he was an experienced failor, and eminently killed in all the fciences fubfervient to navigation, he must have acquired fome authority among his companions, that they willingly allowed him to have a chief fhare in directing their operations during the voyage. Soon after his return, he transmitted an account of his adventures and difcoveries to one of his countrymen; and labouring with the vanity of a traveller to magnify his own exploits, he had the addrefs and confidence to frame his narrative, fo as to make it appear that he had the glory of having firft difcovered the continent in the New World. Amerigo's account was drawn up not only with art, but with fome elegance. It contained an amusing hiftory of his voyage, and judicious obfervations upon the natural productions, the inhabitants, and the cuftoms of the countries which he had vifited. As it was the firft defcription of any part of the New World that was published, a performance fo well calculated to gratify the paffion of mankind for what is new and marvellous, circulated rapidly, and was read with admiration. The country, of which Amerigo was fuppofed to be the discoverer, came gradually to be called by his name. The caprice of mankind, often as unaccountable as unjuft, has perpetuated this error. By the univerfal confent of nations, AMERICA is the name bestowed on this new quarter of the globe. The bold pretenfions of a fortunate impoftor have robbed the discoverer of the New World of a diftinction which belonged to him. The name of Amerigo has fupplanted that of Columbus; and mankind may regret an act of injuftice, which, having received the fanction of time, it is now too late to redrefs.

During the fame year, another voyage of discovery was undertaken. Columbus not only introduced the fpirit of naval enterprife into Spain, but all the firft adventurers who diftinguished themselves in this new career, were formed by his inftructions, and acquired in his voyages the skill and information which qualified them to imitate his example. Alonzo Nigno, who had ferved under the admiral in his last expedition, fitted out a single ship, in conjunction with Chriftopher Guerra, a merchant of Seville, and failed to the coaft of Paria. This voyage feems to have been conducted with greater attention to private emolument, than to any general or national object. Nigno and Guerra made no difcaveries of any importance; but they brought home fuch a return of gold and pearls, as inflamed their countrymen with the defire of engaging in fimilar adventures.

Soon after, Vincent Yanez Pinzon, one of the admiral's companions in his firft voyage, failed from Palos with four fhips. He flood boldly towards the fouth, and was the first Spaniard who yentared to cross the equino&tial line; but he feems to have ling

ed on no part of the coaft beyond the mouth of the Maragnon, or river of the Amazons. All these navigators adopted the erroneous theory of Columbus, and believed that the countries which they had discovered were part of the vast continent of India.

During the last year of the fifteenth century, that fertile district of America, on the confines of which Pinon had stopt fhort, was more fully discovered. The fuccessful voyage of Gama to the Eaft Indies having encouraged the King of Portugal to fit out a fleet so powerful, as not only to carry on trade, but to attempt conqueft, he gave the commad of it to Pedro Alvarez Cabral. In order to avoid the coaft of Africa, where he was certain of meeting with variable breezes, or frequent calms, which might retard his voyage, Cabral ftood out to fea, and kept fo far to the weft, that, to his furprife, he found himself upon the fhore of an unknown country, in the tenth degree beyond the line. He imagined, at first, that it was fome island in the Atlantic Ocean hitherto unobserved; but, proceeding along its coast for several days, he was led gradually to believe, that a country so extensive formed a part of some great continent. This latter opinion was well founded. The country with which he fell in belongs to that province in South America, now known by the name of Brafil. He landed; and having formed a very high idea of the fertility of the foil, and agreeableness of the climate, he took poffeffion of it for the crown of Portugal, and dispatched a ship to Lisbon with an account of this event, which appeared to be no lefs important than it was unexpected. lumbus's discovery of the New World was the effort of an active genius, enlightened by fcience, guided by experience, and acting upon a regular plan, executed with no lefs courage than perfeverBut from this adventure of the Portuguese, it appears that chance might have accomplished that great design which it is now the pride of human reason to have formed and perfected. If the fagacity of Columbus had not conducted mankind to America, Cabral, by a fortunate accident, might have led them, a few years later, to the knowledge of that extenfive continent.

ance.

Co

While the Spaniards and Portuguese, by thofe fucceffive voyages, were daily acquiring more enlarged ideas of the extent and opu lence of that quarter of the globe which Columbus had made known to them, he himself, far from enjoying the tranquillity and honours with which his fervices fhould have been recompenfed, was fruggling with every diftrefs in which the envy and malevolence of the people under his command, or the ingratitude of the court which heferved, could involve him. Though the pacification with Roldan broke the union and weakened the force of the mutineers, it did no. extirpate the feeds ofdifcord out of the island, Sever?! malcontents continued in arms, refufing to submit to t

He and his brothers were obliged to take the field alternately, in order to check their incurfions, or to punish their crimes. The perpetual occupation and difquiet which this created, prevented him from giving due attention to the dangerous machinations of his enemies in the court of Spain. A good number of fuch as were most diffațisfied with his administration, had embraced the opportunity of returning to Europe with the fhips which he difpatched from St. Domingo. The final disappointment of all their hopes inflamed the rage of these unfortunate adventurers against Columbus to the utmoft pitch. Their poverty and diftrefs, by exciting compaffion, rendered their accufations credible, and their complaints interefting. They teazed Ferdinand and Ifabella inceffantly with memorials, containing the detail of their own grievances, and the articles of their charge against Columbus. Whenever either the King or Queen appeared in public, they furrounded them in a tumultuary manner, infifting with importunate clamours for payment of the arrears due to them, and demanding vengeance upon the author of their fufferings. They infulted the admiral's fons wherever they met them, reproaching them as the offspring of the projector, whofe fatal curiofity had difcovered thofe pernicious regions which drained Spain of its wealth, and would prove the grave of its people. Thefe avowed endeavours of the malcontents from America to ruin Columbus, were feconded by the fecret, but more dangerous infinuations of that party among the courtiers, which had always thwarted his fchemes, and envied his fuccefs and credit.

The

Ferdinand was difpofed to liften, not only with a willing, but with a partial ear, to thefe accufations. Notwithstanding the flattering accounts which Columbus had given of the riches of America, the remittances from it had hitherto been so scanty, that they fell far fhort of the expence of the armaments fitted out. glory of the difcovery, together with the profpe&t of remote commercial advantages, was all that Spain had yet received in return for the efforts which fhe had made. But time had already diminished the first fenfations of joy which the discovery of a New World occafioned, and fame alone was not an object to fatisfy the cold intercfted mind of Ferdinand. The nature of commerce was then fo little under flood, that, where immediate gain was not acquired, the hope of diftant benefit, or of flow and moderate returns, was totally difregarded. Ferdinand confidered Spain, on this account, as having loft by the enterprife of Columbus, and imputed it to his mifconduct and incapacity for government, that a country abounding in gold had yielded nothing of value to its conquerors. Even Ifabella, who from the favourable opinion which the entertained of Columbus, had uniformly protected him, was shaked at length

the number and boldnefs of his accufers, and began to fufpect that a difaffection fo general muft have been occafioned by real grievances, which called for redrefs. The Bishop of Bajados, with his ufual animofity against Columbus, encouraged thefe fufpicions, and confirmed them.

As foon as the queen began to give way to the torrent of calumny, a refolution fatal to Columbus was taken. Francis de Bovadilla, a knight of Calatrava, was appointed to repair to Hifpaniola, with full powers to enquire into the conduct of Columbus, and, if he fhould find the charge of mal-adminiftration proved, to fuperfede him and affume the goverment of the island. It was impoflible to efcape condemnation, when this prepofterous commiffion made it the intereft of the judge to pronounce the perion, whom he was fent to try, guilty. Though Columbus had now compofed all the diffentions in the ifland; though he had brought both Spaniards and Indians to fubmit peaceably to his government; though he had made fuch effectual provifion for working the mines, and cultivating the country, as would have fecured a confiderable revenue to the king, as well as large profits to individuals, Bovadilla, without deigning to attend to the nature or merit of thofe fervices, discovered from the moment that he landed in Hifpanicle, a determined purpofe of treating him as a criminal. He took poffeffion of the admiral's houfe in St. Domingo, from which its mafter happened at that time to be abfent, and feized his effects, as if his guilt had been already fully proved; he rendered himself matter of the fort and of the king's ftores by violence; he required all perfons to acknowledge him as fupreme governor; he fet at liberty the prifoners confined by the admiral, and fummoned him to appear before his tribunal, in order to anfwer for his conduct; tranfmitting to him, together with the fummons, a copy of the royal mandate, by which Columbus was enjoined to yield implicit obedience to his com

mands,

Columbus, though deeply affected with the ingratitude and injustice of Ferdinand and Ifabella, did not hesitate a moment about his own conduct. He fubmitted to the will of his fovereigns with - refpetful filence, and rired dice he court of that vio

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compofure, but with dignity. Nor had he the confolation of fympathy to mitigate his fufferings. Bovadilla had already rendered himself fo extremely popular, by granting various inmunities to the colony, by liberal donations of Indians to all who applied for them, and by relaxing the reins of difcipline and governmment, that the Spaniards, who were moftly adventurers, whom their indigence or crimes had impelled to abandon their native country, expreffed the most indecent fatisfaction with the difgrace and imprisonment of Columbus. They flattered themselves, that now they should enjoy an uncontrouled liberty, more suitable to their difpofition and former habits of life. Among perfons thus prepared to cenfure the proceedings, and to afperfe the character of Columbus, Bovadilla collected materials for a charge against him. All accufations, the most improbable, as well as inconfiftent, were received. No informer, however infamous, was rejected. The relult of this inqueft, no lefs indecent than partial, he tranfmitted to Spain. At the fime time, he ordered Columbus, with his two brothers, to be carried thither in fetters; and, adding cruelty to infult, he confined them in different fhips, and excluded them from the comfort of that friendly intercourse which might have foothed their common diftrefs. But while the Spaniards in Hifpaniola viewed the arbitrary and infolent proceedings of Bovadilla with a general approbation, which reflects dishonour upon their name and country, one man still retained a proper sense of the great actions which Columbus had performed, and was touched with the fentiments of veneration and pity due to his rank, his age, and his merit. Alonfo de Vallejo, the captain of the veffel on board' which the admiral was confined, as foon as he was clear of the island, approached the prifoner with great refpect, and offered to releafe him from the fetters with which he was unjustly loaded. "No replied Columbus, with a generous indignation, "I wear thefe irons in confequence of an order from my fovereigns. They fhall find me as obedient to this as to their other injunctions. By their command I have been confined, and their command alone fhall fet me at liberty."

Fortunately, the voyage to Spain was extremely fhort. As foon as Ferdinand and Ifabella were informed that Columbus was brought home a prifoner, and in chains, they perceived at once what univerfal astonishment this event muft occafion, and what an impreffion to their difadvantage it must make. All Europe, they forefaw, would be filled with indignation at this ungenerous requital of a man who had performed actions worthy of the highest recompence, and would exclaim against the injuftice of the nati on, to which he had been fuch an eminent benefactor, as well as gainst the ingratitude of the princes whofe reign he had rendereel