II. 1493. neral name of India. This sentiment was confirmed by BOOK the observations which he made concerning the productions of the countries he had discovered. Gold was known to abound in India, and he had met with such promising samples of it in the islands which he visited, as led him to believe that rich mines of it might be found. Cotton, another production of the East Indies, was common there. The pimento of the islands, he imagined to be a species of the East-Indian pepper. He mistook a root, somewhat resembling rhubarb, for that valuable drug, which was then supposed to be a plant peculiar to the East Indies." The birds brought home by him were adorned with the same rich plumage which distinguishes those of India. The alligator of the one country, appeared to be the same with the crocodile of the other. After weighing all these circumstances, not only the Spaniards, but the other nations of Europe, seem to have adopted the opinion of Columbus. The countries which he had discovered were considered as a part of India. In consequence of this notion, the name of Indies is given to them by Ferdinand and Isabella, in a ratification of their former agreement, which was granted to Columbus upon his return.c Even after the error which gave rise to this opinion was detected, and the true position of the new world was ascertained, Distinthe name has remained, and the appellation of West In-guished by dies is given by all the people of Europe to the country, and that of Indians to its inhabitants. the name of the West Indies. second The name by which Columbus distinguished the coun- Preparatries which he had discovered was so inviting, the speci- tions for a mens of their riches and fertility which he produced were voyage. so considerable, and the reports of his companions, delivered frequently with the exaggeration natural to travellers, so favourable, as to excite a wonderful spirit of enterprise among the Spaniards. Though little accustomed to naval expeditions, they were impatient to set out upon the voyage. Volunteers of every rank solicited to be emHerrera, dec. 1, lib. i, c. 20. Gomera Hist. c. 17. Life of Columbus, c. 44. II. 1493. BOOK ployed. Allured by the inviting prospects which opened to their ambition and avarice, neither the length nor danger of the navigation intimidated them. Cautious as Ferdinand was, and averse to every thing new or adventurous, hc seems to have catched the same spirit with his subjects. Under its influence, preparations for a second expedition were carried on with rapidity unusual in Spain, and to an extent that would be deemed not inconsiderable in the present age. The fleet consisted of seventeen ships, some of which were of good burden. It had on board fifteen hundred persons, among whom were many of noble families, who had served in honourable stations. The greater part of these being destined to remain in the country, were furnished with every thing requisite for conquest or settlement, with all kinds of European domestic animals, with such seeds and plants as were most likely to thrive in the climate of the West Indies, with utensils and instruments of every sort, and with such artificers as might be most useful in an infant colony.d The right the new But, formidable and well provided as this fleet was, of Spain to Ferdinand and Isabella did not rest their title to the posworld con- session of the newly-discovered countries upon its operafirmed by tions alone. The example of the Portuguese, as well as the pope. the superstition of the age, made it necessary to obtain from the Roman pontiff a grant of those territories which they wished to occupy. The pope, as the vicar and representative of Jesus Christ, was supposed to have a right of dominion over all the kingdoms of the earth. Alexander VI, a pontiff infamous for every crime which disgraces humanity, filled the papal throne at that time. As he was born Ferdinand's subject, and very solicitous to secure the protection of Spain, in order to facilitate the execution of his ambitious schemes in favour of his own family, he was extremely willing to gratify the Spanish monarchs. By an act of liberality which cost him nothing, and that scryed to establish the jurisdiction and pretensions of the papal see, he granted in full right to d Herrera, dec. 1, lib. ii, c. 5. Life of Columbus, c. 45. II. 1498. Ferdinand and Isabella all the countries inhabited by in- BOOK fidels, which they had discovered, or should discover; and, in virtue of that power which he derived from Jesus Christ, he conferred on the crown of Castile vast regions, to the possession of which he himself was so far from having any title, that he was unacquainted with their situation, and ignorant even of their existence. As it was necessary to prevent this grant from interfering with that formerly made to the crown of Portugal, he appointéd that a line, supposed to be drawn from pole to pole, a hundred leagues to the westward of the Azores, should serve as a limit between them; and, in the plenitude of his power, bestowed all to the east of this imaginary line upon the Portuguese, and all to the west of it upon the Spaniards. Zeal for propagating the christian faith was the consideration employed by Ferdinand in soliciting this bull, and is mentioned by Alexander as his chief motive for issuing it. In order to manifest some concern for this laudable object, several friars, under the direction of Father Boyl, a Catalonian monk of great reputation, as apostolical vicar, were appointed to accompany Columbus, and to devote themselves to the instruction of the natives. The Indians whom Columbus had brought along with him, having received some tincture of christian knowledge, were baptised with much solemnity, the king himself, the prince his son, and the chief persons of his court, standing as their godfathers. Those first fruits of the new world have not been followed by such an increase as pious men wished, and had reason to expect. Columbus. Ferdinand and Isabella having thus acquired a title, Second which was then deemed completely valid, to extend their voyage of discoveries, and to establish their dominion over such a considerable portion of the globe, nothing now retarded the departure of the fleet. Columbus was extremely impatient to revisit the colony which he had left, and to pursue that career of glory upon which he had entered. He Herrera, dec. 1, lib, ii, c. 4. Torquemeda Mon. Ind. lib. xviii, BOOK set sail from the bay of Cadiz on the twenty-fifth of SepII. tember, and touching again at the island of Gomera, he 1493. steered farther towards the south than in his former voy age. By holding this course, he enjoyed more steadily the benefit of the regular winds which reign within the tropics, and was carried towards a larger cluster of islands, situated considerably to the east of those which he had Nov. 2. already discovered. On the twenty-sixth day after his departure from Gomera, he made land. It was one of the Caribbee or Leeward islands, to which he gave the name of Deseada, on account of the impatience of his crew to discover some part of the new world. After this he visited successively Dominica, Marigalante, Guadaloupe, Antigua, San Juan de Puerto Rico, and several other islands, scattered in his way as he advanced towards the north-west. All these he found to be inhabited by that fierce race of people whom Guacanahari had painted in such frightful colours. His descriptions appeared not to have been exaggerated. The Spaniards never attempted to land without meeting with such a reception, as discovered the martial and daring spirit of the natives; and in their habitations were found relics of those horrid feasts which they had made upon the bodies of their enemies taken in war. Arrives at la. But as Columbus was eager to know the state of the colony which he had planted, and to supply it with the Nov. 22. necessaries of which he supposed it to be in want, he made no stay in any of those islands, and proceeded directly to Hispaniola. When he arrived off Navidad, the station in which he had left the thirty-eight men under the command of Arada, he was astonished that none of them appeared, and expected every moment to see them running with transports of joy to welcome their countrymen. Full of solicitude about their safety, and foreboding in his mind what had befallen them, he rowed instantly to land. Oviedo ap. Ramus. iii, 85, B. P. Martyr, dec. p. 15, 18. Herrera, dec. 1, lib. ii, c. 7. Life of Columbus, c. 46, &c. h II. 1493, the men All the natives from whom he might have received in- BOOK formation had fled. But the fort which he had built was entirely demolished, and the tattered garments, the broken arms and utensils scattered about it, left no room to doubt concerning the unhappy fate of the garrison. While the Spaniards were shedding tears over those sad memorials of their fellow-citizens, a brother of the cazique Guacanahari arrived. From him Columbus received a particular The fate of detail of what had happened after his departure from the whom he island. The familiar intercourse of the Indians with the left there. Spaniards tended gradually to diminish the superstitious veneration with which their first appearance had inspired that simple people. By their own indiscretion and ill conduct, the Spaniards speedily effaced those favourable impressions, and soon convinced the natives, that they bad all the wants, and weaknesses, and passions of men. As soon as the powerful restraint which the presence and authority of Columbus imposed was withdrawn, the garrison threw off all regard for the officer whom he had invested with command. Regardless of the prudent instructions which he had given them, every man became independent, and gratified his desires without controul. The gold, the women, the provisions of the natives, were all the prey of those licentious oppressors. They roamed in small parties over the island, extending thetr rapacity and insolence to every corner of it. Gentle and timid as the people were, those unprovoked injuries at length exhausted their patience, and roused their courage. The cazique of Cibao, whose country the Spaniards chiefly infested, on account of the gold which it contained, surprised and cut off several of them, while they straggled in as perfect security as if their conduct had been altogether inoffensive. He then assembled his subjects, and surrounding the fort, set it on fire. Some of the Spaniards were killed in defending it, the rest perished in attempting to make their escape by crossing an arm of the sea. Guacanahari, whom all their exactions had not alienated from the Spa Hist. de Cura de los Palacios. MS. 2 |