134 HISTORY OF THE [BOOK. u. 



purer medium, and not, as now, serving chiefly to 

 render visible the vices and enormities that surround 

 and debase them. 



The few particulars of their progress, which, by 

 diligent selection, aided by traditionary memorials, I 

 have been able to collect, I shall now present to my 

 readers. 



About seventeen years had elapsed after the Spa- 

 niards had first fixed themselves in Hispaniola, before 

 they seem to have entertained any serious design of 

 sending forth a colony to possess itself of Jamaica. 

 As this island had hitherto produced neither gold nor 

 silver, it seems to have been neglected as unworthy 

 further notice; and perhaps it might have continued a 

 few years longer the peaceful seat of innocent simplici- 

 ty, but for the base ingratitude of king Ferdinand, to- 

 wards the family of Columbus. This great man after 

 his return to Spain in 1504, was compelled to employ 

 the close of his days in fruitless and irksome solicita- 



* 



tion at the court of an unthankful and unfeeling mo- 

 narch; w r ho meanly suffered him to be cruelly defraud- 

 ed of the rights and privileges originally granted to 

 him ; and which he had so dearly and so nobly earned. 

 His son Diego, the heir of his fortunes, succeeded to 

 the same debasing necessity, till, at length, wearied 

 out with- frivolous and unprincely excuses, he insti- 

 tuted a memorable process against his sovereign be- 

 fore the council of the Indies at Seville ; and this court, 

 with a firmness and virtue that cannot be sufficiently 

 applauded, decided in favour of his pretensions. Af- 



