more in behalf of their friend. They addreffed themselves to Isabella, and, after expreffing fome furprife, that fhe, who had always been the munificent patronefs of generous undertakings, should hesitate so long to countenance the most splendid scheme that had ever been proposed to any monarch; they represented to her, that Columbus was a man of a found understanding and virtuous character, well qualified, by his experience in navigation, as well as his knowledge of geometry, to form juft ideas with respect to the structure of the globe and the fituation of its various regions; that, by offering to risk his own life and fortune in the execution of his scheme, he gave the moft fatisfying evidence both of his integrity and hope of fuccefs; that the fum requifite for equipping fuch an armament as he demanded was inconfiderable, and the advantages which might accrue from his undertaking were immense; that he demanded no recompence for his invention and labour, but what was to arife from the countries which he should discover; that, as it was worthy of her magnanimity to make this noble attempt to extend the sphere of human knowledge, and to open an intercourfe with regions hitherto unknown, fo it would afford the highest fatisfaction to her piety and zeal, after re-establishing the Christian faith in thofe provinces of Spain from which it had been long banished, to discover a new world, to which the might communicate the light and bleffings of divine truth; that if now she did not decide inftantly, the opportunity would be irretrievably loft; that Columbus was on his way to foreign countries, where fome prince, more fortunate or adventurous, would clofe with his propofals, and Spain would for ever bewail the fatal timidity which had excluded her from the glory and advantages that she had once in her power to have enjoyed.

These forcible arguments, urged by perfons of fuch authority, and at a juncture so well chofen, produced the defired effect. They difpelled all Isabella's doubts and fears; fhe ordered Columbus to be instantly recalled, declared her refolution of employing him on his own terms, and regretting the low ftate 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 tranfport 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.

Columbus had proceeded fome leagues on his journey, when the mef fenger from Isabella overtook him. Upon receiving an account of the unexpected revolution in his favour, he returned directly to Santo Fe, though fome remainder of diffidence ftill mingled itself with his joy.

But

But the cordial reception which he met with from Ifabella, together with the near prospect of fetting out upon that voyage which had fo long been the object of his thoughts and wishes, foon effaced the remembrance of all that he had suffered in Spain, during eight tedious years of folici tation and fufpenfe. The negociation now went forward with facility and dispatch, and a treaty of capitulation with Columbus was figned on the feventeenth of April, one thousand four hundred and ninety-two. The chief articles of it were, 1. Ferdinand and Ifabella, as fovereigns of the ocean, conftituted Columbus their high admiral in all the feas, islands, and continents which should be difcovered by his industry; and ftipulated, that he and his heirs for ever should enjoy this office, with the fame powers and prerogatives which belonged to the high admiral of Caftile, within the limits of his jurifdiction. 2. They appointed Columbus their viceroy in all the islands and continents which he should difcover; but if, for the better administration of affairs, it should hereafter be neceffar to establish a separate governor in any of those countries, they authorised Columbus to name three perfons, of whom they would chufe 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 controversy or law-fuit fhall arife with respect to any mercantile transaction in the countries which should be difcovered, it fhould be determined by the fole authority of Columbus, 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 should discover, and intitled him, in return, to an eighth part of the profit.

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 Arragon. 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 exclufiva right to all the benefits which might redound from its fuccefs.

As foon as the treaty was figned, Ifabella, 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 fruitless 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 refpe&ting the destination

and

and conduct of the voyage, they committed implicitly to the difpofal of his prudence. But, that they might avoid giving any juft caufe of offence to the king of Portugal, they ftrictly enjoined him not to approach hear to the Portuguese fettlements on the coaft of Guinea, or in any of the other countries to which the Portuguefe claimed right as difcoverers. Isabella had ordered the fhips, of which Columbus was to take the command, to be fitted out in the port of Palos, a small maritime town in the province of Andalufia. As the guardian Juan Perez, to whom Columbus has 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 thefe 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 Ifabella and Columbus, the armament was not fuitable, either to the dignity of the nation by which it was equip ed, or to the importance of the fervice for which it was destined. 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 respect for the Blessed 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 Ifabella's court, whom the appointed to accompany him. Though the expence of the undertaking was one of the circumstances which chiefly alarmed the court of Spain, and retarded so long the negociation with Columbus, the fum employed in fitting out this squadron did not exceed four thousand pounds.

As the art of ship-building in the fifteenth century was extremely rude, and the bulk of veffels was accommodated to the short and easy voyages along the coaft which they were accustomed to perform, it is a proof of the courage as well as enterprifing genius of Columbus, that he ventured, with a fleet fo unfit for a distant navigation, to explore unknown feas, where he had no chart to guide him, no knowledge of the sides and currents, and no experience of the dangers to which he might

be expofed. His eagerness to accomplish the great defign which had fo long engroffed his thoughts, made him overlook or difregard every circumftance that would have intimidated a mind lefs adventurous. He pushed forward the preparations with fuch ardour, and was feconded fo effectually by the perfons to whom Ifabella committed the fuperintendence of this business, that every thing was foon in readiness for the voyage. But as Columbus was deeply impreffed with fentiments of religion, he would not fet out upon an expedition fo arduous, and of which one great object was to extend the knowledge of the Chriftian faith, without imploring publicly the guidance and protection of Heaven. With this view, he, together with all the perfons under his command, marched in folemn proceffion to the monaftery of Rabida. After confeffing their fins, and obtaining abfolution, they received the holy facrament from the hands of the guardian, who joined his prayers to theirs for the fuccefs of an enterprise which he had fo zealously patronized.

Next morning, being Friday the third day of August, in the year one thousand four hundred and ninety-two, Columbus fet fail, a little before fun-rife, in prefence of a vaft crowd of fpectators, who fent up their fupplications to Heaven for the profperous iffue of the voyage, which they wished, rather than expected. Columbus fteered directly for the Canary Islands, and arrived there, Auguft 13, 1492, without any occurrence that would have deserved notice on any other occafion. But, in a voyage of fuch expectation and importance, every circumftance was the object of attention. The rudder of the Pinta broke loose, the day after the left the harbour, and that accident alarmed the crew, no less fuperftitious than unfkilful, as a certain omen of the unfortunate deftiny of the expedition. Even in the short run to the Canaries, the ships were found to be fo crazy and ill appointed, as to be very improper for a navigation which was expected to be both long and dangerous. Columbus refitted them, however, to the best of his power, and having supplied himself with fresh provifions he took his departure from Gomera, one of the moft wefterly of the Canary islands, on the fixth day of September.

Here the voyage of difcovery may properly be faid to begin; for Columbus holding his courfe due weft, left immediately the usual track of navigation, and stretched into unfrequented and unknown feas. The first day, as it was very calm, he made but little way; but on the fecond, he loft fight of the Canaries; and many of the failors, dejected already and difmayed, when they contemplated the boldness of the undertaking, began to beat their breafts, and to shed tears, as if they were never more to behold land. Columbus comforted them with affurances of fuccefs, and the profpect of vaft wealth, in those opulent regions whither he was Conducting them. This early discovery of the fpirit of his followers

taught

taught Columbus, that he must prepare to ftruggle, not only with the unavoidable difficulties which might be expected from the nature of his undertaking, but with such as were likely to arise from the ignorance and timidity of the people under his command; and he perceived that the art of governing the minds of men would be no lefs requifite for accomplishing the difcoveries which he had in view, than naval fkill and undaunted courage. Happily for himself, and for the country by which he was employed, he joined to the ardent temper and inventive genius of a projector, virtues of another species, which are rarely united with them. He poffeffed a thorough knowledge of mankind, an infinuating address, a patient perfeverance in executing any plan, the perfect government of his paffions, and the talent of acquiring an afcendant over thofe of other men. All these qualities, which formed him for command, were accompanied with that fuperior knowledge of his profeffion, which begets confidence in times of difficulty and danger. To unfkilful Spanish failors, accustomed only to coafting voyages in the Mediterranean, the maritime science of Columbus, the fruit of thirty years experience, improved by an acquaintance with all the inventions of the Portuguese, appeared immenfe. As foon as they put to fea, he regulated every thing by his fole authority; he fuperintended the execution of every order; and allowing himself only a few hours for fleep, he was at all other times upon deck. As his courfe lay through feas which had not formerly been vifited, the founding-line, or inftruments for observation, were continually in his hands. After the example of the Portuguese discover. ers, he attended to the motion of tides and currents, watched the flight of birds, the appearance of fishes, of fea-weeds, and of every thing that floated on the waves, and entered every occurrence, with a minute exaftnefs, in the journal which he kept. As the length of the voyage could not fail of alarming failors habituated only to fhort excursions, Columbus endeavoured to conceal from them the real progress which they made. With this view, though they run eighteen leagues on the fecond day after they left Gomera, he gave out that they had advanced only fifteen, and he uniformly employed the fame artifice of reckoning short during the whole voyage. By the fourteenth of September, the fleet was above two hundred leagues to the weft of the Canary Isles, at a greater diftance from land than any Spaniard had been before that time. There they were struck with an appearance no less astonishing than new. They obferved that the magnetic needle, in their compaffes, did not point exactly to the polar ftar, but varied towards the weft; and as they proceeded, this variation increased. This appearance, which is now familiar, though it ftill remains one of the mysteries of nature, into the