182 V. M. Concas — The Caravels of Columbus. 



obliged to threaten with prison and fine ani'-body that should 

 speak or act against Fulton ? Tell me, where is his family, that 

 I suppose are very rich, according to the service of that great 

 countryman of yours? And when those who pity Columbus so 

 much have answered satisfactorily, we shall consider the behavior 

 of Spain toward Columbus and his descendants, who, after 400 

 -years, you have seen yourselves so highly honored in this city 

 of Chicago. 



As you know, the expedition of Columbus was prepared in 

 Palos, and consisted of three ships. The largest was a vessel 

 that was employed before in trading with Holland. She was 

 called the Gallega, or the GaUtian. That name was changed to 

 Santa Maria. The circumstance that she Avas chartered by the 

 king, and that afterward, when wrecked on the coast of Santo 

 Domingo, Spain paid for the whole ship and her equipment, 

 has supplied much information about the Santa Maria, as all 

 inventories and contracts made by the government exist in the 

 archives at the present time. This permitted the new Santa 

 Maria to be built to such a degree of exactitude that I consider 

 at least nine-tenths an exact reproduction of the original, which 

 certainly could not be done Avith other historic ships of even 

 more recent date. 



It is- not possible to get the same data concerning the Pinta 

 and the Nina, as they were in fact merchant ships that went 

 on their OAvners' account. There is only a memorandum of the 

 general line of the exterior form, gear and sails ; but that cir- 

 cumstance proves that Columbus found welcome and help in 

 the opinion, since he was supported by regular merchants and 

 sailors, who willingly took a part in the enterprise not only with 

 their persons, but on their OAvn account. These ships have been 

 reproduced in Spain Avith the greatest exactitude by Lieutenant 

 W. McCarty Little, of the United States Navy, and with the 

 greatest skill and economy. 



The historical treasures, which you can consult at the convent 

 of La Rabida in the exhibition, show to the most incredulous 

 that the spherical form of the earth Avas already accepted by 

 every learned man in Europe. Even was it true to those mari- 

 ners who navigated to the west as far as the Azores and Canary 

 islands, and it was especially so to the Portuguese, Avho had dis- 

 covered those western islands of the group called Terceras ; but 

 only in Spain Avas that feeling strong and popular, a feeling that, 



