II.

1500.

lation of fympathy to mitigate his fufferings. Bo- BOOK vadilla had already rendered himself so extremely popular, by granting various immunities to the colony, by liberal donations of Indians to all who applied for them, and by relaxing the reins of difcipline and government, that the Spaniards, who were mostly adventurers, whom their indigence or crimes had impelled to abandon their native country, expreffed the moft indecent fatisfaction with the difgrace and imprisonment of Columbus. They flattered themselves, that now they should enjoy an uncontrouled liberty, more fuitable to their difpofition and former habits of life. Among perfons thus prepared to cenfure the proceedings, and to asperse the character of Columbus, - Bovadilla collected the materials for a charge against him. All accufations, the most improbable, as well as inconfiftent, were received. No informer, however infamous, was rejected. The refult of this inqueft, no less indecent than partial, he tranfmitted to Spain. At the fame time, he ordered Columbus, with his two brothers, to be carried thither in fetters; and, adding cruelty to infult, he confined them in different fhips, and excluded them from the comfort of that friendly intercourse which might have foothed their common distress. But while the Spaniards in Hifpaniola viewed the arbitrary and infolent proceedings of Bovadilla with a general approbation, which reflects dishonour upon their name and country, one man ftill retained the memory of the great actions which Columbus had performed,

VOL. I.

BOOK performed, and was touched with the sentiments of

II.

$500.

Nov. 23.

Set at liber

ty, but de

prived of all authority.

veneration and pity due to his rank, his age, and his merit. Alonso de Vallejo, the captain of the veffel on board which the admiral was confined, as foon as he was clear of the island, approached his prifoner with great refpect, and offered to release him from the fetters with which he was unjustly loaded. "No," replied Columbus, with a generous indignation, "I wear these irons in confequence of an order from my fovereigns. They fhall find me as obedient to this as to their other injunctions. By their command I have been confined, and their command alone shall set me at liberty i"

FORTUNATELY, the voyage to Spain was extremely fhort. As foon as Ferdinand and Isabella were informed that Columbus was brought home a prifoner, and in chains, perceived at once what univerfal aftonishment this event muft occafion, and what an impreffion to their disadvantage it muft make. All Europe, they forefaw, would be filled with indignation at this ungenerous requital of a man who had performed actions worthy of the highest recompence, and would exclaim against the injustice of the nation, to which he had been such an eminent benefactor, as well as against the ingratitude of the princes whose reign he had rendered

1 Life of Columbus, c. 86. Herrera, dec. 1. lib. iv. c. 8—II. Gomara Hift. c. 23. Oviedo, lib. iii, c. 6.

illuftrious.

II.

1500.

illuftrious. Afhamed of their own conduct, and BOOK eager not only to make fome reparation for this injury, but to efface the ftain which it might fix upon their character, they inftantly iffued orders to fet Columbus at liberty, invited him to court, and re- Dec. 174 mitted money to enable him to appear there in a manner fuitable to his rank. When he entered the royal prefence, Columbus threw himself at the feet of his fovereigns. He remained for fome time filent; the various paffions which agitated his mind. fuppreffing his power of utterance. At length he recovered himself, and vindicated his conduct in a long difcourfe, producing the most fatisfying proofs of his own integrity as well as good intention, and evidence, no less clear, of the malevolence of his enemies, who, not fatisfied with having ruined his fortune, laboured to deprive him of what alone was now left, his honour and his fame. Ferdinand received him with decent civility, and Isabella with tenderness and refpect. They both expreffed their forrow for what had happened, disavowed their knowledge of it, and joined in promising him protection and future favour. But though they inftantly degraded Bovadilla, in order to remove from themselves any suspicion of having authorised his violent proceedings, they did not restore to Columbus his jurifdiction and privileges as viceroy of thole countries which he had difcovered. Though willing to appear the avengers of Columbus's wrongs, that illiberal jealousy, which prompted them to invest Bovadilla with fuch authority as put

II.

1500,

BOOK it in his power to treat the admiral with indignity, ftill fubfifted. They were afraid to truft a man to whom they were fo highly indebted, and retaining him at court under various pretexts, they appointed Nicholas de Ovando, a knight of the military or der of Alcantara, governor of Hifpaniola *.

1501: Progrefs of discovery.

COLUMBUS was deeply affected with this new injury, which came from hands that feemed to be employed in making reparation for his past sufferings. The fenfibility with which great minds feel every thing that implies any fufpicion of their integrity, or that wears the aspect of an affront, is exquifite. Columbus had experienced both from the Spaniards; and their ungenerous conduct exafperated him to fuch a degree, that he could no longer conceal the fentiments which it excited. Wherever he went, he carried about with him, as a memorial of their ingratitude, thofe fetters with which he had been loaded. They were conftantly hung up in his chamber, and he gave orders that when he died, they should be buried in his grave!.

MEANWHILE, the fpirit of discovery, notwithstanding the fevere check which it received by the ungenerous treatment of the man who firft excited it in Spain, continued active and vigorous. RoJanuary. derigo de Baftidas, a perfon of distinction, fitted

c. 87.

Herrera, dec. 1. lib. iv. c. 10—12, Life of Columbus,

1 Life of Columbus, c. 86. p. 577.

Out

II.

1501.

out two ships in co-partnery with John de la Cofa, BOOK who having ferved under the admiral in two of his voyages, was deemed the most skilful pilot in Spain. They fteered directly towards the continent, arrived on the coaft of Paria, and proceeding to the weft, discovered all the coaft of the province now known by the name of Tierra Firmé, from Cape de Vela to the gulf of Darien. Not long after Ojeda, with his former affociate Amerigo Vespucci, fet out upon a fecond voyage, and being unacquainted with the deftination of Baftidas, held the fame course, and touched at the fame places. The voyage of Baftidas was profperous and lucrative, that of Ojeda unfortunate. But both tended to increase the ardour of discovery; for in proportion as the Spaniards acquired a more extensive knowledge of the American continent, their idea of its opulence and fertility increased ".

BEFORE thefe adventurers returned from their Ovando appointed govoyages, a fleet was equipped, at the public ex-vernor of pence, for carrying over Ovando, the new go- Hifpaniola. vernor, to Hifpaniola. His presence there was extremely requifite, in order to ftop the inconfiderate career of Bovadilla, whose imprudent adminiftration threatened the fettlement with ruin. Conscious of the violence and iniquity of his proceedings against Columbus, he continued to make it his fole object to gain the favour and support of

Herrera, dec. 1. lib. iv. c. II.