TRINIDAD : THEN AND NOW. 



55 



It is impossible not to admire the great con- 

 stancy of purpose and loftiness of spirit displayed by 

 Columbus ever since he had conceived the idea of his 

 discovery. More than eighteen years had elapsed 

 since he first made known his design. He was again 

 grievously disappointed at this failure and deter- 

 mined to make his way to France, and actually 

 started on his w r ay with that object. 



Queen Isabella, as already seen, being greatly in 

 favour of this mighty enterprise, was interceded with 

 and induced to send a special messenger after Colum- 

 bus, who succeeded in overtaking him and persuaded 

 him to return. On his return he was accorded 

 another interview, and Queen Isabella, like the brave 

 and generous woman that she was, offered to pledge 

 her jewels to help the enterprise which was at 

 last agreed to. 



On the 17th of April, 1492, the Articles of Agree- 

 ment were signed, and on Friday the 3rd of August, 

 1492 the expedition sailed under the command of 

 Columbus. Reader, the record of that voyage is in- 

 tensely interesting, and I am reluctant to omit it, but 

 space compels me to do so. The remainder of the 

 story of this first expedition wiill be told from ex- 

 tracts from his letter to Lord Raphael Sanchez, 

 Treasurer to Ferdinand and Isabella ; it was written 

 after his return from his first voyage and reads as 

 follows : — 



" Knowing that it will afford you pleasure to 

 learn that I have brought my undertaking to a suc- 

 cessful termination, I have decided upon writing you 



