LIBRARY OF CX)NGRESS 0DDliD3171.t.E Qass ^ V/^ Book. H ^73 . Y-^A ^ .^ .M^,?^ THE HISTORY OF THE ^VOYAGE S OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS^ A N D T II E b I S C O V E R Y OF AMERICA, AND THE WEST-INDIES. NEW-YORK: PRINTKD FORE. DUYCKINCK, NO. U 0, PEARL- STREEl BY G. BUNCE. 1609, ' 7^73 THE VOYAGES OF HRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. ] VOYAGE FIRST. \ CHAP. I. lumhm' first s providen- tially dissipated, by such manifest pfoofs of their approach to land us could not be disputed. On the 1 1th of October tho?e on board the Ad. miral's ship saw a greer rush, together witii a large rock-fish swim by the ship : the sailors ©f the Pinta discovtr^MJ a cane fio-ting ; and, ,what was much more extraerdinary, took a staff curiously wrought, toge'.er with a small board, i B 14 THE VOYAGES OP and at the same time the crew of the Nina per- ceived a branch of thorn full of red berries. These objects having now assured the admi- ral of the vicinity of land, he at night, after pray- ers, reminded them of the mercy of God in granting them fair weather during such a long voyage, and exhorted them to be vigilant that night, as he ex- pected to see land next day, and not only men- tioned the pension of 30 crowns, but promised to give a velvet doublet to him who should be the first discoverer. After this speech he retired to the great cabin, from whence perceiving what appeared to be a light on shore, he called to one of the sailors, who being desired to observe, ac- knowledged that he plainly saw it, and supposed it to be a candle or torch belonging to some fish- erman, or traveller, as it seemed to move, and to vanish and appear by turns. This increased their vigilance and caution, tho' they still pursued their course, till about two in the morning, when the Pinta being far a-head, gave the signal of land, which was first discovered by a sailor at the distance of two leagues ; the pension, however, was given to the admiral, who had before per- ceived the light. As they were now so near the shore, all the ships lay to, and the people waited for morning with the extremest impatience, in order to feast their eyes with what they had so long and so earnestly wished to behold. Their hopes, however, were not now disappoin- ted, for day no sooner dawned than they perceivec an. island about forty five English miles in length COLUMBUfe. is and almost one continued plain, covered with green trees; it was supplied with delightful ri- vers, and had a great lake in the middle. It was inhabited by a number of people, who being as- tonished at the sight of the ships, which they at first mistook for living creatures, ran down to the shore. The Spaniards were inflamed by the most eager curiosity to know the particulars of this interesting discovery, and the vessels were no sooner brought to an anchor, than the Admiral landed his boat well armed, with the royal stand* ard displayed, attended by the other two captains, in their respective boats, with the particular en- signs of this enterprise. Immediately on their landing they kneeled on the shore, gave thanks to God, and, shedding tears of joy, kissed the ground. Columbus then, standing up, gave the island, which was called by the natives Guanihani, the name of St. Salva- dor *, and took possession of it for their Catholic Majesties. This ceremony being performed, he was acknowledged as Admiral and viceroy by the Spaniards, who now implored his pardon for the affronts and insult they had offered him, and joyfully swore to obey him as their majesties representative. A multitude of the Indians were present at these transactions, and they appearing to be a very simple and quiet people, Columbus distribu- ted among them strings of glass beads, red caps, • It is noKV called Ccit-Lland. 16 THE VOYAGES OF and other things of small value, which they received with transport, and on his returning to his ship, some of them swam after him, while others f^llowel in canoes, with javelins, armed with fish-bonea, spun cotton, parrots, and other things, to barter for such trifles as he had distribu- ted among the rest. Few of these people seemed to be above thirty years of age ; they were of a middle stature, v/ell shaped, and of an olive colour, with thick lank black hair, which was generally cut short above their ears, though others had suff. ered it to grow, and tied it up like tresses of wo- men. They had open countenances, very regular features, and high foreheads. The bodies of some and faces of others were painted black, white, and red, tho' a few of them had only their noses and eye-lids coloured. But all of both sexes were entirel}^ naked, and so littte were they acquainted with European arms that they hand- led a naked sword by the edge, without any sus- picion that it was capable of hurting them. Some of these people being asked by signs how they had got the wounds, the marks of which were still visible on their bodies, they answered in the same manner, that they received them in their own defence, when fighting against the inhabitants of other islands who came with a view to enslave them. The next morning being the 1 3th of October, many of the Indians came to the ships in their canoes, which were made by hollowing the trunk of a tree. Some of them were so small as to hold eoLUMBUs. n only one person, and others large enough to con- tain forty. They were rowed with paddles, and were so light that if they happened to be o- verset, the rowers could easily set them right a- gain, and empty the water with calabashes, or dryed goards, which they carried with them for that purpose. These Indians had no jewels nor any kind of metal, except small plates of gold that hung at their nostrils, which, by their signs, they informed the Spaniards came from the south-west, where there were many countries and islands. They were so fond of possessing any thing belonging to the Spaniards, that some of them picked up bits of broken earthen w^are that lay upon the deck, leapt into the sea and swam ashore with them. They were ready to exchange any thing in their possession for the most insignificant trifles, and some of them gave twenty-five pounds of well spun cotton for three small pieces of Por- tuguese brass coin laot worth a farthing : Not that they believed these things had much intrinsic value ; but they seemed to prise them only be- cause they belonged to the white men, whom they considered as people descended from heaven, and of whom they desired to keep some memorial. On the 14th of October the Admiral coasted the island with iiis boat towards the north-west, till he disicovered a large bay or harbour sufficient to contain all the ships in Europe, being all tho while followed, both by sea and land, by crowds of the inhabitants, who expressed their wonder B 2 18 THE VOYAGES OF and regard by a variety of gesticulations. At length arriving at a peninsula he saw several of their houses and plantations, which appeared as pleasant as those of Castile in the month of May. However, finding that this was not the land he was in search of, he took L*even of the Indians ta serve as interpreters, and returning to his ships, sailed to other islands that were visible from the peninsula. On the 15th of October having sailed seven leagues, he arrived at the west end of another island which he found to be about ten leagues in length, and gave it the name of St. Mary, or the Conception ; but perceiving that the inhabi- tants differed but little from those of St. Salvador, and that it produced nothing worth notice, he <^ontinued his course west-ward, and anchored upon the coast of anottier large island, which ex- tended north-west and south-west above 28 leagues. Before he reached this agreeable spot,, which he named Fernanda, he took up an Indian whom he found at sea in a small canoe, furnished witli a piece of bread, a calabash filled with water, and a little earth resembling yermillion, which was used by those people in painting their bodies. This'Indian had also a small basket in which was x?antained a string of glass beads and two small pieces of Portuguese money, from which it. appear- ed that he was bound from St. Salvador or Fernan- da, with the strange news of the Admiral's arri- val ; but the voyage being long, he was weary with paddling, and desired to be taken on board. coLUMr: us. 19 Columbus treated him courteously, gave him bread and honey to eat, made him drink wine, and on his setting him on shore gave him some toys, in order that by his favourable report he might pre- possess the natives of Fernanda in favour of the Spaniards. The success answered the Admiral's expectations; for the islanders on hearing the favourable account given by the Indian, came in their canoes to barter with the same sort of commodities which were found at St. Salvador ; but they appeared to have more sagacity, and made more advantageous bargains. The wonieii wore a kind of cotton cloth round their middle. Their houses were built like tents, but had scarce- ly any funiiture : and the beds in which they lay were formed of a kind of nets that hung from two posts. Here were some trees that seemed as if jngrafted, by their bearing leaves or b.anches of four or five several kinds. There were plenty of fish of different shapes, and colours, some lizards, snakes, and dogs that could not bark. Columbus finding nothing valuable in this isl- and, sailed on the 1 9th of October to another, to which he gave the name of Isabella, in honour of her Catholic Majesty. This Island far exceeded the others in beauty and extent. It abounded with rivers, pleasant meadows and -proves, and the prospect wus diversified with hil's, which the rest wanted : the ear was delighted with songs of birds, which hoj^pedfrom bough to bough, but even flew in such flocks as darkened the air. Near one of the lakes the Spaniards killed an alli-t 20 THE VOYAGES OK gator seven feet long with their spears, which,, though at first they beheld with horror, they afterwards skinned and ate, this animal being es- teemed by the Indians as most delicious food, Columbus was no sooner acquainted with the produce of Isabella, and the manners of its inhabi- tants, than he set sail with a fair wind, for a large country to the south, which was extolled by the Indians under the name of Cuba, and arrived there on the 28th of October. It exhibited a pleasing variety of hills and dales, woods and plains, and from the extent of its coast, and the largeness of its rivers, appeared to be of great consequence. To obtain some intelligence of the natives, the Admiral cast anchor in a broad river, the banks of which were shaded by thick and tall trees, that were at the same time adorned with blos- soms and fruit entirely unknown in Europe. Soon after they landed they entered two houses w^hich were deserted by the natives, who being terrified at the appearance of the ships, had fled ; upon which the ships re-imbarked without touch- ing any of the effects, and continued their course westward till they arrived at the mouth of anoth- er river : but this being larger than the other, Columbus sailed a considerable way up it. The banks were all along inhabited ; but here also the natives fled, with all the effects they could carry, to the mountains, which arose to a considerable height, and were covered with lofty trees. Columbus being sensible, that if the inhabitants should thus continue to avoid him, he should COLUMBUS. 21 never be able to learn the nature of the island, and being afraid of increasing their terror by land- ing a number of men, ordered two Spaniards, attended by an Indian of St Salvador and another of Cuba, who had boldly ventured to come a- board with his canoe, to travel up into the country, and to endeavour by their obliging; behaviour to remove the terror of the people. In the mean time he directed his ship to be careened, on which occasion he observed that the only fuel of the coun- try was mastic wood, which grew there in great plenty. On the 15th of November the two Spaniards returned, accompanied by the Indian king and hi^s son, and informed the Admiral that they had travelled twelve leagues into the- country, where they found a town consisting of fifty wooden hou- ses covered with straw, which contained about 1000 people ; that they were met by the princi- ple persons of the place, who took them by the arms and led them to the ';own, where they were allowed a spacious lodging, in which they were seated upon wooden benches, in the form of some strange animals, with their taiTs lifted up for them to lean upon, and had eyes and ears of gold. The SpaniaiKis being seated on these benches, the Indians sat around them on the ground, and -came one by one to kiss the hands and feet of those strangers, imagining they had come from heaven ; they at the same time treated them with boiled roots which in their taste resembled chesnuts^ After the men had thus fulfilled the 22 THE VOYAGES OF rights of hospitality they retired, to make room for the women, who also kissed their hands and feet, and entertained them with their homely fare. This favourable reception they owed to their two Indian attendants, who represented the Span- iards as a humane and generous people. On their setting out to return to the ship, a great number of the natives proposed to accom- pany them ; this offer they declined, and would accept of none but the Cacique or king, and his son, under whose protection they were entertain- ed with great respect at several petty towns, meet- ing many of the inhabitants, who always carried lighted brands to kindle the fires, with which they roasted the roots that constituted their principal food. In return for these civilities, the two Prin- ces were treated by the Admiral with great kind- ness and respect. In this excursion they saw variety of birds, among which were partrMges and nightingales ; but no quadrupeds, except a kind of dogs which could not bark. A great part of the land was cultivated, and bore, besides the bread root, maize or Indian corn, of which the natives made a very well tasted flour. Their principal manu- facture was- cotton, which they gathered from trees that grew without the least care or culture, and of this they made vast quantities of well spun yarn, but had no other use for it than forming hammocks and short aprons for the women. The Indians, afterwards, carried great .quantities of this cotton on board the ships, where they COLUMBUS. 23 willingly exchanged a basket of it for a thong of leather. They had no gold, pearl or spices, but pointed towards the east, where they intimated tliat there was a country plentifully stored with them. In consequence of the above information, CoU umbus resolved to sail to the place which the Indians called Bohio ; but before he left Cuba he seized twelve Indians whom he intended to carry into Spain, which seizure was made with such little disturbance, that the husband of one of the wom«n he had taken, came to the ship in his j<;anoe, and begged that he might be allowed to accompany his wife and children. This instance of aflfection gave great pleasure to the admiral who instantly granted his request, and gave or-» ders for their feeing kindly treated. On the 19th of November, Columbus, who had before endeavoured to leave the island, but was driven back, steered eastward for the island of Bohio ; but the wind being still contrary, lie Was obliged to ply two or three days between the islands of Cuba and Isabella. In this interval Martin Alonzo Pinzon, who had been informed hy some Indians whom he had concealed in his ship, that Boiiioaboimded in gold, took advantage of the swiftness of his vessel, and left Columbus in the night, in order to anticipate his success, and ingross the treasure of that wealthy island to himself. Columbus being thus abandoned by one of his 2onsortS; and the weather growing so rough as to 24 THE VOYAGES OF render it dangerous for him to keep the fea, he returned to another harbour in Cuba, to which he gave the nanne of St Catharine's. White the crews were here employed in taking wood and water, he accidentally discovered signs of gold on some stones in the river, and up in the country saw the mountains covered with tall pines suffi- cient to furnish masts for the largest ships, and plenty of oak fit for planks. In his run along the coast for ten or twelve leagues to the south-^^a^t, he discovered many large rivers and excellent horbours, and was so delighted with the beautiful appearance of the country, that hewaseven tempt- ed to fix his habitation there for life. SaiJing up one of the rivers he saw a canoe drawn upon land as large as a twelve oar barge, and afterwards perceived in the w^ater another canoe, which though formed of the trunk of a single tree, was seventy feet long, and capable of containing fifty men. The Admiral having coasted the island for 160 leagues, set sail again for Bohio, which, though it was but at 1 6 leagues distance, he was prevented by the currents from reaching till the next day, ■when he anchored in a port to which he gave the name of St Nicholas, from its being the festival of that Saint. He found that the har- bour was large, deep, extremely safe, and encom- passed with a great number of tall trees, which however were not in general so large as those of Cuba ; but not being able to obtain any inter- course with the inhabitants, who fled at his ap- COLUMBUS. 25 proach, he coasted the island to the northward, till he arrived at a port which he called the Con- ception ; when observing that the country was very extensive, and in many respects resembled Spain, both in the trees, plants and fishes, he gave it the name of Espaniola or Hispaniola. He here saw a number of the natives, who, upon the landing of the sailors, fled from them with great precipitation ; but they having at length taken a young woman who had a plate of gold hanging at her nose, she was conducted to the Admiral, who presented her with several trifles^ snch as small bells and glass toys, civilly dismis- ed her to the town where she dwelt, sending v^^ith her three Spaniards, and the same number of Indians. The next day eleven men well armed vC^ent on shore, and travelled four leagues up the country, where they found a town which consisted of 1 000 houses : and tho the inhabitants, as usual, fled at their approach, they soon returned, at the persua- sion of a St. Salvador Indian who followed them, and removed their fears by the favorable account he gave of the 'Spaniards, on whom they gazed with equal astonishment and av/e : they even brot them food, and pressed them to stay in the town all night ; the Spaniards, however, declined accepting this invitation, and returning to their ships, told the Admiral, that th-e country was fertile and pleasant, and the people whiter and handsomer than those they had hitherto :een ; that thev were courteous and tractable, and had C 26 THE VOYAGES OF let them know that gold was to be found farther to the eastward. At this news Columbus intimmediately set sail, and between Hispaniola, and a small island on the north coast, called afterwards Tortuga, he tool^ up, in a very rough sea, an Indian who was struggling with the waves in a little canoe, and, giving him some presents of small value, set him safe ashore on the coast of Hispaniola. This man informing his countrymen of the manner in which he had been treated, induced them to come on board, but they brought nothing with them of consequence, except some small grains of gold that hung at their ears and nostrils, of which they shewed by signs that there was a great quan- tity higher up the country. While the Spaniards were on shore the next day, bartering with the Cacique or sovereign of that district for a plate of gold, forty men in a canoe approached from the island of Tortuga, when the Cacique perceiving them, sat down with his own people on the strand, as a signal that they should not'commit hostilities ; but not- withstanding this they landed ; upon which he arose, and by his threats obliged them to re- imbaric, and then giving a stone to one of the Spanish oiTicers, made a sign for him to throw it attheTortugans, to shew that he would espouse the cause of these strangers against the Indians of the canoe, who on their seeing this returned to the island. ^ Ofl^the 18th of December the same Cacique COLUMBUS. 2t came to pay the Admiral a visit, carried in state on a palankin, and attended by 200 men, though both he and they were entirely naked. Ke made no difficulty of ^^oing on board Columbus' ship, ar^d the Admiral being at dinner, entered the cabin without ceremony, attended by two old men who seemed to be his counsellors, and sat down at his feet. Columbus received him with great civility and respect, and had provisions and wine tet be- fore him, which on his tasting he sent to some of his men who remained upon deck. After din- ner, during v/hich both he and the two old men spoke but little, he presented the Admiral with two thin pieces of gold and a wrought girdle; in return for these he received a string of amber beads, which the Admiral took from his own neck, a pair of red shoes, a counterpane, and a bot- tle of orange flower water, wherewith this Prince and his two attendants were so delighted, that they signified to Columbus, that the whole isl- and was at his disposal. The Admiral then shew- ed ojrn the effigies of Ferdinand and Isabella im- prest in a cro!d medal, which he viewed with admiration, i^nd indeed shewed signs of astonish- ment at ever; thing he saw. In the evening, he was, at his own desire, sent ashore in the sh^jj's boat, and saluted with a discharge of several guns, the noise whereof filled him with amaze- ment and terror ; lie was, hov/ever, so satisfied with bis reception, that he ordered his people to enter.tain the Spani?.tds who conducted him to land, and returned home with the Admiral's pre- 28 THE VOYAGES OF sents carried with great pomp and ostentation before him. On the 24th of December, Columbus weighed, and sailed to a promontory, afterwards called Purita Santa, where, the weather being calm, he an- chored about a league from shore, and retired to rest, which he had not enjoyed for two days before ; his example was followed by the crew, who, contrary to his repeated orders, had the folly to leave only a boy at the helm. Tliis instance of neglect proved fatal ; for about mid- night the vessel was carried upon a ridge of rocks, before any on board were aware of the danger. The Admiral being the first who was awakened by the cries of the boy at the helm, ran upon deck, and perceiving the rocks, ordered the mas- ter and three sailors to leap into the boat and car- ry out an anchor astern, but instead of obeying his directions, they rowed to the other ship in or- der to preserve their own lives. Upon thii Colum- bus Immediately caused the vessel to be ligtened, and the masts to be cut av/ay ; but all his endea- vours were ineffectual, and the water ebbing, the seams of the ship opened. But while they were in this emergency, the boat returned, the other ship refusing to receive the men who had deser- ted their duty. The Admiral then seeing no hopes of saving his own vessel, took the boat, and going witli his men on board the other, the next morning dispatched messengers to inform the Cacique of thi& disaster, and to desire the assis- tance of the natives in unlading the ship. The COLUMBUS. 29 Cacique, who condoled their misfortunes with tears in his eyes, immediately ordered his people to repair to the wreck in their canoes, and to obey Columbus' directions ; and by their assis- tai\ce, all the ' valuable effects were carried on shore, and deposited in houses appointed for that purpose. On the 26th of December this friendly Caci- que, whose name wxs Guacanagari, paid another visit to the Admiral, whose loss he lamented with many expref"Ions of sorrow; made him several presents, and perceiving how fond the Spaniards, were of gold, promised to send for a great quanti- ty of that metal from a place called Cebao. Mean wliile a canoe with Indians from another island brought plates of gold to exchange them for bells, on which tiiey set a very great value, and the seamen on shore traded with the natives of His- paniola, who came from the inland part of the country, and "bartered gold for points and other trifles. Among the rest, an Indian came to the shore v/ith a piece of gold that weighed four oun- ces, and holding it in one hand stretched out the other, and an hawk's bell being put into it, he let go the gold and ran away, thinking he had cheated the Spaniard. Columbus being greatly pleased both with this island and the manners of its mhabitants, lesolved to settle a colony upon it, and was encouraged to take this step by many of his men voluntarily oftering to settle there : while the Cacique Gua- canagari instead of being disposed to take umbrage C 2 30 THE VOYAGES OF at their neighbourhood, considered them as valua- ble allies, who would protect him from the inva- sion of the Caribbee Indians : and in order to shew the importance of liis friendship, Columbus gave orders, in the presence of this Prince, for firihg a great gun at the wreck, through which the ball ponetrated, and fell into the water on the op- posite side, to the great astonishment of the In- dians, who believed that their guests knew how to dart the thunder of heaven, and therefore earnest- ly implored their protection. Incompliance with this request made to him by Guacanageri, Colum- bus ordered a fort to be built of the timber of the wreck, and having furnished it with provisions, ammunition, small arms and cannon, manned it with a garrison of thirty- six men under the com- mand of Rodoiick d'Escovedo. Peter Gutieres and .Tames d'Arana, whom he warmly recommended to tlie favour and good offices of the friendly Ca- cique and his people. Having thus provided the fort with all necessaries, he caused a f^w houses to be built, named the place, The town of the Na- tivity, and resolved to return immediately to Castile, lest some misfortune happeriing to the only ship he had now under his command, he should be forever disabled from letting their Catho- I lie Majesties knov/ the important discoveries he had already made, and the countries he had an- | nexed to their dominions. '' When every thing was ready for his departure, he called those together who chose to be left upon the island, and addressing himself to them, COLUMBUS. 31 desired them to return thanks to God for having^ carried them to such a country to plant his holy- faith; and not to forsake him their almighty friend, but by living like good Christians to ensure his protection ; he exhorted them to love and obey their captain ; to respect Guacanagari, and to give no offence toany of his people ; and that the opinion of their coming from heaven might be confirmed they should offer no Anolence to any of the natives, observing, it would be for their interest to barter with them fairly without covetousness ; to en- deavour to learn their language, which would be of great use, and to gain their friendship, which would render them happy and secure. In return for which lie promised to entreat their Majesties to reward them for opening the way to that new world. He set sail from the port of Nativity on the 4th of January, taking such notice of the land as would enable him to discover the mouth of the harbour in any future expedition ; and sailing to a high mountain, he gave it the name of Monte Christo ; but the wind being contrary, he had made but little way, when two days after he fell in with the Pinta, under the command of Martin Alonzo Pinzon, who going on board, strove to excuse his desertion, by pretending he had lost sight of the Admiral in the- night, and by alledg- ing other frivolous excuses; but though Colum- bus pf* inly saw the fallacy of all tliese pretences, lie disguised hib" sentiments rather than run any 32 THE VOYAGES OF risk of prejudicing the common cause, by giving rise to a dangerous dissension. Pinzon had sailed to a river 1 5 leagues to the east of the port of Nativity, where he had spent sixteen days in bartering with the natives for '^old, of which he had procured a considerable quantity ; j one half whereof he distributed among his crew , 3n order to obtain popularity, and to gain their ' consent to keep the remainder for his own use. He afterwards anchored near Monte Christo, the wind not permitting to proceed farther, and then sailed in his boat up a river to the south- west of the mount, where discovering some gold ^ dust among the sand, he called it the Golden River. " On the ,1 3tli of January, being neiir the cape called Enamorado, Colnmbussent his boat on shore, where there stood some Indians, with all the ■ signs of consternation and fierceness in their coun- . tenances. They were armed with bows, arrows^ ' and other weapons, and made a shew of opposi- tion • but by the mediation of a St Salvador Indian, they were brought to a kind of conference. One of them then ventured on board the Admi- ral's ship, but appeared extremely savage both in his speech and aspect, which was smutted with charcoal. This man having answered several questions, partly by signs and partly by means of the Indian interpreter, he was feasted, and then^ set ivShore with presents of glass beads, and bits of red and green cloth, that he might pursci^rle his countrymen to bring gold in exchange for such trifles. COLUMBUS. 33 At the place where he was set on shore, there were 50 men with long hair, adorned with pkimes of parrots feathers, and being armed wi,th bows and arrows, refused to trade with the* Spaniards, notwithstanding the persuasion of their country- man ; but on the contrary treated them with scorn, and even be^^an to commit hostilities. The Spaniards, who were but seven in number, seeing them advance with f\ivy in their looks, met them half way, and boldly charging them, shot one with an arrow and wounded another with a sword, on which they instantly fled. Columbus was far from being displeased at this skirmish, which he imagined would give them such an high opinion of the bravery of his men, as would prevent their making any attempts to the prejudice of the settlement at the Nativity, On the 1 6th of January, the Admiral .«et sail with his two ships for Spain : but after having enjoyed a favourable gale till they were within 263 leagues to the westward of Ferro, they wer^ overtaken by such a tempest on the 1 4th of Feb- ruary, that the sea running mountains high, they were unable to work their vessels, and were tosted about at the meroy of the waves. During this storm the two ships were separated, when the seamen in each, concluding that those in the oth- er had perished, betook themselves to acts of de- votion, and the Admiral vowed to go a pilgrim- age to our Lady of Guadalupe ; but the storm still increasing, the whole crew of the Admirars ship joined in a vow to walk barefoot and in their 34 THE VOYAGES 0¥ shirts to some church dedicated to the Blessed ' "Virgin, in the Christian country on which they should land. They had great scarcity of provi- sions, and their ship wanting ballast, was in dan- ger of being overset. To remedy this last incon- venience, Columbus ordered his casks to be filled of sea-water ; and that his discovery might have some chance of being known, in case he and his men perished, he wrote a brief account of it upon two skins of parchment wliich he wrapt in oil- cloths covered with wax, and having inclosed them in two separate casks, had them thrown into the sea. This must be ailov/ed to have been an extrordinary instance both of his pru- dence and fortitude. On the 15th of February, at which time the storm still continued, one of the sailors discov^ed land, which the pilot judged to be the rock of Lisbon, though the Admiral imagined it to be one of the Azores ; and soon after they discovered other land, which proved to be St Mary, one of the Azore islands, where they with great difficulty cast anchor four days after. The Admiral being lame of both his logs in conse- quence of the fatigues he had undergone, many of the inhabitants came on board with fresh pro- visions and compliments from the governor expres- sing their amazement at the succc:;S of the expe- dition, and seeming to rejoice at Columbus' discov- ery. They were all surprised to see that they outlived the storm ; and letting the sailors know, that there was in that neighbourhood an her- COLUMBUS, 35 mitage dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, the Admiral and his . crew resolved to perform their vow, by walking thither barefoot. To fulfil this penance, he sent his boat on shore with one half of the company, with orders to re- turn immediately, that the rest might succeed them in the same kind of devotion ; but the first company had no sooner undressed themselves and begun their procession, than they were attacked and made prisoners by the governor, who lay in ambush with some of his people for that pur- pose. Columbus having in vain waited from day- break till noon for the return of the boat, began to suspect foul play : and not being able to aisi^over the hermitage, he sailed round a point, by which means he obtained a full view of it, and perceiv- ing several Portuguese on horse-back alight and enter his boat, as he imagined, to attack the ves- e!, he ordered the sailors to be upon their i^uard. He hoped that the commander of these men would come on board, in which case he resolved to detain him as an hostage ; b«t the Portuguese not daring to advance beyond a certain distance, he demanded the reason of their committing such an outrage upon his m.en, who had gone on shore upon the faith of a safe conduct, and let them know that the King of Portugal would certainly be offended at this act of hostility, committed against the subjects of their Catholic Majesties, with whom he was in alliance. 'o this the Portuguese captain answered, that what they S6 THE VOYAGES OF had done, wasljy the King's express orders, wliicli.; giving: Cokimbns reason to imagine that there was a breach between the two Crowns, and calling all his people to bear witness to what they had heard, he again direcled his discourse to the Por- tuguese, and swore that he woi:ld never quit his ship till he had seized a hundred Portuguese, and destroyed the whole isJand. He now^ returned to the port he had left; but the next day, the wind increasing, I.e lost his ianchors, and was obliged to stand out to sea tow- ards Xhe island of St Michael, though not with- out ueing exposed to great danger from his having onlv chree able seamen on board, the rest being landmen, Indians and boys. The weather being mild, the next day he endeavoured o recover the island of St Mary, which he reached on the 2 1st, and soon aft^r his arrival, a boat was sent to him with five men and a notary, who, in the gover- nor's name, desired to knowwhence the ship came, and vhether he had really the King of Spain's coTimission. Being satisfied in these particulars they returned and caused the Spaniards to be re- leased : for the King of Portugal had sent orders to all his governors to secure the Admiral's per- son • but as this scheme did not succeed on ac- count of Columbus' staying on board, it v/as thot proper to dismiss the prisoners- The Admir- al hiiving recovered his men, departed from the isbT.d ofSt Mary, on the 24th of February, with a very favourable wind: but on the 3d of March he was exposed to another tempest, diu COLUMBUS. 3r ring wlrch his sails were split, and he narrowly escaped being wrecked on the rock of Lisbon, v/hich they accidentally discovered at ^nidnight ; tut having weathered it w^ith great difHciiIty, he was the next day 6bliged to come to an anchor in the river Tagus, on which he immediately sent an express by land to their Catholic Majesties with the news of his arrival, and another to the King of Portugal, to desire leave to cast anchor before the city, as he did not think himself safe in his present station. On the 5th of March the master of a guard- ship, with a boat fiiied v/ith armed men, came up to Columbus, and ordered him to give an ac- count of himself to the King's officers, as was customary with all the vcisels that entered the river. To this Columbus replied, that he was the King of Spain's Admiral, and would not degrade himself so far as to send the most inconsiderable person on board his ship on such an arrar.d. The Portuguese finding him resolute, desired to see the King's letter, v/hich being com.plied with, they returned to Alvaro de Acunha, who soon after came on board Columbus's ship, attended with fifes, drums and trumpets, and congratulated him on his return with many expressions of friendship. The nature of Co-umbus' voyage was no sooner known at Lisbon, than the people v/ere filled with the utmost curiosity to see the Indians, and to learn the particulars of his amazing discovery ; the whole river was therefore noon covcztd v/ith boats filled with people, some of whom praised 38 THE VOYAGES OF God for Columba?' sncce^^s, v'hi'.e others lamented the hard fate of their nation, which had lost such a prize through the incredulity or the avarice of their King. His Majesty having received the Admiral's let- ter, gave orders for his being presented with all kinds of refreshments and necessaries gratis, arid at the same time wrote to him to congratulate him -upon his happy return, and to let him know that he desire! to see him before he left his dominions. Colu'obus at first doubted whethfr hw cawht to accept this invitation ; but considorinjr ths^t Spain and Po:tugal were at peac€, nnd tlurt It^ ;)*rd been alreadv treated by the King with ttnc?>i»»iron res- pect, he resolved to wait upon his Portugn«be Ma- jesty, who then resided at V^al Tb-tjiv-oM place nine leagues froi.; Lisbon ; he thercfr^re ^«i^ out on Saturday the 9th ){ March, w^hcii the King ordered 3iis whole court logo out and me«;t iiim, and Col- umbus being conducted into the royal presence, his Majesty insisted on hits putting on his cip ; and being seated in his presence, he heard with seeming pleasure, the particulars of the voyage, and offered to supply him with every thing he de- sired, yet observed, that as Columbus was before hi his service, the conquest of right belonged tq him ; but the Admiral modestly gave his reasons for being of a contrary opinion; to which the King repliod, that '< it was very well, und he did not dosibt but that justice would be. done. " Columbus having staid all Sunday, and part of Monday, took his leave, after his Majesty had in COLUMBUS. , 39 vain attempted, by very considerable offers, to re- : ,enp;age hiir\ in his service. On his return, he , wat; attended by many persons of rank, and passing by a monastery in which was the (^ueen, her Ma- jesty desired to see him, and received his visit in a respectful manner. The same night a gentle- man arrived from the King, to inform him that if he chose to go toX^astile by land he would ; accompany him ^d provide him with accom- modations on the raad, as far as the frontiers of Portugal. This ofTer he declined with suitable acknowledgments, and setting sail on Wednes- day the 1 3th of March, arrived on the Friday fol- lowing at Saites, and came to an anchor in the port of Palos. whence he had departed on the 3d of Auo;ust in the preceding year. Coiu:r.bus was received on his landing by alf the people in procession, giving thanks to God ■ for his success, which it was hoped would greatly I redound to the spreading of Christianity, and : the advaiitage of their Catholic Majesties. , Pin- ^ zon had already arrived in Galicia, and had re- , solved to carry in person the agreeable news of the Iftdiscovery to court, when he received orders which forbad his coming without the Admiral, under whose command he had been sent on the expedi- vtion J and this mortifying disappointment made |uch an impression upon him, that he immediate- fell sick, and returning to the place of his th, he in a few days after died of grief and vexa- \ tion. In the mean time Columbus set out for Seville, 40 THE VOYAGES OF -* on his way to Barceiona, where their Mi^jcsties then resided, and the roads were crouded by people of all ranks who flocked to see him, and the In- dians in his train. He arrived at Barcelona about the inidd'e of April, and was received by the whole court and city in the n-iost solemn man- ner. The stieets could not contain the multitudes that pressed to «5ce hirn, with the Indians and the curiosities he brought, which were carried un, covered. Their Majesties, to do him honour, or- dered the royal throne to be placed in public, on which they seated themselves with Prince John, under a canopy of cloth of gold. The Admiral was introdncea by several gentlemen, and, on his approaching the throne, the King rose up and gave hivii vis hand to kiss, when, Columbus kneeling, hib '1-^:. jcsty dcbired him to raise, ordered a chair to be irought him, and made him sit by his side. Coluiabus then gave an account of his voyage, hii: >'i coveries. aiid his hopes of finding still inoT< -vensive and important countries; shewed thcu? 1 p Indians, as they appeared in their na- . live c-antries, and gave them a specimen of eve- ry thing he hiid brought from the new world. ^ Wher, he had done .^-peaking, their Majesties rose,' and k.ieeiing down with their hands lifted up, and . with tears in their eyes, returned thanks to God, • which was immediately followed by the^choris- . ters ./itlie chapel singing the Te Deujn. - J In short Columbus was treated as a grandee of|| the first rank who had performed the most im- portant services for his country, and when th& COLUMBUS. - 41 King rode about Barcelona, he would have him constantly by his side ; an Itonour which had been conferred upon none but princes of the blood. He was also gratified with new patents, which confirmed and enlarged the privileges he had be- fore obtained. The more his discoveries were canvassed by thecouncii, the more important they appeared, and therefore their Catholic Majesties not only agreed that he should continue them, but dispatched an ambassador to Pope Alexander 'VI. to desire him to exert his apostolic authority in their favour, and to grant them an exclusive title to the countries that had been, or should be, •discovered. The Pope complied with his request, and drawing a line from pole to pole, at the dis- tance of ICO leagues westward from the Azores, or from the Cape de Verde islands, bestowed on their Catholic Majesties the dominions of all the sovereignJ5 and states in that extensive part of the globe. D 2 42 THE VOYAGES OF CHAP II. Columbus' S€C07id vcyage. He sails itifa a more numerous fieety or rile.'' ot the Car'ibbee 'islands^ avd dhcci:ers DomimcOf Mor'igolante and GuadalcKfe if7 ivhich/ast place he lands ^ and enddavours'in vawto trade nvith the nat'yves. He tkence proceeds to se^veral other islands, the mostretnarhahleofivhtckare Mar,tserrat^a7jdSt.Jfjhn^Sj a?:d .irri'ving ct Hi spaniel a finds f/:C cclcny ruined^ and t^e Spa7iiards destroyed by their civn felly ; upov ti/iich i:c re'stcrcs ihi?tgs to a good situation ; quells a mutiny ^ ' and hainng taken the mostprudetitjneasures^ sets sail up- on other discci-eries ; lands at Jamaica. ; meets noifh a multitude of islands^ to Hvhichhe gmesthe name oftjie^ Oucen^s Garden ; steers along- the coast of Cuhc( Wfd after suffering many d'-ffiadties, returns to HispaHiqla ^j^herc he finds e'verythivgin great ccnfvsitn ; hvthonnt-g made 7:e.%v regulations for the secin'ity of the scttlenieiitj^ -' lie sails fcr Spain. TN a little time, such measures were taken for i. Columbus' second expedition, that seventeen yesbe's were fitted out for further discoveries, and the settlement of colonies. The thirst of goldf and the success of the Brst voyage, drew together Such a multitude cf vokinteers, that a great num- ber were Tcjected, the Admiral resolving to take no mire than fifteen hundred persons, amonpjst whom there were many artificers and laborers. Cokimlnis having provided all kinds of utensils, COLUMBUS. 43 and a large stock of trifles most agreeable to the In- dians, and having taken on board cows, horses, asses and other animals for breeding in the new plantations, with the seeds of plants, trees, and all kinds of i>;rain, &c. he sailed from the road of Ca- diz on the 25th of September, 1493, and stood south west for the Canary islands. He arrived at the Grand Canaria on the 5th, anchored at Go- mera, where he took in water, wo^d and cattle, and in particular eight sows, from which were produced ail the swine now in the We^t-Indit^o--. On tlie 7th he continued his voyage for the Indies, after his having^elivered his orders sCviled np, which were not t^e opened unless the fiect should be separated by stress of weather ; Thev no\y I'a'n 400 leagues west of tWe Canaries with- out meetins with any of those weeds which thoy had seen in their ilrst voyage. On the '2d of November, Columbus perceiving a sjeat alteration in the winds, and there faliini; a violent shower of rain, concluded that .he was near land, and the next morning observir'^ about sevGii leagues to the westward, aMiioh mou»;tain-. ous island, which he named Do.ninic!r% from its being discovered on a Sunday. Three other *" 7^/iry rc^ph'ed the nrync ofU''est-I>^d:€sfr'':vi Coiuiti- hus' io:ui):g to them ty the nvest^ '■ud espe^^iK^ fr, JDui the species at that time brought (rem the ecjt h ti'f -u-W '•fti-RedSea * Dnmhnra h ncj: ndycct t'- E>:^^ -"-d l::t '.' 'e--rv h.iile cultivated. 44 THE VOYAGES OF isknds were discovered much about the same time, when the people assembling on the poop, returned thanks to God for their wonderful success, in hav- ing sailed near 800 leagues in the space of twenty days. The Admiral finding no convenient place for anchoring on the east side of Dominica, stood over to another island, which he called Mariga- lantef. after his own ship, and having landed, he with the usual solemnity, took possession of it for their Catholic Majesties, as he had before done, with respect to all the ether islands he had dis- covered. On the 14th of Noveijaber, he sailed to anoth- er considerable island w|(ich he named St. Mary of Guadaloupe*, in consequence of a promise he had made to the friars belonging to a convent of that name. He there, at two leagues distance, perceived a very high rock which terminated in a point, whence gushed a large torrent of water, which fell with a prodigious noise. Here he lan- ded some men who went to a town, which at their approach, was abandoned by all the inhabi- tants, except the children, to wiiose arms the Spaniards tied a few bawbles, as a mark of friend- ship. They here found geese, like those of Eu- rope, a great number of large parrots, and other birds, pompions, ananas, or pine-apples, of exqui- site taste and flavour : they also found bows and t This h at present subject to Englo.jid. n * This, ivhcb IS one of the largest of the Carriihjffc islands, is new subject to EftgJand, COLUMBUS. 46 arrows, cotton, and several other tliino;Sj wlilcii they left behind iheni in order to give the owners ^ good opinion of their morals. ^ The next day the Admiral sent two boats on ' shore with orders, if possible, to take a view of the uatives, from whom he might obtain some impor- tant ih\f rmation ; and these returned with, two- y^unof men, who by their signs let him know that they were born in another island, and were taken prisoners by those of Guadaloiipe who were called Carribbees. The boats, again gomg on shore for son-* e of the men they had left, found .six women who had fled to them, and desired to be carried on board, wJ^jHteeing done, the Admi- ral gave them bells antHHcas, and then dismissed them, though by their sgns, they shewed an ar- dent desire to stay; but they v/ere no sooner Janded, than the Carribbees robbed them of their ornaments in the very sight of the Spaniards. The next time the boat's crew landed, these poor <;rev.tores leaped into the boat, and by the nwst rxpresyive gestures, implored protection from the L^ruvvit'/ of the islanders, who, they signified, had kept their husbands in slavery. This information occasioned their being brought to the Admiral, whom they gave to understand, that towards the s^l^ there were many islands, and a large conti- jifl^pP' Columbus would have immediately left Guadtiloupe, had he not been informed, that the captain of one of the ships had, without 'lis ;)er~ mission, landed with eight men before it w.s ii^^ht, ;,aiid was not yet returned ; he therefore sent sev- 46 THE VOYAGES OF eral of his people on shore, with trumpets and muskets, the noise of which might be heard through the woods; and this ser.rch proving fruit- less, he sent another detachment of forty ixien, eonimanded hy a captain, with orders to proceed through the coantry, and make observations on its productions. They foimd abitndence o5 cotton, some trees which in taste and smell resembiod cinnamon, and also frankincense, ginger, sanders, . aloes and mastic. They likewise saw nigh tin- gales, daws, partridges, geese, herons, kites and fal- cons. While they were thus employed, the strag- glers returned of thei rja>v n accord, when Colum- bus ordered their C'AmKjjil&p be put in irons, and punished the rest by sWjJPing their allowance of provisions. The Admiral himself then ianding, found great quantities of cotton, spun and unspun, -with many human skulls and bones hung" up in baskets ; and observing that the natives were bet- ter aecominodated with lodging, provisions, and other necessaries than those of the other islands he had before discovered. On the loth of November, the Admiral weighed anchor, and sailing with his whole fleet tov/ards the north-west in search of Hispanioia, passed an island, to which, on account of its height he gave the name of Nfontserrat* ; and having pas|gi||^ St Mary Redon^la, and St Maria la Antiqul^^Ke * TTils uhmd nvJi'ich is one of the smallest of the Cii-ribbees, is ?ioiv subject to the Englhh. t No^ti} die J Ain'igiia, This island ivh'ich is COLUMBUS- 47 discovered several other islands, near one of which he cast anchor, and called it St. Martin. His people here sei7.ed four men and three children ; but as the boat was putting off with them from shoi-e= they ii\et with a canoe, in which were four men and one woman, who iinding it imposbi- ble for them to escw>e, put themselves in a potsture of deiieirce, wiien the woman shot an arrow with such force and dexterity, that it passed through a Strrwii,?; target ; but the Spaniards endeavouring to bo^red to see Columbus. The next day therefore^the admiral paid him. a Tisit, and was received m ilh COLUMBIjS. 51 the utmost cordiality and concern for what had happened. Guacanagari repeated the melan- choly story, with all the markfc' of unfeigned sor- row, and at the same time shewed his own wound, and those of his men, which they had received in defence of the Christians, and thc^t plainly appear- ed to have been made with wooden swords and arrows pointed with fish-bones, and not with any European weapons. The compliments of condol- ance being passed, the Cacique presented the ad- miral with eight strings of small be:ids. composed of red, green, and white stones, a string of gold beads, a crown of the same metal, and three i-n all calabashes full of gold duSt, which weighed about thirty two ounces. In return for these valuable presents, the admiral gave him a variety of baw- bles, which might be worth about three reals, or twenty-pence. Though the Cacique was ex- tremely ill, ha insisted on attending his guest to the fleet, where he was courteously en- tertained, and much pleased at the sight of the horses, of which the Spaniards had before given him an account. This Cacique was afterwards instructed in the mysteries of the Christian re- ligion, which he was at iii-st unwilling to em- brace. Columbus being disgusted at a spot which had been the scene of so many disasters, and knowing that there were better and more commodious pla- ces in the island for the settlement, hailed on the 7th of December with the whole fleet to the east- ward, and cast anchor before an Indian town 52 THE VOYAGES^ OF where lie resolved to plant a colony. With this view, the people designed for settlers were landed, with provisions and proper utensils, in a plain Avhere he built a town, to which he gave the nam© of Isabella, in honour of the t^iueen. It was con- veniently situated near a rock where a fort might be erected ; tiie harbour was spacious, and at the distance of a bow- shot ran an excellent river, from which canals might be easily cut thrtJugh the midst of the place, and beyond it lay an open plain, from which the Indians said, the mines of Cebao were not far distant, From the 11 th of December to the 12th of March in the following year, 1494, Columbus was employed in completing this new settlement, and having at length regulated the affairs of the town, he dispatched A.lonzo de Hojedo, with fif^ teen men, in search of the gold mines ; and on the 2d of February, sent twelve of his ships back to Castile, with a letter to their Catholic Majes- ties, in v/hich he gave a very particular account of whatever had happened since, his arrival in the West-Indies. Hojedo soon after returned from this expedition, and informed the Admiral that on the second day after he set out from Isabella, he lay at the pass of an Utmost inaccessible mountain, and afterwards at the distance of every league, found Caciques, bjr whom •he was hospitably entertained ; but con- tinuing his journey, he arrived on the sixth day at theplaincalied the mines of Cebao, where he saw the Indians picking up gold out of a small river, as? COLUMBUS. ^ 63 they did from many others in the same province. This information was highly agreeable to the Ad- miral, whowas just recovered from a f.t of sickness oecasioned by fatigue ; and on the 12th of March, having caused all the ammunition -^ belonging to the other ships, to be put on board his own, he left a strong guard in the two ships and three cara- vels, and set out from Isabella for.Cebao, attended by all the rest of his people, some of whom were on horseback, and others on foot. The Admiral took this precaution of s^jcuring the ships, in consequence of his having detected a conspiracy, headed by one Bernardo de Pasa, who hid embarked from Spain in quality of comptroller to their Catholic Majesties. This person had taken the opportunity of the Admiral's illness to tamper Mnth some of the men, who be- ing disappointed of the gold they expected to find without the least trouble, and dissatisfied with the regulations of the new settlement, readily joined with him in the design of revolting from the Adipiral, and seizing the ships in order to return to Spain ; but this mutiny being discovered, the Admiral caused the ringleader to be secured, till he could have an opportunity of sending him home to take his trial. . Columbus, in order to fill the Indians with the greater awe and respect, made his men march in regular order through the villages, with trum- pets sounding and colours flying, and also carried with him every thing necessary for building a fort at Cebao. He marched along the banks of th« E 2 ^4 THE VOYAGES OF river which runs hy Isabella, and crossing another river, lay in a pleasant plain which extended to the foot of ^n high and craggy rock, which for- med a pass. The next day he entered a spacious plain, in which he travelled five leagues, and spent a night near a broad river, w4iich the men crossed in floats and in canoes : Tim, which he called the River of Canes, falls into the sea at Monte Christo. In his march he passed by many Indian towns, composed of round thatched houses, the doors of which were so low that no person could enter them without stooping down. The inhabitants seemed to have very little notion of private property ; for the Indians, \yho attended the Spaniards from Isabella, freely entered the houses and took what they liked best, without giving the least offence to the former possessors, while the latter attempted to take what they Jiked from the Spaniards, and seemed surprized at meeting with repulse. The way v/as hitherto agreeably diversified with mountains covered with vines, and other fruit-trees of various sorts. On the 14th of M.irch, Columbus set forward from the River of Canes, and at the distance of a league and a half, arrived at the banks of another river, which he named the Gold River, from their .gathering here some grains of that metal. Hav- ing passed it with some difhculty, he proceeded to a large town, where he found that many of the inhabitants had fled to the mountains, and the rest barred their doors against him with canes, and having }?a?ied by apothcr river, and .several town? COLUMBUS, 5$ which were barricaded against him in the same manner, he entered the province of Cebao, which though rough and stony, yields plenty of grass, which is watered by several rivers, which abound with gold washed down from the mountains ; but though this is a very large pro- vince, it has few or no trees except some pine and palm-trees, which grow on the banks of the river. In this country he caused a fort to be erected in a very strong, though pleasant situation, to command the country about the mines, and protect the Spanish adventurers. The fort which was built of timber and clay, was of sufficient strength to withstand the attack of any number of Indians, and having placed a garrison in it of sixty men, among whom were workmen of several sorts, to finish and repair the works, he set out on his re- turn, and was met v/ith considerable numbers of the natives, who came to sell their provisions, w;hich chiefly consisted of a kind of bread, and gar- lic. On the 29th of March he arrived at his iiew colony of Isabella, where he found melons already fit to eat, though the seed had not been above two months in the ground, and a wild vine of that country being pruned, produced brgc and excel- lent grapes; some wheat which had been sown in the latter end of January, already produced card fit to gather ; vetches produced a ripe crop of a much larger sort than those they had sown, within twenty-five days ; sugar canes, and the stones of fruit sprouted out in seven days ; vine- br&nchQS prodnccd lenvcR in the si^me time, an'i 56 THE VOYAGES OF yielded green grapes in twenty-five days ; Culuna- bus had therefore great reabon to be pleased with the soil and climate, and particularly with the wa- ter, v/hich was extremely pure, cool and palatable. On the 1st of April, a messenger arrived at Isa- bella, from the new fort, to which be had given the name of the castle of St. Thomas, with ad- vice that the Cacique Caunabo was preparing to attack that fort. Columbus was but little con- cerned at this news, as he knew that he had noth- ing to apprehend from the natives, who were un- der great apprehension at the sight of his horses ; yet as he intended to go to sea with three caravels, in order to discover the continent, he thought it necessary to leave every thing in tranquility be- hind him, and therefore sent a reinforcement to- the fort, of seventy men, part of whom were to be employed in making the road more passable^ and in searching for the fords of the rivers. In. the mean tim.e he completed his town, which was laid out in regular streets, with a convenient market-place ; supplied it with river- water by a canal, and erected a water-mill for grindin.^ wheat ; but as his people were not accustomed to the food of the natives, and provisions began to fail, he resolved to send the superfluous mouths to Spain. This step he thought himself obliged to take, from his finding that the climate disagreed with many of his people, who were in a sickly and languishing condition. As for those who en- joyed health, and were not absolutely necessary in the town, thev were sent to traverse the island,. . . COLUMBUS. »7 in ord«sr to observe its situation, and accustom themselves to the Indian diet. These were com- manded by Hojedo, who had orders to Marclj to Cebao, and deliver up the command of these men to Peter Margarine, to conduct them round the isl- and, and himself t(> command the fort of StThomas. On the 29th of April, Hojedo, with his party, which consisted of above 400 men, left Isabella, and having crossed the river del Oro, or the Gold River, apprehended a Cacique and his brother whom he sent in irons to the admiral. This Ca- cique had accommodated three Spaniards, with five Indians to carry their cloathes over a river, fcut being' in the middle, they returned back, and run away with the baggage, while the Cacique, instead of punishing them, converted what they had taken to his own use. Another Cacique, who dwelt beyond the river, relying on the ser- vice he had done the christians, went with the prisoners to Isabella, to intercede in their be- liealf- Columbus entertained him very kincMy ; but to heighten the favour he intended to grant, ordered the Cacique and his brother to be put to death in the market-place ; at which their honest friend shed a ftood of tears, and earnestly "begged that their lives might be spared,- whereup- on the admiral instantly forgave them. These were no sooner released, than a man on horse back, who had just arrived from St. Thomas, told the admiral, that on his way through the town belonging to the Cucique, who had been his prisanefj he alone had rescued four Sponiaris 58 THE VOYAGES OF v/hom the Indians had taken by way of reprisal, and chased above 400 persons, who fled at the sit^htof his horse. The admiral being resolved to discover the con- tinent*, appointed a council to govern the island in his aosence, consisting of his brother, Diego or James, who was president, and .five ot.hcr persons. * It is itort/ty of remarh^ that nvnile Cdiimhus ivas tJius settling the of airs of Hispaniola, John Cabot ^ (a di'izen of Venice, ivho Ivved at Bristol J avd his son nceriied, he caused Roldan to be infor- med, that he was extremely sorry for the breach that !iad ])appeijed l>etvveen him and the Adelan- r; COLUMBUS. 87 tado, or lieutenant, and was- very desirous of heal- ino- it ; that h*e should be glad to see him, and would grant him a safe conduct. At the same time, hearing that the rebels complained of their being detained upon the island, for want of vessels to carry them home, he published a proclamation, granting leave to all that desired it to return to Spain, promising to supply them with provisions and a free passage. Roldan; however, treated all the admiral's advances towards a recon- ciliation with indignity and insult, boasting that it v/as in his power, either to support or suppress the authority of the admiral, with whom he would not treat without the mediation of Carvtijal, whom, he said, he knew to be a man of honour and discretion. As Carvajal was a person of consequence, and had some prudence, Columbus, though he had reason to suspect his fidelity, since he had suppli- ed the rebels with arms, while the ships lay at Xaragua, consented to employ him in his nego- tiation. Roldan, however, refused to treat with him, sent an insolent letter to the Admiral, and be- ing at length persuaded to accept of a safe conduct, and to visit Columbus, made such extravagant proposals, as he could not embrace without expo- bing himself to contempt. Columbus therefore explaining his reasons for rejecting them, and pro- claiming a free pardon to all who si\ouid return to their duty within thirty days : a copy of which, with new overtures of peace, was carried to the rebels by Carvajal ; and about the same 88 THE A^OYAGES OF time, Columbus sent live ships to Spain with a particular account of the colony, and its dissen- tions, addressed to their Majesties. After many disputes, it was at length agreed that the Admiral should deliver to Roldan two good' ships well manned and victualled for trans- porting him and his party to Spain : That they should be paid their salaries and wages to the day of their departure ; and that such of their effects should be restored, as had been seized by his and the lieutenant's order. Matters being thus com- promised, the admiral gave orders for equipping the ships ; but the weather being extremely bois- terous, some time elapsed before they were ready, and could be brought round to Xaragua, and dur- ing this interval Roldan changed his mind, and refused to embark ; but expressing a desire to see the affair accommodated, demanded a safe con- duct in order to treat with Coluuibqs in person. The latter being sensible of the mutinous dispofi- tion of his own people, was so solicitous about healing this division, that he not only complied with Roldan's demand, but went around with two caravels to the port of Azura near Xaragua, where he had a conference with the rebel chief, in which it was agreed, that fifteen of Roldan's followers should be sent home in the first ships bound for Spain ; that lands and houses should be given instead of pay to those who remained ; that Roldan should be again appointed perpetual alcade, and that an :;ct of general amnesty should lae published. COLUMBUS, 89 This troublesome affair being thus adjusted, the Admiral caused a captain, at the head of a body of men, to march round the island in order to paci- fy and reduce the rebellious Indians ; and that no cause of animosity might be left in Hispaniola, he proposed to take his brother the leutenant with him to Spain ; but while he was preparing for the vrvyage, Alonzo de Hojedo arrived in the isl- and with four ships, from a cruize, in which he had pretended to make discoveries, and putting into the port Yaquimo, not only committed sever-' al outrages against the Indians, but by letter be- gan to tamper with some of the Spaniards, who were hardly yet confirmed in their duty. To these he insinuated, the^dueen Isabella was in a very bad state of health, and that, after her de- cease, the admiral would find no protection at court ; but must fall a victim to the hatred of Ho- jedo's kinsman, the Bishop of Burgos, and Co- lumbus' inveterate enemy. The admiral being informed of these procee- dings, ordered Roldan to march against him with 21 men. This order he obeyed so suddenly, that Hojedo finding it impossible to escape went to meet him, excusing his landing, under pretence of his being in want of provisions, and declared that he had no intention to disturb the repose of the Islai.d, but would soon sail to St Domingo, and give the admiral an account of his voyage. Tat liotwithstanding these professions, he nailed to the province of Xaragua, where he 'educed many of the yeoTile, by tolling them, that he and CarvaJoJ H 2 so THE VOYAGES OF had been appointed by their majesties counsellors^ as he had not been so just as to pay them, they should go under his command, and do themselves justice by force. This wild scheme being oppos- ed by some of the Spaniards, who were amazed at Hojedo's presumption, a tumult ensued, in which several persons were killed and wounded ; but Pvoldan marching a second time against him, he retired to his ship. The alcade perceiving h^ was out of his reach, invited him to come ashore, and treat of an accommodation ; and upon his refusal ofTered to goon board, when Hojedo send- ing his boat well manned, Roldan, with sixgor se- ven of his followers, entered it, and when it was least suspected, fell upon Hojedo's men, made theinselves masters of the boat, and returned with it to land, which obliged Hojedo to submit to a treity,and give security th:it he would depart the island. Soon after another commotion was raised by Ferulnapd Guevara, who w;i,s in disgrace with the Admiral, for being concerned in the late sed- ition, and he being exaspered against Roldan, for pot permitting him to marry the tiueen of Xara- gaa's daughter, entered into a conspiracy with one Adrian de Moxica, and having engaged many people in his interest, resolved to surprize and murder the Alctide. But Roldan being informed of their proceedings, took his, measures so well, that he seized the chief conjpirators, and being ordered by the Admiral to punish them according to laW; he proceeded to a fair trial, !n consequence COLUMBUS. 91 of which, Moxica was hanged, some of the con- federates banished, and others sent to prison. This example had such an effect, that )>ran- quihty was restored throughout the whole island : and about this time, such rich gold nnines were discovered, that every man left the King's pay, and went to dig on his own account, allowing the King one third of all that was found. In this ■employment they met with such success, that one man would sometimes gather forty ounctG in a day, and a lump of pure gold was found that /weighed 196 ducats. ' WhWe Columbus was thus exeTtmg all his pru- dence, and exercising his humanity in appeasing the troubles of Hispaniola, he little thought a storm was raising against him at home. A num- ber of malcontents had been sent to Spain dxiring the rebellion, who represented him as an inso'ent alien, ignorant of the laws and customs pf the Spanish nation ; oppressive and cruel in his dii.- position ; elated with the dignity to which he had been raided, and so avaricious and unjust, that he not only withheld thepTiy'^due to the servants of the government, but embezzled the riches of the island. They inveighed with still greater bitterness agai:ist his brother tiie lieuten- ant, nor did Diego escape the utmost virulence of their censure. These invectlA^es being spread a- broad by the friends of those who had been the disturbers of the peace of Hispaniola, and encoura- ged by many persons at court, who envied Col. %imbtis' success and reputation, such a clamour 92 THE VOYAGES OF ^ was raised in Castile, that the King and Queen were daily surrounded in the streets, and even in the palace, by people, demandino; justice a- gainst that proud and tyrtinnical foreigner, who had oppressed so many Castilians, and discovered a mischievous country to be the ruin and grave of the Spanish gentry; and the favourites at court ioining the importunities of the peop^, their Ma- jesties sent an inspector general to Hispaniola, with power to inquire into the Admiral's conduct, and if he should be found guilty, to send him home while the inspector Wvas to renraln governor of the island in his room. Francis de Bovadilla, a knight of the order of Calatrava, but in very low circum- stances, was chosen for this high office; and being furnished with full powers, arrived at St. Domingo in the latter end of August 1500, while the Admiral was at the Conception with most of the people of consequence, settling the affairs of that province. Bovadilla finding nobody at St. Domin- go who could be a check upon his conduct, immediately took possession of the Admiral's palace ; seized his effects ; assembled all who were disaffected to the brothers ; declared himself 'governor ; dispatched orders to the Admiral, to re- pair to him without delay, and to back this sum- mons, sent him t\ff^ King and (iueens letter, which contained no more, than that their Majesties had sent the bearer to acquaint Columbus wilh tlieir pleasure, w hich he was directed to obey, aad this order was signed both by the King and ^ueeo. COLUMBUS. 93 '.■■ Columbus immediately on his receiving this letter, set out for St. Domingo, to wait upon Bo» vadiUa, who, without any legal information, sent him and his brother Diego on board a ship, where they werelaid in irons, placed under a strong gimrd, and entirely excluded from the speech of any person whatsoever. A process was then begun against them, and all their enemies being admit- ted evidences, their depositions were so malicious, incoherent and absurd, that nobody who had not been determined, at all events, to ruin the accused, would have paid the least regard to their allega- tions. Bovadilla, however, on this occasion, countenanced the most flagrant perjuries, and e- ven encouraged the rabble to insult the prisoners, by blowing horns at the port where the ships lay at anchor, and by reading scandalous libels in the market-place. The lieutenant, who was not yet returned from Xaragua, might probably have rescued his brothers by force of arms, had not the admiral ordered him to submit quietly to their Majesties authority, i^ested in the person of the new governor, who had no sooner laid his injunc- tions on Andrew Martin, the captain of the ship, to deliver the admiral in irons to the bishop de Fronseca, by whose direction he acted, than he be- gan to embezzle the treasure ; squander the king's revenue amongst his creatures ; oppress and plun- der the Indians ; countenance the greatest profli- gacy, and destroy all the prudent regulations es- tablished by the admiral. Andrew Martin was no sooner out to sea, than 94 THE VOYAGES OF being ashamed to see the brave Col^imbus in this disgraceful situation, would have knocked off his irons ; but he resolved to wear them during the whole of his passage, and to keep thtm ever after, as a memorial of the reward he had obtained for his services ; and indeed these fetters he always preserve'^, in his own chamber, and. at his request, they* were at length buried in the sascie coffin with his body. On the 20«^h of November 1500, he wrote to their Catholic Majesties, to acquaint them with his arrival at Cadiz. Upon which they gave im- mediate orders for his being released ; sent him very gracious letters, in which they expressed their sorrow for his sufferings, and invited him to court, promising that he should soon be sent again and fully restored to his honours. On his return at Granada, the King and (iueen gave him a favourable reception, and let him know, that they were offended at the author of his imprisonment, who had acted thus without their orders, and promised that he should have full sati«factioii. Mean while they directed this affair to be examined, ai'd the accusations against him plainly appearing m,alicious and frivolous, he was honourably acquitted, and at the same time, a new governor of Hispaniola was appoint- ed in order to redresss the Admiral's grievances, and oblige BovadiOa to restore what he had un^ justly seized. This commission was granted to Nicholas de Obando, commendary of laws, a man of abilities, but crafty, cruel and revengeful, who COLUMBUS. 9a afterwards exercised great barbarity upon the na- tives and their chiefs. It was at the same time resolved to send the admiral upon some voyage that might turn to his advantage, and keep him employed, till Obando could settle the affairs of Hispaniola ; but there being some delay in the execution of this design, and the admiral being apprehen- sive of future disgrace, from the indefatigSr ble efforts of his enemies at court, he desired to be excused from embarking again, and in- treated their Majesties to defend him . against all dangers. This procured him a very favour- able answer, and soon after the most advan- tageous grants and concessions, which made him resolve once more to expose his life in another voyage to the Indies, in order to pei^fec^ his discoveries. 96 THE VOYAGES OF CHAP. IV. A digression, containing the dlsco'verles made by (jilicr S-pamards^ ivh'ile Columbus nuas engaged in his tk'ird 'voyage, BEFOPvE we proceed to Columbus' next voy- age, it is proper that we should give some ac- count of the discoveries, whether real or pretend- ed, before he again set sail for America. Alonzo Hojedo, who has been already mentioned in the course of this voyage, and Americus Vespueius, ob- tained from the Bishop of Burgos the draughts and plan, which by their majesties order Colum- bus had deposited in the hands of that prelate, who, out of hatred to that great commander, and to rob him if possible of his credit and reputation, gave them up without the knowlege of the kmg and queen. The licenses he gave these gentle- men were also clandestine. They set sail from Cadiz on the 29th of May 1499, and steered di- rectly in search of the continent, pursuant to the admiral's scheme, which before this time he had actually carried into execution. This was the first voyage made by Americus Vespucius ; and tho he now only touched at that part of the conti- nent which had been visited by the admiral, yet he impudently pretended to discover it ; and by confounding this with a voyage he afterwards made into those parts, dressed up a plausible sto- COLUMBUS. 07 ry, and being an excellent geographer and drafts- man, imposed upon the greatest part of Europe. In Spain, however, he was soon detected ; for pre- tending that he returned directly to that kingdom after a voyage of thirteen months spent in discov- eries, Hojedo made oath that only five months were spirit in the voyage, and that finding him- self short of provisions they sailed to Hispaniola for a supply. It was no sooner known that Alonzo Hojedo and Americus Vespucius had obtained the above licenses, than others resolved to make use of the, ijame interest, in order to acquire a share of the riches of the new world; and a company was formed by some of the inhabitants of Seville, the principal of whom was Peter Alonzo Nino, of Pa- los, who was with the admiral when he discover- ed Paria, and Christopher Guerre, of Seville. Nino having obtained the king's licence, upon condition of his not coming to an anchor, or land- ing within 50 leagues of any place discovered by Columbus, set sail soon after Hojedo and Vespuci- us ; discovered land and arrived at Paria a few days after them, where finding the Indians behave peaceably, he, contrary to his instructions, landed and cut Brazil wood, and then continuing his course, came to what Columbus had called the Bay of Pearls, formed by the island of Margarita, and the continent, and which he had visited in 1498. The people here went on board Nino's ship, without any apprehensions, carrying pearl neck- laces, and wearing jewels in their no^es and e&n ; I 9H THE VOYAGES OF for which the Spaniards gave them hawks-bells, bracelets, rings, and several trifles made of tin. Having thus purchased a considerable quantity of valuable pearls, the Spaniard- passed by Coro near the province now called Venezuela, 130 leagues below Pana and the Dragons Mouth; anchored in a bay where they were well received by fifty men, who came from a place at a lea^^ue's dis- tance, and very earnestly pressed them to anchor at their town : upon which the Spaniards gave them some toys, and the Indians taking off all the pearls they had about their necks and arms, in the space of an hour gave them as many as weighed fifteen ounces, The next day the Spaniards came to an aiichoF before a town called- Curlana, where the Indians made signs for them to come on shore ; but being no more than thirty-three men, they dut:t not venture, and therefore by their signs invit f' the Indians to come on board, which they did ir. vheir cauv^es carrying pearls which they freely exchang- ed for toys: by which the Spaniards beino- con- vinced of their sincerity, landed and stayed twen- ty days on shore, during which they were cour- teously entertained with venison, rabbits, geese, ducks, parrots, fish, and bread made of maize. Thm perceived that the natives kept markets or fairs, that they had eJtrthern jars, dishes, and oth- er vessels of sev^eral shapes, and that in their pearl necklaces they had frogs and other creatures in;»de of gold. They asked by signs where that metal was gathered, and were answered in the sam^ COLUMBUS. 99 manner, that it was got six days journey from theMoe^ at a place called Curiana Cauchc'to. The Spall! rrds therefore sailed thither and found that the people werevery tractable, for they ca--te on board without the least jealousy, and bar- tered ^v ith them for wrought or unwrought gold, tho th^v would not part with their pearls. The}^ al:^'o gave he^r, some mohkies, and very beautiful parrots r>." vi^.r'ous colours. Leaving this p-ace they proceeded farther ; but as they approached the shore, above 5000 rske^ men caine armed with bows c^id Arrows -fo .;p?>oce their landing ; and tho they ^^ e to pleabt ihem by shewing them hawks-be* '^ and other things could not prevail, and thef 'rH rf turned to Curia- na, where they were reo-ived with the same sa- tisfaction as before, the Indian? dow tradino* with them for pins and needles, which the Spa- niards shewed them wou d be of use in dr-^wino" the thorns out of their feet .7 }en thev happened to tread on them. The India is were highly plea- sed, thinking they had made advantageous bar- gains with the Spania,rds, who carried away abrye 12000 ounces of pearls, som.e of which v/ere very beautiful and well coloured, and as large as suiall hazlenuts ; but they were ill bor^d, the Indians having no iron. The Spaniards were now so m'cII satisfied with the success of their voyage that thev resolved to return home, and arrived in Galicin on the 6th of February, 1500, two months after they left Curiana, when Nino and Christopher Guerre, •^ who shared in the expense and profits of the voy- iOO THE VOYAGES OF ?Lge, were accused before the governor by their own ship's crew of having defrauded the king of his diity, which was the fifth part. The great riches which the adventurers gained by this voy:;ore promoted the spirit of discovery, more eGpeoially among such as knew the propo- sals made by Cohimbus, or had served under him in his first two voyages. Of these none was so capable of prosecuting them as Vincent Yanez Pinzon, of whom we have already spoken. He had a liberal education, great courage, and a large fortune ; he therefore fitted out at his own ex- pense, a squadron of four stout ships, with which he sailed to the Cape de Verde islands, where he took in refreshments, and steered from St. Jago about the year 1500, first standing to the south, and then to the west, and was the first subject of the crown of Castile and Leon tliat crossed the eqainoctiiU. But he had hardly passed the line, when he met with a dreadful storm, in which all on board expect- ed to perish : However, having run 240 leagues farther to the westward, they on the 2btL of February discovered land at a great distance, w hi-'^h Yanez called Cado de Consolation, or Cape Com- fort*, and sounding, had fourteen fathoms, water. Captain Pinzon going on shore, took possession of the country in the name of their Catholic Majes- ties, and endeavoured to the utmost ol his power, though without effect, to introduce the people * It is ftGiv called Ca-^e St. Augustuie» COLUMBUS. 101 to trade with liirn ; for the natives being inflexi- ble, and having no goodopinionof these invaders, an engagement ensued, in which some were slain on both sides. This made Captain Pinzon resolve to retire and continue his voyage, which he did to the mouth of the river Maranon, where he observed a migh- ty struggle between the tide of salt water coming in and a vast current of fresh water pouring down frojn the land. The country at the mouth of this river, he found well inhabited on both sides, but not being able to persuade the inhabitants to traiTic, he resolved without further delay, to pro- jceed towards Paria. Yanez, on his arrival at Paria, took in Brazil wood, and then struck over to the inlands that Ky in the way ofHispaniola : but when theships were laying at anchor, there arose such a dread- ful storm, that two of the four sunk in the sight of the others, with all the men; a third was for- ced from her anchors with eighteen men, and car- ried ,out of sight : and the fourth, though she rode it out, beat so furiously, that the sailors be- lieving she would be dashed in pieces, went a- shore in the long boat, and had thoughts of mur- dering uU the Indians they found, to prevent their calling in their neighbours to destroy them : but the ship that had been driven to sea with eighteen men returned, and the other which rode at anchor being saved, they sailed to Hispaniola, where they refitted, and returned to Spain about the lat- I 2 !02 THE VOYAGES OF ter end of September, after having discovered 600 leagues of the coast of Paria, James de Lepe, a native of Palos, having heard of the expedition undertaken by Pinzon, applied himself to the Earl of Miranda his patron, and promising to perforirj wonders in case he would enable him to make the Sv^me voyage, his request was OQ 111 plied with, and he actually arrived at the mouth of the river Maranon, soon after Pinzon had left it : the people, being provoked at his seiz- ing t.hirty-six men, and carrying them on board, vigorously attacked the Spaniards and killed sev- eral of them, which obliged him to prosecute his voyage to Paria, where he also quarrelled with the inhabitants, and returned without making the least advantage of this expedition, except taking a few Indian prisoners. It is proper to observe, that Emanuel King of Portugal sending a considerable fleet to the East- Indies ^-j under the command of Peter Alvarez Ca- bral in the year 1590, that admiral sailing; to the S. "W. to avoid the calms on the coastof 'j»ulnea, war. so happy as to discover Brazil, one of the richest provinces in South America, by mere acci- dent f. But it is now necessary to return to the discoveries made by the great Columbus. "^ The coast of India ?tad been dhccvered by Kosco de Gajnaj in 1 49 S lukile Colu/nbus 'was engaged in h'l.s third voyage to the IFest-hid'ies. See de Gajna^s 'voyage, t See CnbraVs 'uoyage to the. East-Ind,cs, chap. 1. and the scitjeinent of Brazil by the Portuguese^ chap, I . COLUMBUS. 106 CHAP. V. Cohunhus^ fourth voyage. He arrives at Hispamola^ and meets lu'ith the basest usage from Obando the Jieip governor , upon nvhich he leaves that Island^ andprose' cutcs his discoveries along the coast of Darien, nvhere he e>:peded to fiifd a passage to the Indies : Sails to the haven of Porto hello : Sends a detachment up the river l^eragua to the Indian mines ^ and after oth- er excursions into the country^ forms a settlement at the Viouth of the river Bdem, ivhen being informed that a Cacique named \Quiblo intended to set f re to the hou" seSy he causes htm and his family to be seized ^ but they making their escape^ attack the settlement ^ and killed several of the Spaniards ; upon ivhich the neiv settlers rejoin the admiral, nvho after sneering several hardships^ run the ships on shore on the coast of Ja- , maica ; nvhence they sent tii'o canoes to Hispaniola, T'he hardships sufered by the people in the vcyage, and the troubles the Adtniral met nmth in Jamaica during hrs long stay in that islands The Spaniards sail thence to Hispaniola, and afternvards to Spain, 'lohcre Columbus dies, SofJie account of his person and character, COLUMBUS having received his instructicns, sailed from Cadiz with four small ships, aiid one hundred and forty men, including boys j on th^ 9th of May, 1502, he arrived at St. Catha- rines, and departed from thence on the I Ithfor 104 THE VOYAGES OF Arzilla, a port-town of Morocco, then subject to Portugal, and invested by the Moors; He sailed thither, in order to relieve the Portuguese, who were reported to be in great distress ; but the< Moors had raised their siege before his arrival p the Admiral therefore sailed for "Grand Canaria, where he arrived on the 20th and having, taken in wood and water far the voyage, ^oceeded on the 25th in the evening for the West-Indies, with so favourable a wind, that on the 15th of Jun^ he arrived at the island of M.irtinico. He t';.Te took in a fresh supply, of wood and v- er, >nd then sailed by the Caribbee i=h\i v to >t Domingo in Hispanio- la, where he ^ itended to exchange one of his. ships, whi'Ui was a bad sailor, in .order to con- tinue liJi voyage, with less hindraiice, to th^ coast f»f j*aria, in quest of a strait which he conclu-' ded vu-s near the place, since called Verugua and I^o.;.:brede Dios. In order that the judge sent by their M-^tjesties to call Bovadilla to an account, might not be sur- prised at his unexpected arrival, he, on his ap- proaching the port, dispatched before him one of h.s captitins, to signify the necessity of changing ti,:^ .ship, and to represent *that as he apprehended a .reat storm was approaching he proposed to se- cure hi msslf in thii port, and de?ired that the "h • .levv^ard bound fleefc might not stil for eight d '^s, by which means it would avjid the danger to which it would otherwise be exposed. COLUMBUS. 105 But so little inclined was this new governor to assist the Admiral with another vessel, that he would not even allow him to enter the port ; and disregarded his advice, permitted the fleet, in I which wereRoldan, and all who had been in the rebellion, to put to sea, on their return to Spain. But the fleet had no sooner weathered the east I point of Hispaniola, than there arose so terrible a storm, that the Admiral of the fleet, in which was Bovadilla, and most of the rel3els, foundered, and this hurricane was so fatal to the rest, that of the eighteen ships tliat were in that fleet, only four were saved : w^hile Columbus, who had foreseen the storm, and been refused admittance into an island which he had discovered, and added to' the dominions ofSpa?h, sheltered himself under the land. But the next day the tempest increas- ing, three of Columbus' vessels were forced out to sea, when the Bermuda, the ship he wanted to exchange, would certainly have perished, had she not been preserved by the admirable skill of his brother Bartholomew, who was allowed to be the most expert seaman of his time. The ships being thus separated, each concluded that the oth- er was lost, till in a few days they met again in the port of Azua. The Admiral's satisfaction, however, was considerably diminished by the mortification he felt, upon reflecting that he had been denied shelter in a port where he had a right to command, and refused a privilege in his own island, that is never denied to strano-ers. How- eyer, the consequence of this storm furnished his !06 THE VOYAGES OF superstitious enemies with a pretence for saying, th.i': he had raised it by magic, in order to destroy the fleet bound for Spain ; and what seemed to pdd o/eight to this ridiculous supposition^ was, that the only ship of the eighteen that arrived in Spain was the.Aguja, on board of which were 4000 pesos of gold belonging to the Admiral, while three others that resisted the fury of the waves, were forced in a shattered condition back to St, Domingo. Columbus, while in the port of 'Azua, gave his men some refreshments after the storm, and al- lowed :hem to divert themselves with fishing, in which they had good success ; and amongst the fest of the fish they caught here, wa^ one called the Saavina, which is as big as an ordinary church-bell, and laying asleep above water, was struck withnn harping iron by the crew in one of the boats. One end of this iron being fastened to a long rope, and the other to the boat, the fish drew the boat after it as swift as the flight of an arrow, while these who were on board the sbip seeing the boat skim about, and not knowing the reason, were greatly astonished, till at, last the fish Finking, it wcis drawn to the ship's side and hav.'ied up by che tackle. They also caught in the same b-iy the Manatee, or sea cow, an amphib- ious anhnil, whose flesh W'ls compared by the people oii board to that of veal. Coiumbas haviii^y; here repaired the damage his ship had sustained by tha storm, sailed in order to make discoveries on the continent, and reached COLUMBUS. 107 the island of Guanaia, near the province now call- ed Honduras, where Bartholomew Columbus going ashore with two boats, they saw a great number of pine trees and pieces of lapis calaminaris, which being mix'd with copper, some of the seamen mistook for gold. Fro'm Cape Casinas, the Admiral was seventy days in sailing sixty leagues to the eastward, the wind and current being contrary all the time. But as there was good riding along the coast, he tacked to and fro, and every night dropped anchor under the land ; but at length he reached a cape, \i) which he gave the name of Gracias aDioSy^or Thanks to God ; because from that place, the land turning off to the south, enabled him to pro- secute his voyage with a trade wind. However, a iittie beyond this head-land, he passed some dan- gerous sands, which for a considerable way ran out to sea. On the 1 6th of September, being in want of wood and water, Columbus sent the boats into a river, that seemed to have a deep and good en- trance ; bat on their return, the wind blowing from the sea, and the waves running high against t-je current of the river, one of the boats with all her men, was lost, whence the admiral called' this Rio de la Disgraoia, or the RivcV of Disaster. Still running to the southward, they, on the 25th, anchored near a little island called Huiriviri, ani a town on the continent named Coriari, which is situiited near a great river, to the banks of which ^ maltitude of people resorted ; some with bows 108 THE VOYAGES OF and arrows, others with staves, of a wood as black as jet, as hard as iron, and pointed with fish bones ; w^hile others came with clubs. They seemed to have assembled with the intention of defending their coun'^^y from invasion ; the S|>aniards were very desirous of bartering their commodities with them, whieh consisted of arms, cotton jackets, and pieces of pale gold, which they wore about their necks. With these things they sWam to their boats, for the Spaniards did not go ashore that day or the next : nor would the admiral allow his people to take their goods in exchange ; but presented them with several bawbles. Yet the 3ess the 'Spaniards seemed to regard the traflRCp the more eagerness they discovered for it, and made many signs for them to come ashore ; but these proving ineffectual, they retired, leaving every thing they had received on the shore, where they M'-ere found by the Spaniards, at the place which they afterwards landed at. The Indians at length supposing that the Spa- niards did not confide in their sincerity, sent an old man of awful presence, carrying a flag upon a staff, attended by two young girls with pieces of gold about their necks. These, by the old man's desire, were conducted by the boats crew aboard the admiral, who ordering them to be clothed and fed. had them set on shore, where they were re- ceived with great satisfaction by the old man and fifty of the natives. Bartholomew Columbus going ashore the nexl iday in order to learti something of the country COLUMBUS. lag two of the chief men came to the boat, and tiaking him by the arms made him sit down between them. In this situation he began to interrogate them by signs, and ordered his secretary to write down what were supposed to be their answers ; but they no sooner saw the pen, ink and paper, than they were in such consternation, that most of them ran away, imagining perhaps that they were implements of sorcery ; for they had perfor- med some ceremonies of exorcism before they ap- proached the Spaniards, scattering a powder in the air, and burning some of the same powder, and en- deavored to make the smoke fly towards the chri- stians. A few days after, the Admiral desired his brother to go ashore, with several men to view the town, and obtain some knowledge of the country. The most remarkable things he observed, were several tombs in a great wooden structure covered with canes in one of which was a dead body embalmed ; in another, two bodies wrapt up in cotton sheets but "Udthout any ill scent, and over each tomb, was a board, upon which w^as carved the figures of beasts, and on some of them the effigies of the deceased, adorned with plates of gold about their necks, and other ornaments. These being the most civilized Indians in those parts, the Admiral ordered some of them to be ta- ken, out of whom he chose two who seemed to be the most intelligent ; the rest were sent awajr with some presents and great civility, and en- deavours were used to make them sensible that If no THE V0YAGE3 OF their companions were detained for no other reason but to serve a^ guides upon that coast, and that in IL little time they would be set at liberty ; but the natives believing they were detained thro' avarice, a number of them came down to the shore the next day, and sent four persons on board to treat for their ransom, with a present of two wild hogs which were very small. Columbus caused these deputies to be ' entertained with great civility, and though he wotild not grant their request he sent, them away well satisfied, and amply paid for the hogs ; one of which was hunted on the deck by a kind of a wild cat of a greyish colour that had been caught in the woods by one of the sailors after he had cut off one of its fore-legs : this animal leaps from tre*t,to tree, and not only fastens upon the branches with its claws, but even with its' tail, by which it frequently suspends itself either for sport or rest. These hogs, though na- turally fierce, no sooner saw this animal, than they ran terrified about the deck, when the admiral perceiving their fright, ordered one of them to be brought near the cat, which instaiitiy wound its tail about the hog's snout, and fastened the fore-leg that remained upon its head, would soon 'have dispatched it, had not the men interposed. On the 5th of October the admiral sailed into the bay of Caravaro, which is six leagues in length and about three in breadth. Here they found ma- . ny small islands, with channels between them, through some of which the ships sailed as it were „ in lanes, the trees on each side brushing against COLUMBUS.. I II the shrouds. As soon as they^ anchored in this bay, the boats were sent to one of the islands, where there were twenty canoes on the shore, the people laying near them quite naked, having onl) a gold plate about their necks. They ex- pressed no signs of fear, but for three bells gave a gold plate that weighed ten ducats, and said there was a great plenty of that metal at a small dist- ance from the shore on the continent. The next day the boats were sent on shore upon the continent, and in their way met with two can- oes full of people, who refusing to barter their gold plates, two of the chief persons amongst them Were taken in order that the admiral might obtain some intelligence from them by iTieans of the Ca- riari interpreters. The gold plate worn by one of these men weighed fourteen ducats, and the o- ther's twenty two, and these confirmed what the islanders had said of the gold, which was to be found at the distance of two days journey up in the country. In this bay they took great num- bers of fish, and on shore they found a lar:^e quan- tity of fresh provisions, and also great plenty of roots and fruit. The men were painted all over of several colours, as red, black and white, and had no other covering besides a narrow cotton cloth which hung round the waist. From this bay the Admiral sailed into another very near it, and on the 1 7th pursued his voyage twelve leagues farther to the river Guai;;a ; when ordering out the boats to go ashore, the men were furiously assaulted by above one hundred Indians, 112 THE VOYAGES OF luvho ran up to the middles in the sea, brandshing their lances, blowing horns, and throwing sea-wa- ter towards the Spaniards, at whorh they al spurted thejuiceof some shrubs they were chew- ing, with signs of detestation and defiance. The Spaniards, without either approaching or retreat- ing, endeavoured to appease them, which at length they effected, and at least exchanged sixteen gola plates, worth 160 ducates, for a few bells and other bawbles. However, notwithstanding this friendly intercourse, the next day the natives lay in ambash for the boats ; but perceiving that no body would venture to land, without knowing "what disposition they were in, tbey rushed into the water as before , and even threatened to throw their javelins, provided the boats that lay upon their oars did . not return to their ships. The Spaniards at length exasperated at, this insolent be'i'iviour, wounded one of them with an arrow and at the same time the Admiral firing one of his threat guns, so terrified them, that they fled with precipitation ; when four men landing, in* vitci ^hem by signs to return, on which, laying dosv'i their arms, they came back, and very peace- ably exchanged their gold plates. The Admiral then proceeded on his voyage, and casting anchor in the mouth of a great river, the people of the country were seen to assemble, and ? j'on after sent two me:j in a canoe to the $hip, who having talked with the Cariari inter- preters, came aboard without any apprehensIonH, and by the advice of those Indians, gave their COLUMBUS. 113 gold plates to the Admiral, who, in retorn, pre- sented them with some trifles. This canoe re- turning, another appeared with three men. who behaved in the same manner, and amity being thus established, the Spaniards went ashore, where they found a great number of Indians with their King, who only differed from the rest in being covered with a large leaf of a tree, because it then rained very hard. This Prince, to set his subjects an example exchanged his plate, and bid thenx barter for theirs ; which they instantly did, and the Spaniards received nineteen plates of pure gold. Here they saw an old wall, which seemed to be built with stone and lime ; and this being the first part of the Indies where Columbus had discov- ered signs of a solid and regular structure, he brought away a piece of it, as a memorial. The .Admiral now saiUng with a* fresh gale to the eastward, held on his course to five towns of great trade, among which was Veragua, wliere the Indians said the ^ild was gathered, and the plates made, which they wore about their necks ; and continuing his voyage, he arrived at an har- bour, to which he gave the name of Porto Bello, or beautiful Port, from its being very spacious, and encompassed by a fine and populous country, Ke entered this harbour on the 2d of November, passing between two small islands, with which the ships lay close to the shore, where he was obliged by the rain and bad weather to continue- seven days, during which he was constantly visi-* ted bv the people in canoes, who came from the K 2 IH THE VOYAGES OF adjacent country, to barter fine spun cottoa 5ini provisions, for pins, points, and other tri- fles. 1 the 9th he sailed eight leagues to the east- Ward ; but the next day was forced four leagues back by stress of weather, and putting in among the islands near the continent where the town of Ko nbre de Dios now stands, called the place Puerto de Bastimentos, or the port of Provisions ; beciuse all those small islands were covered with corn. Here a boat well manned being sent in pursuit of a canoe, the Indians were so frighted i that they threw themselves into the sea, rtndi swam away, notwithstanding all the endeavours o/theSpaniards to take some of them • for when; a b ^at approa.ched any of these Lidians, they dived like a duck, and came up at the distance of a bow ?hot. Columbus staid here refitting the ships till the 23d of November, when he continued his course €ast\vard, trading with the Indians on the coast for provisons, and such pieces of gold as hung at their ears and noses. On the 24 he entered a small port, which he named The Retreat, from its being able to contain j?o more than five or six ships, and its being only fifteen or twenty paces wide at the mouth. On both sides, the rocks ap- pepired above water, bnt the channel between thean was so Jeep, as not to be fathomed, though if the ships inclined to either side, tl.e men miA'hich was so full of maggofs, that many delay- ed cuttino; of it till it was dark, to avoid seeing -vvhat they were obliged to swallow. On the 1 7th of December the admiral entered into a large harbour, where he permitted his men to repose themselves for three days ; during which going ashore, they found t^iat the inhabitants liv- ed in huts built upon the tops of trees, sticks be- ing laid from bough to bough ; and the huts erect- ed upon them : a custom which must have ari- sen from the fear of wild beasts ; or of land floods. In the beginning of January, 1503, they cast anchor near a river which the admiral named Be- lem or Bethlem ; from his arriving there on the feast, of the Epiphany. To the westward of this river was that of Veragua, the water of which was shallow ; however the boats went up it to the town, where they were informed that they should find the gold mines of Veragua, so often mentioned. The Indians at first stood upon their, guard, in order to oppose the landing of the Span- iards ; but an Indian interpreter going ashore,, and representing them in a favourable light, the na- tives v.'ere pacified, and exchanged with them twenty gold plates, some hollow pieces of the same metal like joints of reeds, and some grains of gold that had never been melted ; but to inhance their value tliey pretended they were gather** ed upon certain i»ountaing at a great distance. COLUMBUS. 119 On the 9th the admiral's ship, attended by one >f the others, sailed up the river Belem, when the ndians soon came to barter with the Spaniards bringing fish, which at some seasons of the year ;ame up the rivers in incredible numbers ; they jxchanged some gold for pins, beads, and hawk- jells, and the next day they were joined by the ;wo other ships that had stai^behind for want of water. On the third day after their arrival, Bartholo- [Xiew Columbus went up the river wath the boats to a town belonging to a Cacique named (^uibio, who hearing of the lieutenant's design, came in his canoe to meet him, and having received each >ther in a friendly manner, discoursed by means of their interpreter for a long time together. The ncnt day the same prince visited the admi- ral ; made him some presents, and after a converiia- tloii which lasted an hour, during which his peo- ple exchanged some gold for bells, retired well pleased with his reception. They had lived five days in this friendly man- ner, when the river suddenly swelled to such a surprising height, and rushed down with such impetuosity, that the Admirarsi ship parted her sable, and runing foul of the Galega, brought the foremast by the board, and both the vcs!:els were in danger of perishing. This sudden swell of the river was supposed to proceed from a vicui.tsbow- erthat had fallen upon the mountains oi'Yeragua,' which the admiral named St. Christopher's from their tops reaching above the cloui;. On the Cth 120 THE VOYAGES OF of February the ships being caulked and refitted, the admiral sent his brother with sixty-eight men in boats to the river Veragua, the mouth of which was at a leagues distance from that of Balem; when rowing up, they arrived at the Cacique's town where they staid a whole day, enquirmg the way to the mines. In conse- quence of the intelligencethey received, they, the next day, ti:avelled four leagues and a half, and came to a river which, on account of its windings, they passed forty-four times ; the day following they arrived at the place to which they were di- rected, and in two hours time every man had gath- ered some gold about the roots ^-''the trees, which were very thick and of a prodigious height. The sample was much valued, as none of those v/no went had any tools to dig, or had eve? before gathered any. As the sole aim of this expedition was to obtain information relating to the mines, they returned well pleased to the sh^pii, though, as they rJterwards learned, the place they called the mines from which they had picked it, were not those of Veragua, which lay much nearer, but of Urira, a town belonging to a people at war with the Cacique (iuibio, who had artfully direct- ed the Spaniards to his enemies mines, instead of his own. On the 14th of February the Admiral's brother went into the country with forty men, followed by a boat with fourteen, and marched to the river of Urira, seven leagues west of Belem. The next day he was met by the Cacique^ attended by t v/en- COLUMBUS. 121 ty men, who made them a present of provisions and some gold plates. During this intercourse the Indians chev/edadry herb, and sometimes added to it a sort of powder. Having rested a while in this place, the Spaniards and Indians went together to the town, whence abundance of people came out to meet them, and a house being provided for their lodging, they were hospitably entertained. Soon after came the Ca- cique of a neighbouring to\Vn named Durira. at- tended by a great number of Indians, who broU:^ht some goM plates to barter, and" told the lieutenant that up in the country there were" Caciques who had great quantities of gold, and th::.t there were there many men armed like the Spaniards. The next day Don Bartholomew marched with thirty men towards Zobabra, after !iis having or- dered the rest to return by land to the ships. He here saw thjp ground for above six leagues cover- ed with maize, ai:d cultivated hke the corn fields of Europe. He was at Zobabra kindly entertained hy the nativ«''S, as he was also at another town called Catcba, if both which places he purchased some gold plut'^s : but having now advanced a considerable way from the ships, without discov- ering any harbour along the coast or river, larger than that of Belem, v/here he might conven- iently settle a colony, he returned with a larg^ quantity of gold to the place frem which he had taken his departure, ai^d where it was now agreed to make a setii/en^^nt under his command* L 122 THE VOYAGES OF Proper 'dispositions being made, the sailors be- gan to build houses of timber about a cannon-shot from the mouth of the river Belem, which they covered with the palm-trees leaves that grew along the shore, and a large building was also erect- ed to serve as a storehouse and magazine, in which several pieces of cannon, with powder, provisions, and other necessaries, were lodged for the support of the planters ; while a quantity of wine, oil, vin- egar, cheese and grain was deposited on board the ship Galega, that was to be left with the Lieutenant, with cordage, nets, hooks, and other fishing tackle for the use of the colony. Indeed these could not fail of signal service in a country that abounds with such quantities of fish, which are caught by the natives with hooks made of tortoise-shell. The houses being erected, and proper regula- tions made for the preservation of the colony, the admiral resolved to return to Spain ; but his voy- age was effectually prevented by want of water to carry the ships out of the river, and by a terri- ble surf that beat upon the shore, and threateneii immediate destruction to any vessel that should approach it ; to render these circumstances the more unfortunate, the rains, which alone could ?well the river, were past; the bottoms of the ships were so worm eaten that they resembled honey-combs, and to compleat their vexation, one of their interpreters reported that (iuibio intended to set fire to the houses of the Spaniards, who, contrary to his incUnation, and to that of his peo- COLUMBUS. 123 pTe, had made a settlement in his dominions. Upon this occasion the Admiral concerted meas- ures with his Brother for seizing the Cacique and his principal men, in order to carry them to Spain, as hostages for the good behaviour of his subjects : an expedient, which, however politic, was not at all agreeable to the humanity of Christopher Col- umbus on other occasions, and equally inconsJt:tent with all the laws of nature and nations. How- ever, on the 30th of March, the Lieutenant, at- tended by above seventy men, proceeded to Vera- gua, which consisted of straggling houses, and at a small distance from that place was desired by a messenger from the Cacique, not to come up to his house, which stood upon a hill ; but notwithstan- ding this request, the Lieutenant resolved to pro- ceed with only live men, ordering the rest to fol- low two and two at some distance, and when they should hear a musket fired, to beset the hou- ses, and let nofeody escape. On his approaching Quibio's residence, he was met by another messen- ger, who entreated him not to enter the house, and told him that the Cacique himself would come out tho he was wounded by an arrow. Quibio, on his coming to the door agreeable to his promise, was immediately seized by the Lieutenant, and the musket being fired, the house was soon surrounded by the rest of the Spaniards, and about thirty persons made prisoners, without the least opposition, amongst whom were the wives and children of the Cacioue, vith some of his principal subjects, who offered 124 THE VOYAGES OF to ransom themselves with a large quantity of gold that was concealed in an adjoining wood. But the Lieutenant, disregarding their offers, ordered them all to be bound and carried on board, before thecountry should take the alarm; intending him- self to stay with the greatest part of the men, to secure some of (iuibio's kindred and subjects, whom he had not yet been able to take ; he therefore de- livered the prisoners to Juan Suchez de Cadiz, an able pilot, who, with great confidence and alacrity, undertook to carry them on board to the Admiral, The pilot embarked with them in the boat, when Quibio complaining that his hands were too hard bound, Sanchez moved by compassion loosed them, but kept the rope with which he was tyed in his own hand. The Cacique now finding his hands at liberty, took an opportunit) while the pilot" was looking another way to plunge into the river, which he did with such violence, that Sanchez quitted the rope in order to save himself, And as it began to grow dark, and the boats was instantly filled with confusion, it was impossible to hear or see how he got on shore. The Lieutenant perceiving that it would be impossible to overtake the fugitive Indians, the next day returned with his- men to the ships, and presented the plunder of (iuibio's house, which was worth 300 ducats in gold plates, to his broth- er, w^io, after deducting the fifth part for their Catholic Majesties, divided the rempander a- mong those who were employed in this expedi, tion. COLUMBUS. n5 Soon after this tlie rains fell, and the floods coming down, opened the mouth of the river, upon which the admiral sailed out with three ships, leaving one for the service of his brother. He however came to an anchor at a league's distance in order to wait for fair weather, and in the mean time sent back the boat for water. Quibio seeing that the three ships were gone, and being grieved and provoked at the loss of his wives and children, and also exasperated at the violence offered to himself, resolved openly to attack the settlement. The woods by which it ^vas surrounded facilitated this enterprise, and ena- bled the Indians unperceived to reacha spot within ten paces of the houses, from whence they rushed upon the Christians, with dreadful shouts, throw- ing their javelins, not only at those who appear- ed, but also through the slender roofs, so that four or five men were dangerously wounded be- fore the Spaniards were able to put themselves in a posture of defence. Don Bartholomew howe- ver being a man of great courage and resolution^ sallied out upon the enemy with seven or eight of his men, and notwithstanding the Indians sever- al times sallied, drove them into the wood ; but though the Indians wouid not engage hand to hand, after they had felt the edge of the European swords, and the teeth of a dog, by which they were furiously attacked, they continued to throw their javelines at a distance, till they were driven from their covert, and obliged to fly, after they L 1 a-26 THE VOYAGES OF had killed one Spaniard, wounded seven others^ amongst whom was the Lieutenant. Captain Ja'Xies Tristans whom the Admiral iiad-|?ent ashore with the boat, and who appeared just as the Indians were obliged to retire into the v/ood, stood an- idle spectator during the engage- ment, without suffering any of his men to land ; and the battle being over, rowed a full league up the river to take in fresh water, at a place quite covered with wood, when the Indians sallying from the grove in their canoes, attacked him with a shower of javelins, and though the Captain sus- tained their onset with great gallantry, both he and the whole boat's crew were soon slain, one person only happening to fall over-board in the jnidst of the fray, dived to the bottom, reached the shore, and passed through the wood to the colony, where he gave an account of the disas- ter. The colony was so terrified at this news, that they would immediately have abandoned the set- tlement, and joined the admiral in the ship he had left them, had they not been prevented by the lowness of the water at the mouth of the river, ^ which was not saiTicientto float their vessel, and the sea beat v/ith such violence over the bar, that fio boat could be sent to the Admiral with advice K>f their distress. He himself rode in a very dan- gerous rpen road without his lorti^-boat, and was ignorant of the unhappy fate of the Captain ar:d his crew; till he had the mortification to see their bodies driving down the river, covered with COLUMBUS. 121 wounds, and preyed upon by a numbur of carrion crows. This melonclioly spectacle spread great des- pondence amongst his people, who concluded that the whole colony had perished. Mean while the Indians, elated at the advantage they had gained, returnc^i to the attack of the settle- ment, which they carried on day and night with- out intermission, so that every Spaniard must have fallen a sacrifice to their resentment, had they not removed to an open strand, where they formed a barricado of casks and other lumber, and planted their cannon in such a manner as to make great havock among the enemy, who became terri- fied at those dreadful instruments of slaughter. The Admiral waited ten dv^ys for fair weather, in order to send the only boat that nov/ remained for intelligence, and to add to these vexations, several of the Indian })risoners who were ciiiifined in the hold, burst open the hatches in the night, leap'd into the sea and swam to shore, and those that remained being disappointed in their hopes of escaping in the san"ie manner hanged them- selves, by which means they had no hostages, by whom they might make a peace with C^uibio. As the weather stii! continued boisterous, and the S[)aniards on board grew extremely impatient .to learn the fate of their companions, one of the sailors offered to swim ashore, provided he might be carried in the boat to the place where the surf began to run high. This proposal, which was gladly embraced by the Admiral, was soon put in /execution, and the sailor having obtained sufficient 528 THE VOYAGES OF intelligence from the colony, swann off again, and 1 gave a circumstantial account of all that happen-- ed, and of the particulars of the divisions and dis-- sentions which had now arisen amongst the men,, who paid no regard to Don Bartholomew' autho- J rity, and were unanimous in uothing but their re-n solution to leave the place. They desired to be ; immediately taken on board, and resolved, if that was refused them, to put to sea in their own; rotten vessel, since they had father trust to the mercy of the waves, than to continue expo- sed to the resentment of the savages. Upon this Columbus agreed to send for them, and thet weather becoming favourable, they left the coun-- try, taking with them all their goods and effects^ in the boat, and some canoes, which they lashed together, leaving nothing behind them, but the hulk of the ship, which was unfit for ser- vice. The company being to their mutual joy reas- sembled, the Admiral sailed to the eastward, as far as Porto Bello, where he was obliged to leave one of his ships which was so leaky and worm-eaten that she could not proceed, and continued his course till the 10th of May, when he observed two small islands, which he named Tortugas from the great number of Turtle found there. Then continuing his course thirty leagues to the north- ward, he arrived at the island called Jardin de la Reyna, or the (iueeii'S Gardens, ten leagues to the south of Cuba, by which time the ships were so ieaky, that the men were harrassed by working COLUMBUS. 129 a,t the pumps, tho', as they had scarcely any pro- visions left, they were bat little able to support such fatigue: and in this unhappy situation hey were overtaken with a dreadful- storm, h< which the ship Bermuda ran foul of the A^dmiral, and both were in the greatest danger of being founder- ed, I ad the same night they narrowly escaped being w~recked upon some sharp rocks. The wind being at length abated, the Admiral sailed to an Indian town oh the coast of Cuba, where having purchased som.e refreshments, he stood over to Jamaica, pumping and baling all the way, notwithstanding Which the water rose up almost to the deck. Id this situation he put into an harbour called Puerto Reno, but finding no fresh water there^ steered to the eastward into an- other called Santo Gloria^ where finding it im- possible to keep the ship$ afloat, he ran them a-> shore, along side of each other, caused them to be propped upon each side to keep them upright, and sheds to be made on the poop and forecastle, to secure the sailors from the inclemencies of the weather, and the attempts of the Indians. He here made it his study to oblige the nativer, who resorted in great numbers to the ships with what they had to barter, and appointed two per- sons to superintend the market, and prevent fr-.uds or abuses as well as to divide what was purcliased equally among the sailors. - The regulation was both agreeable to his own men, and to the ]iidic\n3 who exchanged two small animals' like rabbits, for a bit of tin, and two of their cakes of bread for 130 THE VOYAGES OF two green or yellow beads ; for things of greater value, a hawk-bell: and sometimes a Cacique or other considerable persons had a present of a pair of scissors, or a small looking-glass. The Admiral having consulted with the offi- cers on the best means of leaving that island, it was agreed to send an account of their situation to Nicholas de Obando governor of Hispaniola, jl and to Alonzo Sanchez de Carvajal, the Admiral^ factor there, to desire that a ship might be freigl;it- ed and sent to their relief at the Admiral's expence. Two canoes were chosen for this dangerous expe- dition, in one of which James Mendes de Segura, the Admirals chief secretary embarked, wth six Spaniards and ten Indians to row it, and Bartholo- mew Fiesco, a Genoese gentleman, went with the same orders to return immediately with the news of their safe arrival. They then rowed to the eastermost point of Jamaica, under the con- duet of the Admiral's brother, who took care to supply him with every thing necessary for the voyage^ which was a very extraordinary one to be performed by canoes, since the distance between the two islands amounted to thirty leagues, with- out any intervening land except a small rock or island about eight leagues from the coast of His- paniola. Don Bartholomew made them wait for a calm, and then ordering them to prosecute their voyage, staid till they were out of sight. They launched out at night, the Indians who rowed sometimes leaping into the water to cool themselves, and tli.en returning to the oar again. CO The second day after their departure they all began fco be much tired ; but the two chiefs encouraged the men, advising them to eat in order to recover kheir strength. The Indians being heated by the sun ind by labouring at the oar, soon emptied their salibashes of water, and the heat increasing, their thirst increasing with it, so that by noon they had no strength left. They were then relieved by the commanders frequently giving them some- thing to drink out of their rundlets, which sup- ported them till the cool of the evening. They were soon greatly distressed with the apprehension that they had lost their way, and had missed a lit- tle island about eight leagues from Hispaniola, where they expected to refresh themselves ; and that afternoon they threw an Indian over- board who died with thirst ; others lay stretch- ed out, and quite disabled, while the rest expect- ed death, and held salt water in their mouths to cool them, but could receive no comfort from it- They proceeded the second night without see- ing the island, tiii the moon rising, it was happi- ly discovered, when they ail joined in encourag- ing the Indians ; shewing them the land, and gave them smail sips of \vj,ter, which so re- vived their spirits, that by break of day they ar- rived at the island. Tiiey however found it to be a solid rock, about half a leaa,ue in compass, with- out a single tree or spring of water, yet going about from one cliff to another, they collected in the hollows more than was necessary to quench ;bheir thirst, for being schor^hcd with drought, they 132 THE VOYAGES OF drank so much, that some of the poor Indians di- ed upon the spot, and others fell sick. There ther staid till the afternoon, and having rested -and re- freashed themselves with the shell-fish they pick- ed up along the shore, went on board in the eve- ning, and steered to the nearest land of Hispanio- la, where they arrived early in the morning. Fiesco having rested two days, was desirous of re- turning to the admiral Ticcording to his promise : hut was obliged to desist, because neither the sail- ors nor Indians would accompany him in the voy- age. Mendes, though he laboured under a quartan ague, occasioned by his sufferings at sea, immedi- ately set out for Xaragua, where he informed the governor of the admiral's situation, and, after much importunity, obtained leave to purchase a ship at St. Domingo. - To return to the island of Jamaica : soon after the departure of the canoes, the men who were left behind began to grow sickly, in consequence of a change of provisions, and the fatigue they had suffered, whence a spirit of discontent diffused itself among them. They now privately murmur- ed, and caballea against the admiral, whom they accused of being the cause of all their misfortunes. The chief promoters of these discontentments, were two brothers whose names were Porras, '^ne of whom had been captain of the ship Bermuda, and the other purser of the fleet ; and these hav- ing gained over forty-eight of the men, resolved to declare their intentions. Accordingly on the 2d of January 1504, Captain Francis de Porra?, COLUMBUS. 133 whom they had chosen for their leader, went up- on the qu:irter-deck, and addressed himself to the Admiral, asked, '' What is the reason, my Lord, that you will not return to Spain, but keep us here to ^^erish ?" From this insolent question, Columbus readily suspected that a muti- ny was formed, and very calmly replied, that he did not see how it was possible for them to return to Spain, till they were assisted by a vessel from Hispaniola, and that they well knew, he had al- reaay, by their unanimous advice, sent for a ship, and if they had any better method to ofter they might propose it. Francis de Porras replied, there was no need of much advising, and that he might embark immediately or stay behird, and then turning his back, added, *• I will go to Sp^in, with all that will follow me ;" and being im- mediately seconded by all the mutineers, after causing much confusion on board the ship, seized ten canoes which, the Admiral had bought from the Indians, and being joined by many who were sick, went to the eastern point of Jamaica, whence Mendes and Fiesco had departed for Hispaniola. In their way they committed all manner of outrages upon the poor Indians, whom they advi- sed to apply for redress to the Admiral, and to put him to death if he refused to give them satisfac- tion, adding, that his design in sta}?ing was to in- volve them in such misery as he had alrea- dy entailed upon the inhabitants of the other islands. M J 34 THE VOYAGES OF Having reached the point, tbey attempted to pass over to Hispar.iola with some Indians whcm they had compelled to 2,0 on board to serve at row- ers ; but they had not got four ieagues from land, when the wind, which w serve him faithful- ly for the future ; and this they solemnly swore to perform. The admiral instantly granted them a free pardon, and took them again into his pro- tection ; but to prevent future animosities, kept Francis de Porras a close prisoner, and appointed a proper person to command and lead them about the island, in order the better to produce subsist- ence in exchanc^e for the commodities with which he caused them to be supplied. In this pO'oture were affairs in Jamaica, where the Admiral had been a full year, when a ship arrived Ireighted by James Mendes, attended by a caravel, and Columbus ep;ibarking with his whole -.ompanyon the *28th of Ju5ie 1504, set sail for Hispaniola ; but the wind and current being contrary, tliey had a troublesome voyage, and did not reach St. Domingo till the 13th of August, The governor with all the city went out to meet him; paid ^lii-n many compliments, and lodg- ed him in his own house ; but this outward shew of respect was meer affectation, for he caused Fran- cis de Porras to be set at liberty, and threatened to punish those who had adhered to the Admiral in nis greatest dangers. Columbus bein;^ sensible of the rieceitful man- ner in which he v?- treated, and of the true motives of the governor's behaviour, chose to con- COLUMBUS. Hi ceal his resentment : prepared for his departure, and on the 12th of September embarked on board a ship provided by his agents, and also took with him the vessel that had brought him and his people from Jamaica •, but they were no sooner out of port, than the main mast of the lesser vessel came hy the boiird. Upon which he ordered her back to St Domingo, and continued his voyage in the other. He had not, however, been long at sea before he met with a violent tempest, wherein all on board expected every m.oment to perish, and in which they lost their main mast; hue making a jury mast of the yard, they contin- ued their voyage, and after being exposed to an- other storm, that carried away their foremast, arrived at the port of St Lncar. Columbus upon his landing was greatly afflict- ed at the news of the death of his best friend and only patroness, (iueen Isabella ; for though King Ferdinand always treated him with some degree of respect, he well knew, that he was far from having any real kindness for him, or even any inclination to do him justice. That prince thought the Advantages he had stipulated for himself were too considerable, and therefore instead of fulfilling his engagements, offered him a large estate in Spain in exchange for what was his due in the West Indies. Co-, luiinbus, who was confined to his bed, was extreme- ly displeased with this treatment ; but while he was endeavouring to obtain his just demands, >^is solicitations were interrupted by King Ferdin- 142 THE VOYAGES 07 and's taking a journey from Valladolid to Laredo to wait for his son in law King Philip, and (^ueen Johanna his daughter, and before Ferdinand's re- turn, Columbus' illness increasing, he died on the 20th of May 1506, aged sixty four. His body was conveyed to the monastery of the Carthusi- ans at Seville, where some authors say he was magnificently interred in the cathedral of that ci- ty, and a monument erected to his memory, on which is the following inscription : A CASTILIA YA LEON, NUEVO MUNDO DIO COLON. In English. To Castile and Leo7t, Columbus gave a neiv nuorld. Others assert that his body was carried from the above monastary to the city of St Domingo in Hispaniola, and that he lyes interred in the cathe- dral, which may probably be true, notwithstand- ing the above monument erected to his honour at Seville. Thus did this truly great man, who was the son of a woolcomber of Cogureto, a village in theterri^ tor}^ of Genoa, and yet by his abilities not o\\\y raised himself and his family to nobility, but ren dered himself, by his discoveries, the greatest mar of the age in which he lived. He was, however in many respects, treated with ingratitude both b} the Kiug, and those who were under his eom^; I . COLUMBUS. 143 mand ; and it is no small blemish to King Fer- dinand's character, that he did not do justice to his merit, but always meanly endeavoured to fals- ify his engagement with him. To Columbus justly belongs the honour of giving a name to the New World which from him ought to have been called Columbia, while the name of America was bestowed on what he discovered from that of Americas Vesputius, who had no just title to that honour. Columbus by discovering a New World, :opened new sources of commerce ; he settled His- paniola, took a view of Cuba ; visited and resided for a considerable time in Jamaica, bestowed the name of St. John on the island of Porto Rico, and discovered almost all that could be properly called the West-Indies. He indeed but barely saw the Continent, but then he saw both parts of it, and the isthmus that unites them ; and left behind him fechemes for extending these discoveries, and ponjeotures on the consequences that might attend them. We shall conclude this account with a descrip- tioii of his person, and the character given of him by a Spanishhistorian justly esteemed for his fidelity: ,*' Columbus was tall of stature, had a long vissage, 1^* and a majestic aspect, an aquiline nose, grey ** eyes, and clear and ruddy complexion. When " young his hair and beard were fair ; but the *^ many hardships he suffered, soon turned them '' grey. He was a man of wit and pleasantry, *' was eloquent in discourse, and yet moderately i- grave. His affability to strangers, and his dis- 144 THE VOYAGES OF, &c. <» creet conversation, gained hjiii the afTection of *' every ingenious mind ; and he had an air of *• authority and grandeur that attracted respect. *' He was very strict in religion according to " the mode of his country, and obliged such as ** were under his command, to shew at least a ** decent regard to it. He had an earnest concern <* for the conversion of the Indians, and endeav- *' oured as much as was in his power to allure ** them, by obliging the Spaniards to lead a life *< in some measure agreeable to the faith they ♦' professed. He was a man of undaunted cour- ** age ; was fond of great enterprizes ; temperate " in eating and drinking, and modest in his dress : *' he was patient and ready to forgive wrongs, and *■*■ only desirous that offenders should be sensible *• of their faults. . He remained unmoved amidst <^ the many troubles and adversities that attended *' him, ever relying on the Divine Providence. ♦' In short, had he in much earlier times perfor- ** med so wonderful an enterprize as the discovery «' of the New World, he would probably have *' had not only statues and temples erected to ** his honour, but some star would have been dedi- " cated to him, as was done to Hercules and Bac- *< chus. However, his name will be remembered <* as long as the world endures." THE END %\ \ ^ V /'