BOOK II. 1494. and difaf fection of increase. ་ THE account of those promifing appearances of wealth in the country of Cibao came very The diftrefs feasonably to comfort the defponding colony, which was affected with diftreffes of various the colony kinds. The stock of provifions which had been brought from Europe was moftly confumed; what remained was fo much corrupted by the heat and moisture of the climate, as to be almost unfit for ufe; the natives cultivated fo fmall a portion of ground, and with fo little fkill, that it hardly yielded what was fufficient for their own fubfiftence; the Spaniards at Ifabella had hitherto neither time nor leifure to clear the foil, fo as to reap any confiderable fruits of their own industry. On all thefe accounts, they became afraid of perifhing with hunger, and were reduced already to a fcanty allowance. At the fame time, the diseases predominant in the torrid zone, and which rage chiefly in thofe uncultivated countries, where the hand of industry has not opened the woods, drained the marshes, and confined the rivers within a certain channel, began to spread among them. Alarmed at the violence and unusual symptoms of those maladies, they exclaimed against Columbus and his companions in the former voyage, who, by their fplendid but deceitful defcriptions of Hifpaniola, had allured them to quit Spain for a barbarous I II. 1494. barbarous uncultivated land, where they must BOOK either be cut off by famine, or die of unknown ~ distempers. Several of the officers and perfons of note, instead of checking, joined in those feditious complaints. Father Boyl, the aposto lical vicar, was one of the most turbulent and outrageous. It required all the authority and addrefs of Columbus to re-establish fubordination and tranquillity in the colony. Threats and promises were alternately employed for this pur pofe; but nothing contributed more to footh the malcontents, than the profpect of finding in the mines of Cibao, fuch a rich store of treasure as would be a recompence for all their fufferings, and efface the memory of former difappoint ments. attempts WHEN, by his unwearied endeavours, concord Columbus and order were fo far restored, that he could new difcoventure to leave the ifland, Columbus refolved veries. to pursue his discoveries, that he might be able to ascertain whether those new countries with which he had opened a communication were connected with any region of the earth already known, or whether they were to be confidered as a feparate portion of the globe hitherto unvifited. He appointed his brother Don Diego, with the affiftance of a council of officers, to govern the island in his abfence; and gave the command II. 1494. BOOK command of a body of foldiers to Don Pedro Margarita, with which he was to vifit the different parts of the island, and endeavour to establish the authority of the Spaniards among the inhabitants. Having left them very particular inftructions with refpect to their conduct, he weighed anchor on the twenty-fourth of April, with one fhip and two small barks under his command. During a tedious voyage of full five months, he had a trial of almost all the numerous hardships to which perfons of his profeffion are exposed, without making any difcovery of importance, except the island of Jamaica. As he ranged along the fouthern coaft of Cuba *, he was entangled in a labyrinth formed by an incredible number of fmall iflands, to which he gave the name of the Queen's Garden. In this unknown course, among rocks and shelves, he was retarded by contrary winds, affaulted with furious ftorms, and alarmed with the terrible thunder and lightning which is often almost inceffant between the tropics. At length his provifions fell fhort; his crew, exhausted with fatigue as well as hunger, murmured and threatened, and were ready to proceed to the most desperate extremities against him. Beset with danger in fuch various forms, he was obliged to keep con * See NOTE XIX. 11. 1494 tinual watch, to obferve every occurrence with BOOK his own eyes, to iffue every order, and to superintend the execution of it. On no occafion, was the extent of his skill and experience as a navigator fo much tried. To these the squadron owed its fafety. But this unremitted fatigue of body, and intenfe application of mind, overpowering his conftitution, though naturally vigorous and robuft, brought on a feverish dif order, which terminated in a lethargy, that deprived him of sense and memory, and had almost proved fatal to his life . BUT, on his return to Hifpaniola, the fudden emotion of joy which he felt upon meeting with his brother Bartholomew at Isabella, occafioned fuch a flow of fpirits as contributed greatly to his recovery. It was now thirteen years fince the two brothers, whom fimilarity of talents united in close friendship, had separated from each other, and during that long period there had been no intercourfe between them. Bartholomew, after finifhing his negociation in the court of England, had fet out for Spain by the way of France. At Paris he received an account of the extraordinary discoveries which his "Life of Columbus, c. 54, &c. Herrera, dec. 1. lib. ii. c. 13, 14. P. Martyr, dec. p. 34, &c. brother Sept. 27. turn, finds On his re his brother Bartholo mew at Ifabella. 1494. BOOK brother had made in his firft voyage, and that he was then preparing to embark on á fecond expedition. Though this naturally induced him to purfue his journey with the utmost dispatch, the admiral had failed for Hifpaniola before he reached Spain. Ferdinand and Ifabella received him with the refpect due to the nearest kinsman of a person whose merit and fervices rendered him so confpicuous; and as they knew what confolation his prefence would afford to his brother, they perfuaded him to take the command of three fhips, which they had appointed to carry provifions to the colony at Ifabella 2. The Indians take arms He could not have arrived at any juncture against the when Columbus ftood more in need of a friend Spaniards. capable of affifting him with his counfels, or of dividing with him the cares and burden of government. For although the provifions now brought from Europe, afforded a temporary relief to the Spaniards from the calamities of famine, the fupply was not in fuch quantity as to fupport them long, and the island did not hitherto yield what was fufficient for their fuftenance. They were threatened with another danger, still more formidable than the return |