An account of the European settlements in America containing an accurate description of their extent, climate, productions, trade, genius, and dispositions of their inhabitants, the interests of the several powers of Europe with respect to those settlements, and their political and commercial views with regard to each other

Front matter

ACCOUNT

AMERICA.

An accurate Description of their Extent, Climate, Productions, Trade, Genius, and Dispositions of their Inhabitants: the Interests of tile several Powers of Europe with respect to those Settlements; and their Political and Commercial Views with Regard to each other.

Contents

CONTENTS.

PAST I.

Page

Chap. II

The discovery of the Caribbct's.—Columbus returns to Europe—His behaviour at Lisbon—His reception at Barcelona by Ferdinand and Isabella.—Se¬ cond voyage of Columbus.—The condition of the Spaniards in Hispaniola.

—The city of Isabella built, and a Spanish colony settled.— A Voyage for

better discovering the coast of Cuba - - - n

Chap. III

The Difficulties attending the Voyage.—Jamaica discovered.—Columbus re¬ turns to Hispaniola.—The Spaniards rebel.—A War with the Indians of that Country—They are conquered—Their scheme for starving the Spa¬ niards ... . - . - 20

CIIAP. IV.

Complaints against Columbus.—A Person is sent to enquire into his con¬ duct—He returns to Spain—He is acquitted—He sets out on his third voy¬ age—He discovers the Continent of South America—He sails to Hispaniola S6

Chap. V

Columbus finds the Spaniards of Hispaniola in rebellion—His measures to suppress it—New complaints against him in Spain—He is superseded in the government, and sent to Spain in irons - - - 31

Chap. VI

The Discoveries of Americus Vesputiusa and other Adventurers.—What caused the spirit of Discovery. 36

CONTEXTS.

Chap. VII

gain his Liberty; the consequence of it - - 59

CHAP. XI.

The Attempts of Montezuma to make the Spaniards leave Mexico.—The arrival of Narvaez to take the command from Cortes.—Cortes leaves Mexico—Defeats and takes Narvaez prisoner.—The Spaniards in Mexico besieged.—Cortes raises the Siege.—Montezuma is killed - 66

CHAP. XII.

Guatimozifi chosen Emperor by the Mexicans—He besieges the Spaniards in their quarters—Obliges Cortes to retire out of the city—Distresses him in his retreat.—The battle of Otumba.—Cortes retreats to TIascala - 75

CHAP. XIII.

Spaniards sent against Cortes join him—He marches again to Mexico—A conspiracy against his life bathed - * - SS

CHAP. XIV.

The siege of Mexico.—Terms of accommodation refused by the Mexicans.— TheSpaniards repulsed by a stratagem of Guatimoziu.—A new stratagem of Guatimozin—He is taken.—The citv surrenders.—Guatimoziu toitured.

—Cortes superseded in his government.—Reflexions on the Spanibh cruelties S9

CHAP.XV. jv s

The scheme of Pizarro ami Ahnagro for the Conquest of Peru—Their elnrae- Im—The fetalc of the Empire of Peru at that lime.—The lahing of the jnca Atabalipa - - - . - - . J0&

CHAP. XVI.

The murder of the ynca.—A dispute bclwcrn Pizarro and Alnngro—They are reconciled.—Almagro'* expeditim to Chili.—The Peruvians rene w the war, ami ticsiegc Cusco.—Almagro returns and defeats them.—Almagro renews the quarrel with Pizarro, but is defeated, and put In death - 109

CHAP. XVII.

The final dispersion of the Peruvian army.—The conspiracy against Pizarro.

—lie is murdered - - - - » ipj

CHAP. XVIII.

Young Almagro made Governor.—The new Viceroy Vaca di Castro arrives —Pats to death young Almagro—Puls an end to the liiclions, and settles the province—He is recalled.—fJonrslo Pizarro raises a rebellion, and usurps the government.—Peter de la Oases made Viceroy—Defeats the troops of Ptzirro, and puts him to death - - - - 121

Part II. C1iap.i

The persons of the Americans—Their drres and way of living—Their manner of conversing—Their hospitality—Their temper—Their' religion and su¬ perstitions—Their medicine - - • - 127

CHAP. II.

The government of the Americans—Their councils—Their orators—Their feasts—Their manner of administering justice - - - l'S

CHAP. III.

Their mournings for their dead.—The feast of souls.—The American women;

Ibeir occupations; their marriages and divorces - - - 138

CHAP. IV.

The Indian manner of preparing for war—The songs and dances—Their taking the field—Their method of discovering and attacking the enemy— Their croel treatment of their prisoners of war - - 143

CONTEXTS.

Chap. VI

St. Christopher, Antigua, Nevis, Montserrat; their present condition and force 314 CHAP. VII.

Climate of the West Indies.—The rains and winds.—Hurricanes.—Their prognosticks.—Produce of the West Indies.—Sugar.—The manner of manufacturing it.—Planters in the West Indies.—Their way of life and management of their affairs.—The Negroes - - 318

Chap. VIII

Observations on the settlement of the-West Indies.—Advantages there for tempers prejudicial at home.—Bad tempers not always noxious in every sense 325

Chap. IX

Observations on taxing the colonies.—On an expensive establishment there.— Objections answered .... 328

Chap. X

State of the negroes in the West Indies.—Danger from them.—Methods pro¬ posed for remedying these abuses.—The necessity of increasing the whites. ■ —Use of this regulation in trade - - -

CONTESTS.

CHAP. XI. p^ t

Misery of the negroes.—Greet waste of them.—Methods of preventing it.— Instruction of negroes in religion - - . S29

Chap. II

First attempts to settle North America.—The rise and progress of the Puri¬ tans.—They are persecuted by Laud.—Several fly into New England 319 CHAP. III.

Difference in religion divides the colony.—Massacliuset.—Connecticut.— Providence.—Spirit of persecution.—Persecution of the Quakers_Dis¬ putes about grace. .... 315

Chap. VII

Boston, its harbour.—Trade.—Ship-building.—Distillery.—Foreign trafiick.

—Reflexions on the scheme of limiting it.—Declension of the trade of New England - - - - - 375

CHAP. viri.

New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania—Description of their situation,

&c.—Short account of their settlement - - 3S5

An account of Charlestown.—Port Royal.—The trade of Carolina—Its vast increase.—Articles not sufficiently attended to there - 414

Chap. XXV

Settlement of Georgia—Reasons for it.—The plan of the settlement defective— Attempts to remedy it - - - 449

CIIAP. XXVI.

Colony new modelled.—Faults in the new constitution.—Trade of ibis province. - - - 454

CHAP. XX VII

Nova Scotia, the time and reasons of its settlement.—French there.—Climate and soil.—Annapolis, Halifax, and Lunenburg - - 457

CHAP. XXVIII.

The island of Newfoundland—The fishery there.—The Bermudas—Their set¬

tlement and trade.—The Bahamas - - - 462

' CHAP. XXIX.

Hudson's Bay.—Attempts for the discovery of a north-west passage.—The Hudson's Bay company—Thoughts upon its trade.—Climate and soil of the countries there.—Conclusion ... 4CG

CHAP. XXX.

The royal, proprietary, and charter governments.—Laws *v he colonies.— Paper currency.—Abuses in it.—Another sort of money i >ed 474

ACCOUNT

AMERICA.

Part 1. Discovery Of America

MEXICO AND PERU.

Chap. I

THE STATE OF EUROPE BEFORE THE DISCOVERT OF AMERICA.—THE PRO¬ JECT OF COLUMBUS. — HIS APPLICATION TO SEVERAL COURTS.—HIS SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION TO THAT OF SPAIN.-HIS VOYAGE.-THE DIS¬

COVERY OF TIIE BAHAMAS, AND GREATER ANTILLES.

There was an extraordinary coincidence of events at the time that the discovery of America made one of the principal: the invention of printing, the making of gunpowder, the im¬ provement of navigation, the revival of ancient learning, and the Reformation ; all of these conspired to change the face of Europe entirely. At this time the principal monarchies began to knit, and to acquire the strength, and take the form, they have at this day. Before this period, the manners of Europe were wholly barbarous ; even in Italy, where the natural mildness of the climate and the dawning of literature had a little softened the minds of the people, and introduced something approachb 2 ing ills; towards politeness, the history preceding this ana, and in¬ deed lor some time after it, is nothing but one series of trea¬ sons, usurpations, murders, and massacres : nothing of a manly courage, nothing of a solid and rational policy. Scarce any state had then very extensive views, or looked much further than to the present advantage. They did not well comprehend the complicated system of interests that Europe formed even long before thi . Lewis the Eleventh, who was looked upon as one of the wisest princes in his time, and one who sacrificed every thing to his ambition, sacrificed one of the fairest objects of that ambition to a pique, which since his time could have- little influence on the counsels of any prince. His son, Charles the Eighth as he won Italy without either courage or conduct, so he lost it by a chain of false measures, such, as we may venture to say has no parallel it later times. A wild romantic courage in the northern and western parts of Europe, and a wicked po¬ licy in the Italian states, was the character of that age. If we look into the manners of the courts, there appear but verv faint marks of cultivation and politeness. The interview between our Edward the Fourth and his brother of France, wherein they were both caged.up like wild beasts, shews dispositions very remote from a true sense of honour, from the dignity of their stations,- or any just ideas of politeness and humanitv- All the anecdotes which remain of these aud other, courts, are in the same spirit. .

If the courts had made such poor advances in policy and politeness, which, might seem the natural'growth of courts at any time, both the courts and the people were yet less advanced in useful knowledge. The little learning which then subsisted, was only the dotage of the scholastic philosophy of words ; to¬ gether with the infancy of politer learning, which only concerned words too, though in another way. The elegance and purity

EUROPEAN SETTLEMENTS IN AMER1 of the Latin tongue was then the highest, and almost the only point of a scholar’s ambition. Mathematical learning was little valued or cultivated. The true system of the'heavens hvas not dreamed of. There was no knowledge at all of the'real form of the earth ; and in general the ideas of mankind were not ex¬ tended beyond their sensible horizon.

In this state of affairs Christopher Columbus, a native of Genoa, undertook to extend the boundaries which ignorance had given to the world. This man’s design arose from the just idea he had formed of the figure of the earth •; though the maps,, more erroneous than his conjectures, made him mistake the object. His design was to find a passage to China and India by the Western Ocean. It is hot improbable, that besides tile glory attending such a discovery, and the private advantages of fortune lie might propose to-derive from-it, Columbus had a further incentive from national jealousy and resentment. Ve¬ nice and Genoa were then" almost ! the' only trading powers in Europe; and they'had no other‘support'of their power but their commerce. Thisbretl-aTivalship, a! jealousy, and fre¬ quent wars between’ them; but -hi- Traffick- Venice was much superior; she had drawn -to- lierseff almost the whole commerce

of India, always one Of the most valuable in'the world, and

then carried on only by the way of Egypt, and the Red Sea. • Anemulation of this kind might probably have put Columbus on finding another and more direct passage To the .East-Indies,- and by that means transferring this profitable trade to: Ins own country. But neither that which he sought, nor that, which he found, was destined for his country. However, lie performed the duty of a good citizen, and made his first proposal at home; at home it was rejected.. Discharged of this obligation, he applied to the court of France, and meeting no better success there, he offered next his services to our Henry the Seventh.

This

IX ACCOUNT OF

Tins prince was rather a prudent steward and manager of a kingdom than a great king, and one of those defensive geniuses are the last in the world to relish a great but problematical de¬ sign. It is therefore no wonder that his brother, whom Colum¬ bus had employed to solicit in England, after several years spent here, had little success in his negotiation. But in Por¬ tugal, a here he applied himself after his failure here, his offers were not only rejected, but he was insulted and ridiculed ; he found, however, in these insults, and this ridicule, a net, - incite¬ ment to pursue his scheme, urged forward by the stings of anger and ’-esentment.

L- _*t of all he exercised "his interest and his patience for eight years together at the court of Ferdinand and Isabella. There is a sort of enthusiasm in all projectors, absolutely necessary tor their affairs, which makes them proof against the most fatiguing delays, the most mortifying disappointments, 1 he most shocking insults; and, what is severer than all, the presump¬ tuous judgments of the ignorant upon their designs. Columbus had a sufficient share of this quality. He had every day, dur¬ ing this long space, to combat with every objection that want of knowledge, or that a false knowledge, could propose. Some held that the known‘world, which they thought was all that could be known, floated like a vast scum upon the ocean ; that the ocean itself was infinite. Others, who entertained more just notions, and believed that the whole of the earth and waters composed one vast globe, drew a consequence from it as absurd as the former opinion. For they argued, that if Columbus should sail beyond a certain point, the convexity of this globe would prevent his return. As is usual in such cases, every one abounded with abjections. His whole time was spent in fruit¬ less endeavours to enlighten ignorance, to remove prejudice, and to vanquish that obstinate incredulity, which is of all others

the

EUROPEAN SETTLEMENTS IN AMERICA.

the greatest enemy to improvement, rejecting every thing as false and absurd, which is ever so little out of the track of com¬ mon experience; and it is of the more dangerous consequence, as it carries a delusive air of coolness, of temper and wisdom. With all this, he had yet greater difficulties from the interests of mankind, than from their malignity and ignorance. The expence of the undertaking, inconsiderable as this expence was, was at the bottom the chief support of the other objections, and had more weight than all the rest together. However, with an assiduity and firmness of mind, never enough to be ad¬ mired and applauded, he at length overcame all difficulties; and, to his inexpressible joy, with a fleet of three ships, and the title and command of an admiral, set sail on the third of August, 1492, on a voyage the most daring and grand in the design, and in the event of which the world was the most con¬ cerned, of any that ever yet was undertaken.

It most not be omitted here, in honour to the sex, and in justice to Isabella, that this scheme was first countenanced, and the equipment made by the queen only: the king had no share in it ; she even raised tile money necessary for the design upon her own jewels..

I do not propose to relate all the particulars of Columbus’s voyage in a track now so well known, and so much frequented ; but then there was no chart to direct him, no lights from former navigators, no experience of the winds and currents par¬ ticular to those seas. He had no guide but his own genius, nor any thing to comfort and appease his companions, discouraged and mutinous with the length and hopelessness of the voyage, but some indications which he drew from the casual appear¬ ances of land-birds and floating sea-weeds, most of them little to be depended upon, but which this wise commander, well ac¬ quainted with the human heart, always knew how to turn to the

TUE best advantage. It was in this expedition that the variation of the compass was first observed ; an appearance which has ever since puzzled all philosophers, ami which at this time made a threat impression upon Columbus’s pilots; when in an unknown and boundless ocean, for from the road of former navigation, nature itself seemed altered, and the only guide they had left, appeared to be upon the point of forsaking them But Colum¬ bus, with a wonderful quickness and sagacity, pretended to discover a pkvsical cause for this appearance, which, though it did not satisfy himself, was plausible enough to remove some¬ thing of the terrors of his mariners. Expedients of this kind were daily wanting, and the fertile genius of this discoverer in¬ vented them daily- However, by frequent use, they began to lose their effect; the crew insisted on his returning, and grew loud and insolent in their demand. .Some even talked of throw¬ ing the admiral overboard. Ilis invention, and almost his hopes were near exhausted, when the only thing which could appease them happened ; the clear discovery of land, after a voyage of thirty-three days, the longest ever any man was known to be from sight of shore before that time.

They landed on one of the islands now called Lucayos, or

Bahamas, which is remarkable for nothing but this event; and here it was, that the two worlds, if I may use the expression, were first introduced to one another; a .meeting of an extraor¬ dinary nature, and which produced great changes in both. The first thing Columbus did, after thanking God for the success of his important voyage, was to take possession of the island in the name of their Catholic majesties, by setting up a cross upon the shore ; great multitudes of the inhabitants looking on, ignorant and unconcerned at a ceremony which was to deprive them of their natural liberty. . The stay of the Spaniards in this island was but short; they found, from the extreme poverty

EUROPEANSETTLEMH]

poverty of the people, that these were by no means the Indies, which they sought for.

Columbus at his departure very prudently took with him some of the natives, that they might learn the Spanish tongue, and be his guides and interpreters in this new scene of affairs ; nor were they unwilling to accompany him. He touched on several of the islands in the same cluster, enquiring every where for gold, which was the only object of commerce he thought worth his care, because the only thing that could give the court of Spain an high opinion of his discoveries. All directed him to a great island called Bohio, of which they spoke extraordinarytilings, and principally that it abounded in gold. They told him it lay to the southward. To the southward he steered his course, and found the island, which he called Hispaniola, no ways inferior to the reports; commodious harbours, an agree¬ able climate, a good soil, and, what was of most consequence, a country that promised from some samples a great abundance of gold ; inhabited by an humane and hospitable people, in a state of simplicity fit to be worked upon. These circumstances determined Columbus to make this island the center of bis de¬ signs, to plant a colony there, and to establish things in some permanent order, before he proceeded to further discoveries. But to carry his designs of a settlement here, and his schemes of future discoveries into execution, it was necessary that he should return to Spain and equip himself with a proper force. He had now collected a sufficient quantity of gold to give cre¬ dit to his voyage at court, and such a number of curiosities of all kinds as might strike the imaginations, and engage the at¬ tention of the people. Before he parted, he took care to secure the friendship of the principal king of the island by caresses and presents, and under pretence of leaving him a force sufficient to assist him against his enemies, he laid the ground-work of a ' c colon}-.

colonv. He built a fort, and put a small garrison of Spaniards into it, with such directions for their conduct as might have ensured their safety and the good offices of the inhabitants, if the men had not been of that kind, who are incapable of acting prudently, either from their own or other people’s wisdom. He did every thing to gain the esteem of the natives, by the justice, and even generosity of his dealings, and the politeness and hu¬ manity with which he behaved upon every occasion. He shew¬ ed them too, that though it was not in his will, it was not the less in his power to do them mischief, if they acted so as to force him upon harsher measures. The surprizing effects of his cannon, and the sharpness of the Spanish swords, of which he made an innocent ostentation, convinced them of this.

When the Spaniards first arrived in that country, they were taken for men come from heaven ; and it was no wonder, con¬ sidering the extreme novelty of their appearance, and the pro¬ digious superiority they had in every respect over a people in all the nakedness of uncultivated nature. Whatever therefore the Indians got from them, they valued in an high degree, not only as curious and useful, but even as things sacred. The persons of tile Spaniards were respected in the same light. Columbus, who knew the value of opinion, did all he could to keep them in their error; and indeed no action of his, either of weakness or cruelty, could furnish matter to undeceive them. For which reason, on his departure, he left the people with the best inclinations imaginable to nurse his infant colon}'. And when he desired some of the inhabitants to carry into Spain, he was more at a loss whom he should accept, than how he should prevail upon them to go.

CHAP.

EUROPEAN SETTLEMENTS IN' AMERICA.

Chap. II

THE DISCOVERY OF THE CARIBBEES.—COLUMBUS RETURNS TO ECROrE.— HIS BEHAVIOUR AT LISBON.-HIS RECEPTION AT BARCELONA BY FERDI¬ NAND AND ISABELLA.—SECOND VOYAGE OF COLUMBUS.-TIIE CONDITION

OF THE SPANIARDS IN HISPANIOLA.-THE CITY OF ISABELLA BUILT, AN I)

A SPANISH COLONY SETTLED.—A VOYAGE FOR BETTER DISCOVERING THU

On his return homewards, still attentive to his design, he aim¬ ed at such discoveries as could be prosecuted without deviating considerably from his course. He touched upon several islands to the southward, and discovered theCaribbees, of the barbarity of whose inhabitants he had heard terrible accounts in Hispa¬ niola. He had before landed upon Cuba in his passage from the Bahamas. So that in his first voyage, he gained a general knowledge of all the islands, which lie in such an astonishing number in that great sea which divides North and South Ame¬ rica. But hitherto he neither knew nor suspected any conti¬ nent between him and China.

lie returned to Europe after an absence of above six months, and was driven by a great storm into the harbour of Lisbon. This he did not look upon as a misfortune; since here, he had the satisfaction of convincing the Portuguese demonstratively of what an error they were guilty, in rejecting his proposals. It was now his turn to triumph. Those who want sagacity to discern the advantages of an offer, when it is made to them¬ selves, and treat it with the greatest scorn, are always most stung with envy when they actually see these advantages in the hands of another. The Portuguese had some time before this,

LN account of the begun to make a figure: their ships had coasted Africa for a greater length than any had done before them, which opened to them a profitable trade to Guinea. This gave them a repu¬ tation. They considered discovery as their proper province; and they were enraged to see that the Castilians were now let into the same path, in consequence of an offer which they had rejected. Some proposed to murder the admiral; but all were agreed to treat him in the most unworthy manner. However, their design of insulting him gave Columbus an opportunity at once of gratifying his resentment, maintaining his own dignity, and asserting the honour of the flag of Castile. lie sent to the king at his first entering the harbour, to desire a libel ty to come up to Lisbon and refresh, as he had Ins master's orders not to avoid his ports; adding, that he was not from Guinea, but the Indie.',. An officer of the king of Portugal came aboard him with an armed force, and ordered him to come ashore, and give an account of himself to the king’s officers. Columbus told him he had the honour of serving the king of Castile, and would own himself accountable to no other. The Portuguese tb.cn desired him to send the master of his ship; this he likewise refused, saving, that the admirals of Castile always chose rather to die than deliver up themselves, or even the meanest of their men ;

and if violence was intended, lie was prepared to meet force

with force. A spirited behaviour, in almost any circumstance of strength, is the most politic as well as the most honourable course; we preserve a respect at least by it, and with that we generally preserve every thing; but when we lose respect, every thing is lost. We invite rather than suffer insults, and the first is the oniv one we can resist with prudence. Columbus found this ; the officer did not pursue his demand ; the admiral had all the refreshments he wanted ; and was even received at court with particular marks of distinction.

From

From Lisbon he proceeded to Seville ; the court was then at Barcelona. But before he went to give an account of his voyage, he took_ all the care he could to provide for another, lie wrote an abstract of his proceedings, and sent with it a memorial of all such things as were necessary for the establish¬ ment of a colony, and fc. further discoveries. Soon after he began his journey to Barcelona,, every where followed by the admiration and applauses of the people, who crowded to see him from all parts. He entered the city in a sort of triumph. And certainly there never was a more innocent triumph, nor one that formed a more new and pleasing spectacle. He had not de¬ stroyed, but discovered nations. The Americans he brought with him appeared in all the uncouth finery of their own country, wondered at by every body, and themselves admiring every thing they saw. The several animals, many highly beau¬ tiful, and all strangers to this part of the world, were so dis¬ posed as to be seen without difficulty ; the other curiosities of the new world were displayed in the most advantageous manner; the utensils, the arms, and the ornaments of a people so remote from us in situation, and manners^ some valuable for the ma¬ terials ; even the rudeness of the workmanship in many made them but the more curious, when it was considered by whom, and with what instruments they were wrought. The gold was not forgot. The admiral himself closed the procession. He was received by the king and queen with all imaginable marks of esteem and regard, and they ordered a magnificent throne to be erected, in public to do him the greater honour. A chair was prepared for him, in which he sat, and gave, in presence of the whole court, a full and circumstantial account of all his dis¬ coveries, with that composedness and gravity, which is so ex¬ tremely agreeable to the Spanish humour, and with the modesty of a man who knows be has done things which do not need to

be iX ACCOUNT OF THE lie proclaimed by himself. The successful merit of Columbus was understood by every body ; and when the king and queen led the way. all the grandees and nobility of the court vied with each other in their civilities and caresses.

These honours did not satisfy Columbus. He prepared with a!! expedition for a second voyage. The difficulties attending the hrst were all vanished. The importance of the object ap¬ peared even,- day more clearly, and the court was willing to second the vivacity of his desires to the full. Eut before his departure, there was one thing which they judged wanting to give them a clear and unquestionable right to the countries, which should be discovered. This was a grant of them from the pope. The Portuguese some time before had a grant of such lands as they should discover within certain latitudes; and this grant made a similar one to the Spaniards appear the more necessary. The pope accordingly gave a Very ample bull in their favour, ven - liberallv conceding countries, of which he was so far from having any possession that he had no knowledge of them. The limits of this grant was a line drawn from pole to pole, an hun¬ dred leagues to the westward of the Azores. On the other side no bounds at all were set. This was afterwards a subject of much controversy between the crowns of Spain and Portugal, the latter having got a grant of all that should be discovered to the east, as the former had of all to the westward; those who drew the bulls not having known enough of the figure of the earth to see, that these grants must necessarily clash; and the powers which desired them, were perhaps not sorry to find their pretensions such as they might extend or contract at pleasure.

Whatever the validity of this ample grant might be, Colum¬ bus was made governor with the highest authority over all that it contained. But he had somewhat with him more material -for his possession than any charters. This was a fleet of seven.

teen teen sail of ships, with all manner of necessaries for settlement or conquest, and fifteen hundred men on board, some of them of the best families in Spain. With this fleet he set sail on his second voyage the 25th of September, 1493. He gave each of the captains instructions for their course sealed, with orders not to open them, unless in distress, and separated from the fleet, that he might create such an absolute dependence of all upon himself, as should preserve an uniformity in their designs. On the second of November they made land, which is the island now called Dominica. But his design was first to settle his colony before he attempted any new discovery ; therefore he made no stay here, nor at several other islands at which he touched before lie could make Hispaniola.

On his arrival he found the fort he had built utterly demo¬ lished, and all his men killed. The Spaniards had first fallen out amongst themselves, upon the usual subjects of strife, wo¬ men and gold ; and afterwards preserving as little harmony with the natives, and observing no decency in their behaviour, or justice in their dealings, they quickly lost their esteem, and were every man murdered, after having been dispersed into dif¬ ferent parts of the island. The prince, whom they were left to defend, was himself wounded in their defence, and bore this mark of his affection and good faith, when Columbus returned to the island. The admiral very wisely forbore to make any nice enquiry into the affair, or to commence hostilities in re¬ venge for the loss of his soldiers; but he took the most effectual measures to prevent such an evil for the future ; he chose a more commodious station for his colony, on the north-east part of the island, which had a good port, great conveniency of water, and a good soil, and lay near that where he was in¬ formed the richest mines of the country were found : in gra¬ titude to his royal patroness,, he called it Isabella. He en¬ gaged