cooped-up inmates of some closely-beleaguered Book II. town or fortress! But at least the poor Indian Ch. 1. can utter nothing but blessings on her. He might have needed no other "protector," had she lived; nor would slavery have found in his fate one of the darkest and most fatal chapters in its history. The first But now, from Granada, and our fancies there, the narrative brings us back to the first land touched by Columbus. The landing of Columbus in the New World must ever be a conspicuous fact in the annals of mankind; and it was adorned by a ceremonial worthy of the occasion. On the ensuing morning after the light had been observed from the ships, being a Friday, the 12th of October, 1492, Columbus, clad in landing of complete armour, and carrying in his hand the royal banner of Spain, descended upon the level shores of the small island which had first greeted him, and which he found to be very fruitful-fresh and verdant, and "like a garden full of trees."* The other captains accompanied him, each of them bearing a banner with a green cross depicted upon it, and with the initials of Ferdinand and Isabella surmounted by their respective crownst Columbus. Es una isla de quince leguas de luengo poco mas ó menos, toda baja sin montaña alguna como una huerta llena de arboles, verde y fresquisima como son todas las de los Lucayos que hay por alli cerca de esta Española y se estienden por luengo de Cuba."- LAS CASAS, Hist. VOL. I. I de las Indias, MS., lib. I, +"Y los dos Capitanes (saca- Ch. I. BOOK II. a device that well expressed the loyalty and devotion of Columbus, and had been chosen by him. These chief officers were followed by a large retinue from their crews. In numerous lines along the shore stood the simple islanders looking on with innocent amazement. Pious thanksgivings On touching land, Columbus and all the Spaniards who were present, fell upon their of the knees, and with tears-tears of that deepest kind, Spaniards. which men do not know the cause of-poured forth their "immense thanksgivings to Almighty God."* The man who of all that embassage, if we may call it so, from the Old to the New World, was certainly the least surprized by all he saw, was at the same time the most affected. For thus it is, that the boldness of a great design is never fully appreciated by the designer himself, until Feelings of he has apparently accomplished his work, when he is apt, if it be indeed a great work, to look back with shuddering awe at his own audacity in having proposed it to mankind. The vast resolve which sustains such a man through his long and difficult enterprize, having for the Columbus. encima de cada letra su corona una * OVIEDO, whose account of las lágrimas de los ojos del extremado placer que sentia, commençó á deçir com Ambrosio y Augustino: Te Deum laudamus, Te Dominum confitemur, etc.; y assi, dando gracias a nuestro Señor con todos los que con él yban, fue inextimable el gozo que los unos y los otros haçian." OVIEDO, Hist. Gen. y Nat. de Indias, lib. 2, cap. 5. Madrid, 1851. moment nothing to struggle against, dies away, Book II. leaving a strange sinking at the heart; and thus Ch. 1. the greatest successes are often accompanied by a peculiar and bewildering melancholy. New difficulties, however, bred from success (for nothing is complete in life), soon arise to summon forth again the discoverer's energies, and to nerve him for fresh disappointments and renewed endeavours. Columbus will not fail to have his full share of such difficulties. lowers ask The followers of the great man, whose occasional faintheartedness must often have driven all sleep from his weary eyelids throughout the watches of the night, now began to think with remorse how much suffering they had needlessly inflicted upon their greatly-enduring leader. They His folsought his pardon with tears, and, subdued for pardon of the moment by his greatness when illustrated by him. success, expressed in loving terms their admiration, their gratitude, and their assurances of fidelity. The placable Columbus received their gracious sayings with all the warmth and tenderness that belonged to his large and amiable character. takes of San The great business of the day then commenced; and Columbus, with the due legal formalities, took possession, on behalf of the Spanish Columbus Monarchs, of the island Guanahaní, which he possessionforthwith named San Salvador. The gravity of the Salvador. proceeding must have astonished the beholding islanders. Their attention, however, was soon turned to the Spaniards themselves; and they approached the strangers, wondering at their white BOOK II. ness and at their beards. Columbus, as being the Ch. I. noblest-looking personage there present-and also, from wearing crimson over his armour (por ir vestido de grana),-attracted especial attention, and justly seemed, as he was, the principal figure in this great spectacle. Columbus is for the present moment radiant with success. Our interest passes now from him to the new people he was amongst. And what were they like? Were they worthy of the efforts which the Old World had made to find them? Was there mind and soul enough in them for them to become good Christians? What What says the greatest of the men who first saw them? What impression did they make on him? Let him answer for himself. "Because they had much friendship for us, and because I knew they were people that would deliver themselves better to the Christian faith, and be converted more through love than by force; I gave to some of them some coloured caps and some strings of glass beads for their necks, and many other things of little value, with which they were delighted, and were so entirely ours that it was a marvel to see. The same afterwards came swimming to the ships' boats where we were, and brought us parrots, cotton threads in balls, darts and many other things, and bartered them with us for things which we gave them, such as bells and small glass beads. In fine, they took and gave all of whatever they had with good will. But it appeared to me they were a people very poor in everything. They |