Authentic Letters of Columbus. 117 



it in the handwriting- of Columbus, but the greater portion having 

 been written by several different amanuenses. The penmanship of 

 his brother Bartholomew and his son Fernando are identified in sev- 

 eral places. 



The signature or rubric of Columbus which appears at the close of 

 all his communications, as the sign of the cross appears at the begin- 

 ning, has never been satisfactorily interpreted. It was the custom in 

 his time for men of importance to adopt sign manuals of a peculiar 

 sort, as they adopted mottoes for their escutcheons, which had some 

 apparent or concealed significance. The signs used by Columbus 



vS. 



S. A. S. 

 X. M. Y. 



Xpo Ferens. 

 are generally interpreted to mean " Servus Suplex Altissimi Salva- 

 toris Christus Maria Vosef," which in English reads, "The humble 

 servant of Christ, the Supreme Savior, Mary and Joseph, Christ- 

 bearer." Others render it in Spanish, "Servidor Sus Altezas, Secras 

 Christo Maria, Ysabel," which means, " I am the servant of their three 

 Highnesses, the Sacred Christ, Mary and Isabella, Christ-bearer." 

 The last line was often written " Christo Ferens," and several signa- 

 tures appear without it, and with " El Almirante," (the Admiral) 

 instead. These were written after his appointment as admiral in the 

 Spanish navy. The most plausible rendering of the signs seems to be, 

 "Salvo Sanctum Supulcrum Xriste Maria Yesus Xristo Ferens." 



The following translations, made by Senor Doctor Jose Ignatio 

 Rodrigues, Spanish Secretary of the Bureau of the American Repub- 

 lics, include all of the manuscripts of Columbus existing ; arranged in 

 the order of the dates at which they are supposed to have been written : 



