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fiderable way along the coaft of that country. 1) Though nothing memorable occurred in this voyage, it deferves notice, becaufe it led to discoveries of greater importance. For the fame reafon, the voyage of Sebaftian de Ocampo must be mentioned. By the command of Ovando, he failed round Cuba, and firft discovered, with certainty, that this country, which Columbus once fuppofed to be a part of the continent, was a large ifland. m)

Diego Columbus appointed governor of Hifpaniola.

This voyage round Cuba was one of the laft occurrences under the administration of Ovando. Ever fince the death of Columbus, his fon Don Diego had been employed in foliciting Ferdinand to grant him the offices of viceroy and admiral in the New World, together with all the other immunities and profits which defcended to him by inheritance, in confequence of the original capitulation of his father. But if thefe dignities and revenues appeared fo confiderable to Ferdinand, that, at the expence of being deemed unjust, as well as ungrateful, he had wrefted them from Columbus, it is not furprifing that he fhould be unwilling to confer them on his fon. According、 ly, Don Diego wafted two years in inceffant

1) Herrera, dec. I. lib. vi. c. 17. m) Herrera, dec. 1. lib. vii, c. I、

but fruitless importunity. Weary of this, he endeavoured at length to obtain by a legal fentence what he could not procure from the favour of an interested monarch. He commenced a fuit against Ferdinand before the council that managed Indian affairs, and that court, with integrity which reflects honour upon its proceedings, decided againft the king, and fuftained Don Diego's claim of the viceroyalty, together with all the other privileges ftipulated in the capitulation. Even after this decree, Ferdinand's repugnance to put a fubject in poffeffion of fuch extenfive rights, might have thrown in new obftacles, if Don Diego had not taken a ftep which interested very powerful perfons in the fuccefs of his claims. The fentence of the council of the Indies gave him a title to a rank fo elevated, and a fortune fo opulent, that he found no difficulty in concluding a marriage with Donna Maria, daughter of Don Ferdinand de Toledo, great commendator of Leon, and brother of the duke of Alva, a nobleman of the firft rank, and nearly related to the king. The duke and his family efpoufed fo warmly the caufe of their new ally, that Ferdinand could not refift their folicitations. He recalled Ovando, and appointed Don Diego his fucceffor, though, even in conferring this favour, he could not conceal his jealoufy; for he allowed him to affume only the title of governor, not

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that of viceroy, which had been adjudged to belong to him. n)

He repairs to Hifpaniola.

Don Diego quickly.repaired to Hifpaniola, attended by his brother, his uncles, his wife, whom the courtefy of the Spaniards honoured with the title of vicequeen, and a numerous retinue of perfons of both fexes, born of good families. He lived with a fplendour and magnificence hitherto unknown in the New World; and the family of Columbus feemed now to enjoy the honours and rewards due to his inventive genius of which he himfelf had been cruelly defrauded. The colony itself acquired new luftre by the acceffion of fo many inhabitants, of a different rank and character from moft of those who had hitherto migrated to America, and many of the most illuftrious families in the Spanish fettlements are defcended from the perfons who at that time accompanied Don Diego Columbus. o)

No benefit accrued to the unhappy natives from this change of governors. Don Diego was not only authorized by a royal edict to continue the repartimientos, or diftribution of Indians; but the particular number which he might grant to every perfon, according to his

n) Herrera, dec. 1. lib. vii. c. 4, &c.

o) Oyiedo. lib. ii. c. I.

rank in the colony, was fpecified. He availed himself of that permiffion; and foon after he landed at St. Domingo, he divided fuch Indians as were ftill unappropriated, among his relations and attendants. p)

Pearl fishery of Cubagua.

The next care of the new governor was to comply with an inftruction which he received from the king, about fettling a colony in Cubagua, a fmall ifland which Columbus had difcovered in his third voyage. Though this barren fpot hardly yielded fubfiftence to its wretched inhabitants, fuch quantities of those oyfters which produce pearls were found on its coaft, that it did not long efcape the inquifitive avarice of the Spaniards, and became a place of confiderable refort. Large fortunes were acquired by the fifhery of pearls, which was carried on with extraordinary ardour. The Indians, especially thofe from the Lucayo iflands, were compelled to dive for them; and this dangerous and unhealthy employment was an additional calamity, which contributed not a little to the extinction of that devoted race. q)

p) Recopilacion de Leyes, lib. vi, tit. 8. !. I, 2. Herrera, dec. 1. lib. vii. c. 10.

4) Herrera. dec. 1. lib, vii, c. 9.

Gomara Hift. c. 78.

New voyages.

About this period, Juan Diaz de Solis and Pinzon set out, in conjunction, upon a fecond voyage. They food directly fouth, towards the equinoctial line, which Pinzon had formerly croffed, and advanced as far as the fortieth degree of fouthern latitude. They were aftonifhed to find that the continent of America ftretched, on their right hand, through all this vaft extent of ocean. They landed in different places, to take poffeffion in name of their fovereign; but though the country appeared to be extremely fertile and inviting, their force was fo fmall, having been fitted out rather for discovery than making fettlements, that they left no colony behind them. Their voyage

ferved, however, to give the Spaniards more exalted and adequate ideas with respect to the dimenfions of this new quarter of the globe. r)

A fettlement on the continent attempted.

Though it was above ten years fince Columbus had difcovered the main land of America, the Spaniards had hitherto made no fettlement in any part of it. What had been fo long neglected was now ferioufly attempted, and

r) Herrera, dec. I. lib. vii. c. 9.

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