4 a 
AMERICA. 
degree of accuracy. From this it was evident, that the 
continents of Europe, Alia, and Africa, formed but a 
fmall part of the terraqueous, globe. It appeared likewife 
extremely probable, that the continent on the one fide of 
the globe was balanced by a proportional quantity of land 
in the other hemifphere. Thefe conclufions concerning' 
the exiftence of another continent, drawn from the figure 
and ftrufture of the globe, were confirmed by the obfer- 
vations and conjectures of modern navigators, and from 
pieces of timber artificially carved, canes of an enormous 
fize, trees torn up by the roots, and the dead bodies of 
two men with lingular features, which had been difcovered 
and taken up, floating before a welterly wind, or driven 
on the coafis of the Azores. The force of this united evi¬ 
dence, arifing from theoretical principles and practical 
obfervations, led Columbus to conclude, that by failing 
direftly towards the weft, acrofs the Atlantic Ocean, new 
countries, which probably formed a part of the vaft con¬ 
tinent of India, mull infallibly be difcovered. As early 
as the year 1474, he communicated his ingenious theory 
to Paui, a phyfician of Florence, eminent for his know¬ 
ledge of cofmography. He warmly approved of the plan ; 
fuggefted feveral facts in confirmation of it, and encou¬ 
raged Columbus to perfevere in an undertaking fo lauda¬ 
ble, and which mult redound To much to the honour of 
his country, and the benefit of Europe. 
Columbus now became impatient to bring to the teft of 
’experiment the truth of his fyftem, and to fet out upon a 
voyage of difeovery. The firft ftep towards this was to 
fecure the patronage of fome of the conliderable powers 
■of Europe. With this view he laid his fcheme before the 
Tenate of Genoa, and, making his nati ve and beloved coun¬ 
try the firft tender of his fervice, offered to fail, under the 
banners of the republic, in queft of new regions which he 
expected to difeover. But they, incapable of forming juft 
ideas of bis principles, inconfiderately reje&ed his propo- 
fai as chimerical. He then fubmitted his plan to the Por- 
tuguefe, who perfidioufly attempted to rob him of the 
honour of accompliftiing it, by privately fending another 
perfon to purfue the fame track which he had propofed. 
But the pilot, who was thus bafely employed to execute 
Columbus’s plan, had neither the genius nor the fortitude 
of its author. Contrary winds arofe ; no land appeared ; - 
his courage failed ; and lie returned-to Lilbon, execrating 
a plan whicli he had not abilities to execute. On difeover- 
ingthis flagrant treachery, Columbus immediately quitted 
the kingdom in difguft, and landed in Spain, towards the 
clofe of the year 1484. Here he refolved to propofe it in 
perfon to Ferdinand and 1 labelHt, who at that time go¬ 
verned the united kingdoms oi Caftileand Arragon. He, 
in the mean time, Tent his brother Bartholomew to Eng¬ 
land, to propofe his plan to Henry VII. 
After experiencing a feries of mortifying difappoint- 
rnents, during eight tedious years, Columbus, in deep 
anguifli, withdrew from court, determined to repair to 
England as his lart refource. At this juncture the affairs 
of Spain, which had been perplexed in confequence of a 
war with the Moors, took a favourable turn. Quinta¬ 
nilla and Santangel, two powerful, vigilant, and dikern¬ 
ing, patrons of Columbus, feized this favourable oppor¬ 
tunity to make one more effort in behalf of their friend. 
They addrefl'ed themfelves to Ifabella, with fuch forcible 
arguments as produced the defired effeft. They difpelled 
all Iiabella’s doubts and fears : file ordered Columbus, 
who had proceeded on his journey, to be inftaritly re¬ 
called ; declared her refoluti’on to employ him on his own 
terms ; and, regretting the low ftate of her finances, ge- 
neroufly offered to pledge her own jewels, in order to raife 
as much moneyas might be needed in making preparations 
for the'voyage. Santangel, in a tranfport of gratitude, 
killed the queen’s hands and, in order to fave her from 
having recomTe to fuch a mortifying expedient for pro¬ 
curing money, engaged to advance, immediately, the fum 
that was requifite. 
Columbus had proceeded fome leagues on his voyage to 
England, when the meffenger from Ifabella overtook, him. 
He returned with joy mingled with fome degree of fear, 
left he fliould again be difappointed. The manner of his 
reception by the queen was, however, fuch as quickly dif¬ 
pelled his fears. A negociation commenced, and was for¬ 
warded with difpatch, and an agreement was finally en¬ 
tered into and figned, on the 7th of April, 1492. The 
chief articles ot it were, 1. Ferdinand and Ifabella, as 
fovereigns of the ocean, conftituted Columbus their high- 
admiral in all the feas, iflands, and continents, which 
fliould be difcovered by his induftry ; and ftipulated, that 
he and his heirs for ever fliould enjoy this office, with the 
Tame powers and prerogatives which belonged to the bigh- 
admiral of Caftile, within the limits of his jurifdi£l:ion< 
2. They appointed Columbus their viceroy in all the 
iflands and continents which he fliould difeover; but if, 
for the better adminiftration of affairs, it fliould be necef- 
fary to eftablifti a feparate governor in any of thofe coun¬ 
tries, they authorifed Columbus to name three perfons, 
of whom they would cliufe one for that office ; and the 
dignity of viceroy, with all its immunities, was likewife to 
be hereditary in the family of Columbus. 3. They granted 
to Columbus, and his heirs for ever, the tenth of the free 
profits accruing from the productions and commerce of 
the countries which he fliould difeover. 4. They decla¬ 
red, if any controverfy or law-fuit fliould arife, with re- 
fpect to any mercantile tranfaftion, in the countries which 
fhall be difcovered, it fliould be determined by the foie 
authority of Columbus, or of judges to be appointed by 
him. 5. They permitted Columbus to advance one-eighth 
part of what fliould be expended in preparing for the ex¬ 
pedition, and in carrying on commerce with the countries 
which he fhould difeover, and intitled him, in return, to 
an eighth part of the profit. 
Though the name of Ferdinand appears conjoined with 
that of Ifabella in this tranfaCtion, his diftruft of Colum¬ 
bus v/as fo violent, that he refufed to take any part of the 
enterprife, as king of Arragon. As the whole expence 
of the expedition was to be defrayed by the crown of Caf¬ 
tile, Ifabella referved for her fubjeCls of that kingdom an 
exclufive right to all the benefits which might redound 
from its fiiccefs. 
After all the efforts of Ifabella and Columbus, the ar¬ 
mament was fuitable, neither to the dignity of the power 
who equipped it, nor to the importance of the fervice to 
which it was deftined. It confifted of three veffels; the 
largeft, a fiiip of no conliderable burden, was commanded 
by Columbus, as admiral, wire gave it the name of Santa 
Maria. Of the fecond, called the Pinta, Martin Pinzon 
was captain, and his brother Francis pilot. The third, 
named the Nigna , was under the command of Vincent 
Yanez Pinzon. Thefe two laff-mentioned were light vef- 
Tels, hardly iuperior in burden or force to large boats. 
This little fquadron was victualled for twelve months, and 
had on-board ninety men, nioftly tailors, together with a 
few adventurers, who followed the fortune of Columbus, 
and fome gentlemen of Ifabella’s court, whom file ap¬ 
pointed to accompany him. The fum employed in fitting 
out this fquadron did not exceed 4000I. iterling. 
On the 3d of Auguft, 1492, being Friday, Columbus 
fet fail, in the prefence of a vaft crowd of fpectators, who 
offered fervent fupplications to heaven for his fuccels, 
which they rather wilhed than expeffed. He fleered di¬ 
rectly for the Canary iflands, and, in the l'hoit run thither* 
found, his ffiips crazy and ill appointed, and very unfit for 
fo long and dangerous a navigation as he had undertaken. 
After refitting them as well as he could, he left the Cana¬ 
ries on the 6th of September, and here properly commen¬ 
ced the voyage of difeovery. He held his courfe due 
weft, and immediately left the ufual track of navigation, 
and ftr-etched into unknown and unfrequented feas. By the 
14th of September, the fleet was about 200 leagues weft 
of the Canaries, at a greater diftance from land than any 
Spaniard had been before that time. 
Columbus, early difcovered, from the fpixit of his fol¬ 
lowers- 
