The Landfall of Columbus on his first voyage to America. With a translation of the Baron Bonnefoux's History of his previous life; also a Chart showing his track from the landfall to Cuba, and an outline of his subsequent voyages

Front matter

THE LANDFALL OF COLUMBUS, _AK ' Ei__r BAY, <_■<_■___;__ Bt Liei_. - H Oh.uv_h,R.Ts . THE LANDFALL OF COLUMBUS ON HIS FIRST VOYAGE TO AMERICA WITH A TRANSLATION OF THE BARON BONNEFOUX'S HISTORY OF HIS PREVIOUS LIFE ALSO A CIIA11T SHOWING HIS TRACK FROM THE LANDFALL TO CUBA AND AN OUTUHB OF HIS SUBSEQUENT VOYAGES BV A. B. BE C.-B. ER, CAPTAIN, R.N. F.R.A.S. Of the Hydrographic Ojfice, Admiralty. AUTHOR OF THE VOYAGE OF H.M. 9. CHANTICI.EEH, ETC. BTC. LONDON : J. D. POTTER, POULTRY; AND KING STREET, TOWER HILL. 1856. LONDON : WALTER SPIERS, PRINTER, GREAT PRESCOT STREET. DEDICATED BY PERMISSION TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR CHARLES WOOD BART. M.P. THE FIRST LORD COMMISSIONER OP THE ADMIRALTY- MEMBER OF HER MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL etc. etc. etc. WHOSE NAME IS CHERISHED IN HONOUR AND ESTEEM BY THE AUTHOR.

Preface

. Since the days of the Spanish Sovereigns Ferdinand and Isabella the Landfall of Columbus has been a subject of doubt. Neither that island which he first saw at the end of his voyage across the Atlantic, nor those which he next discovered and visited between it and Cuba, have yet been properly recognized on the chart. Any thing new concerning Columbus would appear impossible in days approaching four centuries since his first voyage, when, as he said, " he unbarred the gates of the New World ; " and still no one could yet point out his earliest track on the shores of that world, no one could yet prove where he first set his foot on American soil ! This PHEFAC'E. much then is new. In the following pages the mystery of above three and a half centuries regarding those sub jects appears at length to be finally cleared away.

Such a question, however, as the Landfall of Colum bus, could scarcely remain so long without some answer. Accordingly two islands have been pointed out, by differ ent authorities, about three hundred miles apart ; and each of them is stated to have received from Columbus the name of San Salvador. At first it would appear that one must be wrong ! But after a close investigation they both prove to be wrong ; for, as shown in the following pages, Columbus never saw either of them ! The Ad miral, indeed, has never been thoroughly understood, and therefore all our maps and charts hitherto have been at fault on the subject. To rectify all this, and to fill up a blank in the most important part of the first voyage of Columbus ; — in fact, to remove this blot from an interesting portion of mari time geography, has been the object of the author.

But to have pointed to this island or to that, and merely to have said such was the Landfall, would have been ex eiting curiosity without satisfying it ; telling a kind of lame story, — one like an embassy of Ferdinand, that was designated by the King of Portugal as wanting " both head and feet." Hence, how Columbus found his Land-

PREFACE.

. IX fall, and how he left it, — where he went and what he saw, appeared to be so mixed up with it, that, notwithstanding what had already been done in that way, it appeared desirable, with the assistance of Sefior Navarrete,* to draw up a fresh account of his voyage. Some new facts of that voyage might present themselves from which " To point a moral or adorn a tale" concerning the Admiral's proceedings in those long by gone days. Besides, — an interesting narrative of the life of Columbus, previous to his voyage, had appeared* from the pen of a French Naval Officer of distinction, the Baron Bonnefbux, who has kindly permitted the Author to adopt it. And hence this account by the Baron, and the valuable compilation of Sefior Navarrete above alluded to, are the principal sources of informa tion in the following pages, — Navarrete's book sup plying especially the particulars for the voyage and the Landfall.

The work has cost several years of close application at frequent intervals of rest from the duties of the Hy drographical Office of the Admiralty. Attempts often * Sec No. 1. of list of works consulted in the Appendix.

PREFACE.

. X defeated only to be as often renewed with a determination not to be overcome, were at length crowned with success, and the real Landfall of Columbus, it is be lieved, is now for the first time before the world. This fact, which is described in the following pages, will perhaps form their principal recommendation ; for the Author is well aware of their imperfections, and how much they might have been enriched had not his official duties entirely precluded him from availing him self of the treasures of our principal national libraries. His object however has been accomplished in having identified the Landfall of Columbus on his first voyage to America, and for other portions of his work he must for the above reasons claim the indulgence of the reader.

Introduction

. When a controversy is apparently decided, it passes by and is forgotten, perhaps no one caring about it. But when it is found afterwards that the decision is un sound, and indeed that all parties concerned in it are wrong, the original question becomes as unsettled as ever, and possibly thereby gains something of interest. This is precisely the case with the Landfall of Columbus. The island whereon Columbus first landed in America, and the others which he discovered between it and Cuba, remained in their original obscurity as left by our ances tors, until in modern times the world was charmed with that interesting book, the " Life of Columbus," from the

INTRODUCTION.

. pen of Washington Irving. In treating a subject em bracing the discovery of America, the first American ground which received the discoverer at the end of his tedious voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, became a sub ject of interest and curiosity. But this question belonging rather to a seaman than to any one not nautical, was left to the decision of a friend, who provided the author of the " Life of Columbus"* with the old Land fall of Cat Island, along with the track of the Admiral across the Bahama Bank to Cuba by the Mucarras Cays. The charts of the time were in a most imperfect state, as may be seen by that which Mr. Washington Irving used for his book, in which this track is laid down. About the same time as the " Life of Columbus " appeared, the late Spanish Hydrographer, Sector Navar rete, was busily engaged in compiling his important collection of the voyages of the old Spanish navigators ; and in laying down the tracks of Columbus he had arrived at a totally different conclusion as to his Landfall from that of Washington Irving.

Of this Sefior Na varrete made no secret, and Mr. Irving readily acknow ledges it, as well as the attentive consideration with * See No. 2. of list of works consulted in the Appendix.

INTRODUCTION.

. XIII which Navarrete placed the papers of Columbus before him. Sefior Navarrete's great work soon afterwards appeared, the first two volumes of which are devoted en tirely to the papers of Columbus. It is accompanied by charts, on which all the tracks of the Admiral in his several voyages are defined with as much pains and care as could be expected from the imperfect state of the charts at the time. It is remarkable, however, that al though Navarrete printed the papers which describe the Landfall, he did not scrutinize them so closely as to perceive it ; and, impressed with the opinion that Co lumbus was always sailing West, he adopted Turks Island for it, an island which certainly approaches to it nearer in several respects than Cat Island, which had been adopted by Mr. Washington Irving.

Had he fol lowed the theory of Sefior Mufioz, he might have done better, who, although he was right in one particular, was greatly mistaken as to his subsequent course. But Navarrete was quite wrong, although no one has, per haps, bestowed more pains than he has on the whole subject. And he has conferred a great benefit on mari time geography by printing the papers of Columbus ; for although unsuccessful himself, he thereby placed the means of success in another hand.

INTRODUCTION.

. XIV For several years the question of the Landfall lay in this unsettled condition between Sefior Navarrete and Mr. Washington Irving, when the Baron Alexander Von Humboldt considered it a proper one for decision in his extraordinary work entitled " A Critical Inquiry into the Geography of the New Continent."* Here was a geographical controversy, and one well befitting the nature of the work in which the Baron was engaged; — a work which is no less remarkable for the subjects embraced by it, than the mass of information with which it abounds. But notwithstanding the patient reasoning, the astute inquiry, the scientific argument employed by the learned Baron, the Landfall eluded all his vigilance ! Navarrete had read Columbus's Journal without perceiving it ; but the Baron, judging between him and Washington Irving, seems to have placed more confidence in an old document, that is not worthy to be called a chart, by a pilot named de la Cosa, who was among the early navi gators, but not with Columbus ; and then gave his award in favour of that Landfall which had been advocated by Mr. Washington Irving.

Considering that a certain amount of nautical knowledge is essential in dealing with nautical sub- * See No. 3 of list of works consulted in the Appendix.

INTRODUCTION.

. XV jects, it could hardly be expected that a correct view of the Landfall should be found in a recent work on the Spanish Conquests in America by Mr. Arthur Helps ; or in that entitled ' Select Letters of Colum bus,' which appeared previously, by Mr. P. H. Major, of the British Museum. Hence, valuable as these works both are, it is no matter for surprise that the latter should follow the conclusions of Navarrete, (strenuously supported as they are by Mr. Gibbs,* a resident of Turks Island,) while the former does not even pretend to recognize any particular island as the Landfall of Columbus." Thus the three modern works in which we are entitled to look for a clear and satisfactory account of the pro ceedings of Columbus, the latter, moreover, professing to decide the difficult recondite point on which the two former are at issue, all fail at the interesting time of his first arrival on the shores of America !

Columbus (to use his own words) had indeed " unbarred the gates of the West ; " but the road by which he had passed those gates has been until now a secret path ; no one has yet traced him through them. The words of the Admiral himself are now employed * See No. 4 of list of works consulted in the Appendix.

INTRODUCTION.

. by the Author of the Landfall to achieve this task of ages, — one that has foiled all who have approached it. For the means of doing so he is indebted to Sefior Navarrete. And the patience which Navarrete devoted to it as well as in publishing the papers of Columbus, will be best appreci ated from his own words. He tells us, " In the documents now published the place of the originals is noted with the view of giving authenticity to our copies ; but although all are authenticated in their meaning and contents, they have not all been copied with the same care and attention to minutiæ, a defect which has arisen princi pally from the writers not understanding obsolete terms, or not being able to decipher the frequent abbreviations of the ancient writings, or the true meaning of a phrase, or the forms of public despatches.

Sometimes the mean ing of a sentence became obscured by false punctuation, and even the absolute defiance of all rules of grammar. These difficulties, added to those arising from the paper being old and rotten, and the ink much obliterated, made matters worse, but were in some degree remedied by persons accustomed to deal with ancient manu scripts."* Now those words, so carefully preserved by Sefior * Navarrete, No. 1. of list of works, vol. i. p. ev.

INTRODUCTION.

. XVII Navarrete, and no other than those, after being analysed and sifted from among the multitudes of others by wliich they have been so long concealed, have formed the authority for the Landfall. It is right to be explicit on this point, as the station filled by the Author in the Hydrographic Office at the Admiralty might lead to the conclusion that it had afforded him exclusively the means of unravelling this knotty question. The Hydrographic Office of the Admiralty has ac quired, by the liberal views of successive Governments on the importance of good charts, a more comprehensive store of hydrographic information of most parts of the world than perhaps any other in existence. But that office is comparatively of modern date, having been established about the end of the last century, and its resources are limited to current demands for good modern charts.

The wants of the antiquarian have little chance of being satisfied there. And even in reference to modern charts most of the shores that Columbus discovered in his first voyage have not yet been really sur veyed. Thus, neither Watling Island (his Guanahani) nor the Crooked Island Group (bis Fragrant Isles) have been surveyed on the liberal scale of Long Island, off the South-West end of which he anchored, and after naming it described it in two or three words.

INTRODUCTION.

. XVIII As the pages of Navarrete's volume have thus afforded the single yet sufficient authority for the Landfall of Columbus, so have they supplied the whole information relating to the voyage before us. Nothing is herein stated that is not given by Navarrete. A mere servile translation has not been adopted ; the substance of those documents is presented to the reader, and it is only on special occasions that quotations from the original have been added. Thus, while the volume of Navarrete has formed the text-book for the Landfall, the published charts of the Hydrographic Office are the documents to which the words of Columbus containing his courses and distances among the islands from that point to Cuba have been most perseveringly applied until their right places were ascertained. They are now before the reader in the accompanying chart, along with the tracks as sumed as those of the Admiral by the authors above mentioned.

Having thus recognized the islands discovered by Columbus and applied the names he assigned to them, the bank on which he anchored between them and Cuba appeared well worthy of notice. It is so closely but briefly described, and the place of his anchorage given by his courses and the specified distance from the Arenas Isles

INTRODUCTION.

. XIX with so much precision, that, being without a name, it has fairly established its claim to be recognized as Columbus Bank. The Cay (Verd) at its eastern end hae, in all pro bability, found its name from Cape Verd to the Northward of it, but does not appear to have been recognized by the Admiral. The tracks of Columbus along the coasts of Cuba and Espaiiola, in the former as far as the Caravelas Grandes, and in the latter throughout, are those laid down by Sefior Navarrete, the shoalness of the water fully corresponding with that mentioned by Columbus at the Caravelas entrance as obliging him to turn back from his Westerly route. We are yet to see a good chart of the shores of both these islands with their outlying reefs, and it is somewhat remarkable that, of the shoal on which Columbus lost his ship, we know as little now as we did a century ago ; and of the island of Tortuga, alluded to by him, even the shores of it are yet un known.

One word more only may be added to this already lengthened statement, The Author has studiously en deavoured, in the course of his remarks on the subject, not to overstep the bounds of fair criticism, and to give his authority for differing from those theories which he believes that he has successfully opposed. And while he has found himself compelled to do so, he trusts that XX

INTRODUCTION.

. if in remarking on the different tracks of the Admiral his comments should wear the appearance of hastiness, they will still be taken in good part by the advocates of those tracks, and a generous allowance accorded to him from an assurance that his confidence has only pro ceeded from a conviction that he has arrived at the truth of which they were in search, and on which alone could be finally established The Landfall of Columbus. Paee, HIS CONTENTS. Preface vii Introduction ....... xi

Part I. Historical Account Of Columbus Previous To Voyage

Chapter 1 1 Early life and education of Columbus — Goes to sea under Colombo — Wounded in an attack on Venetian galleys — Prince Henry of Portugal — Navigation school of Sagres — Discoveries — Columbus visits Lisbon — Portraits of Columbus — His deportment and manners — His first marriage — His charts — Origin of his project — Correspondence with Toscanelli — His opinion of the design — Enthusiasm of Columbus — Respect for his theory. Chapter II 17 Professional skill of Columbus — Lays his project before the Government of Genoa — Enterprise of the Portuguese — Reception and treatment of his plan — Finally quits Lisbon — Proceeds to Genoa and to Spain — Arrives at the convent of La Rabida — His project approved— -Offers of Pinzon — Repairs with letters to the court of Castile at Cordova — Ferdinand and Isabella — Portraits — His ill reception by the Minister — Finds powerful advocates and is presented to Ferdinand — Obtains attention to his views.

CONTENTS. Page. Chapter III 33 The conference — Good reasoning of Columbus — His plan compared with that of the Portuguese — His idea of the position of terrestrial paradise — Gains advocates — Unfavourable result — A second conference — His plan deferred — Proposes it to Spanish noblemen — Returns to La Rabida — Perez addresses the Queen — Favourable result — Columbus called to court — Santa Fe — Difficulties in entertaining the plan — Disappointment of Columbus — Further appeal to the Queen — Columbus recalled. Chapter IV 50 Reception of Columbus at the court of Castile — Audience with the Sovereigns — His gracious reception by Isabella — His proposals accepted — Conditions of the voyage — Soundness of the views of Columbus — The vessels ordered — Delay in their equipment — Sensation and discomfiture.

Part II. The Voyage And The Landfall

Chapter 1 61 Departure of Columbus for the Canaries — His parting address to the Sovereigns of Spain — Bad state of the Pinta — Proceeds to Grand Canary — Eruption of Tenerife — The Isleta — Early possession of the Canaries by the Spaniards — Puerto de la Gomera — Illusive islands. Chapter III 70 Columbus sails for the discovery of a western continent — His anxiety about Portuguese caravels — Deficiency of portraits of the ships of Columbus — Superstitious notions of sea dangers — Fears of the crew of Columbus — The variation of the compass — A foul wind in the trades — Disappointment of the crew— Beautiful adaptation of prevailing winds for intercourse by navigation — A condensed view of the Journal of Columbus. CONTENTS. XXIII Page Chapter IV 89 First impressions of the people of Guanahani — Native manners, native wars, and native simplicity — Their pacific character — Intentions of kidnapping six — Expertness in the water — Peculiar features and nature of the island — Cotton obtained in trade — The boat expedition — Pertinacity of the natives — Coral belt round the island — Leaves Guanahani for the largest island in view.

Commentary indicating the Landfall. Chapter V 108 Columbus makes sail for the next island — On reaching it, discovers a larger in the west and crowds sail for it — Encouraged by accounts of gold there from the natives on board — Arrives in the evening aud anchors — Disappointed and leaves it for the next seen in the west, which he names Fernandina — Treatment of the natives — Distance and description of Fernandina. Commentary : — Effects of the current — Rum Cay and Long Island — -Their proper names adjusted in the Appendix, see Note in p. .370. Chapter VI 120 Columbus anchors off a settlement in Fernandina— Presents to the natives — Their kind manner and obliging disposition — Anxiety of the Admiral to find Samoet — His remarks on the natives — Proceeds to the northward to round the island — Obtains water — Reaches the cape of the island and turns back — Running to south-east and south — Anchors under the south-east cape.

Commentary explanatory of the Admiral's progress and position. Chapter VII 141 Columbus finds Samoet and names it Isabella Island — The Fragrant group — Cape Hermoso — Cape Laguna — Anxiety of Columbus to see the King of the islands — The shoal and rocky character of the space enclosed by the islands — Cape del Isleo — Extensive lagoons — Natives bring water — Kindness of Columbus towards them — Natives speak of Cuba. CONTENTS. Page. called by them Colba, supposed by Columbus to be Japan— Their poverty— Ships take in water — Columbus, tired of delay, determines on sailing for Colba— His concern at being no botanist. Commentary in continuation relative to the situation of the ships. Chapter VIII 157 Columbus makes all sail for Cuba — Supposed by him to be Cipango or Japan — A nautical departure — Discovers seven or eight islands, and anchors — Again trips his anchor and is under sail for the island — Arrives in a beautiful estuary of Cuba named the Port of Nipe.

Commentary concluded, showing the accordance with the chart of the whole progress of Columbus, as described in his Journal, from "Watling Island to the Port of Nipe.

Part III. Cuba And Espanola Discovered

— THE RETURN- VOYAGE. Chapter 1 179 Columbus explores the coast from Nipe to the westward — Arrives at Nuevitas del Principe — Attempts the Boca de Caravelas, and returns to Nuevitas — Friendly intercourse with the natives — Messengers proceed in search of the Great Khan — The letters of Toscanelli — Extraordinary accounts of the natives — Return of the messengers — Native habit of smoking tobacco. Chapter II 192 Reports of the natives concerning gold — Columbus directs his course homeward — Slow progress of the Santa Maria — Erroneous calculations of her position — Is deserted by the Pinta — The Rio del Sol contributions — Cayo Moa. Chapter III 202 Indian superstitions and European philosophy — Ports of Jara- CONTENTS. XXV Page. gua and Baracoa — An Indian dockyard- — A native address — Cape Maici the eastern end of Cuba — Reluctance of Co lumbus to leave the coast— Continues to the eastward.

Chapter IV 211 Nicolo Mole — A retrospect — Pleasing appearance of the island — Absence of the natives — Columbus proceeds to the eastward — The island named Espaiiola — Conclusion that it was part of Japan — A captive and the consequences — Communication with the natives established. Chapter V 220 Columbus leaves Concepcion — The Santa Maria thronged by the natives — Port La Paz — An uninvited visitor — Columbus enraptured with the island — A digression — Generosity of the natives — Preference of Columbus for the Island of Espaiiola. Chapter VI 229 Present and invitation to Columbus from the Cacique Guacanagari — Generosity of the natives — The Admiral congratulates the Spanish Sovereigns on their possessions — The Santa Maria continues her voyage and is wrecked — Prompt assistance rendered by Guacanagari — His solicitude for the Admiral's misfortune — The natives astonished at the effect of fire-arms — Prospect of a large portion of the Spaniards remaining in the island — Interchange of presents between Guacanagari and Columbus— The Spaniards established in their fort — Columbus takes leave of Guacanagari.

Chapter VII 246 Columbus leaves La Navidad and continues his eastern route — Is rejoined by the Pinta — Anchors in ihe Bay of Monte Christi — Continues his voyage— Arrives in the Bay of Samana — Astrological predictions — Columbus is visited by a native — Unfavourable termination of a barter with the islanders - Their generous character — Gulf weed. Chapter VIII 256 Columbus abandons further discovery and makes sail to the CONTENTS. Page. northward to return to Spain — Delayed by the bad sailing of the Pinta — Early and modern modes of navigation — The ships experience bad weather — A pilgrimage promised — A nautical lottery — Serious reflections on the threatened loss of the vessels — The scheme of committing information to the care of the waves first adopted by Columbus. Chapter IX 267 Columbus anchors off Isle St. Mary, one of the Azores — Treatment of his crew on shore — The parley between the Admiral and the Governor — Belief of Columbus that he had discovered the eastern extreme of Japan confinned by the storms of the Azores — His letters inspected by Portuguese officials— The boat and her crew returned — Columbus again sails for Spain.

Chapter X. ...... . 276 The Admiral sails from the Azores — Meets bad weather in which the Nina loses her sails, but 6afely reaches the Tagus — Columbus announces his return by letter to his Sovereigns — A visit from a Portuguese man-of-war—Naval etiquette — The Admiral invited to the Portuguese court — Interpretation of his signature — His reception by the King of Portugal — Sails from the Tagus and arrives at Huelva.

Appendix

. Letter of Columbus 291 Summary of the Voyages of Columbus . 299 Extracts from the Journal of Columbus . 313 Notes 320 The Chart 371 Works referred to 375 The Bay of Gomera To face Title. Chart to Illustrate the Landfall at the End.

Part I. Historical Account Of Columbus Previous To His Voyage

by the baron bonnefoux. ERRATUM. Page 71, line 16. — For " Even his ship, the Victory. &c, being lost among the Molucca Islands," &c. Bead — " Even one of his ships, the Victory, the only one which returned to Europe, his own, the Trinidad, being lost among the Molucca Islands," &c.

PART I. HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF COLUMBUS PREVI-OUS TO HIS VOYAGE.

BY THE BARON BONNEFOUX.

Chapter I. Early Life And Education Of Columbus

— GOES TO SEA UNDER COLOMBO WOUNDED IN AN ATTACK ON VENETIAN GALLEYS — PRINCE HENRY OP PORTUGAL NAVIGATION SCHOOL OF SAGRES DISCOVERIES — COLUMBUS VISITS LISBON — POR- TRAITS OF COLUMBUS — HIS DEPORTMENT AND MANNERS — HIS FIRST MARRIAGE — HIS CHARTS — ORIGIN OF HIS PRO- JECT CORRESPONDENCE WITH TOSCANELLI — HIS OPINION OF THE DESIGN — ENTHUSIASM OF COLUMBUS — RESPECT FOR HIS THEORY. Christopher Columbus was born at Genoa in the year 1435. His father, who was a humble wool-carder, had married Susannah Fontanarossa, by which union he had four children, the eldest of whom was Christopher. An origin so modest was not sufficient for historians, who have endeavoured in latter ages to find one more illustrious. But Ferdinand, one of the sons of Columbus, has said, with much good sense, that his greatest boast was to be the son of such a parent, and that he much preferred it to having a long series of noble ancestors.

B The intelligence of the youth Christopher was too evident to admit of his being brought up to his father's pursuit, who subjected himself to much pecuniary sacrifice in order to give him a good education. His pa ternal fondness, under the Divine blessing, neglected nothing to secure it. In the boy's early youth he was provided with masters of grammar, arithmetic, drawing, and geography, for which latter science he possessed a decided taste. He soon evinced an irresistible propensity for the sea, and during his after life never alluded to this early inclination without attributing it (with that true piety which was always one of the distinctive traits of his character) to an impulse more than human ; — one which he considered drew him irresistibly onward in the only path by which he could perform the decrees of Heaven, of which he believed himself to be the passive instrument.

His father did not discountenance such decided predi lections. Fresh sacrifices were necessary, and he resolutely employed all his resources to obtain for his son an entrance to the University of Padua. Any other parent (be it said to the honour of the father of Columbus) might have sent the youth to sea in some mercantile vessel as a cabin-boy, and considered that he had thus provided for his son. But he well knew the consequences, and determined to advance his future career by enabling him to study and familiarize himself in imagination with those scenes in which he was hereafter to take so important a part, and raise himself to the most exalted posi tion by his own knowledge and the exercise of his own intellectual powers. COLOMBO, HIS CHARACTER. At Padua the youth Columbus was of course grounded in Latin, at that time the general language taught at schools, and he soon became familiar with it.

He also learnt geometry and astronomy, besides geography, and great was his joy when he commenced the study of na vigation. Thus passed the early days of Columbus : thus was his mind schooled to contend with those difficulties which he was destined to surmount, and thus it was by close early application, and the remembrance of the great efforts which his father had made to place him in the position which he filled in the world, that he acquired the difficult art of accomplishing great projects with small means, and supplying the insufficiency of these by his acquirements and energy of character. In short, in his various enterprises the merit of his work was always en hanced by the scantiness of the resources with which it was performed. At the age of fourteen, Columbus, gifted with sufficient instruction to give freedom to his bent of mind, went to sea under the care of a relative named Colombo, who had earned a high reputation.