ii8 Field Columbian Museum. 



TRANSLATIONS. 



I. 



Letter from Columbus to Ferdinand and Isabella concerning 



THE colonization OF THE ISLAND OF HlSI'ANlOLA. WRITTEN 



BETWEEN July 5TH and September 25TH, 1493, kefore start- 

 ing on his second voyage. Original in the Archives of the 

 Spanish Government. 



t 



M.ost High and Powerful Sirs: 



In obedience to what Your Highnesses command me, I shall state 

 what occurs to me for the peopling- and settling of the Hispaniola 

 Island and of all others, whether already discovered or hereafter to be 

 discovered, submitting myself, however, to any better opinion. 



In the first place, and in regard to the Hispaniola Island, I should 

 suggest the number of settlers who may be found willing to go there 

 to be up to two thousand, so as to render the possession of the 

 country safer, and cause it to be more profitable. This will aid also 

 in facilitating intercourse and dealing with the neighboring islands. 



I suggest further three or four towns to be founded at convenient 

 places, and the new settlers or colonists to be properly distributed 

 among said towns. 



And in order to secure the better and prompter settlement of the 

 said island, I should suggest furthermore that the privilege of getting 

 gold be granted exclusively to those who have acquired a domicile, 

 and built a dwelling-house in the town of their residence, so as to se- 

 cure for them all to live close to each other and be better protected. 



And also that each town be given, as is customary in Castile, a 

 mayor and a clerk. 



And furthermore, that a church be built, and that secular priests 

 or friars be sent there for the administration of the sacraments, the 

 conversion of the Jews, and the proper worshiping of the Divinity. 



And further, that no colonist be allowed to go and gather gold 

 unless with a permit from the governor or mayor of the town in which 

 he lives, to be given only upon his promising under oath to return to 

 the place of his residence and faithfully report all the gold which he 

 may have gathered, this to be done once a month, or once a week, as 

 may be ordered of him, the said report to be entered on the proper 

 registry by the clerk of the town in the presence of the mayor, 

 and if so deemed advisable, in the presence of a friar, or secular 

 priest, selected for the purpose. 



