44 EARLY COLLECTION OF GOLD CHAP. XVII. 



have led them to extend their incursions and 

 examinations in every available direction. 



Mr. Irving, with his usual diligence and taste, 

 has compiled from the best authorities authentic 

 accounts of those immediate followers of Columbus 

 who pursued his views by exploring the several 

 regions which lay in the vicinity of the great 

 islands which he had discovered. 



The subject is interesting, but might in this in- 

 quiry be seductive enough to draw attention to the 

 adventurous and persevering individual leaders, and 

 to withhold it from the small portion of the precious 

 metals which was found in America at the period of 

 its first discovery. In the " Voyages of the Com- 

 panions of Columbus," we find Alonzo de Ojeda, 

 as early as 1509, on the coast of Carthagena, after 

 successful hostilities against the natives, who were 

 in a more civilized state than the inhabitants of 

 Hispaniola, found in the plunder of their chief 

 place, " the spoil in gold and other articles of 

 value to the amount of seven thousand castillianos," 

 or thirty-seven thousand two hundred and eighty 

 dollars, equivalent to about eight thousand pounds 

 sterling 1 . Diego de Nicuesa, who followed the 

 steps of Ojeda, and made conquests on the shores 

 of Darien, collected great quantities of food and 

 eotton, with bracelets, anklets, plates, and other 



1 Page 72. 



