136 ovalle's historical relation op chile. 



from his dying gueft, with his own fpeculations which he had long had upon the fame 

 fubjed ; and this made him refolve to undertake what he afterwards accompiiflied. In 

 order to this he began to confider of thofe who were likelieft to aiTift him ; and firft of 

 all he offered it to his own country, who took it for a dream ; after this, to the Kings 

 of Portugal, France, and England: and atlaft headdreffed this rich offer to Their Catholick 

 Majeflies, for whom it was deligned from the beginning, by fiim who had refolved in 

 his providence to amplify their monarchy by the addition of fo many rich and powerful 

 kingdoms, as they have acquired in this new world. 



Ferdinand and Ifabella, who are worthy of immortal glory, having examined the 

 grounds Columbuswent upon, and the honour that might be done to the crofs of Chrift, 

 and to the preaching of his gofpel, if this enterprize Ihould take effeft, having ferioully 

 confidered of it for eight years together, they commanded all neceffary provifions to be 

 made, without fparing any charge, or minding the contingency of a defign fo new, fo 

 difficult, and fo much without example. 



CHAP. V. — Don Chri/iother Columbus fails from Spain in Search of the New 



World. 



IN the year of the birth of our Saviour 1492, upon the third of Auguft, about 

 half an hour before fun-rife, (the happiefl day that ever fhined upon our antipodes, as 

 being the beginning of their greatefl felicities,) Don Chriflopher Columbus, the mofl 

 famous Genoefe that ever was, failed from Spain, with the title which he had received 

 from Ferdinand and Ifabella, of admiral of the Seas of all thofe countries he fhould 

 difcover and conquer ; fo leaving behind him the famous Herculean flraights, as dif- 

 daining their Non-plus-ultray and laughing at their pillars, he launched into the vaft 

 ocean, and begun his navigation with no lefs confidence than admiration of thofe who 

 faw him leave the fhore and fleer a courfe never before attempted, by new rhumbs of 

 winds. Having touched at the ifland of Gran Canaria, he again failed from thence the 

 firfl of September, with ninety in company and provifions for a year. After fome 

 days of navigation he began to find himfelf near the tropick of Cancer, and under the 

 torrid zone; whereupon his men who had been bred in the temperate climates of 

 Europe, being impatient of heats, which they never before had experienced, and wearied 

 with feeing nothing but a vafl ocean without land, began to enter into diftruft of 

 difcovering any. At firft they murmured only between their teeth j but at laft, 

 fpeaking out boldly, they came to their Captain Columbus, and endeavoured by all 

 means to diffuade him from purfuing his difcovery, as vain and without hopes of 

 fuccefs ; and that it would be much better to return back to Spain ; but he with a 

 generous mind being deaf to all their perfuafions, purfued his voyage with conflancy. 

 His men perceiving flill how he went further from Spain, and that they had almofl 

 worn out their eyes with looking out from the top-mafl head of the fhip, without 

 finding any appearance of land, renewed their inflances and reafons ; and that the more 

 earneftly, by how much they perceived every day the confumption of their water and 

 provifions; calling' now that temerity, which before they faid might be conflancy: for 

 they alledged that the time was increafed, their provifions leffened, the winds fcarce, 

 and calms to be feared ; •no land in view, its diflance not to be known nor gueffed 

 at ; that the danger was certain, and no avoiding to perifh, if they flaid any longer ; 

 therefore, faid they, let us fecure our lives, except we intend to be a fable and laughing- 

 ftock to all manlund, and looked upon as our own murderers. 



9 To 



