hended a cazique, whom, with his brother, they sent to the admiral in irons, for breach of trust. Another cazique, relying on the services he had done the Spaniards, accompanied the prisoners to Isabella, in order to intercede for their liberation. The admiral received him courteously, and, to enhance the value of the favour he intended to grant, commanded the delinquents to be brought out for execution. The mediator, with a flood of tears, begged for their lives, which were granted to his friendship and solicitations. Immediately after their release, a person on horseback arrived from St. Thomas's, who told him he had rescued four Spaniards, who had been taken by the cazique's subjects by way of reprisal, and that 400 persons fled at the very sight of his horse.

May discovered plenty of gold.

Columbus having made preparations for a new expedition, left a council, of which his brother was president, to govern in his absence. He then sailed to Cuba; and on the 3d of Jamaica, where he was informed there was This island appeared beautiful in the extreme. A number of natives came on board to barter provisions for toys. Coasting along the shore, he sent out his boats to sound, when they were unexpectedly surrounded by armed canoes. The Spaniards, however, not being intimidated, saluted the assailants with a flight of arrows, by which several were wounded, and the rest fled with precipitation. The admiral having repaired his ship, stood over, again, for Cuba, determined to discover whether it was an island or a continent.The same time a young Jamaica Indian requested to accompany Columbus to Spain; and, in spite of the remonstrances of his countrymen and friends, persisted in his resolution. It is needless to say he met with a kind reception.

Having reached the point of Cuba, which he denominated Cabo de Santa Cruz, he was overtaken by a dreadful storm of thunder and lightning. He found the whole sea in this quarter interspersed with little sandy islands, which render the navigation very dangerous. Close to the shore, some of them, however, were very pleasant; and therefore he styled them the Queen's Garden. On these, they saw scarlet-coloured cranes, abundance of turtles, and an infinite quantity of sing

ing birds. The very air was impregnated with fragrance, and the senses were recreated with delight.

In one of the channels separating these islands, they observed some fishermen in a canoe, exercising their vocation after a new and curious form. A string being tied round the tail of some small fishes, called reves, which had been taught to encounter their fellows of the deep, by clinging fast to them, both are drawn up together. The Spaniards saw them catch a tortoise by this means; the reve being wound round its neck. It is said that these decoy fishes will sometimes attack sharks of the largest size. The Indians made a present to the admiral of the fish they had caught; for which he gave them a suitable return. He now began to be in great want of provisions; and his health was much impaired by fatigue, and want of rest, which he could not venture to enjoy amid such a dangerous navigation.

On the 22d of May, Columbus landed on one of these larger, surrounding islands, to which he gave the name of St. Mary. Here he entered a town, abandoned by the inhabitants; where he found nothing but fish and dogs. Continuing his voyage to the north-east, he became still more embarrased by the vast number of flats and islands which opened in unvaried succession to his view. With all his precautions the ship was frequently aground; and seeing no probable termination of the dangers he incessantly encountered, he was induced to relinquish his design of making the circuit of the island, till he should return to Spain,

The admiral now touched again at Cuba. On this occasion one of the mariners having ascended a tree, saw about 30 persons armed with spears and staves called macanas; and among them one clad in a white vest, reaching to his knees, and carried by two men drest in a similar manner, with complexions as fair as Spaniards. As these Indians hastily retired, Columbus next day sent several people on shore to ascertain the truth of this report, but without success.

Some canoes coming off with a supply of water and provisions, one of the Indians was detained as an interpreter; on promise, however, of being set at liberty as soon as he had

given the intelligence required. From him the admiral was given to understand, that Cuba was an island; that the king never deigned to address his subjects but by signs; and that the surrounding coast was low, and full of islets.

Next day they fell in with such a number of turtles, that they actually covered the sea; while the sun was darkened by a cloud of sea-crows. They likewise saw such swarms of butterflies, that the face of the day was obscured from morning till night, when a deluge of rain swept them all away.

On the 13th of June, Columbus anchored in an island about 30 leagues in circumference, which he called Evangelista; and having wooded and watered, directed his course southward; but soon found himself embayed. Returning to to the coast of Cuba, he stood to the eastward; and on the 30th his ship ran aground, and stuck so fast, that it was with great difficulty and some damage she could be got off. While in this vicinity, they were visited by an old cazique, during the celebration of mass. To this service he seemed to pay great attention; and at its conclusion, signified his belief in the existence of a supreme Being, the rewarder of virtue, and the punisher of vice in a future state.

The admiral put again to sea on the 16th of July. The winds and rains considerably incommoded him at first; but as he approached cape Cruz, he was overtaken by such a sudden storm, that before the sails could be furled, the ships were well nigh overset. Nor was this storm the only evil: they had also to contend with famine. Providentially, however, they reached cape Cruz, where the Indians supplied them with cassada bread, and abundance of fish, and store of fruits.Thus refreshed, they stood for Jamaica, and coasting it to the westward, found it furnished with excellent harbours, and replete with inhabitants.

On the 20th of August, Columbus made the south side of Hispaniola, near cape Teberoon, which he then called cape St. Michael. Soon after, a cazique came on board, who accosted him by name, and pronounced some Spanish words. Towards the end of the month, having lost sight of the other two ships under his command, he anchored near the island of

Alto Velo. Here the crew killed eight seals, and caught abundance of pigeons and other birds, which being unaccustomed to the cruelty of man, had not learned the necessity of flying from his approach.

At the end of six days, the missing ship joined. The admiral then coasted along Hispaniola, where they had a view of a spacious plain, so populous, that for a league it seemed to be one continued city; and near it lay a large lake. Here the natives came on board; and informed them that the colony at Isabella was well. This pleasant information being received, he dispatched nine men across the island, to inform the planters of his arrival on the coast. Proceeding eastward, he sent his boats ashore for water, near a populous town, whence the inhabitants sallied with bows and poisoned arrows, to oppose a landing. They even produced some ropes, with which they menaced to bind the intruders; but seeing the Spaniards advance without dismay, they threw away their arms, and made a tender to the admiral of all they possessed.

Observing an uncommon fish of great magnitude sporting in the waves, and judging from other indications, that a storm was approaching, the admiral wished to find a place of security to anchor in; and had the good fortune to discover an island, near the east part of Hispaniola, called by the natives Adamanai. --Here being sheltered, he observed an eclipse of the moon, which was followed by a tempest for some days successively. Having weathered the storm, and reached the eastern point of Hispaniola, he passed over to a little island, named Mona by the Indians; and in his passage from thence to St. John de Borriquen, he was seized with a pestilential and lethargic fever, which soon deprived him of his memory and reason. In this dilemma, his people resolved to proceed to Isabella, where they arrived in five days; and the admiral recovered his senses, on the fever leaving him; but was long in a feeble convalescent state.

At Isabella he had the felicity of finding his brother Bartholomew, who on leaving the court of England, where, we have previously mentioned, he had been in treaty, received intelligence from Charles, king of France, of his brother's VOL. I.

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success; and, by this monarch, he was supplied with 100 crowns to prosecute his journey to Spain. Unfortunately, the admiral had sailed on his second expedition before his arrival at Seville; but their catholic majesties soon enabled him to pursue the same track with a fleet of three ships. Bartholomew was constituted, by the admiral, governour of the Indies. This title occasioned some dispute, and exposed Columbus to the obloquy of his adversaries. The difference was, however, compromised; and he was allowed to bear the appellation of lieutenant of the Indies. Thus, though the power was the same, the word that expressed it was changed. Man has always been the dupe of terms.

The society and assistance of Bartholomew was a real consolation to the admiral, who by the misconduct of Peter Margarite, found himself involved in quarrels with the natives. This insolent officer, instead of obeying the orders of Columbus, encamped with the party with which he had been entrusted to traverse the country, about 10 leagues from Isabella, whence he dispatched menacing letters to the council. Finding it impossible to usurp the supreme direction as he wished, and dreading the return of the admiral, he embarked in the first ship bound for Spain, leaving his men without a leader. These following their own inclinations dispersed about the country, robbed the natives, carried off the women, and committed such atrocities as alienated the affections of the Indians, and induced them to think of revenge.

Indeed, had the caziques and their dependent lords been firmly united, they might easily have emancipated themselves from the Spanish yoke. But jealousy will always prevent unanimity among rival powers, even where their interest is the same. Guacanagari continued firm in his professions, and had even incurred the resentment of his brother sovereigns, for the faithful part he had acted. A neighbouring cazique had killed one of his women; Caunaba, the lord of the mines, had stolen a second: to revenge the death of the one, and to recover the other, he earnestly implored assistance. The admiral, out of gratitude, undertook to redress his wrongs. Besides he had an interest in fomenting dissensions between the Indian