II.

1492.

BOOK pelled all Ifabella's doubts and fears; fhe or dered Columbus to be inftantly recalled, de clared her refolution of employing him on his own terms, and regretting the low eftate of her finances, generously offered to pledge her own jewels, in order to raise as much money as might be needed in making preparations for the voyage. Santangel, in a transport of gratitude, kiffed the queen's hand, and in order to fave her from having recourse to fuch a mortifying expedient for procuring money, engaged to advance immediately the fum that was requifite °.

The condi

tions of his agreement

COLUMBUS had proceeded fome leagues on his journey, when the meffenger from Ifabella with Spain. overtook him. Upon receiving an account of the unexpected revolution in his favour, he returned directly to Santa Fé, though some remainder of diffidence ftill mingled itself with his joy. But the cordial reception which he met with from Ifabella, together with the near profpect of fetting out upon that voyage which had fo long been the object of his thoughts and wifhes, foon effaced the remembrance of all that he had fuffered in Spain, during eight tedious years of folicitation and fufpenfe. The negociation now went forward with facility and

• Herrera, dec. 1. lib. i. c.8.

dispatch,

II.

1492

dispatch, and a treaty or capitulation with Co- BOOK lumbus was figned on the seventeenth of April, one thoufand four hundred and ninety-two. The chief articles of it were: 1. Ferdinand and Ifabella, as fovereigns of the ocean, constituted Columbus their high admiral in all the feas, iflands, and continents, which fhould be difcovered by his industry; and ftipulated that he and his heirs for ever fhould enjoy this office, with the fame powers and prerogatives which belonged to the high admiral of Castile, within the limits of his jurifdiction. 2. They appointed Columbus their viceroy in all the islands and continents which he fhould discover; but if, for the better administration of affairs, it should hereafter be neceffary to establish a separate governor in any of those countries, they authorised Columbus to name three perfons, of whom they would choose one for that office; and the dignity of viceroy, with all its immunities, was likewife to be hereditary in the family of Columbus. 3. They granted to Columbus and his heirs for ever, the tenth of the free profits accruing from the productions and commerce of the countries which he should difcover. 4. They declared, that if any controverfy or law-fuit fhall arife with respect to any mercantile transaction in the countries which should be discovered, it should be determined by the fole authority of Columbus,

or

II.

1492.

The prepa

rations for

or of judges to be appointed by him. 5. They permitted Columbus to advance one-eighth part of what should be expended in preparing for the expedition, and in carrying on commerce with the countries which he fhould discover, and entitled him, in return, to an eighth part of the profit P.

THOUGH the name of Ferdinand appears conjoined with that of Isabella in this transaction, his distrust of Columbus was ftill fo violent that he refused to take any part in the enterprise as king of Aragon. As the whole expence of the expedition was to be defrayed by the crown of Caftile, Ifabella referved for her fubjects of that kingdom an exclufive right to all the benefits which might redound from its fuccefs.

As foon as the treaty was figned, Isabella, his voyage. by her attention and activity in forwarding the preparations for the voyage, endeavoured to make fome reparation to Columbus for the time which he had loft in fruitlefs folicitation. By the twelfth of May, all that depended upon her was adjusted; and Columbus waited on the king and queen, in order to receive their final inftructions. Every thing respecting the desti

Life of Columbus, c. 15. Herrera, dec, 1. lib. i. c. 9.

hation and conduct of the voyage, they committed implicitly to the difpofal of his prudence. But that they might avoid giving any just cause of offence to the king of Portugal, they strictly enjoined him not to approach near to the Portuguese settlements on the coast of Guinea, or in any of the other countries to which the Portuguese claimed right as difcoverers. Ifabella had ordered the ships, of which Columbus was to take the command, to be fitted out in the port of Palos, a fmall maritime town in the province of Andalufia. As the guardian Juan Perez, to whom Columbus had already been fo much indebted, refided in the neighbourhood of this place, he, by the influence of that good ecclefiaftic, as well as by his own connection with the inhabitants, not only raised among them what he wanted of the fum that he was bound by treaty to advance, but engaged feveral of them to accompany him in the voyage. The chief of these affociates were three brothers of the name of Pinzon, of confiderable wealth, and of great experience in naval affairs, who were willing to hazard their lives and fortunes in the expedition.

BUT, after all the efforts of Isabella and Columbus, the armament was not suitable, either to the dignity of the nation by which it was equipped,

VOL. I.

I

BOOK

II.

1492.

..

II.

1492.

BOOK equipped, or to the importance of the fervice for which it was deftined. It confifted of three veffels. The largest, a fhip of no confiderable burden, was commanded by Columbus, as admiral, who gave it the name of Santa Maria, out of refpect for the Bleffed Virgin, whom he honoured with fingular devotion. Of the fecond, called the Pinta, Martin Pinzon was captain, and his brother Francis pilot. The third, named the Nigna, was under the command of Vincent Yanez Pinzon. These two were light veffels, hardly fuperior in burden or force to large boats. This fquadron, if it merits that name, was victualled for twelve months, and had on board ninety men, moftly failors, together with a few adventurers who followed the fortune of Columbus, and fome gentlemen of Isabella's court, whom she appointed to accompany him. Though the expence of the undertaking was one of the circumstances which chiefly alarmed the court of Spain, and retarded fo long the negociation with Columbus, the fum employed in fitting out this fquadron did not exceed four thoufand pounds,

As the art of fhip-building in the fifteenth century was extremely rude, and the bulk of veffels was accommodated to the fhort and eafy voyages along the coaft which they were accuf

tomed