COLUMBUS, CIlRISTOPIIKk. 



141 



he ii.ul on bourd great quantities of gold being 

 r-l'i-i.-el broadcast at once. 



When tlto news of the arrival reached the 

 court King John sent for Columbus. As the 

 di-eoveivr mi folded his enterprise the King was 

 tillt'l \\itli wrath that he 

 hud turned a deaf ear to 

 Columbus, and he mti- 

 mai''d that he thought it 

 quite possible that these 

 .Hod new lands were 

 countries appertaining to 

 Portugal. 



The weather having raod- 

 orated, on March 13 Co- 

 lumbus put to sea, and 

 two days later he crossed 

 the bar of Saltes and 

 dropped anchor once more 

 in the harbor of Palos. 

 When the news was known 

 in the town the bells were 

 rung, shops closed, busi- 

 suspended, and a pro- 

 'ti was formed to 

 march to the church and 

 give public thanks. While 

 the rejoicings were in prog- 

 a battered little vessel 

 entered the harbor. It was 

 the " Pinta," and its com- 

 mander, Pinzon, on learn- 

 ing the cause of the town's 

 commotion, sailed away 

 and landed privately. Be- 

 lieving that Columbus had 

 perished, he had written to 

 the sovereigns, claiming 

 for himself the discovery, 

 and asking permission to 

 go to court to report it. 

 When the deserved and severe rebuke came in 

 answer, Pinzon's chagrin and shame added se- 

 verity to his illness, and he died. 



The triumphant arrival of Columbus at the 

 Spanish court at Barcelona exceeded in magnifi- 

 cence all the triumphs of that grand court; and 

 when, sitting at their request in presence of 

 Ferdinand and Isabella, he recounted the won- 

 ders of the new land, the hour for which he had 

 lived seemed to have arrived. The report that 

 he gave may be found in part in a letter which 

 he had been writing to Luis de Santangel, and 

 part of which is copied below : 



The first of these islands 1 named Son Salvador, 

 in commemoration of our Holy Saviour, who has in a 

 mmderfol manner granted all our success. The In- 

 dians call it Guananani. To the second I gave the 

 name of Santa Maria de Concepcion, to the third that 

 of Fernandina, to the fourth that of Isabella, to the 

 fifth that of Juana, thus giving each island a new 

 name. 1 coasted along the island of Juana to the 

 n<l found it of such extent that I took it for a 

 continent, and imagined it must be the country of 

 Cathay. Villages were seen near the scacoast, but as 

 I discovered no lanrc <-itic>, and could not obtain any 

 communication with the inhabitants, who all fled at 

 our approach, I continued on west, thinking I should 

 ti;>t tail in the end to meet with great towns and 

 cities; but having gone many leagues without such 

 success, and finding that the coast carried mo to the 

 north, whither 1 disliked to proceed on account of the 

 impending winter, I resolved to return to the south, 



and accordingly put about and arrived at an excellent 

 harbor in the inland, win: re 1 din]iatdn-l two men into 

 the country to ascertain whether the king r any large 

 cities \\eiv in tin- neighborhood. They traveled three 

 days and met with innumerable Rinall settlements of 

 tho natives, but did not succeed in findini: anv sover- 



OLD ENGRAVING (1500) SHOWING COLUMBUS LANDING, AND THE KING OF SPAIN 

 SENDING SHIPS TO AMERICA. 



eign of the territory, and so returned. I made out to 

 learn from some Indians, whom 1 had before taken, 

 that this was an island, and proceeded along the coast 

 to the east 107 leagues, till I reached the extremity. 

 I then discovered another island east of this, 18 leagues 

 distant, which I named Espanola, and followed its 

 northern coast, as I did that of Juana, for the space of 

 178 leagues to the east All these countries are of sur- 

 passing excellence, and in particular Juana, which 

 contains abundance of fine harbors, excelling any in 

 Christendom, as also many large and beautiful rivers. 

 The land is high, and exhibits chains of tall moun- 

 tains, which seem to reach to the skies, and surpass 

 beyond comparison the isle of Cetrefrey. These dis- 

 play themselves in all manner of beautiful shapes. 

 They are accessible in every part, and covered with a 

 vast variety of lofty trees, which it appears to me 

 never lose their foliage, as we found them fair and 

 verdant as in May in Spain. Some were covered with 

 blossoms, some with fruit, and others in different 

 stages, according to their nature. The nightingale 

 and a thousand other sorts of birds were singing in 

 the month of November wherever 1 went There are 

 palm trees in these countries of 6 or 8 sorts, which 

 are surprising to see on account of their diversity from 

 ours; but, indeed, this is the case with respect to the 

 other trees t as well as the fruits and weeds. Beautiful 

 forests of pines are likewise found, and fields of vast 

 extent Here are also honey, and fruits of a thousand 

 sorts, and birds of every variety. The lands contain 

 mines of metals, and inhabitants without number. 

 The island of Kspanola is pre-eminent in beauty and 

 excellence, ottering to the sight the most enchanting 

 view of mountains, plains, rich fields for cultivation, 



