Columbus and the New world

Front matter

Gopyriglit]^^

PICTORIAt

ETCHING PHOTOGRAVURE STEEL

Chapter I

The Adversities of Columbus and his Environments — Spirit of the Inquisition — Chivalry of Spain — A niarvelously superstitious age — Intolerance and bigotry — Nativitj' of Columbus — The Colombo family — Among the Mediterranean pirates — Fury of predatory JNIoors — Columbus is shipwrecked — The Arch-Pirate — Columbus a sea-rover — His marriage — The paradise of Porto Santo — A pest of rabbits — Brilliant conceptions born on Porto Santo — Marco Polo's travels — Early beliefs respecting the size and shape of the earth — Previous discoveries of America — Story of the Zenis — Identification of the lands found by ancient explorers — Strange relics cast up by the sea — Toscanelli's commendation — Some wonderful stories 33-49

Chapter II

Significance of his Name Leads Coi^umbus to Serious Reflections— His trip to Iceland — The Scandinavian Sagas — Columbus in search of assistance — The appeal to Genoa — The self-sufficiency of Columbus — His visit to Portugal — Summoned before a Portuguese Junta — Perfidy of King John — Voyage by the Portuguese— King John's ships assailed by demons— Anger of the king — Bartholomew sails for England to solicit aid — Return of Columbus to Genoa 50-59

Chapter III

Columbus Proceeds to Spain— War for the expulsion of the Jloors — Columb^s halts for food at a convent — Graciously xxii CONTENTS.

PAGB

entertained by the Franciscan Father — Feudalism in the middle ages — Helpful counsel of Father Perez — Resolution of Columbus to appeal to France — Persuaded to present his requests to the Spanish sovereigns — Seeking royalty in the camp — Second marriage of Columbus — He secures an interview with the Archbishop of Spain — Brought before Ferdinand — The Congress of Salamanca — The Thralldom of Prelacy — Columbus before the Spanish Junta — -Rejection of his schemes — Rene-wal of his appeal to King John — Surrender of Granada — Second rejection of his proposals 60-74

Chapter IV. •

Materia!^ Hei^p from an Unexpected Source — Columbus retires to the convent of La Rabida — Epistolary appeal of Father Juan to Isabella — A journey through winter's snows • — Extraordinary devotion of the Prior — Suri'ender of the last Moorish stronghold — Columbus simmioned before Isabella — Conditions stipulated by Columbus — Indignation of the Commissioners — The sun goes down upon his hopes — Daybreak of joy over the mountain of despair — The Queen sends a messenger to recall Columbus — The Queen concludes terms with Columbus — Ships and sailors ordered to be impressed for the voyage — Traditions of horrible specters of the tmknown sea — A panic in Palos — Consternation among the sailors — The Pinzon Brothers — Equipment of the first expedition — Ships engaged and the men who composed the crews — Expectations of Columbus 75-90

Chapter V

Departure for the Unknown Wori^d of the Sea — Sorrowing friends take their leave — Auspicious beginning of the voyage — Out on the raging sea — Dangers of fact and fancy — Fears of Portugal's interference — The flames of Tophet — Cowardice of the seamen— Signs of approaching land— Deflection of the needle gives rise to fresh fears— Specters of the imagination — Impeded by a sea of vegetation — A false cry — A growing prejudice that develops into mutinous spirit — Additional evidence that land is not far off — Promise of reward — Land ! Land ! — A delirium of thankfulness — A light seen

CONTENTS. xxlii flitting along an unknown shore — Who was the first real discoverer ? 91-101

Chapter VI

Landing on thk Shores op the New V^.-^ri^d — A marvelous vision — Ceremonies of occupation — The prayer of Columbus — Intercoiirse with the natives — Descriptions of their appearance and customs — Believe the Spaniards to be visitors from heaven — Dreadful abuses of the Spaniards — Belief of Columbus respecting his discovery — Natives kidnaped to serve as guides — Columbus' adventure with a horrid monster — The lust for gold — Avarice and cruelty of Columbus — Discovery of other islands — Ivanding on the shores of Cuba — An excursion into the interior — Something about the natives — A visit to native villages — An embassy to a chief — Products of the country — Marvelous tales — Results of a visit to the Cacique — The mythical gold country of Babeque — The desertion of Pinzon — Wonderful stories about imaginary people — Capture of a native woman — Communication with the natives of Hayti — Customs and hospitality of the Haytians — A visit in state from the Cacique — Exchange of valuable presents — Loss of the Santa J\[aria — Generous help of the natives — Christianity and Haytian religion — A display of Spanish arms — An entertainment provided by the natives— Deternnnati on to found a colony in Hayti — Building of Fort La Natividad — Columbus counsels the colonists — Affectionate parting between Columbus and Guacanagari — The departure for Spain. 102-132

Chapter VII

A Meeting with the Deserter — Golden visions of Columbus — Alternating hopes and fears — -Misgivings as to Pinzon 's purposes — Pinzon 's story — A fight with the natives — In quest of the country of the Caribs — In the calm latitude — A terrible storm — Separation of the vessels — Despair suggests vows of penance — A melancholy lottery — A package which the ocean refuses to give up — In sight of the Azores — Saved at last — A shirt-tail procession — Trouble with the Portuguese — Departure from the Azores — Another terrible storm — Demons of Satanic hate — Vows of penance — Safe in the providence of God — Arrival at the estuary of the Tagus — Reception by King xxiv CONTENTS.

John — A priiicelj' entertainment — Columbus has an audience with the King — The mad designs of John — Scheme to rob Cohimbus of the fruits of his discoveries — Arrival at Palos. . . 133-152

Chapter VIII

RECKIVIN'G Thk Pl,AUDiTS OF A GRATEFUL NATiON—Joyful demonstrations in Palos — Meeting between Columbus and the father of La Rabida — Return of the Pinta, and disgrace of Pinzon — The sad story of a perfidious and ambitious man — Transmission to the King of reports of the discoveries — Communication with the Pope — Columbus' journey to Seville — Extraordinary demonstrations — The scene in Barcelona — A wonderful procession — Columbus in the zenith of his glory — Splendors of the Royal Court provided for his reception — • Columbus tells the story of his voyage to p-erdinand and Isabella — His dreams of yet greater triumphs — His ambition to reclaim the Holy Sepulchre — A glance at the conditions that surrounded him — Dazzled by gtories of wealth in the kingdom of Cathay — A glory that dimmed the luster even of royalty — Granted a new coat-of-arnis — Decision of the question, Who was first to sight land ? — Disappointment of a poor sailor — Other things to be accomplished — Preparations for a second voyage — The moral of the standing egg — King John chafing under lost opportimity — How the Pope settled a grave question — A rush of volunteers — Letters of agreement between Columbus and his Sovereigns — The fleet appointed to sail from Cadiz — A battle of intrigue and diplomacy — Spain obtains the decree of possession 153-177

Chapter IX

Equipment of the Second Expedition — Beginning of the troubles which envious rivalry created — Adventurers of every kind join the expedition — The jealousy of Fonseca rebuked by Isabella — A representative of the Pope accompanies Columbus — Vicar Buyl and I'riar Perez — Other distinguished members of the expedition — Great demonstrations made at the fleet's departure — Out on the wide sea — Discovery of an Archipelago — Visit to islands of the West Indies — Among the Caribbee natives — Butcher-shops where human flesh was sold — A

CONTENTS. XXV horrible sight among Carib cannibals — Some of their dreadful customs — Myth of the Amazonian islanders — Govennnent and home-life of the Caribs — Lost in the gloomy forests — A fight with the natives — Captives who were waiting their turn to be eaten — A native boy having the face of a lion — Other discoveries — In search of the colony left at La Natividad — A visit from four Caciques — Discoveries that aroused great fears — Story of the massacre of the garrison— Relics of the murdered Spaniards — Depravity of the colonists cause their destruction — A tale of almost inconceivable lust and avarice — Particulars of the massacre — The native chief falls in love — An elopement with a queen 1 78-205

Chapter X

Courage that Overcame ali. Adverse Circumstances — Awakening to new conditions — Disappointments of the Cavaliers — An expedition to the gold mines — Welcomed by the Indians — The gold district of Cibao — A report calculated to deceive the Sovereigns — Comments of Ferdinand and Isabella — Columbus recommends enslavement of the natives — Enforcing Christianity through bondage — Columbus sends liome a cargo of slaves — The lust for gold unsatisfied — Sedition shows its horrid head — Overcoming the mutinous spirits — The star of Columbus begins to wane — Anxiet}' over Portugal's activity — Return to the gold mines of Cibao — Fertility and beauty of the Royal Plain — Pass of the Hidalgos — Triumphal and pompous entrance into the native villages — False security of the Indians — Construction of Fort St. Thomas — Abuses of the garrison — Outrages perpetrated upon the natives — Chief Caonabo arouses the Indians to vengeance — Afflictions that came upon the colonists — A horrible condition of affairs — Preparations for another expedition to the interior — A perfidious act severely punished 206-230

Chapter XI

Pursuing the Goi<den Ignis Fatuus — Columbus renews his quest for the kingdom of Cathay — Visit to a native village — Pvxploring the coast of Cuba — The gold country of Babeque — Other discoveries — A fight with the Indians — Generosity of xxvi CONTENTS.

PAGE

the Cubans — A curious method of fishing — Reports of people with tails — Startled Vjy spectral figures in the forests — Prester John the Magnificent — Delightful anticipations dispelled by harsh events — A great mistake — Discontent among the sailors — A Cacique teaches the law of the Golden Rule — Religion of the natives — Columbus tells the natives of the splendors of Spain — A Cacique pleads for permission to accompany Columbus—Stricken down with a strange illness — The imfaltering care of Father Juan — Meeting between Columbus and his brother — A remarkable story of adventure — A sad disappointment 231-246

Chapter XII

First Subjugation of the Indians —The outrages of Margarite — Horrible abuses practiced on the natives — Rebellion of Margarite and Vicar Buyl — They depart for Spain — A bloody retribution — Massacre of a garrison — Murder of the beautiful Catalina — Confederation of the native chiefs — Siege of Fort St. Thomas — A brave man's self-denial — A hazardous enterprise — Strategic capture of Caonabo by Ojeda — A battle and repulse of the natives — A communication to their Majesties — The first ship-load of slaves — Hostilities renewed — Use of bloodhounds in running down and killing the natives — A furious charge of Spanish cavalry — An appalling spectacle — The relentless grasp of Spain 247-264

Chapter XIII

Enslavement of the Natives to Gratify Spanish Greed — The insatiate desire for gold — Terrible exactions demanded of the natives — The Indians compelled to pay exorbitant tribute in gold — The pitiless hardships imposed — The Columbian defamers at court — Circumventing the calumniators — Isabella orders the slaves to be returned — A criminal finds a native wife and fortune — The arrogance of Aguado — Efforts to supersede Columbus — A dreadful hurricane — Opening of gold mines of great value — Departvire of the vessels for Spain — Pressed back to the Caribbean Islands — More evidences of cannibalism — In the clutches of an Amazonian princess — Starvation and a mutinous spirit — The Admiral in danger — Death of Caonabo at sea — Arrival at Cadiz 265-2S0

CONTENTS. xxvii

Chapter XIV. Page

RETURN oi? Columbus from his Second Expedition — The fickleness of fame — Columbus prepared to meet his accusers — He proceeds to Burgos to meet the Sovereigns, carrj-ing trophies of his expedition — Reception of Columbus by Isabella — Presentation of the Indian captives — Marriage of Doiia Juana — The urgent needs of Columbus — ^Return of Niiio with false reports — Awakening to sad conditions — Proposals for a third expedition — Dependent on the Queen's bounty — Columbus executes his will — His charitable bequests — Arrangements made for the third voyage — The enmity of Fonseca — The griefs of Isabella — Two relief ships dispatched — Columbus knocks down an insolent Jew — Effects of this display of anger. 281-290

Chapter XV

Departure of the Third Expedition — Purposes of the third voyage — Horrible suffering in the calm latitude — Alarms of the superstitious crews — Discovery of the South American Continent — Wariness of the natives — A spat with the Indians — The mouth of the serpent — A terrible tidal wave — Out of the mouth of the serpent into the jaws of the dragon — Landing on the continent — An excursion to the interior — Entertained by a chief — On the borders of paradise — A profitable intercourse with the natives — In the land of pearls — Return to San Domingo — Columbus a physical wreck 291-302

Chapter XVI

Conduct of the Coi^onists During Columbus' Absence — Fortress of the golden town — Famine among the Spaniards — Collecting the tribute — Founding of San Domingo — Anacaona, the poetess queen — A visit to the queen — Wonderful reception by beautiful women — A fairy scene — Presentation of the queen — A grand banquet — Don Bartholomew falls in love — Eating the iguana lizard — A fatal sham battle — Poverty and crime at Fort Isabella — The natives forced to labor for the Spaniards — A system of fortifications — Effects of converting the natives to Christianity — Baptism of a chief — A chief's wife debauched by an officer — Destruction of a chapel — Conspiracy of the natives discovered — Capture of fourteen Caciques xxviii CONTENTS.

— Execution of two Chiefs — The rebellion of RoUlaii — Stirring up the natives to make war on Bartholomew — Arrival of the supply ships — A conspiracy to massacre the Spaniards — Destruction of Indian villages— Capture of the rebellious Chiefs — A terrible condition of affairs 303-321

Chapter XVII

The Conspiracy of Roi^dan Assume.s Dangerous Proportions— His quarters in the sensual paradise of Xaragua — The rebels miexpectedly reinforced — Roldan's duplicity — Alluring inducements — Temporizing with a rebel — Columbus deeply distressed — Ojeda's expedition to South America — A fight for the hand of the native princess — The execution of Moxica — Columbus superseded by Bobadilla — Fettered with his brother he is cast into a dungeon — Brave in the hour of adversity — Columbus sent to Spain loaded with chains — His reception by Isabella — Substantial token of his confidence — A touching interview with the queen — Deposed from the governorship of Hispaniola — Columbus is superseded by Ovando ^Dreams of conquest and the reclamation of Jerusalem — Magnificence of Granada 322-339

Chapter XVIII

Preparations for a Fourth Voyage — Purposes of the last expedition — Disappointment and chagrin of Don Diego — Departure of the fleet — Refused permission to land at Hispaniola — A fearful tempest — Destruction of the ships of Ovando, and loss of Bobadilla and Roldan — Providential escape of Columbus — Resumption of the voyage — Weapons, implements and costumes of the Guana jans — Stories of a great nation — Meeting with natives of Central America — Voyage along the coast of Honduras — Frightful appearance of the Indian.s — Safe from the storm — Magicians of the Darien coast — Death threatenings of a waterspout — Columbus exorcises the spirits of the storm — A moment of extraordinary peril — A visit from a treacherous Chief — A military post estaljlished — Plot to burn the ships and destroy the Spaniards— Perilous undertaking of two Spanish spies — Visit to the Palace of Ouibian — Surrounded by human skulls — Attacked by the Chief's son — A desperate expedient— Battle with the Indians— Massacre of

CONTENTS. XXIX eleven Spaniards — A marvelous escape — Escape of the Indian prisoners — Suicide of a body of captives — Extraordinary exploit of a Biscayan — Relief and rescue of the beleaguered garrison — Departure from Veragua — Columbus sees a vision — Prostrated by disease 340-359

Chapter XIX

Departure oe the Ii^l-fated Expedition — Accumulating misfortunes — Crazy condition of the ships — A letter reflecting the Admiral's despair — The ships grounded on the coast of Jamaica — A desperate situation — A brave man found for the occasion — Mendez undertakes an ocean passage in a canoe— A journey of incomparable hazard — Successful accomplishment of his mission — A meeting of the crew — Secession of De Porras — Conspiracy to kill Columbus — The bravery of Bartholomew — Indians forced to attempt a passage to Hispaniola — Horrible cruelty of the mutineers — De Porras compelled to return to the shore — He incenses the natives by acts of violence — The Indians awed by an eclipse of the moon — Another meeting dispelled by the sight of a ship — Hope of release gives place to despair — De Porras prepares to attack Columbus — A battle with the mutineers — Valor of Don Bartholomew — Defeat of the rebels and capture of De Porras — Relief at last — The return to San Domingo — Columbus joyfully received 360-375

Chapter XX

Abuses and Horrors undp:r Ovando's Rule — The revenues of Columbus are wasted and he is left penniless^-Story of the adventurers who accompanied Ovando — Affairs on the island during the absence of Columbus — Hard labor and famine decimate the colonists — The Indians reduced to slavery under the lash — Pitiful tales of their hardships — Dying by the wayside — Invasion of Xaragua — Inhuman atrocities — Groundless complaints — Hospita1)le reception by Queen Anacaona — The damnable plot of Ovando — A frightful massacre of the defenseless natives — Persecution and death of Cotabanama — Retribution that only brought the Indians to more dreadful punishment — Columbus sails for Spain — His efforts to find re-

XXX CONTENTS.

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dress for his wrongs — Too weak to walk, he is borne on a litter from his ship — Though failing rapidly, his ambitious spirit still aspires to other achievements 376-3S7

Chapter XXI

Last Days ok Columbus— The world's lack of appreciation — The true measure of greatjiess — A victim to envy, malice and avarice — The friends that remained steadfast to the end — Persistent efforts to recover the rights of which he had been basely defrauded — The mendacity of Ferdinand — Day after day of vain pleading brings the great Admiral nearer his grave — The last sad hours of Isabella — Poor heart, broken with an accumulation of unbearable griefs, she lays down the crown — Her death and sepulture — Columbus thus loses a great friend — He is now only a broken-down old man, who is no longer an object of interest — A pathetic appeal to the honor of a perfidioiis king — Hope long deferred maketli the heart sick — The last golden dream of the dying Admiral — Death of Columbus — The infamous tactics of Ferdinand prove successful — Pompous funeral ceremonies, a poor dumb show of kingly ingratitude 3SS-403

Chapter XXII

Careers of the Colujibian Descendants— The perfidy of Ferdinand continues — The heirs of Columbus are denied the rights and benefits conferred by will — Presentation of the claims of Don Diego — Advantageous marriage of Diego — He is permitted to bear the title of Admiral — Contention over ' the governorship of the West Indies — The courts decide in his favor — He departs for the Indies and assumes the viceroyalty — Fonseca's war against Diego — Death of Don Bartholomew — Introduction of slaves from Africa — Career of the other descendants — Death of Don Luis — The ancient house of Cuccaro 404-414

CHAPTER XXIIL

Discovery and Conquest oe Mexico — Vasco da Gama finds a sea route to India — His reception by the Zamorin — Rivalry between Spain and Portugal — Spain's efforts to colonize the

CONTENTS. xxxi

PAGE

West Indies — fhe conquest of Cuba — Hernando Cortez the wild rover — Founding of Havana — Cortez made secretary to Valasquez — A remarkable escapade — Cortez placed in command of an exploring expedition — He reaches the shores of Mexico — Story of his exploit of subjugation — On the shores of Yucatan — A battle with the natives — Terrible slaughter of Indians — Cortez marries a native Indian 415-427

Chapter XXIV

Emissaries of Montezuma Visit Cortez — Hospitably treated by the natives — An interview with the Indian governor — Cupidity excited by displays of gold — Montezuma loads Cortez with presents — Decision to march upon the Mexican capital — A pretense to convert the country to Christianity — A council set up by Cortez — In the chief city of the Totonacs — Cortez gathers a native army — Custom of sacrificing human victims — Bloody religion of the Aztecs — The place and means of sacrifice — An act of astonishing perfidy — Indian maidens become wives to the Spaniards — Destruction of Totonac idols — Acceptance of the Catholic religion — Cortez destroys his ships — The conquest entered upon 428-440

Chapter XXV

The March to Mexico — A wonderful country — Imposing architecture and beautiful fields — Meeting with the Tlascalans — A bloody battle follows — Effects of the artillery fire — Cortez in great danger — One hundred thousand natives against four hundred Spaniards — A frightful slaughter — Again assailed by a still greater force — The slaughter is repeated — An alliance formed with the Tlascalans 441-450

Chapter XXVI

A Triumphai, March — Cortez acquaints himself with the resources of the empire — Montezuma sends many valuable presents — Cortez is requested to withdraw from Mexican soil — His determination to subjugate the country is thereby conceived — Obsequious messages from Montezuma — Massacre of the Cholulans — The mighty temples of Cholula — Magnitude of the city — A luxurious country — First sight of the xxxii CONTENTS.

PACK

Mexican capital — A scene of bewildering splendor — Appearance of the Emperor, Montezuma — The Spaniards welcomed to Mexico — Cortez presses request that liimian sacrifices be abandoned — Fear inspired by firing of cannons 451-462

Chapter XXVII

Thk vSpaniards are; Placed in Jeopardy — Cortez visits the palace — The great pyramid of human sacrifice — A Christian chapel set wp — Suspicion aroused — Montezuma seized as a hostage — Burning of native chiefs in the market-place — The Spanish build brigantines to facilitate escape — Resolved to overthrow the bloody religion of Mexico — Cortez meets and defeats a force of Spaniards sent against him — His force increased by the prisoners taken — A slaughter of Mexicans while at religious devotions — A furious attack upon the Spaniards — Wounding of Montezuma — Hand-to-hand fight on the tower — The Spaniards retreat through a hail of arrows — A night of terrible agony — Forty Spaniards taken prisoners and sacrificed to Mexican gods 463-478

Chapter XXVIII

The Flower Glory Plucked from the Bed of Defeat — Cortez's first effort ends disastrously — Recruits an army from the Totonacs — Induces another independent expedition to join him — A plague of smallpox — Renews the siege of IMexico — A battle upon the lake — The Spaniards fall into a trap — Another gory sacrifice of prisoners — Starvation compels resort to cannibalism — Capture of the Emperor — A noble sovereign — Honors follow the siege — Torture of Guatemozin — Mexicans are reduced to slavery — Reconstruction of the capital — Complete conquest of the nation — Suspicious death of Cortez's wife — Fatal rebellion of Oled — A march characterized by incredible sufferings — Executions on the waj- — Cortez embarks for Cuba — Accused by his enemies — Reduced to poverty and shame — The last days of Cortez — His remains often transferred 479-497

COLUMBUS AND THE NEW WORLD.

Chapter I

The story of Columbus is at once an epic and an elegy ; a narration of bold conception, persistent courage, heroic attainment, mingled with the gall of national ingratitude and the malevolence of personal jealousies. The adventures of the Homeric Ulysses were not more illustrious with valor ; the afflictions of Niobe were not more tearful with despair. East and west of his life there were bitterness and shadows : radiant Hope tip-toeing on the pedestal of wondrous accomplishment, and Faith bowing with grief before envious and invidious rivalry. No character in the world's history was ever more highly honored for chivalrous achievement ; none more maligned by perfidy or oppressed by the spitefulness of malice. He was a product of the brave days of old, yet was he a victim to the spirit that gave birth to intolerance and persecution ; for the heroism that sought a reclamation of the holy sepulcher ; that produced Ruy Diaz Campeador (the Cid) ; that measured lances with Mohammed-al-Nasir on the decisive and bloody field of Las Navas de Tolosa, was twin brother to that purblind theopathy that established and energized the Inquisition.

If we consider the slavishly superstitious, the intolerantly bigoted, the audaciously savage age in which he lived, which was characterized by the most desperate impulses, we 3 33 will be prepared to understand and to appreciate the disposition and proclivities of Columbus ; to applaud his courage, and to condone his vices. For he was not without human frailties, as will be shown, but these were national — medieval — rather than personal ; errors of the times rather than passions peculiarly his own. His was an age when so-called civilization saw no wrong in banishing Jews and confiscating their property to convert it to holy purposes ; which believed that true piety and loyalty to God were best manifested by burning heretics at the stake as awful examples, or by torturing the impious until they confessed the vice of their unbelief ; " for," as answered Torquemada, " were it not better to sanctify men through afflictions of .>, the flesh than that they be suffered to continue in their evil ways to the loss of their souls and their damnation through all eternity ? "

Cruel as these horrific measures were, and barbarous as these beliefs appear to us now, they were not the results of human depravity or moral debasement ; so far from this being true, the people were wondrously devout, and it was the intensity of their religious, pietistical fervor that led them to adopt extreme methods for the conversion of all men to the true faith, for they honestly believed that this would alone secure for them salvation and a beatific condition after death. " What," argued they, " is the suffering of the body on this earth, compared with the results that affect tlie endless life in that world to come ? " They accordingly accepted literally that divine injunction which demanded, or required, the sacrifice of eye or hand should they offend, and gave it that broader significance which to them justified a sacrifice of the sinful by any means howsoever cruel.

Though we cannot excuse the slavery that tormented for opinion's sake, yet it is not entirely just to hastily condemn the spirit of the masses, whose pious convictions gave creation to the Inquisition ; for no single Church bears all the odium of persecution, any more than any one people is chargeable with the crime of bigoted intolerance. There have been transition periods in the life of all beliefs, and of all denominations, during which the dominant sect has shown jealousy and injustice. When the time shall come that such a spirit is dead, then may we conclude that there is no difference of opinion, and that the lion and the lamb have laid down in perpetual truce, and universal, enduring peace hath possessed the world.

With this understanding of the animating ambitions of the times, I beg the reader will regard the beliefs and acts of Columbus, since to present a faithful history of his life it is necessary to record many facts which would otherwise put to shame the merited fame which he won, and the results which left us such a glorious heritage — Columbia.

As the greatest men in the world's history have, as a rule, risen from obscurity, Columbus, who perhaps conferred the largest benefits upon mankind, was not an exception, but rather a conspicuous exemplification of the assertion. For so lowly was his birth that little information has been preserved respecting his youth, while his nativity, like the place of his final sepulture, must forever remain a question of contention. The time of his birth is equally a matter of conjecture, various dates being assigned between the years 1435 and 1448, though the preponderance of evidence points to the former, which we shall accordingly adopt. Cuccaro, in Montferrat, and Savona, pretend to the honor of his birth, but the place that with best reason claims his nativity is Genoa, which was probably also the birthplace of his father, whose name was Dominic Columbus, the Latin orthography, or Colombo, as it is written in Italian, or Colon, as it is called in the Spanish. Dominic married a lassie named Susana, who was daughter to one James Fantanarossa, of the village of Bassago, who brought him a small income, but so inadequate to his needs that immediately after marriage he moved to the neighborhood of Genoa, where he set up in a small way as a wool-comber, employing one workman and a single apprentice. The house in which he thus began business, which was at once residence and shop, was just outside the limits of the municipality, and it was here that Christopher was born, and also his three brothers, Bartholomew, Pelligrino, and James afterwards called Don Diego. There was also a daughter, who married a pork butcher named Bavarello, of the vicinity, but her name and place of nativity are unknown.