COLUMBL'S. 



335 



deck in the centre. These caravals, called the Pinta 

 and the Nina, were commanded by two brothers 

 named Pinzon. The third vessel, on board of which 

 was Columbus, was completely decked. The dig- 

 nity of high-admiral and viceroy of all the countries 

 he might discover was conferred on him, the former 

 to be hereditary in his family. A certain share of 

 the profits was secured to him by a written contract 

 with the sovereigns. 



It was early in the morning of Friday, on the third 

 of August, 1492, that Columbus set sail from the 

 port ot Palos. Eighteen years had elapsed since he 

 h ad first conceived the idea of this enterprise. Most 

 of that time had been passed in almost hopeless soil- 

 Station, amidst poverty, neglect, and ridicule ; the 

 prime of his life had been wasted in the struggle, 

 and when his perseverance was finally crowned with 

 .success, he was about fifty-six years of age. Nor 

 should it be forgotten that it was to Isabella (q. v.) 

 alone that he was finally indebted for the means of 

 executing his project, which had been coldly reject- 

 ed by the prudent Ferdinand. Having provided 

 himself, at the Canary Islands, with fresh water, he 

 sailed south-west into an ocean never before navigat- 

 ed. But when twenty-one days had elapsed without 

 the sight of any land, the courage of his men began 

 to sink. It was certain, they said, that they should 

 perish, and their visionary commander ought to be 

 forced to return. Some of them even proposed to 

 throw him overboard ; and Columbus had to exert 

 all the powers of his daring and commanding spirit, 

 to prevent an open rebellion. A phenomenon, wh:ch 

 surprised even him, filled his pilots with consterna- 

 tion : the needle deviated a whole degree. But the 

 sea appeared suddenly covered with grass, and 

 again showed symptoms of shoals and rocks. Num- 

 bers of birds were also seen. Columbus sailed in 

 the direction from which they flew. For some days 

 the voyage was continued with revived courage, un- 

 til, at last, the dissatisfaction of the crews began to 

 break out into open violence ; but Columbus, after 

 endeavouring in vain to pacify his men by promises, 

 finally assumed a different tone, and told them it was 

 useless to murmur ; that he was determined to per- 

 severe. Fully convinced that he must be near the 

 land, he promised a reward to whosoever should first 

 discover it. All hands remained on deck during the 

 night, and, after Columbus had himself discovered 

 land, Oct. 1 1, and pointed it out to some of his friends, 

 the cry of Land was raised at midnight from the Pinta, 

 which, from her superior sailing, kept ahead of the 

 other vessels. It was the island of Guanahani. On 

 landing, Columbus threw himself upon his knees and 

 kissed the earth, returning thanks to God. The natives 

 collected round him in silent astonishment, and his 

 men, ashamed of their disobedience and distrust, 

 threw themselves at his feet, begging his forgiveness. 

 Columbus, drawing his sword, planted the royal 

 standard, and in the name of his sovereigns, took 

 possession of the country, which, in memory of his 

 preservation, he called St Salvador, He then re- 

 ceived the homage of his followers, as admiral and 

 viceroy, and representative of the sovereigns. Being 

 informed by the natives that there was a rich gold 

 country towards the south, Columbus directed his 

 course towards that region, and discovered Cuba on 

 the 28th October, and Espanola (Hispaniola, Hayti) 

 on the 6th December ; but as one of his vessels was 

 wrecked, and the other separated from him, he re- 

 solved to carry the news of his success to Spain. 

 Having built a wooden fort from the wreck of his 

 vessel, he left in it thirty-nine volunteers, and set out 

 on his return, January 4, 1493. The day after he 

 left the island, he met the Pinta, which had been 

 missing. Both vessels vere afterward nearly wreck- 



ed in a tremendous storm. Columbus, more inte- 

 rested for his discovery than for himself, wrote an 

 account of his voyage on a piece of parchment, which 

 he secured in a cask, and threw the whole overboard, 

 in the hope that it might be carried ashore. He had 

 hardly finished this work when the gale subsided. 

 March 15, he re-entered the port of Palos, amid the 

 acclamations of the people, the thunder of cannon, 

 and the ringing of bells. He hastened immediately 

 to Barcelona, where the court then was, and enter- 

 ed the city in a triumphal procession, with the pro- 

 ductions of the newly-discovered countries carried 

 before him. A chair was placed for him next to the 

 throne, and, seating himself, he gave an account of 

 his discoveries. He was created a grandee, and all 

 the marks of royal favour were lavished upon him. 



September 25, 1493, he set sail from Cadiz with 

 three large ships of heavy burden, and fourteen ca- 

 ravals, carrying 1500 men. Nov. 2, he arrived at 

 Hispaniola. Finding the colony he had left destroy- 

 ed, he built a fortified town, which he called, in 

 honour of the queen, Isabella, and of which he ap- 

 pointed his brother Diego governor. He immediate- 

 ly left the island, in order to make new discoveries, 

 visited Jamaica, and, returning after a voyage of five 

 months, worn down with fatigue, found, to his great 

 joy, that his brother Bartholomew, who had escaped 

 from his captivity, had arrived at Isabella, with pro- 

 visions and other supplies for the colony. Meanwhile, 

 a general dissatisfaction had broken out among his 

 companions, who, instead of the expected treasures, 

 had found hardships and labour. They set on foot 

 many calumnies, and gave the most unfavourable 

 description of the country and the viceroy. Colum- 

 bus thought he could not better oppose these reports 

 than by sending considerable treasures to his so- 

 vereigns, and, for this purpose, collected gold from 

 the natives, which was not done without violence and 

 some cruelty. Aguado, a personal enemy of Colum- 

 bus, was sent as commissioner to investigate the com- 

 plaints against the great discoverer, who, thinking it 

 time to vindicate nimself in the presence of his 

 sovereigns, prepared to return to Spain. Having 

 appointed his brother Bartholomew adelantado or 

 lieutenant-governor, he embarked for Spain, March 

 10, 1490, with 225 Spaniards and 30 natives. In 

 Spain, calumny was silenced by his presence, and pro- 

 bably still more by his treasures. Yet his enemies 

 were powerful enough to detain the supplies intended 

 for the colony a whole year, and to prevent the fitting 

 out of a new expedition for Columbus another year. 



It was not till May 30, 1498, that he sailed, with 

 six vessels, on his third voyage. To man these ves- 

 sels, criminals Vad unwisely been taken a measure 

 which Columbus himself had advised, and which had 

 been taken up, with great satisfaction, by his ene- 

 mies. Three of his vessels he sent direct to His- 

 paniola ; with the three others, he took a more 

 southerly direction, for the purpose of discovering the 

 main land, which information derived from the na- 

 tives induced him to suppose lay to the south of his 

 former discoveries. He visited Trinidad and the con- 

 tinent of America, the coasts of Paria and Cumana, 

 and returned to Hispaniola, convinced that he had 

 reached a continent. His colony had been removed 

 from Isabella, according to his orders, to the other 

 side of the island, and a new fortress erected, 

 called St Domingo. Columbus found the colony 

 in a state of confusion. After having restored tran- 

 quillity by his prudent measures, in order to supply 

 the deficiency of labourers, he distributed the land 

 and the inhabitants, subjecting the latter to the 

 arbitrary will of their masters, and thus laying the 

 foundation of that system of slavery which has 

 lasted down to our time. His enemies, in the 



