Finding themselves thus unexpectedly overpowered, the mutineers turned their backs and fled as fast as they could. The lieutenant would have pursued; but some of the principal people about him remonstrated, saying that it was good to punish, but not to carry severity too far, lest when he had killed many of the mutineers the Indians might think fit to fall upon the victors, as they were all in arms waiting the event without taking either side. This advice being approved of, the lieutenant returned to the ships with Porras and the other prisoners, where he was joyfully received by the admiral and those who remained with him, giving God thanks for the victory in which the guilty had received their just measure of punishment, while on our side the lieutenant was slightly wounded in the hand, and one of the gentlemen of the chamber to the admiral had a small wound in his hip from a spear, of which however he died.
Peter de Ledisma (that pilot who went with Vincent Yanez to Honduras, and who so bravely swam on shore at Belem,) in his flight from the lieutenant, fell down some steep rocks unperceived, where he lay all that day and the next until evening, unperceived by any except some of the Indians. They were amazed to see the terrible gashes which he had received in the fight, having no idea that our swords could cut in such a manner, and opened up his wounds with little sticks to examine them. One of his wounds was on the head and the brain was distinctly laid bare; another on his shoulder so large and deep that his arm hung as it were loose; the calf of one leg was so deeply cut that the flesh hung down to his ancle, and one foot was sliced open from the heel to the toe. Yet in this desperate state he would threaten to rise and destroy the Indians when they disturbed him, and they were so afraid as to fly away in consternation. His situation being reported at the ships, he was removed to a hut in the neighbourhood, where the dampness and the intolerable multitude of gnats were sufficient to have destroyed him. Yet being properly attended to, although the surgeon for the first eight days alleged that he discovered new wounds every day, he at last recovered, and the gentleman of the chamber in whom he apprehended no danger, died of his slight wound.
The day after the battle, 20th of May, all the mutineers who had escaped sent a petition to the admiral, humbly repenting of their disobedience, begging that he would mercifully pardon their past transgression, and declaring their readiness to submit to his authority. The admiral granted their request and passed a general pardon, on condition that their captain should remain a prisoner lest he might stir up another mutiny. And as he thought inconvenience might arise if they were admitted on board the ships, by quarrels among the meaner people, and that it might even be difficult to maintain the whole in one place, he sent out a person in whom he could confide to take the command of those who had been in the mutiny, with directions to go with them about the island and keep them in order till the ships came, which he daily expected, and supplied them with a sufficient quantity of commodities to exchange for provisions with the natives.
The mutineers having all returned to their duty, the Indians became more regular in their supply of provisions to us in exchange for our commodities. We had been some days more than a year at Jamaica when a ship arrived which had been fitted out at St Domingo by James Mendez from the admirals private funds, in which we all embarked, enemies as well as friends, and set sail from Jamaica on the 28th of June. Proceeding on our voyage with much difficulty on account of the adverse winds and currents, we arrived in great need of rest and refreshment at St Domingo on the 13th of August 1504. The admiral was received with great demonstrations of honour and respect by the governor, who lodged him in the palace, yet he set Porras who had headed the mutineers at liberty, and even attempted to punish those who had been instrumental in taking him prisoner, pretending to arrogate an authority of trying causes and offences which belonged solely to the jurisdiction of the admiral, who had been appointed by their Catholic majesties admiral and captain-general of their fleet. Notwithstanding of all this he fawned upon the admiral, using every demonstration of kindness in his presence, yet acting treacherously in undermining his character and authority; and this lasted all the time we remained at St Domingo. Our own ship being refitted and supplied with all necessaries for the voyage, and another hired in which the admiral and his kindred, friends, and servants, embarked, we sailed on the 2d of September, most of the other people who had been along with us in our late disastrous voyage remaining at St Domingo. We had scarcely got two leagues from the port when the mast of one of the ships came by the board, and was immediately sent back by the admiral to refit, while we held on our way in the other vessel to Spain.
Having run about a third part of the way, so terrible a storm arose that our ships were in imminent danger; and next day, 19th of October, when the weather was fair and the ship quite steady the mast flew into four pieces; but by the ingenuity of the admiral who was unable to rise from his bed on account of the gout, and by the exertions of the lieutenant, a jury-mast was constructed out of a spare yard, strengthened with some planks taken from the poop and stern, and firmly bound together with ropes. We lost our foremast in another storm; and yet it pleased God that we arrived safe at the port of St Lucar de Barrameda, and thence to Seville; where the admiral took some rest after the many fatigues he had undergone.
In May 1505 he went to the court of King Ferdinand, the glorious Queen Isabella having in the year before exchanged this life for a better. Her loss was severely felt by the admiral, as she had always favoured and supported him; whereas the king had proved unkind and adverse to his honour and interest. This plainly appeared by the reception he met with at court; for though King Ferdinand received him with the outward appearance of favour and respect, and pretended to restore him to his full power, he yet would have stript him of all if shame had not hindered, considering the engagements which both he and the queen had come under to him when he went out upon his last voyage. But the wealth and value of the Indies appearing every day more obvious, and considering how great a share of their produce would accrue to the admiral in virtue of the articles which had been granted previous to his discovery, the king was anxious to acquire the absolute dominion to himself, and to have the disposal of all the employments in the new world according to his own will and pleasure, which by the agreement were in the gift of the admiral as hereditary viceroy, admiral, and governor-general of the Indies. The king therefore began to propose new terms to the admiral by way of equivalent, which negociation God did not permit to take effect; for just when Philip the first came to reign in the kingdom of Castile, at the time when King Ferdinand went from Valladolid to meet him, the admiral, much broken down by the gout, and troubled to find himself deprived of his rights, was attacked by other distempers, and gave up his soul to God upon Ascension day, the 20th of May, 1506, at the city of Valladolid. Before his death he devoutly partook of the holy sacraments of the church, and these were his last words "Into thy hands O Lord! I commend my Spirit." And through his infinite mercy, we do not question but he was received into glory, to which may God admit us with him.
His body was conveyed to Seville, where it was magnificently buried in the cathedral by the order of the Catholic king, and the following epitaph in Spanish was engraven upon his tomb, in memory of his renowned actions and the great discovery of the Indies.
A CASTILIA YA LEON NUEVO MUNDO DIO COLON.
Columbus gave a New World to Castile and Leon.
These memorable words are worthy of observation, as nothing similar or any way equivalent can be found either in the ancients or among the moderns. It will therefore be ever had in remembrance, that he was the discoverer of the Indies; though since then Ferdinand Cortes and Francis Pizarro have found out many other provinces and vast kingdoms on the continent. Cortes discovered the province of Yucutan and the empire of Mexico now called New Spain, then possessed by the great emperor Montezuma; and Francis Pizarro found out the kingdom of Peru which is of vast extent and full of endless wealth, which was then under the dominion of the powerful king Atabalipa. From these countries and kingdoms there come every year to Spain many ships laden with gold and silver and rich commodities, as Brazil wood, cochineal, indigo, sugar, and other articles of great value, besides pearls and other precious stones: owing to which Spain and its princes at this time flourish and abound in wealth beyond all other nations.
CHAPTER II.
ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST DISCOVERY OF AMERCIA, BY CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS; FROM THE HISTORY OF THE WEST INDIES, BY ANTONIO BE HERRERA, HISTORIOGRAPHER TO THE KING OF SPAIN[1].
[1] Churchills Collection, V. 591. All that has been attempted in the present article is to soften the asperity of the language, and to illustrate the text by a few notes where these seemed necessary.--E.
SECTION I.
Of the Knowledge of the Ancients respecting the New World.
With the generality of mankind, so far from imagining that there could be any such country as the new world or West Indies, the very notion of any such thing being supposed to exist was considered as extravagant and absurd, for every one believed that all to the westwards of the Canary islands was an immense and unnavigable ocean. Yet some of the ancients have left hints that such western lands existed. In the close of the second act of his tragedy of Medea, Seneca says, "The time will come, when the ocean shall become navigable, and a vast land or New World shall be discovered." St Gregory, in his exposition of the Epistle of St Clement, says, "There is a new world, or even worlds, beyond the ocean." We are informed by other authors, that a Carthaginian merchant ship accidentally discovered in the ocean, many days sail from our ancient continent, an incredibly fruitful island, full of navigable rivers, having plenty of wild beasts, but uninhabited by men, and that the discoverers were desirous of settling there; but, having given an account of this discovery to the senate of Carthage, they not only absolutely prohibited any one to sail thither, but put all who had been there to death, the more effectually to prevent any others from making the attempt. Yet all this is nothing to the purpose, as there is no authentic memorial of this supposed voyage, and those who have spoken of it incidentally have given no cosmographical indications of its situation, by means of which the admiral Christopher Columbus, who made the first discovery of the West Indies, could have acquired any information to guide him in that great discovery. Besides, that there were no wild beasts, either in the windward or leeward islands which he discovered, those men who would rob Columbus, in part at least, of the honour of his great discovery, misapply the following quotation from the Timaeus of Plato: "There is no sailing upon the ocean, because its entrance is shut up by the Pillars of Hercules. Yet there had formerly been an island in that ocean, larger than all Europe, Asia, and Africa in one; and from thence a passage to other islands, for such as went in search of them, and from these other inlands people might go to all the opposite continent, near the true ocean." These detractors from the honour of Columbus, in explaining the words of Plato after their own manner, evince more wit than truth, when they insist that the shut up passage is the strait of Gibraltar, the gulf the great ocean, the great island Atlantis, the other islands beyond that the leeward and windward islands, the continent opposite them the land of Peru, and the true ocean the great South Sea, so called from its vast extent. It is certain that no one had any clear knowledge of these matters: and what they now allege consists merely of notions and guesses, patched together since the actual discovery; for the ancients concluded there was no possibility of sailing across the ocean on account of its vast extent. These men, however, labour to confirm their opinions, by alleging that the ancients possessed much knowledge of the torrid zone; as they insit that Hano the Carthaginian coasted round Africa, from the straits of Gibraltar to the Red Sea, and that Eudoxias navigated in the contrary direction from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. They allege farther, that both Ovid and Pliny make mention of the island of Trapobano, now Zumatra[2] which is under the line.
[2] Trapobana, or rather Taprobana, is assuredly Ceylon, not Sumatra.--E.
All this however is nothing to the purpose. The expression of Seneca is not applicable; for his proposed discovery is towards the north, whereas ours is to the westwards. The coasting of Africa, as said to have been performed by the ancients, is widely different from traversing the vast ocean, as was accomplished by Columbus, and by the Spaniards after his example. If any notice is due to ancient hints, that only is worthy of observation which we find in the twenty-eighth chapter of the book of Job, in which it seems predicted that God would keep this new world concealed from the knowledge of men, until it should please his inscrutable providence to bestow its dominion to the Spaniards. No attention is due to the opinions of those who would endeavour to establish the Ophir of the Scriptures in Peru, and who even allege that it was called Peru at the time when the holy text was penned. For, neither is that name of Peru so ancient, nor does it properly belong to that great country as its universal appellation. It has been a general practice among discoverers to apply names to new found ports and lands, just as occasion offered, or accident or caprice directed; and accordingly, the Spaniards who made the first discovery of that kingdom, applied to it the name of the river they first landed at, or that of the cacique who governed the district. Besides, the similarity of words is too trivial a circumstance on which to establish a foundation for a superstructure of such importance. The best informed and most judicious historians affirm, that Ophir was in the East Indies: For, if it had been in Peru, Solomons fleet must necessarily have run past the whole of the East Indies and China, and across the immense Pacific ocean, before it could reach the western shore of the new world; which is quite impossible. Nothing can be more certain than that the fleet of Solomon went down the Red Sea; and as the ancients were not acquainted with those arts of navigation which are now used, they could not launch out into the ocean to navigate so far from land; neither could those distant regions be attained to by a land journey. Besides, we are told that they carried from Ophir peacocks and ivory, articles that are not to be found in the new world. It is therefore believed that it was the island of Taprobana, from whence all those valuable commodities were carried to Jerusalem; and the ancients may have very justly called their discovery the new world, to express its vast extent, because it contained as much land as was before known, and also because its productions differed so much from those of our parts of the earth, or the old world. This explanation agrees with the expressions of Seneca and St Jerome.
SECTION II.
Of the Motives which led Columbus to believe that there were unknown Countries.
The admiral Christopher Columbus had many reasons for being of opinion that there were new lands which might be discovered. Being a great cosmographer, and well skilled in navigation, he considered that the heavens were circular, moving round the earth, which in conjunction with the sea, constitute a globe of two elements, and that all the land that was then known could not comprise the whole earth, but that a great part must have still remained undiscovered. The measure of the circumference of the earth being 360 degrees, or 6300 leagues, allowing 17 leagues to the degree, must be all inhabited, since God hath not created it to lie waste. Although many have questioned whether there were land or water about the poles, still it seemed requisite that the earth should bear the same proportion to the water towards the antarctic pole, which it was known to have at the arctic. He concluded likewise that all the five zones of the earth were inhabited, of which opinion he was the more firmly persuaded after he had sailed into 75 degrees of north latitude. He also concluded that, as the Portuguese had sailed to the southwards, the same might be done to the westwards, where in all reason land ought to be found: And having collected all the tokens that had been observed by mariners, which made for his purpose, he became perfectly satisfied that there were many lands to the westwards of Cabo Verde and the Canaries, and that it was practicable to sail over the ocean for their discovery; because, since the world is round, all its parts must necessarily be so likewise. All the earth is so fixed that it can never fail; and the sea, though shut in by the land, preserves its rotundity, without ever falling away, being preserved in its position by attraction towards the centre of gravity. By the consideration of many natural reasons, and by perceiving that not above the third part of a great circle of the sphere was discovered, being the extent eastwards from Cabo Verde to the farthest then known land of India, he concluded that there remained much room for farther discoveries by sailing to the westwards, till they should come to meet with those lands then known, the ends whereof to the eastwards had not been yet explored. In this opinion he was much confirmed by his friend Martin de Bohemia[1], a Portuguese and an able cosmographer, a native of the island of Fayal.
[1] This is the person usually called Behain.--E.
Many other circumstances concurred to encourage Columbus in the mighty enterprize of discovery towards the west, by discoursing with those who used to sail to the westwards, particularly to the islands of the Azores. In particular, Martin Vincente assured him, that, having been on one occasion 450 leagues to the westwards of Cape St Vincent, he took up a piece of wood which was very artificially wrought, and yet was supposed not to have been fashioned with tools of iron: And, because the wind had blown many days from the west, he inferred that this piece of wood must have drifted from some land in that direction. Peter Correa, who had married the sister of Columbuses wife, likewise assured him, that he had seen another piece of wood similarly wrought, which had been drifted by the west winds upon the island of Puerto Santo; and that canes also had been floated thither, of such a size that every joint could contain a gallon of liquor. Columbus had farther heard mention made of these canes by the king of Portugal, who had some of them, which he ordered to be shewn to the admiral, who concluded that they must have been drifted from India by the west wind, more especially as there are none such in Europe. He was the more confirmed in this opinion, as Ptolemy, in the 17th chapter of the first book of his cosmography, describes such canes as being found in India. He was likewise informed by some of the inhabitants of the Azores, that when the wind continued long and violent from the west and north-west, the sea used to throw pine trees on the coasts of the isles of Gracioso and Fayal, in which no trees of that sort grew. The sea once cast two dead bodies on the coast of Flores, having very broad faces, and quite different features from those of the Christians. Two canoes were seen at another time, having several articles in them, which might have been driven out to sea by the force of the wind while passing from one island to another, and thence to the Azores. Anthony Leme, who had married in Madeira, declared that he once run a considerable way to the westwards of that island in his caravel, and fancied that he saw three islands; and many of the inhabitants of Gomera, Hierro, and the Azores, affirmed that they every year saw islands to the westwards. These were considered by Columbus as the same with those mentioned by Pliny in his Natural History, where he says, "That the sea to the northwards cuts off some pieces of woods from the land; and the roots being very large, they drift on the water like floats, and looked at a distance like islands."
In the year 1484, an inhabitant of the island of Madeira asked permission from the king of Portugal to go upon the discovery of a country, which he declared he saw every year exactly in the same position, agreeable to what had been reported by the people of the Azores. On these accounts, the ancient sea-charts laid down certain islands in these seas, which they called Antilla, and placed them about 200 leagues west from the Canaries and Azores; which the Portuguese believed to be the island of the Seven Cities, the fame of which has occasioned many to commit great folly from covetousness, by spending much money to no purpose. The story is, that this island of the Seven Cities was peopled by those who fled from the persecution of the infidels, when Spain was conquered by the Moors, in the reign of king Roderick; when seven bishops embarked with a great number of people, and arrived in that island, where they burnt their ships to prevent any one from thinking to return, and each of the bishops built a separate city for his flock. It was reported, that in the days of Prince Henry of Portugal, one of his ships was driven by a storm upon that island, where the natives carried the sailors to church, to see whether they were Christians observing the Roman ceremonies; and, finding them to be so, desired them to remain till their lord should come; but, fearing they might burn their ship and detain them, the Portuguese returned well pleased into Portugal; expecting a considerable reward from the prince. He, however, reproved them for bringing so imperfect an account, and ordered them to return; which the master and sailors dared not attempt, but left the kingdom, and were never more heard of. It is added, that these sailors, while in the island of the Seven Cities, gathered some sand for their cookroom, which turned out to be partly gold. Some adventurers from Portugal, allured by this report, went out for the purpose of prosecuting this discovery, one of whom was James de Tiene, and the pilot was James Velasquez of Palos. This man affirmed to Columbus, at the monastery of St Maria de Rabida, that they took a departure from Fyal, and sailed 150 leagues to the south-west, and at their return discovered the island of Flores, following many birds flying in that direction, which they knew were not water-fowl. He next said, that they sailed so far to the north-west, that Cape Clare of Ireland bore east of them; where they found the west wind blowing hard, yet with a smooth sea, which they believed was occasioned by the nearness of some land sheltering the sea from the violence of the wind; but that they dared not to proceed on their voyage, it being then the month of August, and they feared the approach of winter. This is said to have happened forty years before Columbus discovered the West Indies.
A sailor belonging to Port St Mary affirmed, that in a voyage to Ireland he saw a country to the westward, which he imagined to have been Tartary; but which has since turned out to be Bacallaos, being a part of Canada, but could not attain the coast by reason of stormy weather[2]. Peter de Velasco of Galicia declared, that, in a voyage to Ireland, he stood so far to the northward that he saw land west from that island. Vincent Diaz, a Portuguese pilot of Tavira, said that one morning, on his return from Guinea, he thought he saw an island under the parallel of Madeira. Diaz discovered the secret to a merchant, who procured the leave of the king of Portugal to fit out a ship for the discovery, and sent advice to his brother Francis de Cazana to fit out one at Seville, and put it under the command of Diaz. But Francis Cazana refusing, Diaz returned to Tercera, where he procured a ship, with the assistance of Luke de Cazana, and went out two or three times above an hundred leagues to the west, but found nothing. To these may be added, the attempts made by Caspar and Michael de Cortereal, sons to him who discovered the island of Tenera; but they were lost in searching for this land. Yet all these particulars contributed to encourage Columbus to undertake the enterprise; for, when Providence has decreed the accomplishment of any thing, it disposes the means, and provides the proper instruments.
[2] Rather Newfoundland.--E.
SECTION III.
Columbus proposes his Design to the King and Queen of Spain; which, after many Repulses, is adopted by the Queen[1].
[1] We have here omitted two sections of very uninteresting cosmographical observations on the antipodes, the torrid zone, the climate of the Western hemisphere, and the peopling of America.--E.
The reason why Columbus gave the name of Indies to those new found countries, was on purpose to excite the princes he had to deal with to fall into his proposals, as he proposed to find gold, silver, and pearls, and those drugs and spices which are not produced in our countries, and therefore he concluded, that his discoveries might vie with the East Indies, give reputation to his design, and add weight to his proposals. Besides, it was his design to discover the east by way of the west; and as the East Indies lay in the remotest part of the east, going eastwards, which he meant to discover in a western course, it might well be called India. After the actual discovery, and when both New Spain and Peru were found out, the name was made plural, and the new world was called the West Indies. These West Indies are the countries comprehended within the limits assigned to the crown of Castile and Leon, consisting of one hemisphere, or half the globe, being 180 degrees of longitude. These limits commenced at a meridian, 30 or 40 degrees westwards from that of the city of Toledo, and proceeded from thence to the west; so that allowing 17-1/2 leagues to a degree, this allotment contains 3700 Spanish leagues in breadth, between east and west[2].
[2] The author or translator has here committed a material arithmetical error; as 180 degrees, multiplied by 17-1/2, only produce 3150 leagues.--E.
Columbus, whom the Spaniards call Colon, to adapt his name to their language, was born in Genoa, his fathers name being Dominick. As to the original of his family, some derive it from Placentia, others from Cucureo, a town on the coast near that city, others from the lords of the castle of Cucaro, in Montferrat, near Alexandria de la Pagla. In 940, the Emperor Otho II. confirmed to the brothers and earls, Peter, John, and Alexander Columbus, the real and feudal estates which they possessed in the liberties of the cities of Aqui, Savona, Asti, Montferrat, Turin, Vercelli, Parma, Cremona, and Bergamo, with all the rest they held in Italy. By other records, it appears that the Columbi of Cucaro, Cucureo, and Placentia, were the same; and that the before-mentioned emperor granted, in the same year 940, to the same three brothers, the castles of Cucaro, Cowzana, Rosignano, and others, with the fourth part of Bistagno, which belonged to the empire. This sufficiently demonstrates the antiquity and importance of the family. When very young, Christopher Columbus came into Spain, or Portugal rather, to seek his fortune like other men. He there married Donna Philippa Moniz de Perestrello, by whom he had one son, Don James Columbus; and afterwards, by a second wife, Donna Beatrix Henriquez of the city of Cordova, he had another son, Don Ferdinand Columbus, a gentleman excellently qualified and well learned.
Being entirely convinced that there were new lands to discover, which he had been long revolving in his mind, he at length determined to attempt carrying his design into execution; but knowing that such an undertaking was fit only for some sovereign prince or state, he made the proposal, in the first place, to the republic of Genoa, where it was looked upon as a chimera. He then communicated his design to John II. of Portugal, who gave him a favourable hearing, but was so much occupied with the discoveries along the western coast of Africa, that he was unwilling to engage in another enterprize of so much importance. King John, however, referred the matter to three persons on whom he placed great reliance in matters relating to cosmography and discovery; one of these was Don James Ortez, bishop of Ceuta who was a Spaniard, born at Calzadilla in the commandary of St Jago, and commonly called the Doctor Calzadilla; the other two were Roderick and Joseph, two Jewish physicians. These persons pretended to consider the design of Columbus as wild and impracticable; yet, after hearing his reasonings, and an account of the course he proposed to steer, they advised the king to send out a caravel upon the discovery, giving out that it was destined for Cabo Verde. This was done accordingly, and the vessel went many leagues to the westwards; but, encountering severe storms, it returned without effecting any discovery, and holding out the notions of Columbus to ridicule. He, not ignorant of this underhand dealing, was much offended, and his wife being dead, he took a great aversion to Portugal, and resolved upon going into Spain to offer his schemes at that court. Lest he might be treated there as he had been in Portugal, he sent his brother Bartholomew Columbus into England, where Henry VII. then reigned. But Bartholomew spent much time by the way, being taken by pirates; and after his release and arrival in England, he had to stay a long time before he learnt how to solicit the affair with which he was entrusted. In the mean time, Don Christopher Columbus departed privately from Portugal in 1484 for Andalusia, knowing that the king of Portugal was sensible that his scheme was well grounded, and was satisfied the people of the caravel had not done their duty, so that he still inclined to consult farther respecting the enterprize. Columbus landed at Palos de Moguer, whence he went to the court of Ferdinand and Isabella, or Elizabeth, king and queen of Spain, then at Cordova, leaving his son James in the monastery of Rabida, half a league from Palos, under the care of John Perez de Marchena, the father guardian of that house, who was learned in humanity, and had some skill in cosmography.
On his arrival at Cordova, Columbus made known the object of his journey, and found most encouragement from Alonso de Quintanilla comptroller of Castile, a wise man and fond of great undertakings, who, finding Columbus a man of worth and merit, invited him to his table, without which he could not have subsisted during his tedious solicitation. After some time, their Catholic majesties, so far listened to the proposal, as to refer it to Ferdinand de Talavera, prior of Prado, and confessor to the queen, who afterwards became the first Christian archbishop of Granada. Columbus was called before an assembly of cosmographers, of whom there were few then in Spain, and those none of the ablest; and besides the admiral was unwilling to explain himself too unreservedly, lest he might be served as already in Portugal; wherefore the result of this consultation was adverse to his expectations and wishes. Some said, that as there had been so many persons well skilled in maritime affairs in all ages of the world, who never dreamt of those lands which Columbus endeavoured to persuade them he should find, it was not to be imagined that he was wiser than all who had gone before his time. Others alleged that the world was so large, that it would require a voyage of three years at least, to reach those farthest parts of the east to which Columbus proposed to sail; and quoted Seneca in confirmation of their opinion, who says, "That wise men were divided whether the ocean might not be of infinite extent, so that it would be impossible to sail across its bounds; and, even if navigable, it was questionable if there were any inhabited land beyond, or if there were a possibility of going to such a distance." They farther alleged that no other part of our globe was inhabited, except that small parcel which existed above the water in our hemisphere, all the rest being sea: Yet they conceded, that, if it were found practicable to go from Spain to the farthest parts of the world eastwards, it must likewise be granted, the same might be done by a western course. Others contended, that should Columbus sail directly westwards, it would be impossible for him ever to get back to Spain, owing to the rotundity of the globe; for, whoever should go beyond the hemisphere known to Ptolemy, must necessarily descend so much that it would be impracticable to return, which in that case would be like climbing up a steep mountain. Although Columbus answered all their objections, they could not comprehend his reasonings, and the assembly declared his project to be vain and impracticable, and unbecoming the majesty of such mighty princes to be undertaken on such trivial information. Thus, after much time spent in vain, their Catholic majesties ordered Columbus to be informed, that, being engaged in several wars, particularly in the conquest of Granada, they could not then venture upon other expences; but, when that was over, they would again examine the matter; and so dismissed him.
Having received this mortifying answer, Columbus went away to Seville, much discontented, after having spent five years at court to no purpose. He then had his project made known to the Duke of Medina Sidonia, and as some say, to the Duke of Medina Celi likewise; and being rejected by them, he wrote to the king of France on the subject, and intended, if rejected by the French court, to have gone over himself into England in search of his brother, from whom he had not heard of a long while. Having formed this resolution, he went to the monastery of Rabida, intending to place his son in Cordova during his absence; and, having discovered the nature of his designs to Father J. Perez de Marchena, it pleased God that the father guardian prevailed on him to postpone his journey. Associating with himself Garcia Hernandez a physician, Perez and he conferred with Columbus on the matter; and Hernandez being a philosopher, was much pleased at the proposed discovery. Whereupon Father John Perez, who was known to the queen as having sometimes heard her confession, wrote to her majesty on the subject, and received orders to repair to court, then at the new city of Santa Fe before Granada, and to leave Columbus at Palos, with some hope of being successful. When John Perez had discoursed with the queen, she ordered 20,000 maravedies[3] to be carried by James Prieto to Columbus at Palos, to enable him to return to court.
[3] This sum does not much exceed ten pounds of our present money; yet in these days was thought a gift worthy of a queen.--Churchill.
The value of money must then have been much greater than now, perhaps ten times; in which case this supply may have been equal to about 22 hundred guineas in effective value.--E.
On his coming back, the prior of Prado, and the others who were joined with him in commission, were still averse from the undertaking; and besides, as Columbus demanded high conditions, among which were to have the titles of admiral and viceroy over all his discoveries, they thought he required too much in case of success, and that such a grant would seem dishonourable in case of failure. The treaty was therefore again entirely broken off, and Columbus resolved to go away to Cordova, in order to proceed for France, being positive not to go to Portugal on any account. Alonzo de Quintanilla, and Lewis de Santangel, who was clerk of the green cloth to the crown of Arragon, were much concerned that this enterprize should be laid aside, and at their request, and that of John Perez, Don Pedro Gonzalez de Mendoza heard what Columbus had to say on the subject, with which he was well pleased, valuing him as a man of worth. But the adverse party still objected that Columbus ventured nothing of his own on this discovery, requiring to be made admiral of a fleet by their Catholic majesties, while it would be no loss to him even if the enterprize should fail. To this he answered, that he would be at an eighth part of the expence, provided he were entitled to a proportional share in the profits. Yet nothing was concluded; whereupon Columbus left the city of Santa Fe in January 1492, in great perplexity, on his way for Cordova. That same day, Lewis de Santangel represented to the queen, that he was astonished she, who had ever shewn much genius for great undertakings, should here fail where so much might be gained, and so very little could be put to hazard; and, should the enterprise be undertaken by any other prince, as Columbus affirmed it would, her majesty might easily see how great an injury this would prove to her crown, especially as Columbus seemed a person of worth, and required no reward but what he should find, venturing even his own person, and part of the charges. He farther urged that the thing was by no means of an impracticable nature, as represented by the cosmographers, nor ought the attempt to be considered as indiscreet, even if it should not succeed. Besides, that Columbus only demanded a million of maravedies[4] to fit himself out for the expedition; and he therefore earnestly entreated that so small a sum might not obstruct so great an enterprize. At the same time, the queen was much importuned by Alonzo de Quintanilla, who had great credit with her majesty; she thanked them for their advice, and said she would willingly embrace it, when she had a little recovered from the expence of the war; or, if they thought it necessary to proceed immediately, she was willing to have the money raised by pawning some of her jewels. Quintanilla and Santangel kissed her hand, and expressed their thanks that her majesty had been pleased to listen to their advice, after the matter had been refused by the counsel of so many others; and Santangel offered to lend the sum required out of his own money. All this being settled, an alguazil or messenger was dispatched after Columbus, with orders from the queen for his return. The messenger overtook him at the bridge of Pinos, two leagues from Granada; and, though much concerned to have been so much slighted, he returned to the city of Santa Fe, where he was well received, and the secretary, John Coloma, was ordered to prepare the contract and instructions, after he had spent eight years, with much vexation and uneasiness, in soliciting to have his project undertaken.
[4] This is little above L.520 of our money, according to the present computation.--Churchill.
Probably equal in effective value to L.5200 in the present time.--E.
SECTION IV.
Conditions granted to Columbus by the Crown of Castile, and an Account of his first Voyage, in which he discovered the New World.
Columbus and the Secretary Coloma conferred together upon the conditions, which he had demanded from the beginning, and they at length agreed to the following articles, which were signed on the 17th April 1492.
1. Their Catholic majesties, as sovereigns of the ocean, do from this time constitute Don Christopher Columbus their admiral, throughout all those islands or continents, that by his means shall be discovered and conquered in the said ocean, for the term of his life, and after his death to his heirs and successors for ever, with all the immunities and prerogatives belonging to the said office, in the same manner as they have been enjoyed by their admiral, Don Alonso Enriquez, and his predecessors, within their liberties.
2. Their highnesses do constitute and appoint the said D. C. Columbus their viceroy and governor-general of all the islands or continents, which, as has been said, he shall discover and conquer in the said seas; and that he shall nominate three persons for the government of each of them, of whom their highnesses shall choose one.
3. Their highnesses grant to the said D. C. Columbus, the tenth part of all commodities whatsoever, whether pearls, precious stones, gold, silver, spice, or any other, bought, bartered, found, taken, or otherwise had, within the limits of the said admiralty, the charges being first deducted; so that he shall take to himself the said tenth part, to use, enjoy, and dispose of at his pleasure.
4. In case any controversies shall arise on account of the commodities he may bring from the said islands or countries, so conquered or discovered as aforesaid, or on account of those here taken of other merchants in exchange for these, in the place where the said trade shall be settled; if it shall belong of right to the admiral to try such causes, he shall be allowed to do so by himself or deputy, as was allowed to the admiral Don Alonso Enriquez, and his predecessors, within their districts.
5. It shall be lawful for the said D. C. Columbus, whenever any ships are fitted out for the aforesaid trade, to contribute the eighth part of the cargo, and accordingly to receive the eighth part of all the produce in return.
These articles were signed in the city of Santa Fe, in the plain of Granada; with which, and with the before-mentioned sum of money, he departed from that place on the 12th of May, and leaving his sons at school in Cordova, he went himself to the port of Palos, in order to expedite the preparations for his voyage, very few of the persons at court believing that he would perform what he had promised. Their Catholic majesties having strictly enjoined him not to touch at Guinea, nor to come within an hundred leagues of the Portuguese conquests, gave him letters patent to all kings and princes in the world, requiring them to receive, honour, and relieve him as their admiral. He chose Palos, as a place where there were many experienced seamen, and because he had friends among them; as also for the sake of John Perez de Marchena, who greatly assisted him in this affair, by disposing the minds of the seamen to accompany him, as they were very unwilling to venture upon an unknown voyage. He had orders for the town of Palos to furnish him with two caravels, with which that place was obliged to serve the crown during three months of every year. He fitted out a third vessel as admiral, which he called the St Mary. The second was named the Pinta, commanded by Martin Alonso Pinzon, having his brother, Francis Martinez Pinzon as master or pilot; and the third, La Vinna, which had latine or triangular sails, was commanded by Vincent Yanez Pinzon, who was both captain and pilot. This person advanced half a million of maravedies, for the eighth part of the charges of the expedition[1], the family of the Pinzons being of the first rank in Palos, very wealthy, and excellent sailors; the common mariners, through their example and influence, became willing to engage in the voyage, which at first they were much averse from.
[1] This is about L.260.--Churchill
Equal to about L.2600 of our present money in effective value: But is difficult to conceive how the eighth part of this small armament should require so large a sum, which would extend the total amount to L.2080 of solid money, equal in efficacy to L.20,800 in our times: and, besides the crown had advanced L.520, equally to L.5200, as its contribution for seven eighths.--E.
The vessels being ready for sea, were supplied with provisions for one year, and took on board a complement of ninety men, most of whom were inhabitants of Palos, except some friends of Columbus, and a few servants of the court. They set sail half an hour before sun-rise on the 3d of August 1492, going over the bar of the river Saltes, on which Palos is situated, and directing their course for the Canaries; the whole crews of all the three vessels, after the example of Columbus, having previously made confession of their sins, and partaken of the holy sacrament. On the very next day, the rudder of the caravel Pinta, which Martin Alonso Pinzon commanded, broke loose; which was suspected to have happened by the contrivance of Gomez Rascon and Christopher Quintero, her owners, and serving as seamen on board, because they went on the voyage against their inclination, and had endeavoured to throw obstacles in its way before setting out. This obliged the Pinto to lie to, and the admiral made up to the caravel, though he could not give any aid, on purpose to encourage the men. Martin Alonso Pinzon being an experienced seaman, soon fastened the rudder in such a manner with ropes as enabled her to continue the voyage: But on the Tuesday following, it broke loose again through the violence of the waves, and the whole of the small squadron was forced to lie to. This early misfortune might have discouraged a superstitious person, more especially considering the refractory conduct of M.A. Pinzon afterwards. The rudder was again made fast as well as they could; and, continuing their voyage, they discovered the Canaries about day-break of the 11th of August. After endeavouring for two days to reach Gran Canaria, and always baffled by contrary winds, Martin Alonso was left with orders to proceed to land as soon as he could, to endeavour to procure another ship, and the admiral went with the other two to Gomera with the same view. Not finding any vessel for his purpose, he returned to Gran Canaria, where he got a new rudder for the Pinta, and had her sails changed from latine or triangular, into square, that she might labour less, and be able more safely to keep up with the others. Leaving Gran Canaria on the afternoon of the 1st September, he returned to Gomera, where he took in a supply of flesh, and wood and water, with great haste in the course of four days; as he had heard of some Portuguese caravels cruising in those parts to intercept him, the king of Portugal being much concerned to learn that Columbus had agreed with their Catholic majesties, by which he had missed the opportunity of aggrandizing his own crown.
On Thursday the 6th of September, Columbus took his final departure from Gomera, standing to the westwards in quest of his proposed discovery, and made but little way for want of wind: Yet they lost sight of land next day, when many bewailed their state with sighs and tears, believing they were never more to see land; but Columbus did all in his power to raise their hopes, by the promise of success, and of acquiring wealth. That day they ran eighteen leagues, while the admiral gave out they had only advanced fifteen; thinking it prudent to reckon the voyage short, on purpose to lessen the apprehensions of the seamen. On the 11th of September, being 150 leagues to the westwards of Ferro, they saw a mast floating on the sea, that seemed to have been drifted by the current, which a little farther on, they found setting very rapidly to the northwards. On the 14th September, being 50 leagues more to the west, the admiral, about night-fall, perceived the needle to vary a point westwards, and somewhat more early next morning. This variation had never been observed before, and therefore astonished the admiral greatly; and still more so, three days after, when he had advanced 100 leagues farther to the westwards, on finding the needle to vary two points in the evening, and to point directly north next morning. On the night of Saturday the 15th September, being then near 300 leagues west from Ferro, they saw a flame of fire drop into the sea, four or five leagues S.W. from the ships, the weather being then calm, the sea smooth, and the current setting to the N.E. The people in the Ninna said they had seen some water-wagtails on the day before, at which they much admired, considering that these birds never go above fifteen or twenty leagues from land. On the next day, they were still more surprised at seeing some spots of green and yellow weeds on the surface of the sea, which seemed newly broken off from some island or rock. On Monday the 17th, they saw much more, and many concluded they were near land, more especially as a live grasshopper was seen on the weeds. Others of the companies alleged these weeds might come from banks or rocks under water, and the people, beginning to be afraid, muttered against the prosecution of the voyage. They now perceived that the water was not more than half as salt as usual, and that night they saw many tunny fishes, which followed so near the ships that a man belonging to the Ninna killed one with a harpoon. In the morning the air was temperate and delightful, like the April weather of Andalusia. When about 360 leagues westwards of Ferro, another water-wagtail was seen; and on Tuesday the 18th September, Martin Alonso Pinzon, being before in the Pinta which was an excellent sailer, lay to for the admiral, and reported that he had seen a numerous flock of birds flying westwards, from which he had hopes of discovering land that night, at about fifteen leagues to the northwards, and even fancied he had seen it: But the admiral did not credit this, and would not lose time by deviating from his course in search of the supposed land, though all the people were much inclined to have made the attempt. That night the wind freshened, when they had sailed eleven days always before the wind to the west, without ever having to handle a sail. During the whole course, the admiral constantly noted down every circumstance; as the winds, the fishes, birds, and other tokens of land, and continually kept a good look out, frequently trying for soundings.
SECTION V.
Continuation of the Voyage; the signs of approaching land; the people mutiny, and the Admiral endeavours to appease them.
Being altogether unacquainted with the voyage, and seeing nothing but sky and water for so many days, the people began to mutter among themselves, as thinking their situation desperate, and anxiously looked out for signs of land, no one having ever been so far out at sea as they then were. On Wednesday 19th September, a sea gull came on board the admiral, and others appeared in the evening; which raised their hopes of land, believing these birds did not fly far out to sea. Throwing the lead with a line of 200 fathoms, no ground was found, but the current was found setting to the S.W. On Thursday the 20th two more gulls were seen; some time after they took a black bird, having a white spot on its crown and feet like a duck; they killed a small fish, and sailed over large quantities of weeds. From all which tokens the people began to pluck up fresh courage. Next morning, three small land birds settled on the rigging of the admiral, where they continued singing till the sun rose, when they flew away. This strengthened their hopes of land; as, though the other birds might venture out to sea, those small birds could not as they thought, go far from land. Some time after, a gull was seen flying from W.N.W. next afternoon a water-wagtail and another gull, and more weeds to the northwards, which encouraged them in the belief that they came from some land not far off. Yet these very weeds troubled them, as they were sometimes in such thick spots as to impede the way of the ships, and they therefore avoided them as much as possible. Next day they saw a whale, and on the 22d September some birds. During three days the winds were from the S.W. which, though contrary, the admiral said were a good sign, because the ships having hitherto sailed always before the wind, the men believed they would never have a fair wind to return with. Notwithstanding every encouragement that the admiral could devise, the men grew mutinous and slighted him, railing against the king for sending them on such a voyage; while he sometimes endeavoured to sooth them with hopes, and at other times threatened them with the punishment they might look for from the king, for their cowardice and disobedience. On the 23d, the wind sprung up at W. N.W. with a rough sea, which pleased every one; at nine in the morning a turtle-dove flew athwart the admiral; in the afternoon a gull and other white birds, and grasshoppers were seen among the weeds. Next day another gull was seen, and turtle-doves came from the westwards; some small fishes also were seen, which were killed with harpoons, as they would not take bait.
All these tokens of land proving vain, the fears of the men increased, and they now began to mutter openly that the admiral proposed to make himself great at the expence of their lives; and, having now done their duty by venturing farther than any men had ever done before, they ought not to seek their own destruction by sailing onwards to no purpose; for, if they should expend all their provisions, they would have none to serve them on the homeward voyage; and the vessels, being already crazy, would never hold out; so that no one would blame them for returning, and they would be the more readily believed at home, as the admiral had met with much opposition at court. Some even went the length of proposing to throw him overboard, to end all controversy, and to give out that he had fallen accidentally into the sea while observing the stars. Thus the men inclined more and more to mutiny from day to day, which greatly perplexed Columbus; who sometimes soothed them with fair words, and at other times curbed their insolence with menaces; often enumerating the increasing signs of land, and assuring them they would soon find a wonderfully rich country, where all their toils would be amply rewarded. They thus continued so full of care and trouble that every day seemed a year, till on Tuesday the 29th September, Vincent Yannez Pinzon, while conversing with Columbus, called out Land! Land! "Sir, I demand my reward for this news." He then pointed to the S.W. and shewed something that looked like an island, about 25 leagues from the ships. Though this was afterwards believed to have been a concerted matter between the admiral and him, yet it was then so pleasing to the men that they gave thanks to God; and the admiral pretended to believe it till night, steering his course in that direction to please the men.
Next morning, what seemed land turned out only clouds or a fog bank, which often looks like land; and with much discontent the course was again altered due west, and so continued while the wind was favourable. This day, Wednesday 26th, they saw a gull, a water-wagtail, and other birds. Next morning another gull flew past from the west towards the east, and they saw many fishes called dorados, or gilt-heads, some of which were struck with harpoons. Another water-wagtail passed very near the ships; and the currents were observed not to run in so strong a body as before, but to change with the tides; and there were fewer weeds. Friday 28th September, they saw many dorados, and on Saturday a water-wagtail, which is a species of sea bird that never rests, but perpetually pursues the gulls till they mute for fear, which the other catches in the air. Of these there are great numbers about the Cape Verde islands. Soon after many gulls appeared, and numbers of flying fishes. In the afternoon, many weeds were seen stretching from north to south, also three gulls and a water-wagtail pursuing them. The men constantly allowed that the weeds were a sign of near land, but alleged that it was under water. On Sunday 30th September, four water-wagtails came near the admiral at once, from which it was concluded the land could not be far off. Many weeds appeared in a line from W.N.W. to E.S.E; likewise many of those fishes which are called emperors, having a hard skin, and not good eating. Though the admiral carefully noted all these circumstances, he ceased not to observe the heavens. He perceived that the needles varied two points at night-fall, and returned due north in the morning, which much perplexed the pilots; till he told them this proceeded from the north star moving round the pole, with which gratuitous explanation they were partly satisfied, for this hitherto unusual variation at such a distance from land, made them fearful of some unknown danger.
On Monday the 1st October, at day-break a gull was seen, and some others before noon resembling bitterns; and the weeds now set from east to west. Many now feared they might come to some place where the land was so closely beset with weeds that they might stick fast among them and perish. This morning the pilot told Columbus that they were 588 leagues to the west of Ferro; but the admiral answered that they were only 584, though his reckoning was actually 707. On the Wednesday following, the pilot of the Ninna reported his westing to be 650 leagues; and he of the Pinta 630; in all of which they had reckoned short, having sailed right before the wind, but Columbus refrained from setting them right, lest he might increase the dismay of the people, by letting them know how far they were from land. On the 2d October, they killed a tunny and saw many other sorts, as also a white bird and many grey ones, and the weeds looked withered, as if almost reduced to powder. No birds appearing next day, they feared having passed some island unseen, supposing all the birds that appeared to have been passing from one island to another, and the men were eager to change their course to one hand or the other; but Columbus did not choose to lose the advantage of the wind, which served for a due west course, which he particularly wished, and he thought it would lessen his reputation to sail up and down in search of land, which he always asserted he was certain to find. On this the men again mutinied, which was not wonderful, considering that so many were led by one of whom they had so little knowledge, and that they had already sailed long on so vast an ocean, seeing nothing but sky and water, without knowing what might be the end of all their labours. But it pleased God to show fresh signs of land, by which they were somewhat appeased; for, in the afternoon of the 4th October, they saw above forty sparrows and two gulls, which came so close to the ships that a sailor killed one with a stone; likewise many flying fishes were seen, some of which fell upon the decks of the ships. Next day, a gull, a water-wagtail, and many sparrows appeared to the westwards near the ships. On Sunday the 7th October, some signs of land appeared to the westwards, yet none durst say so, lest they might forfeit the annuity of 10,000 maravedies, which had been promised to him who first saw land; and it was provided that whoever should pretend to see the land, if his discovery were not verified in three days, should be ever after excluded from the reward, even though he should actually make the discovery in the sequel. Yet those in the Ninna, which was a-head of the rest, being the best sailer, were so sure of seeing land that they fired a gun and shewed their colours as a signal to that effect; but the more they advanced, the appearances became the less, and at length vanished away. In this disconsolate condition, it pleased God again to comfort them with the flights of many birds, and among them some which were certainly land birds, and which made for the south west. Upon this, concluding he could not now be far from land, Columbus altered his course from west to south-west; alleging the difference was not great, and that the Portuguese had discovered most of their lands by following the flight of birds, and that those he now followed took the very direction in which he had always expected to find the land. He added that he had always told them he did not expect to find the land till he had sailed 750 leagues westward of the Canaries, where he expected to find the island of Cipango, and must certainly have been upon it by this time; but knowing it to stretch north and south, he had not turned southwards lest he might get foul of it; yet he now believed it to lie among other islands towards the left, in the direction these birds flew; and since they were so numerous, the land must needs be near. On Monday the 8th October, about a dozen small birds of several different colours came to the ship, and hovering a while about it, afterwards flew away, and many others were seen flying to the south-west. On the same evening, many large birds were seen, and flocks of small birds, all coming from the northward, and many tunnies were seen. Next morning a gull and some ducks, with many small birds were seen, all flying in the same direction with the former; besides, the air became more fresh and fragrant, as at Seville in April. But the men were now so anxious for land, and so vexed at the frequent disappointment of their hopes, that they regarded none of these tokens; though, on Wednesday the 10th, many birds were seen both by day and night; yet neither the encouraging promises of the admiral, nor his upbraiding their cowardice, could allay their fears, or inspire them with any confidence of ultimate success.
SECTION VI
Admiral Columbus discovers the Island of San Salvador, the Conception, Ferdinandina, Isabella, and others; with a Description of these islands, and some account of the Natives.
It pleased God, when Columbus was no longer able to withstand the discontents and mutinous spirit of his men, that in the afternoon of Thursday the 11th of October 1492, he was comforted by manifest tokens of approaching land. A green rush was seen to float past his own ship, and a green fish of that kind which is known to be usually near rocks. Those of the Pinta saw a cane and a staff, and took up another curiously carved, and a piece of board, and many weeds were seen, evidently fresh torn from the shore. The people on board the Ninna saw similar tokens, and a branch of thorn with its berries, that seemed to have been recently torn from the bush. All these were strong indications of being near land; besides which the lead now found a bottom and brought up sand; and the wind became unsteady, which was thought to proceed from the nearness of the land. From all these signs, Columbus concluded that he was now certainly near the land he was in search of; and when night came, after evening prayer he made a speech to his men, setting forth the infinite goodness of God, who had conducted them in safety through so long a voyage. He then gave orders, that they should lay to and watch all night; since they well knew that the first article of their sailing instructions was, that, after sailing seven hundred leagues without finding land, they should not make sail between midnight and day-break; and he was almost confident they would make the land that night. On purpose farther to rouse their vigilance, besides putting them in mind of the promised annuity of 10,000 maravedies from the king to him who might first see land, he engaged to give from himself a velvet doublet to the discoverer.
About ten o'clock at night of Thursday the 11th October 1492, as Columbus was sitting on the poop of his vessel, he espied a light; on which he privately called upon Peter Gutierrez, a groom of the kings privy chamber, and desired him to look at the light, which he said he saw. He then called Roderigo Sanchez de Segovia, inspector of the fleet, who could not discern the light; but it was afterwards seen twice, and looked like a candle which was lifted up and then held down; so that Columbus had no doubt of it being a real light on land, and it afterwards turned out to have been a light carried by some people who went from one house to another.
About two the next morning, the caravel Pinta, being always foremost, made a signal of seeing land, which was first descried by a sailor named Roderick de Triana, and was then about two leagues distant. But the annuity of 10,000 maravedies, promised in reward to him who should first discover land, was afterwards decreed by their majesties to belong to the admiral, and was always paid him from the rents of the shambles of Seville; because he saw the light in the midst of darkness; typical of the spiritual light they were bringing among those barbarous people: For God so ordered it, that, as soon as the wars with the Moors of Granada were ended, after 720 years from their first coming into Spain, this great work should begin; by which the crown of Castile and Leon might be continually employed in the good work of bringing infidels to the knowledge of the Catholic faith.
When day appeared, on Friday the 12th October, they perceived a flat island, fifteen leagues in length, covered with wood, abundantly supplied with good water, having a fresh lake in the middle, and full of people. The natives stood on the shore in great admiration of the ships, which they believed to be some monstrous unknown animals, and were as impatient to be better informed respecting them, as the Spaniards were to go on shore. The admiral went on shore in his boat well manned, and having the royal standard displayed, accompanied by the two captains of the other ships, Martin Alonzo Pinzon, and Vincent Yannez Pinzon, in their own boats carrying the peculiar colours of the enterprize, being a green cross with several crowns, and inscribed with the names of their Catholic majesties. On landing they all fell upon their knees, kissing the ground, and returned thanks to the Almighty for his merciful guidance and protection. The admiral then stood up, and named the island San Salvador or St Saviour; but by the inhabitants it was called Guanahani. This first discovered land in the new world, being one of the islands afterwards called Lucayos or Bahamas, is 950 leagues from the Canary islands[1], and was discovered after 33 days sail[2]. Columbus took formal possession of the country for the crown of Castile and Leon, in presence of the notary Roderick de Escoveda, being surrounded by great numbers of the natives. All the Spaniards now acknowledged him as admiral and viceroy, taking an oath to obey him, as representing the sovereign in those parts; and they did this with all that pleasure and alacrity which may easily be imagined to have actuated them on this successful occasion, all begging pardon for the trouble they had given him through their pusillanimous and irresolute conduct during the voyage.
[1] The actual difference of longitude, between Ferro in 17° 45' 50", and the eastern side of Guanahani in 75° 40', both west, is 57° 54' 11" or almost 58 degrees; which at 17-1/2 Spanish leagues to the degree, the computation previously established by our present author, would extend to 1015 leagues.--E.
[2] Some error has crept into the text, easily corrected. Columbus took his departure from Gomera on Thursday the 6th September, and landed on Guanahani on Friday the 12th October, both 1492. The time, therefore, which was employed in this first passage across the Atlantic, not including the 12th, because the land was observed in the night before, was exactly 36 days. Had Columbus held a direct course west from Gomera, in latitude 27° 47' N. he would have fallen in with one of the desert sandy islands on the coast of Florida, near a place now called Hummock, or might have been wrecked on the Montanilla reef, at the north end of the Bahama banks: his deflection therefore, to the S.W. on the 7th October, was fortunate for the success of his great expedition.--E.
Perceiving that the natives, who were called Indians by the Spaniards, were a simple and peaceable people, who stood gazing with admiration at the Christians, wondering at their beards, complexion, and cloaths, the admiral gave them some red caps, glass beads, and other baubles, which they received eagerly and seemed to prize much; while the Spaniards were no less surprised to behold the appearance and behaviour of this new people. The admiral returned on board, followed by many Indians, some by swimming, and others in boats called canoes, made out of one piece of timber, like troughs or trays. The Indians brought along with them clews of cotton-yarn, parrots, javelins pointed with fish bones, and some other things, which they bartered for glass toys, hawks-bells and such trifles, with which they were highly pleased, and even set a high value on broken pieces of glazed earthern ware, plates, and poringers. All the natives, both men and women, were entirely naked like man in the state of innocence, the greater number being under thirty years of age, though some were old. They wore their hair down to their ears, some few to their necks, tied with a string in the nature of tresses. Their countenances and features were good; yet having extraordinarily broad foreheads, gave some appearance of deformity to their appearance. They were of a middle stature and well shaped, having their skins of an olive colour, like the natives of the Canaries; but some were painted white, some black, and others red; most of them in different parts of their bodies, but some only on their faces, round the eyes, or on their noses. They were quite ignorant of our weapons; for on being shewn swords, they ignorantly laid hold of the edge. They knew nothing of iron, but used sharp stones for working in wood. Being asked by signs, how they came by some scars that were observed upon some of them, they made the Spaniards understand that the people of some other islands came occasionally to make them prisoners, and that they had been wounded in defending themselves. They had very voluble tongues, and appeared of quick apprehension, and easily repeated any words they heard spoken. The only living creatures that were seen among them were parrots.
On the next day, being the 13th October, many Indians came off to the ships in their canoes, most of which carried forty or even fifty men, and some were so small as only to hold one. Their oars were formed like a bakers peel, with which they rowed, or paddled rather, as if digging with a spade. Though easily overset, the Indians were excellent swimmers, and easily turned their canoes up, again, after which they laded the water out with calabashes, which they carried with them for that purpose. They brought much cotton on board to barter with the Spaniards, and some of them gave as many clews as weighed a quarter of a hundred weight in exchange for a small brass Portuguese coin called centis, worth less than a farthing. These people were never satisfied with gazing on the Spaniards, and used to kneel down and hold up their hands, as if praising God for their arrival, and were continually inviting each other to go and see the men who had come from heaven. They wore no jewels, nor had they any other thing of value, except some little gold plates which hung at their noses. Being asked whence they had this gold, they answered by signs that they procured it from the southwards, where there was a king, who had abundance of that metal. The ships were never clear of Indians, who, as soon as they could procure a bit of any thing, were it only a fragment of a broken earthen dish, went away well pleased and swam ashore with their acquisition, offering whatsoever they possessed for the meanest trifle. Thus the whole day was spent in trading, their generosity in giving being occasioned by the value they set upon what they received in return, as they looked upon the Spaniards as people come from heaven, and were therefore desirous of something to keep in remembrance of them. At night they all went on shore. On the morning of the 14th the admiral took a survey of all the coast to the north-west in the boats, the natives following along the shore, offering provisions, and calling to each other to come and see these heavenly men; others followed in canoes, and some by swimming, holding up their hands in admiration, asking by signs if the Christians did not come from heaven, and inviting them to come on shore to rest themselves. The admiral gave to all strings of glass beads, pins, or other toys, being much pleased to see the simple innocence of the natives. He continued the survey till he came to a ridge of rocks inclosing a spacious harbour, where a strong fort might have been built, in a place almost surrounded by water. Near that harbour there was a village of six houses, surrounded by abundance of trees, which looked like gardens. As the men were wearied with rowing, and the land did not appear sufficiently inviting to make any stay, Columbus returned to the ships; and having heard of other lands, he resolved to go in search of them.
Taking with him seven natives of Guanahani, that they might learn Spanish and serve as interpreters, Columbus proceeded to discover the other islands, of which there were above an hundred, all flat, green, and inhabited, of which the Indians told him the names. On Monday the 15th of October, he came to an island, seven leagues from St Salvador or Guanahani, which he named Santa Maria de la Conception[3], which stretches near fifty leagues in length between north and south; but the admiral ran along that side of it which is east and west, where the extent is only ten leagues. He anchored on the west side, and went on shore, when vast numbers of the natives flocked about him, shewing the utmost wonder and admiration. Finding this island similar to the former, he thought fit to proceed farther on. A canoe being on board the caravel Ninna, one of the seven Indians brought from St Salvador leaped over, and though pursued by a boat got clear off; and another had made his escape the night before. While here an Indian came off in a canoe to barter cotton, and the admiral ordered a red cap to be put on his head, and to have hawks-bells fastened to his legs and arms, on which he went away well pleased. Next day being Tuesday 16th October, he proceeded westwards to another island, the coast of which trended eighteen leagues N.W. and S.E.; but he did not reach it till next day, on account of calms. On the way, an Indian was met in a canoe, having a piece of their bread, some water in a calabash or gourd, a little of the black earth with which they paint themselves, some dry leaves of a wholesome sweet-scented herb which they prize highly; and, in a little basket, a string of glass beads, and two vinteins[4], by which it appeared he came from San Salvador, had passed the Conception, and was going to this third island, which the admiral now named Fernandina, in honour of the king of Spain. The way being long and the Indian tired with rowing, he went on board, and the admiral ordered him to be regaled with bread and honey and some wine; and when he arrived at the island, caused him to be set on shore with some toys. The good report which this man gave, brought the people of the island aboard the ships to barter, as in the other islands. When the boats went ashore for water, the Indians readily shewed where it was to be had, and even helped to fill the casks; yet they seemed to have more understanding than the other islanders, as they bargained harder in exchanging their commodities, and had cotton blankets in their houses. Some of the women also wore short cotton wrappers, like petticoats, from the waist half way down their thighs, while others had a swathe or bandage of cotton cloth, and such as had nothing better, wore leaves of trees; but the young girls were entirely naked. This island appeared to have abundance of water, many meadows and groves, and some pleasant little hills, which the others had not, and an infinite variety of birds flew about in flocks, and sung sweetly; most of these being quite different from the birds of Spain. There were many lakes, near one of which our men saw a creature seven feet long, which he supposed to be an alligator, and admired its size and strange shape. Having thrown stones at this creature, it ran into the water, where they killed it with their spears. Experience taught them afterwards that this animal is excellent meat, and is much esteemed by the Indians of Hispaniola, who call them Yvanes. In this island there were trees which seemed to have been grafted, as they bore leaves of four or five kinds; yet they were quite natural. They saw also fishes of fine colours, but no land animals except large tame snakes, the before-mentioned alligators, and small rabbits, almost like rats, called Unias; they had also some small dogs which did not bark. Continuing the survey of this island to the north-west, they anchored at the mouth of a spacious harbour, having a small island at its mouth; but did not enter, as it was too shallow. In this place was a town of some size, all the rest they had seen in these islands having not above ten or twelve huts like tents, some of them round, and others with penthouse roofs, sloping both ways, and an open porch in front in the Flemish fashion. These were covered with leaves of trees, very neatly laid on, to keep out wind and rain, with vents for the smoke, and the ridges handsomely ornamented. Their only furniture were beds of net tied to two posts, like hammocks. One Indian had a little piece of gold hanging from his nose, with some marks on it resembling characters, which the admiral was anxious to procure, supposing it to have been some species of coin; but it afterwards appeared there was no such thing in all the West Indies.
[3] How infinitely better it had been for Columbus, and his precursors the Portuguese, to have retained the native names, where these could be learnt; or, otherwise, to have imposed single significant new names like the Norwegian navigators of the ninth century, instead of these clumsy long winded superstitious appellations. This island of St Mary of the Conception seems to have been what is now called Long-island, S.S.E. from St Salvador or Guanahani, now Cat-island.--E.