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diff --git a/old/cc08v10.txt b/old/cc08v10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e15c028 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/cc08v10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2346 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Christopher Columbus by Filson Young, v8 +#8 in our series by Filson Young + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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D.W.] + + + + + + CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS + AND THE NEW WORLD OF HIS DISCOVERY + + A NARRATIVE BY FILSON YOUNG + + + +BOOK 8. + + +CHAPTER VI + +RELIEF OF THE ADMIRAL + +There was no further difficulty about provisions, which were punctually +brought by the natives on the old terms; but the familiar, spirit of +sedition began to work again among the unhappy Spaniards, and once more a +mutiny, led this time by the apothecary Bernardo, took form--the +intention being to seize the remaining canoes and attempt to reach +Espanola. This was the point at which matters had arrived, in March +1504, when as the twilight was falling one evening a cry was raised that +there was a ship in sight; and presently a small caravel was seen +standing in towards the shore. All ideas of mutiny were forgotten, and +the crew assembled in joyful anticipation to await, as they thought, the +coming of their deliverers. The caravel came on with the evening breeze; +but while it was yet a long way off the shore it was seen to be lying to; +a boat was lowered and rowed towards the harbour. + +As the boat drew near Columbus could recognise in it Diego de Escobar, +whom he remembered having condemned to death for his share in the +rebellion of Roldan. He was not the man whom Columbus would have most +wished to see at that moment. The boat came alongside the hulks, and a +barrel of wine and a side of bacon, the sea-compliment customary on such +occasions, was handed up. Greatly to the Admiral's surprise, however, +Escobar did not come on board, but pushed his boat off and began to speak +to Columbus from a little distance. He told him that Ovando was greatly +distressed at the Admiral's misfortunes; that he had been much occupied +by wars in Espanola, and had not been able to send a message to him +before; that he greatly regretted he had no ship at present large enough +to bring off the Admiral and his people, but that he would send one as +soon as he had it. In the meantime the Admiral was to be assured that +all his affairs in Espanola were being attended to faithfully, and that +Escobar was instructed to bring back at once any letters which the +Admiral might wish to write. + +The coolness and unexpectedness of this message completely took away the +breath of the unhappy Spaniards, who doubtless stood looking in +bewilderment from Escobar to Columbus, unable to believe that the caravel +had not been sent for their relief. Columbus, however, with a self- +restraint which cannot be too highly praised, realised that Escobar meant +what he said, and that by protesting against his action or trying to +interfere with it he would only be putting himself in the wrong. He +therefore retired immediately to his cabin and wrote a letter to Ovando, +in which he drew a vivid picture of the distress of his people, reported +the rebellion of the Porras brothers, and reminded Ovando that he relied +upon the fulfilment of his promise to send relief. The letter was handed +over to Escobar, who rowed back with it to his caravel and immediately +sailed away with it into the night. + + +Before he could retire to commune with his own thoughts or to talk with +his faithful brother, Columbus had the painful duty of speaking to his +people, whose puzzled and disappointed faces must have cost him some +extra pangs. He told them that he was quite satisfied with the message +from Ovando, that it was a sign of kindness on his part thus to send them +news in advance that relief was coming, that their situation was now +known in San Domingo, and that vessels would soon be here to take them +away. He added that he himself was so sure of these things that he had +refused to go back with Escobar, but had preferred to remain with them +and share their lot until relief should come. This had the desired +effect of cheering the Spaniards; but it was far from representing the +real sentiments of Columbus on the subject. The fact that Escobar had +been chosen to convey this strange empty message of sympathy seemed to +him suspicious, and with his profound distrust of Ovando Columbus began +to wonder whether some further scheme might not be on foot to damage him +in the eyes of the Sovereigns. He was convinced that Ovando had meant to +let him starve on the island, and that the real purpose of Escobar's +visit had been to find out what condition the Admiral was in, so that +Ovando might know how to act. It is very hard to get at the truth of +what these two men thought of each other. They were both suspicious, +each was playing for his own hand, and Ovando was only a little more +unscrupulous than Columbus; but there can be no doubt that whatever his +motives may have been Ovando acted with abominable treachery and cruelty +in leaving the Admiral unrelieved for nearly nine months. + + +Columbus now tried to make use of the visit of Escobar to restore to +allegiance the band of rebels that were wandering about in the +neighbourhood under the leadership of the Porras brothers. Why he should +have wished to bring them back to the ships is not clear, for by all +accounts he was very well rid of them; but probably his pride as a +commander was hurt by the thought that half of his company had defied his +authority and were in a state of mutiny. At any rate he sent out an +ambassador to Porras, offering to receive the mutineers back without any +punishment, and to give them a free passage to Espanola in the vessels +which were shortly expected, if they would return to their allegiance +with him. + +The folly of this overture was made manifest by the treatment which it +received. It was bad enough to make advances to the Porras brothers, but +it was still worse to have those advances repulsed, and that is what +happened. The Porras brothers, being themselves incapable of any single- +mindedness, affected not to believe in the sincerity of the Admiral's +offer; they feared that he was laying some kind of trap for them; +moreover, they were doing very well in their lawless way, and living very +comfortably on the natives; so they told Columbus's ambassadors that his +offer was declined. At the same time they undertook to conduct +themselves in an amicable and orderly manner on condition that, when the +vessels arrived, one of them should be apportioned to the exclusive use +of the mutineers; and that in the meantime the Admiral should share with +them his store of provisions and trinkets, as theirs were exhausted. + +This was the impertinent decision of the Porras brothers; but it did not +quite commend itself to their followers, who were fearful of the possible +results if they should persist in their mutinous conduct. They were very +much afraid of being left behind in the island, and in any case, having +attempted and failed in the main object of their mutiny, they saw no +reason why they should refuse a free pardon. But the Porras brothers +lied busily. They said that the Admiral was merely laying a trap in +order to get them into his power, and that he would send them home to +Spain in chains; and they even went so far as to assure their fellow- +rebels that the story of a caravel having arrived was not really true; +but that Columbus, who was an adept in the arts of necromancy, had really +made his people believe that they had seen a caravel in the dusk; and +that if one had really arrived it would not have gone away so suddenly, +nor would the Admiral and his brother and son have failed to take their +passage in it. + +To consolidate the effect of these remarkable statements on the still +wavering mutineers, the Porras brothers decided to commit them to an open +act of violence which would successfully alienate them from the Admiral. +They formed them, therefore, into an armed expedition, with the idea of +seizing the stores remaining on the wreck and taking the Admiral +personally. Columbus fortunately got news of this, as he nearly always +did when there was treachery in the wind; and he sent Bartholomew to try +to persuade them once more to return to their duty--a vain and foolish +mission, the vanity and folly of which were fully apparent to +Bartholomew. He duly set out upon it; but instead of mild words he took +with him fifty armed men--the whole available able-bodied force, in fact- +and drew near to the position occupied by the rebels. + + +The exhortation of the Porras brothers had meanwhile produced its effect, +and it was decided that six of the strongest men among the mutineers +should make for Bartholomew himself and try to capture or kill him. The +fierce Adelantado, finding himself surrounded by six assailants, who +seemed to be directing their whole effort against his life, swung his +sword in a berserk rage and slashed about him, to such good purpose that +four or five of his assailants soon lay round him killed or wounded. At +this point Francisco de Porras rushed in and cleft the shield held by +Bartholomew, severely wounding the hand that held it; but the sword. +stuck in the shield, and while Porras was endeavouring to draw it out +Bartholomew and some others closed upon him, and after a sharp struggle +took him prisoner. The battle, which was a short one, had been meanwhile +raging fiercely among the rest of the forces; but when the mutineers saw +their leader taken prisoner, and many of their number lying dead or +wounded, they scattered and fled, but not before Bartholomew's force had +taken several prisoners. It was then found that, although the rebels had +suffered heavily, none of Bartholomew's men were killed, and only one +other besides himself was wounded. The next day the mutineers all came +in to surrender, submitting an abject oath of allegiance; and Columbus, +always strangely magnanimous to rebels and insurgents, pardoned them all +with the exception of Francisco de Porras, who, one is glad to know, was +confined in irons to be sent to Spain for trial. + + +This submission, which was due to the prompt action of Bartholomew rather +than to the somewhat feeble diplomacy of the Admiral, took place on March +20th, and proved somewhat embarrassing to Columbus. He could put no +faith in the oaths and protestations of the mutineers; and he was very +doubtful about the wisdom of establishing them once more on the wrecks +with the hitherto orderly remnant. He therefore divided them up into +several bands, and placing each under the command of an officer whom he +could trust, he supplied them with trinkets and despatched them to +different parts of the island, for the purpose of collecting provisions +and carrying on barter with the natives. By this means the last month or +two of this most trying and exciting sojourn on the island of Jamaica +were passed in some measure of peace; and towards the end of June it was +brought to an end by the arrival of two caravels. One of them was the +ship purchased by Diego Mendez out of the three which had arrived from +Spain; and the other had been despatched by Ovando in deference, it is +said, to public feeling in San Domingo, which had been so influenced by +Mendez's account of the Admiral's heroic adventures that Ovando dared not +neglect him any longer. Moreover, if it had ever been his hope that the +Admiral would perish on the island of Jamaica, that hope was now doomed +to frustration, and, as he was to be rescued in spite of all, Ovando no +doubt thought that he might as well, for the sake of appearances, have a +hand in the rescue. + +The two caravels, laden with what was worth saving from the two abandoned +hulks, and carrying what was left of the Admiral's company, sailed from +Jamaica on June 28, 1504. Columbus's joy, as we may imagine, was deep +and heartfelt. He said afterwards to Mendez that it was the happiest day +of his life, for that he had never hoped to leave the place alive. + +The mission of Mendez, then, had been successful, although he had had to +wait for eight months to fulfil it. He himself, in accordance with +Columbus's instructions, had gone to Spain in another caravel of the +fleet out of which he had purchased the relieving ship; and as he passes +out of our narrative we may now take our farewell of him. Among the many +men employed in the Admiral's service no figure stands out so brightly as +that of Diego Mendez; and his record, almost alone of those whose service +of the Admiral earned them office and distinction, is unblotted by any +stain of crime or treachery. He was as brave as a lion and as faithful +as a dog, and throughout his life remained true to his ideal of service +to the Admiral and his descendants. He was rewarded by King Ferdinand +for his distinguished services, and allowed to bear a canoe on his coat- +of-arms; he was with the Admiral at his death-bed at Valladolid, and when +he himself came to die thirty years afterwards in the same place he made +a will in which he incorporated a brief record of the events of the +adventurous voyage in which he had borne the principal part, and also +enshrined his devotion to the name and family of Columbus. His demands +for himself were very modest, although there is reason to fear that they +were never properly fulfilled. He was curiously anxious to be remembered +chiefly by his plucky canoe voyage; and in giving directions for his +tomb, and ordering that a stone should be placed over his remains, he +wrote: "In the centre of the said stone let a canoe be carved, which is a +piece of wood hollowed out in which the Indians navigate, because in such +a boat I navigated three hundred leagues, and let some letters be placed +above it saying: Canoa." The epitaph that he chose for himself was in +the following sense: + + Here lies the Honourable Gentleman + + DIEGO MENDEZ + + He greatly served the royal crown of Spain in + the discovery and conquest of the Indies with + the Admiral Don Christopher Columbus of + glorious memory who discovered them, and + afterwards by himself, with his own ships, + at his own expense. + He died, etc. + He begs from charity a PATERNOSTER + and an AVE MARIA. + + +Surely he deserves them, if ever an honourable gentleman did. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE HERITAGE OF HATRED + +Although the journey from Jamaica to Espanola had been accomplished in +four days by Mendez in his canoe, the caravels conveying the party +rescued from Puerto Santa Gloria were seven weary weeks on this short +voyage; a strong north-west wind combining with the west-going current to +make their progress to the north-west impossible for weeks at a time. It +was not until the 13th of August 1503 that they anchored in the harbour +of San Domingo, and Columbus once more set foot, after an absence of more +than two years, on the territory from the governorship of which he had +been deposed. + +He was well enough received by Ovando, who came down in state to meet +him, lodged him in his own house, and saw that he was treated with the +distinction suitable to his high station. The Spanish colony, moreover, +seemed to have made something of a hero of Columbus during his long +absence, and they received him with enthusiasm. But his satisfaction in +being in San Domingo ended with that. He was constantly made to feel +that it was Ovando and not he who was the ruler there;--and Ovando +emphasised the difference between them by numerous acts of highhanded +authority, some of them of a kind calculated to be extremely mortifying +to the Admiral. Among these things he insisted upon releasing Porras, +whom Columbus had confined in chains; and he talked of punishing those +faithful followers of Columbus who had taken part in the battle between +Bartholomew and the rebels, because in this fight some of the followers +of Porras had been killed. Acts like these produced weary bickerings and +arguments between Ovando and Columbus, unprofitable to them, unprofitable +to us. The Admiral seems now to have relapsed into a condition in which +he cared only for two things, his honours and his emoluments. Over every +authoritative act of Ovando's there was a weary squabble between him and +the Admiral, Ovando claiming his right of jurisdiction over the whole +territory of the New World, including Jamaica, and Columbus insisting +that by his commission and letters of authority he had been placed in +sole charge of the members of his own expedition. + +And then, as regards his emoluments, the Admiral considered himself (and +not without justice) to have been treated most unfairly. By the +extravagant terms of his original agreement he was, as we know, entitled +to a share of all rents and dues, as well as of the gold collected; but +it had been no one's business to collect these for him, and every one's +business to neglect them. No one had cared; no one had kept any accounts +of what was due to the Admiral; he could not find out what had been paid +and what had not been paid. He accused Ovando of having impeded his +agent Carvajal in his duty of collecting the Admiral's revenues, and of +disobeying the express orders of Queen Isabella in that matter; and so +on-a state of affairs the most wearisome, sordid, and unprofitable in +which any man could be involved. + +And if Columbus turned his eyes from the office in San Domingo inland to +that Paradise which he had entered twelve years before, what change and +ruin, dreary, horrible and complete, did he not discover! The birds +still sang, and the nights were still like May in Cordova; but upon that +happy harmony the sound of piteous cries and shrieks had long since +broken, and along and black December night of misery had spread its pall +over the island. Wherever he went, Columbus found the same evidence of +ruin and desolation. Where once innumerable handsome natives had +thronged the forests and the villages, there were now silence and smoking +ruin, and the few natives that he met were emaciated, terrified, dying. +Did he reflect, I wonder, that some part of the responsibility of all +this horror rested on him? That many a system of island government, the +machinery of which was now fed by a steady stream of human lives, had +been set going by him in ignorance, or greed of quick commercial returns? +It is probable that he did not; for he now permanently regarded himself +as a much-injured man, and was far too much occupied with his own wrongs +to realise that they were as nothing compared with the monstrous stream +of wrong and suffering that he had unwittingly sent flowing into the +world. + +In the island under Ovando's rule Columbus saw the logical results of his +own original principles of government, which had recognised the right of +the Christians to possess the persons and labours of the heathen natives. +Las Casas, who was living in Espanola as a young priest at this time, and +was destined by long residence there and in the West Indies to qualify +himself as their first historian, saw what Columbus saw, and saw also the +even worse things that happened in after years in Cuba and Jamaica; and +it is to him that we owe our knowledge of the condition of island affairs +at this time. The colonists whom Ovando had brought out had come very +much in the spirit that in our own day characterised the rush to the +north-western goldfields of America. They brought only the slightest +equipment, and were no sooner landed at San Domingo than they set out +into the island like so many picnic parties, being more careful to carry +vessels in which to bring back the gold they were to find than proper +provisions and equipment to support them in the labour of finding it. +The roads, says Las Casas, swarmed like ant-hills with these adventurers +rushing forth to the mines, which were about twenty-five miles distant +from San Domingo; they were in the highest spirits, and they made it a +kind of race as to who should get there first. They thought they had +nothing to do but to pick up shining lumps of gold; and when they found +that they had to dig and delve in the hard earth, and to dig +systematically and continuously, with a great deal of digging for very +little gold, their spirits fell. They were not used to dig; and it +happened that most of them began in an unprofitable spot, where they +digged for eight days without finding any gold. Their provisions were +soon exhausted; and in a week they were back again in San Domingo, tired, +famished, and bitterly disappointed. They had no genius for steady +labour; most of them were virtually without means; and although they +lived in San Domingo, on what they had as long as possible, they were +soon starving there, and selling the clothes off their backs to procure +food. Some of them took situations with the other settlers, more fell +victims to the climate of the island and their own imprudences and +distresses; and a thousand of them had died within two years. + +Ovando had revived the enthusiasm for mining by two enactments. He +reduced the share of discovered gold payable to the Crown, and he +developed Columbus's system of forced labour to such an extent that the +mines were entirely worked by it. To each Spaniard, whether mining or +farming, so many natives were allotted. It was not called slavery; the +natives were supposed to be paid a minute sum, and their employers were +also expected to teach them the Christian religion. That was the plan. +The way in which it worked was that, a body of native men being allotted +to a Spanish settler for a period, say, of six or eight months--for the +enactment was precise in putting a period to the term of slavery--the +natives would be marched off, probably many days' journey from their +homes and families, and set to work under a Spanish foreman. The work, +as we have already seen, was infinitely harder than that to which they +were accustomed; and most serious of all, it was done under conditions +that took all the heart out of the labour. A man will toil in his own +garden or in tilling his own land with interest and happiness, not +counting the hours which he spends there; knowing in fact that his work +is worth doing, because he is doing it for a good reason. But put the +same man to work in a gang merely for the aggrandisement of some other +over-man; and the heart and cheerfulness will soon die out of him. + +It was so with these children of the sun. They were put to work ten +times harder than any they had ever done before, and they were put to it +under the lash. The light diet of their habit had been sufficient to +support them in their former existence of happy idleness and dalliance, +and they had not wanted anything more than their cassava bread and a +little fish and fruit; now, however, they were put to work at a pressure +which made a very different kind of feeding necessary to them, and this +they did not get. Now and then a handful of pork would be divided among +a dozen of them, but they were literally starved, and were accustomed to +scramble like dogs for the bones that were thrown from the tables of the +Spaniards, which bones they ground up and mixed with their, bread so that +no portion of them might be lost. They died in numbers under these hard +conditions, and, compared with their lives, their deaths must often have +been happy. When the time came for them to go home they were generally +utterly worn out and crippled, and had to face a long journey of many +days with no food to support them but what they could get on the journey; +and the roads were strewn with the dead bodies of those who fell by the +way. + +And far worse things happened to them than labour and exhaustion. It +became the custom among the Spaniards to regard the lives of the natives +as of far less value than those of the dogs that were sometimes set upon +them in sport. A Spaniard riding along would make a wager with his +fellow that he would cut the head off a native with one stroke of his +sword; and many attempts would be laughingly made, and many living bodies +hideously mutilated and destroyed, before the feat would be accomplished. +Another sport was one similar to pigsticking as it is practised in India, +except that instead of pigs native women and children were stuck with the +lances. There was no kind of mutilation and monstrous cruelty that was +not practised. If there be any powers of hell, they stalked at large +through the forests and valleys of Espanola. Lust and bloody cruelty, of +a kind not merely indescribable but unrealisable by sane men and women, +drenched the once happy island with anguish and terror. And in payment +for it the Spaniards undertook to teach the heathen the Christian +religion. + + +The five chiefs who had ruled with justice and wisdom over the island of +Espanola in the early days of Columbus were all dead, wiped out by the +wave of wild death and cruelty that had swept over the island. The +gentle Guacanagari, when he saw the desolation that was beginning to +overwhelm human existence, had fled into the mountains, hiding his face +in shame from the sons of men, and had miserably died there. Caonabo, +Lord of the House of Gold, fiercest and bravest of them all, who first +realised that the Spaniards were enemies to the native peace, after +languishing in prison in the house of Columbus at Isabella for some time, +had died in captivity during the voyage to Spain. Anacaona his wife, the +Bloom of the Gold, that brave and beautiful woman, whose admiration of +the Spaniards had by their bloody cruelties been turned into detestation, +had been shamefully betrayed and ignominiously hanged. Behechio, her +brother, the only cacique who did not sue for peace after the first +conquest of the island by Christopher and Bartholomew Columbus, was dead +long ago of wounds and sorrow. Guarionex, the Lord of the Vega Real, who +had once been friendly enough, who had danced to the Spanish pipe and +learned the Paternoster and Ave Maria, and whose progress in conversion +to Christianity the seduction of his wives by those who were converting +him had interrupted, after wandering in the mountains of Ciguay had been +imprisoned in chains, and drowned in the hurricane of June 30, 1502. + +The fifth chief, Cotabanama, Lord of the province of Higua, made the last +stand against Ovando in defence of the native right to existence, and was +only defeated after severe battles and dreadful slaughters. His +territory was among the mountains, and his last insurrection was caused, +as so many others had been, by the intolerable conduct of the Spaniards +towards the wives and daughters of the Indians. Collecting all his +warriors, Cotabanama attacked the Spanish posts in his neighbourhood. +At every engagement his troops were defeated and dispersed, but only to +collect again, fight again with even greater fury, be defeated and +dispersed again, and rally again against the Spaniards. They literally +fought to the death. After every battle the Spaniards made a massacre of +all the natives they could find, old men, children, and pregnant women +being alike put to the sword or burned in their houses. When their +companions fell beside them, instead of being frightened they became more +furious; and when they were wounded they would pluck the arrows out of +their bodies and hurl them back at the Spaniards, falling dead in the +very act. After one such severe defeat and massacre the natives +scattered for many months, hiding among the mountains and trying to +collect and succour their decimated families; but the Spaniards, who with +their dogs grew skilful at tracking the Indians and found it pleasant +sport, came upon them in the places of refuge where little groups of them +were sheltering their women and children, and there slowly and cruelly +slaughtered them, often with the addition of tortures and torments in +order to induce them to reveal the whereabouts of other bands. When it +was possible the Spaniards sometimes hanged thirteen of them in a row in +commemoration of their Blessed Saviour and the Twelve Apostles; and while +they were hanging, and before they had quite died, they would hack at +them with their swords in order to test the edge of the steel. At the +last stand, when the fierceness and bitterness of the contest rose to a +height on both sides, Cotabanama was captured and a plan made to broil +him slowly to death; but for some reason this plan was not carried out, +and the brave chief was taken to San Domingo and publicly hanged like a +thief. + + +After that there was never any more resistance; it was simply a case of +extermination, which the Spaniards easily accomplished by cutting of the +heads of women as they passed by, and impaling infants and little +children on their lances as they rode through the villages. Thus, in the +twelve years since the discovery of Columbus, between half a million and +a million natives, perished; and as the Spanish colonisation spread +afterwards from island to island, and the banner of civilisation and +Christianity was borne farther abroad throughout the Indies, the same +hideous process was continued. In Cuba, in Jamaica, throughout the +Antilles, the cross and the sword, the whip-lash and the Gospel advanced +together; wherever the Host was consecrated, hideous cries of agony and +suffering broke forth; until happily, in the fulness of time, the dire +business was complete, and the whole of the people who had inhabited this +garden of the world were exterminated and their blood and race wiped from +the face of the earth . . . . Unless, indeed, blood and race and hatred +be imperishable things; unless the faithful Earth that bred and reared +the race still keeps in her soil, and in the waving branches of the trees +and the green grasses, the sacred essences of its blood and hatred; +unless in the full cycle of Time, when that suffering flesh and blood +shall have gone through all the changes of substance and condition, from +corruption and dust through flowers and grasses and trees and animals +back into the living body of mankind again, it shall one day rise up +terribly to avenge that horror of the past. Unless Earth and Time +remember, O Children of the Sun! for men have forgotten, and on the soil +of your Paradise the African negro, learned in the vices of Europe, +erects his monstrous effigy of civilisation and his grotesque mockery of +freedom; unless it be through his brutish body, into which the blood and +hatred with which the soil of Espanola was soaked have now passed, that +they shall dreadfully strike at the world again. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE ADMIRAL COMES HOME + +On September 12, 1504., Christopher Columbus did many things for the last +time. He who had so often occupied himself in ports and harbours with +the fitting out of ships and preparations for a voyage now completed at +San Domingo the simple preparations for the last voyage he was to take. +The ship he had come in from Jamaica had been refitted and placed under +the command of Bartholomew, and he had bought another small caravel in +which he and his son were to sail. For the last time he superintended +those details of fitting out and provisioning which were now so familiar +to him; for the last time he walked in the streets of San Domingo and +mingled with the direful activities of his colony; he looked his last +upon the place where the vital scenes of his life had been set, for the +last time weighed anchor, and took his last farewell of the seas and +islands of his discovery. A little steadfast looking, a little straining +of the eyes, a little heart-aching no doubt, and Espanola has sunk down +into the sea behind the white wake of the ships; and with its fading away +the span of active life allotted to this man shuts down, and his powerful +opportunities for good or evil are withdrawn. + +There was something great and heroic about the Admiral's last voyage. +Wind and sea rose up as though to make a last bitter attack upon the man +who had disclosed their mysteries and betrayed their secrets. He had +hardly cleared the island before the first gale came down upon him and +dismasted his ship, so that he was obliged to transfer himself and his +son to Bartholomew's caravel and send the disabled vessel back to +Espanola. The shouting sea, as though encouraged by this triumph, hurled +tempest after tempest upon the one lonely small ship that was staggering +on its way to Spain; and the duel between this great seaman and the vast +elemental power that he had so often outwitted began in earnest. One +little ship, one enfeebled man to be destroyed by the power of the sea: +that was the problem, and there were thousands of miles of sea-room, and +two months of time to solve it in! Tempest after tempest rose and drove +unceasingly against the ship. A mast was sprung and had to be cut away; +another, and the woodwork from the forecastles and high stern works had +to be stripped and lashed round the crazy mainmast to preserve it from +wholesale destruction. Another gale, and the mast had to be shortened, +for even reinforced as it was it would not bear the strain; and so +crippled, so buffeted, this very small ship leapt and staggered on her +way across the Atlantic, keeping her bowsprit pointed to that region of +the foamy emptiness where Spain was. + +The Admiral lay crippled in his cabin listening to the rush and bubble of +the water, feeling the blows and recoils of the unending battle, +hearkening anxiously to the straining of the timbers and the vessel's +agonised complainings under the pounding of the seas. We do not know +what his thoughts were; but we may guess that they looked backward rather +than forward, and that often they must have been prayers that the present +misery would come somehow or other to an end. Up on deck brother +Bartholomew, who has developed some grievous complaint of the jaws and +teeth--complaint not known to us more particularly, but dreadful enough +from that description--does his duty also, with that heroic manfulness +that has marked his whole career; and somewhere in the ship young +Ferdinand is sheltering from the sprays and breaking seas, finding his +world of adventure grown somewhat gloomy and sordid of late, and feeling +that he has now had his fill of the sea . . . . Shut your eyes and +let the illusions of time and place fade from you; be with them for a +moment on this last voyage; hear that eternal foaming and crashing of +great waves, the shrieking of wind in cordage, the cracking and slatting +of the sails, the mad lashing of loose ropes; the painful swinging, and +climbing up and diving down, and sinking and staggering and helpless +strivings of the small ship in the waste of water. The sea is as empty +as chaos, nothing for days and weeks but that infinite tumbling surface +and heaven of grey storm-clouds; a world of salt surges encircled by +horizons of dim foam. Time and place are nothing; the agony and pain of +such moments are eternal. + +But the two brothers, grim and gigantic in their sea power, subtle as the +wind itself in their sea wit, win the battle. Over the thousands of +miles of angry surges they urge that small ship towards calm and safety; +until one day the sea begins to abate a little, and through the spray and +tumult of waters the dim loom of land is seen. The sea falls back +disappointed and finally conquered by Christopher Columbus, whose ship, +battered, crippled, and strained, comes back out of the wilderness of +waters and glides quietly into the smooth harbour of San Lucar, November +7, 1504. There were no guns or bells to greet the Admiral; his only +salute was in the thunder of the conquered seas; and he was carried +ashore to San Lucar, and thence to Seville, a sick and broken man. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE LAST DAYS + +Columbus, for whom rest and quiet were the first essentials, remained in +Seville from November 1504 to May 1505, when he joined the Court at +Segovia and afterwards at Salamanca and Valladolid, where he remained +till his death in May 1506. During this last period, when all other +activities were practically impossible to him, he fell into a state of +letter-writing--for the most part long, wearisome complainings and +explainings in which he poured out a copious flood of tears and self-pity +for the loss of his gold. + +It has generally been claimed that Columbus was in bitter penury and want +of money, but a close examination of the letters and other documents +relating to this time show that in his last days he was not poor in any +true sense of the word. He was probably a hundred times richer than any +of his ancestors had ever been; he had, money to give and money to spend; +the banks honoured his drafts; his credit was apparently indisputable. +But compared with the fabulous wealth to which he would by this time have +been entitled if his original agreement with the Crown of Spain had been +faithfully carried out he was no doubt poor. There is no evidence that +he lacked any comfort or alleviation that money could buy; indeed he +never had any great craving for the things that money can buy--only for +money itself. There must have been many rich people in Spain who would +gladly have entertained him in luxury and dignity; but he was not the +kind of man to set much store by such things except in so far as they +were a decoration and advertisement of his position as a great man. He +had set himself to the single task of securing what he called his rights; +and in these days of sunset he seems to have been illumined by some +glimmer of the early glory of his first inspiration. He wanted the +payment of his dues now, not so much for his own enrichment, but as a +sign to the world that his great position as Admiral and Viceroy was +recognised, so that his dignities and estates might be established and +consolidated in a form which he would be able to transmit to his remote +posterity. + +Since he wrote so copiously and so constantly in these last days, the +best picture of his mood and condition is afforded in his letters to his +son Diego; letters which, in spite of their infinitely wearisome +recapitulation and querulous complaint, should be carefully read by those +who wish to keep in touch with the Admiral to the end. + + Letter written by CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS to DON DIEGO, his Son, + November 21, 1504. + + "VERY DEAR SON,--I received your letter by the courier. You did + well in remaining yonder to remedy our affairs somewhat and to + employ yourself now in our business. Ever since I came to Castile, + the Lord Bishop of Palencia has shown me favour and has desired that + I should be honoured. Now he must be entreated that it may please + him to occupy himself in remedying my many grievances and in + ordering that the agreement and letters of concession which their + Highnesses gave me be fulfilled, and that I be indemnified for so + many damages. And he may be certain that if their Highnesses do + this, their estate and greatness will be multiplied to them in an + incredible degree. And it must not appear to him that forty + thousand pesos in gold is more than a representation of it; because + they might have had a much greater quantity if Satan had not + hindered it by impeding my design; for, when I was taken away from + the Indies, I was prepared to give them a sum of gold incomparable + to forty thousand pesos. I make oath, and this may be for thee + alone, that the damage to me in the matter of the concessions their + Highnesses have made to me, amounts to ten millions each year, and + never can be made good. You see what will be, or is, the injury to + their Highnesses in what belongs to them, and they do not perceive + it. I write at their disposal and will strive to start yonder. My + arrival and the rest is in the hands of our Lord. His mercy is + infinite. What is done and is to be done, St. Augustine says is + already done before the creation of the world. I write also to + these other Lords named in the letter of Diego Mendez. Commend me + to their mercy and tell them of my going as I have said above. For + certainly I feel great fear, as the cold is so inimical to this, my + infirmity, that I may have to remain on the road. + + "I was very much pleased to hear the contents of your letter and + what the King our Lord said, for which you kissed his royal hands. + It is certain that I have served their Highnesses with as much + diligence and love as though it had been to gain Paradise, and more, + and if I have been at fault in anything it has been because it was + impossible or because my knowledge and strength were not sufficient. + God, our Lord, in such a case, does not require more from persons + than the will. + + "At the request of the Treasurer Morales, I left two brothers in the + Indies, who are called Porras. The one was captain and the other + auditor. Both were without capacity for these positions: and I was + confident that they could fill them, because of love for the person + who sent them to me. They both became more vain than they had been. + I forgave them many incivilities, more than I would do with a + relation, and their offences were such that they merited another + punishment than a verbal reprimand. Finally they reached such a + point that even had I desired, I could not have avoided doing what I + did. The records of the case will prove whether I lie or not. They + rebelled on the island of Jamaica, at which I was as much astonished + as I would be if the sun's rays should cast darkness. I was at the + point of death, and they martyrised me with extreme cruelty during + five months and without cause. Finally I took them all prisoners, + and immediately set them free, except the captain, whom I was + bringing as a prisoner to their Highnesses. A petition which they + made to me under oath, and which I send you with this letter, will + inform you at length in regard to this matter, although the records + of the case explain it fully. These records and the Notary are + coming on another vessel, which I am expecting from day to day. The + Governor in Santo Domingo took this prisoner.--His courtesy + constrained him to do this. I had a chapter in my instructions in + which their Highnesses ordered all to obey me, and that I should + exercise civil and criminal justice over all those who were with me: + but this was of no avail with the Governor, who said that it was not + understood as applying in his territory. He sent the prisoner to + these Lords who have charge of the Indies without inquiry or record + or writing. They did not receive him, and both brothers go free. + It is not wonderful to me that our Lord punishes. They went there + with shameless faces. Such wickedness or such cruel treason were + never heard of. I wrote to their Highnesses about this matter in + the other letter, and said that it was not right for them to consent + to this offence. I also wrote to the Lord Treasurer that I begged + him as a favour not to pass sentence on the testimony given by these + men until he heard me. Now it will be well for you to remind him of + it anew. I do, not know how they dare to go before him with such an + undertaking. I have written to him about it again and have sent him + the copy of the oath, the same as I send to you and likewise to + Doctor Angulo and the Licentiate Zapata. I commend myself to the + mercy of all, with the information that my departure yonder will + take place in a short time. + + "I would be glad to receive a letter from their Highnesses and to + know what they order. You must procure such a letter if you see the + means of so doing. I also commend myself to the Lord Bishop and to + Juan Lopez, with the reminder of illness and of the reward for my + services. + + "You must read the letters which go with this one in order to act in + conformity with what they say. Acknowledge the receipt of his + letter to Diego Mendez. I do not write him as he will learn + everything from you, and also because my illness prevents it. + + "It would be well for Carbajal and Jeronimo --[Jeronimo de Aguero, a + landowner in Espanola and a friend of Columbus]-- to be at the-Court + at this time, and talk of our affairs with these Lords and with the + Secretary. + + "Done in Seville, November 21. + + "Your father who loves you more than himself. + + .S. + .S.A.S. + XMY + Xpo FERENS." + + "I wrote again to their Highnesses entreating them to order that + these people who went with me should be paid, because they are poor + and it is three years since they left their homes. The news which + they bring is more than extraordinary. They have endured infinite + dangers and hardships. I did not wish to rob the country, so as not + to cause scandal, because reason advises its being populated, and + then gold will be obtained freely without scandal. Speak of this to + the Secretary and to the Lord Bishop and to Juan Lopez and to + whomever you think it advisable to do so." + + +The Bishop of Palencia referred to in this letter is probably Bishop +Fonseca--probably, because it is known that he did become Bishop of +Palencia, although there is a difference of opinion among historians as +to whether the date of his translation to that see was before or after +this letter. No matter, except that one is glad to think that an old +enemy--for Fonseca and Columbus had bitter disagreements over the fitting +out of various expeditions--had shown himself friendly at last. + + + Letter written by CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS to DON DIEGO, November 28, + 1504. + + "VERY DEAR SON,--I received your letters of the 15th of this month. + It is eight days since I wrote you and sent the letter by a courier. + I enclosed unsealed letters to many other persons, in order that you + might see them, and having read them, seal and deliver them. + Although this illness of mine troubles me greatly, I am preparing + for my departure in every way. I would very much like to receive + the reply from their Highnesses and wish you might procure it: and + also I wish that their Highnesses would provide for the payment of + these poor people, who have passed through incredible hardships and + have brought them such great news that infinite thanks should be + given to God, our Lord, and they should rejoice greatly over it. + If I [lie ?] the 'Paralipomenon'--[ The Book of Chronicles]-- and + the Book of Kings and the Antiquities of Josephus, with very many + others, will tell what they know of this. I hope in our Lord to + depart this coming week, but you must not write less often on that + account. I have not heard from Carbajal and Jeronimo. If they are + there, commend me to them. The time is such that both Carbajals + ought to be at Court, if illness does not prevent them. My regards + to Diego Mendez. + + "I believe that his truth and efforts will be worth as much as the + lies of the Porras brothers. The bearer of this letter is Martin de + Gamboa. I am sending by him a letter to Juan Lopez and a letter of + credit. Read the letter to Lopez and then give it to him. If you + write me, send the letters to Luis de Soria that he may send them + wherever I am, because if I go in a litter, I believe it will be by + La Plata.--[The old Roman road from Merida to Salamanca.]-- May our + Lord have you in His holy keeping. Your uncle has been very sick + and is now, from trouble with his jaws and his teeth. + + "Done in Seville, November 28. + + "Your father who loves you more than himself. + + .S. + .S.A.S. + XMY + Xpo FERENS." + + +Bartholomew Columbus and Ferdinand were remaining with Christopher at +Seville; Bartholomew probably very nearly as ill as the Admiral, although +we do not hear so many complaints about it. At any rate Diego, being ay +Court, was the great mainstay of his father; and you can see the sick man +sitting there alone with his grievances, and looking to the next +generation for help in getting them redressed. Diego, it is to be +feared, did not receive these letters with so much patience and attention +as he might have shown, nor did he write back to his invalid father with +the fulness and regularity which the old man craved. It is a fault +common to sons. Those who are sons will know that it does not +necessarily imply lack of affection on Diego's part; those who are +fathers will realise how much Christopher longed for verbal assurance of +interest and affection, even though he did not doubt their reality. News +of the serious illness of Queen Isabella had evidently reached Columbus, +and was the chief topic of public interest. + + + Letter written by CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS to DON DIEGO, his Son, + December 1, 1504. + + "VERY DEAR SON,--Since I received your letter of November 15 I have + heard nothing from you. I wish that you would write me more + frequently. I would like to receive a letter from you each hour. + Reason must tell you that now I have no other repose. Many couriers + come each day, and the news is of such a nature and so abundant that + on hearing it all my hair stands on end; it is so contrary to what + my soul desires. May it please the Holy Trinity to give health to + the Queen, our Lady, that she may settle what has already been + placed under discussion. I wrote you by another courier Thursday, + eight days ago. The courier must already be on his way back here. + I told you in that letter that my departure was certain, but that + the hope of my arrival there, according to experience, was very + uncertain, because my sickness is so bad, and the cold is so well + suited to aggravate it, that I could not well avoid remaining in + some inn on the road. The litter and everything were ready. The + weather became so violent that it appeared impossible to every one + to start when it was getting so bad, and that it was better for so + well-known a person as myself to take care of myself and try to + regain my health rather than place myself in danger. I told you in + those letters what I now say, that you decided well in remaining + there (at such a time), and that it was right to commence occupying + yourself with our affairs; and reason strongly urges this. It + appears to me that a good copy should be made of the chapter of that + letter which their Highnesses wrote me where they say they will + fulfil their promises to me and will place you in possession of + everything: and that this copy should be given to them with another + writing telling of my sickness, and that it is now impossible for me + to go and kiss their Royal feet and hands, and that the Indies are + being lost, and are on fire in a thousand places, and that I have + received nothing, and am receiving nothing, from the revenues + derived from them, and that no one dares to accept or demand + anything there for me, and I am living upon borrowed funds. I spent + the money which I got there in bringing those people who went with + me back to their homes, for it would be a great burden upon my + conscience to have left them there and to have abandoned them. This + must be made known to the Lord Bishop of Palencia, in whose favour + I have so much confidence, and also to the Lord Chamberlain. + I believed that Carbajal and Jeronimo would be there at such a time. + Our Lord is there, and He will order everything as He knows it to be + best for us. + + "Carbajal reached here yesterday. I wished to send him immediately + with this same order, but he excused himself profusely, saying that + his wife was at the point of death. I shall see that he goes, + because he knows a great deal about these affairs. I will also + endeavour to have your brother and your uncle go to kiss the hands + of Their Highnesses, and give them an account of the voyage if my + letters are not sufficient. Take good care of your brother. He has + a good disposition, and is no longer a boy. Ten brothers would not + be too many for you. I never found better friends to right or to + left than my brothers. We must strive to obtain the government of + the Indies and then the adjustment of the revenues. I gave you a + memorandum which told you what part of them belongs to me. What + they gave to Carbajal was nothing and has turned to nothing. + Whoever desires to do so takes merchandise there, and so the eighth + is nothing, because, without contributing the eighth, I could send + to trade there without rendering account or going in company with + any one. I said a great many times in the past that the + contribution of the eighth would come to nothing. The eighth and + the rest belongs to me by reason of the concession which their + Highnesses made to me, as set forth in the book of my Privileges, + and also the third and the tenth. Of the tenth I received nothing, + except the tenth of what their Highnesses receive; and it must be + the tenth of all the gold and other things which are found and + obtained, in whatever manner it may be, within this Admiralship, and + the tenth of all the merchandise which goes and comes from there, + after the expenses are deducted. I have already said that in the + Book of Privileges the reason for this and for the rest which is + before the Tribunal of the Indies here in Seville, is clearly set + forth. + + "We must strive to obtain a reply to my letter from their + Highnesses, and to have them order that these people be paid. I + wrote in regard to this subject four days ago, and sent the letter + by Martin de Gamboa, and you must have seen the letter of Juan Lopez + with your own. + + "It is said here that it has been ordered that three or four Bishops + of the Indies shall be sent or created, and that this matter is + referred to the Lord Bishop of Palencia. After having commended me + to his Worship, tell him that I believe it will best serve their + Highnesses for me to talk with him before this matter is settled. + + "Commend me to Diego Mendez, and show him this letter. My illness + permits me to write only at night, because in the daytime my hands + are deprived of strength. I believe that a son of Francisco Pinelo + will carry this letter. Entertain him well, because he does + everything for me that he can, with much love and a cheerful + goodwill. The caravel which broke her mast in starting from Santo + Domingo has arrived in the Algarves. She brings the records of the + case of the Porras brothers. Such ugly things and such grievous + cruelty as appear in this matter never were seen. If their + Highnesses do not punish it, I do not know who will dare to go out + in their service with people. + + "To-day is Monday. I will endeavour to have your uncle and brother + start to-morrow. Remember to write me very often, and tell Diego + Mendez to write at length. Each day messengers go from here yonder. + May our Lord have you in His Holy keeping. + + "Done in Seville, December 1. + + "Your father who loves you as himself. + + .S. + .S.A.S. + XMY + Xpo FERENS." + + +The gout from which the Admiral suffered made riding impossible to him, +and he had arranged to have himself carried to Court on a litter when he +was able to move. There is a grim and dismal significance in the +particular litter that had been chosen: it was no other than the funeral +bier which belonged to the Cathedral of Seville and had been built for +Cardinal Mendoza. A minute of the Cathedral Chapter records the granting +to Columbus of the use of this strange conveyance; but one is glad to +think that he ultimately made his journey in a less grim though more +humble method. But what are we to think of the taste of a man who would +rather travel in a bier, so long as it had been associated with the +splendid obsequies of a cardinal, than in the ordinary litter of every- +day use? It is but the old passion for state and splendour thus dismally +breaking out again. + +He speaks of living on borrowed funds and of having devoted all his +resources to the payment of his crew;, but that may be taken as an +exaggeration. He may have borrowed, but the man who can borrow easily +from banks cannot be regarded as a poor man. One is nevertheless +grateful for these references, since they commemorate the Admiral's +unfailing loyalty to those who shared his hardships, and his unwearied +efforts to see that they received what was due to them. Pleasant also +are the evidences of warm family affection in those simple words of +brotherly love, and the affecting advice to Diego that he should love his +brother Ferdinand as Christopher loved Bartholomew. It is a pleasant +oasis in this dreary, sordid wailing after thirds and tenths and eighths. +Good Diego Mendez, that honourable gentleman, was evidently also at Court +at this time, honestly striving, we may be sure, to say a good word for +the Admiral. + +Some time after this letter was written, and before the writing of the +next, news reached Seville of the death of Queen Isabella. For ten years +her kind heart had been wrung by many sorrows. Her mother had died in +1496; the next year her only son and heir to the crown had followed; and +within yet another year had died her favourite daughter, the Queen of +Portugal. Her other children were all scattered with the exception of +Juana, whose semi-imbecile condition caused her parents an anxiety +greater even than that caused by death. As Isabella's life thus closed +sombrely in, she applied herself more closely and more narrowly to such +pious consolations as were available. News from Flanders of the +scandalous scenes between Philip and Juana in the summer of 1504 brought +on an illness from which she really never recovered, a kind of feverish +distress of mind and body in which her only alleviation was the +transaction of such business as was possible for her in the direction of +humanity and enlightenment. She still received men of intellect and +renown, especially travellers. But she knew that her end was near, and +as early as October she had made her will, in which her wishes as to the +succession and government of Castile were clearly laid down. There was +no mention of Columbus in this will, which afterwards greatly mortified +him; but it is possible that the poor Queen had by this time, even +against her wish, come to share the opinions of her advisers that the +rule of Columbus in the West Indies had not brought the most humane and +happy results possible to the people there. + +During October and November her life thus beat itself away in a +succession of duties faithfully performed, tasks duly finished, +preparations for the great change duly made. She died, as she would have +wished to die, surrounded by friends who loved and admired her, and +fortified by the last rites of the Church for her journey into the +unknown. Date, November 26, 1504, in the fifty-fourth year of her age. + +Columbus had evidently received the news from a public source, and felt +mortified that Diego should not have written him a special letter. + + + Letter written by CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS to DON DIEGO, his Son, + December 3, 1504. + + "VERY DEAR SON,--I wrote you at length day before yesterday and sent + it by Francisco Pinelo, and with this letter I send you a very full + memorandum. I am very much astonished not to receive a letter from + you or from any one else, and this astonishment is shared by all who + know me. Every one here has letters, and I, who have more reason to + expect them, have none. Great care should be taken about this + matter. The memorandum of which I have spoken above says enough, + and on this account I do not speak more at length here. Your + brother and your uncle and Carbajal are going yonder. You will + learn from them what is not said here. May our Lord have you in His + Holy keeping. + + "Done in Seville, December 3. + + "Your father who loves you more than himself. + + .S. + .S.A.S. + XMY + Xpo FERENS." + + + Document of COLUMBUS addressed to his Son, DIEGO, and intended to + accompany the preceding letter. + + "A memorandum for you, my very dear son, Don Diego, of what occurs + to me at the present time which must be done:--The principal thing + is, affectionately and with great devotion to commend the soul of + the Queen, our Lady, to God. Her life was always Catholic and Holy + and ready for all the things of His holy service, and for this + reason it must be believed that she is in His holy glory and beyond + the desires of this rough and wearisome world. Then the next thing + is to be watchful and exert one's self in the service of the King, + our Lord, and to strive to keep him from being troubled. His + Highness is the head of Christendom. See the proverb which says + that when the head aches, all the members ache. So that all good + Christians should entreat that he may have long life and health: and + those of us who are obliged to serve him more than others must join + in this supplication with great earnestness and diligence. This + reason prompts me now with my severe illness to write you what I am + writing here, that his Highness may dispose matters for his service: + and for the better fulfilment I am sending your brother there, who, + although he is a child in days, is not a child in understanding; and + I am sending your uncle and Carbajal, so that if this, my writing, + is not sufficient, they, together with yourself, can furnish verbal + evidence. In my opinion there is nothing so necessary for the + service of his Highness as the disposition and remedying of the + affair of the Indies. + + "His Highness must now have there more than 40,000 or 50,000 gold + pieces. I learned when I was there that the Governor had no desire + to send it to him. It is believed among the other people as well + that there will be 150,000 pesos more, and the mines are very rich + and productive. Most of the people there are common and ignorant, + and care very little for the circumstances. The Governor is very + much hated by all of them, and it is to be feared that they may at + some time rebel. If this should occur, which God forbid, the remedy + for the matter would then be difficult: and so it would be if + injustice were used toward them, either here or in other places, + with the great fame of the gold. My opinion is that his Highness + should investigate this affair quickly and by means of a person who + is interested and who can go there with 150 or 200 people well + equipped, and remain there until it is well settled and without + suspicion, which cannot be done in less than three months: and that + an endeavour be made to raise two or three forces there. The gold + there is exposed to great risk, as there are very few people to + protect it. I say that there is a proverb here which says that the + presence of the owner makes the horse fat. Here and wherever I may + be, I shall serve their Highnesses with joy, until my soul leaves + this body. + + "Above I said that his Highness is the head of the Christians, and + that it is necessary for him to occupy himself in preserving them + and their lands. For this reason people say that he cannot thus + provide a good government for all these Indies, and that they are + being lost and do not yield a profit, neither are they being handled + in a reasonable manner. In my opinion it would serve him to intrust + this matter to some one who is distressed over the bad treatment of + his subjects. + + "I wrote a very long letter to his Highness as soon as I arrived + here, fully stating the evils which require a prompt and efficient + remedy at once. I have received no reply, nor have I seen any + provision made in the matter. Some vessels are detained in San + Lucar by the weather. I have told these gentlemen of the Board of + Trade that they must order them held until the King, our Lord, makes + provision in the matter, either by some person with other people, + or by writing. This is very necessary and I know what I say. It is + necessary that the authorities should order all the ports searched + diligently, to see that no one goes yonder to the Indies without + licence. I have already said that there is a great deal of gold + collected in straw houses without any means of defence, and there + are many disorderly people in the country, and that the Governor is + hated, and that little punishment is inflicted and has been + inflicted upon those who have committed crimes and have come out + with their treasonable conduct approved. + + "If his Highness decides to make some provision, it must be done at + once, so that these vessels may not be injured. + + "I have heard that three Bishops are to be elected and sent to + Espanola. If it pleases his Highness to hear me before concluding + this matter, I will tell in what manner God our Lord may be well + served and his Highness served and satisfied. + + "I have given lengthy consideration to the provision for Espanola:" + + +Yes, the Queen is in His Holy Glory, and beyond the desires of this rough +and wearisome world; but we are not; we are still in a world where fifty +thousand gold pieces can be of use to us, and where a word spoken in +season, even in such a season of darkness, may have its effect with the +King. A strange time to talk to the King about gold; and perhaps Diego +was wiser and kinder than his father thought in not immediately taking +this strange document to King Ferdinand. + + + Letter written by CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS to DON DIEGO, his Son, + December 13, 1504 + + "VERY DEAR SON,--It is now eight days since your uncle and your + brother and Carbajal left here together, to kiss the royal hands of + his Highness, and to give an account of the voyage, and also to aid + you in the negotiation of whatever may prove to be necessary there. + + "Don Ferdinand took from here 150 ducats to be expended at his + discretion. He will have to spend some of it, but he will give you + what he has remaining. He also carries a letter of credit for these + merchants. You will see that it is very necessary to be careful in + dealing with them, because I had trouble there with the Governor, as + every one told me that I had there 11,000 or 12,000 castellanos, and + I had only 4000. He wished to charge me with things for which I am + not indebted, and I, confiding in the promise of their Highnesses, + who ordered everything restored to me, decided to leave these + charges in the hope of calling him to account for them. If any one + has money there, they do not dare ask for it, on account of his + haughtiness. I very well know that after my departure he must have + received more than 5000 castellanos. If it were possible for you to + obtain from his Highness an authoritative letter to the Governor, + ordering him to send the money without delay and a full account of + what belongs to me, by the person I might send there with my power + of attorney, it would be well; because he will not give it in any + other manner, neither to my friend Diaz or Velasquez, and they dare + not even speak of it to him. Carbajal will very well know how this + must be done. Let him see this letter. The 150 ducats which Luis + de Soria sent you when I came are paid according to his desire. + + "I wrote you at length and sent the letter by Don Ferdinand, also a + memorandum. Now that I have thought over the matter further, I say + that, since at the time of my departure their Highnesses said over + their signature and verbally, that they would give me all that + belongs to me, according to my privileges--that the claim for the + third or the tenth and eighth mentioned in the memorandum must be + relinquished, and instead the chapter of their letter must be shown + where they write what I have said, and all that belongs to me must + be required, as you have it in writing in the Book of Privileges, in + which is also set forth the reason for my receiving the third, + eighth, and tenth; as there is always an opportunity to reduce the + sum desired by a person, although his Highness says in his letter + that he wishes to give me all that belongs to me. Carbajal will + understand me very well if he sees this letter, and every one else + as well, as it is very clear. I also wrote to his Highness and + finally reminded him that he must provide at once for this affair of + the Indies, that the people there may not be disturbed, and also + reminding him of the promise stated above. You ought to see the + letter. + + "With this letter I send you another letter of credit for the said + merchants. I have already explained to you the reasons why expenses + should be moderated. Show your uncle due respect, and treat your + brother as an elder brother should treat a younger. You have no + other brother, and praised be our Lord, he is such a one as you need + very much. He has proved and proves to be very intelligent. Honour + Carbajal and Jeronimo and Diego Mendez. Commend me to them all. I + do not write them as there is nothing to write and this messenger is + in haste. It is frequently rumoured here that the Queen, whom God + has, has left an order that I be restored to the possession of the + Indies. On arrival, the notary of the fleet will send you the + records and the original of the case of the Porras brothers. I have + received no news from your uncle and brother since they left. The + water has been so high here that the river entered the city. + + "If Agostin Italian and Francisco de Grimaldo do not wish to give + you the money you need, look for others there who are willing to + give it to you. On the arrival here of your signature I will at + once pay them all that you have received: for at present there is + not a person here by whom I can send you money. + + "Done to-day, Friday, December 13, 1504 + + "Your father who loves you more than himself. + + .S. + .S.A.S. + XMY + Xpo FERENS." + + + Letter written by CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS to his Son, DON DIEGO, + December 21, 1504. + + "VERY DEAR SON, The Lord Adelantado and your brother and Carbajal + left here sixteen days ago to go to the Court. They have not + written me since. Don Ferdinand carried 150 ducats. He must spend + what is necessary, and he carries a letter, that the merchants may + furnish you with money. I have sent you another letter since, with + the endorsement of Francisco de Ribarol, by Zamora, the courier, and + told you that if you had made provision for yourself by means of my + letter, not to use that of Francisco de Ribarol. I say the same now + in regard to another letter which I send you with this one, for + Francisco Doria, which letter I send you for greater security that + you may not fail to be provided with money. I have already told you + how necessary it is to be careful in the expenditure of the money, + until their Highnesses give us law and justice. I also told you + that I had spent 1200 castellanos in bringing these people to + Castile, of which his Highness owes me the greater part, and I wrote + him in regard to it asking him to order the account settled. + + "If possible I should like to receive letters here each day. I + complain of Diego Mendez and of Jeronimo, as they do not write me: + and then of the others who do not write when they arrive there. We + must strive to learn whether the Queen, whom God has in His keeping, + said anything about me in her will, and we must hurry the Lord + Bishop of Palencia, who caused the possession of the Indies by their + Highnesses and my remaining in Castile, for I was already on my way + to leave it. And the Lord Chamberlain of his Highness must also be + hurried. If by chance the affair comes to discussion, you must + strive to have them see the writing which is in the Book of + Privileges, which shows the reason why the third, eighth, and tenth + are owing me, as I told you in another letter. + + "I have written to the Holy Father in regard to my voyage, as he + complained of me because I did not write him. I send you a copy of + the letter. I would like to have the King, our Lord, or the Lord + Bishop of Palencia see it before I send the letter, in order to + avoid false representations. + + "Camacho has told a thousand falsehoods about me. To my regret I + ordered him arrested. He is in the church. He says that after the + Holidays are past, he will go there if he is able. If I owe him, he + must show by what reason; for I make oath that I do not know it, nor + is it true. + + "If without importunity a licence can be procured for me to go on + mule-back, I will try to leave for the Court after January, and I + will even go without this licence. But haste must be made that the + loss of the Indies, which is now imminent, may not take place. May + our Lord have you in His keeping. + + "Done to-day, December 21. + + "Your father who loves you more than himself. + + .S. + .S.A.S. + XMY + Xpo FERENS." + + + "This tenth which they give me is not the tenth which was promised + me. The Privileges tell what it is, and there is also due me the + tenth of the profit derived from merchandise and from all other + things, of which I have received nothing. Carbajal understands me + well. Also remind Carbajal to obtain a letter from his Highness for + the Governor, directing him to send his accounts and the money I + have there, at once. And it would be well that a Repostero of his + Highness should go there to receive this money, as there must be a + large amount due me. I will strive to have these gentlemen of the + Board of Trade send also to say to the Governor that he must send my + share together with the gold belonging to their Highnesses. But the + remedy for the other matter must not be neglected there on this + account. I say that 7000 or 8000 pesos must have passed to my + credit there, which sum has been received since I left, besides the + other money which was not given to me. + + "To my very dear son Don Diego at the Court." + + +All this struggling for the due payment of eighths and tenths makes +wearisome reading, and we need not follow the Admiral into his +distinctions between one kind of tenth and another. There is something +to be said on his side, it must be remembered; the man had not received +what was due to him; and although he was not in actual poverty, his only +property in this world consisted of these very thirds and eighths and +tenths. But if we are inclined to think poorly of the Admiral for his +dismal pertinacity, what are we to think of the people who took advantage +of their high position to ignore consistently the just claims made upon +them? + +There is no end to the Admiral's letter-writing at this time. +Fortunately for us his letter to the Pope has been lost, or else we +should have to insert it here; and we have had quite enough of his +theological stupors. As for the Queen's will, there was no mention of +the Admiral in it; and her only reference to the Indies showed that she +had begun to realise some of the disasters following his rule there, for +the provisions that are concerned with the New World refer exclusively to +the treatment of the natives, to whose succour, long after they were past +succour, the hand of Isabella was stretched out from the grave. The +licence to travel on mule-back which the Admiral asked for was made +necessary by a law which had been passed forbidding the use of mules for +this purpose throughout Spain. There had been a scarcity of horses for +mounting the royal cavalry, and it was thought that the breeding of +horses had been neglected on account of the greater cheapness and utility +of mules. It was to encourage the use and breeding of horses that an +interdict was laid on the use of mules, and only the very highest persons +in the land were allowed to employ them. + + +Letter written by CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS to his Son, DON DIEGO, +December 29, 1504. + + "VERY DEAR SON,--I wrote you at length and sent it by Don Ferdinand, + who left to go yonder twenty-three days ago to-day, with the Lord + Adelantado and Carbajal, from whom I have since heard nothing. + Sixteen days ago to-day I wrote you and sent it by Zamora, the + courier, and I sent you a letter of credit for these merchants + endorsed by Francisco de Ribarol, telling them to give you the money + you might ask for. And then, about eight days ago, I sent you by + another courier a letter endorsed by Francisco Soria, and these + letters are directed to Pantaleon and Agostin Italian, that they may + give it to you. And with these letters goes a copy of a letter + which I wrote to the Holy Father in regard to the affairs of the + Indies, that he might not complain of me any more. I sent this copy + for his Highness to see, or the Lord Bishop of Palencia, so as to + avoid false representations. The payment of the people who went + with me has been delayed. I have provided for them here what I have + been able. They are poor and obliged to go in order to earn a + living. They decided to go yonder. They have been told here that + they will be dealt with as favourably as possible, and this is + right, although among them there are some who merit punishment more + than favours. This is said of the rebels. I gave these people a + letter for the Lord Bishop of Palencia. Read it, and if it is + necessary for them to go and petition his Highness, urge your uncle + and brother and Carbajal to read it also, so that you can all help + them as much as possible. It is right and a work of mercy, for no + one ever earned money with so many dangers and hardships and no one + has ever rendered such great service as these people. It is said + that Camacho and Master Bernal wish to go there--two creatures for + whom God works few miracles: but if they go, it will be to do harm + rather than good. They can do little because the truth always + prevails, as it did in Espanola, from which wicked people by means + of falsehoods have prevented any profit being received up to the + present time. It is said that this Master Bernal was the beginning + of the treason. He was taken and accused of many misdemeanours, + for each one of which he deserved to be quartered. At the request + of your uncle and of others he was pardoned, on condition that if he + ever said the least word against me and my state the pardon should + be revoked and he should be under condemnation. I send you a copy + of the case in this letter. I send you a legal document about + Camacho. For more than eight days he has not left the church on + account of his rash statements and falsehoods. He has a will made + by Terreros, and other relatives of the latter have another will of + more recent date, which renders the first will null, as far as the + inheritance is concerned: and I am entreated to enforce the latter + will, so that Camacho will be obliged to restore what he has + received. I shall order a legal document drawn up and served upon + him, because I believe it is a work of mercy to punish him, as he is + so unbridled in his speech that some one must punish him without the + rod: and it will not be so much against the conscience of the + chastiser, and will injure him more. Diego Mendez knows Master + Bernal and his works very well. The Governor wished to imprison him + at Espanola and left him to my consideration. It is said that he + killed two men there with medicines in revenge for something of less + account than three beans. I would be glad of the licence to travel + on muleback and of a good mule, if they can be obtained without + difficulty. Consult all about our affairs, and tell them that I do + not write them in particular on account of the great pain I feel + when writing. I do not say that they must do the same, but that + each one must write me and very often, for I feel great sorrow that + all the world should have letters from there each day, and I have + nothing, when I have so many people there. Commend me to the Lord + Adelantado in his favour, and give my regards to your brother and to + all the others. + + "Done at Seville, December 29. + + "Your father who loves you more than himself. + + .S. + .S.A.S. + XMY + Xpo FERENS." + + +"I say further that if our affairs are to be settled according to +conscience, that the chapter of the letter which their Highnesses wrote +me when I departed, in which they say they will order you placed in +possession, must be shown; and the writing must also be shown which is in +the Book of Privileges, which shows how in reason and in justice the +third and eighth and the tenth are mine. There will always be +opportunity to make reductions from this amount." + +Columbus's requests were not all for himself; nothing could be more +sincere or generous than the spirit in which he always strove to secure +the just payment of his mariners. + +Otherwise he is still concerned with the favour shown to those who were +treasonable to him. Camacho was still hiding in a church, probably from +the wrath of Bartholomew Columbus; but Christopher has more subtle ways +of punishment. A legal document, he considers, will be better than a +rod; "it will not be so much against the conscience of the chastiser, and +will injure him (the chastised) more." + + + Letter written by CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS to DON DIEGO, his Son, + January 18, 1505. + + "VERY DEAR SON,--I wrote you at length by the courier who will + arrive there to-day, and sent you a letter for the Lord Chamberlain. + I intended to inclose in it a copy of that chapter of the letter + from their Highnesses in which they say they will order you placed + in possession; but I forgot to do it here. Zamora, the courier, + came. I read your letter and also those of your uncle and brother + and Carbajal, and felt great pleasure in learning that they had + arrived well, as I had been very anxious about them. Diego Mendez + will leave here in three or four days with the order of payment + prepared. He will take a long statement of everything and I will + write to Juan Velasquez. I desire his friendship and service. I + believe that he is a very honourable gentleman. If the Lord Bishop + of Palencia has come, or comes, tell him how much pleased I have + been with his prosperity, and that if I go there I must stop with + his Worship even if he does not wish it, and that we must return to + our first fraternal love. And that he could not refuse it because + my service will force him to have it thus. I said that the letter + for the Holy Father was sent that his Worship might see it if he was + there, and also the Lord Archbishop of Seville, as the King might + not have opportunity to read it. I have already told you that the + petition to their Highnesses must be for the fulfilment of what they + wrote me about the possession and of the rest which was promised me. + I said that this chapter of the letter must be shown them and said + that it must not be delayed, and that this is advisable for an + infinite number of reasons. His Highness may believe that, however + much he gives me, the increase of his exalted dominions and revenue + will be in the proportion of 100 to 1, and that there is no + comparison between what has been done and what is to be done. The + sending of a Bishop to Espanola must be delayed until I speak to his + Highness. It must not be as in the other cases when it was thought + to mend matters and they were spoiled. There have been some cold + days here and they have caused me great fatigue and fatigue me now. + Commend me to the favour of the Lord Adelantado. May our Lord guard + and bless you and your brother. Give my regards to Carbajal and + Jeronimo. Diego Mendez will carry a full pouch there. I believe + that the affair of which you wrote can be very easily managed. The + vessels from the Indies have not arrived from Lisbon. They brought + a great deal of gold, and none for me. So great a mockery was never + seen, for I left there 60,000 pesos smelted. His Highness should + not allow so great an affair to be ruined, as is now taking place. + He now sends to the Governor a new provision. I do not know what it + is about. I expect letters each day. Be very careful about + expenditures, for it is necessary. + + "Done January 18. + "Your father who loves you more than himself. + + +There is playful reference here to Fonseca, with whom Columbus was +evidently now reconciled; and he was to be buttonholed and made to read +the Admiral's letter to the Pope. Diego Mendez is about to start, and is +to make a "long statement"; and in the meantime the Admiral will write as +many long letters as he has time for. Was there no friend at hand, I +wonder, with wit enough to tell the Admiral that every word he wrote +about his grievances was sealing his doom, so far as the King was +concerned.? No human being could have endured with patience this +continuous heavy firing at long range to which the Admiral subjected his +friends at Court; every post that arrived was loaded with a shrapnel of +grievances, the dull echo of which must have made the ears of those who +heard it echo with weariness. Things were evidently humming in Espanola; +large cargoes of negroes had been sent out to take the place of the dead +natives, and under the harsh driving of Ovando the mines were producing +heavily. The vessels that arrived from the Indies brought a great deal +of gold; "but none for me." + + + Letter written by CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS to his Son, DON DIEGO, + February 5, 1505. + + "VERY DEAR SON,--Diego Mendez left here Monday, the 3rd of this + month. After his departure I talked with Amerigo Vespucci, the + bearer of this letter, who is going yonder, where he is called in + regard to matters of navigation. He was always desirous of pleasing + me. He is a very honourable man. Fortune has been adverse to him + as it has been to many others. His labours have not profited him as + much as reason demands. He goes for me, and is very desirous of + doing something to benefit me if it is in his power. I do not know + of anything in which I can instruct him to my benefit, because I do + not know what is wanted of him there. He is going with the + determination to do everything for me in his power. See what he can + do to profit me there, and strive to have him do it; for he will do + everything, and will speak and will place it in operation: and it + must all be done secretly so that there may be no suspicion. + + "I have told him all that could be told regarding this matter, and + have informed him of the payment which has been made to me and is + being made. This letter is for the Lord Adelantado also, that he + may see how Amerigo Vespucci can be useful, and advise him about it. + His Highness may believe that his ships went to the best and richest + of the Indies, and if anything remains to be learned more than has + been told, I will give the information yonder verbally, because it + is impossible to give it in writing. May our Lord have you in his + Holy keeping. + + "Done in Seville, February 5. + + "Your father who loves you more than himself. + + +This letter has a significance which raises it out of the ruck of this +complaining correspondence. Amerigo Vespucci had just returned from his +long voyage in the West, when he had navigated along an immense stretch +of the coast of America, both north and south, and had laid the +foundations of a fame which was, for a time at least, to eclipse that of +Columbus. Probably neither of the two men realised it at this interview, +or Columbus would hardly have felt so cordially towards the man who was +destined to rob him of so much glory. As a matter of fact the practical +Spaniards were now judging entirely by results; and a year or two later, +when the fame of Columbus had sunk to insignificance, he was merely +referred to as the discoverer of certain islands, while Vespucci, who +after all had only followed in his lead, was hailed as the discoverer of +a great continent. Vespucci has been unjustly blamed for this state of +affairs, although he could no more control the public estimate of his +services than Columbus could. He was a more practical man than Columbus, +and he made a much better impression on really wise and intelligent men; +and his discoveries were immediately associated with trade and colonial +development, while Columbus had little to show for his discoveries during +his lifetime but a handful of gold dust and a few cargoes of slaves. At +any rate it was a graceful act on the part of Vespucci, whose star was in +the ascendant, to go and seek out the Admiral, whose day was fast verging +to night; it was one of those disinterested actions that live and have a +value of their own, and that shine out happily amid the surrounding murk +and confusion. + + + Letter signed by CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS to DON DIEGO, his Son, + February 25, 1505. + + "VERY DEAR SON,--The Licientiate de Zea is a person whom I desire to + honour. He has in his charge two men who are under prosecution at + the hands of justice, as shown by the information which is inclosed + in this letter. See that Diego Mendez places the said petition with + the others, that they may be given to his Highness during Holy Week + for pardon. If the pardon is granted, it is well, and if not, look + for some other manner of obtaining it. May our Lord have you in His + Holy keeping. Done in Seville, February 25, 1505. I wrote you and + sent it by Amerigo Vespucci. See that he sends you the letter + unless you have already received it. + + "Your father. + Xpo FERENS.//" + + +This is the last letter of Columbus known to us otherwise an entirely +unimportant document, dealing with the most transient affairs. With it +we gladly bring to an end this exposure of a greedy and querulous period, +which speaks so eloquently for itself that the less we say and comment on +it the better. + +In the month of May the Admiral was well enough at last to undertake the +journey to Segovia. He travelled on a mule, and was accompanied by his +brother Bartholomew and his son Ferdinand. When he reached the Court he +found the King civil and outwardly attentive to his recitals, but +apparently content with a show of civility and outward attention. +Columbus was becoming really a nuisance; that is the melancholy truth. +The King had his own affairs to attend to; he was already meditating a +second marriage, and thinking of the young bride he was to bring home to +the vacant place of Isabella; and the very iteration of Columbus's +complaints and demands had made them lose all significance for the King. +He waved them aside with polite and empty promises, as people do the +demands of importunate children; and finally, to appease the Admiral and +to get rid of the intolerable nuisance of his applications, he referred +the whole question, first to Archbishop DEA, and then to the body of +councillors which had been appointed to interpret Queen Isabella's will. +The whole question at issue was whether or not the original agreement +with Columbus, which had been made before his discoveries, should be +carried out. The King, who had foolishly subscribed to it simply as a +matter of form, never believing that anything much could come of it, was +determined that it should not be carried out, as it would give Columbus a +wealth and power to which no mere subject of a crown was entitled. The +Admiral held fast to his privileges; the only thing that he would consent +to submit to arbitration was the question of his revenues; but his titles +and territorial authorities he absolutely stuck to. Of course the +council did exactly what the King had done. They talked about the thing +a great deal, but they did nothing. Columbus was an invalid and broken +man, who might die any day, and it was obviously to their interest to +gain time by discussion and delay--a cruel game for our Christopher, who +knew his days on earth to be numbered, and who struggled in that web of +time in which mortals try to hurry the events of the present and delay +the events of the future. Meanwhile Philip of Austria and his wife +Juana, Isabella's daughter, had arrived from Flanders to assume the crown +of Castile, which Isabella had bequeathed to them. Columbus saw a chance +for himself in this coming change, and he sent Bartholomew as an envoy to +greet the new Sovereigns, and to enlist their services on the Admiral's +behalf. Bartholomew was very well received, but he was too late to be of +use to the Admiral, whom he never saw again; and this is our farewell to +Bartholomew, who passes out of our narrative here. He went to Rome after +Christopher's death on a mission to the Pope concerning some fresh +voyages of discovery; and in 1508 he made, so far as we know, his one +excursion into romance, when he assisted at the production of an +illegitimate little girl--his only descendant. He returned to Espanola +under the governorship of his nephew Diego, and died there in 1514-- +stern, valiant, brotherly soul, whose devotion to Christopher must be for +ever remembered and honoured with the name of the Admiral. + + +From Segovia Columbus followed the Court to Salamanca and thence to +Valladolid, where his increasing illness kept him a prisoner after the +Court had left to greet Philip and Juana. He had been in attendance upon +it for nearly a year, and without any results: and now, as his infirmity +increased, he turned to the settling of his own affairs, and drawing up +of wills and codicils--all very elaborate and precise. In these +occupations his worldly affairs were duly rounded off; and on May 19, +1506, having finally ratified a will which he had made in Segovia a year +before, in which the descent of his honours was entailed upon Diego and +his heirs, or failing him Ferdinand and his heirs, or failing him +Bartholomew and his heirs, he turned to the settlement of his soul. + +His illness had increased gradually but surely, and he must have known +that he was dying. He was not without friends, among them the faithful +Diego Mendez, his son Ferdinand, and a few others. His lodging was in a +small house in an unimportant street of Valladolid, now called the "Calle +de Colon"; the house, .No. 7, still standing, and to be seen by curious +eyes. As the end approached, the Admiral, who was being attended by +Franciscan monks, had himself clothed in a Franciscan habit; and so, on +the 20th May 1506, he lay upon his bed, breathing out his life. + + . . . And as strange thoughts + Grow with a certain humming in my ears, + About the life before I lived this life, + And this life too, Popes, Cardinals, and priests, + Your tall pale mother with her talking eyes + And new-found agate urns fresh as day . . . + +. . . we do not know what his thoughts were, as the shadows grew +deeper about him, as the sounds of the world, the noises from the sunny +street, grew fainter, and the images and sounds of memory clearer and +louder. Perhaps as he lay there with closed eyes he remembered things +long forgotten, as dying people do; sounds and smells of the Vico Dritto +di Ponticelli, and the feel of the hot paving-stones down which his +childish feet used to run to the sea; noises of the sea also, the +drowning swish of waters and sudden roar of breakers sounding to +anxiously strained ears in the still night; bright sunlit pictures of +faraway tropical shores, with handsome olive figures glistening in the +sun; the sight of strange faces, the sound of strange speech, the smell +of a strange land; the glitter of gold; the sudden death-shriek breaking +the stillness of some sylvan glade; the sight of blood on the grass . . +. . The Admiral's face undergoes a change; there is a stir in the room; +some one signs to the priest Gaspar, who brings forth his sacred wafer +and holy oils and administers the last sacraments. The wrinkled eyelids +flutter open, the sea-worn voice feebly frames the responses; the dying +eyes are fixed on the crucifix; and--"In manus tuas Domine commendo +spiritum meum." The Admiral is dead. + +He was in his fifty-sixth year, already an old man in body and mind; and +his death went entirely unmarked except by his immediate circle of +friends. Even Peter Martyr, who was in Valladolid just before and just +after it, and who was writing a series of letters to various +correspondents giving all the news of his day, never thought it worth +while to mention that Christopher Columbus was dead. His life flickered +out in the completest obscurity. It is not even known where he was first +buried; but probably it was in the Franciscan convent at Valladolid. +This, however, was only a temporary resting-place; and a few years later +his body was formally interred in the choir of the monastery of Las +Cuevas at Seville, there to lie for thirty years surrounded by continual +chauntings. After that it was translated to the cathedral in San +Domingo; rested there for 250 years, and then, on the cession of that +part of the island to France, the body was removed to Cuba. But the +Admiral was by this time nothing but a box of bones and dust, as also +were brother Bartholomew and son Diego, and Diego's son, all collected +together in that place. There were various examinations of the bone- +boxes; one, supposed to be the Admiral's, was taken to Cuba and solemnly +buried there; and lately, after the conquest of the island in the +Spanish-American War, this box of bones was elaborately conveyed to +Seville, where it now rests. + +But in the meanwhile the Chapter of the cathedral in San Domingo had made +new discoveries and examinations; had found another box of bones, which +bore to them authentic signs that the dust it contained was the Admiral's +and not his grandson's; and in spite of the Academy of History at Madrid, +it is indeed far from unlikely that the Admiral's dust does not lie in +Spain or Cuba, but in San Domingo still. Whole books have been written +about these boxes of bones; learned societies have argued about them, +experts have examined the bones and the boxes with microscopes; and +meantime the dust of Columbus, if we take the view that an error was +committed in the transference to Cuba, is not even collected all in one +box. A sacrilegious official acquired some of it when the boxes were +opened, and distributed it among various curiosity-hunters, who have +preserved it in caskets of crystal and silver. Thus a bit of him is worn +by an American lady in a crystal locket; a pinch of him lies +in a glass vial in a New York mansion; other pinches in the Lennox +Library, New York, in the Vatican, and in the University of Pavia. In +such places, if the Admiral should fail to appear at the first note of +their trumpets, must the Angels of the Resurrection make search. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE MAN COLUMBUS + +It is not in any leaden box or crystal vase that we must search for the +true remains of Christopher Columbus. Through these pages we have +traced, so far as has been possible, the course of his life, and followed +him in what he did; all of which is but preparation for our search for +the true man, and just estimate of what he was. We have seen, dimly, +what his youth was; that he came of poor people who were of no importance +to the world at large; that he earned his living as a working man; that +he became possessed of an Idea; that he fought manfully and diligently +until he had realised it; and that then he found himself in a position +beyond his powers to deal with, not being a strong enough swimmer to hold +his own in the rapid tide of events which he himself had set flowing; and +we have seen him sinking at last in that tide, weighed down by the very +things for which he had bargained and stipulated. If these pages had +been devoted to a critical examination of the historical documents on +which his life-story is based we should also have found that he +continually told lies about himself, and misrepresented facts when the +truth proved inconvenient to him; that he was vain and boastful to a +degree that can only excite our compassion. He was naturally and +sincerely pious, and drew from his religion much strength and spiritual +nourishment; but he was also capable of hypocrisy, and of using the self- +same religion as a cloak for his greed and cruelty. What is the final +image that remains in our minds of such a man? To answer this question +we must examine his life in three dimensions. There was its great +outline of rise, zenith, and decline; there was its outward history in +minute detail, and its conduct in varying circumstances; and there was +the inner life of the man's soul, which was perhaps simpler than some of +us think. And first, as to his life as a single thing. It rose in +poverty, it reached a brief and dazzling zenith of glory, it set in +clouds and darkness; the fame of it suffered a long night of eclipse, +from which it was rescued and raised again to a height of glory which +unfortunately was in sufficiently founded on fact; and as a reaction from +this, it has been in danger of becoming entirely discredited, and the man +himself denounced as a fraud. The reason for these surprising changes is +that in those fifty-five years granted to Columbus for the making of his +life he did not consistently listen to that inner voice which alone can +hold a man on any constructive path. He listened to it at intervals, and +he drew his inspiration from it; but he shut his ears when it had served +him, when it had brought him what he wanted. In his moments of success +he guided himself by outward things; and thus he was at one moment a seer +and ready to be a martyr, and at the next moment he was an opportunist, +watching to see which way the wind would blow, and ready to trim his +sails in the necessary direction. Such conduct of a man's life does not +make for single light or for true greatness; rather for dim, confused +lights, and lofty heights obscured in cloud. + +If we examine his life in detail we find this alternating principle of +conduct revealed throughout it. He was by nature clever, kind-hearted, +rather large-souled, affectionate, and not very honest; all the acts +prompted by his nature bear the stamp of these qualities. To them his +early years had probably added little except piety, sharp practice, and +that uncomfortable sense, often bred amid narrow and poor surroundings, +that one must keep a sharp look-out for oneself if one is to get a share +of the world's good things. Something in his blood, moreover, craved for +dignity and the splendour of high-sounding titles; craved for power also, +and the fulfilment of an arrogant pride. All these things were in his +Ligurian blood, and he breathed them in with the very air of Genoa. His +mind was of the receptive rather than of the constructive kind, and it +was probably through those long years spent between sea voyages and brief +sojourns with his family in Genoa or Savona that he conceived that vague +Idea which, as I have tried to show, formed the impulse of his life +during its brief initiative period. Having once received this Idea of +discovery and like all other great ideas, it was in the air at the time +and was bound to take shape in some human brain--he had all his native +and personal qualities to bring to its support. The patience to await +its course he had learned from his humble and subordinate life. The +ambition to work for great rewards was in his blood and race; and to +belief in himself, his curious vein of mystical piety was able to add the +support of a ready belief in divine selection. This very time of waiting +and endurance of disappointments also helped to cultivate in his +character two separate qualities--an endurance or ability to withstand +infinite hardship and disappointment; and also a greedy pride that +promised itself great rewards for whatever should be endured. + +In all active matters Columbus was what we call a lucky man. It was luck +that brought him to Guanahani; and throughout his life this element of +good luck continually helped him. He was lucky, that is to say, in his +relation with inanimate things; but in his relations with men he was +almost as consistently unlucky. First of all he was probably a bad judge +of men. His humble origin and his lack of education naturally made him +distrustful. He trusted people whom he should have regarded with +suspicion, and he was suspicious of those whom he ought to have known he +could trust. If people pleased him, he elevated them with absurd +rapidity to stations far beyond their power to fill, and then wondered +that they sometimes turned upon him; if they committed crimes against +him, he either sought to regain their favour by forgiving them, or else +dogged them with a nagging, sulky resentment, and expected every one else +to punish them also. He could manage men if he were in the midst of +them; there was something winning as well as commanding about his actual +presence, and those who were devoted to him would have served him to the +death. But when he was not on the spot all his machineries and affairs +went to pieces; he had no true organising ability; no sooner did he take +his hand off any affair for which he was responsible than it immediately +came to confusion. All these defects are to be attributed to his lack of +education and knowledge of the world. Mental discipline is absolutely +necessary for a man who would discipline others; and knowledge of the +world is essential for one who would successfully deal with men, and +distinguish those whom he can from those whom he cannot trust. Defects +of this nature, which sometimes seem like flaws in the man's character, +may be set down to this one disability--that he was not educated and was +not by habit a man of the world. + +All his sins of misgovernment, then, may be condoned on the ground that +governing is a science, and that Columbus had never learned it. What we +do find, however, is that the inner light that had led him across the +seas never burned clearly for him again, and was never his guide in the +later part of his life. Its radiance was quenched by the gleam of gold; +for there is no doubt that Columbus was a victim of that baleful +influence which has caused so much misery in this world. He was greedy +of gold for himself undoubtedly; but he was still more greedy of it for +Spain. It was his ambition to be the means of filling the coffers of the +Spanish Sovereigns and so acquiring immense dignity and glory for +himself. He believed that gold was in itself a very precious and +estimable thing; he knew that masses and candles could be bought for it, +and very real spiritual privileges; and as he made blunder after blunder, +and saw evil after evil heaping itself on his record in the New World, he +became the more eager and frantic to acquire such a treasure of gold that +it would wipe out the other evils of his administration. And once +involved in that circle, there was no help for him. + +The man himself was a simple man; capable, when the whole of his various +qualities were directed upon one single thing, of that greatness which is +the crown of simplicity. Ambition was the keynote of his life; not an +unworthy keynote, by any means, if only the ambition be sound; but one +serious defect of Columbus's ambition was that it was retrospective +rather than perspective. He may have had, before he sailed from Palos, +an ambition to be the discoverer of a New World; but I do not think he +had. He believed there were islands or land to be discovered in the West +if only he pushed on far enough; and he was ambitious to find them and +vindicate his belief. Afterwards, when he had read a little more, and +when he conceived the plan of pretending that he had all along meant to +discover the Indies and a new road to the East, he acted in accordance +with that pretence; he tried to make his acts appear retrospectively as +though they had been prompted by a design quite different from that by +which they had really been prompted. When he found that his discovery +was regarded as a great scientific feat, he made haste to pretend that it +had all along been meant as such, and was in fact the outcome of an +elaborate scientific theory. In all this there is nothing for praise or +admiration. It indicates the presence of moral disease; but fortunately +it is functional rather than organic disease. He was right and sound at +heart; but he spread his sails too readily to the great winds of popular +favour, and the result was instability to himself, and often danger of +shipwreck to his soul. + +The ultimate test of a man's character is how he behaves in certain +circumstances when there is no great audience to watch him, and when +there is no sovereign close at hand with bounties and rewards to offer. +In a word, what matters most is a man's behaviour, not as an admiral, or +a discoverer, or a viceroy, or a courtier, but as a man. In this respect +Columbus's character rings true. If he was little on little occasions, +he was also great on great occasions. The inner history of his fourth +voyage, if we could but know it and could take all the circumstances into +account, would probably reveal a degree of heroic endurance that has +never been surpassed in the history of mankind. Put him as a man face to +face with a difficulty, with nothing but his wits to devise with and his +two hands to act with, and he is never found wanting. And that is the +kind of man of whom discoverers are made. The mere mathematician may +work out the facts with the greatest accuracy and prove the existence of +land at a certain point; but there is great danger that he may be knocked +down by a club on his first landing on the beach, and never bring home +any news of his discovery. The great courtier may do well for himself +and keep smooth and politic relations with kings; the great administrator +may found a wonderful colony; but it is the man with the wits and the +hands, and some bigness of heart to tide him over daunting passages, that +wins through the first elementary risks of any great discovery. Properly +considered, Columbus's fame should rest simply on the answer to the +single question, "Did he discover new lands as he said he would?" That +was the greatest thing he could do, and the fact that he failed to do a +great many other things afterwards, failed the more conspicuously because +his attempts were so conspicuous, should have no effect on our estimate +of his achievement. The fame of it could no more be destroyed by himself +than it can be destroyed by us. + +True understanding of a man and estimate of his character can only be +arrived at by methods at once more comprehensive and more subtle than +those commonly employed among men. Everything that he sees, does, and +suffers has its influence on the moulding of his character; and he must +be considered in relation to his physical environment, no less than to +his race and ancestry. Christopher Columbus spent a great part of his +active life on the sea; it was sea-life which inspired him with his great +Idea, it was by the conquest of the sea that he realised it; it was on +the sea that all his real triumphs over circumstance and his own weaker +self were won. The influences at work upon a man whose life is spent on +the sea are as different from those at work upon one who lives on the +fields as the environment of a gannet is different from the environment +of a skylark: and yet how often do we really attempt to make due +allowance for this great factor and try to estimate the extent of its +moulding influence? + +To live within sound or sight of the sea is to be conscious of a voice or +countenance that holds you in unyielding bonds. The voice, being +continuous, creeps into the very pulses and becomes part of the pervading +sound or silence of a man's environment; and the face, although it never +regards him, holds him with its changes and occupies his mind with its +everlasting riddle. Its profound inattention to man is part of its power +over his imagination; for although it is so absorbed and busy, and has +regard for sun and stars and a melancholy frowning concentration upon the +foot of cliffs, it is never face to face with man: he can never come +within the focus of its great glancing vision. It is somewhere beyond +time and space that the mighty perspective of those focal rays comes to +its point; and they are so wide and eternal in their sweep that we should +find their end, could we but trace them, in a condition far different +from that in which our finite views and ethics have place. In the man +who lives much on the sea we always find, if he be articulate, something +of the dreamer and the mystic; that very condition of mind, indeed, which +we have traced in Columbus, which sometimes led him to such heights, and +sometimes brought him to such variance with the human code. + +A face that will not look upon you can never give up its secret to you; +and the face of the sea is like the face of a picture or a statue round +which you may circle, looking at it from this point and from that, but +whose regard is fixed on something beyond and invisible to you; or it is +like the face of a person well known to you in life, a face which you +often see in various surroundings, from different angles, now +unconscious, now in animated and smiling intercourse with some one else, +but which never turns upon you the light of friendly knowledge and +recognition; in a word, it is unconscious of you, like all elemental +things. In the legend of the Creation it is written that when God saw +the gathering together of the waters which he called the Seas, he saw +that it was good; and he perhaps had the right to say so. But the man +who uses the sea and whose life's pathway is laid on its unstable surface +can hardly sum up his impressions of it so simply as to say that it is +good. It is indeed to him neither good nor bad; it is utterly beyond and +outside all he knows or invents of good and bad, and can never have any +concern with his good or his bad. It remains the pathway and territory +of powers and mysteries, thoughts and energies on a gigantic and +elemental scale; and that is why the mind of man can never grapple with +the unconsciousness of the sea or his eye meet its eye. Yet it is the +mariner's chief associate, whether as adversary or as ally; his attitude +to things outside himself is beyond all doubt influenced by his attitude +towards it; and a true comprehension of the man Columbus must include a +recognition of this constant influence on him, and of whatever effect +lifelong association with so profound and mysterious an element may have +had on his conduct in the world of men. Better than many documents as an +aid to our understanding of him would be intimate association with the +sea, and prolonged contemplation of that face with which he was so +familiar. We can never know the heart of it, but we can at least look +upon the face, turned from us though it is, upon which he looked. Cloud +shadows following a shimmer of sunlit ripples; lines and runes traced on +the surface of a blank calm; salt laughter of purple furrows with the +foam whipping off them; tides and eddies, whirls, overfalls, ripples, +breakers, seas mountains high-they are but movements and changing +expressions on an eternal countenance that once held his gaze and wonder, +as it will always hold the gaze and wonder of those who follow the sea. + +So much of the man Christopher Columbus, who once was and no longer is; +perished, to the last bone and fibre of him, off the face of the earth, +and living now only by virtue of such truth as there was in him; who once +manfully, according to the light that he had, bore Christ on his +shoulders across stormy seas, and found him often, in that dim light, a +heavy and troublesome burden; who dropped light and burden together on +the shores of his discovery, and set going in that place of peace such a +conflagration as mankind is not likely to see again for many a +generation, if indeed ever again, in this much-tortured world, such +ancient peace find place. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +Presence of the owner makes the horse fat +Spaniards sometimes hanged thirteen of them in a row +Spaniards undertook to teach the heathen the Christian religion +The cross and the sword, the whip-lash and the Gospel + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of Christopher Columbus, v8 +by Filson Young + diff --git a/old/cc08v10.zip b/old/cc08v10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1b1a10c --- /dev/null +++ b/old/cc08v10.zip diff --git a/old/cc08v10h.zip b/old/cc08v10h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3199c76 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/cc08v10h.zip |