III. 1508. tioned. By the command of Ovando, he failed BOOK round Cuba, and first discovered with certainty, that this country, which Columbus once fupposed to be a part of the continent, was a large island". THIS Voyage round Cuba was one of the laft occurrences under the administration of Ovando. Ever fince the death of Columbus, his fon Don Diego had been employed in foliciting Ferdinand to grant him the offices of viceroy and admiral in the New World, together with all the other immunities and profits which de fcended to him by inheritance, in confequence of the original capitulation with his father. But if these dignities and revenues appeared fo confiderable to Ferdinand, that, at the expence of being deemed unjust as well as ungrateful, he had wrested them from Columbus, it is not furprising that he should be unwilling to confer them on his fon. Accordingly, Don Diego wafted two years in inceffant but fruitlefs importunity. Weary of this, he endeavoured at length to obtain, by a legal fentence, what he could not procure from the favour of an interested monarch. He commenced a fuit against Ferdinand before the council which managed Herrera, dec. 1. lib. vii. c. 1. III. 150$. BOOK Indian affairs, and that court, with integrity which reflects honour upon its proceedings, decided against the king, and fuftained Don Diego's claim of the viceroyalty, together with all the other privileges ftipulated in the capitulation. Even after this decree, Ferdinand's repugnance to put a subject in poffeffion of fuch extenfive rights, might have thrown in new obstacles, if Don Diego had not taken a step which interested very powerful perfons in the fuccefs of his claims. The fentence of the council of the Indies gave him a title to a rank fo elevated, and a fortune fo opulent, that he found no difficulty in concluding a marriage. with Donna Maria, daughter of Don Ferdinand de Toledo, great commendator of Leon, and brother of the Duke of Alva, a nobleman of the first rank, and nearly related to the king, The duke and his family efpoused fo warmly the cause of their new ally, that Ferdinand could not refift their folicitations. He recalled Ovando, and appointed Don Diego his fucceffor, though, even in conferring this favour, he could not conceal his jealoufy; for he allowed him to affume only the title of governor, not that of viceroy, which had been adjudged to belong to him ". 1509. 3 Herrera, dec. 1. lib. vii. c. 4, &c. DON III. * 509. He repairs to Hilpa niola. DON Diego quickly repaired to Hifpaniola, BOOK attended by his brother, his uncles, his wife, whom the courtesy of the Spaniards honoured with the title of vice-queen, and a numerous retinue of persons of both sexes, born of good families. He lived with a fplendour and magnificence hitherto unknown in the New World; and the family of Columbus seemed now to enjoy the honours and rewards due to his inventive genius, of which he himself had been cruelly defrauded. The colony itself acquired new luftre by the acceffion of fo many inhabitants, of a different rank and character from most of those who had hitherto migrated to America, and many of the most illuftrious families in the Spanish fettlements are defcended from the perfons who at that time accompanied Don Diego Columbus, No benefit accrued to the unhappy natives from this change of governors. Don Diego was not only authorized by a royal edict to continue the repartimientos, or distribution of Indians, but the particular number which he might grant to every perfon, according to his rank in the colony, was specified. He availed himself of that permiffion, and foon after he landed at St. Oviedo, lib. iii. c. 1. Domingo, III. BOOK Domingo, he divided fuch Indians as were still unappropriated, among his relations and attendants P. 1509. Pearl fishery of Cubagua, New voyages. THE next care of the new governor was to comply with an instruction which he received from the king, about settling a colony in Cubagua, a small island which Columbus had difcovered in his third voyage. Though this barren fpot hardly yielded fubfiftence to its wretched inhabitants, fuch quantities of thofe oysters which produce pearls were found on its coaft, that it did not long escape the inquifitive avarice of the Spaniards, and became a place of confiderable refort. Large fortunes were acquired by the fishery of pearls, which was carried on with extraordinary ardour. The Indians, especially thofe from the Lucayo iflands, were compelled to dive for them; and this dangerous and unhealthy employment was an additional calamity, which contributed not a little to the extinction of that devoted race ". ABOUT this period, Juan Diaz de Solis and Pinzon fet out, in conjunction, upon a fecond voyage. They ftood directly fouth, towards the Recopilacion de Leyes, lib. vi. tit. 8. 1. 1, 2. Herrera, dec. 1. lib. vii. c. 10. • Herrera, dec. 1. lib. vii. c. 9. Gomara Hift. c. 78. III. £509. equinoctial line, which Pinzon had formerly BOOK croffed, and advanced as far as the fortieth de. gree of fouthern latitude. They were astonished to find that the continent of America ftretched on their right hand, through all this vast extent of ocean. They landed in different places, to take poffeffion in name of their fovereign; but though the country appeared to be extremely fertile and inviting, their force was so small, having been fitted out rather for discovery than making fettlements, that they left no colony behind them. Their voyage ferved, however, to give the Spaniards more exalted and adequate ideas with respect to the dimenfions of this new quarter of the globe'. THOUGH it was about ten years fince Columbus had discovered the main land of America, the Spaniards had hitherto made no fettlement in any part of it. What had been fo long neglected was now feriously attempted, and with confiderable vigour; though the plan for this purpose was neither formed by the crown, nor executed at the expence of the nation, but carried on by the enterprising spirit of private adventurers. This fcheme took its rife from Alonfo de Ojeda, who had already • Herrera, dec. 1. lib. vii. c. 9. made A fettle ment on the continent attempted. |