He and those +around him all believed that they came direct from heaven. + +Columbus was always asking for gold. He gave strict orders that it +should always be paid for, when it was taken. To the islanders it was +merely a matter of ornament, and they gladly exchanged it for the glass +beads, the rings or the bells, which seemed to them more ornamental. One +of the caciques or chiefs, evidently a man of distinction and authority, +had little bits of gold which he exchanged for pieces of glass. It +proved that he had clipped them off from a larger piece, and he went +back into his cabin, cut that to pieces, and then exchanged all those in +trade for the white man’s commodities. Well pleased with his bargain, +he then told the Spaniards that he would go and get much more and would +come and trade with them again. + +On the eighteenth of December, the wind not serving well, they waited +the return of the chief whom they had first seen. In the afternoon he +appeared, seated in a palanquin, which was carried by four men, and +escorted by more than two hundred of his people. He was accompanied by a +counselor and preceptor who did not leave him. He came on board the ship +when Columbus was at table. He would not permit him to leave his place, +and readily took a seat at his side, when it was offered. Columbus +offered him European food and drink; he tasted of each, and then gave +what was offered to his attendants. The ceremonious Spaniards found a +remarkable dignity in his air and gestures. After the repast, one of his +servants brought a handsome belt, elegantly wrought, which he presented +to Columbus, with two small pieces of gold, also delicately wrought. + +Columbus observed that this cacique looked with interest on the hangings +of his ship-bed, and made a present of them to him, in return for his +offering, with some amber beads from his own neck, some red shoes and a +flask of orange flower water. + +On the nineteenth, after these agreeable hospitalities, the squadron +sailed again, and on the twentieth arrived at a harbor which Columbus +pronounced the finest he had ever seen. The reception he met here and +the impressions he formed of Hispaniola determined him to make a colony +on that island. It may be said that on this determination the course of +his after life turned. This harbor is now known as the Bay of Azul. + +The men, whom he sent on shore, found a large village not far from the +shore, where they were most cordially received. The natives begged the +Europeans to stay with them, and as it proved, Columbus accepted the +invitation for a part of his crew. On the first day three different +chiefs came to visit him, in a friendly way, with their retinues. +The next day more than a hundred and twenty canoes visited the ship, +bringing with them such presents as the people thought would be +acceptable. Among these were bread from the cassava root, fish, water in +earthen jars, and the seeds of spices. These spices they would stir in +with water to make a drink which they thought healthful. + +On the same day Columbus sent an embassy of six men to a large town in +the interior. The chief by giving his hand “to the secretary” pledged +himself for their safe return. + +The twenty-third was Sunday. It was spent as the day before had been, +in mutual civilities. The natives would offer their presents, and say +“take, take,” in their own language. Five chiefs were among the visitors +of the day. From their accounts Columbus was satisfied that there was +much gold in the island, as indeed, to the misery and destruction of its +inhabitants, there proved to be. He thought it was larger than England. +But he was mistaken. In his journal of the next day he mentions Civao, a +land to the west, where they told him that there was gold, and again he +thought he was approaching Cipango, or Japan. + +The next day he left these hospitable people, raising anchor in the +morning, and with a light land wind continued towards the west. At +eleven in the evening Columbus retired to rest. While he slept, on +Christmas Day, there occurred an accident which changed all plans for +the expedition so far as any had been formed, and from which there +followed the establishment of the ill-fated first colony. The evening +was calm when Columbus himself retired to sleep, and the master of the +vessel followed his example, entrusting the helm to one of the boys. +Every person on the ship, excepting this boy, was asleep, and he seems +to have been awake to little purpose. + +The young steersman let the ship drift upon a ridge of rock, although, +as Columbus says, indignantly, there were breakers abundant to show the +danger. So soon as she struck, the boy cried out, and Columbus was +the first to wake. He says, by way of apology for himself, that for +thirty-six hours he had not slept until now. The master of the ship +followed him. But it was too late. The tide, such as there was, was +ebbing, and the Santa Maria was hopelessly aground. Columbus ordered the +masts cut away, but this did not relieve her. + +He sent out his boat with directions to carry aft an anchor and cable, +but its crew escaped to the Nina with their tale of disaster. The Nina’s +people would not receive them, reproached them as traitors, and in their +own vessel came to the scene of danger. Columbus was obliged to transfer +to her the crew of the Santa Maria. + +So soon as it was day, their friendly ally, Guacanagari, came on board. +With tears in his eyes, he made the kindest and most judicious offers +of assistance. He saw Columbus’s dejection, and tried to relieve him by +expressions of his sympathy. He set aside on shore two large houses to +receive the stores that were on the Santa Maria, and appointed as many +large canoes as could be used to remove these stores to the land. He +assured Columbus that not a bit of the cargo or stores should be lost, +and this loyal promise was fulfilled to the letter. + +The weather continued favorable. The sea was so light that everything +on board the Santa Maria was removed safely. Then it was that Columbus, +tempted by the beauty of the place, by the friendship of the natives, +and by the evident wishes of his men, determined to leave a colony, +which should be supported by the stores of the Santa Maria, until +the rest of the party could go back to Spain and bring or send +reinforcements. The king was well pleased with this suggestion, and +promised all assistance for the plan. A vault was dug and built, in +which the stores could be placed, and on this a house was built for the +home of the colonists, so far as they cared to live within doors. + +The chief sent a canoe in search of Martin Pinzon and the Pinta, to tell +them of the disaster. But the messengers returned without finding them. +At the camp, which was to be a city, all was industriously pressed, with +the assistance of the friendly natives. Columbus, having no vessel but +the little Nina left, determined to return to Europe with the news of +his discovery, and to leave nearly forty men ashore. + +It would appear that the men, themselves, were eager to stay. The luxury +of the climate and the friendly overtures of the people delighted them, +They had no need to build substantial houses. So far as houses were +needed, those of the natives were sufficient. All the preparations +which Columbus thought necessary were made in the week between the +twenty-sixth of December and the second of January. On that day he +expected to sail eastward, but unfavorable winds prevented. + +He landed his men again, and by the exhibition of a pretended battle +with European arms, he showed the natives the military force of their +new neighbors. He fired a shot from an arquebuse against the wreck +of the Santa Maria, so that the Indians might see the power of his +artillery. The Indian chief expressed his regret at the approaching +departure, and the Spaniards thought that one of his courtiers said that +the chief had ordered him to make a statue of pure gold as large as the +Admiral. + +Columbus explained to the friendly chief that with such arms as the +sovereigns of Castile commanded they could readily destroy the dreaded +Caribs. And he thought he had made such an impression that the islanders +would be the firm friends of the colonists. + +“I have bidden them build a solid tower and defense, over a vault. Not +that I think this necessary against the natives, for I am satisfied +that with a handful of people I could conquer the whole island, were it +necessary, although it is, as far as I can judge, larger than Portugal, +and twice as thickly peopled.” In this cheerful estimate of the people +Columbus was wholly wrong, as the sad events proved before the year had +gone by. + +He left thirty-nine men to be the garrison of this fort; and the colony +which was to discover the mine of gold. In command he placed Diego da +Arana, Pedro Gutierres and Rodrigo de Segovia. To us, who have more +experience of colonies and colonists than he had had, it does not seem +to promise well that Rodrigo was “the king’s chamberlain and an officer +of the first lord of the household.” Of these three, Diego da Arana was +to be the governor, and the other two his lieutenants. The rest were all +sailors, but among them there were Columbus’s secretary, an alguazil, or +person commissioned in the civil service at home, an “arquebusier,” who +was also a good engineer, a tailor, a ship carpenter, a cooper and a +physician. So the little colony had its share of artificers and men of +practical skill. They all staid willingly, delighted with the prospects +of their new home. + +On the third of January Columbus sailed for Europe in the little Nina. +With her own crew and the addition she received from the Santa Maria, +she must have been badly crowded. Fortunately for all parties, on +Sunday, the third day of the voyage, while they were still in sight of +land, the Pinta came in sight. Martin Pinzon came on board the Nina and +offered excuses for his absence. Columbus was not really satisfied with +them, but he affected to be, as this was no moment for a quarrel. He +believed that Pinzon had left him, that, in the Pinta, he might be alone +when he discovered the rich gold-bearing island of Babeque or Baneque. +Although the determination was made to return, another week was spent in +slow coasting, or in waiting for wind. It brought frequent opportunities +for meeting the natives, in one of which they showed a desire to take +some of their visitors captive. This would only have been a return for a +capture made by Pinzon of several of their number, whom Columbus, on +his meeting Pinzon, had freed. In this encounter two of the Indians were +wounded, one by a sword, one by an arrow. It would seem that he did not +show them the power of firearms. + +This was in the Bay of Samana, which Columbus called “The Bay of +Arrows,” from the skirmish or quarrel which took place there. They then +sailed sixty-four miles cast, a quarter northeast, and thought they saw +the land of the Caribs, which he was seeking. But here, at length, his +authority over his crew failed. The men were eager to go home;--did not, +perhaps, like the idea of fight with the man-eating Caribs. There was +a good western wind, and on the evening of the sixteenth of January +Columbus gave way and they bore away for home. + +Columbus had satisfied himself in this week that there were many islands +east of him which he had not hit upon, and that to the easternmost of +these, from the Canaries, the distance would prove not more than four +hundred leagues. In this supposition he was wholly wrong, though a chain +of islands does extend to the southeast. + +He seems to have observed the singular regularity by which the trade +winds bore him steadily westward as he came over. He had no wish to +visit the Canary Islands again, and with more wisdom than could have +been expected, from his slight knowledge of the Atlantic winds, he bore +north. Until the fourteenth of February the voyage was prosperous and +uneventful. One day the captive Indians amused the sailors by swimming. +There is frequent mention of the green growth of the Sargasso sea. But +on the fourteenth all this changed. The simple journal thus describes +the terrible tempest which endangered the two vessels, and seemed, at +the moment, to cut off the hope of their return to Europe. + +“Monday, February 14.--This night the wind increased still more; the +waves were terrible. Coming from two opposite directions, they crossed +each other, and stopped the progress of the vessel, which could neither +proceed nor get out from among them; and as they began continually to +break over the ship, the Admiral caused the main-sail to be lowered. She +proceeded thus during three hours, and made twenty miles. The sea became +heavier and heavier, and the wind more and more violent. Seeing the +danger imminent, he allowed himself to drift in whatever direction the +wind took him, because he could do nothing else. Then the Pinta, of +which Martin Alonzo Pinzon was the commander, began to drift also; but +she disappeared very soon, although all through the night the Admiral +made signals with lights to her, and she answered as long as she could, +till she was prevented, probably by the force of the tempest, and by her +deviation from the course which the Admiral followed.” Columbus did not +see the Pinta again until she arrived at Palos. He was himself driven +fifty-four miles towards the northeast. + +The journal continues. “After sunrise the strength of the wind +increased, and the sea became still more terrible. The Admiral all this +time kept his mainsail lowered, so that the vessel might rise from among +the waves which washed over it, and which threatened to sink it. +The Admiral followed, at first, the direction of east-northeast, and +afterwards due northeast. He sailed about six hours in this direction, +and thus made seven leagues and a half. He gave orders that every sailor +should draw lots as to who should make a pilgrimage to Santa Maria of +Guadeloupe, to carry her a five-pound wax candle. And each one took a +vow that he to whom the lot fell should make the pilgrimage. + +“For this purpose, he gave orders to take as many dry peas as there were +persons in the ship, and to cut, with a knife, a cross upon one of them, +and to put them all into a cap, and to shake them up well. The first who +put his hand in was the Admiral. He drew out the dry pea marked with the +cross; so it was upon him that the lot fell, and he regarded himself, +after that, as a pilgrim, obliged to carry into effect the vow which he +had thus taken. They drew lots a second time, to select a person to go +as pilgrim to Our Lady of Lorette, which is within the boundaries of +Ancona, making a part of the States of the Church: it is a place +where the Holy Virgin has worked and continues to work many and great +miracles. The lot having fallen this time upon a sailor of the harbor of +Santa Maria, named Pedro de Villa, the Admiral promised to give him all +the money necessary for the expenses. He decided that a third pilgrim +should be sent to watch one night at Santa Clara of Moguer, and to have +a mass said there. For this purpose, they again shook up the dry peas, +not forgetting that one which was marked with the cross, and the lot +fell once again to the Admiral himself. He then took, as did all his +crew, the vow that, on the first shore which they might reach, they +would go in their shirts, in a procession, to make a prayer in some +church in invocation of Our Lady.” + +“Besides the general vows, or those taken by all in common, each man +made his own special vow, because nobody expected to escape. The storm +which they experienced was so terrible, that all regarded themselves +as lost; what increased the danger was the circumstance that the vessel +lacked ballast, because the consumption of food, water and wine had +greatly diminished her load. The hope of the continuance of weather +as fine as that which they had experienced in all the islands, was +the reason why the Admiral had not provided his vessel with the proper +amount of ballast. Moreover, his plan had been to ballast it in the +Women’s Island, whither he had from the first determined to go. The +remedy which the Admiral employed was to fill with sea water, as soon as +possible, all the empty barrels which had previously held either wine or +fresh water. In this way the difficulty was remedied. + +“The Admiral tells here the reasons for fearing that our Saviour would +allow him to become the victim of this tempest, and other reasons which +made him hope that God would come to his assistance, and cause him to +arrive safe and sound, so that intelligence such as that which he was +conveying to the king and queen would not perish with him. The strong +desire which he had to be the bearer of intelligence so important, and +to prove the truth of all which he had said, and that all which he +had tried to discover had really been discovered, seemed to contribute +precisely to inspire him with the greatest fear that he could not +succeed. He confessed, himself, that every mosquito that passed before +his eyes was enough to annoy and trouble him. He attributed this to his +little faith, and his lack of confidence in Divine Providence. On the +other hand, he was re-animated by the favors which God had shown him in +granting to him so great a triumph as that which he had achieved, in +all his discoveries, in fulfilling all his wishes, and in granting that, +after having experienced in Castile so many rebuffs and disappointments, +all his hopes should at last be more than surpassed. In one word, as the +sovereign master of the universe, had, in the outset, distinguished him +in granting all his requests, before he had carried out his expedition +for God’s greatest glory, and before it had succeeded, he was compelled +to believe now that God would preserve him to complete the work which he +had begun.” Such is Las Casas’s abridgment of Columbus’s words. + +“For which reasons he said he ought to have had no fear of the tempest +that was raging. But his weakness and anguish did not leave him a +moment’s calm. He also said that his greatest grief was the thought of +leaving his two boys orphans. They were at Cordova, at their studies. +What would become of them in a strange land, without father or mother? +for the king and queen, being ignorant of the services he had rendered +them in this voyage, and of the good news which he was bringing to them, +would not be bound by any consideration to serve as their protectors. + +“Full of this thought, he sought, even in the storm, some means of +apprising their highnesses of the victory which the Lord had granted +him, in permitting him to discover in the Indies all which he had sought +in his voyage, and to let them know that these coasts were free from +storms, which is proved, he said, by the growth of herbage and trees +even to the edge of the sea. With this purpose, that, if he perished in +this tempest, the king and queen might have some news of his voyage, he +took a parchment and wrote on it all that he could of his discoveries, +and urgently begged that whoever found it would carry it to the king +and queen. He rolled up this parchment in a piece of waxed linen, closed +this parcel tightly, and tied it up securely; he had brought to him +a large wooden barrel, within which he placed it, without anybody’s +knowing what it was. Everybody thought the proceeding was some act of +devotion. He then caused it to be thrown into the sea.” (*) + + (*) Within a few months, in the summer of 1890, a well known + English publisher has issued an interesting and ingenious + edition, of what pretended to be a facsimile of this + document. The reader is asked to believe that the lost + barrel has just now been found on the western coast of + England. But publishers and purchasers know alike that this + is only an amusing suggestion of what might have been. + +The sudden and heavy showers, and the squalls which followed some time +afterwards, changed the wind, which turned to the west. They had the +wind thus abaft, and he sailed thus during five hours with the foresail +only, having always the troubled sea, and made at once two leagues and a +half towards the northeast. He had lowered the main topmast lest a wave +might carry it away. + +With a heavy wind astern, so that the sea frequently broke over the +little Nina, she made eastward rapidly, and at daybreak on the fifteenth +they saw land. The Admiral knew that he had made the Azores, he had been +steadily directing the course that way; some of the seamen thought they +were at Madeira, and some hopeful ones thought they saw the rock of +Cintra in Portugal. Columbus did not land till the eighteenth, when +he sent some men on shore, upon the island of Santa Maria. His news of +discovery was at first received with enthusiasm. + +But there followed a period of disagreeable negotiation with Castaneda, +the governor of the Azores. Pretending great courtesy and hospitality, +but really acting upon the orders of the king of Portugal, he did his +best to disable Columbus and even seized some of his crew and kept them +prisoners for some days. When Columbus once had them on board again, +he gave up his plans for taking ballast and water on these inhospitable +islands, and sailed for Europe. + +He had again a stormy passage. Again they were in imminent danger. “But +God was good enough to save him. He caused the crew to draw lots to +send to Notre Dame de la Cintra, at the island of Huelva, a pilgrim who +should come there in his shirt. The lot fell upon himself. All the crew, +including the Admiral, vowed to fast on bread and water on the first +Saturday which should come after the arrival of the vessel. He had +proceeded sixty miles before the sails were torn; then they went under +masts and shrouds on account of the unusual strength of the wind, and +the roughness of the sea, which pressed them almost on all sides. They +saw indications of the nearness of the land; they were in fact, very +near Lisbon.” + +At Lisbon, after a reception which was at first cordial, the Portuguese +officers showed an inhospitality like that of Castaneda at the Azores. +But the king himself showed more dignity and courtesy. He received the +storm-tossed Admiral with distinction, and permitted him to refit his +shattered vessel with all he needed. Columbus took this occasion to +write to his own sovereigns. + +On the thirteenth he sailed again, and on the fifteenth entered the bay +and harbor of Palos, which he had left six months and a half before. He +had sailed on Friday. He had discovered America on Friday. And on Friday +he safely returned to his home. + +His journal of the voyage ends with these words: “I see by this voyage +that God has wonderfully proved what I say, as anybody may convince +himself, by reading this narrative, by the signal wonders which he has +worked during the course of my voyage, and in favor of myself, who have +been for so long a time at the court of your Highnesses in opposition +and contrary to the opinions of so many distinguished personages of your +household, who all opposed me, treating my project as a dream, and my +undertaking as a chimera. And I hope still, nevertheless, in our Lord, +this voyage will bring the greatest honor to Christianity, although it +has been performed with so much ease.” + + + +CHAPTER VII. -- COLUMBUS IS CALLED TO MEET THE KING AND QUEEN + +--HIS MAGNIFICENT RECEPTION--NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE POPE AND WITH THE +KING OF PORTUGAL--SECOND EXPEDITION ORDERED--FONSECA--THE PREPARATIONS +AT CADIZ. + +The letter which Columbus sent from Lisbon to the king and queen was +everywhere published. It excited the enthusiasm first of Spain and then +of the world. This letter found in the earlier editions is now one of +the most choice curiosities of libraries. Well it may be, for it is the +first public announcement of the greatest event of modern history. + +Ferdinand and Isabella directed him to wait upon them at once at court. +It happened that they were then residing at Barcelona, on the eastern +coast of Spain, so that the journey required to fulfill their wishes +carried him quite across the kingdom. It was a journey of triumph. The +people came together in throngs to meet this peaceful conqueror who +brought with him such amazing illustrations of his discovery. + +The letter bearing instructions for him to proceed to Barcelona was +addressed “To Don Christopher Columbus, our Admiral of the Ocean Sea, +Viceroy and Governor of the islands discovered in the Indies.” So far +was he now raised above the rank of a poor adventurer, who had for seven +years attended the court in its movements, seeking an opportunity to +explain his proposals. + +As he approached Barcelona he was met by a large company of people, +including many persons of rank. A little procession was formed of the +party of the Admiral. Six Indians of the islands who had survived the +voyage, led the way. They were painted according to their custom in +various colors, and ornamented with the fatal gold of their countries, +which had given to the discovery such interest in the eyes of those who +looked on. + +Columbus had brought ten Indians away with him, but one had died on the +voyage and he had left three sick at Palos. Those whom he brought to +Barcelona, were baptized in presence of the king and queen. + +After the Indians, were brought many curious objects which had come +from the islands, such as stuffed birds and beasts and living paroquets, +which perhaps spoke in the language of their own country, and rare +plants, so different from those of Spain. Ornaments of gold were +displayed, which would give the people some idea of the wealth of the +islands. Last of all came Columbus, elegantly mounted and surrounded by +a brilliant cavalcade of young Spaniards. The crowd of wondering people +pressed around them. Balconies and windows were crowded with women +looking on. Even the roofs were crowded with spectators. + +The king and queen awaited Columbus in a large hall, where they were +seated on a rich dais covered with gold brocade. It was in the palace +known as the “Casa de la Deputacion” which the kings of Aragon made +their residence when they were in Barcelona. A body of the most +distinguished lords and ladies of Spain were in attendance. As Columbus +entered the hall the king and queen arose. He fell on his knee that he +might kiss their hands but they bade him rise and then sit and give an +account of his voyage. + +Columbus spoke with dignity and simplicity which commanded respect, +while all listened with sympathy. He showed some of the treasures he +had brought, and spoke with certainty of the discoveries which had been +made, as only precursors of those yet to come. When his short narrative +was ended, all the company knelt and united in chanting the “Te Deum,” + “We Praise Thee, O God.” Las Casas, describing the joy and hope of +that occasion says, “it seems as if they had a foretaste of the joys of +paradise.” + +It would seem as if those whose duty it is to prepare fit celebrations +of the periods of the great discovery, could hardly do better than +to produce on the twenty-fourth of April, 1893, a reproduction of +the solemn pageant in which, in Barcelona, four centuries before, the +Spanish court commemorated the great discovery. + +From this time, for several weeks, a series of pageants and festivities +surrounded him. At no other period of his life were such honors paid to +him. It was at one of the banquets, at which he was present, that +the incident of the egg, so often told in connection with the great +discovery, took place. A flippant courtier--of that large class of +people who stay at home when great deeds are done, and afterwards +depreciate the doers of them--had the impertinence to ask Columbus, if +the adventure so much praised was not, after all, a very simple matter. +He probably said “a short voyage of four or five weeks; was it anything +more?” Columbus replied by giving him an egg which was on the table, and +asking him if he could stand it on one end. He said he could not, and +the other guests said that they could not. Columbus tapped it on the +table so as to break the end of the shell, and the egg stood erect. “It +is easy enough,” he said, “when any one has shown you how.” + +It is well to remember, that if after years showed that the ruler of +Spain wearied in his gratitude, Columbus was, at the time, welcomed with +the enthusiasm which he deserved. From the very grains of gold brought +home in this first triumph, the queen, Isabella, had the golden +illumination wrought of a most beautiful missal-book. + +Distinguished artists decorated the book, and the portraits of +sovereigns then on the throne appear as the representations of King +David, King Solomon, the Queen of Sheba and other royal personages. This +book she gave afterwards to her grandson, Charles V, of whom it has been +said that perhaps no man in modern times has done the world more harm. + +This precious book, bearing on its gilded leaves the first fruits of +America, is now preserved in the Royal Library at Madrid. + +The time was not occupied merely in shows and banquets. There was no +difficulty now, about funds for a second expedition. Directions were +given that it might be set forward as quickly as possible, and on an +imposing scale. For it was feared at court that King John of Portugal, +the successful rival of Spain, thus far, in maritime adventure, might +anticipate further discovery. The sovereigns at once sent an embassy to +the pope, not simply to announce the discovery, but to obtain from him +a decree confirming similar discoveries in the same direction. There +was at least one precedent for such action. A former pope had granted +to Portugal all the lands it might discover in Africa, south of +Cape Bojador, and the Spanish crown had assented by treaty to this +arrangement. Ferdinand and Isabella could now refer to this precedent, +in asking for a grant to them of their discoveries on the western side +of the Atlantic. The pope now reigning was Alexander II. He had not long +filled the papal chair. He was an ambitious and prudent sovereign--a +native of Spain--and, although he would gladly have pleased the king of +Portugal, he was quite unwilling to displease the Spanish sovereigns. +The Roman court received with respect the request made to them. The +pope expressed his joy at the hopes thrown out for the conversion of +the heathen, which the Spanish sovereigns had expressed, as Columbus had +always done. And so prompt were the Spanish requests, and so ready the +pope’s answer, that as early as May 3, 1493, a papal bull was issued to +meet the wishes of Spain. + +This bull determined for Spain and for Portugal, that all discoveries +made west of a meridian line one hundred leagues west of the Azores +should belong to Spain. All discoveries east of that line should belong +to Portugal. No reference was made to other maritime powers, and it does +not seem to have been supposed that other states had any rights in such +matters. The line thus arranged for the two nations was changed by their +own agreement, in 1494, for a north and south line three hundred and +fifty leagues west of the Cape de Verde Islands. The difference between +the two lines was not supposed to be important. + +The decision thus made was long respected. Under a mistaken impression +as to the longitude of the Philippine Islands in the East Indies, Spain +has held those islands, under this line of division, ever since their +discovery by Magellan. She considered herself entitled to all the +islands and lands between the meridian thus drawn in the Atlantic and +the similar meridian one hundred and eighty degrees away, on exactly the +other side of the world. + +Under the same line of division, Portugal held, for three centuries and +more, Brazil, which projects so far eastward into the Atlantic as to +cross this line of division. + +Fearful, all the time, that neither the pope’s decree, nor any diplomacy +would prevent the king of Portugal from attempting to seize lands at the +west, the Spanish court pressed with eagerness arrangements for a second +expedition. It was to be on a large and generous scale and to take out a +thousand men. For this was the first plan, though the number afterwards +was increased to fifteen hundred. To give efficiency to all the measures +of colonization, what we should call a new department of administration +was formed, and at the head of it was placed Juan Rodriguez de Fonseca. + +Fonseca held this high and responsible position for thirty years. He +early conceived a great dislike of Columbus, who, in some transactions +before this expedition sailed, appealed to the sovereigns to set aside +a decision of Fonseca’s, and succeeded. For all the period while he +managed the Indian affairs of Spain, Fonseca kept his own interests +in sight more closely than those of Spain or of the colonists; and not +Columbus only, but every other official of Spain in the West Indies, had +reason to regret the appointment. + +The king of Portugal and the sovereigns of Spain began complicated and +suspicious negotiations with each other regarding the new discoveries. +Eventually, as has been said, they acceded to the pope’s proposal and +decree. But, at first, distrusting each other, and concealing their +real purposes, in the worst style of the diplomacy of that time, they +attempted treaties for the adjustment between themselves of the right to +lands not yet discovered by either. Of these negotiations, the important +result was that which has been named,--the change of the meridian of +division from that proposed by the pope. It is curious now to see that +the king of Portugal proposed a line of division, which would run east +and west, so that Spain should have the new territories north of the +latitude of the Grand Canary, and Portugal all to the south. + +In the midst of negotiation, the king and queen and Columbus knew +that whoever was first on the ground of discovery would have the great +advantage. There was a rumor in Spain that Portugal had already sent out +vessels to the west. Everything was pressed with alacrity at Cadiz. +The expedition was to be under Columbus’s absolute command. Seamen of +reputation were engaged to serve under him. Seventeen vessels were to +take out a colony. Horses as well as cattle and other domestic animals +were provided. Seeds and plants of different kinds were sent out, and +to this first colonization by Spain, America owes the sugar-cane, and +perhaps some other of her tropical productions. + +Columbus remained in Barcelona until the twenty-third of May. But before +that time, the important orders for the expedition had been given. +He then went to Cadiz himself, and gave his personal attention to the +preparations. Applications were eagerly pressed, from all quarters, for +permission to go. Young men of high family were eager to try the great +adventure. It was necessary to enlarge the number from that at first +proposed. The increase of expense, ordered as the plans enlarged, did +not please Fonseca. To quarrels between him and Columbus at this time +have been referred the persecutions which Columbus afterwards suffered. +In this case the king sustained Columbus in all his requisitions, and +Fonseca was obliged to answer them. + +So rapidly were all these preparations made, that, in a little more than +a year from the sailing of the first expedition, the second, on a scale +so much larger, was ready for sea. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. -- THE SECOND EXPEDITION SAILS + +--FROM CADIZ AT CANARY ISLANDS--DISCOVERY OF DOMINICA +AND GUADELOUPE--SKIRMISHES WITH THE CARIBS--PORTO RICO +DISCOVERED--HISPANIOLA--THE FATE OF THE COLONY AT LA NAVIDAD. + +There is not in history a sharper contrast, or one more dramatic, than +that between the first voyage of Columbus and the second. In the first +voyage, three little ships left the port of Palos, most of the men of +their crews unwilling, after infinite difficulty in preparation, and in +the midst of the fears of all who stayed behind. + +In the second voyage, a magnificent fleet, equipped with all that the +royal service could command, crowded with eager adventurers who are +excited by expectations of romance and of success, goes on the very same +adventure. + +In the first voyage, Columbus has but just turned the corner after the +struggles and failures of eight years. He is a penniless adventurer who +has staked all his reputation on a scheme in which he has hardly any +support. In the second case, Columbus is the governor-general, for aught +he knows, of half the world, of all the countries he is to discover; +and he knows enough, and all men around him know enough, to see that his +domain may be a principality indeed. + +Success brings with it its disadvantages. The world has learned since, +if it did not know it then, that one hundred and fifty sailors, used to +the hard work and deprivations of a seafaring life, would be a much +more efficient force for purposes of discovery, than a thousand and more +courtiers who have left the presence of the king and queen in the hope +of personal advancement or of romantic adventure. Those dainty people, +who would have been soldiers if there were no gunpowder, are not men to +found states; and the men who have lived in the ante-chambers of courts +are not people who co-operate sympathetically with an experienced man of +affairs like Columbus. + +From this time forward this is to be but a sad history, and the sadness, +nay, the cruelty of the story, results largely from the composition of +the body of men whom Columbus took with him on this occasion. It is +no longer coopers and blacksmiths and boatswains and sailmakers who +surround him. These were officers of court, whose titles even cannot be +translated into modern language, so artificial were their habits and so +conventional the duties to which they had been accustomed. Such men it +was, who made poor Columbus endless trouble. Such men it was, who, at +the last, dragged him down from his noble position, so that he died +unhonored, dispirited and poor. To the same misfortune, probably, do we +owe it that, for a history of this voyage, we have no longer authority +so charming as the simple, gossipy journal which Columbus kept through +the first voyage, of which the greater part has happily been preserved. +It may be that he was too much pressed by his varied duties to keep up +such a journal. For it is alas! an unfortunate condition of human life, +that men are most apt to write journals when they have nothing to tell, +and that in the midst of high activity, the record of that activity is +not made by the actor. In the present case, a certain Doctor Chanca, a +native of Seville, had been taken on board Columbus’s ship, perhaps with +the wish that he should be the historian of the expedition. It may be +that in the fact that his journal was sent home is the reason why the +Admiral’s, if he kept one, has never been preserved. Doctor Chanca’s +narrative is our principal contemporary account of the voyage. From +later authorities much can be added to it, but all of them put +together are not, for the purposes of history, equal to the simple +contemporaneous statement which we could have had, had Columbus’s own +journal been preserved. + +The great fleet sailed from Cadiz on the twenty-fifth day of September, +in the year 1493, rather more than thirteen months after the sailing +of the little fleet from Palos of the year before. They touched at the +Grand Canary as before, but at this time their vessels were in good +condition and there was no dissatisfaction among the crews. From +this time the voyage across the ocean was short. On the third day of +November, 11 the Sunday after All Saints Day had dawned, a pilot on the +ship cried out to the captain that he saw land. “So great was the joy +among the people, that it was marvellous to hear the shouts of pleasure +on all hands. And for this there was much reason because the people were +so much fatigued by the hard life and by the water which they drank that +they all hoped for land with much desire.” + +The reader will see that this is the ejaculation of a tired landsman; +one might say, of a tired scholar, who was glad that even the short +voyage was at an end. Some of the pilots supposed that the distance +which they had run was eight hundred leagues from Ferro; others thought +it was seven hundred and eighty. As the light increased, there were +two islands in sight the first was mountainous, being the island of +“Dominica,” which still retains that name, of the Sunday when it was +discovered; the other, the island of Maria Galante, is more level, but +like the first, as it is described by Dr. Chanca, it was well wooded. +The island received its name from the ship that Columbus commanded. In +all, they discovered six islands on this day. + +Finding no harbor which satisfied him in Dominica, Columbus landed on +the island of Maria Galante, and took possession of it in the name of +the king and queen. Dr. Chanca expresses the amazement which everyone +had felt on the other voyage, at the immense variety of trees, of fruits +and of flowers, which to this hour is the joy of the traveller in the +West Indies. + +“In this island was such thickness of forest that it was wonderful, and +such a variety of trees, unknown to anyone, that it was terrible, some +with fruit, some with flowers, so that everything was green. * * * There +were wild fruits of different sorts, which some not very wise men tried, +and, on merely tasting them, touching them with their tongues, their +faces swelled and they had such great burning and pain that they seemed +to rage (or to have hydrophobia). They were cured with cold things.” + This fruit is supposed to have been the manchireel, which is known to +produce such effects. + +They found no inhabitants on this island and went on to another, now +called Guadeloupe. It received this name from its resemblance to a +province of the same name in Spain. They drew near a mountain upon it +which “seemed to be trying to reach the sky,” upon which was a beautiful +waterfall, so white with foam that at a distance some of the sailors +thought it was not water, but white rocks. The Admiral sent a light +caravel to coast along and find harbor. This vessel discovered some +houses, and the captain went ashore and found the inhabitants in them. +They fled at once, and he entered the houses. There he found that they +had taken nothing away. There was much cotton, “spun and to be spun,” + and other goods of theirs, and he took a little of everything, among +other things, two parrots, larger and different from what had been seen +before. He also took four or five bones of the legs and arms of men. +This last discovery made the Spaniards suppose that these islands were +those of Caribs, inhabited by the cannibals of whom they had heard in +the first voyage. + +They went on along the coast, passing by some little villages, from +which the inhabitants fled, “as soon as they saw the sails.” The Admiral +decided to send ashore to make investigations, and next morning “certain +captains” landed. At dinnertime some of them returned, bringing with +them a boy of fourteen, who said that he was one of the captives of the +people of the island. The others divided, and one party “took a little +boy and brought him on board.” Another party took a number of women, +some of them natives of the island, and others captives, who came of +their own accord. One captain, Diego Marquez, with his men, went off +from the others and lost his way with his party. After four days he came +out on the coast, and by following that, he succeeded in coming to the +fleet. Their friends supposed them to have been killed and eaten by the +Caribs, as, since some of them were pilots and able to set their course +by the pole-star, it seemed impossible that they should lose themselves. + +During the first day Columbus spent here, many men and women came to the +water’s edge, “looking at the fleet and wondering at such a new thing; +and when any boat came ashore to talk with them, saying, ‘tayno, tayno,’ +which means good. But they were all ready to run when they seemed +in danger, so that of the men only two could be taken by force or +free-will. There were taken more than twenty women of the captives, and +of their free-will came other women, born in other islands, who were +stolen away and taken by force. Certain captive boys came to us. In this +harbor we were eight days on account of the loss of the said captain.” + +They found great quantities of human bones on shore, and skulls hanging +like pots or cups about the houses. They saw few men. The women said +that this was because ten canoes had gone on a robbing or kidnapping +expedition to other islands. “This people,” says Doctor Chanca, +“appeared to us more polite than those who live in the other islands +we have seen, though they all have straw houses.” But he goes on to say +that these houses are better made and provided, and that more of both +men’s and women’s work appeared in them. They had not only plenty of +spun and unspun cotton, but many cotton mantles, “so well woven that +they yield in nothing (or owe nothing) to those of our country.” + +When the women, who had been found captives, were asked who the people +of the island were, they replied that they were Caribs. “When they heard +that we abhorred such people for their evil use of eating men’s flesh, +they rejoiced much.” But even in the captivity which all shared, they +showed fear of their old masters. + +“The customs of this people, the Caribs,” says Dr. Chanca, “are +beastly;” and it would be difficult not to agree with him, in spite of +the “politeness” and comparative civilization he has spoken of. + +They occupied three islands, and lived in harmony with each other, but +made war in their canoes on all the other islands in the neighborhood. +They used arrows in warfare, but had no iron. Some of them used +arrow-heads of tortoise shell, others sharply toothed fish-bones, which +could do a good deal of damage among unarmed men. “But for people of our +nation, they are not arms to be feared much.” + +These Caribs carried off both men and women on their robbing +expeditions. They slaughtered and ate the men, and kept the women as +slaves; they were, in short, incredibly cruel. Three of the captive boys +ran away and joined the Spaniards. + +They had twice sent out expeditions after the lost captain, Diego +Marquez, and another party had returned without news of him, on the +very day on which he and his men came in. They brought with them ten +captives, boys and women. They were received with great joy. “He and +those that were with him, arrived so DESTROYED BY THE MOUNTAIN, that +it was pitiful to see them. When they were asked how they had lost +themselves, they said that it was the thickness of the trees, so +great that they could not see the sky, and that some of them, who were +mariners, had climbed up the trees to look at the star (the Pole-star) +and that they never could see it.” + +One of the accounts of this voyage(*) relates that the captive women, +who had taken refuge with the Spaniards, were persuaded by them to +entice some of the Caribs to the beach. “But these men, when they had +seen our people, all struck by terror, or the consciousness of their +evil deeds, looking at each other, suddenly drew together, and very +lightly, like a flight of birds, fled away to the valleys of the woods. +Our men then, not having succeeded in taking any cannibals, retired to +the ships and broke the Indians’ canoes.” + + (*) That of Peter Martyr. + +They left Guadeloupe on Sunday, the tenth of November. They passed +several islands, but stopped at none of them, as they were in haste to +arrive at the settlement of La Navidad in Hispaniola, made on the first +voyage. They did, however, make some stay at an island which seemed well +populated. This was that of San Martin. The Admiral sent a boat ashore +to ask what people lived on the island, and to ask his way, although, +as he afterwards found, his own calculations were so correct that he +did not need any help. The boat’s crew took some captives, and as it +was going back to the ships, a canoe came up in which were four men, two +women and a boy. They were so astonished at seeing the fleet, that they +remained, wondering what it could be, “two Lombard-shot from the ship,” + and did not see the boat till it was close to them. They now tried +to get off, but were so pressed by the boat that they could not. “The +Caribs, as soon as they saw that flight did not profit them, with much +boldness laid hands on their bows, the women as well as the men. And I +say with much boldness, because they were no more than four men and two +women, and ours more than twenty-five, of whom they wounded two. To one +they gave two arrow-shots in the breast, and to the other one in the +ribs. And if we had not had shields and tablachutas, and had not come up +quickly with the boat and overturned their canoe, they would have +shot the most of our men with their arrows. And after their canoe was +overturned, they remained in the water swimming, and at times getting +foothold, for there were some shallow places there. And our men had much +ado to take them, for they still kept on shooting as they could. And +with all this, not one of them could be taken, except one badly wounded +with a lance-thrust, who died, whom thus wounded they carried to the +ships.” + +Another account of this fight says that the canoe was commanded by one +of the women, who seemed to be a queen, who had a son “of cruel look, +robust, with a lion’s face, who followed her.” This account represents +the queen’s son to have been wounded, as well as the man who died. “The +Caribs differed from the other Indians in having long hair; the others +wore theirs braided and a hundred thousand differences made in their +heads, with crosses and other paintings of different sorts, each one +as he desires, which they do with sharp canes.” The Indians, both the +Caribs and the others, were beardless, unless by a great exception. The +Caribs, who had been taken prisoners here, had their eyes and eyebrows +blackened, “which, it seems to me, they do as an ornament, and with that +they appear more frightful.” They heard from these prisoners of much +gold at an island called Cayre. + +They left San Martin on the same day, and passed the island of Santa +Cruz, and the next day (November 15) they saw a great number of islands, +which the Admiral named Santa Ursula and the Eleven Thousand Virgins. +This seemed “a country fit for metals,” but the fleet made no stay +there. They did stop for two days at an island called Burenquen. The +Admiral named it San Juan Bautista (Saint John Baptist). It is what +we now call Porto Rico. He was not able to communicate with any of the +inhabitants, as they lived in such fear of the Caribs that they all +fled. All these islands were new to the Admiral and all “very beautiful +and of very good land, but this one seemed better than all of them.” + +On Friday, the twenty-second of November, they landed at the island of +Hispaniola or Hayti which they so much desired. None of the party who +had made the first voyage were acquainted with this part of the island; +but they conjectured what it was, from what the Indian captive women +told them. + +The part of the island where they arrived was called Hayti, another part +Xamana, and the third Bohio. “It is a very singular country,” says Dr. +Chanca, “where there are numberless great rivers and great mountain +ridges and great level valleys. I think the grass never dries in the +whole year. I do not think that there is any winter in this (island) nor +in the others, for at Christmas are found many birds’ nests, some with +birds, and some with eggs.” The only four-footed animals found in these +islands were what Dr. Chanca calls dogs of various colors, and one +animal like a young rabbit, which climbed trees. Many persons ate these +last and said they were very good. There were many small snakes, and few +lizards, because the Indians were so fond of eating them. “They made as +much of a feast of them as we would do of pheasants.” + +“There are in this island and the others numberless birds, of those +of our country, and many others which never were seen there. Of our +domestic birds, none have ever been seen here, except that in Zuruquia +there were some ducks in the houses, most of them white as snow, and +others black.” + +They coasted along this island for several days, to the place where the +Admiral had left his settlement. While passing the region of Xamana, +they set ashore one of the Indians whom they had carried off on the +first voyage. They “gave him some little things which the Admiral had +commanded him to give away.” Another account adds that of the ten Indian +men who had been carried off on the first voyage, seven had already +died on account of the change of air and food. Two of the three whom the +Admiral was bringing back, swam ashore at night. “The Admiral cared for +this but little, thinking that he should have enough interpreters among +those whom he had left in the island, and whom he hoped to find there +again.” It seems certain that one Indian remained faithful to the +Spaniards; he was named Diego Colon, after the Admiral’s brother. + +On the day that the captive Indian was set ashore, a Biscayan sailor +died, who had been wounded by the Caribs in the fight between the boat’s +crew and the canoe. A boat’s crew was sent ashore to bury him, and as +they came to land there came out “many Indians, of whom some wore gold +at the neck and at the ears. They sought to come with the christians to +the ships, and they did not like to bring them, because they had not had +permission from the Admiral.” The Indians then sent two of their number +in a little canoe to one of the caravels, where they were received +kindly, and sent to speak with the Admiral. + +“They said, through an interpreter, that a certain king sent them to +know what people we were, and to ask that we might be kind enough to +land, as they had much gold and would give it to him, and of what they +had to eat. The Admiral commanded silken shirts and caps and other +little things to be given them, and told them that as he was going where +Guacanagari was, he could not stop, that another time he would be able +to see him. And with that, they (the Indians) went away.” + +They stopped two days at a harbor which they called Monte Christi, to +see if it were a suitable place for a town, for the Admiral did not feel +altogether satisfied with the place where the settlement of La Navidad +had been made on the first voyage. This Monte Christi was near “a great +river of very good water” (the Santiago). But it is all an inundated +region, and very unfit to live in. + +“As they were going along, viewing the river and land, some of our men +found, in a place close by the river, two dead men, one with: a cord +(lazo) around his neck, and the other with one around his foot. This was +the first day. On the next day following, they found two other dead men +farther on than these others. One of these was in such a position +that it could be known that he had a plentiful beard. Some of our men +suspected more ill than good, and with reason, as the Indians are all +beardless, as I have said.” + +This port was not far from the port where the Spanish settlement had +been made on the first voyage, so that there was great reason for these +anxieties. They set sail once more for the settlement, and arrived +opposite the harbor of La Navidad on the twenty-seventh of November. As +they were approaching the harbor, a canoe came towards them, with five +or six Indians on board, but, as the Admiral kept on his course without +waiting for them, they went back. + +The Spaniards arrived outside the port of La Navidad so late that they +did not dare to enter it that night. “The Admiral commanded two Lombards +to be fired, to see if the christians replied, who had been left with +the said Guacanagari, (this was the friendly cacique Guacanagari of the +first voyage), for they too had Lombards,” “They never replied, nor did +fires nor signs of houses appear in that place, at which the people were +much discouraged, and they had the suspicion that was natural in such a +case.” + +“Being thus all very sad, when four or five hours of the night had +passed, there came the same canoe which they had seen the evening +before. The Indians in it asked for the Admiral and the captain of one +of the caravels of the first voyage. They were taken to the Admiral’s +ship, but would not come on board until they had spoken with him and +seen him.” They asked for a light, and as soon as they knew him, they +entered the ship. They came from Guacanagari, and one of them was his +cousin. + +They brought with them golden masks, one for the Admiral and another for +one of the captains who had been with him on the first voyage, probably +Vicente Yanez Pinzon. Such masks were much valued among the Indians, +and are thought to have been meant to put upon idols, so that they were +given to the Spaniards as tokens of great respect. The Indian party +remained on board for three hours, conversing with the Admiral and +apparently very glad to see him again. When they were asked about the +colonists of La Navidad, they said that they were all well, but that +some of them had died from sickness, and that others had been killed +in quarrels among themselves. Their own cacique, Guacanagari, had been +attacked by two other chiefs, Caonabo and Mayreni. They had burned his +village, and he had been wounded in the leg, so that he could not come +to meet the Spaniards that night. As the Indians went away, however, +they promised that they would bring him to visit them the next day. So +the explorers remained “consoled for that night.” + +Next day, however, events were less reassuring. None of last night’s +party came back and nothing was seen of the cacique. The Spaniards, +however, thought that the Indians might have been accidentally +overturned in their canoe, as it was a small one, and as wine had been +given them several times during their visit. + +While he was still waiting for them, the Admiral sent some of his men +to the place where La Navidad had stood. They found that the strong fort +with a palisade was burned down and demolished. They also found some +cloaks and other clothes which had been carried off by the Indians, who +seemed uneasy, and at first would not come near the party. + +“This did not appear well” to the Spaniards, as the Admiral had told +them how many canoes had come out to visit him in that very place on +the other voyage. They tried to make friends, however, threw out to +them some bells, beads and other presents, and finally a relation of the +cacique and three others ventured to the boat, and were taken on board +ship. + +These men frankly admitted that the “christians” were all dead. The +Spaniards had been told so the night before by their Indian interpreter, +but they had refused to believe him. They were now told that the King of +Canoaboa(*) and the King Mayreni had killed them and burned the village. + + (*) “Canoaboa” was thought to mean “Land of Gold.” + +They said, as the others had done, that Guacanagari was wounded in the +thigh and they, like the others, said they would go and summon him. The +Spaniards made them some presents, and they, too, disappeared. + +Early the next morning the Admiral himself, with a party, including Dr. +Chanca, went ashore. + +“And we went where the town used to be, which we saw all burnt, and the +clothes of the christians were found on the grass there. At that time +we saw no dead body. There were among us many different opinions, some +suspecting that Guacanagari himself was (concerned) in the betrayal or +death of the christians, and to others it did not appear so, as his town +was burnt, so that the thing was very doubtful.” + +The Admiral directed the whole place to be searched for gold, as he had +left orders that if any quantity of it were found, it should be buried. +While this search was being made, he and a few others went to look for a +suitable place for a new settlement. They arrived at a village of seven +or eight houses, which the inhabitants deserted at once. Here they found +many things belonging to the christians, such as stockings, pieces of +cloth, and “a very pretty mantle which had not been unfolded since it +was brought from Castile.” These, the Spaniards thought, could not have +been obtained by barter. There was also one of the anchors of the ship +which had gone ashore on the first voyage. + +When they returned to the site of La Navidad they found many Indians, +who had become bold enough to come to barter gold. They had shown the +place where the bodies of eleven Spaniards lay “covered already by the +grass which had grown over them.” They all “with one voice” said that +Canoaboa and Mayreni had killed them. But as, at the same time, they +complained that some of the christians had taken three Indian wives, and +some four, it seemed likely that a just resentment on the part of the +islanders had had something to do with their death. + +The next day the Admiral sent out a caravel to seek for a suitable +place for a town, and he himself went out to look for one in a different +direction. He found a secure harbor and a good place for a settlement, +But he thought it too far from the place where he expected to find a +gold mine. On his return, he found the caravel he had sent out. As it +was coasting along the island, a canoe had come out to it, with two +Indians on board, one of whom was a brother of Guacanagari. This man +begged the party to come and visit the cacique. The “principal men” + accordingly went on shore, and found him in bed, apparently suffering +from his wounded thigh, which he showed them in bandages. They judged +from appearances that he was telling them the truth. + +He said to them, “by signs as best he could,” that since he was thus +wounded, they were to invite the Admiral to come to visit him. As they +were going away, he gave each of them a golden jewel, as each “appeared +to him to deserve it.” “This gold,” says Dr. Chanca, “is made in very +delicate sheets, like our gold leaf, because they use it for making +masks and to plate upon bitumen. They also wear it on the head and for +earrings and nose-rings, and therefore they beat it very thin as they +only wear it for its beauty and not for its value.” + +The Admiral decided to go to the cacique on the next day. He was visited +early in the day by his brother, who hurried on the visit. + +The Admiral went on shore and all the best people (gente de pro) with +him, “handsomely dressed, as would be suitable in a capital city.” They +carried presents with them, as they had already received gold from him. + +“When we arrived, we found him lying in his bed, according to their +custom, hanging in the air, the bed being made of cotton like a net. He +did not rise, but from the bed made a semblance of courtesy, as best he +knew how. He showed much feeling, with tears in his eyes, at the death +of the Christians, and began to talk of it, showing, as best he could, +how some died of sickness, and how others had gone to Canoaboa to seek +for the gold mine, and that they had been killed there, and how the +others had been killed in their town.” + +He presented to the Admiral some gold and precious stones. One of the +accounts says that there were eight hundred beads of a stone called +ciba, one hundred of gold, a golden coronet, and three small calabashes +filled with gold dust. Columbus, in return, made him a present. + +“I and a navy surgeon were there,” says Dr. Chanca. “The Admiral now +said that we were learned in the infirmities of men, and asked if he +would show us the wound. He replied that it pleased him to do so. I said +that it would be necessary, if he could, for him to go out of the house, +since with the multitudes of people it was dark, and we could not see +well. He did it immediately, as I believe, more from timidity than from +choice. The surgeon came to him and began to take off the bandage. Then +he said to the Admiral that the injury was caused by ciba, that is, by +a stone. When it was unbandaged we managed to examine it. It is certain +that he was no more injured in that leg than in the other, although he +pretended that it was very painful.” + +The Spaniards did not know what to believe. But it seemed certain that +an attack of some enemy upon these Indians had taken place, and the +Admiral determined to continue upon good terms with them. Nor did he +change this policy toward Guacanagari. How far that chief had tried to +prevent the massacre will never be known. The detail of the story was +never fully drawn from the natives. The Spaniards had been cruel and +licentious in their dealing with the Indians. They had quarrelled among +themselves, and the indignant natives, in revenge, had destroyed them +all. + + + +CHAPTER IX. -- THE NEW COLONY + +--EXPEDITIONS OF DISCOVERY--GUACANAGARI--SEARCH FOR GOLD--MUTINY IN THE +COLONY--THE VESSELS SENT HOME--COLUMBUS MARCHES INLAND--COLLECTION +OF GOLD--FORTRESS OF ST. THOMAS--A NEW VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY--JAMAICA +VISITED--THE SOUTH SHORE OF CUBA EXPLORED--RETURN--EVANGELISTA +DISCOVERED--COLUMBUS FALLS SICK--RETURN TO ISABELLA. + +Columbus had hoped, with reason, to send back a part of the vessels +which made up his large squadron, with gold collected in the year by +the colonists at La Navidad. In truth, when, in 1501, the system of +gold-washing-had been developed, the colony yielded twelve hundred +pounds of gold in one year. The search for gold, from the beginning, +broke up all intelligent plans for geographical discovery or for +colonization. In this case, it was almost too clear that there was +nothing but bad news to send back to Spain. Columbus went forward, +however, as well as he could, with the establishment of a new colony, +and with the search for gold. + +He sent out expeditions of discovery to open relations with the natives, +and to find the best places for washing and mining for gold. +Melchior Meldonado commanded three hundred men, in the first of these +expeditions. They came to a good harbor at the mouth of a river, +where they saw a fine house, which they supposed might be the home of +Guacanagari. They met an armed party of one hundred Indians; but these +men put away their weapons when signals of peace were made, and brought +presents in token of good-will. + +The house to which they went was round, with a hemispherical roof or +dome. It was thirty-two paces in diameter, divided by wicker work into +different rooms. Smaller houses, for persons of rank lower than the +chiefs, surrounded it. The natives told the explorers that Guacanagari +himself had retired to the hills. + +On receiving the report of these explorers Columbus sent out Ojeda +with a hundred men, and Corvalan with a similar party in different +directions. These officers, in their report, described the operation of +gold-washing, much as it is known to explorers in mining regions to-day. +The natives made a deep ditch into which the gold bearing sand should +settle. For more important work they had flat baskets in which they +shook the sand and parted it from the gold. With the left hand they +dipped up sand, handled this skilfully or “dextrously” with the right +hand, so that in a few minutes they could give grains of gold to the +gratified explorers. Ojeda brought home to Columbus one nugget which +weighed nine ounces. + +They also brought tidings of the King of Canoaboa, of whom they had +heard before, and he is called by the name of Caunebo himself.(*) He was +afterwards carried, as a prisoner or as a hostage, on the way to Spain; +but died on the passage. + + (*) The name is spelled in many different ways. + +Columbus was able to dispatch the returning ships, with the encouraging +reports brought in by Meldonado and Ojeda, but with very little +gold. But he was obliged to ask for fresh supplies of food for the +colony--even in the midst of the plenty which he described; for he had +found already what all such leaders find, the difficulty of training men +to use food to which they were not accustomed. He sent also his Carib +prisoners, begging that they might be trained to a knowledge of the +christian religion and of the Spanish language. He saw, already, how +much he should need interpreters. The fleet sailed on the second of +February, and its reports were, on the whole, favorably received. + +Columbus chose for the new city an elevation, ten leagues east of Monte +Christi, and at first gave to his colony the name of Martha. It is the +Isabella of the subsequent history. + +The colonists were delighted with the fertility of the soil under the +tropical climate. Andalusia itself had not prepared them for it. They +planted seeds of peas, beans, lettuces, cabbages and other vegetables, +and declared that they grew more in eight days than they would have +grown in twenty at home. They had fresh vegetables in sixteen days after +they planted them; but for melons, pumpkins and other fruits of that +sort, they are generous enough to allow thirty days. + +They had carried out roots and suckers of the sugar-cane. In fifteen +days the shoots were a cubit high. A farmer who had planted wheat in the +beginning of February had ripe grain in the beginning of April; so that +they were sure of, at least, two crops in a year. + +But the fertility of the soil was the only favorable token which the +island first exhibited. The climate was enervating and sickly. The +labor on the new city was hard and discouraging. Columbus found that his +colonists were badly fitted for their duty, or not fitted for it at +all. Court gentlemen did not want to work. Priests expected to be put +on better diet than any other people. Columbus--though he lost his +own popularity--insisted on putting all on equal fare, in sharing the +supplies he had brought from Spain. It did not require a long time to +prove that the selection of the site of the colony was unfortunate. +Columbus himself gave way to the general disease. While he was ill, a +mutiny broke out which he had to suppress by strong measures. + +Bornal Diaz, who ranked as comptroller of the expedition, and Fermin +Cedo, an assayer, made a plot for seizing the remaining ships and +sailing for Europe. News of the mutiny was brought to Columbus. He +found a document in the writing of Diaz, drawn as a memorial, accusing +Columbus himself of grave crimes. He confined Diaz on board a ship to +be sent to Spain with the memorial. He punished the mutineers of lower +rank. He took the guns and naval munitions from four of the vessels, and +entrusted them all to a person in whom he had absolute confidence. + +On the report of the exploring parties, four names were given to as many +divisions of the island. Junna was the most western, Attibunia the most +eastern, Jachen the northern and Naiba the southern. Columbus himself, +seeing the fortifications of the city well begun, undertook, in March, +an exploration, of the island, with a force of five hundred men. + +It was in the course of this exploration that one of the natives brought +in a gold-bearing stone which weighed an ounce. He was satisfied with a +little bell in exchange. He was surprised at the wonder expressed by the +Spaniards, and showing a stone as large as a pomegranate, he said that +he had nuggets of gold as large as this at his home. Other Indians +brought in gold-bearing stones which weighed more than an ounce. At +their homes, also, but not in sight, alas, was a block of gold as large +as an infant’s head. + +Columbus himself thought it best to take as many men as he could into +the mountain region. He left the new city under the care of his brother, +Diego, and with all the force of healthy men which he could muster, +making a little army of nearly five hundred men, he marched away +from the sickly seaboard into the interior. The simple natives were +astonished by the display of cavalry and other men in armor. After a few +days of a delightful march, in the beauty of spring in that country, he +entered upon the long sought Cibao. He relinquished his first idea of +founding another city here, but did build a fortress called St. Thomas, +in joking reference to Cedo and others, who had asserted that these +regions produced no gold. While building this fortress, as it was +proudly called, he sent a young cavalier named Luxan for further +exploration. + +Luxan returned with stories even greater than they had heard of before, +but with no gold, “because he had no orders to do so.” He had found +ripe grapes. And at last they had found a region called Cipangi, cipan +signifying stone. This name recalled the memory of Cipango, or Japan. +With tidings as encouraging as this, Columbus returned to his city. He +appointed his brother and Pedro Margarita governors of the city, and +left with three ships for the further exploration of Cuba, which he had +left only partly examined in his first voyage. He believed that it was +the mainland of Asia. And as has been said, such was his belief till he +died, and that of his countrymen. Cuba was not known to be an island for +many years afterwards. He was now again in the career which pleased him, +and for which he was fitted. He was always ill at ease in administering +a colony, or ruling the men who were engaged in it. He was happy and +contented when he was discovering. He had been eager to follow the +southern coast of Cuba, as he had followed the north in his first +voyage. And now he had his opportunity. Having commissioned his +brother Diego and Margarita and appointed also a council of four other +gentlemen, he sailed to explore new coasts, on the twenty-fourth of +April. + +He was soon tempted from his western course that he might examine +Jamaica, of which he saw the distant lines on the south. “This island,” + says the account of the time, “is larger than Sicily. It has only one +mountain, which rises from the coast on every side, little by little, +until you come to the middle of the island and the ascent is so gradual +that, whether you rise or descend, you hardly know whether you are +rising or descending.” Columbus found the island well peopled, and from +what he saw of the natives, thought them more ingenious, and better +artificers, than any Indians he had seen before. But when he proposed +to land, they generally showed themselves prepared to resist him. He +therefore deferred a full examination of the island to his return, and, +with the first favorable wind, pressed on toward the southern coast of +Cuba. He insisted on calling this the “Golden Chersonesus” of the East. +This name had been given by the old geographers to the peninsula now +known as Malacca. + +Crossing the narrow channel between Jamaica and Cuba, he began coasting +that island westward. If the reader will examine the map, he will find +many small keys and islands south of Cuba, which, before any survey had +been made, seriously retarded his westward course. In every case he was +obliged to make a separate examination to be sure where the real coast +of the island was, all the time believing it was the continent of Asia. +One of the narratives says, with a pardonable exaggeration, that in all +this voyage he thus discovered seven hundred islands. His own estimate +was that he sailed two hundred and twenty-two leagues westward in the +exploration which now engaged him. + +The month of May and the beginning of June were occupied with such +explorations. The natives proved friendly, as the natives of the +northern side of Cuba had proved two years before. They had, in general, +heard of the visit of the Spaniards; but their wonder and admiration +seem to have been none the less now that they saw the reality. + +On one occasion the hopes of all the party, that they should find +themselves at the court of the Grand Khan, were greatly quickened. A +Spaniard had gone into a forest alone, hunting. Suddenly he saw a man +clothed in white, or thought he did, whom he supposed to be a friar of +the order of Saint Mary de Mercedes, who was with the expedition. +But, almost immediately, ten other friars dressed in the same costume, +appeared, and then as many as thirty. The Spaniard was frightened at the +multiplication of their number, it hardly appears why, as they were all +men of peace, or should have been, whatever their number. He called out +to his companions, and bade them escape. But the men in white called +out to him, and waved their hands, as if to assure him that there was no +danger. He did not trust them, however, but rushed back to the shore +and the ship, as fast as he could, to report what he had seen to the +Admiral. + +Here, at last, was reason for hope that they had found one of the +Asiatic missions of the Church. Columbus at once landed a party, +instructing them to go forty miles inland, if necessary, to find people. +But this party found neither path nor roadway, although the country was +rich and fertile. Another party brought back rich bunches of grapes, and +other native fruits. But neither party saw any friars of the order of +Saint Mary. And it is now supposed that the Spaniard saw a peaceful +flock of white cranes. The traveller Humboldt describes one occasion, +in which the town of Angostura was put to alarm by the appearance of a +flock of cranes known as soldados, or “soldiers,” which were, as people +supposed, a band of Indians. + +In his interviews with the natives at one point and another, upon the +coast, Columbus was delighted with their simplicity, their hospitality, +and their kindly dealing with each other. On one occasion, when the Mass +was celebrated, a large number of them were present, and joined in the +service, as well as they could, with respect and devotion. An old man +as much as eighty years old, as the Spaniards thought, brought to +the Admiral a basket full of fruit, as a present. Then he said, by an +interpreter: + +“We have heard how you have enveloped, by your power, all these +countries, and how much afraid of you the people have been. But I have +to exhort you, and to tell you that there are two ways when men leave +this body. One is dark and dismal; it is for those who have injured the +race of men. The other is delightful and pleasant; it is for those who, +while alive, have loved peace and the repose of mankind. If, then, you +remember that you are mortal, and what these retributions are, you will +do no harm to any one.” + +Columbus told him in reply that he had known of the two roads after +death, and that he was well pleased to find that the natives of these +lands knew of them; for he had not expected this. He said that the king +and queen of Spain had sent him with the express mission of bringing +these tidings to them. In particular, that he was charged with the +duty of punishing the Caribs and all other men of impure life, and of +rewarding and honoring all pure and innocent men. This statement so +delighted the old prophet that he was eager to accompany Columbus on a +mission so noble, and it was only by the urgent entreaty of his wife +and children that he stayed with them. He found it hard to believe that +Columbus was inferior in rank or command to any other sovereign. + +The beauty of the island and the hospitality of the natives, however, +were not enough to dispose the crews to continue this exploration +further. They were all convinced that they were on the coast of Asia. +Columbus did not mean that afterwards any one should accuse him of +abandoning the discovery of that coast too soon. Calling to their +attention the distance they had sailed, he sent round a written +declaration for the signature of every person on the ships. Every man +and boy put his name to it. It expressed their certainty that they were +on the cape which made the end of the eastern Indies, and that any +one who chose could proceed thence westward to Spain by land. This +extraordinary declaration was attested officially by a notary, and still +exists. + +It was executed in a bay at the extreme southwestern corner of Cuba. It +has been remarked by Munoz, that at that moment, in that place, a ship +boy at the masthead could have looked over the group of low islands and +seen the open sea, which would have shown that Cuba was an island. + +The facts, which were controlling, were these, that the vessels were +leaky and the crews sick and discontented. On the thirteenth of June, +Columbus stood to the southeast. He discovered the island now known as +the Island of Pines. He called it Evangelista. He anchored here and took +in water. In an interview, not unlike that described, in which the old +Cuban expressed his desire to return with Columbus, it is said that +an Evangelistan chief made the same offer, but was withheld by the +remonstrances, of his wife and children. A similar incident is reported +in the visit to Jamaica, which soon followed. Columbus made a careful +examination of that island. Then he crossed to Hispaniola, where, from +the Indians, he received such accounts from the new town of Isabella as +assured him that all was well there. + +With his own indomitable zeal, he determined now to go to the Carib +islands and administer to them the vengeance he had ready. But his own +frame was not strong enough for his will. He sank exhausted, in a sort +of lethargy. The officers of his ship, supposing he was dying, put about +the vessels and the little squadron arrived, none too soon as it proved, +at Isabella. + +He was as resolute as ever in his determination to crush the Caribs, and +prevent their incursions upon those innocent islanders to whom he had +made so many promises of protection. But he fell ill, and for a short +time at least was wholly unconscious. The officers in command took +occasion of his illness, and of their right to manage the vessels, to +turn back to the city of Isabella. He arrived there “as one half dead,” + and his explorations and discoveries for this voyage were thus brought +to an end. To his great delight he found there his brother Bartholomew, +whom he had not seen for eight years. Bartholomew had accompanied Diaz +in the famous voyage in which he discovered the Cape of Good Hope. +Returning to Europe in 1488 he had gone to England, with a message from +Christopher Columbus, asking King Henry the Seventh to interest himself +in the great adventure he proposed. + +The authorities differ as to the reception which Henry gave to this +great proposal. Up to the present time, no notice has been found of his +visit in the English archives. The earliest notice of America, in the +papers preserved there, is a note of a present of ten pounds “to +hym that found the new land,” who was Cabot, after his first voyage. +Bartholomew Columbus was in England on the tenth of February, 1488; how +much later is not known. Returning from England he staid in France, in +the service of Madama de Bourbon. This was either Anne of Beaujeu, or +the widow of the Admiral Louis de Bourbon. Bartholomew was living in +Paris when he heard of his brother’s great discovery. + +He had now been appointed by the Spanish sovereigns to command a fleet +of three vessels, which had been sent out to provision the new colony. +He had sailed from Cadiz on the thirtieth of April, 1494, and he arrived +at Isabella on St. John’s Day of the same year. + +Columbus welcomed him with delight, and immediately made him his +first-lieutenant in command of the colony. There needed a strong hand +for the management of the colony, for the quarrels which had existed +before Columbus went on his Cuban voyage had not diminished in his +absence. Pedro Margarita and Father Boil are spoken of as those who +had made the most trouble. They had come determined to make a fortune +rapidly, and they did not propose to give up such a hope to the slow +processes of ordinary colonization. Columbus knew very well that those +who had returned to Spain had carried with them complaints as to his own +course. He would have been glad on some accounts to return, himself, +at once; but he did not think that the natives of the islands were +sufficiently under the power of the new colony to be left in safety. + +First of all he sent back four caravels, which had recently arrived +from Europe, with five hundred Indians whom he had taken as slaves. He +consigned them to Juan de Fonseca’s care. He was eager himself to say +that he sent them out that they might be converted, to Christianity, +and that they might learn the Spanish language and be of use as +interpreters. But, at the same time, he pointed out how easy it would +be to make a source of revenue to the Crown from such involuntary +emigration. To Isabella’s credit it is to be said, that she protested +against the whole thing immediately; and so far as appears, no further +shipments were made in exactly the same way. But these poor wretches +were not sent back to the islands, as she perhaps thought they were. +Fonseca did not hesitate to sell them, or apprentice them, to use our +modern phrase, and it is said by Bernaldez that they all died. His +bitter phrase is that Fonseca took no more care of them than if they had +been wild animals. + +Columbus did not recover his health, so as to take a very active part +in affairs for five months after his arrival at San Domingo. He was well +aware that the Indians were vigorously organized, with the intention of +driving his people from the island, or treating the colony as they had +treated the colony of Navidad. He called the chief of the Cipangi, named +Guarionexius, for consultation. The interpreter Didacus, who had served +them so faithfully, married the king’s sister, and it was hoped that +this would be a bond of amity between the two nations. + +Columbus sent Ojeda into the gold mountains with fifty armed men to make +an alliance with Canabao. Canabao met this party with a good deal of +perplexity. He undoubtedly knew that he had given the Spaniards good +reason for doubting him. It is said that he had put to death twenty +Spaniards by treasonable means, but it is to be remembered that this is +the statement of his enemies. He, however, came to Columbus with a large +body of his people, all armed. When he was asked why he brought so +large a force with him, he said that so great a king as he, could not go +anywhere without a fitting military escort. But Ojeda did not hesitate +to take him prisoner and carry him into Isabella, bound. As has been +said, he was eventually sent to Spain, but he died on the passage. + +Columbus made another fortress, or tower, on the border of King +Guarionexius’s country, between his kingdom and Cipango. He gave to this +post the name of the “Tower of the Conception,” and meant it to be a +rallying point for the miners and others, in case of any uprising of the +natives against them. This proved to be an important centre for mining +operations. From this place, what we should call a nugget of gold, +which one of the chiefs brought in, was sent to Spain. It weighed twenty +ounces. A good deal of interest attached also to the discovery of amber, +one mass of which weighed three hundred pounds. Such discoveries renewed +the interest and hope which had been excited in Spain by the first +accounts of Hispaniola. + +Columbus satisfied himself that he left the island really subdued; and +in this impression he was not mistaken. Certain that his presence in +Spain was needed, if he would maintain his own character against the +attacks of the disaffected Spaniards who had gone before him, he set +sail on the Nina on the tenth of March, taking with him as a consort +a caravel which had been built at Isabella. He did not arrive in Cadiz +till the eleventh of June, having been absent from Spain two years and +nine months. + +His return to Spain at this time gave Isabella another opportunity to +show the firmness of her character, and the determination to which alone +belongs success. + +The excitement and popularity which attended the return from the first +voyage had come to an end. Spain was in the period of reaction. +The disappointment which naturally follows undue expectations and +extravagant prophecies, was, in this instance, confirmed by the return +of discontented adventurers. Four hundred years have accustomed the +world to this reflex flow of disappointed colonists, unable or unwilling +to work, who come back from a new land to say that its resources have +been exaggerated. In this case, where everything was measured by the +standard of gold, it was certainly true that the supply of gold received +from the islands was very small as compared with the expenses of the +expedition which had been sent out. + +Five hundred Indians, who came to be taught the language, entering Spain +as slaves, were but a poor return for the expenses in which the +nation, not to say individuals, had been involved. The people of Spain, +therefore, so far as they could show their feeling, were prejudiced +against Columbus and those who surrounded him. They heard with +incredulity the accounts of Cuba which he gave, and were quite +indifferent to the geographical theories by which he wanted to prove +that it was a part of Asia. He believed that the rich mines, which he +had really found in Hispaniola, were the same as those of Ophir. But +after five years of waiting, the Spanish public cared but little for +such conjectures. + +As he arrived in Cadiz, he found three vessels, under Nino, about +to sail with supplies. These were much needed, for the relief of the +preceding year, sent out in four vessels, had been lost by shipwreck. +Columbus was able to add a letter of his own to the governor of +Isabella, begging him to conform to the wishes expressed by the king +and queen in the dispatches taken by Nino. He recommended diligence in +exploring the new mines, and that a seaport should be founded in their +neighborhood. At the same time he received a gracious letter from the +king and queen, congratulating him on his return, and asking him to +court as soon as he should recover from his fatigue. + +Columbus was encouraged by the tone of this letter. He had chosen to act +as if he were in disgrace, and dressed himself in humble garb, as if +he were a Franciscan monk, wearing his beard as the brethren of those +orders do. Perhaps this was in fulfillment of one of those vows which, +as we know, he frequently made in periods of despondency. + +He went to Burgos, where Ferdinand and Isabella were residing, and on +the way made such a display of treasure as he had done on the celebrated +march to Barcelona. Canabao, the fierce cacique of Hispaniola, had died +on the voyage, but his brother and nephew still lived, and he took +them to the king and queen, glittering on state occasions with golden +ornaments. One chain of gold which the brother wore, is said to +have been worth more than three thousand dollars of our time. In the +procession Columbus carried various masks and other images, made by the +Indians in fantastic shapes, which attracted the curiosity which in all +nations surrounds the idols of a foreign creed. + +The sovereigns received him cordially. No reference was made to the +complaints of the adventurers who had returned. However the sovereigns +may have been impressed by these, they were still confident in Columbus +and in his merits, and do not seem to have wished to receive the partial +accounts of his accusers. On his part, he pressed the importance of a +new expedition, in order that they might annex to their dominions the +eastern part of Asia. He wanted for this purpose eight ships. He was +willing to leave two in the island of Hispaniola, and he hoped that +he might have six for a voyage of discovery. The sovereigns assented +readily to his proposal, and at the time probably intended to carry out +his wishes. + +But Spain had something else to do than to annex Asia or to discover +America; and the fulfillment of the promises made so cordially in 1496, +was destined to await the exigencies of European war and diplomacy. In +fact, he did not sail upon the third expedition for nearly two years +after his arrival in Cadiz. + +In the autumn of 1496, an order was given for a sum amounting to +nearly a hundred thousand dollars of our time, for the equipment of +the promised squadron. At the same time Columbus was relieved from the +necessity by which he was bound in his original contract, to furnish +at least one-eighth of the money necessary in any of these expeditions. +This burden was becoming too heavy for him to bear. It was agreed, +however, that in the event of any profit resulting to the crown, he +should be entitled to one-eighth of it for three ensuing years. This +concession must be considered as an evidence that he was still in +favor. At the end of three years both parties were to fall back upon the +original contract. + +But these noble promises, which must have been so encouraging to him, +could not be fulfilled, as it proved. For the exigencies of war, the +particular money which was to be advanced to Columbus was used for the +repair of a fortress upon the frontier. Instead of this, Columbus was to +receive his money from the gold brought by Nino on his return. Alas, it +proved that a report that he had returned with so much gold, meant that +he had Indian prisoners, from the sale of whom he expected to realize +this money. And poor Columbus was virtually consigned to building +and fitting out his ship from the result of a slave-trade, which was +condemned by Isabella, and which he knew was wretchedly unprofitable. + +A difficulty almost equally great resulted from the unpopularity of +the expedition. People did not volunteer eagerly, as they had done, the +minds of men being poisoned by the reports of emigrants, who had +gone out in high hope, and had returned disappointed. It even became +necessary to commute the sentences of criminals who had been sentenced +to banishment, so that they might be transported into the new +settlements, where they were to work without pay. Even these expedients +did not much hasten the progress of the expedition. + +Fonseca, the steady enemy of Columbus, was placed in command again at +this time. The queen was overwhelmed with affliction by the death of +Prince Juan; and it seemed to Columbus and his friends that every petty +difficulty was placed in the way of preparation. When at length six +vessels were fitted for sea, it was only after the wear and tear of +constant opposition from officials in command; and the expedition, as it +proved, was not what Columbus had hoped for, for his purposes. + +On the thirtieth of May, however, in 1498, he was able to sail. As this +was the period when the Catholic church celebrates the mystery of +the Trinity, he determined and promised that the first land which he +discovered should receive that sacred name. He was well convinced of the +existence of a continent farther south than the islands among which he +had cruised, and intended to strike that continent, as in fact he did, +in the outset of his voyage. + + + +CHAPTER X. -- THE THIRD VOYAGE. + +LETTER TO THE KING AND QUEEN--DISCOVERY OF TRINIDAD AND +PARIA--CURIOUS SPECULATION AS TO THE EARTHLY PARADISE--ARRIVAL AT +SAN DOMINGO--REBELLIONS AND MUTINIES IN THAT ISLAND--ROLDAN AND HIS +FOLLOWERS--OJEDA AND HIS EXPEDITION--ARRIVAL OF BOBADILLA--COLUMBUS A +PRISONER. + +For the narrative of the third voyage, we are fortunate in having once +more a contemporary account by Columbus himself. The more important part +of his expedition was partly over when he was able to write a careful +letter to the king and queen, which is still preserved. It is lighted +up by bursts of the religious enthusiasm which governed him from the +beginning. All the more does it show the character of the man, and it +impresses upon us, what is never to be forgotten, the mixture in his +motive of the enthusiasm of a discoverer, the eager religious feeling +which might have quickened a crusader, and the prospects of what we +should call business adventure, by which he tries to conciliate persons +whose views are less exalted than his own. + +In addressing the king and queen, who are called “very high and very +powerful princes,” he reminds them that his undertaking to discover the +West Indies began in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which appointed +him as a messenger for this enterprise. He asks them to remember that he +has always addressed them as with that intention. + +He reminds them of the seven or eight years in which he was urging +his cause and that it was not enough that he should have showed the +religious side of it, that he was obliged to argue for the temporal view +as well. But their decision, for which he praises them indirectly, was +made, he says, in the face of the ridicule of all, excepting the two +priests, Marcheza and the Archbishop of Segovia. “And everything will +pass away excepting the word of God, who spoke so clearly of these lands +by the voice of Isaiah in so many places, affirming that His name should +be divulged to the nations from Spain.” He goes on in a review of the +earlier voyages, and after this preface gives his account of the voyage +of 1498. + +They sailed from Santa Lucca the thirtieth of May, and went down to +Madeira to avoid the hostile squadron of the French who were awaiting +him at Cape St. Vincent. In the history by Herrara, of another +generation, this squadron is said to be Portuguese. From Maderia, +they passed to the Canary Islands, from which, with one ship and two +caravels, he makes his voyage, sending the other three vessels to +Hispaniola. After making the Cape de Verde Islands, he sailed southwest. +He had very hot weather for eight days, and in the hope of finding +cooler weather changed his course to the westward. + +On the thirty-first of July, they made land, which proved to be the cape +now known as Galeota, the southeastern cape of the island of Trinidad. +The country was as green at this season as the orchards of Valencia in +March. Passing five leagues farther on, he lands to refit his vessels +and take on board wood and water. The next day a large canoe from the +east, with twenty-four men, well armed, appeared. + +The Admiral wished to communicate with them, but they refused, although +he showed them basins and other things which he thought would attract +them. Failing in this effort, he directed some of the boys of the +crew to dance and play a tambourine on the poop of the ship. But this +conciliatory measure had as little success as the other. The natives +strung their bows, took up their shields and began to shoot the dancers. +Columbus stopped the entertainment, therefore, and ordered some balls +shot at them, upon which they left him. With the other vessel they +opened more friendly communication, but when the pilot went to Columbus +and asked leave to land with them, they went off, nor were any of them +or theirs seen again. + +On his arrival at Punta de Icacocos, at the southern point of Trinidad, +he observes the very strong currents which are always noticed by +voyagers, running with as much fury as the Guadalquiver in time of +flood. In the night a terrible wave came from the south, “a hill as +high as a ship,” so that even in writing of it he feels fear. But no +misfortune came from it. + +Sailing the next day, he found the water comparatively fresh. He is, in +fact, in the current produced by the great river Orinoco, which affects, +in a remarkable way, all the tide-flow of those seas. Sailing north, +he passes different points of the Island of Trinidad, and makes out the +Punta de la Pena and the mainland. He still observes the freshness of +the water and the severity of the currents. + +As he sails farther westward, he observes fleets, and he sends his +people ashore. They find no inhabitants at first, but eventually meet +people who tell him the enemy of this country is Paria. Of these he took +on board four. The king sent him an invitation to land, and numbers +of the people came in canoes, many of whom wore gold and pearls. These +pearls came to them from the north. Columbus did not venture to land +here because the provisions of his vessels were already failing him. + +He describes the people, as of much the same color as those who have +been observed before, and were ready for intercourse, and of good +appearance. Two prominent persons came to meet them, whom he thought to +be father and son. The house to which the Spaniards were led was large, +with many seats. An entertainment was brought forward, in which there +were many sorts of fruits, and wine of many kinds. It was not made from +grapes, however, and he supposed it must be made of different sorts of +fruits. + +A part of the entertainment was of maize, “which is a sort of corn which +grows here, with a spike like a spindle.” The Indians and their +guests parted with regret that they could not understand each other’s +conversation. All this passed in the house of the elder Indian. The +younger then took them to his house, where a similar collation was +served, and they then returned to the ship, Columbus being in haste to +press on, both on account of his want of supplies and the failure of his +own health. He says he was still suffering from diseases which he had +contracted on the last voyage, and with blindness. “That then his eyes +did not give him as much pain, nor were they bloodshot as much as they +are now.” + +He describes the people whom they at first visited as of fine stature, +easy bearing, with long straight hair, and wearing worked handkerchiefs +on their heads. At a little distance it seemed as if these were made of +silk, like the gauze veil with which the Spaniards were familiar, from +Moorish usage. + +“Others,” he says, “wore larger handkerchiefs round their waists, like +the panete of the Spaniards.” By this phrase he means a full garment +hanging over the knees, either trousers or petticoats. These people +were whiter in color than the Indians he had seen before. They all wore +something at the neck and arms, with many pieces of gold at the neck. +The canoes were much larger than he had seen, better in build and +lighter; they had a cabin in the middle for the princes and their women. + +He made many inquiries for gold, but was told he must go farther on, but +he was advised not to go there, because his men would be in danger +of being eaten. At first, Columbus supposed that this meant that +the inhabitants of the gold-bearing countries were cannibals, but he +satisfied himself afterwards that the natives meant that they would be +eaten by beasts. With regard to pearls, also, he got some information +that he should find them when he had gone farther west and farther +north. + +After these agreeable courtesies, the little fleet raised its anchors +and sailed west. Columbus sent one caravel to investigate the river. +Finding that he should not succeed in that direction, and that he had no +available way either north or south, he leaves by the same entrance +by which he had entered. The water is still very fresh, and he is +satisfied, correctly as we know, that these currents were caused by the +entrance of the great river of water. + +On the thirteenth of August he leaves the island by what he calls the +northern mouth of the river (Boca Grande), and begins to strike salt +water again. + +At this part of Columbus’s letter there is a very curious discussion of +temperature, which shows that this careful observer, even at that time, +made out the difference between what are called isothermal curves and +the curves of latitude. He observes that he cannot make any estimate +of what his temperature will be on the American coast from what he has +observed on the coast of Africa. + +He begins now to doubt whether the world is spherical, and is disposed +to believe that it is shaped like a pear, and he tries to make a theory +of the difference of temperature from this suggestion. We hardly need to +follow this now. We know he was entirely wrong in his conjecture. “Pliny +and others,” he says, “thought the world spherical, because on their +part of it it was a hemisphere.” They were ignorant of the section over +which he was sailing, which he considers to be that of a pear cut in +the wrong way. His demonstration is, that in similar latitudes to the +eastward it is very hot and the people are black, while at Trinidad or +on the mainland it is comfortable and the people are a fine race of men, +whiter than any others whom he has seen in the Indies. The sun in the +constellation of the Virgin is over their heads, and all this comes from +their being higher up, nearer the air than they would have been had they +been on the African coast. + +With this curious speculation he unites some inferences from Scripture, +and goes back to the account in the Book of Genesis and concludes that +the earthly Paradise was in the distant east. He says, however, that +if he could go on, on the equinoctial line, the air would grow more +temperate, with greater changes in the stars and in the water. He does +not think it possible that anyone can go to the extreme height of the +mountain where the earthly Paradise is to be found, for no one is to be +permitted to enter there but by the will of God, but he believes that in +this voyage he is approaching it. + +Any reader who is interested in this curious speculation of Columbus +should refer to the “Divina Comedia” of Dante, where Dante himself held +a somewhat similar view, and describes his entrance into the terrestrial +paradise under the guidance of Beatrice. It is a rather curious fact, +which discoverers of the last three centuries have established, that the +point, on this world, which is opposite the city of Jerusalem, where all +these enthusiasts supposed the terrestrial Paradise would be found, is +in truth in the Pacific Ocean not far from Pitcairn’s Island, in the +very region where so many voyagers have thought that they found the +climate and soil which to the terrestrial Paradise belong. + +Columbus expresses his dissent from the recent theory, which was that +of Dante, supposing that the earthly Paradise was at the top of a +sharp mountain. On the other hand, he supposes that this mountain rises +gently, but yet that no person can go to the top. + +This is his curious “excursion,” made, perhaps, because Columbus had the +time to write it. + +The journal now recurs to more earthly affairs. Passing out from the +mouth of the “Dragon,” he found the sea running westward and the wind +gentle. He notices that the waters are swept westward as the trade winds +are. In this way he accounts for there being so many islands in that +part of the earth, the mainland having been eaten away by the constant +flow of the waves. He thinks their very shape indicates this, they being +narrow from north to south and longer from east to west. Although some +of the islands differ in this, special reasons maybe given for the +difference. He brings in many of the old authorities to show, what we +now know to be entirely false, that there is much more land than water +on the surface of the globe. + +All this curious speculation as to the make-up of the world encourages +him to beg their Highnesses to go on with the noble work which they have +begun. He explains to them that he plants the cross on every cape +and proclaims the sovereignty of their Majesties and of the Christian +religion. He prays that this may continue. The only objection to it is +the expense, but Columbus begs their Highnesses to remember how much +more money is spent for the mere formalities of the elegancies of +the court. He begs them to consider the credit attaching to plans of +discovery and quickens their ambition by reference to the efforts of the +princes of Portugal. + +This letter closes by the expression of his determination to go on with +his three ships for further discoveries. + +This letter was written from San Domingo on the eighth of October. He +had already made the great discovery of the mainland of South America, +though he did not yet know that he had touched the continent. He had +intentionally gone farther south than before, and had therefore struck +the island of Trinidad, to which, as he had promised, he gave the name +which it still bears. A sailor first saw the summits of three mountains, +and gave the cry of land. As the ships approached, it was seen that +these three mountains were united at the base. Columbus was delighted by +the omen, as he regarded it, which thus connected his discovery with the +vow which he had made on Trinity Sunday. + +As the reader has seen, he first passed between this great island and +the mainland. The open gulf there described is now known as the Gulf of +Paria. The observation which he made as to the freshness of the water +caused by the flow of the Orinoco, has been made by all navigators +since. It may be said that he was then really in the mouth of the +Orinoco. + +Young readers, at least, will be specially interested to remember that +it was in this region that Robinson Crusoe’s island was placed by Defoe; +and if they will carefully read his life they will find discussions +there of the flow of the “great River Orinoco.” Crossing this gulf, +Columbus had touched upon the coast of Paria, and thus became the first +discoverer of South America. It is determined, by careful geographers, +that the discovery of the continent of North America, had been made +before this time by the Cabots, sailing under the orders of England. + +Columbus was greatly encouraged by the discovery of fine pearls among +the natives of Paria. Here he found one more proof that he was on the +eastern coast of Asia, from which coast pearls had been brought by +the caravans on which, till now, Europe had depended for its Asiatic +supplies. He gave the name “Gulf of Pearls” to the estuary which makes +the mouth of the River Paria. + +He would gladly have spent more time in exploring this region; but +the sea-stores of his vessel were exhausted, he was suffering from a +difficulty with his eyes, caused by overwatching, and was also a cripple +from gout. He resisted the temptation, therefore, to make further +explorations on the coast of Paria, and passed westward and +northwestward. He made many discoveries of islands in the Caribbean Sea +as he went northwest, and he arrived at the colony of San Domingo, +on the thirtieth of August. He had hoped for rest after his difficult +voyage; but he found the island in confusion which seemed hopeless. + +His brother Bartholomew, from all the accounts we have, would seem to +have administered its affairs with justice and decision; but the problem +he had in hand was one which could not be solved so as to satisfy all +the critics. Close around him he had a body of adventurers, almost +all of whom were nothing but adventurers. With the help of these +adventurers, he had to repress Indian hostilities, and to keep in order +the natives who had been insulted and injured in every conceivable way +by the settlers. + +He was expected to send home gold to Spain with every vessel; he knew +perfectly well that Spain was clamoring with indignation because he did +not succeed in doing so. But on the island itself he had to meet, from +day to day, conspiracies of Spaniards and what are called insurrections +of natives. These insurrections consisted simply in their assertion of +such rights as they had to the beautiful land which the Spaniards were +taking away from them. + +At the moment when Columbus landed, there was an instant of tranquility. +But the natives, whom he remembered only six years ago as so happy and +cheerful and hospitable, had fled as far as they could. They showed +in every way their distrust of those who were trying to become their +masters. On the other hand, soldiers and emigrants were eager to leave +the island if they could. They were near starvation, or if they did +not starve they were using food to which they were not accustomed. The +eagerness with which, in 1493, men had wished to rush to this land of +promise, was succeeded by an equal eagerness, in 1498, to go home from +it. + +As soon as he arrived, Columbus issued a proclamation, approving of the +measures of his brother in his absence, and denouncing the rebels with +whom Bartholomew had been contending. He found the difficulties which +surrounded him were of the most serious character. He had not force +enough to take up arms against the rebels of different names. He offered +pardon to them in the name of the sovereigns, and that they refused. + +Columbus was obliged, in order to maintain any show of authority, to +propose to the sovereigns that they should arbitrate between his brother +and Roldan, who was the chief of the rebel party. He called to the minds +of Ferdinand and Isabella his own eager desire to return to San Domingo +sooner, and ascribed the difficulties which had arisen, in large +measure, to his long delay. He said he should send home the more +worthless men by every ship. + +He asked that preachers might be sent out to convert the Indians and to +reform the dissolute Spaniards. He asked for officers of revenue, and +for a learned judge. He begged at the same time that, for two years +longer, the colony might be permitted to employ the Indians as slaves, +but he promised they would only use such as they captured in war and +insurrections. + +By the same vessel the rebels sent out letters charging Columbus and his +brother with the grossest oppression and injustice. All these letters +came to court by one messenger. Columbus was then left to manage as +best he could, in the months which must pass, before he could receive an +answer. + +He was not wholly without success. That is to say, no actual battles +took place between the parties before the answer returned. But when it +returned, it proved to be written by his worst enemy, Fonseca. It was +a genuine Spanish answer to a letter which required immediate decision. +That is to say, Columbus was simply told that the whole matter must be +left in suspense till the sovereigns could make such an investigation +as they wished. The hope, therefore, of some help from home was wholly +disappointed. + +Roldan, the chief of the rebels, was encouraged by this news to take +higher ground than even he had ventured on before. He now proposed that +he should send fifteen of his company to Spain, also that those who +remained should not only be pardoned, but should have lands granted +them; third, that a public proclamation should be made that all charges +against him had been false; and fourth, that he should hold the office +of chief judge, which he had held before the rebellion. + +Columbus was obliged to accede to terms as insolent as these, and the +rebels even added a stipulation, that if he should fail in fulfilling +either of these articles, they might compel him to comply, by force or +any other means. Thus was he hampered in the very position where, by the +king’s orders, and indeed, one would say, by the right of discovery, he +was the supreme master. + +For himself, he determined to return with Bartholomew to Spain, and he +made some preparations to do so. But at this time he learned, from the +western part of the island, that four strange ships had arrived there. +He could not feel that it was safe to leave the colony in such a +condition of latent rebellion as he knew it to be in; he wrote again to +the sovereigns, and said directly that his capitulation with the rebels +had been extorted by force, and that he did not consider that the +sovereigns, or that he himself, were bound by it. He pressed some of the +requests which he had made before, and asked that his son Diego, who was +no longer a boy, might be sent out to him. + +It proved that the ships which had arrived at the west of the island +were under the command of Ojeda, who will be remembered as a bold +cavalier in the adventures of the second voyage. Acting under a general +permission which had been given for private adventurers, Ojeda had +brought out this squadron, and, when Columbus communicated with him, was +engaged in cutting dye-woods and shipping slaves. + +Columbus sent Roldan, who had been the head of the rebels, to inquire +on what ground he was there. Ojeda produced a license signed by Fonseca, +authorizing him to sail on a voyage of discovery. It proved that +Columbus’s letters describing the pearls of Paria had awakened curiosity +and enthusiasm, and, while the crown had passed them by so coldly, Ojeda +and a body of adventurers had obtained a license and had fitted out four +ships for adventure. The special interest of this voyage for us, is that +it is supposed that Vespucci, a Florentine merchant, made at this time +his first expedition to America. + +Vespucci was not a professional seaman, but he was interested in +geography, and had made many voyages before this time. So soon as it +was announced that Ojeda was on the coast, the rebels of San Domingo +selected him as a new leader. He announced to Columbus, rather coolly, +that he could probably redress the grievances which these men had. +He undoubtedly knew that he had the protection of Fonseca at home. +Fortunately for Columbus, Roldan did not mean to give up his place +as “leader of the opposition;” and it may be said that the difficulty +between the two was a certain advantage to Columbus in maintaining his +authority. + +Meanwhile, all wishes on his part to continue his discoveries were +futile, while he was engaged in the almost hopeless duty of reconciling +various adventurers and conciliating people who had no interests but +their own. In Spain, his enemies were doing everything in their power to +undermine his reputation. His statements were read more and more coldly, +and at last, on the twenty-first and twenty-sixth of May, 1499, letters +were written to him instructing him to deliver into the hands of +Bobadilla, a new commandant, all the fortresses any ships, houses and +other royal property which he held, and to give faith and obedience to +any instructions given by Bobadilla. That is to say, Bobadilla was sent +out as a commander who was to take precedence of every one on the spot. +He was an officer of the royal household, probably a favorite at court, +and was selected for the difficult task of reconciling all difficulties, +and bringing the new colony into loyal allegiance to the crown. He +sailed for San Domingo in the middle of July, 1500, and arrived on the +twenty-third of August. + +On his arrival, he found that Columbus and his brother Bartholomew were +both absent from the city, being in fact engaged in efforts to set +what may be called the provinces in order. The young Diego Columbus +was commander in their absence. The morning after he arrived, Bobadilla +attended mass, and then, with the people assembled around the door of +the church, he directed that his commission should be read. He was to +investigate the rebellion, he was to seize the persons of delinquents +and punish them with rigor, and he was to command the Admiral to assist +him in these duties. + +He then bade Diego surrender to him certain prisoners, and ordered that +their accusers should appear before him. To this Diego replied that his +brother held superior powers to any which Bobadilla could possess; he +asked for a copy of the commission, which was declined, until Columbus +himself should arrive. Bobadilla then took the oath of office, and +produced, for the first time, the order which has been described above, +ordering Columbus to deliver up all the royal property. He won the +popular favor by reading an order which directed him to pay all arrears +of wages due to all persons in the royal service. + +But when he came before the fortress, he found that the commander +declined to surrender it. He said he held the fortress for the king by +the command of the Admiral, and would not deliver it until he should +arrive. Bobadilla, however, “assailed the portal;” that is to say, he +broke open the gate. No one offered any opposition, and the commander +and his first-lieutenant were taken prisoners. He went farther, taking +up his residence in Columbus’s house, and seizing his papers. So soon +as Columbus received account of Bobadilla’s arrival, he wrote to him +in careful terms, welcoming him to the island. He cautioned him against +precipitate measures, told him that he himself was on the point of going +to Spain, and that he would soon leave him in command, with everything +explained. Bobadilla gave no answer to these letters; and when Columbus +received from the sovereigns the letter of the twenty-sixth of May, he +made no longer any hesitation, but reported in person at the city of San +Domingo. + +He traveled without guards or retinue, but Bobadilla had made hostile +preparations, as if Columbus meant to come with military force. Columbus +preferred to show his own loyalty to the crown and to remove suspicion. +But no sooner did he arrive in the city than Bobadilla gave orders +that he should be put in irons and confined in the fortress. Up to +this moment, Bobadilla had been sustained by the popular favor of those +around him; but the indignity, of placing chains upon Columbus, seems to +have made a change in the fickle impressions of the little town. + +Columbus, himself, behaved with magnanimity, and made no complaint. +Bobadilla asked him to bid his brother return to San Domingo, and +he complied. He begged his brother to submit to the authority of the +sovereigns, and Bartholomew immediately did so. On his arrival in San +Domingo he was also put in irons, as his brother Diego had been, and was +confined on board a caravel. As soon as a set of charges could be made +up to send to Spain with Columbus, the vessels, with the prisoners, set +sail. + +The master of the caravel, Martin, was profoundly grieved by the severe +treatment to which the great navigator was subjected. He would gladly +have taken off his irons, but Columbus would not consent. “I was +commanded by the king and queen,” he said, “to submit to whatever +Bobadilla should order in their name. He has put these chains on me by +their authority. I will wear them until the king and queen bid me take +them off. I will preserve them afterwards as relics and memorials of the +reward of my services.” His son, Fernando, who tells this story, says +that he did so, that they were always hanging in his cabinet, and that +he asked that they might be buried with him when he died. + +From this expression of Fernando Columbus, there has arisen, what Mr. +Harrisse calls, a “pure legend,” that the chains were placed in the +coffin of Columbus. Mr. Harrisse shows good reason for thinking that +this was not so. “Although disposed to believe that, in a moment of +just indignation, Columbus expressed the wish that these tokens of the +ingratitude of which he had been the victim should be buried, with him, +I do not believe that they were ever placed in his coffin.” + +It will thus be seen that the third voyage added to the knowledge of +the civilized world the information which Columbus had gained regarding +Paria and the island of Trinidad. For other purposes of discovery, it +was fruitless. + + + +CHAPTER XI. -- SPAIN, 1500, 1501. + +A CORDIAL RECEPTION IN SPAIN--COLUMBUS FAVORABLY RECEIVED AT COURT--NEW +INTEREST IN GEOGRAPHICAL DISCOVERY--HIS PLANS FOR THE REDEMPTION OF THE +HOLY SEPULCHRE--PREPARATIONS FOR A FOURTH EXPEDITION. + +Columbus was right in insisting on wearing his chains. They became +rather an ornament than a disgrace. So soon as it was announced in Spain +that the great discoverer had been so treated by Bobadilla, a wave of +popular indignation swept through the people and reached the court. +Ferdinand and Isabella, themselves, had never intended to give such +powers to their favorite, that he should disgrace a man so much his +superior. + +They instantly sent orders to Cadiz that Columbus should be received +with all honor. So soon as he arrived he had been able to send, to Dona +Juana de la Torre, a lady high in favor at court, a private letter, +in which he made a proud defense of himself. This letter is still +preserved, and it is of the first interest, as showing his own +character, and as showing what were the real hardships which he had +undergone. + +The Lady Juana read this letter to Isabella. Her own indignation, which +probably had been kindled by the general news that Columbus had been +chained, rose to the highest. She received him, therefore, when he +arrived at court, with all the more cordiality. Ferdinand was either +obliged to pretend to join with her in her indignation, or he had really +felt distressed by the behavior of his subordinate. + +They did not wait for any documents from Bobadilla. As has been said, +they wrote cordially to Columbus; they also ordered that two thousand +ducats should be paid him for his expenses, and they bade him appear at +Grenada at court. He did appear there on the seventeenth of December, +attended by an honorable retinue, and in the proper costume of a +gentleman in favor with the king and queen. + +When the queen met him she was moved to tears, and Columbus, finding +himself so kindly received, threw himself upon his knees. For some time +he could not express himself except by tears and sobs. His sovereigns +raised him from the ground and encouraged him by gracious words. + +So soon as he recovered his self-possession he made such an address +as he had occasion to make more than once in his life, and showed the +eloquence which is possible to a man of affairs. He could well boast of +his loyalty to the Spanish crown; and he might well say that, whether +he were or were not experienced in government, he had been surrounded by +such difficulties in administration as hardly any other man had had to +go through. But really, it was hardly necessary that he should vindicate +himself. + +The stupidity of his enemies, had injured their cause more than any +carelessness of Columbus could have done. The sovereigns expressed their +indignation at Bobadilla’s proceedings, and, indeed, declared at once +that he should be dismissed from command. They never took any public +notice of the charges which he had sent home; on the other hand, they +received Columbus with dignity and favor, and assured him that he should +be reinstated in all his privileges. + +The time at which he arrived was, in a certain sense, favorable for +his future plans, so far as he had formed any. On the other hand, the +condition of affairs was wholly changed from what it was when he began +his great discoveries, and the changes were in some degree unfavorable. +Vasco da Gama had succeeded in the great enterprise by which he had +doubled the Cape of Good Hope, had arrived at the Indies by the route of +the Indian ocean, and his squadron had successfully returned. + +This great adventure, with the commercial and other results which +would certainly follow it, had quickened the mind of all Europe, as the +discovery by Columbus had quickened it eight years before. So far, any +plan for the discoveries over which Columbus was always brooding, would +be favorably received. But, on the other hand, in eight years since the +first voyage, a large body of skillful adventurers had entered upon the +career which then no one chose to share with him. The Pinzon brothers +were among these; Ojeda, already known to the reader, was another; and +Vespucci, as the reader knows, an intelligent and wise student, had +engaged himself in such discoveries. + +The rumors of the voyages of the Cabots, much farther north than those +made by Columbus, had gone through all Europe. In a word, Columbus was +now only one of several skilful pilots and voyagers, and his plans +were to be considered side by side with those which were coming forward +almost every day, for new discoveries, either by the eastern route, +of which Vasco da Gama had shown the practicability, or by the western +route, which Columbus himself had first essayed. + +It is to be remembered, as well, that Columbus was now an old man, and, +whatever were his successes as a discoverer, he had not succeeded as a +commander. There might have been reasons for his failure; but failure +is failure, and men do not accord to an unsuccessful leader the +honors which they are ready to give to a successful discoverer. When, +therefore, he offered his new plans at court, he should have been well +aware that they could not be received, as if he were the only one who +could make suggestions. Probably he was aware of this. He was also +obliged, whether he would or would not, to give up the idea that he was +to be the commander of the regions which he discovered. + +It had been easy enough to grant him this command before there was so +much as an inch of land known, over which it would make him the master. +But now that it was known that large islands, and probably a part of the +continent of Asia, were to be submitted to his sway if he had it, there +was every reason why the sovereigns should be unwilling to maintain for +him the broad rights which they had been willing to give when a scratch +of the pen was all that was needful to give them. + +Bobadilla was recalled; so far well. But neither Ferdinand nor Isabella +chose to place Columbus again in his command. They did choose Don Nicola +Ovando, a younger man, to take the place of Bobadilla, to send him home, +and to take the charge of the colony. + +From the colony itself, the worst accounts were received. If Columbus +and his brother had failed, Bobadilla had failed more disgracefully. +Indeed, he had begun by the policy of King Log, as an improvement on the +policy of King Stork. He had favored all rebels, he had pardoned them, +he had even paid them for the time which they had spent in rebellion; +and the natural result was utter disorder and license. + +It does not appear that he was a bad man; he was a man wholly unused to +command; he was an imprudent man, and was weak. He had compromised the +crown by the easy terms on which he had rented and sold estates; he had +been obliged, in order to maintain the revenue, to work the natives with +more severity than ever. He knew very well that the system, under which +he was working could not last long. One of his maxims was, “Do the best +with your time,” and he was constantly sacrificing future advantages for +such present results as he could achieve. + +The Indians, who had been treated badly enough before, were worse +treated now. And during his short administration, if it may be called +an administration,--during the time when he was nominally at the head +of affairs--he was reducing the island to lower and lower depths. He +did succeed in obtaining a large product of gold, but the abuses of his +government were not atoned for by such remittances. Worst of all, the +wrongs of the natives touched the sensitiveness of Isabella, and she was +eager that his successor should be appointed, and should sail, to put an +end to these calamities. + +The preparations which were made for Ovando’s expedition, for the +recall of Bobadilla, and for a reform, if it were possible, in the +administration of the colony, all set back any preparations for a new +expedition of discovery on the part of Columbus. He was not forgotten; +his accounts were to be examined and any deficiencies made up to him; he +was to receive the arrears of his revenue; he was permitted to have +an agent who should see that he received his share in future. To this +agency he appointed Alonzo Sanchez de Carvajal, and the sovereigns gave +orders that this agent should be treated with respect. + +Other preparations were made, so that Ovando might arrive with a strong +reinforcement for the colony. He sailed with thirty ships, the size of +these vessels ranging from one hundred and fifty Spanish toneles to one +bark of twenty-five. It will be remembered that the Spanish tonele is +larger by about ten per cent than our English ton. Twenty-five hundred +persons embarked as colonists in the vessels, and, for the first time, +men took their families with them. + +Everything was done to give dignity to the appointment of Ovando, and +it was hoped that by sending out families of respectable character, +who were to be distributed in four towns, there might be a better +basis given to the settlement. This measure had been insisted upon by +Columbus. + +This fleet put to sea on the thirteenth of February, 1502. It met, at +the very outset, a terrible storm, and one hundred and twenty of the +passengers were lost by the foundering of a ship. The impression was at +first given in Spain that the whole fleet had been lost; but this proved +to be a mistake. The others assembled at the Canaries, and arrived in +San Domingo on the fifteenth of April. + +Columbus himself never lost confidence in his own star. He was sure that +he was divinely sent, and that his mission was to open the way to the +Indies, for the religious advancement of mankind. If Vasco de Gama had +discovered a shorter way than men knew before, Christopher Columbus +should discover one shorter still, and this discovery should tend to the +glory of God. It seemed to him that the simplest way in which he could +make men understand this, was to show that the Holy Sepulchre might, now +and thus, be recovered from the infidel. + +Far from urging geographical curiosity as an object, he proposed rather +the recovery of the Holy Sepulchre. That is, there was to be a new and +last crusade, and the money for this enterprise was to be furnished from +the gold of the farthest East. He was close at the door of this farthest +East; and as has been said, he believed that Cuba was the Ophir of +Solomon, and he supposed, that a very little farther voyaging would open +all the treasures which Marco Polo had described, and would bring the +territory, which had made the Great Khan so rich, into the possession of +the king of Spain. + +He showed to Ferdinand and Isabella that, if they would once more let +him go forward, on the adventure which had been checked untimely by the +cruelty of Bobadilla, this time they would have wealth which would place +them at the head of the Christian sovereigns of the world. + +While he was inactive at Seville, and the great squadron was being +prepared which Ovando was to command, he wrote what is known as the +“Book of Prophecies,” in which he attempted to convince the Catholic +kings of the necessity of carrying forward the enterprise which he +proposed. He urged haste, because he believed the world was only to last +a hundred and fifty-five years longer; and, with so much before them to +be done, it was necessary that they should begin. + +He remembered an old vow that he had undertaken, that, within seven +years of the time of his discovery, he would furnish fifty thousand +foot soldiers and five thousand horsemen for the recovery of the Holy +Sepulchre. He now arranged in order prophecies from the Holy Scripture, +passages from the writings of the Fathers, and whatever else suggested +itself, mystical and hopeful, as to the success of an enterprise by +which the new world could be used for the conversion of the Gentiles and +for the improvement of the Christianity of the old world. + +He had the assistance of a Carthusian monk, who seems to have been +skilled in literary work, and the two arranged these passages in order, +illustrated them with poetry, and collected them into a manuscript +volume which was sent to the sovereigns. + +Columbus accompanied the Book of Prophecies with one of his own long +letters, written with the utmost fervor. In this letter he begins, as +Peter the Hermit might do, by urging the sovereigns to set on foot a +crusade. If they are tempted to consider his advice extravagant, he asks +them how his first scheme of discovery was treated. He shows that, as +heaven had chosen him to discover the new world, heaven has also chosen +him to discover the Holy Sepulchre. God himself had opened his eyes that +he might make the great discovery, which has reflected such honor upon +them and theirs. + +“If his hopes had been answered,” says a Catholic writer, “the modern +question of holy places, which is the Gordian knot of the religious +politics of the future, would have been solved long ago by the gold of +the new world, or would have been cut by the sword of its discoverer. +We should not have seen nations which are separated from the Roman +communion, both Protestant and Pantheistic governments, coming +audaciously into contest for privileges, which, by the rights of old +possession, by the rights of martyrdom and chivalry, belong to the Holy +Catholic Church, the Apostolic Church, the Roman Church, and after her +to France, her oldest daughter.” + +Columbus now supposed that the share of the western wealth which would +belong to him would be sufficient for him to equip and arm a hundred +thousand infantry and ten thousand horsemen. + +At the moment when the Christian hero made this pious calculation he +had not enough of this revenue with which “to buy a cloak,” This is the +remark of the enthusiastic biographer from whom we have already quoted. + +It is not literally true, but it is true that Columbus was living in the +most modest way at the time when he was pressing his ambitious schemes +upon the court. At the same time, he wrote a poem with which he +undertook to press the same great enterprise upon his readers. It was +called “The End of Man,” “Memorare novissima tua, et non peccabis in +eternum.” + +In his letter to the king and queen he says, “Animated as by a heavenly +fire, I came to your Highnesses; all who heard of my enterprise mocked +it; all the sciences I had acquired profited me as nothing; seven years +did I pass in your royal court, disputing the case with persons of great +authority and learned in all the arts, and in the end they decided that +all was vain. In your Highnesses alone remained faith and constancy. Who +will doubt that this light was from the Holy Scriptures, illumining you, +as well as myself, with rays of marvellous brightness.” + +It is probable that the king and queen were, to a certain extent, +influenced by his enthusiasm. It is certain that they knew that +something was due to their reputation and to his success. By whatever +motive led, they encouraged him with hopes that he might be sent forward +again, this time, not as commander of a colony, but as a discoverer. +Discovery was indeed the business which he understood, and to which +alone he should ever have been commissioned. + +It is to be remembered that the language of crusaders was not then +a matter of antiquity, and was not used as if it alluded to bygone +affairs. It was but a few years since the Saracens had been driven out +of Spain, and all men regarded them as being the enemies of Christianity +and of Europe, who could not be neglected. More than this, Spain was +beginning to receive very large and important revenues from the islands. + +It is said that the annual revenues from Hispaniola already amounted to +twelve millions of our dollars. It was not unnatural that the king and +queen, willing to throw off the disgrace which they had incurred from +Bobadilla’s cruelty, should not only send Ovando to replace him, but +should, though in an humble fashion, give to Columbus an opportunity to +show that his plans were not chimerical. + + + +CHAPTER XII. -- FOURTH VOYAGE. + +THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN FOR THE VOYAGE--HE IS TO GO TO THE MAINLAND OF +THE INDIES--A SHORT PASSAGE--OVANDO FORBIDS THE ENTRANCE OF COLUMBUS +INTO HARBOR--BOBADILLA’S SQUADRON AND ITS FATE--COLUMBUS SAILS +WESTWARD--DISCOVERS HONDURAS, AND COASTS ALONG ITS SHORES--THE +SEARCH FOR GOLD--COLONY ATTEMPTED AND ABANDONED--THE VESSELS +BECOME UNSEAWORTHY--REFUGE AT JAMAICA--MUTINY LED BY THE +BROTHERS PORRAS--MESSAGES TO SAN DOMINGO--THE ECLIPSE--ARRIVAL OF +RELIEF--COLUMBUS RETURNS TO SAN DOMINGO, AND TO SPAIN. + +It seems a pity now that, after his third voyage, Columbus did not +remain in Spain and enjoy, as an old man could, the honors which he had +earned and the respect which now waited upon him. Had this been so, the +world would have been spared the mortification which attends the thought +that the old man to whom it owes so much suffered almost everything in +one last effort, failed in that effort, and died with the mortification +of failure. But it is to be remembered that Columbus was not a man to +cultivate the love of leisure. He had no love of leisure to cultivate. +His life had been an active one. He had attempted the solution of a +certain problem which he had not solved, and every day of leisure, even +every occasion of effort and every word of flattery, must have quickened +in him new wishes to take the prize which seemed so near, and to achieve +the possibility which had thus far eluded him. + +From time to time, therefore, he had addressed new memorials to the +sovereigns proposing a new expedition; and at last, by an instruction +which is dated on the fourteenth of March, in the year 1502, a fourth +voyage was set on foot at the charge of the king and queen,--an +instruction not to stop at Hispaniola, but, for the saving of time, to +pass by that island. This is a graceful way of intimating to him that +he is not to mix himself up with the rights and wrongs of the new +settlement. + +The letter goes on to say, that the sovereigns have communicated with +the King of Portugal, and that they have explained to him that Columbus +is pressing his discoveries at the west and will not interfere with +those of the Portuguese in the east. He is instructed to regard the +Portuguese explorers as his friends, and to make no quarrel with them. +He is instructed to take with him his sons, Fernando and Diego. This is +probably at his request. + +The prime object of the instruction is still to strike the mainland of +the Indies. All the instructions are, “You will make a direct voyage, +if the weather does not prevent you, for discovering the islands and the +mainland of the Indies in that part which belongs to us.” He is to take +possession of these islands and of this mainland, and to inform the +sovereigns in regard to his discoveries, and the experience of former +voyages has taught them that great care must be taken to avoid private +speculation in “gold, silver, pearls, precious stones, spices and other +things of different quality.” For this purpose special instructions are +given. + +Of this voyage we have Columbus’s own official account. + +There were four vessels, three of which were rated as caravels. The +fourth was very small. The chief vessel was commanded by Diego Tristan; +the second, the Santiago, by Francisco de Porras; the third, the +Viscaina (Biscayan), by Bartholomew de Fiesco; and the little Gallician +by Pedro de Torreros. None of these vessels, as the reader will see, was +ever to return to Spain. From de Porras and his brother, Columbus and +the expedition were to receive disastrous blows. + +It must be observed that he is once more in his proper position of a +discoverer. He has no government or other charge of colonies entrusted +to him. His brother Bartholomew and his youngest son Fernando, sail with +him. + +The little squadron sailed from the bay of Cadiz on the eleventh of +May, 1502. They touched at Sicilla,--a little port on the coast of +Morocco,--to relieve its people, a Portuguese garrison, who had been +besieged by the Moors. But finding them out of danger, Columbus went at +once to the Grand Canary island, and had a favorable passage. + +From the Grand Canary to the island which he calls “the first island of +the Indies,” and which he named Martinino, his voyage was only seventeen +days long. This island was either the St. Lucia or the Martinique of +today. Hence he passed to Dominica, and thence crossed to San Domingo, +to make repairs, as he said. For, as has been said, he had been +especially ordered not to interfere in the affairs of the settlement. + +He did not disobey his orders. He says distinctly that he intended +to pass along the southern shore of San Domingo, and thence take a +departure for the continent. But he says, that his principal vessel +sailed very ill--could not carry much canvas, and delayed the rest of +the squadron. This weakness must have increased after the voyage across +the ocean. For this reason he hoped to exchange it for another ship at +San Domingo. + +But he did not enter the harbor. He sent a letter to Ovando, now the +governor, and asked his permission. He added, to the request he made, +a statement that a tempest was at hand which he did not like to meet in +the offing. Ovando, however, refused any permission to enter. He was, in +fact, just dispatching a fleet to Spain, with Bobadilla, Columbus’s old +enemy, whom Ovando had replaced in his turn. + +Columbus, in an eager wish to be of use, by a returning messenger begged +Ovando to delay this fleet till the gale had passed. But the seamen +ridiculed him and his gale, and begged Ovando to send the fleet home. + +He did so. Bobadilla and his fleet put to sea. In ten days a West India +hurricane struck them. The ship on which Columbus’s enemies, Bobadilla +and Roldan, sailed, was sunk with them and the gold accumulated for +years. Of the whole fleet, only one vessel, called the weakest of all, +reached Spain. This ship carried four thousand pieces of gold, which +were the property of the Admiral. Columbus’s own little squadron, +meanwhile--thanks probably to the seamanship of himself and his +brother--weathered the storm, and he found refuge in the harbor which +he had himself named “the beautiful,” El Hermoso, in the western part of +San Domingo. + +Another storm delayed him at a port which he called Port Brasil. The +word Brasil was the name which the Spaniards gave to the red log-wood, +so valuable in dyeing, and various places received that name, where this +wood was found. The name is derived from “Brasas,”--coals,--in allusion, +probably, to the bright red color of the dye. + +Sailing from this place, on Saturday, the sixteenth of June, they made +sight of the island of Jamaica, but he pressed on without making any +examination of the country, for four days sailing west and south-west. +He then changed his course, and sailed for two days to the northwest and +again two days to the north. + +On Sunday, the twenty fourth of July, they saw land. This was the key +now known as Cuyago, and they were at last close upon the mainland. +After exploring this island they sailed again on Wednesday, the +twenty-seventh, southwest and quarter southwest about ninety miles, and +again they saw land, which is supposed to be the island of Guanaja or +Bonacca, near the coast of Honduras. + +The Indians on this island had some gold and some pearls. They had seen +whites before. Columbus calls them men of good stature. Sailing from +this island, he struck the mainland near Truxillo, about ten leagues +from the island of Guanaja. He soon found the harbor, which we still +know as the harbor of Truxillo, and from this point Columbus began a +careful investigation of the coast. + +He observed, what all navigators have since observed, the lack of +harbors. He passed along as far as the river now known as the Tinto, +where he took possession in the name of the sovereigns, calling this +river the River of Possession. He found the natives savage, and the +country of little account for his purposes. Still passing southward, he +passed what we call the Mosquito Coast, to which he found the natives +gave the name of Cariay. + +These people were well disposed and willing to treat with them. They +had some cotton, they had some gold. They wore very little clothing, +and they painted their bodies, as most of the natives of the islands had +done. He saw what he thought to be pigs and large mountain cats. + +Still passing southward, running into such bays or other harbors as they +found, he entered the “Admiral’s Bay,” in a country which had the name +of Cerabaro, or Zerabora. Here an Indian brought a plate of gold and +some other pieces of gold, and Columbus was, encouraged in his hopes of +finding more. + +The natives told him that if he would keep on he would find another +bay which they called Arburarno, which is supposed to be the Laguna +Chiriqui. They said the people, of that country, lived in the mountains. +Here Columbus noticed the fact,--one which has given to philologists one +of their central difficulties for four hundred years since,--that as he +passed from one point to another of the American shores, the Indians did +not understand each other’s language. “Every ten or twenty leagues +they did not understand each other.” In entering the river Veragua, the +Indians appeared armed with lances and arrows, some of them having gold +also. Here, also, the people did not live upon the shore, but two or +three leagues back in the interior, and they only came to the sea by +their canoes upon the rivers. + +The next province was then called Cobraba, but Columbus made no landing +for want of a proper harbor. All his courses since he struck the +continent had been in a southeasterly direction. That an expedition +for westward discovery should be sailing eastward, seemed in itself a +contradiction. What irritated the crews still more was, that the wind +seemed always against them. + +From the second to the ninth of November, 1502, the little fleet lay +at anchor in the spacious harbor, which he called Puerto Bello, “the +beautiful harbor.” It is still known by that name. A considerable +Spanish city grew up there, which became well known to the world in the +last century by the attack upon it by the English in the years 1739 and +1742. + +The formation of the coast compelled them to pass eastward as they went +on. But the currents of the Gulf flow in the opposite direction. Here +there were steady winds from the east and the northeast. The ships +were pierced by the teredo, which eats through thick timbers, and is so +destructive that the seamen of later times have learned to sheath the +hulls of their vessels with copper. + +The seamen thought that they were under the malign influence of +some adverse spell. And after a month Columbus gave way to their +remonstrances, and abandoned his search for a channel to India. He was +the more ready to do this because he was satisfied that the land by +which he lay was connected with the coast which other Spaniards had +already discovered. He therefore sailed westward again, retracing his +course to explore the gold mines of Veragua. + +But the winds could change as quickly as his purposes, and now for +nearly a fortnight they had to fight a tropical tempest. At one moment +they met with a water-spout, which seemed to advance to them directly. +The sailors, despairing of human help, shouted passages from St. John, +and to their efficacy ascribed their escape. It was not until the +seventeenth that they found themselves safely in harbor. He gave to the +whole coast the name of “the coast of contrasts,” to preserve the memory +of his disappointments. + +The natives proved friendly, as he had found them before; but they told +him that he would find no more gold upon the coast; that the mines were +in the country of the Veragua. It was, on the tenth day of January that, +after some delay, Columbus entered again the river of that name. + +The people told him where he should find the mines, and were all ready +to send guides with his own people to point them out. He gave to this +river, the name of the River of Belen, and to the port in which he +anchored he gave the name of Santa Maria de Belen, or Bethlehem. + +His men discovered the mines, so called, at a distance of eight leagues +from the port. The country between was difficult, being mountainous and +crossed by many streams. They were obliged to pass the river of Veragua +thirty-nine times. The Indians themselves were dexterous in taking out +gold. Columbus added to their number seventy-five men. + +In one day’s work, they obtained “two or three castellianos” without +much difficulty. A castelliano was a gold coin of the time, and the +meaning of the text is probably that each man obtained this amount. It +was one of the “placers,” such as have since proved so productive in +different parts of the world. + +Columbus satisfied himself that there was a much larger population +inland. He learned from the Indians that the cacique, as he always calls +the chief of these tribes, was a most important monarch in that region. +His houses were larger than others, built handsomely of wood, covered +with palm leaves. + +The product of all the gold collected thus far is stated precisely in +the official register. There were two hundred and twenty pieces of +gold, large and small. Altogether they weighed seventy-two ounces, +seven-eighths of an ounce and one grain. Besides these were twelve +pieces, great and small, of an inferior grade of gold, which weighed +fourteen ounces, three-eighths of an ounce, and six tomienes, a tomiene +weighing one-third part of our drachm. In round numbers then, we will +say that the result in gold of this cruising would be now worth $1,500. + +Columbus collected gold in this way, to make his expedition popular at +home, and he had, indeed, mortgaged the voyage, so to speak, by pledging +the pecuniary results, as a fund to bear the expense of a new crusade. +But, for himself, the prime desire was always discovery. + +Eventually the Spaniards spent two months in that region, pressing their +explorations in search of gold. And so promising did the tokens seem to +him, that he determined to leave his brother, to secure the country and +work the mines, while he should return to Spain, with the gold he had +collected, and obtain reinforcements and supplies. But all these fond +hopes were disappointed. + +The natives, under a leader named Quibian, rallied in large numbers, +probably intending to drive the colonists away. It was only by the +boldest measures that their plans were met. When Columbus supposed that +he had suppressed their enterprise, he took leave of his brother, as he +had intended, leaving him but one of the four vessels. + +Fortunately, as it proved, the wind did not serve. He sent back a boat +to communicate with the settlement, but it fell into the hands of the +savages. Doubtful as to the issue, a seaman, named Ledesma, volunteered +to swim through the surf, and communicate with the settlement. The brave +fellow succeeded. By passing through the surf again, he brought back the +news that the little colony was closely besieged by the savages. + +It seemed clear that the settlement must be abandoned, that Columbus’s +brother and his people must be taken back to Spain. This course was +adopted. With infinite difficulty, the guns and stores which had been +left with the colony were embarked on the vessels of the Admiral. The +caravel which had been left for the colony could not be taken from the +river. She was completely dismantled, and was left as the only memorial +of this unfortunate colony. + +At Puerto Bello he was obliged to leave another vessel, for she had been +riddled by the teredo. The two which he had were in wretched condition. +“They were as full of holes as a honey-comb.” On the southern coast of +Cuba, Columbus was obliged to supply them with cassava bread. The leaks +increased. The ships’ pumps were insufficient, and the men bailed out +the water with buckets and kettles. On the twentieth of June, they were +thankful to put into a harbor, called Puerto Bueno, on the coast of +Jamaica, where, as it proved, they eventually left their worthless +vessels, and where they were in exile from the world of civilization for +twelve months. + +Nothing in history is more pathetic than the memory that such a waste of +a year, in the closing life of such a man as Columbus, should have +been permitted by the jealousy, the cruelty, or the selfish ambition of +inferior men. + +He was not far from the colony at San Domingo. As the reader will +see, he was able to send a message to his countrymen there. But those +countrymen left him to take his chances against a strong tribe of +savages. Indeed, they would not have been sorry to know that he was +dead. + +At first, however, he and his men welcomed the refuge of the harbor. It +was the port which he had called Santa Gloria, on his first visit there. +He was at once surrounded by Indians, ready to barter with them and +bring them provisions. The poor Spaniards were hungry enough to be glad +of this relief. + +Mendez, a spirited sailor, had the oversight of this trade, and in one +negotiation, at some distance from the vessels, he bought a good canoe +of a friendly chief. For this he gave a brass basin, one of his two +shirts, and a short jacket. On this canoe turned their after fortunes. +Columbus refitted her, put on a false keel, furnished her with a mast +and sail. + +With six Indians, whom the chief had lent him, Diego Mendez, accompanied +by only one Spanish companion, set sail in this little craft for San +Domingo. Columbus sent by them a letter to the sovereigns, which gives +the account of the voyage which the reader has been following. + +When Mendez was a hundred miles advanced on his journey, he met a band +of hostile savages. They had affected friendship until they had the +adventurers in their power, when they seized them all. But while the +savages were quarreling about the spoils, Mendez succeeded in escaping +to his canoe, and returned alone to his master after fifteen days. + +It was determined that the voyage should be renewed. But this time, +another canoe was sent with that under the command of Mendez. He sailed +again, storing his boats with cassava bread and calabashes of water. +Bartholomew Columbus, with his armed band, marched along the coast, as +the two canoes sailed along the shore. + +Waiting then for a clear day, Mendez struck northward, on the passage, +which was long for such frail craft, to San Domingo. It was eight months +before Columbus heard of them. Of those eight months, the history is +of dismal waiting, mutiny and civil war. It is pathetic, indeed, that +a little body of men, who had been, once and again, saved from death +in the most remarkable way, could not live on a fertile island, in a +beautiful climate, without quarrelling with each other. + +Two officers of Columbus, Porras and his brother, led the sedition. They +told the rest of the crew that the Admiral’s hope of relief from Mendez +was a mere delusion. They said that he was an exile from Spain, and that +he did not dare return to Hispaniola. In such ways they sought to rouse +his people against him and his brother. As for Columbus, he was sick on +board his vessel, while the two brothers Porras were working against him +among his men. + +On the second of January, 1504, Francesco de Porras broke into the +cabin. He complained bitterly that they were kept to die in that +desolate place, and accused the Admiral as if it were his fault. He +told Columbus, that they had determined to go back to Spain; and then, +lifting his voice, he shouted, “I am for Castile; who will follow me?” + The mutinous crew instantly replied that they would do so. Voices were +heard which threatened Columbus’s life. + +His brother, the Adelantado, persuaded Columbus to retire from the crowd +and himself assumed the whole weight of the assault. The loyal part +of the crew, however, persuaded him to put down his weapon, and on the +other hand, entreated Porras and his companions to depart. It was clear +enough that they had the power, and they tried to carry out their plans. + +They embarked in ten canoes, and thus the Admiral was abandoned by +forty-eight of his men. They followed, to the eastward, the route which +Mendez had taken. In their lawless way they robbed the Indians of their +provisions and of anything else that they needed. As Mendez had done, +they waited at the eastern extremity of Jamaica for calm weather. They +knew they could not manage the canoes, and they had several Indians to +help them. + +When the sea was smooth they started; but they had hardly gone four +leagues from the land, when the waves began to rise under a contrary +wind. Immediately they turned for shore, the canoes were overfreighted, +and as the sea rose, frequently shipped water. + +The frightened Spaniards threw overboard everything they could spare, +retaining their arms only, and a part of their provisions. They even +compelled the Indians to leap into the sea to lighten the boats, but, +though they were skillful swimmers, they could not pretend to make land +by swimming. They kept to the canoes, therefore, and would occasionally +seize them to recover breath. The cruel Spaniards cut off their hands +and stabbed them with their swords. Thus eighteen of their Indian +comrades died, and they had none left, but such as were of most help in +managing the canoes. Once on land, they doubted whether to make another +effort or to return to Columbus. + +Eventually they waited a month, for another opportunity to go to +Hispaniola; but this failed as before, and losing all patience, they +returned westward, to the commander whom they had insulted, living on +the island “by fair means or foul,” according as they found the natives +friendly or unfriendly. + +Columbus, meanwhile, with his half the crew, was waiting. He had +established as good order as he could between his men and the natives, +but he was obliged to keep a strict watch over such European food as he +still had, knowing how necessary it was for the sick men in his number. +On the other hand, the Indians, wholly unused to regular work, found it +difficult to supply the food which so many men demanded. + +The supplies fell off from day to day; the natives no longer pressed +down to the harbor; the trinkets, with which food had been bought, had +lost their charm; the Spaniards began to fear that they should starve on +the shore of an island which, when Columbus discovered it, appeared to +be the abode of plenty. It was at this juncture, when the natives were +becoming more and more unfriendly, that Columbus justified himself +by the tyrant’s plea of necessity, and made use of his astronomical +science, to obtain a supernatural power over his unfriendly allies. + +He sent his interpreter to summon the principal caciques to a +conference. For this conference he appointed a day when he knew that a +total eclipse of the moon would take place. The chiefs met as they were +requested. He told them that he and his followers worshipped a God +who lived in the heavens; that that God favored such as did well, but +punished all who displeased him. + +He asked them to remember how this God had protected Mendez and his +companions in their voyage, because they went obedient to the orders +which had been given them by their chief. He asked them to remember that +the same God had punished Porras and his companions with all sorts of +affliction, because they were rebels. He said that now this great God +was angry with the Indians, because they refused to furnish food to his +faithful worshippers; that he proposed to chastise them with famine and +pestilence. + +He said that, lest they should disbelieve the warning which he gave, +a sign would be given, in the heavens that night, of the anger of the +great God. They would see that the moon would change its color and would +lose its light. They might take this as a token of the punishment which +awaited them. + +The Indians had not that confidence in Columbus which they once had. +Some derided what he said, some were alarmed, all waited with anxiety +and curiosity. When the night came they saw a dark shadow begin to steal +over the moon. As the eclipse went forward, their fears increased. At +last the mysterious darkness covered the face of the sky and of the +world, when they knew that they had a right to expect the glory of the +full moon. + +There were then no bounds to their terror. They, seized on all +the provisions that they had, they rushed to the ships, they threw +themselves at the feet of Columbus and begged him to intercede with his +God, to withhold the calamity which he had threatened. Columbus would +not receive them; he shut himself up in his cabin and remained there +while the eclipse increased, hearing from within, as the narrator says, +the howls and prayers of the savages. + +It was not until he knew the eclipse was about to diminish, that he +condescended to come forth, and told them that he had interceded with +God, who would pardon them if they would fulfil their promises. In token +of pardon, the darkness would be withdrawn from the moon. + +The Indians saw the fulfilment of the promise, as they had seen the +fulfilment of the threat. The moon reappeared in its brilliancy. They +thanked the Admiral eagerly for his intercession, and repaired to their +homes. From this time forward, having proved that he knew on earth what +was passing in the heavens, they propitiated him with their gifts. The +supplies came in regularly, and from this time there was no longer any +want of provisions. + +But no tales of eclipses would keep the Spaniards quiet. Another +conspiracy was formed, as the eight remaining months of exile passed by, +among the survivors. They meant to seize the remaining canoes, and +with them make their way to Hispaniola. But, at the very point of the +outbreak of the new mutiny, a sail was seen standing toward the harbor. + +The Spaniards could see that the vessel was small. She kept the offing, +but sent a boat on shore. As the boat drew near, those who waited +so eagerly recognized Escobar, who had been condemned to death, in +Isabella, when Columbus was in administration, and was pardoned by his +successor Bobadilla. To see this man approaching for their relief was +not hopeful, though he were called a Christian, and was a countryman of +their own. + +Escobar drew up to the ships, on which the Spaniards still lived, and +gave them a letter from Ovando, the new governor of Hispaniola, with +some bacon and a barrel of wine, which were sent as presents to the +Admiral. He told Columbus, in a private interview, that the governor had +sent him to express his concern at his misfortune, and his regret that +he had not a vessel of sufficient size to bring off all the people, +but that he would send one as soon as possible. He assured him that his +concerns in Hispaniola were attended to faithfully in his absence; he +asked him to write to the governor in reply, as he wished to return at +once. + +This was but scant comfort for men who had been eight months waiting to +be relieved. But Escobar was master of the position. Columbus wrote +a reply at once to Ovando, pointed out that the difficulties of his +situation had been increased by the rebellion of the brothers Porras. +He, however, expressed his reliance on his promise, and said he would +remain patiently on his ships until relief came. Escobar took the +letter, returned to his vessel, and she made sail at once, leaving the +starving Spaniards in dismay, to the same fate which hung over them +before. + +Columbus tried to reassure them. He professed himself satisfied with the +communications from Ovando, and told them that vessels large enough for +them would soon arrive. He said that they could see that he believed +this, because he had not himself taken passage with Escobar, preferring +to share their lot with them. He had sent back the little vessel at +once, so that no time might be lost in sending the necessary ships. + +With these assurances he cheered their hearts. In truth, however, he was +very indignant at Ovando’s cool behavior. That he should have left them +for months in danger and uncertainty, with a mere tantalizing message +and a scanty present of food--all this naturally made the great leader +indignant. He believed that Ovando hoped that he might perish on the +island. + +He supposed that Ovando thought that this would be favorable for his own +political prospects, and he believed that Escobar was sent merely as a +spy. This same impression is given by Las Casas, the historian, who was +then at San Domingo. He says that Escobar was chosen simply because of +his enmity to Columbus, and that he was ordered not to land, nor to +hold conversation with any of the crew, nor to receive letters from any +except the Admiral. + +After Escobar’s departure, Columbus sent an embassy on shore to +communicate with the rebel party, who were living on the island. He +offered to them free pardon, kind treatment, and a passage with him in +the ships which he expected from Ovando, and, as a token of good will, +he sent them a part of the bacon which Escobar had brought them. + +Francesco de Porras met these ambassadors, and replied that they had no +wish to return to the ships, but preferred living at large. They offered +to engage that they would be peaceable, if the Admiral would promise +them solemnly, that, in case two vessels arrived, they should have one +to depart in; that if only one vessel arrived they should have half +of it, and that the Admiral would now share with them the stores and +articles of traffic, which he had left in the ship. But these demands +Columbus refused to accept. + +Porras had spoken for the rebels, but they were not so well satisfied +with the answer. The incident gave occasion for what was almost an +outbreak among them. Porras attempted to hold them in hand, by assuring +them that there had been no real arrival of Escobar. He told them that +there had been no vessel in port; that what had been seen was a mere +phantasm conjured up by Columbus, who was deeply versed in necromancy. + +He reminded them that the vessel arrived just in the edge of the +evening; that it communicated with Columbus only, and then disappeared +in the night. Had it been a real vessel would he not have embarked, with +his brother and his son? Was it not clear that it was only a phantom, +which appeared for a moment and then vanished? + +Not satisfied, however, with his control over his men, he marched them +to a point near the ships, hoping to plunder the stores and to take the +Admiral prisoner. Columbus, however, had notice of the approach of this +marauding party, and his brother and fifty followers, of whose loyalty +he was sure, armed themselves and marched to meet them. The Adelantado +again sent ambassadors, the same whom he had sent before with the +offer of pardon, but Porras and his companions would not permit them to +approach. + +They determined to offer battle to the fifty loyal men, thinking to +attack and kill the Adelantado himself. They rushed upon him and his +party, but at the first shock four or five of them were killed. + +The Adelantado, with his own hand, killed Sanchez, one of the most +powerful men among the rebels. Porras attacked him in turn, and with +his sword cut his buckler and wounded his hand. The sword, however, +was wedged in the shield, and before Porras could withdraw it, the +Adelantado closed upon him and made him prisoner. When the rebels saw +this result of the conflict, they fled in confusion. + +The Indians, meanwhile, amazed at this conflict among men who had +descended from heaven, gazed with wonder at the battle. When it was +over, they approached the field, and looked with amazement on the +dead bodies of the beings whom they had thought immortal. It is said, +however, that at the mere sound of a groan from one of the wounded they +fled in dismay. + +The Adelantado returned in triumph to the ships. He brought with him +his prisoners. Only two of his party had been wounded, himself and his +steward. The next day the remaining fugitives sent in a petition to the +Admiral, confessing their misdeeds and asking for pardon. + +He saw that their union was broken; he granted their prayer, on the +single condition that Francesco de Porras should remain a prisoner. He +did not receive them on board the ships, but put them under the command +of a loyal officer, to whom he gave a sufficient number of articles for +trade, to purchase food of the natives. + +This battle, for it was such, was the last critical incident in the long +exile of the Spaniards, for, after a year of hope and fear, two vessels +were seen standing into the harbor. One of them was a ship equipped, +at Columbus’s own expense, by the faithful Mendez; the other had been +fitted out afterwards by Ovando, but had sailed in company with the +first vessel of relief. + +It would seem that the little public of Isabella had been made indignant +by Ovando’s neglect, and that he had been compelled, by public opinion +to send another vessel as a companion to that sent by Mendez. Mendez +himself, having seen the ships depart, went to Spain in the interest of +the Admiral. + +With the arrival at Puerto Bueno, in Jamaica, of the two relief vessels, +Columbus’s chief sufferings and anxiety were over. The responsibility, +at least, was in other hands. But the passage to San Domingo consumed +six tedious weeks. When he arrived, however, it was to meet one of his +triumphs. He could hardly have expected it. + +But his sufferings, and the sense of wrong that he had suffered, had, in +truth, awakened the regard of the people of the colony. Ovando took him +as a guest to his house. The people received him with distinction. + +He found little to gratify him, however. Ovando, had ruled the poor +natives with a rod of iron, and they were wretched. Columbus’s own +affairs had been neglected, and he could gain no relief from the +governor. He spent only a month on the island, trying, as best he could, +to bring some order into the administration of his own property; and +then, on the twelfth of September, 1504, sailed for Spain. + +Scarcely had the ship left harbor when she was dismasted in a squall. He +was obliged to cross to another ship, under command of his brother, +the Adelantado. She also was unfortunate. Her mainmast was sprung in a +storm, and she could not go on until the mast was shortened. + +In another gale the foremast was sprung, and it was only on the seventh +of November that the shattered and storm-pursued vessel arrived at San +Lucar. Columbus himself had been suffering, through the voyage, from +gout and his other maladies. The voyage was, indeed, a harsh experience +for a sick man, almost seventy years old. + +He went at once to Seville, to find such rest as he might, for body and +mind. + + + +CHAPTER XIII. -- TWO SAD YEARS + +--ISABELLA’S DEATH--COLUMBUS AT SEVILLE--HIS ILLNESS--LETTERS TO +THE KING--JOURNEYS TO SEGOVIA, SALAMANCA, AND VALLADOLID--HIS SUIT +THERE--PHILIP AND JUANA--COLUMBUS EXECUTES HIS WILL--DIES--HIS BURIAL +AND THE REMOVAL OF HIS BODY--HIS PORTRAITS--HIS CHARACTER. + +Columbus had been absent from Spain two years and six months. He +returned broken in health, and the remaining two years of his life are +only the sad history of his effort to relieve his name from dishonor and +to leave to his sons a fair opportunity to carry forward his work in the +world. + +Isabella, alas, died on the twenty-sixth day of November, only a short +time after his arrival. Ferdinand, at the least, was cold and hard +toward him, and Ferdinand was now engaged in many affairs other than +those of discovery. He was satisfied that Columbus did not know how to +bring gold home from the colonies, and the promises of the last voyage, +that they should strike the East, had not been fulfilled. + +Isabella had testified her kindly memory of Columbus, even while he was +in exile at Jamaica, by making him one of the body-guard of her oldest +son, an honorary appointment which carried with it a handsome annual +salary. After the return to Spain of Diego Mendez, the loyal friend who +had cared for his interests so well in San Domingo, she had raised him +to noble rank. + +It is clear, therefore, that among her last thoughts came in the wish +to do justice to him whom she had served so well. She had well done her +duty which had been given her to do. She had never forgotten the new +world to which it was her good fortune to send the discoverer, and in +her death that discoverer lost his best friend. + +On his arrival in Seville, where one might say he had a right to rest +himself and do nothing else, Columbus engaged at once in efforts to see +that the seamen who had accompanied him in this last adventure should be +properly paid. Many of these men had been disloyal to him and unfaithful +to their sovereign, but Columbus, with his own magnanimity, represented +eagerly at court that they had endured great peril, that they brought +great news, and that the king ought to repay them all that they had +earned. + +He says, in a letter to his son written at this period, “I have not +a roof over my head in Castile. I have no place to eat nor to sleep +excepting a tavern, and there I am often too poor to pay my scot.” This +passage has been quoted as if he were living as a beggar at this time, +and the world has been asked to believe that a man who had a tenth +of the revenue of the Indies due to him in some fashion, was actually +living from hand to mouth from day to day. But this is a mere absurdity +of exaggeration. + +Undoubtedly, he was frequently pressed for ready money. He says to his +son, in another letter, “I only live by borrowing.” Still he had good +credit with the Genoese bankers established in Andalusia. In writing to +his son he begs him to economize, but at the same time he acknowledges +the receipt of bills of exchange and considerable sums of money. + +In the month of December, there is a single transaction in Hispaniola +which amounts to five thousand dollars of our money. We must not, +therefore, take literally his statement that he was too poor to pay +for a night’s lodging. On the other hand, it is observed in the +correspondence that, on the fifteenth of April, 1505, the king ordered +that everything which belonged to Columbus on account of his ten per +cent should be carried to the royal treasury as a security for certain +debts contracted by the Admiral. + +The king had also given an order to the royal agent in Hispaniola that +everything which he owned there should be sold. All these details have +been carefully brought together by Mr. Harrisse, who says truly that we +cannot understand the last order. + +When at last the official proceedings relating to the affairs in Jamaica +arrived in Europe, Columbus made an effort to go to court. A litter was +provided for him, and all the preparations for his journey made. But he +was obliged once more by his weakness to give up this plan, and he could +only write letters pressing his claim. Of such letters the misfortune +is, that the longer they are, and the more of the detail they give, the +less likely are they to be read. Columbus could only write at night; in +the daytime he could not use his hands. + +He took care to show Ferdinand that his interests had not been properly +attended to in the islands. He said that Ovando had been careless as +to the king’s service, and he was not unwilling to let it be understood +that his own administration had been based on a more intelligent policy +than that of either of the men who followed him. + +But he was now an old man. He was unable to go to court in person. He +had not succeeded in that which he had sailed for--a strait opening to +the Southern Sea. He had discovered new gold mines on the continent, +but he had brought home but little treasure. His answers from the court +seemed to him formal and unsatisfactory. At court, the stories of +the Porras brothers were told on the one side, while Diego Mendez and +Carvajal represented Columbus. + +In this period of the fading life of Columbus, we have eleven letters +addressed by him to his son. These show that he was in Seville as late +as February, 1505. From the authority of Las Casas, we know that he left +that part of Spain to go to Segovia in the next May, and from that place +he followed the court to Salamanca and Valladolid, although he was so +weak and ill. + +He was received, as he had always been, with professions of kindness; +but nothing followed important enough to show that there was anything +genuine in this cordiality. After a few days Columbus begged that some +action might be taken to indemnify him for his losses, and to confirm +the promises which had been made to him before. The king replied that he +was willing to refer all points which had been discussed between them to +an arbitration. Columbus assented, and proposed the Archbishop Diego de +Deza as an arbiter. + +The reader must remember that it was he who had assisted Columbus in +early days when the inquiry was made at Salamanca. The king assented +to the arbitration, but proposed that it should include questions +which Columbus would not consider as doubtful. One of these was his +restoration to his office of viceroy. + +Now on the subject of his dignities Columbus was tenacious. He regarded +everything else as unimportant in comparison. He would not admit that +there was any question that he was the viceroy of the Indies, and all +this discussion ended in the postponement of all consideration of his +claims till, after his death, it was too late for them to be considered. + +All the documents, when read with the interest which we take in his +character and fortunes, are indeed pathetic; but they did not seem so to +the king, if indeed they ever met his eye. + +In despair of obtaining justice for himself, Columbus asked that his son +Diego might be sent to Hispaniola in his place. The king would promise +nothing, but seems to have attempted to make Columbus exchange the +privileges which he enjoyed by the royal promise for a seignory in a +little town in the kingdom of Leon, which is named not improperly “The +Counts’ Carrion.” + +It is interesting to see that one of the persons whom he employed, in +pressing his claim at the court and in the management of his affairs, +was Vespucci, the Florentine merchant, who in early life had been known +as Alberigo, but had now taken the name of Americo. + +The king was still engaged in the affairs of the islands. He appointed +bishops to take charge of the churches in the colonies, but Columbus +was not so much as consulted as to the persons who should be sent. When +Philip arrived from Flanders, with his wife Juana, who was the heir of +Isabella’s fortunes and crown, Columbus wished to pay his court to them, +but was too weak to do so in person. + +There is a manly letter, written with dignity and pathos, in which +he presses his claims upon them. He commissioned his brother, the +Adelantado, to take this letter, and with it he went to wait upon the +young couple. They received him most cordially, and gave flattering +hopes that they would attend favorably to the suit. But this was too +late for Columbus himself. Immediately after he had sent his brother +away, his illness increased in violence. + +The time for petitions and for answers to petitions had come to an end. +His health failed steadily, and in the month of May he knew that he was +approaching his death. The king and the court had gone to Villafranca de +Valcacar. + +On the nineteenth of May Columbus executed his will, which had been +prepared at Segovia a year before. In this will he directs his son and +his successors, acting as administrators, always to maintain “in the +city of Genoa, some person of our line, who shall have a house and +a wife in that place, who shall receive a sufficient income to live +honorably, as being one of our relatives, having foot and root in the +said city, as a native; since he will be able to receive from this city +aid in favor of the things of his service; because from that city I came +forth and in that city I was born.” This clause became the subject of +much litigation as the century went on. + +Another clause which was much contested was his direction to his son +Diego to take care of Beatriz Enriquez, the mother of Fernando. Diego +is instructed to provide for her an honorable subsistence “as being a +person to whom I have great obligation. What I do in this matter is to +relieve my conscience, for this weighs much upon my mind. The reason of +this cannot be written here.” + +The history of the litigation which followed upon this will and upon +other documents which bear upon the fortunes of Columbus is curious, +but scarcely interesting. The present representative of Columbus is Don +Cristobal Colon de la Cerda, Duke of Veragua and of La Vega, a grandee +of Spain of the first class, Marquis of Jamaica, Admiral and Seneschal +Major of the Indies, who lives at Madrid. + +Two days after the authentication of the will he died, on the twenty +first of May, 1506, which was the day of Ascension. His last words were +those of his Saviour, expressed in the language of the Latin Testament, +“In manus tuas, Pater, commendo spiritum meum,”--“Father, into thy hands +I commend my spirit.” The absence of the court from Valladolid took with +it, perhaps, the historians and annalists. For this or for some other +reason, there is no mention whatever of Columbus’s funeral in any of the +documents of the time. + +The body was laid in the convent of San Francisco at Valladolid. Such +at least is the supposition of Navarrete, who has collected the original +documents relating to Columbus. He supposes that the funeral services +were conducted in the church of the parish of Santa Maria de la Antigua. +From the church of Saint Francis, not many months after, the body was +removed to Seville. A new chapel had lately been built there, called +Santa Maria de las Cuevas. In this chapel was the body of Columbus +entombed. In a curious discussion of the subject, which has occupied +much more space than it is worth, it is supposed that this was in the +year 1513, but Mr. Harrisse has proved that this date is not accurate. + +For at least twenty-eight years, the body was permitted to remain under +the vaults of this chapel. Then a petition was sent to Charles V, for +leave to carry the coffin and the body to San Domingo, that it might be +buried in the larger chapel of the cathedral of that city. To this the +emperor consented, in a decree signed June 2, 1537. It is not known +how soon the removal to San Domingo was really made, but it took place +before many years. + +Mr. Harrisse quotes from a manuscript authority to show, that when +William Penn besieged the city of San Domingo in 1655, all the bodies +buried under the cathedral were withdrawn from view, lest the heretics +should profane them, and that “the old Admiral’s” body was treated like +the rest. + +Mr. Harrisse calls to mind the fact that the earthquake of the +nineteenth of May, 1673, demolished the cathedral in part, and the +tombs which it contained. He says, “the ruin of the colony, the climate, +weather, and carelessness all contributed to the loss from sight and +the forgetfulness of the bones of Columbus, mingled with the dust of his +descendants”; and Mr. Harrisse does not believe that any vestige of them +was ever found afterwards, in San Domingo or anywhere else. This remark, +from the person who has given such large attention to the subject, is +interesting. For it is generally stated and believed that the bones were +afterwards removed to Havana in the island of Cuba. The opinion of Mr. +Harrisse, as it has been quoted, is entitled to very great respect and +authority. + +A very curious question has arisen in later times as to the actual place +where the remains now are. On this question there is great discussion +among historians, and many reports, official and unofficial, have been +published with regard to it. + +In the year 1867, the proposal was made to the Holy Father at Rome, that +Columbus should receive the honors known in the Roman Catholic Church +as the honors of beatification. In 1877, De Lorgues, the enthusiastic +biographer of Columbus, represents that the inquiry had gone so far that +these honors had been determined on. One who reads his book would be led +to suppose that Columbus had already been recognized as on the way to be +made a saint of the Church. But, in truth, though some such inquiry was +set on foot, he never received the formal honors of beatification. + +***** + +We have one account by a contemporary of the appearance of Columbus.(*) +We are told that he was a “robust man, quite tall, of florid complexion, +with a long face.” + + (*) In the first Decade of Peter Martyr. + +In the next generation, Oviedo says Columbus was “of good aspect, and +above the middle stature. His limbs were strong, his eyes quick, and all +the parts of his body well proportioned. His hair was decidedly reddish, +and the complexion of his face quite florid and marked with spots of +red.” + +Bishop Las Casas knew the admiral personally, and describes him in these +terms: “He was above the middle stature, his face was long and striking, +his nose was aquiline, his eyes clear blue, his complexion light, +tending towards a distinct florid expression, his beard and hair blonde +in his youth, but they were blanched at an early age by care.” + +Las Casas says in another place, “he was rude in bearing, and careless as +to his language. He was, however, gracious when he chose to be, but he +was angry when he was annoyed.” + +Mr. Harrisse, who has collected these particulars from the different +writers, says that this physical type may be frequently met now in the +city and neighborhood of Genoa. He adds, “as for the portraits, whether +painted, engraved, or in sculpture, which appear in collections, in +private places, or as prints, there is not one which is authentic. They +are all purely imaginary.” + +For the purpose of the illustration of this volume, we have used that +which is best known, and for many reasons most interesting. It is +preserved in the city of Florence, but neither the name of the artist +nor the date of the picture is known. It is generally spoken of as the +“Florentine portrait.” The engraving follows an excellent copy, made +by the order of Thomas Jefferson, and now in the possession of the +Massachusetts Historical Society. We are indebted to the government of +this society for permission to use it.(*) + + (*) The whole subject of the portraits of Columbus is + carefully discussed in a learned paper presented to the + Wisconsin Historical Society by Dr. James Davie Butler, and + published in the Collections of that Society, Vol. IX, pp. + 79-96. + +A picture ascribed to Titian, and engraved and circulated by the +geographer, Jomard, resembles closely the portraits of Philip III. The +costume is one which Columbus never wore. + +In his youth Columbus was affiliated with a religious brotherhood, that +of Saint Catherine, in Genoa. In after times, on many occasions when it +would have been supposed that he would be richly clothed, he appeared +in a grave dress which recalled the recollections of the frock of the +religious order of Saint Francis. According to Diego Columbus, he +died, “dressed in the frock of this order, to which he had always been +attached.” + +***** + +The reader who has carefully followed the fortunes of the great +discoverer understands from the history the character of the man. He +would not have succeeded in his long suit at the court of Ferdinand and +Isabella, had he not been a person of single purpose and iron will. + +From the moment when he was in command of the first expedition, that +expedition went prosperously to its great success, in precisely the way +which he had foreseen and determined. True, he did not discover Asia, as +he had hoped, but this was because America was in the way. He showed in +that voyage all the attributes of a great discoverer; he deserved the +honors which were paid to him on his return. + +As has been said, however, this does not mean that he was a great +organizer of cities, or that he was the right person to put in charge of +a newly founded colony. It has happened more than once in the history +of nations that a great general, who can conquer armies and can obtain +peace, has not succeeded in establishing a colony or in governing a +city. + +On the other hand, it is fair to say that Columbus never had a chance to +show what he would have been in the direction of his colonies had they +been really left in his charge. This is true, that his heart was always +on discovery; all the time that he spent in the wretched detail of the +arrangement of a new-built town was time which really seemed to him +wasted. + +The great problem was always before him, how he should connect his +discoveries with the knowledge which Europe had before of the coast of +Asia. Always it seemed to him that the dominions of the Great Khan were +within his reach. Always he was eager for that happy moment when he +should find himself in personal communication with that great monarch, +who had been so long the monarch of the East--who, as he thought, would +prove to be the monarch of the West. + +Columbus died with the idea that he had come close to Asia. Even +a generation after his death, the companions of Cortes gave to the +peninsula of California that name because it was the name given in +romance to the farthest island of the eastern Indies. + +Columbus met with many reverses, and died, one might almost say, a +broken-hearted man. But history has been just to him, and has placed +him in the foremost rank of the men who have set the world forward. And, +outside of the technical study of history, those who like to trace the +laws on which human progress advances have been proud and glad to see +that here is a noble example of the triumph of faith. + +The life of Columbus is an illustration constantly brought forward of +the success which God gives to those who, having conceived of a great +idea, bravely determine to carry it through. + +His singleness of purpose, his unselfishness, his determination to +succeed, have been cited for four centuries, and will be cited for +centuries more, among the noblest illustrations which history has given, +of success wrought out by the courage of one man. + + + +APPENDIX A. + +(The following passages, from Admiral Fox’s report, give his reasons +for believing that Samana, or Atwood’s Key, is the island where Columbus +first touched land. The interest which attaches to this subject at the +moment of the centennial, when many voyages will be made by persons +following Columbus, induces me to copy Admiral Fox’s reasonings in +detail. I believe his conclusion to be correct.) + +This method of applying Columbus’s words in detail to refute each of the +alleged tracks, and the study that I gave to the subject in the winter +of 1878-79 in the Bahamas, which has been familiar cruising ground to +me, has resulted in the selection of Samana or Atwood’s Key for the +first landing place. + +It is a little island 8.8 miles east and west; 1.6 extreme breadth, and +averaging 1.2 north and south. It has 8.6 square miles. The east end +is in latitude 23 degrees 5’ N.; longitude 73 degrees 37’ west of +Greenwich. The reef on which it lies is 15 by 2 1/2 miles. + +On the southeast this reef stretches half a mile from the land, on the +east four miles, on the west two, along the north shore one-quarter +to one-half mile, and on the southwest scarcely one-quarter. Turk is +smaller than Samana, and Cat very much larger. + +The selection of two so unlike in size show that dimension has not been +considered essential in choosing an island for the first landfall.(*) + + (*) I am indebted to T. J. McLain, Esq., United States + consul at Nassau, for the following information given to him + by the captains of this port, who visit Samana or Atwood’s + Key. The sub-sketch on this chart is substantially correct: + Good water is only obtained by sinking wells. The two keys + to the east are covered with guano; white boobies hold the + larger one, and black boobies the other; neither + intermingles. + +The island is now uninhabited, but arrow heads and stone hatchets are +sometimes found; and in places there are piles of stones supposed to +have been made by the aborigines. Most of the growth is scrubby, with a +few scattered trees. + +The Nassau vessels enter an opening through the reef on the south side +of the island and find a very comfortable little harbor with from two +to two and a half fathoms of water. From here they send their boats on +shore to “strip” guano, and cut satin, dye woods and bark. + + +When Columbus discovered Guanahani, the journal called it a “little +island.” After landing he speaks of it as “bien grande,” “very large,” + which some translate, tolerably, or pretty large. November 20, 1492 +(Navarette, first edition, p. 61), the journal refers to Isabella, +a larger island than Guanahani, as “little island,” and the fifth of +January following (p. 125) San Salvador is again called “little island.” + +The Bahamas have an area of about 37,000 square miles, six per cent of +which may be land, enumerated as 36 islands, 687 keys, and 2,414 rocks. +The submarine bank upon which these rest underlies Florida also. But +this peninsula is wave-formed upon living corals, whose growth and +gradual stretch toward the south has been made known by Agassiz. + +I had an unsuccessful search for a similar story of the Bahamas, to +learn whether there were any probable changes within so recent a period +as four hundred years. + +The common mind can see that all the rock there is coral, none of which +is in position. The surface, the caves, the chinks, and the numerous +pot-holes are compact limestone, often quite crystalline, while beneath +it is oolitic, either friable or hard enough to be used for buildings. +The hills are sand-blown, not upheaved. On a majority of the maps of the +sixteenth century there were islands on Mouchoir, and on Silver Banks, +where now are rocks “awash;” and the Dutch and the Severn Shoals, which +lay to the east, have disappeared. + +It is difficult to resist the impression that the shoal banks, and the +reefs of the Bahamas, were formerly covered with land; and that for a +geological age waste has been going on, and, perhaps, subsidence. The +coral polyp seems to be doing only desultory work, and that mostly on +the northeast or Atlantic side of the islands; everywhere else it has +abandoned the field to the erosive action of the waves. + +Columbus said that Guanahani had abundance of water and a very large +lagoon in the middle of it. He used the word laguna--lagoon, not +lago--lake. His arrival in the Bahamas was at the height of the rainy +season. Governor Rawson’s Report on the Bahamas, 1864, page 92, Appendix +4, gives the annual rainfall at Nassau for ten years, 1855--‘64, as +sixty-four inches. From May 1, to November 1 is the wet season, during +which 44.7 inches fall; the other six months 19.3 only. The most is in +October, 8.5 inches. + +Andros, the largest island, 1,600 square miles, is the only one that has +a stream of water. The subdivision of the land into so many islands +and keys, the absence of mountains, the showery characteristic of the +rainfall, the porosity of the rock, and the great heat reflected from +the white coral, are the chief causes for the want of running water. +During the rainy season the “abundance of water” collects in the low +places, making ponds and lagoons, that afterward are soaked up by the +rock and evaporated by the sun. + +Turk and Watling have lagoons of a more permanent condition, because +they are maintained from the ocean by permeation. The lagoon which +Columbus found at Guanahani had certainly undrinkable water, or he would +have gotten some for his vessels, instead of putting it off until he +reached the third island. + +There is nothing in the journal to indicate that the lagoon at Guanahani +was aught but the flooding of the low grounds by excessive rains; and +even if it was one communicating with the ocean, its absence now may be +referred to the effect of those agencies which are working incessantly +to reshape the soft structure of the Bahamas. + +Samana has a range of hills on the southwest side about one hundred feet +high, and on the northeast another, lower. Between them, and also along +the north shore, the land is low, and during the season of rains there +is a row of ponds parallel to the shore. On the south side a conspicuous +white bluff looks to the southward and eastward. + +The two keys, lying respectively half a mile and three miles east of the +island, and possibly the outer breaker, which is four miles, all might +have been connected with each other, and with the island, four hundred +years ago. In that event the most convenient place for Columbus to +anchor in the strong northeast trade-wind, was where I have put an +anchor on the sub-sketch of Samana. + +(In a subsequent passage Admiral Fox says:--) + +There is a common belief that the first landing place is settled by +one or another of the authors cited here. Nevertheless, I trust to have +shown, paragraph by paragraph, wherein their several tracks are +contrary to the journal, inconsistent with the true cartography of the +neighborhood, and to the discredit, measurably, both of Columbus and of +Las Casas. The obscurity and the carelessness which appear in part of +the diary through the Bahamas offer no obstacle to this demonstration, +provided that they do not extend to the “log,” or nautical part. + +Columbus went to sea when he was fourteen years of age, and served there +almost continuously for twenty-three years. The strain of a sea-faring +life, from so tender an age, is not conducive to literary exactness. +Still, for the very reason of this sea experience, the “log” should be +correct. + +This is composed of the courses steered, distances sailed over, bearings +of islands from one another, trend of shores, etc. The recording of +these is the daily business of seamen, and here the entries were by +Columbus himself, chiefly to enable him, on his return to Spain, to +construct that nautical map, which is promised in the prologue of the +first voyage. + +In crossing the Atlantic the Admiral understated to the crew each day’s +run, so that they should not know how far they had gone into an unknown +ocean. Las Casas was aware of this counterfeit “log,” but his abridgment +is from that one which Columbus kept for his own use. + +If the complicated courses and distances in this were originally wrong, +or if the copy of them is false, it is obvious that they cannot be +“plotted” upon a correct chart. Conversely, if they ARE made to conform +to a succession of islands among which he is known to have sailed, it +is evident that this is a genuine transcript of the authentic “log” of +Columbus, and, reciprocally, that we have the true track, the beginning +of which is the eventful landfall of October 12, 1492. + +The student or critical reader, and the seaman, will have to determine +whether the writer has established this conformity. The public, +probably, desires to have the question settled, but it will hardly take +any interest in a discussion that has no practical bearing, and which, +for its elucidation, leans so much upon the jargon or the sea. + +It is not flattering to the English or Spanish speaking peoples that the +four hundredth anniversary of this great event draws nigh, and is likely +to catch us still floundering, touching the first landing place. + + +SUMMARY. + +First. There is no objection to Samana in respect to size, position or +shape. That it is a little island, lying east and west, is in its favor. +The erosion at the east end, by which islets have been formed, recalls +the assertion of Columbus that there it could be cut off in two days and +made into an island. + +The Nassau vessels still find a snug anchorage here during the northeast +trades. These blew half a gale of wind at the time of the landfall; yet +Navarette, Varnhagen, and Captain Becher anchored the squadron on the +windward sides of the coral reefs of their respective islands, a “lee +shore.” + +The absence of permanent lagoons at Samana I have tried to explain. + +Second. The course from Samana to Crooked is to the southwest, which is +the direction that the Admiral said he should steer “tomorrow evening.” + The distance given by him corresponds with the chart. + +Third. The second island, Santa Maria, is described as having two sides +which made a right angle, and the length of each is given. This points +directly to Crooked and Acklin. Both form one island, so fitted to +the words of the journal as cannot be done with any other land of the +Bahamas. + +Fourth. The course and distance from Crooked to Long Island is that +which the Admiral gives from Santa Maria to Fernandina. + +Fifth. Long Island, the third, is accurately described. The trend of the +shores, “north-northwest and south-southeast;” the “marvelous port” and +the “coast which runs east (and) west,” can nowhere be found except at +the southeast part of Long Island. + +Sixth. The journal is obscure in regard to the fourth island. The best +way to find it is to “plot” the courses FORWARD from the third island +and the courses and distances BACKWARD from the fifth. These lead to +Fortune for the fourth. + +Seventh. The Ragged Islands are the fifth. These he named las islas de +Arena--Sand Islands. + +They lie west-southwest from the fourth, and this is the course the +Admiral adhered to. He did not “log” all the run made between these +islands; in consequence the “log” falls short of the true distance, as +it ought to. These “seven or eight islands, all extending from north to +south,” and having shoal water “six leagues to the south” of them, are +seen on the chart at a glance. + +Eighth. The course and distance from these to Port Padre, in Cuba, is +reasonable. The westerly current, the depth of water at the entrance of +Padre, and the general description, are free of difficulties. The true +distance is greater than the “logged,” because Columbus again omits part +of his run. It would be awkward if the true distances from the fourth to +the fifth islands, and from the latter to Padre, had fallen short of the +“log,” since it would make the unexplainable situation which occurs in +Irving’s course and distance from Mucaras Reef to Boca de Caravela. + +From end to end of the Samana track there are but three discrepancies. +At the third island, two leagues ought to be two miles. At the fourth +island twelve leagues ought to be twelve miles. The bearing between the +third and fourth islands is not quite as the chart has it, nor does it +agree with the courses he steered. These three are fairly explained, and +I think that no others can be mustered to disturb the concord between +this track and the journal. + +Rev. Mr. Cronan, in his recent voyage, discovered a cave at Watling’s +island, where were many skeletons of the natives. It is thought that a +study of the bones in these skeletons will give some new ethnological +information as to the race which Columbus found, which is now, thanks to +Spanish cruelty, entirely extinct. + + + +APPENDIX B. + +The letter to the Lady Juana, which gives Columbus’s own statement of +the indignities put upon him in San Domingo, is written in his most +crabbed Spanish. He never wrote the Spanish language accurately, and +the letter, as printed from his own manuscript, is even curious in its +infelicities. It is so striking an illustration of the character of the +man that we print here an abstract of it, with some passages translated +directly from his own language. + +Columbus writes, towards the end of the year 1500, to the former +nurse of Don Juan, an account of the treatment he has received. “If +my complaint of the world is new, its method of abuse is very old,” he +says. “God has made me a messenger of the new heaven and the new earth +which is spoken of in the Apocalypse by the mouth of St. John, after +having been spoken of by Isaiah, and he showed me the place where it +was.” Everybody was incredulous, but the queen alone gave the spirit +of intelligence and zeal to the undertaking. Then the people talked of +obstacles and expense. Columbus says “seven years passed in talk, and +nine in executing some noted acts which are worthy of remembrance,” but +he returned reviled by all. + +“If I had stolen the Indies and had given them to the Moors I could not +have had greater enmity shown to me in Spain.” Columbus would have liked +then to give up the business if he could have come before the queen. +However he persisted, and he says he “undertook a new voyage to the new +heaven and the new earth which before had been hidden, and if it is not +appreciated in Spain as much as the other countries of India it is not +surprising, because it is all owing to my industry.” He “had believed +that the voyage to Paria would reconcile all because of the pearls and +gold in the islands of Espanola.” He says, “I caused those of our people +whom I had left there to come together and fish for pearls, and arranged +that I should return and take from them what had been collected, as I +understood, in measure a fanega (about a bushel). If I have not written +this to their Highnesses it is because I wished also to have as much +of gold. But that fled before me, as all other things; I would not have +lost them and with them my honor, if I could have busied myself with my +own affairs. + +“When I went to San Domingo I found almost half of the colony uprising, +and they made war upon me as a Moor, and the Indians on the other side +were no less cruel. + +“Hojida came and he tried to make order, and he said that their +Highnesses had sent him with promises of gifts and grants and money. He +made up a large company, for in all Espanola there were few men who were +not vagabonds, and no one lived there who had wife or children.” Hojida +retired with threats. + +“Then Vincente Ganez came with four ships. There were outbreaks and +suspicions but no damage.” He reported that six other ships under a +brother of the Alcalde would arrive, and also the death of the queen, +but these were rumors without foundation. + +“Adrian (Mogica) attempted to go away as before, but our Lord did not +permit him to carry out his bad plan.” Here Columbus regrets that he was +obliged to use force or ill-treat Adrian, but says he would have done +the same had his brother wished to kill him or wrest from him the +government which the king and queen had given him to guard. + +“For six months I was ready to leave to take to their Highnesses the +good news of the gold and to stop governing a dissolute people who +feared neither king nor queen, full of meanness and malice. I would have +been able to pay all the people with six hundred thousand maravedis and +for that there were more than four millions of tithes without counting +the third part of the gold.” + +Columbus says that he begged before his departure that they would send +some one at his expense to take command, and yet again a subject with +letters, for he says bitterly that he has such a singular reputation +that if he “were building churches and hospitals they would say they +were cells for stolen goods.” + +Then Bobadilla came to Santo Domingo while Columbus was at La Vega and +the Adelantado at Jaragua. “The second day of his arrival he declared +himself governor, created magistrates, made offices, published grants +for gold and tithes, and everything else for a term of twenty years.” He +said he had come to pay the people, and declared he would send Columbus +home in irons. Columbus was away. Letters with favors were sent to +others, but none to him. Columbus resorted to methods to gain time so +that their Highnesses could understand the state of things. But he was +constantly maligned and persecuted by those who were jealous of him. He +says: + +“I think that you will remember that when the tempest threw me into the +port of Lisbon, after having lost my sails, I was accused of having the +intention to give India to that country. Afterwards their Highnesses +knew to the contrary. Although I know but little, I cannot conceive +that any one would suppose me so stupid as not to know that though +India might belong to me, yet I could not keep it without the help of a +prince.” + +Columbus complains that he has been judged as a governor who has been +sent to a peaceful, well-regulated province. He says, “I ought to be +judged as a captain sent from Spain to the Indies to conquer a warlike +people, whose custom and religion are all opposed to ours, where the +people live in the mountains without regular houses for themselves, and +where, by the will of God, I have placed under the rule of the king and +queen another world, and by which Spain, which calls itself poor, is +today the richest empire. I ought to be judged as a captain who for many +years bears arms incessantly. + +“I know well that the errors that I have committed have not been with +bad intentions, and I think that their Highnesses will believe what I +say; but I know and see that they use pity for those who work against +them.” + +“If, nevertheless, their Highnesses order that another shall judge me, +which I hope will not be, and this ought to be on an examination made +in India, I humbly beg of them to send there two conscientious and +respectable people, at my expense, which may know easily that one +finds five marcs of gold in four hours. However that may be, it is very +necessary that they should go there.” + + +APPENDIX C. + +It would have been so natural to give the name of Columbus to the new +world which he gave to Castile and Leon, that much wonder has been +expressed that America was not called Columbia, and many efforts have +been made to give to the continent this name. The District of Columbia +was so named at a time when American writers of poetry, were determined +that “Columbia” should be the name of the continent. The ship Columbia, +from which the great river of the West takes that name, had received +this name under the same circumstances about the same time. The city +of Columbia, which is the capital of South Carolina, was named with the +same wish to do justice to the great navigator. + +Side by side with the discussion as to the name, and sometimes making +a part of it, is the question whether Columbus himself was really the +first discoverer of the mainland. The reader has seen that he first saw +the mainland of South America in the beginning of August, 1498. It was +on the fifth, sixth or seventh day, according to Mr. Harrisse’s accurate +study of the letters. Was this the first discovery by a European of the +mainland? + +It is known that Ojeda, with whom the reader is familiar, also saw this +coast. With him, as passenger on his vessel, was Alberico Vespucci, and +at one time it was supposed that Vespucci had made some claim to be the +discoverer of the continent, on account of this voyage. But in truth +Ojeda himself says that before he sailed he had seen the map of the Gulf +of Paria which Columbus had sent home to the sovereigns after he made +that discovery. It also seems to be proved that Alberico Vespucci, as +he was then called, never made for himself any claim to the great +discovery. + +Another question, of a certain interest to people proud of English +maritime science, is the question whether the Cabots did not see the +mainland before Columbus. It is admitted on all hands that they did not +make their first voyage till they knew of Columbus’s first discoveries; +but it is supposed that in the first or second voyage of the Cabots, +they saw the mainland of North America. The dates of the Cabots’ voyages +are unfortunately badly entangled. One of them is as early as 1494, but +this is generally rejected. It is more probable that the king’s letters +patent, authorizing John Cabot and his three sons to go, with five +vessels, under the English flag, for the discovery of islands and +countries yet unknown, was dated the fifth of March, 1496. Whether, +however, they sailed in that year or in the next year is a question. The +first record of a discovery is in the account-book of the privy purse of +Henry VII, in the words, “August 10th, 1497. To him who discovered +the new island, ten pounds.” This is clearly not a claim on which the +discovery of the mainland can be based. + +A manuscript known as the Cotton Manuscript says that John Cabot had +sailed, but had not returned, at the moment when the manuscript was +written. This period was “the thirteenth year of Henry VII.” The +thirteenth year of Henry began on the twenty-second of August, 1497, +and ended in 1498. On the third of February, 1498, Henry VII granted +permission to Cabot to take six English ships “to the lands and islands +recently found by the said Cabot, in the name of the king and by his +orders.” Strictly speaking, this would mean that the mainland had then +been discovered; but it is impossible to establish the claim of England +on these terms. + +What is, however, more to the point, is a letter from Pasqualigo, a +Venetian merchant, who says, writing to Venice, on the twenty-third of +August, 1497, that Cabot had discovered the mainland at seven hundred +leagues to the west, and had sailed along it for a coast of three +hundred leagues. He says the voyage was three months in length. It was +made, then, between May and August, 1497. The evidence of this letter +seems to show that the mainland of North America was really first +discovered by Cabot. The discussion, however, does not in the least +detract from the merit due to Columbus for the great discovery. Whether +he saw an island or whether he saw the mainland, was a mere matter of +what has been called landfall by the seamen. It is admitted on all hands +that he was the leader in all these enterprises, and that it was on his +success in the first voyage that all such enterprises followed. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Life of Christopher Columbus from +his own Letters and Journals, by Edward Everett Hale + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE OF COLUMBUS *** + +***** This file should be named 1492-0.txt or 1492-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/4/9/1492/ + +Produced by Charles Keller and David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project +Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the Foundation” + or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears, or with which the phrase “Project +Gutenberg” is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase “Project Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +“Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, “Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.” + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +“Defects,” such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the “Right +of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you ‘AS-IS’ WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm’s +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation’s EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state’s laws. + +The Foundation’s principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation’s web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |