LIBRARY

OF THE

University of California.

Gl FT OF

Class

WILLIAM ELEROY CURTIS,

THE RELICS

COLUHBUS.

Souvenir

LA RABIDA

World's Columbian Exposition

Chicago, 1893

SOUVENIR OF LA RABIDA
WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION

Th§ Relics of Columbus

an Illustrated Description of the Historical

Collection in the Monastery

of La Rabida

WILLIAM ELEROY CURTIS

Director of the Bureau of the American Republics and Chief of the Latin-
American Bureau, World's Columbian Exposition.

THE WILLIAM H. LOWDERMILK COMPANY,

Publishers,

WASHINGTON, D. C.

Conkey Company, Printers and Publishers.

CLASSIFICATION OF THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS

EXHIBITED IN

THE MONASTERY OF LA RABIDA.

Section

PART I

Geographical Knowledge and the Science
of Navigation at the Time of Columbus.

The Court of Ferdinand and Isabella

The Birth and Early Life of Columbus . .

The Career of Columbus in Spain

Scenes Associated with the First Voyage

Scenes Associated with the Second Voyage

Scenes Associated with the Third Voyage

Scenes Associated with the Last Voyage

The Last Days of Columbus. His Death
and Burial

The Relics of Columbus

The Publication of the Discovery

The Christening of the Continent, etc

The Conquest of Mexico and Peru, and the
Settlement of Other Portions of Amer-

Page.

7
17
25
33
47
69
86
94

103
127

137

157

ICA.

Original Papers Relating to Columbus
Loaned by the Duke of Veragua

Original Papers Relating to Columbus
Loaned by the Duchess of Berwick and
Alba

The Vatican Exhibit

The John Boyd Thacher Collection of
Valuable Works Relating to Columbus
and the Discovery

172
186

204
210

214

1G9949

6 INTRODUCTION.

government to the condition in which it stood when he found
an asylum there.

The date of the first visit of Columbus to La Rabida is a
matter of doubt and the subject of discussion; but recent re-
searches seem to show that he appeared there shortly after he
left Portugal in 1484 or 1485, when he was on his way to Moquer,
a little village in the neighborhood, where he intended to leave
his little son Diego, then nine years old, with his sister-in-law, a
woman named Muliar, while he went to the Court of Ferdinand
and Isabella at Cordova to ask their aid in discovering a western
passage to the Indies. Weary, hungry and penniless, he ap-
proached the monastery and asked food and drink for himself
and child. The good monks invited him in, gave him refresh-
ments, detained him for several months, and becoming interested
in his plans gave him letters to influential persons at court.

His next appearance there was several years later, when, dis-
heartened by the indifference and procrastination of the sover-
eigns, he was about to leave Spain to seek aid from the king of
France or the Republics of Genoa or Venice. Again the monks
detained him, and through their influence he was invited to re-
turn to court for a further presentation of his plans.

His third visit was in May, 1494, when he came back bearing
a contract with the sovereigns, a commission as Grand Admiral
of the Ocean Seas, and a royal requisition upon the people of
Palos to furnish him vessels and supplies for the voyage. He re-
mained a guest at La Rabida while making his preparations for
the memorable expedition, and on the morning of his departure
attended mass in the chapel.

His next visit was upon his return to Palos bearing the news
and the trophies of his triumph, when the monks sang a Te
Deum in the chapel with as much fervor as was ever felt in
human worship. Again he remained a guest at La Rabida until
summoned to court.

The artistic arrangement of the pictures is the work of Mr.
Henry Reinhardt, of the firm Roebel & Reinhardt, Milwaukee.

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

AN ILLUSTRATED DESCRIPTION OF THE HISTORICAL COLLECTION
IN THE MONASTERY OF LA RABIDA.

SECTION A. GEOGRAPHICAL KNOWLEDGE AND THE SCIENCE
OF NAVIGATION AT THE TIME OF COLUMBUS.

Model of a Norse ship, such as Leif Erikson is cupposed to have used
in his voyage to America.

Loaned by the National Mu-
seum, Washington. It is not
improbable that the # Norseman
cruised along the coast of North
America centuries before Colum-
bus was born, but their claim to
the discovery of the continent
rests entirely upon tradition, po-
etic legends, and some slight cir-
cumstantial evidence. ' In 860
they discovered Iceland, and in
874 established there a republic,
which endured for four centuries.

America discovered in the tenth century.

By Chas. C. Rafn, secretary to the Royal Society of Northern Antiquari-
ans of Copenhagen. Loaned by William E. Curtis.

A Norse ship.

8 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

3. Chart showing the course followed by Leif Erikson in his voyage from

Greenland to Vinland in the tenth century.

Prepared under the direction of the late Prof. E. N. Horsford, Cambridge.

Eric the Red, an outlaw, in 984 established a colony in Greenland. In
986 a viking named Bjarne, while seeking the Greenland colony,
driven by northeasterly gales, is supposed to have sailed as far south as
Nantucket. When Bjarne returned to Norway, he sold his ship to Leif
Erikson, son of Eric the Red, who set sail with a crew of thirty-five
men and found the lands as Bjarne had described them. Leif called the
country Vinland because he found wild grapes there, and spent the winter
on the coast of Massachusetts.

4. Chart showing the landfall of Leif Erikson on the New England coast.

Prepared by Professor Horsford.

In the spring, when the winds were favorable, Leif Erikson returned to
Greenland. His brother Thorwald took his ship and went to Vinland,
remaining three years. The latter was killed by the savages and
buried near Fall River, so the story goes, with crosses to mark his grave,
one at the head and one at his feet.

5. Discovery of America by the Norsemen.

By Prof. Eben Norton Horsford. Loaned by William E. Curtis.

Eben Norton Horsford was born at Moscow, New York, July 27, 1818,
and died at Cambridge, Massachusetts, January 1, 1893. After leading a
life of great activity and usefulness, serving as Rumford professor of
applied sciences in Harvard University for sixteen years, and making
many valuable discoveries in chemistry, he retired from active profes-
sional duties and gave himself up to the study of the early history of
America, particularly the voyages of the Norsemen. He erected a statue
of Leif Erikson in Boston, and a stone tower on the bank of the Charles
river, at the site of ancient Norumbega. His publications include many
chemical works and several valuable contributions to the literature of
the Norsemen and their voyages along the coast of America.

Professor Horsford was a philanthropist as well as man of science,
and many colleges and public institutions have been enriched by his bene-
factions.

6. Chart showing the location of Leif Erikson' s houses near Boston.

Prepared by Prof. E. N. Horsford.

In 1836 there was exhumed near Fall River a skeleton clad in a broken
and corroded armor, which was made the subject of one of Longfellow's
most beautiful poems: "I Was a Viking Old." The remains were gen-
erally accepted as those of an Indian until Professor Rafn, the distin-
guished Scandinavian scholar, pronounced them those of a Norse chief, and
insisted that the burial place of Thorwald Erikson had been discovered.

GEOGRAPHICAL KNOWLEDGE AT THE TIME OF COLUMBUS. 9

7. The landfall of Leif Erikson.

Intended to establish the sites of the villages occupied by the Norsemen
in the tenth century. By Prof. Eben Norton Horsford. Loaned by Will-
iam E. Curtis, Washington.

8. Old mill at Newport.

An old tower at Newport, Rhode Island, is claimed by Professor Rafn
and others to be an evidence of the occupation of New England by the
Norsemen; but subsequent investigations have shown that it was erected
by Governor Arnold, of Rhode Island, for a windmill some time between
1670 and 1680, and is the copy of a tower of a mill at Chesterton, England,
where Arnold came from.

9. Picture of a Norse ship of the tenth century.

10. Fac-simile of inscriptions on Dightoh rock, near Taunton, Massachu-

setts, said to have been carved by the Norsemen in the tenth century.

Another evidence upon which the claims of the Norsemen to the dis-
covery of America rest is the curious rock in Taunton river, near Digh-
ton, Massachusetts. It is covered with hieroglyphics which Professor
Rafn and other Scandinavian students claim to be inscriptions to the effect
that Thorfinn Karlsefne, who married the widow of Leif Erikson's
brother and followed him to Vinland, camped there and took possession
of the country. The inscriptions were originally believed to be Phoeni-
cian, and until 1831 were not claimed to have been made by the Norse-
men. Col. Garrick Mallory, who has given his life to the study of the
pictographs of the North American Indians, says: "It is merely a type of
Algonquin rock carving. It is of purely Indian origin, and is executed in
the peculiar symbolic character of the Kekeewin."

11. Fac-similes of the Icelandic sagas of the fourteenth century, relating to

the discovery of America by the Norsemen.

From " The Finding of Vinland the Good," by Arthur Reeves, London,
1890. Loaned by William E. Curtis.

The oldest saga concerning the voyages of the Norsemen to America
was written four hundred years after the alleged discovery by Erikson.
These sagas are contained in the so-called Codex Flatoyenis, a manu-
script discovered in the seventeenth century in a monastery on an island
near the coast of Iceland, which is now in the Royal Library at Copenhagen.

12. Portrait of Kublai-Khan.

The fleet of Kublai-Khan, emperor of the Mongols, is said to have
visited America in the thirteenth century under the command of his son.
Several volumes have been printed to prove that America was discovered
by the Chinese a.nd Mongols, who occupied Peru and Mexico. John
Ranking published in 1827 a fantastic theory that in the thirteenth century

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

Kublai-Khan sent a fleet against Japan, which was scattered in a storm.
A portion of the ships were driven eastward until they reached the coast
of Peru, where the son of Kublai-Khan introduced civilization among the
natives and was recognized as the first Inca.

13. Picture of the statue of Leif Erikson, who is claimed to have discovered

America in the tenth century.

Erected on Commonwealth avenue,
Boston, by the Scandinavian residents.
Anne Whitney, sculptor. Duplicate
erected on Lake Shore drive at Mil-
waukee.

14. Published volumes relating to the dis-

covery of America by the Norsemen
in the tenth century.

15. Fac-simile of page 288 of the History

of Cambria (Wales), written in 1384.

There is a legend in Wales that
Prince Madoc, a son of Owen Gwynedd,
the King of Cambria; in 1170, estab-
lished a colony in a fertile land across
the ocean. Leaving his crew he re-
turned to Wales and fitted out a larger

expedition, but was heard from no Statue of Leif Erikson.

more. Humboldt suggests that the story is not improbable.

16. The discovery of America by the Mongols in the thirteenth century.

A curious book by John Ranking. Published in 1827. Loaned by
William E. Curtis.

17. Fac-simile of the Zeno chart.

About 1319 a Venetian navigator named Nicolo Zeno started from
Venice, passed Gibraltar, and sailed northward. His vessel was cast
ashore upon one of the Faroe Islands. He sent for his brother Antonio,
who assisted him in subjugating the Shetland Islands, and sailed west-
ward as far as Greenland. On their return the brothers prepared a chart
of the lands they had visited, and Nicolo wrote an entertaining account of
his adventures. In 1558, sixty-six years after the discovery of Columbus,
this paper and the chart were published under the title "Die Commentarii
del Viaggio," and upon it was based the claim that the Zeno brothers
had visited America and were entitled to the credit of discovering the
continent.

18. Fac-simile of the Toscanelli map.

Columbus got the greatest encouragement in his belief in a western

GEOGRAPHICAL KNOWLEDGE AT THE TIME OF COLUMBUS. I I

passage to India, and his notions of the opulence and magnificence of that
land, from Paolo Toscanelli, an eminent Italian physician and geographer,
who died in 1482. In 1474 Toscanelli received a letter from Columbus,
then in Portugal, asking his opinions. To this he replied at length, send-
ing him a copy of his map of the known world, which Columbus carried
on all his voyages.

19. Copy of a letter from Toscanelli made by Columbus on the fly leaf of a

book now in the Columbus Library at Seville.

"Toscanelli has the great honor and merit of giving a powerful impulse
to the mind of Columbus, and encouraging him to increased zeal and
unwearied activity in carrying out the great undertaking that was to alter
the face of the earth." — Tarducci.

20. Portrait of Marco Polo.

From an original in Rome.

This famous Venetian traveler in 1298 first made China and India
known to the people of Europe. He visited India in 1271 and wrote an
amazing account of his travels. The Polo family were among the merchant
princes of Venice. Two brothers made an overland trip into Cathay in
1260, and eleven years later repeated it, taking with them Marco Polo, a lad
of seventeen years. They traveled through Thibet to China, and as far
south as Hindustan, and returned to Venice twenty-four years later, where
their friends had given them up as dead. In 1298, having joined the
army of Venice in a war against the Genoese, Marco was captured, and
while in prison in Genoa dictated an account of his adventures to a fellow
captive, describing Thibet, China, Burmah, Hindustan, Java, Sumatra and
other places he had visited. This book conveyed the first knowledge that
the Europeans had of the great nations of the East; it had a great influence
upon commerce and civilization, and was circulated extensively in manu-
script form until the invention of printing, when numerous editions were
published in several languages. The copy read by Columbus and carried
by him on his several voyages as a guide to the lands he expected to visit
was printed in Latin, at Antwerp, in 1485, and is still preserved in the
Columbian Library at Seville, Spain, with many marginal notes in his
own handwriting.

21. Medallion of Marco Polo.

From a German geography, Lowenberg.

22. " De Regionibus Orientalibus." The travels of

Marco Polo, Latin edition. The same that was
carried by Columbus on his first voyage.

23. Photograph of the manuscript notes of Columbus

on the copy of Marco Polo in Columbian Library

at Seville. Marco Polo.

12 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

24. Portrait of Claudius Ptolemy.

Columbus had with him constantly, and studied with great care, the
Latin edition of Ptolemy. Claudius Ptolemy, the first great geographer,
was born in Greece, but gained his fame in Egypt during the second
century after Christ, when he wrote a geography that was accepted as a
standard text-book for fourteen centuries. He proved the earth to be a
globe, and invented the system of latitude to determine geographical
divisions and distances. The edition used by Columbus was that pub-
lished in Latin in 1475. This contained a map showing Greenland.

25a. Copy of the 1475 edition of Ptolemy's Cosmographia, used by Columbus,
from the Congressional Library at Washington.

25. Ptolemy's Cosmographia. Edition of 1482.
Loaned by James W. Ellsworth, Chicago, 111.

26. The i486 edition of Ptolemy.

Printed in Venice at the expense of Justus de Albano, by John Regor.
Loaned by E. Francis Riggs, Washington, U. C.

27. The 151 1 edition of Ptolemy.

Printed at Venice by Jacobum Pentinm de Leucho, with initial letters
rubricated by hand. Loaned by William E. Curtis.

This edition is exceedingly rare, as it contains the results of the third
voyage of Columbus and the second and third voyages of Americus Ves-
pucius. It shows Cuba to be northeast of Hispaniola (Santo Domingo),
and South America to be a continent which is called Tierre Sanctce
Cruets (the land of the true cross). Greenland is drawn as a peninsula of
northwestern Europe.

28. Fac-simile of pages of the "Historia Rerum Ubique Gestarum," showing

marginal notes in the handwriting of Columbus.

Another volume from which Columbus gained many arguments and
much information to sustain his theory of a passage to India was the
"Historia Rerum Ubique Gestarum," by yEneas Sylvius, published at
Venice in 1477. He kept it constantly with him, and his copy with mar-
ginal notes is also still to be seen in the Columbian Library at Seville. On
the fly leaf he transcribed the letter he received from Paolo Toscanelli.
yEneas Sylvius Picolonini, the author, was an eminent theologian, astron-
omer and geographer (1405-1464), Bishop of Trieste in 1447, Cardinal in
1458, and Pope of Rome under the title Pius II, in 1458.

29. Fac-simile of pages of " De Imago Mundi," showing marginal notes in

the handwriting of Columbus.

Columbus studied, and had with him on his first voyage, a copy of the
1490 edition of a celebrated work called "Imago Mundi" (Image of the

GEOGRAPHICAL KNOWLEDGE AT TH.E TIME OF COLUMBUS. 1 3'

World), or " De Imagine Mundi" originally written by Cardinal Petris di
Alliaco, or Pierre D'Ai.lly, in 1410. The author was a distinguished pre-
late, Dean of the University of Navarre, Bishop of Cambray, and after-
ward a cardinal. The identical copy used by Columbus is preserved in
the Columbian Library at Seville, which was founded by his son Ferdi-
nand.

30. Page 124 of "Theologia," with marginal notes in the handwriting of

Columbus.

Original in Columbian Library at Seville.

In the collection of books at Seville, which formerly belonged to Fer-
nando Colon, is a copy of the work entitled "Historia Naturale di C. Plinio
Secondo Tradocta di Lingua Latina in Fiorentina per Christophoro Lan-
dino Fiorentino al Serenissimo Ferdinando Re di Napoli," which was pub-
lished at Venice in 1489, and still retains the original wooden binding-
covered with skin. Upon the margin is a note, in the handwriting of
Columbus, which reads as follows:

"Del ambra es cierto nascere in India soto tierra he yo ne Ho Fato
Cuare in molti monti in la isola de feyti vel de ofir vel de cipango, a la
quale Habio Posto Nome Spangnola y ne O Trovato pieca grande como el
capo, ma no tota chiara, salvo de chiaro, y parda y otra negra, y vene
asay."

Columbus thus refers to the fact that he found amber in the Island of
Hispaniola, which he supposed to be the land of Ophir referred to by Solo-
mon, or the Cipango of Marco Polo.

32. Fac-simile of the terrestrial globe made by Martin Behaim, 1492.

Made by E. de Grandpre, Paris. Loaned by the National Museum,
Washington.

The earliest globe of importance known to geographers bears date 1492,
and is made of pasteboard covered with parchment, about twenty-one
inches in diameter, on which are designed historical pictures with their
legends, written in old German. The first meridian passes through
Madeira, and the only other lines on it are those of the equator, the two
tropics and the polar circles. "As a monument of geography it is of the
highest importance, being the only original document that has come
down to us in this form embodying the geographical ideas of its author,
with those of his gifted contemporaries, Toscanelli, Columbus, etc. This
globe represents, with some slight modifications, most of the dispropor-
tions of the Ptolemaic geography, into which is incorporated information
evidently derived from the travels of Marco Polo and Sir J. Mandeville.
It was executed by Behaim while on a visit to his native city, Nuremberg
(1491-3), after a sojourn of five years in the Azores."

14 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

33. Ghillany's Life of Martin Behaim, with many interesting maps and

charts. (Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington.)
Martin Behaim, whose works Columbus studied, was born at Nurem-
berg. Attracted by the discoveries the Portuguese were making, he went
to Lisbon. King John II, in 1481, made him president of a council
charged with the directions of voyages of discovery. In 1484, he made a
voyage along the African coast and discovered the Congo. While in
Portugal, Columbus met and conversed with him frequently. In 1492
Behaim returned to Nuremberg and constructed a globe which repre-
sented the most advanced knowledge of geography at that date.
The original remains in the family at Nuremburg.

34. Portrait of Martin Behaim.

35. Arms and armor of the time of Columbus.

Originals in the Royal Armory, Madrid.

Model of Armor; Models of Armor; Models of Armor; Models of Armor;
Models of Armor; Models of Chain Armor; Models of Chain Armor;
Models of Chain Armor; Models of Chain Armor; Models of Chain Armor;
Models of Chain Armor; Specimens of Chain Armor; Specimens of Chain
Armor; Armor of Guzman the Good; Armor of Guzman the Good;
Armor of Guzman the Good; Armor of Guzman the Good; Armor of the
Cid; Armor of the Cid; Armor of Charles V; Armor of Charles V; Armor
of Charles V; Armor of Charles V; Armor of Boabdil; Armor of Boabdil
Armor of Boabdil; Armor of Boabdil; Armor of Ferdinand the Catholic
Armor of Ferdinand the Catholic; Armor of Ferdinand the Catholic
Armor of Ferdinand the Catholic; Armor of Isabella the Catholic; Armor
of Isabella the Catholic; Armor of Phillip II; Armor of Phillip II; Armor
of Gonzalez de Cordova; Armor of Gonzalez de Cordova; Armor of Car-
dinal Ximines; Armor of Cardinal Ximines; Armor of Don Juan of Aus-
tria; Horse Armor of Ferdinand the Catholic; Horse Armor of Ferdinand
the Catholic; Model of Arms; Models of Arms; Models of Arms; Models
of Arms; Models of Arms; Models of Arms; Models of Arms; Golden
Sword of Isabella; Golden Sword of Isabella; Golden Sword of Isabella;
Sword of Isabella the Catholic; Sword of Isabella the Catholic; Golden
Sword of King Ferdinand; Sword of King Ferdinand; Swords of King
Ferdinand; Swords of King Ferdinand; Sword of Ferdinand the Catholic;
Sword of Ferdinand the Catholic; Sword of Charles V; Sword of Charles
V; Sword of Charles V; Sword of Philip II; Sword of Philip II; Sword
of Philip II; Sword of Philip II; Sword of Boabdil; Sword of Boabdil;
Swords of Pizarro; Sword of Pizarro; Shield representing the Discovery
of America; The Shield of Fortune; The Shield of Fortune; The Shield of
Medusa; The Shield of Medusa; The Shield of the Siren; The Shield of the
Siren; Shield of the Lion; Shield of the Lion; Shield of Silver and Gold;

GEOGRAPHICAL KNOWLEDGE AT THE TIME OF COLUMBUS. 1 5

Shield of Gold and Silver; Shield of Gold and Silver; Shield of Silver and
Gold; Shield of Silver and Gold; Shield of Silver and Gold; The Banner
of Charles V; Banner of Charles V; Banner of St. Christopher; Banner of
St. Christopher; Banner of St. James; Banner of St. James; Banner of St.
James; Banner of St. James; Banner of St. James; The Banner of the
Cock; The Banner of the Cock; The Grand Standard of Spain; The Grand
Standard of Spain; Helmet and Litter of Charles V; Helmet and Litter
of Charles V; Helmet of Cardinal Ximines; Helmet of Cardinal Ximines;
Helmet of Cardinal Ximines; Helmet of King James; Helmet of King
James; Models of Helmets; Helmets; Gold and Silver Helmets; Gold and
Silver Helmets; Helmets; Helmets and Armor; Models of Helmets and
Armor; Models of Helmets and Shoes; Models of Helmets and Shoes;
Helmets and Water Cask; Gauntlet; Gauntlet of Cisneros; Gauntlet of
Cisneros; Models of Spears; Models of Spears; Models of Cross Bows;
Models of Cross Bows; Saddles of Isabella the Catholic; Saddles of Isa-
bella the Catholic; Models of Saddle-cloths; Models of Saddle-cloths;
Stirrups of Ferdinand the Catholic; Stirrups of Ferdinand the Catholic;
The Stirrups and Equipments of Ferdinand the Catholic; The Stirrups and
Equipments of Ferdinand the Catholic; Models of Stirrups and Powder-
Horns; Models of Stirrups and Powder-Horns; Models of Stirrups; Models
of Stirrups; Models of Spurs; Models of Spurs; Horse Bits; Horse Bits;
Models of Maces; Models of Maces; Keys for Ancient; Keys for Ancient.

38. Fac-simile of a celestial globe in bronze.

Made by the Arabs in the eleventh century. Original in National
Library at Paris.

40. Crusaders' map of the thirteenth century, representing the journey from

London to Jerusalem.

41. Fac-simile of a map showing itinerary of the pilgrimage from London

to Jerusalem.

42. Fac-simile of map indicating the route of the pilgrimage from London

to Jerusalem.

43. Fac-simile of chart of the thirteenth century, belonging to an old family

of Pisa.

44. Fac-simile of old charts, tenth, thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth cen-

turies.

45. Curious maps of the fifteenth century.

46. Fac-simile of an atlas of Petrus Vessconte, 1318.

47. Italian map of the fifteenth century, in perspective.

48. Military map of the Middle Ages.

50. Map of east coast of Newfoundland and coast of Labrador.

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

52. Fac-simile of the eastern hemisphere, from the map of Martin Behaim,

1492.

53. Fac-simile of the western hemisphere, from the map of Martin Behaim,

1492.
36. Chart showing the world as it is, and as Columbus thought it to be.

54. Map of the United States showing the number and location of places
named in honor of Columbus. \

THE COURT OF FERDINAND AND ISABELLA.

SECTION B. THE COURT OF FERDINAND AND ISABELLA.

55.

56.

57-

Isabella as a child.

Artist unknown. Original in Madrid.

Isabella, surnamed the Catholic, was born April
22, 1451, and married Ferdinand of Aragon, at
Valladolid, October 19, 1469. On the death of her
brother Henry, she was proclaimed Queen of Cas-
tile and Leon, December 13, 1474. Through the union
of crowns of Castile and Aragon, and the subsequent
consolidation of power, the expulsion of the Moors
from Spain was consummated by the fall of Gra-
nada, in 1492. The same year that saw the star of
Spain in the ascendant witnessed also the discovery
of America, for it was under the walls of Granada
that the capitulation was signed with Columbus. Isabella died at Medir a
del Campo, November 24, 1504.
Isabella as a queen.

Original in Royal Palace, Madrid, by Antonio Rincon.

"Isabella," says Washington Irving, "was well formed, of the middle
size, with great dignity and graceful-
ness of deportment, and a mingled
gravity and sweetness of demeanor.
Her complexion was fair, her hair au-
burn, inclining to red; her eyes were of
a clear blue, with a benign expression,
and there was a singular modesty in her
countenance, gracing as it did a won-
derful firmness of purpose and earnest-
ness of spirit." ^
Picture of Isabella in armor.

By Leopold Flameng.

Queen Isabella is said to have par-
ticipated actively in the siege of Gra-
nada. The armor that she wore at this
time is preserved in the Armoria at
Madrid.
2

Isabella in armor.

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

Ferdinand as a boy.

58. King Ferdinand as a boy.

Original in Madrid.

Ferdinand V, King of Aragon, Castile, Naples and Sicily, was born the
10th of March, 1452. He survived Isabella some twelve years, dying
January 23, 1516.

59. Portrait of King Ferdinand.

"Ferdinand was of the middle stature,
well proportioned and hardy, and active
from athletic exercise. His carriage was
free and majestic. He had a clear, serene
forehead, which appeared more lofty from
his head being partly bald. His eyebrows
were large and parted and, like his hair, of
a bright chestnut. His eyes were clear
and animated, his complexion somewhat
ruddy, his mouth moderate and well
formed and gracious in its expression, his
teeth white, though small and irregular, his
voice sharp, his speech quick and fluent."
— Irving.

60. Isabella signing the Capitulation of Granada.

By Geoffroy de Apres. Original in the Royal Palace at Madrid.

61. Original of the will of Isabella the Catholic.

Made at Medina del Campo, November 23, 1504. Loaned by the
Government of Spain at the request of the President of the United States.
(In the Chapel.)

The will is in the handwriting of the Queen's private secretary, Gasper
de Gricio, and consists of four sheets of vellum. The covers were made
in 1881 by Crispulo Avecilla, an artist of Toledo, and are embossed and
inlaid with gold, silver and iron. In one of the clauses of the will Isa-
bella recommends the protection of the persons and property of the
Indians in the New World. It is witnessed by the Bishop of Calahorra;
D. Fadrique de Portugal; Don Valeriano Ordonez de Villaguiran; Rod-
rigo, Bishop of the City; Doctor Martin Fernandez de Angulo; Arch
Deacon of Talavera; D. Pedro de Oropesa, and Licentiate Luis Zapata.

62. Fac-simile of the will of Isabella.

63. Crown of Isabella.

64. Fac-simile of the sword of Isabella. (In the Chapel.)

65. Missal, treasure-chest, scepter and sword of Isabella in the Cathedral

at Granada.

In a room adjoining the Royal Chapel in Granada are shown several

THE COURT OF FERDINAND AND ISABELLA.

relics of Isabella and Ferdinand, such as the missal and scepter of the
Queen, her sword and treasure-chest used in the wars in the south of
Spain.

66. Castle at Medina del Campo, in which Queen Isabella died.

Medina del Campo, the fa-

mous City of the Plain, lies
some twenty-five miles south
of Valladolid (whereColumbus
died), and is the junction of the
railroads leading in one direc-
tion to the ancient city of Se-
govia, and in the other to
Salamanca. Here,says the his-
torian, Caesar Borgia was con-
fined two years, and in the same
castle of La Mota, Isabella,
Queen of Spain, died in the
year 1504.
£7. Tomb of Isabella and Ferdi-
nand in the Royal Chapel
at Granada.

Attached to the Cathedral
of Granada, in the "Royal
Chapel," are the tombs of Isa-
bella and Ferdinand, of the
finest alabaster and surmounted by the chiseled effigies of the great
sovereigns of Spain. Beneath these tombs is a vault containing four
leaden coffins, enclosing their remains and those of their daughter, Joanna,
and her husband. Granada was considered by them the brightest jewel
in their crown, and they commanded that they should be brought there
to be buried, wherever they might die.

<68. Surrender of Boabdil, the last king of the Moors, to Isabella.

Original in the Senate at Madrid.

Upon the bank of the Xenil, the river that flows through the vega of
Granada, west of the Alhambra fortifications and the Hill of the Sun,
stands a small chapel, San Sebastian, erected on the spot where the last
Moorish king, Boabdil, delivered to the Spanish sovereigns the keys of
his castle and palace. An ancient inscription gives the particulars of the
ceremony. Directly west, in the hills, is the pass through which Boabdil
rode when on his way out of the kingdom, and known as the "Last Sigh of
the Moor."— El ultimo suspiro del Moro.

Castle at Medina del Campo.

20 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

69. View of the Alhambra at Granada.

,. -'■. fjt !

• 'y

^mmmmm^H^'%^

■ -idfl

.. 1

Vr'tf'

■

- -3r^^H

Columbus arrived at Granada

in time to witness the surrender

of Boabdil and the triumphal

entry of Ferdinand and Isabella

into the wonderful palace of the

Moorish kings. In fact, one of

The Iron Gateway of the Alhambra. his interviews with Isabella took

place in one of the salons of the Alhambra — the handsome "Hall of

Justice."

70. Torre de los Picos— the Iron Gateway — through which Boabdil, the last
king of the Moors, rode to deliver the keys of the Alhambra to Ferdi-
nand and Isabella.

The "Hill of the Sun," upon which the Moors erected the great line of
fortifications, including the Alhambra Palace, overlooks the city of Gra-
nada and dominates the country around. Numerous towers rise above the
wall at intervals, and through some of them are the entrance-ways and the
exits of the castle. The Torre de los Picos, or battlemented tower, guards
the side next the ravine leading to the river Darro, and through this,,
tradition relates, Boabdil rode for the last time, when on his way to-
Granada to submit to Ferdinand and Isabella.

THE COURT OF FERDINAND AND ISABELLA. 21

79. Statue of Prince Don Juan, son of Ferdinand and Isabella.

80. Prince Don Juan of Aragon, son of Ferdinand and Isabella.

Don Juan, Prince of Asturias, the second child of the Catholic king
was born June 30, 1478, at Seville. In 1497 he married the Princess Mar
garet of Austria, daughter of the Emperor Maximilian, and died on the 4th
of October, 1497.

81. Princess Isabella, daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella.

Dona Isabel, the eldest child of the Catholic king, was born October 1,
1470, and married Don Alonzo, the heir of the Portuguese crown, in 1490.
Upon her husband's death, which occurred a few months after the mar-
riage, she went to Spain, but was prevailed upon in 1497 to marry Don
Manuel, the King of Portugal. She died one year afterward, August
23, 1498.

82. Don Juan, King of Aragon.

Don Juan II, father of Ferdinand the Catholic, became King of Aragon,
in 1458, upon the death of his brother Alfonso the Magnanimous, who left
no children. He died in 1479.

83. Dona Juana, daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella, wife of Philip the

Handsome.

Dona Juana, called "la loccT or "the insane," was born at Toledo,
November 6, 1479; married in 1496 the Archduke, Philip of Austria,
called " the Handsome," by whom she had two sons, Charles, afterward
Emperor Charles V, and Ferdinand. Soon after she lost her mind, and
died in 1555.

84. Portrait of Charles V of Spain.

Charles V of Spain, grandson of Ferdinand and Isabella, the son of
their daughter, Juana, was born in 1500, in Ghent. By the death of his
father in 1506, he fell heir to the Netherlands; to the crown of Spain and
Naples on the death of his grandfather, Ferdinand, and to the archduke-
dom of Austria by the death of his grandfather, Maximilian, in 1519.
Thus was concentrated into the hands of a single individual the most
opulent kingdoms of Europe, and at the same time he became possessed
of all the vast regions discovered by Columbus, Cortez, Pizarro, Magel-
lan, and all the Spanish explorers during the reign of his grandparents
and his own. He was the most powerful monarch of his time, but did
not rise to the dignity of his vast possessions and potential influence. It
was during his reign that the Reformation started and made its great prog-
ress, though against his will. In the year 1535 he made an expedition
against Tunis and defeated Barbarossa. In 1540 he brought the city of
Ghent into subjection. He was defeated at Metz, 1552. In 1554 his son
Philip was married to Mary of England, and to him was transferred the

22 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

crown of Naples. In 1555, he abdicated his power in the Netherlands; in
1556, formally resigned the crown of Spain, and retired to the Convent of
Yuste, in Estramadura, where he died in 1558.

85. Charles V and his wife, Isabella of Portugal.

Married in 1526, the union of Charles and Isabella was happy. The
king entertained for her great affection and long lamented her death,
which occurred in 1539.

86. King Phillip II.

Phillip II of Spain, son of Charles V and Isabella of Portugal, was
born at Valladolid, 1527. In 1543, he married Mary of Portugal, who
died soon after the birth of a son, Don Carlos. He married in 1554, Mary
of England, "Bloody Mary," who died in 1558, and in 1559 was united to
Isabella, daughter of Henry II of France. He won important victories
over the French, and under the Duke of Alva his armies invaded the
Netherlands. He imprisoned his own son, Carlos, who died in 1568. In
1570 he married his fourth wife, Anne of Austria, who died in 1580, leaving
one son who survived as Phillip III. In 1588, he sent against England the
" Invincible Armada," which was destroyed by a storm. Though not
inclined for war, yet he managed to impoverish his kingdom, and in
1597 repudiated his debts. He is remembered for his hatred of heretics,
whom he persecuted relentlessly; and his great monument is the Escorial,
the palace he built, and in which he died, in 1598.

87. King Alfonso XII. of Spain.

Alfonso XII, eldest son of ex-Queen Isabella II, born the 28th of
November, 1857, died 25th of November, 1885, was at first expelled from
Spain with his mother, 1868, but recalled and proclaimed King of Spain,
1874, assuming command of the Spanish army January, 1875. He suc-
ceeded in quelling the Carlist rebellion in 1876, and enjoyed a peaceful
reign until his death, becoming endeared to his subjects by his courage,
and his attention to their welfare. In 1878 he married his cousin, Maria
de las Mercedes, daughter of the Duke of Montpensier, but she died six
months later; and in November, 1879, he married the Archduchess Maria
Christina, of Austria. Although very popular, several unsuccessful
attempts were made to assassinate him; but his death was from natural
causes. By his second marriage he had two daughters, Mercedes, born
September, 1880, and Maria Theresa, born November, 1882. A posthu-
mous son was born May 17, 1886, who is the present king, the royal power
being exercised by the Queen Regent, his mother, during his minority.

88. Queen Christine and the infant King of Spain.

The present King of Spain (1893) is Alfonso XIII, the posthumous son
of Alfonso XII, who died in November, 1885. During his minority,.

THE COURT OF FERDINAND AND ISABELLA.

90.

which terminates at the age of sixteen, his mother exercises the royal
power, as Queen-Regent. Maria Christina, an Archduchess of Austria,
daughter of the late archduke, Carl Ferdinand, was proclaimed Regent
during the minority of her son, by a vote of the Spanish Cortes, and the
Spanish people have always been loyal to her and the infant king, to
whom they are deeply devoted. The Queen-Regent was born July 21,
1858, and married to King Alfonso XII, November 29, 1879.
89. Coat-of-arms of Spain.

In the Coat-of-arms of Spain the shield is divided into four quarters,
the first and fourth with red ground, bearing a castle in silver with em-
battled towers with open windows in blue; the second' and third, silver
ground, each having a lion in red, the whole surmounted by a gold crown,
the lower point of silver, having a pomegranate in red with green leaves.
General view of the city of Santa Fe

Built on the site of the
camp occupied by Ferdinand
and Isabella during the siege
of Granada.

Columbus entered
into a formal con-
tract with the Crown

of Spain, r

The docu- ['
merit was \ t tyj
signed be-
neath the
walls of Gra-
nada in the
newly risen
city of Santa
Fe. In Jan-
uary, 1492, View of the Alhambra.

Boabdil, the last monarch of the Moors, surrendered the keys of the
Alhambra. For eight hundred years the hated Moor had ruled the land,
but Christianity had finally triumphed over Islamism, and the last
European Moslem was a fugitive. Four months later, on the 17th
of April, the same hands that had received the token of their triumph
affixed the royal sign manual to a paper confirming^ to Christopher
Columbus rights and titles in a yet undiscovered country beyond
an unknown sea.* In this the dignities and prerogatives of viceroy
and governor were made hereditary in his family, and he and his

* The original of the contract is on exhibition in the chapel, No. 901.

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

heirs were entitled to prefix the title of "Don" to their names, a dis-
tinction accorded in those days only to people of rank and state,
although it has since lost its significance because of its universal use.

91. Sala de la Justicia, Hall of the Justice, in the Alhambra, Spain.

Bounding one side of the Lion Court of the Alhambra is the Sala del
Tribunal, or Hall of Justice, a gallery some seventy-five feet long and
sixteen wide, divided into alcoves formerly occupied by divans and with
the stucco work profusely yet delicately colored. Here the swart Moors
reclined during the noonday hours; here the Caliphs held their
audiences, and here Isabella received Columbus, after the surrender of
Granada.

92. Mirador de la Reina.

One of the most picturesque towers

of the Alhambra is that known as the

Mirador (or lookout) of the Queen >

View from the Alhambra. projecting from the castle walls above

the River Darro. The view from here is superb, taking in the Moorish

quarter of Granada, known as the Albaicin, and the Gipsy Caves, etc.

93. Monument to Queen Isabella, Madrid.

94. Moorish watch-tower overlooking the Bridge of Pines.

95. Colored views of horsemen of the tims of Columbus.

96. Don Pedro Enriquez.

97. Three Spanish knights in armor at prayer.

98. King Ferdinand the Catholic at prayer .

99. Queen Isabella at prayer.

100. Group of kings and queens at prayer.

101. Don Juan of Austria, son of Charles V.

102. Prince Carlos, son of Phillip II.

103. Donna Maria of Portugal.

104. Statue of Isabella at Malaga.

105. Statue of Ferdinand the Catholic at Malaga, Spain.

106. Isabella as a queen. By Mme. Thenon Nargeot.

THE BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE OF COLUMBUS.

SECTION C. THE BIRTH, BOYHOOD AND EARLY LIFE OF

COLUMBUS.

no. View of the harbor and city of Genoa.

The city and harbor of Genoa.
in. Genoese wool-comber.

The father of Columbus followed the very respectable trade of wool-
comber, and acquired a little property through his wife Susanna. It is
shown by the records that he was at one time the proprietor of a house of
public entertainment, but the two occupations do not seem to have kept him
out of debt, for he owed money to his neighbors, gave mortgages on his
property, and his sons assisted him to pay the interest. There is evidence,
too, that during the winter of 1499-1500 the heirs of Corrado de Cuneo got
judgment against Christopher and his brother Diego on account of the
failure of their father to pay for certain lands in the town of Savona.
ina. View of the harbor of Genoa.

Although the birthplace of Columbus may be in doubt, the strongest
probabilities are in favor of Genoa. His pedigree and the movements of

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

his family have been traced with remarkable patience by Henry Harisse,
who found in the archives of Genoa records of real estate transfers and
other business transactions by the father of Columbus, about the date of
his birth; and Columbus, in his will, says: " I was born in Genoa." In a
subsequent paragraph of the same document he writes: "I came from
there and there was I born."

112. House at Quinto where the father and mother of Columbus lived and
were married.

The grandfather
of Columbus lived at
Terrarossa, a ham-
let about twenty
miles northeast of
Genoa, and there
his father was born.
Some time between
1430 and 1445 he
moved to Quinto al
Mar, a little place
on the coast four
miles east of Genoa.
The house in which
he dwelt is still
standing in the Via
dei Colombo, No. 8,
owned by Mr. Giu-
seppe Piaggio, and
occupied by several
peasant families.
Here Domenico, the

Old house at Quinto.
father of Christopher, was married to Susanna
Fontanarossa, who came from Quezzi, and belonged to a race of weavers.
About 1446 he moved into the city of Genoa, where he purchased a resi-
dence, and in that year qualified as a citizen. In 1471 Domenico Colum-
bus went to Savona, where his wife died. About 1484 he returned to
Genoa to reside with his daughter until his death, at an advanced age, in
1499 or 1500. He lived to see the triumph and enjoy the fame of his son,
and it is believed that Christopher visited him after the first voyage.
There is, in the Municipal Archives at Savona, a document witnessed by
Columbus in 1472. On August 26, 1472, he endorsed a note for his
father, and on August 7, 1473, signed a deed relinquishing all claims to
the house in Genoa.

THE BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE OF COLUMBUS.

113. Street in Genoa in which Columbus is said
to have been born.

The learned antiquarian, Marcel-
lo Staglieno, of Genoa, identified
the Vico dritto del Ponticello,
No. 37, as the house in which Do-
menico Columbus lived during the
younger years of Christopher's life;
and it is probable, although not cer

«** 4-.W 1 >&>%

f i: -

114.

House in Genoa in which Columbus i&
said to have been born,
tain, that the latter was born there. The discovery of the ownership was
made by tracing back the title to the property. Through the efforts
of Cavaliere Giuseppe Bald, §6,300 was raised in June, 1887, the property
was purchased and a tablet was placed over the door, with the Latin

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

"5-
117.

inscription, which, in English, reads: "No house better deserves an
inscription. This is the paternal home of Christopher Columbus, where
he passed his childhood and youth." The house was, at that time, just
outside of the city walls of Genoa, by the gate of St. Andrew.
Plan of the Columbus house at Genoa. (Several parts.)
Room in which Columbus is alleged to have been born.

120. General view of Cogoleto, Italy.

Some writers argue that the republic instead of the city of Genoa was
meant by Columbus when he said that he was born there, which will
admit to the controversy the claims of several suburban towns in which
his family at one time resided. In the little village of Cogoleto, about
fifteen miles from Genoa, an ancient structure is pointed out as the birth-
place of Columbus and bears the following pretentious inscription:
"Traveler, stop at this place. It was here that Columbus, the greatest
man in the world, first saw the light; here in this humble house! There
was one world: this man spoke, and there were two."

118. Beach at Cogoleto, which claims to have been the birthplace of Columbus.

119. Views of the University of Pavia.

It is generally believed, although often denied, that Columbus spent
some time during his boyhood at the University of Pavia, where he learned
Latin, the principles of geography, and some knowledge of astronomy.
The doctors of this university, which is still in existence, have erected a
monument to commemorate the glory of its famous pupil, and when his
remains were discovered at Santo Domingo, the archbishop of that repub-

THE BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE OF COLUMBUS.

lie consecrated his memory by sending a pinch of the illustrious dust
there, as he did to Genoa.

121. Street in Cogoleto, Italy, in which it is claimed Columbus was born.

122. House at Cogoleto in which it is said Columbus was born.

123. Views of Pavia.

Pavia is a city of Italy, about seventy miles north of Genoa. It was once
known as the " City of One Hundred Towers," nearly all of which have
fallen to ruin. In the time of Columbus the city was surrounded by
ramparts, three and a half miles long, portions of which still exist. The
first stone of the cathedral of San Stevano was laid at about the time that
Columbus finished his studies at the university. This university was
founded by Charlemagne, in the year 774, and was famous in the days of
Columbus for the facilities it offered for obtaining scientific knowledge.

124. Church at Lisbon in which Columbus was married.

Columbus was married at Lisbon about 1473 or 1474, to Felipa Moniz
Perestrello, the daughter of an Italian gentleman of good connections
and fame as a navigator, who was identified with the colonization of the
Madeira Islands, and was appointed governor of them by Prince Henry
of Portugal. Christopher went to Lisbon in 1473, at the suggestion of his
brother Bartholomew, who was already established there, because the

30 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

Court of Portugal offered the greatest inducements to skilled navigators
to join its fleets and participate in the enterprises which Prince Henry
had inaugurated. It is probable that he assisted Bartholomew in the map
business until they both secured employment in the navy. We know
that Bartholomew was with the expedition that discovered the Cape of
Good Hope, and we have Christopher's own testimony that he made a
voyage down the African coast.

125. Views of Porto Santo, Madeira Islands.

There is a romantic story in the life of Columbus, by Las Casas, of his
accidental encounter with Felipa at mass in the chapel of the Convent of
All faints at Lisbon and their love at first sight. Whether this be true or
not it is evident that their courtship was brief, and that immediately after
their marriage they went to Porto Santo, Madeira, where the father of
Senora Columbus left a small estate. Here, while studying some maps
and books that belonged to his father-in-law, it is supposed that Colum-
bus first conceived the idea of seeking a passage to the Indies by
sailing westward across the " Sea of Darkness," as the Atlantic was then
called. Here, too, it is supposed his son Diego was born in 1475. Soon
after the family appear to have returned to Lisbon, where we find
Columbus submitting his theories to the king and corresponding with
Toscanelli, the Florentine geographer, on the same subject.

126. Entrance to the house in which Columbus lived at Funchal, Madeira

Islands.

Columbus went to the Madeira Islands in 1474, and lived in Funchal.
Pina Louveiro, the historian of those islands, insists that he was married
at Machico in 1475, instead of at Lisbon; that Diego was born in 1476, and
that Felipa, his wife, died soon after and was buried in the cathedral at
Funchal. There is an autograph letter of Columbus in the possession of
the Duke de Veragua, his descendant, at Madrid, in which he says that
when he departed from Portugal, which was probably in 1484, he left his
wife and children — he writes in the plural — and never saw them again.
That he took his little son to Spain with him we know, and when he
stopped at the Monastery of La Rabida, near Palos, he was on his way to
Huelva where his wife had a sister named Muliar.with whom he intended
to leave Diego while he visited the court of Ferdinand and Isabella.
But he never refers to his wife and children again, and the theory of the
best authorities is that she, and any other children there may have been,
must have died shortly after his departure.

127. House occupied by Columbus at Porto Santo, Madeira Islands.

The house occupied by Columbus while he lived at Porto Santo,
Madeira Islands, is supposed to have been built by his father-in-law,

THE BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE OF COLUMBUS.

129.

Bartholomew Perestrello, and a portion of it is still standing and in fairly-
good condition, being occupied by the vicar of the village church. The
house was inhabited by the descendants of Perestrello until twenty years
ago.

128. Church at Porto Santo, Madeira Islands, where Columbus used to
reside.

The little chapel in the village of Porto Santo from all appearances is
likely to stand for a thousand years to come. It is said to have been built
by the father-in-law of Columbus, who is buried under the pavement.

Front door of the house occupied by Columbus at Funchal, Madeira

Islands.

This house, which was
situated on Rua de Chris-
tavao Columbo, was built in
1457, but having fallen into
ruins was removed in 1857.
Before its removal these
photographs were taken.
Three of the window shutters

from the house occupied

by Columbus at Porto

Santo, Madeira Islands.
Block of barbosano wood

from the house occupied

by Columbus at Porto

Santo, Madeira Islands.

Supposed to have been

erected by Bartholomew

Perestrello in 1471.

This block of wood was
taken from the doorstep
upon which the large doors
hung.

House occupied by Columbus at Funchal.

132. Inside doors of the house occupied by Columbus and his wife Felipa at
Porto Santo.

It is believed Columbus left Lisbon to escape arrest for debt. His
own statement shows that he was indignant at the action of the king in
secretly sending an expedition into the western sea to ascertain the

130.

131.

32 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

truth of his theories; but there is a record of his application to Prince
John II of Portugal for a passport to visit Lisbon to see his brother
Bartholomew, who had just returned from the expedition to the Cape of
Good Hope. This document, which was issued on the 20th of March,
1488, guarantees him against arrest or detention on any criminal or civil
charge during his stay in Portugal, and commands all magistrates
to respect it. On meeting Bartholomew he sent him to London to lay
his plans for a western voyage before King Henry VII of England.

133. Table made of wood taken from the house occupied by Columbus at

Funchal, Madeira Islands.

Loaned by Dr. Jose Leite Monteiro.

The house from which the timber was taken to make this table was
built in 1457 and was the property of John Esmeraldo, a wealthy Genoese
who went to Funchal in 1480. Esmeraldo built several fine mansions at
Funchal on the street which bears his name. He died June 19, 1536, and
was buried in the church which he had erected in 1494. The house fell
into ruin with time, and in 1877-what was left of it was removed. Dr.
Jose Leite Monteiro purchased all the wood in the building, and among
other things had this table made.

134. Cane made from wood taken from the house occupied by Christopher

Columbus at Porto Santo, Madeira Islands.

Presented to Mr. Blaine by John F. Healy, U. S. Consul at Funchal,
Madeira.

135. Cane made from wood taken from the house occupied by Christopher

Columbus at Porto Santo, Madeira Islands.

Presented to William E. Curtis by John F. Healy, L T . S. Consul at
Funchal, Madeira.

136. Relics from the house occupied by Columbus while he lived at Porto

Santo, Madeira Islands.

Supposed to have been erected as his family home by Bartholomew
Perestrello, the father-in-law of Columbus. Secured for the World's
Columbian Exposition by John F. Healy, U. S. Consul at Funchal,.
Madeira.

137. View of the city of Lisbon when Columbus lived.

THE CAREER OF COLUMBUS IN SPAIN. 33

SECTION D. THE CAREER OF COLUMBUS IN SPAIN.

140. View of Huelva, Spain.

A few miles north of Cadiz, on the Atlantic coast of Spain, about half
way between the straits of Gibraltar and the boundary of Portugal, near
the mouth of the Rio Tinto, are the famous mines of Huelva which, tra-
dition tells us, furnished the copper used in the construction of Solo-
mon's Temple, and which, indeed, are claimed to have been worked
before the flood. That they were operated by the Phoenicians long before
the Christian era, and afterward by the Romans, there is little doubt, as
remains of both races have been discovered in that locality; and the his-
tory of the mines is as old as human knowledge of Spain. They are
now owned and operated by an English corporation.

Near the town of Huelva, toward the end of the fifteenth century, dwelt
the sister of the wife of Christopher Columbus, one Senora Muliar, the
daughter of Senor Bartholomew Perestrello of Lisbon, of whom we
know nothing but her name.

141. View of the monastery of La Rabida.

On the summit of a low headland, between the Tinto and Odiel rivers,
which meet at its base, a few miles from the sea, stands a picturesque
and solitary monastery, erected in the second century after Christ. The
Moors called it La Rabida, which signifies an out-post on the frontier.
When the Moslems were driven from Andalusia it passed into the
possession of the Franciscan order, who remodeled it and called it
Santa Maria de la Rabida.

142. Columbus at the monastery gate.

Original by Leopold Flameng.

This is a favorite subject with artists and has often been depicted — the
future discoverer of a world, like an ordinary beggar, asking for bread
and water for his son at the gate of the convent of La Rabida. There
are two spots that should ever be associated with the fortunes of Colum-
bus and should be regarded as the turning points of his career — the
convent-portal of La Rabida and the Bridge of Pines on the plain of
Granada. At the one he was encouraged to hope for the Queen's favor,
and at the other he was turned back to learn of her decision to undertake
the voyage to the New World.

143. Title of Columbus sketches by H. F. Pluddemann.

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

144. Columbus at La Rabida.

By H. F. Pluddemann. Loaned by Mrs. Pluddemann, Weisserhirsch,
Germany.

Monastery of La Rabida as it appeared in 1890 before its restoration to its
condition at the time of Columbus.

145. Columbus at the monastery of La Rabida.

By Eugene Delacroix.

It is not certain when Columbus first appeared at La Rabida. Some
authorities assert that he came there from Portugal in 1484, on his way
to Huelva, where he intended to leave little Diego, then nine years old,
with his wife's relatives, and obtain from them means to pay his way to
the court of Ferdinand and Isabella, to submit his plans for a voyage
across the western ocean. Others insist that he did not visit Palos and
La Rabida until two years later. A careful investigation of the evidence
shows that it is quite possible that he may have stopped at the monas-
tery immediately upon his arrival in Spain, left his child at Moguer,
secured money to pay the expense of his journey, and two years later,
after the rejection of his proposal, returned to take Diego with him as he
was leaving the country, disheartened at the indifference and procrasti-
nation of the court.

146. Columbus asking bread at the monastery of La Rabida.

Original in the monastery of La Rabida.

152. Columbus and the monk Marchena.

There has been a great deal of confusion in the minds of most of the
biographers of Columbus and other writers of history, because there
were two monks by the name of Marchena who gave aid and comfort to
the Admiral. One was Juan Perez de Marchena, who was formerly
confessor to Queen Isabella, and afterward prior of the monastery of
La Rabida. The other was Father Antonio de Marchena, a learned

THE CAREER OF COLUMBUS IN SPAIN.

Memorial Cross.

astronomer and geographer, who was a member of the Council of Monks
at Salamanca, and endorsed the theories of Columbus as to a western
passage to the Indies. He was appointed astronomer to the expedition
that went out under Columbus in 1493, but for some reason did not go.
147. Cross erected on the spot where Columbus asked

the prior of La Rabida for bread and water.

An iron cross, set in a foundation of stone and
mortar, marks the spot where, it is said, Columbus
had his first interview with the prior of the con-
vent. It is near the main portal, and from this
spot is a most magnificent view of the headland,
the convent, and the bay, beyond which is the town
of Huelva, the center of the copper mining region
and its shipping port, its white sails shining in the
sun.

148! Chart showing location of Palos and the mon-
astery.

149. Columbus explaining his theories at La Rabida.

Original in the convent at La Rabida.

150. Juan Perez de Marchena, prior of the monastery of La Rabida.

(In the chapel.)

When Columbus stopped at La Rabida for food,
Juan Perez de Marchena, the prior, entered into con-
versation with him. Observing from his appearance
and language that Columbus was a man of learning,
he invited him and his son Diego into the convent,
where they were given refreshment, and asked to
remain until they had recovered from the fatigue of
their journey. In the meantime the friar had drawn
from Columbus something of his plans, and being
learned in the science of geography, took a great
interest in the strange theories and remarkable char-
acter of his guest. Father Perez had formerly been
confessor to Queen Isabell*, but weary of the frivoli-
ties of the court had retired to La Rabida, to enjoy
peace and quiet and to pursue his studies.

151. Columbus explaining his theories at the monastery of La Rabida.

By Sir David Wilkie.

There lived at Palos a learned physician by the name of Fernandez
Garcia, who was also a student of cosmography. He and the famous
navigator, Martin Alonzo Pinzon, were summoned to the monastery by

Father Perez.

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

Father Perez to hear the theories and plans of Columbus. The confer-
ences at the old convent have been a favorite subject for artists for
three hundred years. (The conferences took place in the room where
the portraits are exhibited, in the northwest corner of the building.)

153-

154.

155.

156.

157.

Columbus explaining

theories to the prior.
Interior of the chapel at La

Rabida. Altar of the c hapel.

Cloisters of convent of La Rabida, Spain.

In the center of the convent is a beautiful patio, around which are the
cloisters formerly occupied by the good old monks, empty and forsaken,,
but still clean and neat. A narrow corridor runs around the patio, which
is filled with flowers and orange trees.
Columbus at the monastery.

By E. Cano. •

Room occupied by Columbus in the monastery of La Rabida.

Columbus spent several impatient, but important months at La Rab-
ida. At the suggestion of Pinzon, who furnished him money to pay his
expenses, he applied for men and vessels to several petty princes along
the southern coast of Spain. They owned vast estates, with fleets and
armies of retainers, but were subject to the Crown of Spain. They re-
jected his propositions, with the exception of the Duke of Medina-Celi„

THE CAREER OF COLUMBUS IN SPAIN. yj

who regarded them favorably from the very first, and would have fur-
nished him money and vessels, but for fear that the enterprise might not
be regarded favorably by the sovereigns.
158. Views of Cordova.

Ferdinand and Isabella were at Cordova when Columbus arrived, and
thither he went. His arrival was at an unpropitious moment. He found
the city in all the bustle of military preparation. The rival kings of
Granada had formed a coalition, and their league called for prompt and
vigorous measures. All the chivalry cf Spain had been summoned to
the- field. The streets of Cordova echoed to the tramp of steed and
sound of trumpet, as day by day the nobles arrived with their retainers,
and the court was like a military camp.

159a. Old Roman gate of Cordova, and the house in which Columbus dwelt

for several months.

The wall that was built around the city of Cordova when the Romans
occupied it still stands, and the old gates, which were protected by for-
tified towers, remain as they were seven centuries ago. Just inside one
of these portals, which is known as the Columbus gate, is a one-story
adobe house, in which Columbus is said to have lived during his stay in
Cordova. The house occupied by the family of Beatriz Enriquez, which
must have been a very imposing dwelling in that day, is now a second-
class hotel, and stands across the street from the famous Moorish
mosque.

159b. View of Cordova, Spain, showing the Royal Palace Cathedral and old
Roman bridge.

161. Portrait of Pedro Gonzalez de Mendoza, Grand Cardinal of Spain.

During the winter of 1486-87 Columbus followed the Court from Cor-
dova to Salamanca, where, through the influence of a zealous friend, he
secured an audience with Pedro Gonzalez de Mendoza, the Grand Car-
dinal of Spain, whose influence with his sovereigns was unsurpassed.
The Cardinal determined that the plans of Columbus were worthy the
attention of the Crown, and in the spring of 1487 obtained for him admis-
sion to the royal presence. Queen Isabella received Columbus with
great favor, and was at once impressed with the great importance and
practicability of his enterprise; but the King was more conservative and
suggested that the proposition be investigated by experts. Accordingly,
Fernando de Talavera, prior of the monastery of Prado and confessor
to the Queen, was commanded to assemble the most learned astrono-
mers and geographers in the kingdom, in order that Columbus might
submit his plans and theories to them.

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

160. Mosque of Cordova.

Cordova is the capi-
tal of a province of
the same name in An-
dalusia, on the River
Guadalquivir, seventy
miles from Sevill
The most interesting
building in the city is
the cathedral, origin-
ally built as a mosque
by Abderrahman I,
the eighth century. Its
interior is one of the
finest specimens of
Moorish architecture.
Passing through a
grand courtyard about
five hundred feet in
length, shaded with
palm, cypress and
orange trees, fresh with
the flow of fountains,
you enter a magnifi-
cent and bewilderin
labyrinth of pillars.
Porphyry, jasper and
marbles of many a
tint are boldly com-
bined in a matchless Tower of St. Nicholas, Cordova,
mosaic. The pillars were collected from various parts of the world, being
of different lengths and adjusted to their present position by being sunk
into the ground or raised by capitals, as was necessary. Twelve hundred
was the number in the original building, but there are only one thou-
sand remaining. Columbus lingered in Cordova during the summer and
autumn of 1486, doubtless worshipping in this magnificent cathedral
and making some friends who afterward were of great service to him
In the winter he followed the Court to Salamanca.

162. Portrait of Fernando de Talavera.

165. Columbus before the Dominicans at Salamanca.

By H. F. Pluddemann. Loaned by Professor Ehrhardt, Wolfenbuttel,
Germany.

THE CAREER OF COLUMBUS IN SPAIN.

163. General view of the city of Salamanca, where Columbus appeared
before the council of monks.

164.
166.

167.
168.
169.
170.
171.
172.

173.

174.

Panorama of Salamanca.

Columbus before the ecclesiastical council at Salamanca,

Original by Roting, in the Royal Gallery at Dresden.

Columbus before the council of Salamanca.

Original by the Peruvian painter, Murino, in National Library at Lima.
Columbus before the council of monks.

Loaned by T. Kaufmann, New York city. (In the chapel. For sale.)
Columbus before the Dominicans.

Original by V. Izquierdo.
Columbus before the Dominicans.

Original by F. Maso.
Columbus before the council of Salamanca.

Original by Leopold Flameng.
Columbus before the junta.

Original by Leopold Flameng.

Portrait of Father Diego de Deza.

By Liugo Gregori. Original in University of Notre Dame, South
Bend, Ind.

On the monument to Deza in the cathedral at Seville he is described
as a generous and faithful patron of Columbus.

Present appearance of house at Salamanca in which Columbus lived.

At Valcuebo, a country farm once belonging to the Dominicans of
Salamanca, Columbus was entertained by Diego de Deza, prior of the
great Dominican convent of San Estaban and professor of theology at

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

175.

176.

Salamanca, while the junta (committee) of Spanish ecclesiastics consid-
ered his propositions. His residence there was a peaceful oasis in the
stormy life of the great discoverer. The little grange still stands at a
distance of about three miles west of Salamanca, and the country people
have a tradition that on the crest of a small hill near the house, now
called "Teso de Colon" (Columbus Peak), the future discoverer used to
pass long hours conferring with his visitors or reading in solitude. The
present owner, Don Martin de Solis, has erected a monument on this
hill, consisting of a stone pyramid surmounted by a globe. It commem-
orates the spot where the storm-tossed hero enjoyed a brief interval of
peace and rest.

The room, "De Profundis," Convent of Salamanca, in which Columbus
appeared before the council of monks.

The conference met in the Dominican convent of San Esteban at
Salamanca in a room on the south side of the building called "De Pro-
fundis." It was composed of the monks of San Esteban and the faculty
of the University of Salamanca.
Cathedral at Salamanca.

The old cathedral of Salamanca is a cruci-
form structure of
the twelfth century,
of the late Roman-
esque style, with
original treatment

Cathedral at Salamanca,
in the construction of the dome. Adjoining the old cathedral stands the
"new" one, begun in 1513, and not finished until 1734, a fine example of

THE CAREER OF COLUMBUS IN SPAIN.

the later Gothic of Spain, and very rich in treasures, notably a bronze
crucifix, which was borne in battle before the Cid.

177. Columbus before the monks.

Original by Barabino. Owned by Count Orsini in Genoa, Italy.

The doctors of the University of Salamanca pronounced the theories
of Columbus vain and visionary and contrary to the teachings of the
Scriptures, wondering that any one could be so foolish as to believe that
the earth was round; that people walked on the other side with their
heads downward; that there was a part of the world where the trees and
plants grew down instead of up. * .

178. Views of the Church of Santo Domingo at Salamanca, Spain.

179. Christopher Columbus at the Court of Isabella.

Original by Brozik Vacslav, in the Metropolitan Museum, New York city.

After the council at Salamanca, Talavera was ordered to inform Colum-
bus that the expenses of the war with the Moors forbade the undertak-
ing of new enterprises. Columbus thereupon returned to La Rabida,
intending to leave the country for France. Then Father Perez, presum-
ing upon his former relations with Queen Isabella, wrote her a letter
begging that so noble an enterprise might not be abandoned, and so
great an opportunity to advance the interests of Christianity lost to
Spain. So powerful was his persuasion that Columbus was sent for and
funds furnished him from the treasury to enable him to appear in proper
garb and pay the expenses of his journey. The sum furnished was
equal to about $216 of our present currency.

180. The recall of Columbus by Isabella.

By H. F Pluddemann. Loaned by Mrs. Pluddemann, Dresden,
Germany.

181. Recall of Columbus.

Original by Augustus G.
Heaton, from the Capitol at
Washington. Loaned by vote of
the Congress of the United
States. (In the chapel.)

182. Columbus received by Isabella

after being overtaken at the

Bridge of Pines.

By Jover. The recall.

When Columbus learned of the decision to reject his plans he
started for Palos, intending to take his child and go to France, where
he hoped to receive encouragement from the King. After his departure,

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

Queen Isabella, urged by Santangel and others, reconsidered the deci-
sion and sent a messenger after Columbus.
183. Bridge of Pines, Spain.

After the recall of Columbus, persons of importance were appointed
to negotiate with him, chief of whom was Ferdinand de Talavera, who
had just been appointed Bishop of Granada; but the terms of the proud
sailor were pronounced unreasonable. He claimed the titles and privi-
leges of viceroyalty and the sovereignty, under the Crown of Spain, of
all the lands he should discover, with one-tenth of all they should pro-
duce; and his demands were promptly rejected.

184.

185.

Bridge of Pines as it appears to-day.

Not far from the city of Granada but nearer to Santa Fe, stands a
fine bridge spanning a stream of some volume. It is massively built,
with turrets and abutments, and is known as the Bridge of Pines. Here
Columbus was overtaken, and it may be looked upon as the point at
which his fortunes began. He returned to Santa Fe and there signed
the "Capitulation " that gave him the means to discover the New World.
Columbus presenting his plans to Ferdinand and Isabella.

By Vacslav Brozik, 1887. Loaned by P. C. Hanford, Chicago. (In the
chapel.) f

Isabella offering her jewels.

Original in the Senate Chamber, Madrid. By Munoz y Degrain.

King Ferdinand objected to the expense required to fit out a fleet for
Columbus, because the treasury had been exhausted by the war with

THE CAREER OF COLUMBUS IN SPAIN.

the Moors. With a woman's enthusiasm, Isabella exclaimed: "I will
undertake the enterprise for my own Crown of Castile, and will pledge
my jewels to raise the necessary funds!"

186. Portrait of Luis de Santangel.

But Luis de Santangel, receiver of the ecclesi-
astical revenues of the kingdom of Aragon,
agreed to loan the funds from the revenues in his
possession. He was always friendly to Columbus,
and one of his most influential advocates at Court.
It was to him that Columbus wrote the first account
of the discovery.

The amount of money furnished to pay the
expense of the voyage has been the subject of con-
troversy, owing to the difficulty of determining the
value of the marevedi, the coin of those days, as
compared with modern currency. The smallest
estimate is $3,000 and the highest $7,000.

Santangel.

Isabella offering her jewels.
188. View of Palos, Spain.

Palos was once a flourishing city, but is now deserted by all but a few
fishermen and farmers. A bar has formed at the mouth of the river, and
the water is so low that where the fleets used to float, sea grass is now
growing. At this port was organized and equipped the expedition that

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

discovered the New World, and from its docks on the 3d of August,
1492, Columbus set sail. In May, 1528, Cortez landed at Palos after the
conquest of Mexico, and by a strange coincidence met there Francisco
Pizarro, who was just starting upon his career of bloodshed and devasta-
tion in Peru.

The town of Palos was selected as a place of departure for Columbus,
because its inhabitants, on account of a disturbance that had taken place
among them during the war with the Moors, had been condemned to
keep, at their own expense, two caravels with crews and arms at the
service of the State for one year, and ready for sea on receipt of orders.
At Palos, therefore, on the 23d of May, 1492, Columbus and the royal
notary went to the church of St. George, with all the customary formali-
ties, and in the presence of the Alcalde and other magistrates, and a mul-
titude of people, read the order of the sovereign commanding the city to
fit out two caravels and place them at the disposal of Columbus.

189. Ancient fortification at Palos.

190. Reading of the royal order commanding the citizens of Palos to furnish

boats and men.

(The original of the order is on exhibition in the chapel, No. 903.)

191. Old church register at Palos showing the record of the baptism of the

crew of Columbus before they sailed.

192. View of the road which Columbus traveled between Palos and the Con-

vent of La Rabida.

From a photograph by A. W. Wheeler, Chicago.

The road from Palos to La Rabida is unattractive, with few houses
contiguous, and no noteworthy object to attract the attention, until the
convent rises above the traveler, white and glistening, upon a hill.

193. La Casa del Campo.

From a photograph by A. W.
Wheeler, Chicago.

Between La Rabida and the
village of Palos is a half ruined
building called " La Casa del
Campo" — The Country House
— which was then a tavern, in
which Columbus, it is said,
stopped to rest and chat with
the people on his journeys to
and fro when he was preparing
for the expedition.

194. Portrait of Alonzo Pinzon.

By Leopold Flameng.

La Casa del Campo.

THE CAREER OF COLUMBUS IN SPAIN.

Had it not been for the assistance of Martin Alonzo and Vicente
Yanez Pinzon, Columbus would have had great difficulty in securing the
necessary ships and men for the vtiyage. Martin Alonzo was of sturdy
stock, and the Pinzon family still survive in the homes of its ancestors,
at Moguer, near Palos. The ancestral residence is there, and over the
door the coat-ot-arms granted them by Charles V, emblematic of their
service as explorers.

195. Present appearance of the Church of St. George.

The Church of St.
George still stands just
as it did when the Al-
calde, in May, 1492,
read from its pulpit
the proclamation of the
sovereigns command-
ing the people of Palos
to furnish ships for the
use of Columbus. On
the records of the
church are the names
of the sailors who re-
ceived communion the
morning of their de-
parture.

196. Priest at Church of St. George, Palos, and the miraculous Virgin.

From a photograph by A. W. Wheeler, Chicago.

There is a miracle-working image of the Virgin in the old church at
Palos to which the sailors who accompanied Columbus made vows. It
stands in the same place now and is still believed to be endowed with
divine power.

197. Bricks and tiles from the original monastery of La Rabida, Palos,

Spain.

Some of them are supposed to be sixteen centuries old.
19S. Bust of Columbus, and flag from the Convent of La Rabida.

Used at the commemorative ceremonies on the 14th of October, 1892.
Presented to the government of the United States by the alcalde and
ayuntamiento of Huelva.

On the 3d of August, 1892, the alcalde of Palos raised the flag of the
United States over the Convent of La Rabida and sent the following
message to the President of the United States:

La Rabida, August 3d. The President: To-day, four hundred years ago, Colum-
bus sailed from Palos discovering America. The United States flag is being hoisted

--"*^H~-

4^ THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

this moment in front of the Convent La Rabida, along with banners of all the American
States. Batteries and ships saluting, accompanied by enthusiastic acclamations of the
people, army and navy. God bless America. PRIETO,

Alcalde of Palos.
To this message the Hon. John W. Foster, Secretary of State of the
United States, made the following reply:

Senor PniETO, Alcalde de Palos, La Rabida, Spain: The President of the United
States directs me to cordially acknowledge your message of greeting. On this memor-
able day, thus fittingly celebrated, the people of the new western world, in grateful
reverence to the name and fame of Columbus, join hands with the sons of the brave
sailors of Palos and Huelva who manned the discoverer's caravels. FOSTER,

Secretary of State.

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST VOYAGE. 47

SECTION E. SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST VOYAGE

OF COLUMBUS.

205. Columbus taking leave of Father Perez de Marchena, August 3, 1492.

Original in Convent of La Rabida.

Before setting sail, on the morning of August 3, 1492, Columbus
attended mass in the chapel of the monastery of La Rabida, partook of
the communion from the hands of his faithful friend, Father Perez de
Marchena, and was accompanied by him to the bar of Saltes, a small
island near the mouth of the Odiel.

206. Columbus bidding farewell to Father Juan Perez de Marchena on his

departure from Palos.

Original by Jover.

Upon his departure from Palos, Columbus intended to sail south to the
Canary Islands, and then due west to the Island of Cipango (Japan);
thence to Mangi, or Cathay (China), the land whose wonders, wealth and
magnificence had been described by Marco Polo. He therefore carried
with him a letter of credentials to the sovereigns of these nations from
the King and Queen of Spain, of which the following is a translation:

Ferdinand and Isabella to the King :

The Spanish sovereigns have heard that you and your subjects have great affection
for them and for Spain. They are further aware that you and your subjects are desir-
ous of information respecting Spain. They, therefore, cordially send their Grand
Admiral, Christopher Columbus, who will tell you that they are in good health and
perfect prosperity.

I, THE KING.
I, THE QUEEN.

It is an interesting coincidence, and worthy of the attention of the
superstitious, that the contract between Columbus and the sovereigns
was signed on Friday; that he sailed from Palos on Friday; discovered
land on Friday; set sail homeward on Friday, and reached Palos on
Friday.
209. The Caravel "Santa Maria," as reproduced by the Spanish government.
The "Santa Maria" had three masts, square sails on the fore and main
masts, and lateen aft. She was high out of the water, with castles at bow
and stern, and carried the royal standard of Spain at the main (quar-
tered with the lions and castles of Leon and Castile), a flag with a green
cross in the center at the fore, and the royal pennant at the mizzen yard.

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

207.

The caravel "Santa Maria," in which Columbus sailed, was owned by
Juan de la Cosa, who accompanied Columbus as pilot, and afterward
made the chart of the New World. She was about one hundred and
twenty tons burden, sixty-three feet over all, fifty-one feet keel, and ten
and a half feet draught. She carried four small guns called lombards,
and a crew of seventy men. The entire expedition consisted of only
one hundred and twenty men, and carried provisions for six months.
There was an Irishman in the crew of Columbus, William Harris, of
Galway, and an Englishman named Arthur Lake.

The "Pinta" had a crew of thirty men, with Martin Alonzo Pinzon cap-
tain, and her two owners, Gomez Rascon and Cristobal Quintero. All of
the crew of the "Pinta" were from Palos or the immediate vicinity. The
crew of the "Nina" consisted of only twenty men, with Vicente Yanez
Pinzon ascaptain, who was also the owner of the vessel.
Departure of Columbus on his voyage to America. (Original by Gisbert.)

On the third day out an accident
happened to the " Pinta," by which
they were obliged to put into the
Canary Islands to repair damages,
After some weeks on these islands,

Father Perez bidding farewell to Columbus,
they went out into the unknown sea, the 9th of September, the last land
visible being the mountains of Ferro.
208. The caravels of Columbus.

From "La Revista de la Marina," a Spanish marine journal.
■ In a plan for a historical exhibit at the World's Columbian Exposition,
which was prepared by William E. Curtis, director of the Bureau of the
American Republics, and submitted to Congress by the Hon. James G*
Blaine, it was proposed to reproduce in fac-simile the fleet of Columbus,
and anchor the vessels off the shore at Jackson Park during the Exposi-

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST VOYAGE. 49

tion, in such a manner as to place them in contrast with the model bat-
tle-ship which represents the naval architecture of this century. The
plan having received the approval of Congress, the responsibility of
carrying it into effect was imposed upon Mr. Curtis, the author, and at
his request the Secretary of the Navy detailed Lieutenant \V. McCarty
Little as an expert to take immediate charge of the work. After several
weeks of investigation, it was determined that the caravels could not be
constructed with either accuracy or economy in the United States, and
Lieutenant Little was sent to Madrid to seek the co-operation of the
Spanish government in making the designs and constructing the vessels.
At his request the minister of marine appointed a board of naval archi-
tects and archaeologists who, after several months of study and investi-
gation, prepared plans for the reproduction of the "Santa Maria," which
was the flagship of Columbus, and the "Pinta" and "Nina" which com-
posed his fleet. The Spanish government also agreed to undertake the
construction of the first named and larger vessel, provided the United
States would build the two smaller caravels. But Congress having
failed to provide funds for the purpose, Mr. Curtis appealed to Mr.
Lyman J. Gage, of Chicago, who generously advanced a sum sufficient
to make the first payment, and agreed to furnish as much more as was
necessary, with the understanding that in case an appropriation was
made by Congress it should be refunded to him. The Board of Direct-
ors of the World's Columbian Exposition afterward assumed the respon-
sibility, and work on the caravels was commenced at Barcelona. Con-
gress made an appropriation to pay for them, and the money advanced
by Mr. Gage was refunded.

The three caravels were completed in time to take part in the festivities
at Huelva, Spain, on the 12th of October, 1892, and were the chief attrac-
tion on that occasion, being visited by the Queen and royal family and by
thousands of visitors at that place. The "Santa Maria" was commanded
by Captain Concas, of the Spanish Navy, and the other caravels by Lieu-
tenant Howard and Lieutenant Coffin, of the United States Navy.

On the 6th of February the "Santa Maria" started from Cadiz, under
command of Captain Concas, for a voyage across the Atlantic, and on
the 19th of the same month the "Nina" and "Pinta" followed, being con-
voyed by the flagship "Newark" and the man-of-war "Bennington," of the
United States Navy. They were delivered to the Spanish authorities at
Havana, and were towed to Hampton Roads by Spanish men-of-war.
They afterward participated in the naval review at New York, where
they were the most interesting vessels in the great international fleet.
210. Columbus on the deck of his ship.

Many strange things were seen by the Spaniards, of which they told

50 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

on their return, and their preposterous tales formed a considerable por-
tion of the literature of Europe during the following century. Their
yarns and those related by other returning voyagers, when they finally
found their way into books, afforded the artists of the day material for
some fantastic illustrations concerning the birds and fishes seen at sea,
and the appearance and customs of the natives of the new world. Theo-
dore de Bry, an author and engraver of Antwerp, published a volume of
large size, copiously illustrated, which has become one of the rarest and
most valuable examples of early Americana.

211. Mutiny at sea.

Several times during the first voyage to the New World, the crews of
Columbus were on the verge of mutiny, but did not break out into open
rebellion. The two important crises were about the last of September,
and again a few days before the discovery of land; in both cases being
probably prevented by the signs of land, or a change in the weather that
had been ominous before.

212. Chart of part of the Bahama Islands, showing the tracks ascribed to

Columbus on his discovery of the New World.

The generally accepted and revised route of Columbus, as laid down
by latest authorities, reads: Watling's Island, Rum Cay, Long Island,
Crooked and Fortune Islands, Mucares Islands or Bahama Bank, to the
coast of Cuba, at the Port of Jibara.

213. "The first cry of land."

By Frederick Strasser, 1851. Loaned by Carl Pixis, Kaiserslantern,
Germany.

Frederick Strasser, formerly of Salzberg, Germany, painted this pict-
ure while in prison at Kaiserslantern, Rhenish Bavaria, undergoing
sentence for participation in the revolution of 1848. Upon his release in
1856 he emigrated to the United States.

About 10 o'clock on the night of October 11, 1492, the eve of the dis-
covery, Columbus claimed to have seen a moving light two leagues
ahead of the "Santa Maria," and pointed it out to Pedro Gutierrez and
others of the crew. This was probably a torch in the hands of the wife
of a fisherman who, according to the custom of the natives then, and the
inhabitants of the island of the present day, was perhaps showing a bea-
con to guide her belated husband home. The admiral ordered a vigilant
watch to be kept, and promised a silken jacket in addition to the pension
which the King and Queen had offered to the fortunate man who should
first descry the coveted land. As light broke in the morning, Rodrigo
de Triana, one of the sailors of the "Pinta," shouted "tierra oho T and a
gun was fired to convey the glad intelligence. The reward was claimed

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST VOYAGE. 5 1

by and given to Columbus, because he saw the light the night before.
Rodrigo was so disgusted that he left Spain and went to Constantinople,
where he renounced his religion and became a Moslem.

214. First sight of land by Columbus.'

Oil painting by H. F. Pluddemann. Loaned by Mrs. Pluddemann,
Weisserhirsch, Germany.

215. The caravel "Pinta."

By Rudolph Cronau.

216. Landing of Columbus.

By Puebla. Original in National Museum, Madrid.

217. Landing of Columbus.

By Vanderlyn. Original in the Capitol at Washington.

On the morning of Friday, October 12, 1492, Columbus landed, with a
boat-load of sailors from each of the caravels. He bore the royal stand-
ard and the banner of Aragon and Castile. As he stepped upon the
shores he proclaimed formal possession in the name of the sovereigns,
which was duly recorded by the notary. Then, according to early
writers, he knelt and offered the following prayer: "Oh, Lord, Eternal
and Almighty God, by Thy Sacred Word Thou hast created-the heavens,
the earth and the sea; blessed and glorified be Thy name, and praised
be Thy majesty, who has deigned to use Thy humble servant to make
Thy sacred name known and proclaimed in the other parts of the world."

218. Landing of Columbus.

By Garbrini, Rome, 1892. (In the chapel. For sale.)

219. Columbus taking possession of the Island of San Salvador.

Original by Isidro Gil in Circle of Fine Arts, Madrid, Spain.

The little fleet was anchored at a distance from the shore, and the two
brothers Pinzon, each with a banner having on it the letters F. and I.,
initials of the Spanish sovereigns, accompanied Columbus in their own
boats.

220. The landing of Columbus.

By J. Garnelo, Rome, 1892. Original in Exposition of Fine Arts,
Madrid.

221. Arrival of Columbus in the New World.

From De Bry's Voyages.

222. View of Watling Island, the landfall of Columbus.

All the places in America visited by Columbus can be absolutely iden-
tified, except his first landfall, called by the natives Guanahani, and by
him San Salvador. Each of half a dozen islands in the Bahama group
has had its advocates, but the highest authorities favor Watling Island
because it answers more closely to the description given by Columbus in

52 THE RELICS OE COLUMBUS.

his journal. Watling's Island lies in latitude 240 degrees north. It is
about thirteen miles long, from six to seven wide, and has an area of
about sixty square miles, nearly half of which is covered by a series of
lagoons, connected with each other by narrow passages. Watling
Island is 175 miles from New Providence, the capital of the Bahamas,
which can be reached by the New York and Cuba line of steamers, and
about seventy-five miles from Fortune Island, where the Atlas line of
steamers from New York touch; but it has no regular transportation
facilities, and to reach it one must hire a sail boat at Nassau.

223. Watling Island. The bay in which Columbus is believed to have

landed.

224. Conjectural landing-place of Columbus, Watling Island.

Although there has been some dispute about the actual landing-
place of Columbus, on Watling Island, owing to a confused rendering
of his journal, yet the majority of writers have agreed that it was on the
east coast, in or near the bay known as Green's Harbor, and in a cove at
its southern extremity. There is a headland there, whence the bay
stretches northwardly some three miles, and an excellent place for
landing, after the coral reefs have been passed, under the lee of the
cliffs. Stopping here a day, Columbus thence explored the coast in
small boats, keeping behind the barrier reefs of coral that lie off the
beach and surround the island.

225. Etching of Watling Island.

By Henry R. Blaney, well-known artist of Boston, Massachusetts,
from photographs taken by Frederick A. Ober, Speci?l Commissioner of
the World's Columbian Exposition to the West Indies.

View representing the beach upon which it is conjectured Columbus
landed, looking seaward, the bluffs on which the Chicago Herald monu-
ment is built at the right, and scattered coral reefs in the water of the
middle foreground.

226. Point on Watling Island near where Columbus landed.

From photograph by Walter Wellman.

In the summer of 1891 the enterprising Chicago Herald sent an
expedition to the Bahamas in search of the landfall and landing-place
of Columbus. The chief of the expedition, Mr. Walter Wellman,
accomplished the work satisfactorily and made an admirable report,
which was published in the Herald at the time and attracted wide atten-
tion. He decided upon the spot at which the great navigator landed,
near the south end of Green's Harbor, and there erected a monument
with a granite globe set within and with a suitable inscription.

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST VOYAGE.

227. Great lagoons, interior of Watling Island.

An important point in favor of Watling as the landfall of Columbus,
in comparison with other islands claiming it, is the fact that it has in its
center a great lagoon as a distinctive feature. Columbus particularly
states that the first island on which he landed had a large lagoon in its
center, and this description will only apply to Watling's and to Crooked
Island.

228. Riding Rock Bay, Watling Island.

230.

231,

Bay near where Columbus landed.

The only settlement on Watling Island is that of Cockburn Town, at
Riding Rock Bay, on the west side of the island. Here is the port
of entry, the house of the resident magistrate, a chapel, church,
and a few score huts and houses. Riding Rock has a fine bay, but is
exposed to storms at times and is then unsafe. It is supposed that
Columbus came around the island — around its northern point — and then
along the west shore as far as this point, whence he took his departure
for Rum Cay and Long Island.

The landing of Columbus.
From an old print.

The landing of Columbus.
By Rudolph Cronau.

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

232. Sketches of Watling Island.

By Rudolph Cronau.

A German author, Rudolph Cronau, made an exhaustive investigation
into the antiquities and early history of America, visiting in person most
of the scenes of the discovery and conquest, and published the result of
his researches in 1892, in German, Spanish|and English, with engravings
from his own drawings.

233. Baptist Chapel, Watling Island.

The Baptists are in the majority in Watling Island, and their chief
place of worship is at Cockburn Town. Like nearly all the houses of
the island, it is built with walls of stone, and covered with a roof of
thatch composed of palm leaves

234. Lighthouse at Watling Island.

The Bahamas, for
many years after their
settlement, were the
abode of pirates and
wreckers, who system-
atically pursued their
nefarious business of
wrecking vessels and
sometimes murdering
the crews for the plun-
der they obtained. The
establishing of light-
houses by the English
government was
looked upon by them
with deep resentment, Lighthouse at Watling Island,

a feeling with which they still regard them. The lighthouse at Watling
is first class, built upon a hill overlooking the site of the first landing-
place of Columbus, and is equipped with everything necessary to an
isolated station where stores are not easily obtained.

235. Prominent citizens of Watling Island.

From photograph by Walter Wellman.

The entire population of Watling, except the magistrate, the parson,
the schoolmaster and the police force (consisting of one individual), is
composed of laborers and fishermen. In the interior of the island they
have their "farms," where they work hard to raise a scant crop of corn,
pines, bananas, or vegetables.

The present inhabitants of Watling support themselves by fishing,

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST VOYAGE.

236.

237-

238.

conching, wrecking, turtling, and trying to cultivate the thin soil that
covers the rock of which their barren island is composed. They earn a
precarious existence, and are frequently on the point of starvation, as in
the summer of 1892, when all the crops failed on account of 4he drought.
They are honest, good workmen, faithful, and demand only two shillings
a day for their services. From the nature of things, their island being
so poor and so far distant from a market, being visited only by infrequent
vessels, they can never improve their condition.
Types of the population of Watling Island.

»*QW*

Types of population of Watling Island.

Of the several hundred people composing the population of Watling
Island, there are but two or three that are white. They are nearly all the
descendants of the slaves freed by the English Act of Emancipation and
who have succeeded to the estates of their former owners. These estates
are now in ruins, the cleared fields long since overgrown with scrub, and
ruin and desolation is visible everywhere.
Natives of Watling Island.

From photograph by Walter Wellman.

The Island of San Salvador as described in the journal of Columbus.

From an old print.

In the course of their investigation to ascertain the resources of the
islands visited, the Spaniards first discovered the potato, which was
extensively cultivated by the natives and was their principal article of
food. A considerable quantity was taken aboard the ships and intro-
duced into Spain upon their return, but it was many years before its use

UNIVERSI

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

became general. They also discovered tobacco, of which Columbus
writes in his journal: "The men always carried in their hands burning
weeds for to inhale the smoke. These were dry weeds rolled up in a
leaf, which was dry also, and lighting one end of it they suck the other
and absorb or inhale the smoke. These fireworks, or whatever name we
may give them, they call toLaccos."

239. Present inhabitants of Watling Island.

The chief building material
of the Bahamas, abundant
everywhere, is the soft coral
limestone that is easily worked
and sawed into building blocks.
It makes the best of founda-
tions and walls, giving strong
and cool houses, and withstands
the shocks of the hurricane as no Inhabitants of Watling Island,

other could. The roofs are of thatch, made from the native palmetto or
" head palm," and neatly laid o,n the rafters. There are few glass windows,
the apertures being closed with wooden shutters, and the furnishings of
the houses are simple in the extreme.

240. Boatman of Watling Island.

241. Magistrate's house at Watling Island.

From photograph by Walter
Wellman.

Until quite recently, the only
white family on the island was
that of the resident magistrate,
Hon. Maxwell Nairn, who has
lived there for many years and
is looked upon by the inhabi-
tants of Watling Island as a
father and friend. He has
earned a reputation for upright-
ness and hospitality that is
universal throughout the Ba- Magistrate's house,

hamas, and the news that he was stricken with paralysis in the summer
of 1892 was received with general sorrow. After many years of faithful
service, he is now retired on a pittance of a pension not adequate for his
support. '

242. Map of the Bahama Islands, showing the conjectural track of Columbus.

Made and presented by Rudolph Cronau.

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST VOYAGE.

243.

244.

248.

249.

250.

Map of Watling Island.

Made and presented by Rudolph Cronau.

One of the cottages on Watling Island.

Harbor of Jibarra, where Columbus first landed in Cuba.

After the first landing in the Bahamas, at Watling Island, and after
subsequently cruising along the shores of Long Island, Crooked and
Fortune, Columbus took his departure from Fortune, which he called
Isabella, and steered southwesterly toward an island the natives had
told him of and called Cuba. On the 28th of October, 1492, he sighted
some high mountains, and landed on a beautiful coast. These mount-
ains arethought to have been those of Jibarra, on the north coast of Cuba
and their peculiar formation is described by Columbus in his journal.
Harbor of Baracoa, Cuba. Visited by Columbus on his first voyage.

One of the most beautiful ports in the world, speaking of its natural
attractions, is that of Baracoa, on the north coast (southeastern end) of
Cuba. It was discovered and entered by Columbus in 1492, when on his
voyage toward Hayti, and just before he had discovered that island, and
he makes particular mention of a great table-topped mountain that was
conspicuous from the sea, and which identifies the port with the one of
his description. This mountain is known now, as then, as Yunque, and
is a prominent landmark.
Site of Guarico, Indian village of Gucanagari, who befriended Columbus.

(Here the wreckage of the car-
avel "Santa Maria" was brought
ashore. The anchor of Colum-
bus was found a mile distant
from this spot.) From photo-
graph by F. A. Ober.

Continuing his voyage from
the coast of Cuba, Columbus
sighted a lofty island which the
natives called Bohio, and where
he was told that much gold
would be found. He first landed
at Mole San Nicholas, and
thence sailed leisurely along the coast toward the present Cape Haytien,
where he had the misfortune to lose his flagship, the "Santa Maria," upon
a reef, and she became a total wreck. In his distress he received assist-
ance from the Indian chieftain (Cacique) Guacanagari, whose town of
Guarico was only four or five miles distant. The settlement has ever

Where the "Santa Maria" was lost.

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

since preserved the name of Guarico, and is identified with the present
bourg of Petit Anse, not more than three miles from Cape Haytien.

few fc&?-.1S§s§yfe« .» *•'-•

251.

Present appearance of. site of Guarico.

The wreck of the " Santa Maria " occurred on Christmas Eve, 1492,
and from that circumstance Columbus called the first fort he erected
here Navidad, or the Nativity. It was built mainly out of the wreckage
of the flagship and was said to be a tower, surrounded with a ditch.
Having then but two vessels, and not room enough for all, Columbus
left some forty men at Navidad, and then, after provisioning and arming
the fort, sailed for Spain.

The site of the fort is a hill, isolated by surrounding salines, or salt
flats, and commanding the channels by which the vessels of Columbus
approached the shore. The fort was destroyed and the garrison massa-
cred by Indians in 1493, and Columbus, on his return on the second voy-
age, found not one of his men alive.
Samana Bay, Santo Domingo.

This, one of the beautiful bays of the world, is on the north coast of
Santo Domingo, and was discovered by Columbus in January, 1493. It
has long been celebrated as an objective point for a coaling-station
and for settlement, having deep water, fine scenery, healthful situation,
and advantageous position as relates to the other islands of the West
Indies and their commerce. The town here is Santa Barbara, on the
shores of a deep bay.

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST VOYAGE. 59

252. Flats back of Petit Anse, Hayti.

Flats at Petit Anse, near Navidad.

253. Coast of Hayti, near Navidad.

254. Columbus trading.

From De Bry's Voyages.

255. Present inhabitants of Petit Anse.

256. The anchor of Columbus. (In the chapel.)

There is evidence considered conclusive that this anchor
was one of those of the flagship, the " Santa Maria," which
was wrecked on the coast of Hayti on the first voyage,
Christmas Eve, 1492. It was presented by Dr. Alejandro
Llenas of Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo. Dr. Llenas was at
one time a resident at Cape Haytien, and while 'there de-
voted himself to a study of the voyages of Columbus, with a
view to identifying positively the localities of the different
landfalls, landings, residences of the caciques, and first set-
tlements. Columbus, in his inventory of articles left at the
fortress erected here, mentions an " anchor of the caravel."
In the course of time it was carried some distance inland,
where it was found by the Columbian commissioner, on an
old plantation. The concurrent evidence of history and local
tradition point to this anchor as genuine, as well as its shape
(being of the fifteenth century type), the evidence of Columbus himself
and the locality in which it was found. Historians in different centuries
have mentioned it, and a learned French antiquarian has proved it to be
of the type used by Columbus. Mr. Curtis obtained his first knowledge of

THE RELICS OF COLUMIiUS.

the

the anchor from a letter written by a Dr. Henneker to Washington It
in 1832, and published as a note in the latter's life of Columbus.

258. Beach at Las Flechas. Scene of the first encounter between

Indians and the crew of Columbus on his first voyage.

The first blood shed in the New World in an encounter between the
Indians and the Europeans was after the entrance by Columbus into the
Bay of Samana, where some
fierce Caribs were met. The
scene of this encounter is at
a small bay known to-day
as Las Flechas, because of
the number of arrow-heads
picked up after the fight.

259. Bay of Samana, Santo Do-

mingo.

Rounding the great c£ffs
of Balandra Head; Colum-
bus discovered before him a
magnificent bay or gulf, its
farther shores hidden in mist,
and the near hills clothed in
luxuriant tropical vegetation.
This was in January, 1493, at
the end of his first voyage,
and from this bay he practi-
cally took his departure for
Spain.

Throughout the first voy-
age to the New World on
the outward passage the
weather was propitious, but
on the return a series of
gales was encountered, which
had they opposed the out-
ward cruise, would have
effectually prevented the
great discovery. About the
middle of February the two
shattered caravels were ex-
posed to a fearful storm that
nearly wrecked them. Our Lady of the Angels.

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST VOYAGE.

6 1

260. Views of St. Mary, of the Azores Islands.

Columbus landed at St. Mary, one of the Azores Islands, on February
18, 1493, to fulfill a vow made during a gale. Half the crew went ashore
and left offerings for " Our Lady of the Angels." They were received
with great hostility by the governor of the island, who also attempted to
gain possession of Columbus, detaining the sailors two days, but finally
releasing them, when Columbus continued his voyage. The governor
claimed that he acted by orders of the King of Portugal, who wished to
obtain the information in possession of the Spaniards. Leaving St.
Mary, they
had pleasant
weather un-
til near the
coast of Port-
ugal, where a
storm over-
took them
that lasted
several days,
and the 4th
of March
they were off
the mouth of

the TagUS, View of St. Mary, of the Azores,

entering which they found shelter.

261. Views of St. Mary, of the Azores Islands.

262. Views of St. Mary, of the Azores Islands.

263. View of the city of Lisbon, Portugal, showing where Columbus landed

on his return from the New World.

When Columbus reached Lisbon, on his way to Palos, he was very
badly treated, and according to some reports, narrowly escaped assassi-
nation. His first act was to send a trusty messenger to Spain to convey
the news of his arrival to his sovereigns and to bear two letters describ-
ing the voyage, which he had written to Luis Santangel, the receiver of
the ecclesiastical revenues, who had advanced the funds, and to Rafael
Sanchez, the royal treasurer, who had also been his steadfast friend. He
also sent a letter to the King of Portugal, then sojourning nine leagues
away from the capital, asking the hospitality of the port, for the reason
that his vessel was unseaworthy and he needed supplies. On the third
day he received an invitation to visit the Court, which was accepted with
reluctance. He was kindly received, however, treated with honor, and
permitted to depart in peace.

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS,

264. Cathedral at Lisbon, where Columbus received benediction upon his

return from his first voyage.

265. Castle of Belem, where Columbus landed in Lisbon on his return from

his first voyage.

266. Presentation of Columbus to Ferdinand and Isabella on his return from

the first voyage. ,

By A. Deveria.

It is not difficult to imagine the excitement of the people when on the
15th of March, after seven months' absence, the leaking "Nina" crossed
the bar of Palos. The exultation of the sailors, the wonderful tales they
told, and the sensation created by the Indians and other strange evi-
dences of a New World, have been described by eloquent pens, and the
procession which followed Columbus to the chapel has been pictured in
glowing words and brilliant colors.

The Court was at Barcelona when Columbus returned, and he for-
warded a dignified announcement of his arrival to his royal patrons.
Then he proceeded to Seville to await the commands of their majesties.
It came in these words :

Letter of the King and Queen to Columbus upon his return from the discovery.

The King and Queen to Don Christopher Columbus, our Admiral of the Ocean, and
Viceroy and Governor of the Islands discovered in the Indies : We have seen your let-
ters and received much pleasure from their contents. We are rejoiced that God has
granted so fortunate an issue to your enterprise, which will redound much to His
service and to the profit of ourselves and our dominions. For these great services we
hope to reward you in a manner suitable to your merits ; and as it is our wish that the
undertaking that has been begun by you be, with the help of God, carried on an.l
accomplished ; and as we desire to see you immediately, we request therefore that you
will use all possible speed in hastening to us, that all necessary preparations may be
made without delay. And as the season is early and favorable for your return to the
countries you have discovered, we wish you would ascertain whether measures cannot
be taken at Seville or other places, necessary to that end. We request you to write by
the courier who brings you this, and who returns immediately, that the whole may be
arranged by the time you return thither to us.

Barcelona, March 30, 1493.

I, THE KING.

I, THE QUEEN.
By order of the King and Queen,

FERNAND ALVAREZ.

267. Reception of Columbus by the Spanish sovereigns.-

By R. Balaca.

268. Columbus presenting his trophies to the King and Queen of Spain, at

Barcelona, on his return from his first voyage.

Las Casas, the monk who was subsequently known as " The Apostle of
the Indies," and whose father accompanied Columbus on the voyages,
witnessed the reception of Columbus at Barcelona and described it in

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST VOYAGE.

his " Historic" He tells us that when Columbus entered the apartment
surrounded by his brilliant escort, both monarchs arose to greet him.
When he knelt to kiss their hands, they gloriously assisted him to rise
and gave him a seat before them while he related his adventures. As he
proceeded with his narration he handed his sovereigns the barbaric orna-
ments of the people he had discovered, and called to the throne the
Indians, who were crouching behind him dismayed at the splendor of
the scene. At the close of the interview the choir in the adjoining
chapel chanted a Te Deum, and the admiral was conducted to a suite of
royal apartments, where he found his son Diego, who, during his long
absence, had been serving as a page at Court.
2690 Views of Barcelona.
The city of Barce-
lona, where Columbus
met with a brilliant re-
ception by Ferdinand
and Isabella, on his re-
turn from his first voy-
age, is a seaport on the
M e d i t e rranean, and
had long been the in-
dustrial and commer-
cial center of eastern
Spain. Its pre-emi-
nence in this respect
dates from the twelfth
and thirteenth cen-
turies. It was the rival
of Venice and Genoa
in Columbus' day, and
in renown its hardy
mariners were second
to none. The discov-
eries of Columbus add-
ed greatly to the com-
merce of Barce-
lona, as they did to
that of Se v i 1 1 e , a n d
great prosperity ruled
at both points until the
American colonies Ancient Cathedral, Barcelona,

began to fall under the sway of France and England, when a decline in

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

270.

271.

272.

this prosperity set in. Barcelona, however, has declined the least of all,
and now its population numbers two hundred and fifty-two thousand
persons.

The city of Barcelona has been so much changed during the last two
c e n t u r ies that
there are very-
few remains of
buildings iden-
tified with Co-
lumbus, a 1 -
though the pal-
ace in which he
was received by
the King and
Queen, the ca-
thedral in which
the Te Deum
was sung in his
honor, and the
tower in which
he is said to
have lodged,can
still be identi-
fied. The streets
through which
he passed at the
head of tri-
umphal proces-
sion have, how-
ever, been en- Towers where Columbus lodged, Barcelona,
tirely renewed and modernized.
Columbus exhibiting the trophies of his first voyage at Court.

Photographic copy of a Beauvais tapestry hanging in the drawing-
room of the residence of Mrs. John W. Mackay, Carleton Terrace, Lon-
don, England.

Reception of Columbus.
Original in Circle of Fine Arts, Madrid, Spain.

Reception of Columbus after his return from his first voyage.

Original by Robert Fleury.

In obedience to the command of the sovereigns, Columbus hastened to
Barcelona with a portion of his associates and six of the natives he had
brought with him. Three of the Indians were too ill to make the jour-

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST VOYAGE. 65

ney, and one had died at sea immediately after baptism. A pious
writer of the time quaintly suggests that he was the first of his race to
enter heaven. About the middle of April Columbus entered the city,
escorted by a brilliant cavalcade that had gone out to meet him. His
Indians, arrayed in their native costume, led the procession. Following
them were the sailors bearing the other trophies of the voyage, includ-
ing forty parrots and other birds of gorgeous plumage, the skins of
animals hitherto unknown, and the articles of gold and other ornaments
he had secured by barter. Then, on horseback, surrounded by the
chivalry of Spain, rode the great admiral, receiving with dignified sim-
plicity the ovations of the people. The Alcazar of the Moorish kings
in the Calle (street) Ancha was the temporary residence of Ferdinand
and Isabella, who received him seated upon thrones under a canopy of
brocaded gold.

273. Episode of the egg, by Hogarth.

At a banquet given in honor of Columbus by Cardinal Mendoza, a
shallow courtier attempted to depreciate his achievements by saying
• that any one might have made the discovery. Columbus, taking an egg
in his hand, asked the courtier if he could make it stand on end. A
sneer was the only reply. The admiral struck the end on the table and
then stood it up. " Any one can do that," remarked the courtier. " Very
true," Columbus is reported to have replied, " when he has been shown
the way."

274a. Altar of Carthusian Convent at Burgos, Spain.

This altar is said by some historians to have been gilded with the first
gold brought by Columbus from the New World. This convent, called the
Cartuja, stands outside the city limits, in a beautiful situation, and is
in a good state of preservation.

274b. Cane of native wood tipped with horn, cut near the site of La Navidad,
Hayti, where a fortress was erected by Columbus in 1492.
Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington, D. C.

275. Columbus presenting an account of the discovery to the King and
Queen.

By Jover.

During the following weeks Columbus had frequent interviews with the
King and Queen, and related again and again the incidents of the voyage.
No monarch was ever received or treated with greater honors or more
assiduous attention, not only by the sovereigns, but by all connected with
the Court. Throngs followed him in the street to do him honor, and the
obsequious courtiers kissed his hands. Contemporary writers relate that

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

he rode frequently through the streets of Barcelona beside the King, and
often appeared in public in company with Queen Isabella.

Reception of Columbus by Queen Isabella.

The first news of the discoveries of Columbus reached Italy in a letter
written from Barcelona in May, 1493, by Peter Martyr, the friend of
Columbus and the famous author, to Cardinal Ascanio Sforza and to
Joseph Borremeo. In the last named letter Peter Martyr says:

A few days after, a certain Christopher Columbus, a Ligurian, returned from the
antipodes. He had obtained for that purpose three ships from my sovereigns with
much difficulty, because the ideas which he expressed were considered extravagant. He
came back and brought specimens of money and precious things, especially gold,
which these regions naturally produce.

276. Wonders of the New World, as seen by Columbus.

From an old engraving in Philopono's Voyage to the New World of
the Western Indies.

The sailors who accompanied Columbus told strange stories of their
adventures when they returned to their friends in Spain. Father Philo-
pono, a Jesuit priest, added an equally interesting and absurd volume to
the literature of the day, basing his book upon the narratives of the
priests and monks who accompanied Columbus and other voyagers.*

♦Honorio Philopono was a monk of the Order of St. Benedict. He edited a book with
the following title: " Voyage to the New World of the Western Indies, given now to

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST VOYAGE.

277. Indians on the back of a whale.

From Philopono's Voyage to the New World of the Western Indies.

The sailors reported that they had seen in the waters of the New
World fishes so large that a caravel could be floated on their backs,
and an altar could be erected and mass said upon them. The story was
re-told with variations, and finally the veracious priest Philopono
related the tale as an actual fact and gave illustrations of how the cara-
vels had been carried about by whales and mass celebrated upon their
backs. " They that go down to the sea in ships," exclaimed the pious
Philopono, quoting Psalm cvii, "that do business in great waters, these
see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep."

278. Coco Macaque stick cut near the site of La Navidad, Hayti, where a

fortress was erected by Columbus in 1492.
Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington, D. C.

279. Cane of Coco Macaque tipped with iron, cut near the place where the

" Santa Maria," the flagship of Columbus, went to wreck Christmas
Eve, 1492.

Native workmanship. Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington,
D. C.

the press, made by the Most Reverend Father Dom Buell, of Catalonia, Abbott of Monser-
rate, and Apostolic Legate a latere of the Holy See for the whole America, or New
World, and Patriarch of the same, and his associates or brethren of the same Order of
St. Benedict, sent by His Holiness, the Pope Alexander VI, in 1492, to preach the Gospel
of Christ to the barbarous people of those regions, written upon notes and state-
ments of several others, and illustrated with engravings." See original No. 620.

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

First mass in America.

281. Old saber or machete.

282. Aboriginal seat from Caicos Islands, Bahamas.

Loaned by United States National Museum, Washington, D. C.

Seats of this character were used by the Indians at the time Columbus
first landed in the Bahamas, and an account is given of their use in Cuba,
when he landed there: "The prime men came out to meet them, and
caused them to sit down on seats
made of a solid piece of wood
in the shape of a beast with very
short legs and the tail held up,
the head before, with eyes and
ears of gold." Stone stools of
similar shape have been found
also in the Bahamas, in Puerto
Rico, and Santo Domingo.

283. The first mass said in America,

from Philopono.

284. Caravels of the fifteenth century.

From the Americae Retection, by Brueghal.

285. Terrible monster seen by Columbus.

From Ogilby's History of America.

286. Fleet of Columbus at Lisbon on his homeward voyage.

From De Bry's Voyages.

287. A strange monster of the New World.

From De Bry's Voyages.

288. Picture of the fleet of Columbus.

From the Americae Retection, by Brueghal.

289. Shells picked up on the beach when Columbus landed at Watling.

290. Aboriginal skull from Watling Island.

Skull of a Lucayan or native of the Bahamas. Found in a cave.

291. Indian " Celts" or " Thunderbolts."

Relics of the aborigines of the Bahamas. Ten specimens showing
various designs.

292. Iron balls from near Navidad.

The site of the fort erected by Columbus, which was destroyed by the
Indians and the garrison massacred.

293. Indian games, as described by Columbus.

From Oviedo's History of the Indies.

294. Seal of the Board of Lady Managers for the State of New York,

World's Columbian Exposition.

Representing the Indian woman holding the torch that Columbus saw
on the night before the discovery.

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SECOND VOYAGE. 69

SECTION F. SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SECOND VOY-
AGE OF COLUMBUS.

300. Fleet of Columbus starting on his second voyage from Cadiz.

From Philopono.

It was on the 25th of September, 1493, at dawn, that Columbus left the
port of Cadiz for the second venture across the ocean to the New World.
There were three large ships, called carracks, which were a species of
merchant vessel, used in the coasting trade, of about one hundred tons bur-
then, and fourteen caravels. This large fleet successfully crossed the
Atlantic and made the first land at the Island of Guadeloupe, one of the
Carribee chain in the southern West Indies.

301. Bay near Capesterre, Guadeloupe, where Columbus watered his ships

on the second voyage.

The first island discovered by Columbus on his second voyage, in 1493,
was that of Dominico, but he did not land there, merely noting and
naming it as his ships swept by, and keeping on to another mountainous
island, which he called Guadeloupe. In a sheltered bay, known to-day
as his landing place, he anchored his vessels, and while the crews were
refreshing themselves and cleansing their clothes, etc., he sent several
expeditions into the wild forests to explore, one party being lost and in
danger from the cannibal Caribs, who were here, for the first time, seen
and encountered.

302. The second arrival of Columbus in the new world.

From De Bry's Voyages.

303. Columbus at the ruins of Navidad.

By H. F. Pluddemann. Loaned by Mrs. Pluddemann, Breslau,
Germany.

304. Bluff above the beach on which Columbus landed at Isabella.

After reaching the coast of Hayti, in 1493, finding the fort he had
erected at Navidad destroyed and the garrison massacred, Columbus
retraced his tracks to a point easterly from Navidad and Monte Cristi,
and entered a small but sheltered harbor at a place nearer to the gold
mountains of the interior. Here he disembarked his weary men and
munitions and provisions, and began the foundations of a settlement,
which he named Isabella, after his royal patroness.

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS,

305. Present appearance of the ruins of Isabella, Santo Domingo, first
civilized settlement in the New World.

307.

Present appearance of the site of Isabella.

He erected a church, a public storehouse, known as "The King's
House," and a residence for himself, known as the "Governor's Pal-
lace." These were built of stone. Many private houses were con-
structed of wood, plaster, reeds, and such other materials as were found
on the ground. The city, however, was abandoned after the discovery
of gold in the mountains, and fell into ruins. Mr. F. A. Ober, the
Commissioner of the Columbian Exposition to the West Indies, made a
thorough investigation of the ruins and brought back all of the stone
that was left on the grounds.
Stone from church at ancient Isabella.

Obtained from the ruins of the church at Isabella (now entirely
obliterated) by G. J. Gibbs, of Turk's Island, some fifty years ago. Loaned
by his son. Should be compared with other similar stones brought from
Isabella by Mr. Ober. The condition of the ruins and the old church at
time this stone was taken are given in a paper read by Mr. Gibbs,
before the New York Historical Society, October 6, 1864, and in the
Royal Standard 'of Turk's Island, 25th July, 1891.

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SECOND VOYAGE.

306. Present appearance of the site of the " King's House" at Isabella.
From a photograph by F. A. Ober.

3".
312.

313.

314.

Present appearance of the site of the " King's House."

The ruins ot what is thought to have been the " King's House " were
found on the bluff overlooking the river, and a little distance away were
other ruins that may have been of the church.
Tiles from church at old Isabella.

The church was dedicated January 6, 1494, when high mass was
celebrated by Friar Boyl and twelve ecclesiastics.
Pottery shards from ancient Isabella.
Chart of Isabella.

Drawn by Lieut. Colvocoresses, of the U. S. S. " Enterprises."
Etching of Isabella.

Etching by Henry R. Blaney, of Boston, Massachusetts, after photo-
graphs obtained by Frederick A. Ober, the Columbian Commissioner to the
West Indies, under the Latin-American department of the Exposition.
A pile of stones that represents all that remains of the first city in the

New World.

In 1891, the Columbian Commissioner to the West Indies, Mr. F. A.
Ober, spent a week at the site of Isabella. All the cut stone that re-
mained was brought away and shipped to Chicago, and was taken from
the last remnants of the old Church, the Mint and the King's House.

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

309. Isabella Bay. View from the cliff on which the " King's House" was
built in Isabella.

View of Isabella Bay. (From a photograph by F. A. Ober.)

The site of Isabella is now completely overgrown with wild vegetation,
chiefly the different forms of cacti, there indigenous, which renders explor-
ation somewhat, difficult. But the cactus forms are beautiful, and the
glimpses through the openings in the clumps are attractive, of the Bajo-
Bonico river, the bay, and the mountains beyond.
310. Ruins of Isabella, S^n-

to Domingo.

Photographed b f
Ober.

The ruins of what is
known as the " Royal
Mint," at Isabella, are
just above the bay on
the bluff, and there
are numerous frag-
ments of pottery
shards here, supposed
to be of the crucibles
in which the gold from
the Cibao was Siaelted, site of the Royal Mint.

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SECOND VOYAGE.

315.

as well as of the roofing tiles of the buildings. Much of the structure
has tumbled into the sea, but the greater portion, doubtless, has been
carried away to Puerto Plata for building purposes, in recent years.

Bajo-Bonico, or Isabella river, Santo Domingo.

The bank of Bajo-Bonico (Isabella) river.

The harbor of Isabella is small, and protected from the ocean by a
line of coral reefs, the water being shallow, but of sufficient depth for
the vessels of Columbus. A river flows into it called the Bajo-Bonico,
which is a stream of some volume in the rainy season, but runs nearly
dry in the summer. It rises in the mountains of the interior, and large
quantities of mahogany logs are floated down its current from the hills.
It now enters the bay at a little distance from the site of Isabella, but is
thought to have flowed at the foot of the bluff in the time of Columbus.
316. View of the Cibao mountains, Santo Domingo, with the Puerta de los

Caballeros (1494), the gateway to the gold region.

One of the reasons, doubtless, that influenced Columbus in selecting
the site he did for Isabella, was its proximity to the gold region of the
Cibao. And the first expedition after the town was well under way, was
through the mountains visible from the River Bajo-Bonico to that distant
gold region. This expedition was one of the romantic episodes of that
time, and the road the officers of the army opened through the mountain
pass is known to this day as the Puerta de los CaballerQS, "the pass of
the gentlemen," and is seen in the distance from Isabella.

74 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

317. Handcuffs from Vega Vieja, Santo Domingo.

These ancient handcuffs, locally called "esposas" are from the ruins
of the old city founded by orders of Columbus in the Royal Vega,
1495. Tradition states that they are the identical handcuffs used to
manacle the famous Carib chieftain, Caonabo, the bravest of the Indians
of Santo Domingo, and the only one who had courage enough to oppose
the Spaniards. He became so troublesome that Columbus sent his best
captain, Alonzo de Ojeda, to effect his capture. Ojeda found Caonabo
in the midst of his wild followers in the mountains, and showing the
chief the manacles, which were^ then bright and shining, told him that
they were valuable bracelets sent by the King of Spain as a present.
Caonabo consented to receive them, when Ojeda slipped them upon his
wrists, quickly mounted with him upon his horse, and hurried through the
forests to Isabella, where the Indian chief was presented to Columbus.
He was later sent to Spain, but died on the voyage.

318. The first church bell that rang in the New World.

To the church at Isabella King r .-___ ,._ ^ ,

Ferdinand presented a small bronze

bell of excellent workmanship, m^m

eight inches in height, and six and

a half inches in diameter. It bears j

upon the surface the image of St.

Michael, to whom the church was

dedicated, and the letter "F" in

„ „^

1
old Gothic, in remembrance of the I *\

donor. In 1494, after the discov-

ery of gold in the mountains of

Cibao, everything transportable l

was removed from the old to the Hk-'*

new town, including the bell, which wpfe-'

was hung in the tower of the chapel

at La Vega, and remained there ; - , _ . '*'^y?*9& £W| . j

until the place was destroyed by '._.,# |

an earthquake in 1564, and the

survivors built a third town near The Isabella bell.

by. More than three hundred years after a shepherd, who was poking

around among the ruins, found in a mass of vines that covered the old

church this same bell, which had thus been preserved under the masses

of masonry and earth that had been overturned by the convulsion.

The bell was taken to Santo Domingo, and has since been kept as a

venerated relic in a church there. Through the kindness of Senor Don

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SECOND VOYAGE. 75

Manual J. Galvan, the Dominican Minister to the United States, it was
secured for the historical collection at the Exposition. It is called the
"Bell of the Fig Tree," and considered one of the most precious relics of
the early times of Santo Domingo, as it was the first bell ever rung in
the New World.

When Senor Galvan was in Washington in 1891, he was requested by
Mr. William E. Curtis, in charge of the Latin-American department of
the Exposition, to use his efforts in obtaining the loan of this historic
bell. This he did, as the following extract from his letter to Senor
Bellini will show:

Let us pass to matters of patriotic interest : Mr. William E. Curtis, charged with
the direction of the Latin-American department of the Exposition at Chicago, learn-
ing through me of the " Bell of the Fig Tree," which was recovered from the bell
tower of the Church of Conception de la Vega, where it was brought to sight by the
action of the fig tree, which raised it in its branches, desires to secure it for exhibition
as a relic of the early years of Santo Domingo. You are aware that the said bell was
presented to me by the discoverer (now deceased), and that I gave it to your uncle,
Father Bellini (whom God has now with him). All these particulars are to be found
in the papers of the time— see La "Cronica," Santo Domingo, 15th October, 1886. Mr.
Curtis, interested in our republic, desires that it occupy the distinguished place in the
Exposition which properly belongs to it by reason of its historic importance, and has
applied to me to assist him in securing the bell in question as a loan. ■ 1 participate in
his desire, and transmit it to you. Mr. Ober, the special commissioner of the Exposi-
tion for the Antilles, will place this letter in your hands, and 1 recommend him warmly
to your attentions, doubting not that you will confide to his care the bell referred to,
with a receipt, and promise to return it — as you can do, with all confidence, in view
of the official and personal character ot Messrs. Curtis and Ober, who will pledge
themselves to return this, so precious a relic.

Believe me, sincerely your very faithful friend and servant,

M. de J. GALVAN.

Armed with this letter, which was in itself a voucher for the authen-
ticity of the bell, the commissioner was placed in possession of the
relic by Senor Bellini, and after giving the necessary assurances for its
safety, sent it to the United States.

319. Old spurs from Santo Domingo.

Old spurs, sometimes still used in the island, but not of the most
ancient type. From the city of Santiago de los Caballeros, interior of
Santo Domingo.

320. Ancient Hawksbells, from Santo Domingo.

" Hawksbell," Campanita " Cascabell ;" by these names were known
the small bells brought over by Columbus and the early Spaniards, for
traffic with the natives. This was found in the ruins of a house in Vega
Vieja, destroyed by the earthquake of 1564. It is regarded as a most
important " find, " because of its association with the conquistadores in
their intercourse with the Indians — one of the original "hawksbells, "

j6 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

brought here by the first Spaniards to barter for gold, and which they
were so desirous to obtain that they would exchange for them
everything they possessed. The Indians valued them for the music
they made, when fastened to their wrists or ankles, having previously
had nothing but shells, bones and stones. When Columbus first began
the enslavement of the Indians, he made each one bring in, as his share
of tribute, a hawksbell full of gold dust every month.

321. Fragment of chain armor from Isabella.

Fragment of chain armor found in the old city of Isabella by a com-
mission from Puerta Plata and loaned by General Segundo Imbert.

322-323. Two old bells, Santo Domingo.

One of these bells was recovered from the ruins of Jacagua, and once
hung in the bell-tower of the church. It was evidently cast in the island,
being of rude workmanship and rough. As the church was destroyed in
1564, and the ruins have not been occupied since, the bell must have
been cast before that date, and hence is one of the oldest in America—
probably the most ancient work of native artisans (of the kind) to be
found.

The bronze bell was found in an old church near La Vega and is quite
ancient. Presented by Mr. H. R. A. Griesa, Sanchez, Santo Domingo.

324. Articles from Jacagua, Santo Domingo.

Presented by Senor Don Ricardo Ovies.

Jacagua, or Old Santiago, was founded by Columbus in 1494, and
called Magdalena, but was destroyed by an earthquake in 1564. The
town had a church and public buildings and was, at the time of its
destruction, a thriving settlement. The church has recently been exca-
vated at the expense of the Latin-American department of the Ex-
position, and many minor articles of antiquity discovered of the times in
which it was built. The ruins are about four miles distant from the city
of Santiago, the present chief city of the province of the same name, to
which the inhabitants of Jacagua removed after the loss of their houses.
The proprietor, Senor Don Ricardo Ovies, is intelligent and hospitable,
speaks English fluently, and aided the commissioner of the Exposition
in his excavations, furnishing laborers and guidance and placing the entire
property at his disposal. Through him many interesting relics were re-
covered which throw light upon the early history of the country.

325. Fragments of horse-shoes used by the caballeros of the time of Colum-

bus. Mostly found at Vega Vieja, Santo Tomas and Jacagua.

The horses of modern times in these islands are not shod. The Cibao
country, of Santo Domingo, of which La Vega and Santiago are the chief
towns, and from which most of the antiquities recovered in the island

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SECOND VOYAGE. JJ

have been obtained, is the interior and is best reached from the port of
Sanchez, at the head of the Bay of Samana. Thence a railroad runs as
far as La Vega, a distance of sixty-four miles, when it is some twenty
miles farther to Santiago.
326. Santiago, Santo Domingo, near where the first gold was found by

Columbus.

The first gold found by the Spaniards in America came from the river
Yaqui, north coast of Santo Domingo, which was called by Columbus the
Rio del Oro, or River of Gold, from the richness of its sands. It is said
that golden particles adhered to the hoops of the water-casks, when the
sailors took water at the mouth of the river. The richest deposits of
gold, or rather the largest nuggets, were found in tributaries of the
Yaqui, such as the Yanico, on the bank of which the fort, for the defense
of the gold region, called Santo Tomas, was built, and garrisoned by fifty
men.
327a. Ancient articles from Santo Tomas, Santo Domingo.

Santo Tomas was the first fort erected in the interior of Santo
Domingo, and guarded the gold region of the famous Cibao. The site
of the fortress was traced by the Columbian commissioner, 1892, and
photographed. At the base of the hill, on which the fortress was built,
runs a stream, the sands and gravel of which contained gold at the time
the Spaniards came, and even to-day some gold is obtained by the peo-
ple living there.
327b. An old Indian jug, an "arzon," or saddle-peak, and a portion of a

"coa" or hoe.

Found at Santo Tomas de Janico, mountains of Santo Domingo. It is
from four to six hours' ride into the mountain from Santiago. It was
visited by the Columbian commissioner, who found traces of the ancient
fortress, and gold from the river above which it was built. There is a
little hamlet near, in charge of a hospitable priest.
329. Ancient cannon called a "lombard," from the old fort, Concepcion de la

Vega.

The fortress itself is the only structure of ancient Concepcion suffi-
ciently preserved to indicate its original outline. It was intended to
keep in subjection the Indians of Santo Domingo. This lombard came
from the fort, and has been used for many years in the firing of salutes
in honor of the virgin of Santo Cerro. Obtained for the Exposition
through the good offices of Padre R. Vallejo.
328. Old fortress of Concepcion de la Vega.

Erected by the companions of Columbus, 1494. Destroyed by an
earthquake, 1564.

yS THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

Ruins of the fortress Concepcion de la Vega.

This old fort is the veritable "Concepcion de la Vega," built by orders
of Columbus in 1494, shortly before, or soon after the first great
victory over the Indians of the Royal Vega. It lies some six miles from
the present town of La Vega, and there yet remains enough to show the
original plan, though it is entirely in ruins except the northeast angle,
where the circular bastion is nearly perfect. Here the walls are about
ten feet high, six feet thick, with a space inside of sixteen feet. The old
fort was probably about two hundred feet square, built of brick, and with
circular bastions at the four corners.
330. Ancient spur, "acicate," Santo Domingo.

The oldest and most primitive type of spur found in Spanish America.
Loaned by General Segundo Imbert, Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo.

333. Old Spanish spur, Santo Domingo.

This spur, with its prong over three inches in length, is a most inter-
esting relic of the conquistadores. It is such as the crusaders wore, and
such as the knights of the tourney used, when, to show their devotion to
their lady-loves, they killed their horses at their feet. It is a tradition
that these spurs, with their long straight prongs, were used for similar
purposes, and when a Spaniard became enamored of an Indian maiden,
which was quite frequently, he bestrode his favorite horse buckled on a
pair of these spurs, or "acicates" and galloped to the hut of his inam-

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SECOND VOYAGE.

331.

332.

334.

orata. Then, as his flame appeared, he drove the acicates deep into
the sides of the horse which fell dead at her feet.

Bronze stirrups, spur, etc., from
Santo Domingo.

The stirrup and spur are of
bronze and of the finest work-
manship, having been used by
some caballero of rank. Recovered
from the ruins of Vega Vieja, and
loaned by the Sociedad Progresista,
of La Vega, Santo Domingo. Ob-
tained through the courtesy of Mr.
T. McLellan, Sanchez, Santo Do-
mingo.

Old Toledo blades from Santiago,
Santo Domingo.

Santiago de los Caballeros, in
the interior of Santo Domingo, was
settled mainly by Hidalgos, Span-

Ancient stirrup.

iards of noble blood, who obtained permission from the King of Spain
to affix this distinguished appellation, de los Caballeros — of the gentle-
men — to their city. Hence, there are yet resident there the descendants
of some of the conquistadores, who have retained at least a portion of
the arms and martial equipment of their ancestors, and from them were
obtained the old Toledos, here exhibited. The blades are vouched for
as genuine from Toledo in Spain, which has produced as famous work
as Damascus, and which were carried by the conquerors of America
and did valiant service against the Indians. They are not numerous,
and the most of them that can be found are supplied with new hilts, of
rude and native workmanship, making them unique and valuable.

Lance head from the interior of Santo Domingo.

Lance head once belonging to one of the conquistadores, and found in
the ruins of Vega Vieja.

The present town of La Vega has no ruins or antiquities, being a com-
mercial center, near the banks of the river Camu. About four miles be-
yond is the. Santo Cerro, or Holy Hill, with a modern church, and a mile
or so farther the ruined city of Vega Vieja, or Old Vega, destroyed by
earthquake over three hundred years ago. Many minor antiquities
pertaining to the period of the conquest have been found there, and
are still unearthed.

80 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

335- Fight between Spaniards and Indians.

Oil painting by H. F. Fluddemann. Loaned by Professor Ehr-
hardt, Wolfenbuttel, Germany.

336. Antiquities from Vega Vieja, Santo Domingo.

The city of Concepcion de la Vega, or Vega Vieja, as it is now called
by the natives, was completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1564. It
was at that time an important place, beautifully situated, and as all the
gold of the Cibao was brought there to be refined, previous to being sent
to Spain, it has been thought that a great deal of treasure has been
buried in the ruins. People have been digging for over three hundred
years, not only for treasure, but for the brick and stone as building ma-
terial. The old Spanish bricks are better than any now to be obtained,
and the cut stone is excellent. The consequence is that the old city is
nearly obliterated, only the fortress retaining any semblance of its origi-
nal shape.

A portion of copper vessel, probably base of candlestick, is from the
old church of Vega Vieja, now in ruins from the great earthquake of
1564. Presented by Padre R. M. Vallejo.

337. Stone from the ruins of Vega Vieja with ring.

Stone of ovoidal shape, the use of which is a matter of conjecture. By
some said to have hung in the tower of the church at Vega Vieja, ruined
by eartho/uake, 1564, and by others to have served as a weight upon
prisoners in irons.

338. Ancient Moorish tiles, Santo Domingo.

Found in the ruins of Vega Vieja, but brought from old Spain by the
settlers and used in the adornment of the church. They are the old
tiles called by the Spaniards "Azulejos," probably not of Moorish work-
manship, but Spanish, of the first part of the sixteenth century.

339. Old Poniard, Santo Domingo.

Found in the ruins of Vega Vieja, and said to have belonged to a
noted priest, who used it in defending his life from the Indians.

340. Perforated iron plate, Santo Domingo.

According to local tradition, this plate was used in sifting sands con-
taining gold from the Rio Verde, Santo Domingo. The Rio Verde, and
other rivers of the Cibao region, yield gold from their sands to-day, and
many people subsist from the gold they wash from the sands merely
with wooden bowls or calabashes. The old mines are not worked, but the
efforts of the natives are confined to the river sands. In the city of
Santiago are goldsmiths who sometimes have native gold for sale, and
nuggets are stWl found weighing above an ounce, sometimes several
ounces in weight.

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SECOND VOYAGE.

342.

343.

344-

341. A cross from La Vega, Santo Domingo.

Mr. Ober, the Commissioner for the World's
Columbian Exposition to the West Indies, ob-
tained from the ruins of Concepcion de la Vega
an iron cross of antique and quaint design, which
was probably contemporary with Columbus, and
hung in the first church erected in America. It is
sixteen and a half inches high, of open work, and
the design represents a vine with leaves and fruit
hanging from the tree and the arms of the cross.

Loaned by the cure of Santo Cerro.

Ruins of the second church erected in the New

World at Concepcion de la Vega. La Vega cross.

Santo Cerro Church and Tree of Columbus.

Here mass was sung after a great victory over the Indians, 1494.
Wood from the Tree of Columbus, Santo Cerro.

At Santo Cerro, the holy hill of Santo Domingo, may be seen an
ancient tree, called by the natives the " Nispero de Colon," beneath
which, tradition states, Columbus stood while directing the operations of
his army against the Indians in 1494, when the great victory then gained
decided their fate forever. It is regarded as a sacred relic, and beneath
it (it is said) the first mass was celebrated after the victory. A cross
once stood here, upon which the Virgin (it is said) once descended, and
which has since been distributed among the churches of the island
in fragments, which are sacredly preserved as relics.

345. Old bell from Santo Cerro, the " Holy Hill," in the interior of the island.

Found in a corner of the Chapel of the Virgin, and from its appear-
ance might be of more ancient date than the figures on its lip (1777)
would indicate. It is interesting, not only from its date and appear-
ance of antiquity, but from having hung in the tower of Santo Do-
mingo's most sacred shrine.

Presented by the priest in charge, Rev. Padre R. Vallejo, in exchange
for a new bell, which now hangs in the tower of the church.

346. Church of Santo Cerro, Santo Domingo.

Some five miles from the town of La Vega, in the interior of Santa
Domingo, is the hill of Santo Cerro, on the summit of which is a hand-
some chapel, recently completed, and which contains a very old and
revered image of the Virgin. The chapel is near the site of the first
cross erected here by Columbus to commemorate a great victory over
the Indians, and over a "holy well " to which have been ascribed mirac-

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

uious virtues. In the bell tower to-day hangs a small bell presented by
the Latin-American department of the Exposition in exchange for an
ancient bell that once hung there. In his will Columbus directed his
son Diego, when his estates yielded a sufficient revenue for the purpose,
to erect a chapel on the sacred hill of the " Royal Plain " of Santo Do-
mingo where masses might be said daily for the repose of the souls of
himself and his relatives. A church was erected at this place shortly
after, but it is not known that Diego contributed anything toward the
expense.

347. Santo Cerro, Santo Domingo. General view of the village.

The holy hill, or Santo Cerro, lies
about five miles distant from La Vega,
which is reached by the Samana rail-
road from the Bay of Samana. It
is a famous
place in the
annals of the
island, and
seldom can
a Dominican
be found who
has not at
some time

seen it. The Church and village of Santo Cerro.

village here is composed of the priest's house and a single row of mis-
erable thatched huts, occupied by the people who inake'a living selling
relics and attending upon the church, which contains a revered image
of the Virgin.

348. Bajo-Bonico, or River Isabella, where it flows into the bay.

349. Bay of Santa Gloria, Jamaica.

In May, 1494, on his second voyage, Columbus discovered the beautiful
coast of Jamaica, finally anchoring in the spacious harbor of St. Ann's
Bay, which he named Santa Gloria. At this same place, on his fourth
voyage, he ran his vessels ashore to prevent their sinking, and passed
many months there before he was rescued.

350. North coast beach at St. Ann's. The Santa Gloria of Columbus.

" St. Ann's is considered the finest parish on the north coast," says an
old writer. "Earth has nothing more lovely than the pastures and
pimento groves of St. Ann, nothing more enchanting than its hills and
vales, delicious in verdure and redolent with the fragrance of spices.

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SECOND VOYAGE. 83

Embellished with wood and water from the deep forests whence the
streams descend to the ocean in beautiful falls, the blue haze of the air
blends and harmonizes all into beauty."

351. Dry Harbor, Jamaica.

Dry Harbor, called by the first discoverers Puerto Bueno, lies to the
west of St. Ann's, and was visited by Columbus. Near this harbor is a
cave of great length with two long galleries hung with stalactites of
much beauty. It was at the end of his fourth and last voyage that
Columbus, driven thither by a storm, entered the port of Puerto Bueno,
but finding no water here stood eastward to the present harbor of St.
Ann's.

352. Columbus trading with the Indians.

Photograph of a Beauvais tapestry owned by Mrs. John W. Mackay,
London, England.

353. The crosses on Santo Cerro, the sacred hill of Columbus.

354. Dish used in gold-washing, Santo Domingo.

Although the early Spaniards nearly exhausted the river-sands and
superficial auriferous deposits, yet the great source of supply has never
been found, or if found has never been worked, and the rivers and
streams of the interior still bring down much gold, especially after heavy
rams. The people living along the river banks gain a living by washing
out the sands, using the primitive dishes here shown, sometimes making
several dollars a day, but never working beyond what their necessities
demand, and leaving off when they get enough to supply their immedi-
ate wants.

355. Terra cotta figulines from Vega Vieja, interior of Santo Domingo.

Pre.-ented by Sefior Don Natalio Redondo, deputy to the National
Congress of the island.

This grotesque figure has the composite character of a bird and man,
with quaint expressive face and big nose and ears. It may have served
as a whistle, but probably was one of the " Zemes," or household gods,
mentioned by the historians, and is thought to have belonged to
Caonobo, the chief of the mountains, who was captured by Alonzo de
Ojeda, and died a prisoner on the voyage to Spain.

356. Figulines from Santo Domingo.

Presented by T. Stalkowski, Sanchez, Santo Domingo.

Similar to the clay heads so abundant in Mexico, especially in the
fields about San Juan Teotihuacan, and doubtless served a similar pur-
pose as offerings to the gods, or as household images. Heads of the
same type are found all over the island, but not in the quantities that
Mexico has produced.

84 THE* RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

357. Gum from the great gommier trees from the Island of Dominica, West

Indies.

This gum is used in the manufacture of torches by the natives of the
islands, and also burnt in the churches as incense, the odor being very-
fragrant. •

358. Guiros from Santo Domingo.

Presented by Mr. Alexander Bass, of Santo Domingo city.

Guiros are primitive musical instruments, being merely native gourds,
which are much used at fandangoes and common dances to accentuate
the music of violin and guitar throughout the West Indies.

359. Indian mortar and pestle, Santo Domingo.

A very ancient mortar and pestle, recovered from the interior of Santo
Domingo, used by the aborigines at the time Columbus was there and
served to grind their maize and cassava. The pestle has a head carved
on it, this being very commonly found on articles of this description.
The type of mortar is a rare one, and may have served some special use,
as the grinding of cacao, being flat, with a rim and of unusual shape.

Loaned by the cure of La Vega, and to be returned through the good,
offices of T. McLellan, Esq., Sanchez, Santo Domingo.

360. Old wooden image from Isabella.

Loaned by the National Museum, Washington.

Some years ago a number of wooden images were found in a cave
near the site of Isabella, the first town in the New World, and purchased
by Mr. Gabb, who presented them to the Smithsonian Institution. They
were discovered by an old negro, grinning at him from the mouth of a
cave where they had' rested probably nearly four hundred years.

361. Tambols, or native drums, used by negroes of Santo Domingo and

Domingo and other islands in their fandangoes and other dances.

This primitive drum, made from a hollowed log, is the most ancient
type in use, and was. doubtless used by the Indians of these islands,
although the same kind is in use in Africa, and was probably brought
with the negroes in slave ships in early times.

362. Mahogany paddle from Santo Domingo.

Many of the paddles of the canoes in common use in Santo Domingo
are made of mahogany, that wood being abundant on the banks of the
rivers and the hills near. The paddles are primitive, broad and clumsy
and remind one of the description given by Columbus in his journal —
that they resembled the " peel of a baker." This one came from the
headwaters of the River Ozama.

363. Native canoes from Santo Domingo.

Made at the headwaters of the Ozama river after the type in use
at the time of the first visits of the Spaniards. The same great trees are

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SECOND VOYAGE. 85

still used, such as the ceiba or silk cotton, although, they are getting
scarce, and we do not find such large canoes as were seen in the time of
Columbus. Hundreds of these canoes come down the Ozama river
every day with charcoal, sugar-cane, Guinea grass, maize fodder, etc., to
the water market of Santo Domingo.

364. Bronze and brass objects from Vega Vieja, Santo Domingo.

365. Fragments of ancient horse-shoes used on the horses of Columbus'

men.

Found in the ruins.

366. Gold dust and flakes from Santo Domingo.

The river Yanice, or Janico, is a tributary of the Yaqui, and on its
banks was the first fort built by the Spaniards in the interior of Santo
Domingo. It was called Santo Tomas, the name of the river being
Indian — aboriginal. It is about the center of the ancient gold region,
and gold is found there in small quantities at the present time, a nugget
being procured by the commissioner weighing half an ounce, and one
seen by him that weighed five ounces. These flakes were washed out
by the people living there by means of shallow wooden dishes in primi-
tive manner.

367. Altar of old church at Santo Cerro with a miraculous image of the

Virgin.

368. The first map of Santo Domingo, said to have been drawn by

Columbus.

Original in the Columbina library, Seville.

369. Indian houses and hammock as described by Columbus.

From Oviedo's History.

THE RELICS OE COLUMBUS.

SECTION G.

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE THIRD VOYAGE
OF COLUMBUS.

370. View of Boca del Drago, Trinidad, West Indies.

On the 31st of July, 1498, while on his third voyage westward, three
sharp mountain peaks were sighted rising from a fertile island to which
Columbus gave the name of La Trinidad, in honor of the Trinity, and it
is still known by that title. Here he met with a strange phenomenon in
the form of a raging surge of muddy water, which nearly swamped his
vessels. Finding that it was fresh, he reasoned to a correct conclusion
that it came from a river greater than he had ever known or dreamed of
—the Orinoco.

Columbus crossed the Boca del Drago (the mouth of the Dragon), the
strait which divides the island of Trinidad from the continent, five days
later, and then for the first time set foot upon the continent of South
America, but he did not know that it was terra firma. Had he continued
his cruise along the coast he might have given the newly-discovered world
his name, but he left the exploration of that territory for Americus Ves-
pucius and other voyagers who followed him.

Columbus was very ill; his 'eyes were almost sightless from lack of
sleep and exposure to the reflection of the tropical sun upon the sea, and
he was tortured with the cruel agonies of the gout, so he turned the bows
of his vessels northward.
37ic An anchor found on the coast of Trinidad.

Loaned by Mr. Augustino of Trinidad.

On the 4th of August, 1498, Columbus anchored
off the southwestern extremity of the island of
Trinidad. Late at night he saw a wall of water
approaching the fleet from the south. His own
vessel was lifted up so high by the incoming waves
that he feared to be submerged or dashed on shore,
while the cable of one of the other ships parted
under the strain to which it was subjected, carrying
away the anchor by which the vessel was held.
Many years ago, while some laborers were digging
a deep trench upon a cocoanut estate near Icaques,
where this accident occurred, about three hundred Trinidad anchor,

and fifty feet from the sea, they struck a bit of iron, which, upon being
dugout, proved to be an anchor of antiquated pattern. The land on this

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE THIRD VOYAGE. 87

part of the island has been encroaching upon the sea for many years, and
it is believed that the spot where the anchor was found was covered by
water at the time of Columbus.

372. Landing of Columbus at Pearl Island.

From De Bry's Voyages.

Columbus discovered the Pearl Islands August 15, 1498, sailing from
the Gulf of Paria, and on approaching the small island of Cubagua, he
saw Indians fishing for pearls. The pearls were so abundant and so
little valued by the Indians, that Columbus obtained over three pounds
of them, in exchange for broken crockery and such worthless stuff.
Some of these were very large and were sent to the Spanish sovereigns
as specimens. Columbus at that time was nearly blind, and was com-
pelled to leave this promising coast and steer for Hispaniola, where he
arrived about the 20th of August.

373. Autograph letter of Francisco Roldan, 1502, that caused Columbus to

be disgraced and brought home from Santiago in chains.

Reaching Santo Domingo, Columbus found a large portion of the col-
ony in rebellion under the leadership of Roldan, the chief-justice of the
island, who had been raised from obscurity by Columbus, but was am-
bitious for even greater power. It was the most serious difficulty he had
ever encountered, and his conduct in this case has been the subject of
much discussion, as well as the cause of the greatest humiliation he
suffered, for the consequence of these troubles and others that followed
was his return to Spain in chains. Roldan wrote this letter to the Coun-
cil of the Indies at Seville, making serious charges against Columbus.

374. Arrest of Columbus by Bobadilla.

The complaints of Roldan having reached the Court, Francesco de
Bobadilla, an officer of the royal household, was sent to Hispaniola in-
vested with supreme power, to make an investigation. He was given
both criminal and civil jurisdiction, was authorized to arrest all who
resisted his authority, and Columbus, "the Admiral of the Ocean Sea,"
was directed to surrender everything to him. He was also furnished
with blanks, signed by the King and Queen, to be filled out with orders
at his discretion.

375. Columbus imprisoned by Bobadilla.

Original drawing by H. F. Pluddemann. Loaned by Mrs. Pluddemann,
Weisserhirsch, Germany.

376. Columbus imprisoned by Bobadilla.

Sketch in color by H. F. Pluddemann. Loaned by Mrs. Pluddemann,
Weisserhirsch, Germany.

377. Columbus and Bobadilla.

By H. F. Pluddemann. Loaned by Mrs. Pluddemann, Weisser-
hirsch, Germany.

88 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

378. Citadel at Santo Domingo, in which Columbus is said to have been

imprisoned by Bobadilla.

Columbus, at the time of Bobadilla's arrival at Santo Domingo, was on
a journey to the interior of the island. His brother Diego, who was in
command, was at once arrested and confined in irons on board of one of
the caravels in the harbor. Bobadilla seized the paper and money of
Columbus, and ordered him to return at once. This castle, which was,
it is said, commenced by Bartholomew Columbus in 1496, stands to-day
very much as it did then, and from its tower incoming vessels are
signaled. When the order from Bobadilla for Columbus to surrender
himself to him reached the latter, he was far in the interior, at the for-
tress of Concepcion de la Vega. Immediately complying, he departed
for the capital, traveling across the island almost alone and unattended.
Arriving there, he was at once seized and put in irons, and confined in
the fortress, the irons being kept on him until a caravel was ready to
take him to Spain, and even during the long and weary voyage, and in
this condition he was delivered over to the alcalde at Cadiz.

Bobadilla demanded that Columbus send instructions to his brothei
Bartholomew, who was in the interior with an armed force, to come in
and surrender, which the admiral did. Bartholomew was also placed
in irons and confined in one of the caravels, with Diego Columbus.
The admiral expected to be executed, and when Alonzo de Villejo, "a
man of honorable character," says Las Casas, "and a firm friend of
Columbus," came to the dungeon to conduct him to the ship that was to
convey him to Spain, the admiral asked: "Whither do you take me?"
"To embark on the ship for Spain, Your Excellency," was the reply.
"To embark, Villejo? Is that the truth?" "It is true."

379. Columbus returning to Spain in chains.

H. F. Pluddemann. Loaned by Mrs. Pluddemann, Weisserhirsch,
Germany.

380. Columbus in chains.

It is said that none of the soldiers were willing to place the chains on
Columbus, and that the act was done by his own cook. "He was a shame-
less fellow," writes Las Casas. "I knew him, and I think his name was
Espinosa."

381. Columbus in chains.

The caravel set sail for Spain in October, 1500, and during the voyage
when Villejo offered to remove his chains, Columbus replied: "No; my
sovereigns ordered me to submit, and Bobadilla has chained me. I will
wear these irons until they are removed by royal order, and then I shall
keep them as relics of the reward that is given me for my services."

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE THIRD VOYAGE.

This is the account of Las Casas, and Fernando Columbus adds: "He
did so. I saw them always hanging in his cabinet, and he requested
that when he died they might be buried with him."

382. Columbus in chains.

Loaned by Manuel V. Bango y Leon, Havana, Cuba. (In the chapel:
For sale.)

383. Photographs of chains belonging to Cavalier

G. Baldi of Genoa, claimed to be the same

placed upon Columbus by Bobadilla.

It has always been supposed that the
chains were placed in the coffin of Colum-
bus, when after his death he was laid in the
Franciscan Monastery at Valladolid. But,
when the coffin was opened upon the re-
moval of the remains to Seville a few years
afterward, the chains were missing. Cava-
lier Baldi of Genoa claims that the chains
were removed from the coffin before burial
by the keeper of the tavern in which he died,
and secreted for many years by the family
of the latter, from whose descendants he
(Signor Baldi) obtained them, and they now
constitute the chief treasure of the Cabinet
of Mementos of Columbus.

385. Columbus on the homeward voyage.

386. Columbus a prisoner.

387. Columbus on the deck of his vessel.

388. Citadel at Santo Domingo, in which Columbus was imprisoned

Bobadilla.

Commenced in 1496 by Bartholomew Columbus.

The Homenaje is on the bank of the Ozama, a most picturesque cita-
del, in excellent preservation, and the oldest building of its kind in
America.

389. Pieces of wood from the beam to which Columbus was chained.

Loaned by John C. Calhoun, No. 80 Broadway, New York.

In 1849 President Taylor sent Mr. Ben E. Green, of Dalton, Georgia,
on a secret mission with plenipotentiary powers to negotiate a treaty with
the government of Santo Domingo. While there he visited the house in
which Columbus lived during his stay in Santo Domingo. The ruins
have since disappeared. The only piece of timber then remaining was
a mahogany lintel, which was presented to Mr. Green by the Minister of

Chains of Columbus.

£\^s

90 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

Foreign Relations. He took it on board the United States steamer
"Vixen," and had the ship's carpenter saw it into blocks, which were dis-»
tributed among the officers of that vessel.
384. Enlarged fac-simile of inscriptions upon chains belonging to Cavalier
• G. Baldi of Genoa, claimed to be the same placed upon Columbus by

Bobadilla. .^ -

The chain weighs thirty- // J**^f. . . D- C/t/S n u al
four hundred grammes a $f&.P

(seven pounds eight ounces), ^7 -^ *»
and are divided into four
parts, namely: 1. Large chain
to be fastened to the ankle,
with an extension to encircle
the waist, six feet three and
three-fifth inches in length.
2. Small chain with handcuffs,
two feet one and three-fifths
inches in length. 3. Two other
links, connected together, five

and one-half inches long. 4. ^. ^ DQ F E R E N S "" ♦"*

The lock. On the fetters and .1439

handcuffs are inscriptions of Inscriptions on chains of Columbu 3.

abbreviated words and interpolated signs, characteristic of the time,
which Cavalier Baldi interpreted as follows: "The arrow of calumny gave
three shackles to Don Christopher. Columbus, the dove that carried the
tidings of Christianity to the New World, who died at my house, Apo-

sento, Valladolid, May, 1506, in the peace of Christ. Francisco M ro

(name of innkeeper) had this engraved as a pledge of jealous and eter-
nal remembrance. Christ Bearer, 1499."

390. Letter of Columbus to the nurse of Don Juan.

In the following October (1500), after a pleasant voyage, the caravels
of Villejo, bearing the three manacled brothers, Christopher, Bartholo-
mew and Diego Columbus, entered the harbor of Cadiz. While at sea
Columbus had prepared his famous letter addressed to Dona Juana de la
Torre, who is usually spoken of as the "nurse" of Prince Juan, but was
really his governess, or the person in charge of his education, a lady of
rare culture, of confidential relations with the Queen, and great influ-
ence with Ferdinand as well as with Isabella. This was the pitiful mon-
ody in which the admiral moans that he has " now reached the point
where there is no man so vile, but thinks it his right to insult me ;" and
with the chains dragging down his arms he relates at length the misery

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE THIRD VOYAGE.

and injustice he has suffered. Being forwarded promptly to Granada,
where the court was sitting, the letter fell into the hands of Isabella,
who endeavored to atone for the injustice by ordering the instant release
of the admiral, and writing him a letter of sympathy, it is said, with her
own hands. She directed the alcalde of Cadiz to provide him with a
princely escort, and sent him two thousand golden ducats to procure
proper apparel and pay the expenses of his journey.

391. Cell said to

have been
occupied b y j
Columbus in
the old cita-
del at Santo
Domingo.

392. Piece of tim-

ber from the
house in
which Co-
lumbus lived
at Santo Do-

• * View of the sea from the homenaje.

393. Splinter from the timber to which Columbus was chained in the dun-

geon at Santo Domingo.

Brought from Santo Domingo by Ben E. Green, 1849. Loaned by
John C. Calhoun, New York.

While Mr. Green was in Santo Domingo he visited the dungeon in
the homenaje, or castle, in which, it is supposed, Columbus was impris-'
oned. A round iron bar extended between two timbers embedded in
the walls. Around this bar was a loose iron ring, which permitted Colum-
bus to take exercise by walking back and forth across the narrow con-
fines of his cell. In 1849 the iron bar was gone, but by permission of the
government Mr. Green was allowed to cut a splinter from the timbers
of lignumvitae in the walls.

395. Hesper appearing to Columbus in prison.

From Barlow's " Colombian."

396. Indian torches, Island of Dominica, West Indies.

The Caribs of Dominica, and also the black people of other islands in
the West Indies, make large torches of bark filled with the gum of the
gommier tree, which gives out not only a brilliant light, but fragrant in-
cense. With these torches the mountain residents hunt the crapauds

9 2

THE RELICS OF. COLUMBUS.

and nocturnal animals, and the Indians fish the streams. The gum of
the gommier, which grows in the mountains to great height, is frequently
used in the churches as incense.
397. Articles made by Caribs, Island of Dominica, West Indies.

The Caribs of Dominica make many little things for use among them-
selves, such as panniers or baskets, basket-work playthings, etc., as well
as serviceable canoes in which they make long trips around the island.
Out of the calabashes they make their dishes. They are very expert
with their knives, whittling out many things of use in their huts, which
latter they sometimes put up without the use of nail or hammer.

Columbus relating his adventures to Isabella.

398. Reception of Columbus by Queen Isabella on his return from his third

voyage.

By Jover.

The reception of Columbus by Isabella upon his arrival at Granada,
December 17, 1500, was one of the most pathetic scenes in history.
Oviedo, the historian, was a witness and describes it in detail. "The
Queen," he says, "burst into tears, and Columbus fell sobbing at her
feet. She took his hands and led him to a seat, and when he was able to
control his emotion he recited at length the wrongs and humiliations he

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE THIRD VOYAGE. 93

had suffered in her service. Ample restitution was promised, but there is
no record that Columbus ever received anything more than sympathy. He
was not restored to his rank and command as viceroy, and it was fifteen
months before he could obtain permission to make another voyage. Even
then he was denied the privilege of an asylum at Santo Domingo, where,
under his contracts with the sovereigns, he was to be a perpetual ruler.
The testimony of the historians of that date, however, acquits Isabella of
ingratitude or indifference, for she was over-ruled by the Council of the
Indies, under Fonseca."

399. Pannier, or Carib basket, Island of Dominica, West Indies.

Some descendants of the ancient Caribs, discovered by Columbus,
still live in the islands of Dominica and St. Vincent in the southern
West Indies and preserve many of the old customs of their ancestors.
They subsist by fishing and agriculture, and make the native baskets in
common use in the islands. These panniers are made of two thicknesses
of woven reed-strips called the roseau, between which is a layer of leaves
of the balisier, or wild plantain, rendering them waterproof. They are
extensively used as trunks by the natives, and the demand is usually
greater than the very indolent Caribs are inclined to supply.

400. Canoes from the Island of Dominica.

Made by the Caribs, present inhabitants of the Windward coast, and
descendants of the Carib Indians discovered by Columbus.

These are probably of the same type as those built and used by the
Caribs when first seen by the Spaniards.

401. Petrifactions from the Island of Antiqua.

Some of these petrifactive silicificationsare valuable specimens, being
of cocoa palm and other tropical woods.

402. Hercules beetles from Dominica Island.

Discovered by Columbus in 1493, on his second voyage.

403. Crapauds, or large frogs from Dominica.

Caught and eaten by the Caribs.

404. " Job's tears."

Seeds native to the Caribees and used by the Indians as beads.

405. Jombie beans.

Seeds used by the native Indians as beads.

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

SECTION H. SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FOURTH AND
LAST VOYAGE OF COLUMBUS.

410. Bay of Santo Domingo.

411. Castle at Santo Domingo from the sea.

413. Old church at Santo Domingo.

414. The oldest church in America, San Antonio, Santo Domingo.

415. Old city wall, Santo Domingo.

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE LAST VOYAGE.

View of Santo Domingo city.
412. View of Santo Domingo.

Having failed to obtain the funds and authority to undertake the pious
mission of rescuing the holy sepulcher from the infidels, Columbus
turned his attention again to geography and navigation, and succeeded
in convincing Ferdinand and the councilors at Court of the possibility
of sailing westward, around the world, and finding a better passage to
the Indies than by the African route, which had been discovered by the
Portuguese. For this purpose he obtained royal permission to fit out a
fleet at Cadiz, early in 1502, and sailed on the 9th of May with four little
caravels. They were not larger than ordinary fishing vessels, for the
burden of the largest was only seventy tons, and the smallest fifty, and
there were but one hundred and fifty men in their combined crews. And
even after all his importunities, and all the promises he had received, he
was forbidden to visit Hispaniola. Nevertheless he determined to do so,
and having arrived at Santo Domingo, asked permission to anchor in
the harbor, as a storm was threatening, and one of his ships having
become unseaworthy he wished to exchange it for another.
416. The storm that wrecked the fleet of Bobadilla.

From De Bry.

The newly-arrived governor of Hispaniola, Nicolas de Ovando, was
familiar with the conditions under which Columbus sailed on his fourth
voyage, and forbade him the protection of the port of Santo Domingo,
so the admiral sought refuge in another harbor to the westward. The
fleet that had brought Ovando was laden and was ready to return to
Spain. Among its passengers was Bobadilla, who had placed Columbus
in chains, and Roldan, who had led the rebellion against him two years

96 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

previous. Their ships put to sea and were lost in the storm that Columbus
had predicted ; but his little fleet survived in the shelter he had found
lower down the coast.

417. Street in Truxillo, near the place where Columbus first landed on the

American continent.

Having repaired his ships, Columbus sailed westward past Jamaica^
until he made land on the shores of Honduras at Carxinas Point, near the
town of Truxillo. Had he gone further westward he might have anticipated
Cortez in the conquest of Mexico, but he was not looking for new lands-
He sought a western passage around the world, and turning east-
ward groped along the coast seeking the channel he felt should be
there, cruising into each river and following the shore lines of each gulf
and bay. Exposure and disappointment had shattered the constitution
of the once hardy seaman, and his strength was fast failing. His old
enemy, the gout, had attacked him again, and the miasmatic coasts had
filled him with fever. There was little left of him but his will. He
had a bunk built in the bows of his little vessel where he could rest his
weary bones and still guide the course of his fleet. And thus he ex-
plored the whole coast of the isthmus, from Yucatan to Colombia, find-
ing an unbroken line of continent in defiance of all his theories, in
contradiction to all his reasoning, and an impassible barrier to the am-
bition he had cherished for thirty years.

418. View of the river near Truxillo, on which the companions of Columbus

had a battle with the natives.

On the coast of Honduras, Columbus found evidences of a higher
civilization than had appeared among the natives of the islands he had
previously visited. The Indians were better looking, more intelligent
and more warlike than any he had yet seen. While the natives of the
islands stood in awe of the white men, and showed a gentleness of de-
meanor, those of Honduras offered resistance at once, and greeted the
voyagers with a shower of arrows from their cross-bows. They wore
garments of cotton, they had copper knives and hatchets, pottery of
exquisite workmanship, and their houses were built of stone and adobe.
The government of Honduras has recently issued a decree for the erec-
tion of a monument to mark the spot where Columbus first landed upon
the soil of Central America. It will be a life-size statue standing upon
a pedestal, and will bear the inscription: "The Republic of Hon-
duras to Christopher Columbus, 1492-1892."

419. Scene on the Rio Duke, Guatemala, where the vessels of Columbus

grounded.
422. Chapel at Truxillo, erected in 1540.

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE LAST VOYAGE. 9/

420. Present appearance of the place where Columbus first landed in Hon-
duras.

Indian huts when Columbus landed in Honduras.
Columbus determined to establish a colony at the spot where now stands
the town of Truxillo. There were signs of abundant gold there. It was
his purpose to hold the region and accumulate treasure while he returned
to Spain to report the discoveries and bring back the supplies and rein-
forcements. Eighty men under the command of Bartholomew, his
brother, agreed to remain. The provisions and other supplies were
divided, and the colonists commenced to erect houses for their shelter.
The admiral was ready to sail, and was awaiting favorable winds, when
it was discovered by those on shore that the natives were preparing for
an attack upon the colony. It came soon after with great disaster. A
boat was sent to the admiral's ship outside the bar with the news, and a
request from the colonists that he would not sail without them. The boat
was upset and the crew were drowned. Finally a sailor succeeded in
swimming through the surf and told the sad tale to Columbus. A raft
was made of two Indian canoes lashed together, and the survivors of the
massacre reached the ship.
421. Old fortress at Truxillo, built by Cortez, 1526.

Outside its walls, Walker, the filibuster, was executed.

423. Indian village near Truxillo.

424. Two native houses near Truxillo.

425. Views of Puerto Bello, Isthmus of Panama.

At the site of Puerto Bello, on the Isthmus of Panama, Columbus estab-
lished a colony during his fourth and last voyage for the purpose of as-
certaining the source from which the Indians got their gold, but it existed

9 8

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

only four months. Several of the party were massacred by the Indians,
and many died of disease. The food became low, and the ships were
so worm-eaten that they would scarcely float, so he started back toward
Hispaniola, and the leaking caravels were beached in Santa Gloria Bay,
on the northern coast of Jamaica. As the name (bestowed by Columbus
in 1502) implies, Puerto Bello has a very fine harbor, with from eight to
ten fathoms of water at the entrance of the bay, with Drake Point on the
north and Buenaventura Island on the south. A town was founded

426.

427.

Walls of Puerto Bello.
there in 1584, which rapidly grew in importance, being the great depot
for the gold and silver from Peru brought across the isthmus and taken
to Spain by the royal galleons. It was destroyed in 1739 by Admiral
Vernon, of the British navy. The population was at that time ten thou-
sand, but it is now less than one thousand, the decline beingjdue to the loss
of trade and the unhealthiness of its situation.
Columbus in Jamaica predicting the eclipse to the Indians.

By H. F. Pluddemann. Owned by Mrs. Pluddemann, Weisserhirsch,
Germany.
Lettera Rarissima di Cristoforo Colombo.

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE LAST VOYAGE. 99

428. Christopher's Cove, St. Ann's Bay, where Columbus was wrecked.

429.

430.
43i.
432.
433-

434-

Where Columbus was wrecked.
A mile or more to the east of St. Ann's Bay, which Columbus named
Santa Gloria, he ran his ships aground and, lashing them together, built
thatched cabins on their decks. " Thus castled in the sea, he hoped to
be able to repel any invaders and at the same time to keep his men from
roving about the neighborhood and committing their usual excesses."
Here he was compelled to remain for nearly a year, until finally
rescued by a vessel from Santo Domingo. The cove is a beautiful and
secluded one, with white sand beach and bordering fringe of sea-grape
trees. It was visited and photographed by the Columbian commissioner
in 1891.

Bay of Santa Gloria, Jamaica, near which Columbus was wreck on
his fourth voyage.

Christopher's Cove, Jamaica, from the sea.

Port Maria, Jamaica, visited by Columbus.

Lucca, Jamaica, visited by Columbus.

Prison built from the ruins of first fort erected by the Spaniards in

Jamaica.
Landing place at Christopher's Cove.

While the preparations for the departure from Jamaica were going on
Columbus prepared the letter to his sovereigns, which has frequently

100 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

been published as evidence that he had become insane. The original
Spanish text was discovered in the King's Library at Madrid by Nava-
rette, early in this century and has been printed as the " Lettera Raris-
sima di Cristoforo Colombo. " The letter is a jumble of incoherent
thoughts, without plan or purpose, and is calculated to arouse the deep-
est pity, because it is a sorrowful index of his wandering reason. He
reviews his career in Spain and his relations with the sovereigns, recalls
many incidents of neglect and mortification which he had experienced.

"I was twenty-eight years old," he says "when I came into Your High-
ness' service, and now I have not a hair upon me that is not gray; my
body is infirm, and all that was left to me, as well as to my brother, has
been taken away and sold, even to the frock that I wore, to my great
dishonor."

He then recalls old geographical and astronomical problems, and
finally turns back to his quest for gold. "Gold is the most precious of
all commodities. Gold constitutes treasure, and he who possesses it has
all he needs in this world, as also the means of rescuing souls from pur-
gatory and restoring them to the enjoyment of paradise."

435. Indian cacique in Cuba or Jamaica, addressing Columbus concerning

a future state. (From an old print.)

After witnessing a Spanish mass, an old Indian approached Columbus
and said: "Know you, that according to our belief, the souls of men
have two journeys to perform after they have departed from the body.
One to a place dismal and foul, prepared for those who have been un-
just and cruel to their fellowmen; the other, pleasant and full of delight,
for such as have promoted peace on earth. If, then, thou art mortal,
and dost expect to die, and dost believe that each one shall be rewarded
according to his deeds, beware that thou wrongfully hurt no man, nor do
harm to those who have done no harm to thee." Advice which it would

have been well if Columbus had heeded.

436. Island of Navassa, between Jamaica and Hayti.

From a photograph by the Columbian commissioner.

This island was the one at which the messenger sent by Columbus to
Santo Domingo, with information of his shipwreck and request for succor,
landed with his Indian crew. This messenger was Diego Mendez, who
left Jamaica, where Columbus remained a prisoner for nearly a year,
owing to the stranding of his vessels, and undertook to cross to Hayti,
and but for his arrival at Navassa, on the way, would have perished of
thirst and fatigue.
437* Fight between Columbus and Porras.

On the 2d of January, 1504, when the ships of Columbus had been

SCENES ASSOCIATED WITH THE LAST VOYAGE. 10 1

wrecked on the coast of Jamaica, Francisco de Porras attacked the
admiral, claiming that he had purposely destroyed his ships in order to
prevent them from returning to Spain. A battle occurred between Porras
and forty-eight men, and the remainder of the crew of Columbus.

EARLY PICTURES OF AMERICA FROM DE BRY'S VOYAGES.

438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446

447
448

449
450
45i
452
453
454
455
456

Persecution of the Indians by the Spaniards.

Indians trying to ascertain the Spaniards are immortal.

Massacre of priests by the Indians in Santo Domingo.

Sir Walter Raleigh making a treaty with the Indians of the Orinoco.

Indians of Santo Domingo making sugar.

Pouring melted gold down the throats of Spaniards.

Columbus receiving presents from the wife of the cacique.

The people of Florida sacrificing their first-born to the sun.

Method of burying the dead among the Indians of America.

Burial of an Indian princess.

Indians gathering dew from the trees.

Indians fighting the Spaniards from the branches of the trees.

Indians visiting the ships of Columbus.

Indians cooking fish.

Indians cooking beasts and fish.

Massacre of priests in Santo Domingo.

Execution of mutineers by Columbus.

Indian religious ceremonies.

Strange animals seen by Columbus.

457. Natives of Brazil.

From Description de L'Univers by Allain Manesson Mallett, Paris, 1633.

458. City of Salvador (Bahia), Brazil, in 1600.

From Description de L'Univers by Allain Manesson Mallett, Paris,
1633.

459. City of Cartagena, Colombia.

From Description de L'Univers by Allain Manesson Mallett, Paris,
1633.

460. City of Havana.

From Description de L'Univers by Allain Manesson Mallett, Paris,
1633.

102 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

461. People of Virginia.

From Description de L'Univers by Allain Manesson Mallet, Paris,
1633.

462. The mountain of Potosi, Bolivia .

From Description de L'Univers by Allain Manesson Mallett, Paris,
1633.

463. Natives of Cuba preparing their evening meal.

From an old print.

464. Terrible monster seen by Columbus.

From John Ogilby's History of America, 1671.

465. Indians entertaining the Spaniards.

From Philopono's Voyage to the New World of the Western Indies.

466. Family of Caribs from the Island of Dominica.

467. Strange animals seen by the discoverers.

From John Ogilby's History of America, 1671.

468. Fac-simile of an old engraving showing how the Indians made bread.

From Benzoni.

469. Fac-simile of an old engraving showing the Indian method of torturing

Spaniards by pouring gold down their throats.
From Benzoni.

470. Natives of America carrying their queen.

As described by Bartholomew Columbus when he first visited the site
of Santo Domingo.

471. Bell of Cartagena.

Loaned by Monsignor Eugenio Biffi, Archbishop of Columbia.

The city of Cartagena, Colombia, was founded on the 20th of Janu-
ary, 1523, and was immediately made an Episcopal see. The first
archbishop was Fray Tomas de Toro. He arrived at Cartagena in.
1534 and founded the Convent of San Esteban de Salamanca, with a
church of the same name. When he set sail for the New World he took
with him all the paraphernalia for the church, including a bell which
was presented to him by Charles V, the Emperor of Spain. It was a
beautiful piece of workmanship, weighing about seventy-five pounds,
and bears the following inscription: "Ave Maria sin pecado concebido,
1104" — (Hail Mary conceived without sin). Below this is a small raised
cross. It is believed that the figures indicate the year in which the bell
was cast, and that it was procured by the emperor from some convent or
church in Spain.

THE LAST DAYS OF COLUMBUS.

103

SECTION I. THE LAST DAYS OF COLUMBUS.

485. City of Seville.

Published early in the sixteenth century, giving a view of the house
of Columbus. Engraved on copper.

486. City of Seville.

Engraved on copper, 1580.

This, the Queen City of Andalusia, is most conspicuous in its relation
to the voyages of Columbus, especially the later ones, as here was the
market for the New World products, and many of the expeditions were
fitted out from this port on the Guadalquivir; it is identified with the
last days of Columbus, as his place of residence previous to his last
journey which ended in his death.

487. View of the port of Seville and the Tower of Gold from the Palace of

San Telmo.

Cross in the Cathedral at Seville.

Made from the first gold brought by Columbus from the New World.

In the Cathedral at Seville is a cross which is said to be made of the
gold brought by Columbus from the New World.
The Tower of Gold at Seville.

What is known as the Tower of Gold, an old Roman structure on the

104

THE RELICS OF COLUMCUS.

Guadalquivir, was designated as a special custom house, or depository
for gold and other articles brought from the Indies. It is locally known
as the Terre del Oro, and within it was placed much of the treasure
from the voyages of Columbus.

490. View of the Alcazar Seville, in which Columbus is said to have had

interviews with Queen Isabella.

491. Convent of Cartuja.
From the time p^..^,i W . — ms£i „ of his return from his last voy-
age, in Novem- ber, 1504, to May, 1505, Colum-

Convent of Cartuja, with his

old friend Father Gaspar Corricio, near Seville. He suffered from gout and
from fevers contracted in Honduras and during his long exile in Jamaica.
His time was mostly spent in writing long and often incoherent letters to
his sovereigns, to Diego his son, and to other persons at court, bewail-
ing his misfortunes and the ingratitude of mankind, and appealing for
compensation due him and some substantial recognition for his services.*
492. Autograph of Christopher Columbus, 1502.

While at Seville, in 1505, Columbus saw a good deal of Americus Ves-
pucius. They had become acquainted while the admiral was fitting out
his ships for his second voyage, the contract for furnishing the supplies
having been awarded to a merchant named Beradi, by whom Vespucius
was employed, and the latter had active charge of the business. In the
meantime Vespucius had himself made two voyages, cruising along a
good deal of the northern coast of South America, and down the east
coast as far as Bahia, Brazil, where the Portuguese had established a
trading post. It was at the conclusion of his second voyage, in Septem-
* The originals of some of the letters are shown in the chapel.

THE LAST DAYS OF COLUMBUS.

105

492.

ber, 1504, that Americus had written the account of his discoveries which
three years later caused his name to be given to the New World; but
there is no reason to believe that he anticipated or even hoped that his
fame would be so closely linked to the western hemisphere. Nor is there
any evidence of the slightest rivalry or jealousy between the two voy-
agers.
Page of "De las Profecias." Autograph of Columbus.

A book written by Columbus to prove that his discoveries were pre-
dicted by the Scriptures. Original in Columbian library, Seville.

tf y,t«-M fft

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Autograph of Columbus.
While Columbus was at the Convent of Cartuja near Seville, after his
last voyage, impatiently waiting the fulfillment of the renewed assur-
ances he had received from his sovereigns, he wrote his "Libros de las
Profecias," or Book of Prophecies, the manuscript of which is still pre-
served in the Columbian library at Seville. In this work Columbus
endeavored to prove that his discoveries were predicted in the Scriptures,
but no publisher has ever considered the document of sufficient impor-
tance to be printed entire, and we have only fragmentary extracts. Some
critical commentators have concluded that the admiral was insane at
this time, for he reasoned that the end of the world would come within
one hundred and fifty-five years, and that there was nothing left to be
accomplished except the rescue of the Holy Sepulchre from the infidels

106 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

Dy a crusade under the auspices of Queen Isabella, of which he was
designed by the Almighty to be the leader.

He also wrote a curious communication to the pope, in which he
argued that his sufferings and the loss of his rights and authority were
the acts of Satan to punish him for bringing the heathen of the unknown
lands within the reach of the Gospel, and to prevent the accomplishment
of his aspirations to recover the grave of Christ from the Moslems. But
neither the pope nor the Spanish sovereigns were inclined to entrust the
enterprise to the control of a querulous and dejected old sailor.*

494. The death of Columbus.

By Ortego.

Original in National Museum, Madrid.

495. Death of Columbus.

Original by Robert Fleury.

Owing to the difficulty in securing animals for the cavalry in Spain, an
edict had been published by the King forbidding the use of mules in
traveling, except by royal permission. While Columbus was in Seville,
shortly before his death, he wished to make a journey to the court, then
sitting at Granada, to plead his own cause. Cardinal Mendoza placed
his litter at the disposal of the admiral, but he preferred a mule, and
wrote to Diego asking him to petition the King for the privilege of using
one. That request was granted in the following curious manner:

"Decree granting to Don Christopher Colon permission to ride on a
mule saddled and bridled through any parts of these kingdoms.

"The King: As I am informed that you, Christopher Colon, the Admiral,
are in poor health, owing to certain diseases which you had or have, and
that you can not ride on horseback without injury to your health, there-
fore, conceding this to your advanced age, I, by these presents, grant you
license to ride on a mule, saddled and bridled, through whatever parts of
these kingdoms or realms you wish and choose, notwithstanding the law
which I issued thereto; and I command the citizens of all parts of these
kingdoms and realms not to offer you any impediment or allow any to
be offered to you under penalty of ten thousand maravedi in behalf of
the treasury, of whoever does the contrary.

"Given in the city of Toro, February 23, 1505."
496a. Death of Columbus.

Original by Baron Wappers, in London.

Finally, after many attempts to make a journey he was too weak to
undertake, Columbus started in May, 1505, under the patient and affec-
tionate care of his brother, Bartholomew, and reached Segovia, where
the King was living, in the following A ugust; but his reception by Fer-
* The original of the letter to the Pope is exhibited in the chapel, No. «$7.

THE LAST DAYS OF COLUMBUS.

107

496b.

497-

dinand only increased his mortification and distress. His personal appli-
cation for redress was quite as ineffective as his letters, and he sank in
despair. On the 25th of August he made his will, which is a very long
and comprehensive document, and then from his bed renewed his written
appeals, not for himself, as he realized that his days were numbered, but
in behalf of his son. He begged King Ferdinand to bestow upon Diego
the honors he had won, and restore to him the rights and authority of
which he had been deprived*
Death of Columbus.

By Carlos Lira. Original in Musco de Bellas Artes, Santiago, burned
in 1892.

On May 20, 1506, Columbus died, after partaking of the Holy Sacra-,
ment and uttering the words: "Into Thy hands, Oh, Lord, I commit my
spirit."
House in which Columbus died.

The house at Valla-
dolid, Spain, in which
Columbus died May 20,
1506, is still standing,
and is visited by multi-
tudes of tourists. At the
time of his death it was
inn. His brother,
Bartholomew, was with
him. In none of the
chronicles of the time, and they are numerous, is there any allusion to
the event. It was not until nearly a month after that the fact was
officially recorded, and then in the briefest and most indifferent manner.
On the back of one -of his belated appeals to the King some clerk

* The original manuscript of the will and the letter to King Ferdinand are exhibited
in the cuape'., Nos. 935 and 949.

io8

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

wrote " The within admiral is dead." The house is a plain structure,
at No. 2 Calle Ancha de Magdalena, its most noteworthy feature, until
recently, being a sign over the door announcing the sale within of Leche
de burros y vacas — cows' and asses' milk.
498. Chapel of the Convent of Cartuja, in which Columbus was buried.

499.

The biographies of Columbus usually state that King Ferdinand
ordered the removal of the remains of Columbus to Seville immediately
after his death, and erected a monument bearing the inscription :
" A Castilla y a Leon,
Nuevo Mundo dio Colon."
[To Castile and Leon, Columbus gave a new world.]

This statement did not appear in print for eight years after, and if
the will of Diego can be accepted as testimony, the remains of Columbus
were removed three years after his death to the vault of the Carthusian
Monastery of Las Cuevas, near Seville, by members of his own family,
who erected the monument without the aid or knowledge of the King.
His remains were first deposited in the Convent of San Francisco,
Valladolid, and subsequently removed to Seville in 1513, whence, about
the year 1541, they were taken to Santo Domingo.
Cathedral of Santo Domingo.

In 1537, upon the application of Dona Maria de Toledo, the widow of
Diego Columbus, a royal order was issued permitting the removal of the

THE LAST DAYS OF COLUMBUS. log

body of Columbus to Santo Domingo, but for some reason it was not
carried out, and three separate orders to the same effect were granted to
Dona Maria between 1537 and 1541. In the latter year her efforts appear
to have been successful, although some historians hold that the removal
did not take place until nine years later, upon the completion of the
great Cathedral at Santo Domingo. The records of that city throw no
light upon the controversy, for it was not until 1676 that an entry was
made in canonical books of the Cathedral concerning the re-entombment
of the remains. It is said, however, that when the city was sacked by
Sir Francis Drake, the British freebooter, in 1585, the archives of the
Cathedral were destroyed.

When the treaty of Basle, in 1795, transferred the colony of Santo
Domingo from the Spaniards to the French, the Duke of Veragua, who
had inherited the titles and estates of the admiral, obtained permission
to transport the remains to Havana, in order that they might remain on
Spanish soil. With great solemnity and ceremony, what was believed
to be the coffin of Christopher Columbus was removed from the
presbytery of the Santo Domingo Cathedral, and, attended by a splendid
retinue of ecclesiastic and civil dignitaries, with a fleet of the Spanish
Navy, was carried to Havana and there imbedded in the walls of the
Cathedral to the left of the altar.

500. Cathedral at Havana.

501. Altar of the Cathedral at Havana.

502. Crystal locket containing some of the dust of Columbus.

In 1877 when the coffin was found which, from the inscriptions, was
believed to contain the remains of Columbus, Senor J. M. Castillo, who
was assisting in the work, took out a pinch of the "dust, a portion of
which he gave to the present owner, Mrs. E. P. Sargent, New York city.

503. Photograph of the urn at Genoa containing some of the dust of

Columbus.

A pinch of the dust was also sent to the mayor of Genoa, his birth-
place, where it has since been preserved in a beautiful case.

504. Photograph of a crystal case at the University of Pavia, Italy, con-

taining a pinch of the dust of Columbus.

The archbishop also sent a pinch of the dust to the University of
Pavia, where Columbus is alleged to have been educated. It is there
preserved in a crystal case.

505. Piece of altar rail, Santo Domingo.

Piece of mahogany altar rail, from old church in Santo Domingo.
Loaned by the president of Georgetown University, Washington, D. C*
— the Rev. J. Haven Richards, S. J.

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

506. Interior of the Cathedral, Santo Domingo.

Showing location of high altar and Columbus burial vault.

The bones of Columbus are said to be deposited in the wall at the left.

On the 14th of
May, 1877, while
the Cathedral at
Santo Domingo
was being re-
stored, some
workmen d i s-
covered, on the
Epistle side of
the altar, a me-
tallic box. The
archbishop" was
at once notified,

and he directed the box to be removed, in the presence of a number of
officials. It was found to bear an inscription in Spanish which reads:
"The Admiral Don Luis Colon, Duke of Veragua, Marquis of Jamaica."
The discovery caused great excitement. On the opposite or Gospel side
of the altar two more crypts were disclosed. One was empty, from which
the coffin transported to Havana was taken. The other contained a

Interior of the Santo
Domingo Cathedral.

THE LAST DAYS OF COLUMBUS.

I I

JPJ>

metallic box similar to that in which the remains of Luis Columbus were
found. Within it were a quantity of dust, a number of bones, a portion
^f a skull, a leaden ball, and a silver plate about two inches long. It
was supposed that these were the remains of Christopher Columbus,
because of certain inscriptions on the box.
Tomb of Columbus and steps to the presbytery.

508. Fac-simile of the box in which the remains of Columbus were found.

112

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

The box was of lead, about a quarter of an inch thick. It was eight-
een inches long, and about nine inches wide and ten inches deep. On
the. front and on one end was the letter "C"; on the other end the
letter " A," which were supposed to signify "Cristoval Colon, Admiral."

On the top of the lid were the letters "D. de la A. Per A." interpreted
"Descubridor de la America Primer Almirante " (Discoverer of America,
the first Admiral).

On the under side of the lid was written in German text, "Ylletre Y
Esdo Yaron, Dr. Cristoval Colon " (Illustrious and renowned man, Don
Christopher Columbus).

On one side of a silver plate, which appeared at one time to have been
screwed or bolted to the inside of the box, was inscribed "U Cristoval
Colon," which is supposed to mean "Urna Cristoval Colon" (The coffin
of Christopher Columbus).

On the other side of the plate were the words: "Ua pte de los rtos del
pmer Alte D. Cristoval Colon D." which are deciphered to be "Urna per-
teneciente de los restos del primer Almirante Don Cristoval Colon Des-
cubridor," or in English, "Urn belonging to the remains of the first Ad-
miral, Christopher Columbus, Discoverer."

509. Photographs of the bones of Columbus in the leaden casket that
encloses them in this Cathedral of Santo Domingo.

510a. Fac-simile of the casket in which the dust of Columbus rests.

The finest dust was carefully
gathered up and placed in a
little casket of gold and crystal,
such as is used by ladies to
keep their jewels in, and placed,
back in the lead chest. The
latter was sealed and then en-
closed in an octagonal case of
satin-wood with glass panels,
which was secured with three
locks to which the Minister of
Public Works, the archbishop
and the governor of the city
have the keys. The case was The coffin of Columbus,

further protected by broad bands of white ribbon, sealed with wax, and
stamped with the official seals of the three officials named, so that it
may not be opened without the consent and presence of all of them. It
was then placed in a vault at the left of the altar.

Once each year, on the 10th of September, the precious casket is

THE LAST DAYS OF COLUMBUS.

113

Leaden chest and casket containing Columbus' dust.

exposed to public view in the presence of the officials of the govern-
ment, and the public, when high mass is celebrated by the archbishop
for the repose of the soul of the great discoverer

510b. Fac-simile of the "Urna" enclosing the casket of Columbus.
The people of
Havana and of
Spain still insist
that the genuine
remains of Co-
lumbus were
transported t o
the former city
in 1795, and a
very earnest
controversy has
been continued
from 1877 to the
present day.
Several vol-
umes have been
written on the

subject, the most important of which is a report of the Royal Academy
of History at Madrid, which, at the request of the late King of Spain
and the people of Havana, made an investigation, and decided in favor
of the claims of the Cuban capital. The whole question rests upon the
integrity of the inscriptions on the casket that was found in 1877. If
they are genuine the Cathedral of Santo Domingo contains the bones of
Columbus.

511. Replica of doors that guard the cell in which are held the alleged

remains of Columbus, Cathedral of Santo Domingo.

These doors of wood, with panels reproduced in plaster, are exact
duplications of those in the chapel of Bastides, now containing the casket
discovered in 1877, said to hold the ashes of Columbus. The panels are
beautiful examples of wood-carving of the sixteenth century, and should
be valued for their artistic excellence as well as their historic associa-
tions. The chapel is at the left of the high altar, on the side opposite to
the bovcdas, or vaults, in which the illustrious remains reposed three
hundred and fifty years.

512. Portrait of Bartholomew Columbus.

By Leopold Flameng.

Bartholomew, the brother of Christopher Columbus, went to Portugal

114 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

some years before Christopher appeared there, and made his living sell-
ing books and charts. He visited France and England in the interest
of his brother's project, and was closely identified with his career. He
was afterward made adelantado of Hispaniola, and died in 1014.

513. Autograph of Bartholomew Columbus- / ^y(C^ 1e

utograpn 01 oarmoiomew LOiumDus. 'VfV'" 7p 1
written in 1508. 'JOO t Coiov^

(T- -*~4

514. Portrait of Diego, brother of Christopher Columbus.

Diego Columbus accompanied his brother Christopher on his second
voyage, was placed in command of Isabella, the first colony established
in the New World, and carried back to Spain the first cargo of slaves.

515. Autograph of Don Diego Columbus,

brother of Columbus, written in 1508.

516. Portrait of Diego Columbus as a boy.

The estates, titles and dignities of Columbus were inherited by his son
Diego, who was born at Lisbon or Madeira about 1475. When the
admiral was about to sail on his first voyage, Queen Isabella made
Diego a page at court, and although his father intended him for the
priesthood, he remained in the retinue of the sovereigns, leading a use-
less and dissolute life. Columbus had a profound fondness for the boy,
and wrote him long and affectionate letters while he was absent on his
several voyages, many of which have been preserved. But the frivolities
of court life seem to have absorbed the attention of Diego, and we find
his father frequently complaining of his lack of affection for and neglect
of himself, as well as his brother Fernando. " You ought to know,"
writes the grieved father, "that I have little pleasure now except in a let-
ter from you." At another time he says: "If you had ten brothers they
would not be too many. In good and in bad fortune I have never found
better friends than my own brothers."*

517. Autograph of Don Diego Columbus, son of Columbus.

In his will Columbus made Diego his
sole heir, but imposed upon him many
pious injunctions and obligations. To
most, if not all of them, he was totally
indifferent. And, although, while he was
a courtier in the train of Ferdinand, he
did little or nothing to secure his father's rights or relieve his distress

*The original letters are exhibited in the chapel, Nos. 939 to 948.

THE LAST DAYS OF COLUMBUS.

115

5l8a.

within twelve days after the death of the admiral we find him importuning
the King for the official recognition and pecuniary dues which Columbus
had so long and so persistently appealed, and to which he was entitled by
inheritance. Ferdinand permitted him to bring a suit which was decided
in favor of Diego, but it was not until after his marriage with Dona Maria de
Toledo, a cousin of the King and a member of the most influential family
at court, that the verdict was satisfied, and then only partially. Ferdi-
nand awarded him an eighth of the royal revenues from Hispaniola and
made him governor of that province, but still declined to make him
viceroy of the Indies, although under the contract made with the sover-
eigns by Columbus in 1492, he and his heirs were to enjoy that rank and
its authority forever.
Ruins of the Palace of Diego Columbus at Santo Domingo.

In May, 1509, three years after the death of his father, Diego sailed for
Santo Domingo with his noble wife, his two uncles, Diego and Bartholomew
Columbus, and the most influential and wealthy party of colonists that up
to this time had started for the New World. His income at this time was
very large, and his wife had large properties of her own, which enabled
them to maintain an establishment such as had never been seen in
America.

He erected what was considered a magnificent palace, the ruins of
which stand opposite Santo Domingo on the Ozama river. It was sus-
pected that Diego intended to establish an independent government, and
a council was sent over to restrain him. This council caused the erec-
tion of earth works across the river, and planted the largest guns that
could be secured to destroy the palace at the first sign of insubordination
on his part. Years afterward the fortress fell into ruins, and the guns,

Il6 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

one by one, tumbled over the bank. One of them, after lying three
hundred and eighty years in the sand, was recovered and brought to
Chicago.

518b. The cannon that threatened Diego Columbus.

519. Autograph letter of Diego Columbus to Charles V, of Spain.

Don Diego proved a very incompetent executive and was compelled
to make many journeys to Spain to explain and defend his official con-
duct:. He appears to have prospered financially, for there is evidence
that in 1520 he advanced Charles V ten thousand golden ducats to defray
the expenses of a visit to Flanders, and his generosity seemed to have
been reciprocated by the King, who immediately dismissed all charges
against the governor and made him viceroy over all the Indies, a recog-
nition Diego had been demanding fourteen years. But additional rank
and responsibilities only increased his troubles, and in the midst of an
investigation that lasted more than two years, death ended his tempestu-
ous career at Montalvan, Spain, in February, 1526.

Diego was buried beside his father in the Monastery of Las Cuevas,
near Seville, and the remains of both were removed to the Cathedral of
Santo Domingo a few years later. It was his bones, instead of those of
Christopher Columbus, that the people of Santo Domingo claim were
transported to Havana in 1795.

Diego Columbus left his widow and seven children, four daughters
and three sons. Luis, the oldest son, and heir to the dignities of the
family, was only five years old. Dona Maria demanded recognition as
vice-queen of the Indies, and regent during the minority of Luis, but
the honor was denied her and she returned to Spain, where for fourteen
years she pressed her claims upon the emperor, becoming so poor that
she was compelled to sell her jewels and then lived upon the charity of
Fernando, the illegitimate brother of her husband. In 1541 she had the
remains of Christopher and Diego Columbus removed to Santo Domingo,
where she lived until her death in 1549.

In his last will and testament, dated at Santo Domingo city in 1523,
Diego Columbus writes:

I, Diego Colon, Viceroy, Admiral and Governor perpetual of these Indies and terra'
firma, discovered and to be discovered, of the ocean sea; legitimate son of Don Chris-
tobal Colon, first Viceroy and Admiral and Governor pepetual of these said Indies
and terra firma ; and of Dona Felipa Munoz, his lawful wife, defunct and now in the
keeping of God : being in this city of Santo Domingo, of this island of Hispaniola, in
my own house, sane, and in my right mind, etc.

520. Sixteenth century anchor.

Ancient anchor, extremely old type, which had lain in the mud on the
east bank of the Ozama river for centuries, and according to tradition

THE LAST DAYS OF COLUMBUS.

was the property of Don Diego Colon, son of Columbus. It lay directly
opposite the house of Colon, and there is no reasonable doubt that it
once belonged either to Columbus or his son. It was obtained by Mr.
Frederick A. Ober, with the consent of the Minister of War and the
president of the ayuntamiento, or city council of the city of Santo
Domingo.

521. Beatriz Enriquez de Arana, mother of Fernando Columbus.

After the death of his wife and his arrival in Spain, about 1486, Colum-
bus fell in love with Beatriz Enriquez, a woman of good family of Cor-
dova. She was the mother of his son Fernando, and survived him,
although nothing is known of her whereabouts during the time of his
attendance at the court of Spain and while he was absent on his voy-
ages. In his will the admiral directs his son Diego to "take care of
Beatriz Enriquez, mother of Don Fernando, my son; supply her with all
that can enable her to live in an honorable manner, she being a person
to whom I am under such grave obligations; and do this to relieve my
conscience, because it weighs heavily on my soul." That the family of
Beatriz found no fault with her relations to Columbus, is inferred from
the fact that her brother commanded one of the ships during his third
voyage.

522. House formerly occupied by Fernando Columbus, and tree grown from

a seed brought by Christopher Columbus from the New World.

Near the banks of the Guadalquivir river, and on the outskirts of the
city of Seville, Spain, there is a tree marking the place where stood the
splendid abode of Fernando Columbus. This tree is said to have grown
from a shrub brought by Christopher Columbus from the New World.

The mansion was long known as the house of the admiral, although
there is no evidence that he ever lived in it; but it was occupied by
Fernando Columbus for many years, and until his death.

Fernando, or Ferdinand, the
second son of Columbus, was
born about 1488. We know
nothing of his early life, but in
1502, when the admiral sailed
on his last voyage, he accompa-
nied the expedition. Subse-
quently he was appointed a
page at court, where he ap-
pears to have received a good
education and acquired a liter-
ary taste. As a member of the
retinue of Charles V he ap TheColumbu* tree, Seville.

Il8 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

pears to have been a favorite with that monarch. Fernando traveled
extensively in western Europe, and not only learned much by observa-
tion, but became an ardent collector of books in all languages. Oviedo
described him as a person of sweet disposition, affable manners and
nobility of character.

Although Columbus in his will gave the greater portion of his estates
to Diego, his legitimate son, King Ferdinand awarded to Fernando a
considerable amount of land in Santo Domingo, and Charles V gave him
a generous pension,, so that his income was more than $30,000 a year.
There is no evidence that he ever married or had children, for at his
death, in 1539, he left all his property, including a very large library, to
his nephew Luis, the son of Diego Columbus. This library was one cf
the most notable collections of books in Europe, and is said to have
contained twenty thousand volumes, which were mostly obtained between
1510 and 1537. Nearly every volume in the collection contained a mem-
orandum giving the date and place of purchase, and affording a clue to
the extent and direction of his travels. That he was a studious reader is
shown by the copious annotations made upon the margins.
523. Autograph of Fernando Columbus.

Don Luis Columbus, who was in Santo
Domingo at the time, appears to have
cared nothing for the books. He allowed s£$efi?**~. d>o- her*

them to pass into the control of the monks /fo j c [ fe^

attached to the Cathedral at Seville, and
by royal command certain manuscripts
in the collection were placed in the
national archives of Spain. Although Fernando left a legacy for the
care and increase of the library, the funds appear to have been diverted
to other uses, and the precious volumes were neglected until 1832, when
it was found that the principal of the legacy had entirely disappeared,
and two-thirds of the collection was missing. It was not until 1885,
when Henry Harrisse, the famous Columbian scholar, called public
attention to the outrage, that the Spanish government ordered the
library repaired and catalogued, and placed in proper shelter and cus-
tody at Seville. There is a catalogue of the collection in the hand-
writing of the owner, which shows that it was of inestimable value. It
appears, also, that it contained a manuscript work on the New World by
Fernando himself, but it has disappeared, with many other priceless
manuscripts and printed volumes.

Fernando Columbus is buried in the Cathedral at Seville, and the
resting place of his bones is covered by a tablet bearing an inscription,
of which the following is a translation: "Here rests the most rnagnifi-

THE LAST DAYS OF COLUMBUS.

cent Senor Don Fernando Colon, who applied and spent all his life and
estate in adding to the letters, and collecting and perpetuating in this
city all his books, of all the sciences which he found in his time, and in
reducing them to four books. He died in this city, on the 12th of July,
1539, at the age of fifty years, nine months and fourteen days. He was
son of the valiant and memorable Senor Don Christopher Colon, the first
admiral, who discovered the Indies and the New World, in the lifetime
of their Catholic Majesties, Don Fernando and Dona Isabel, of glorious
memorv, on the 11th of October, 1492, with three galleys and ninety people,
having sailed from the port of Palos on his discovery on the 3d of
August previous, and returned to Castile, with victory, on the 7th of
May of the following year. He returned afterward twice to people that
which he had discovered. He died in Valladolid, on the 20th of August,
1506, aged—

" Entreat the Lord for them."

Beneath this is described, in a circle, a globe, presenting the western
and part of the eastern hemispheres, surrounded by a pair of compasses.
Within the border of the circle is inscribed:
"A Castilla y a Leon.
Mundo Nuevo dio Colon."

524. Portrait of Don Luis Columbus.

Luis left several illegitimate children, but

the courts decided that the daughters of his

first wife were his lawful heirs. One of

them was a nun; the other, Felipa, claimed

the pension, titles and estates, but her

claims were contested by Diego II, a son of

her uncle Cristoval. Before the courts

could adjudicate their claims, the cousin

settled the dispute by marriage. They

shared the honors but a few years, and died

childless, so that the male line of Columbus

became extinct seventy years after his

death. _. T . ~ ,

Don Luis Lolon.

525. Portrait of Don Pedro Colon.

Don Pedro Colon de Toledo Baquedano Larreategui y Quinones, sen-
ator of the Kingdom, knight of the Golden Fleece, grand cross of Charles
III, and of Isabella the Catholic, and grand officer of the Legion of Honor,
was the father of the present Duke de Veragua.

120

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

Then followed a famous lawsuit which
lasted a third of a century and involved
eight contestants, including the descend-
ants of Bartholomew, the brother of
Christopher, and those of his father's
brother. Among the other claimants
was Francesca, the oldest daughter of
Diego I, to whose family the estates and titles were awarded five gener-
ations later, but the courts decided in favor of Alvarode Portugal, Count
of Gelves, a son of Isabella, the sister of Luis. He died, however, before
the termination of the suit, and his heir, Jorge Alberto, died also, so that
the younger son, Nuno de Portugal, inherited the honors and became
Duke of Veragua. From him the title descended to his son Alvaro
Jacinto, then to his grandson Pedro Nuno, next to Pedro Manual, and
finally to Pedro Nuno who died in 1733, and the male line of descent
again became extinct. Then occurred another long and notable contest
in the courts, which in 1790 reversed the decree of 1664, and the titles
returned again to the family of Diego I, and the great-great-grandson of
Francesca, his elder sister, was declared Duke of Veragua.

526. Genealogy of the Columbus family to the present day.

I. Don Diego Colon y Melo,
Duke of 'Veragua and Marquis of
Jamaica, was the oldest son of Colum-
bus.

II. Don Louis Colon y Toledo in-
herited the preceding titles, and was
made a grandee of Spain, and given
the title of "Duke de la Vega dela
Isla Espanola en Santo Domingo," by
the grace of Philip II, in 1557.

III. Don Alvaro de Portugal y
Colon.

IV. Don Nuno Colon de Portu-
gal.

V. Don Alvaro Jacinto Colon de
Portugal.

VI. Don Pedro Nuno de Colon
de Portugal y Castro. This descendant
added to the titles of the family those
of Count de Gelves, and Marquis de
Villanizar. He was Captain General
of the Armada and President de la
Real Audiencia de la Nueva Espana,
and he was decorated with the Toison
de Oro.

Donna Inez Colon.

THE LAST DAYS OF COLUMBUS.

121

VII. Don Pedro Manuel de Colon de Portugal y la Cueva. He was Mgestre de
Campo de los Estados de Flandes, General of the Army in Catalonia; Governor and
Captain General of Galicia and Ticeroy of Sicily.

VIII. Don Pedro Manuel Colon de
Portugal y Ayala. He added to the fam-
ily titles those of Marquis de la Mota y
San Leonardo and Count of Ayala y Villa-
lonso. He was Viceroy of Navarra and of
Cerdena, Dean of the Consejo de la
Guerra, and Secretary of State in the office
of the Minister of the Navy of Philip V.

IX. Dona Catalina Ventura y Colon
de Portugal y Ayala.

X. Don Jacobo Francisco Eduardo
Fitzjames Stuart y Colon de Portugal.
He was Duke of Veragua, of Liria, of
Jerica y Berwick, Count of Gelves, Fin-
mouth, Ayala, etc. j

XL Don Mariano Colon de Toledo y
Larreategui Jimenes de Embrion, a mem-
ber of the Consejo de Castilla, and Presi-
dent of the Consejo de Hacienda. He ob-
tained the grand cross of Charles III and
of Isabella Catolica. Mother of the Duke of Veragua

527.
528.
529.

530.

XII. Don Pedro Colon de Toleda Baquedano Lar-
reategui y Quinones, Senator, Cavalier of the Toison de
Oro, grand cross of Charles III and Isabel, and grand
officer of the Legion de Honor. He was the father of the
present Duke of Veragua, called -

XIII. Don Cristobal Colon de Toledo de la Cerda y
Gante, who studied law in the University of Madrid,
and has held important positions, national and even in-
ternational. He is a man of great courtesy and sociabil-
ity. Although not a sailor or soldier, he is entitled to
wear the uniform of an admiral.

Dona Catalina de la Cerda.
Dona Ana Mendoza de la Cerda.
Portrait of the great-grandmother of the Duke
of Veragua.

Portrait of the great-great-grandmother of the
Duke of Veragua, Dona Guillerma Remirez
de Baquedano.

Don Mariano Colon.

122

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

531. Decree of the King conferring certaintitles upon Luis, grandson of

Columbus, in exchange for which the latter forfeited all claims upon

the sovereigns of Spain.

Luis Columbus inherited all the vices of Diego, his father, and they
developed early in his life. During his minority Santo Domingo was
governed by the Council, or Audiencia, and when he became of age he
surrendered all his. claims upon the Crown of Spain for an annual pen-
sion of ten thousand ducats, an estate twenty-five leagues square, and
the following group of titles: "Duke of Veragua (Honduras), Marquis of
Jamaica, Grand Admiral of the Indies, Mayor Adelantado of the other
Colonies, and a Grandee of Spain of the first class." He then returned
with his mother to Santo Domingo as Captain General, with an Audi-
encia to guide his official acts, and spent some time in Honduras, but he
never attempted to exercise the duties of his office, and in 1556 he was
deprived of several of his titles, and had his pension cut down to seven
thousand ducats. His life was scandalous, and in 1558 he was arrested
for having three wives. He was convicted, spent five years in prison,
and was then banished to Africa, where he died in 1572.

532. Autograph of Don Luis Columbus.

533. Portrait of Dona Inez Colon, grand-

mother of the Duke of Veragua.

534. Portrait of Don Mariano Colon.

Don Mariano Colon de Toledo y
Larreategui Jimenez de Embrion, of
the Council of Castile, President of
Hacienda and with honors the of State,
pleaded against the house of Liria and
inherited, by a judgment against that
house, the titles of Veragua. He ob-
tained the grand cross of Carlos III,
and of Isabella the Catholic.

Great-great-grandmother of the Duke of

THE LAST DAYS OF COLUMBUS.

Duke of Veragua.

I2 4

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

535. Portrait of the father of the

Duke of Veragua

In the existing family the
blood of Columbus mingles
with that of the Basques, the
hardiest race in Spain, from a
province that has produced
the best stock in the King-
dom, and is gifted with enter-
prise, industry and genius.
They have been prominent in
commercial,social and politi-
cal affairs, active in philan-
thropy, and prominent in
every great national under-
taking.

Father of the Duke of Veragua.

536. Portrait of the mother of the Duke of Veragua.

537. Portrait of Don Cristobal Colon de la Cerda, present Duke of Veragua.

Direct descendant of Columbus in the
thirteenth generation.

Don Cristobal Colon de la Cerda,
Duke of Veragua, Marquis of Jamaica,
Adelantado Mayor of the Indies, the
living representative of Columbus in
Spain, was born June 8, 1837, in Madrid.
He was educated at the Central Univer-
sity, Madrid, where he received the
decree of Doctor of Civil, and Canonical
Laws. He has been a member of the
Senate and House of Representatives of
Spain, has been Minister of Public Works,
and held other positions in the Ministry,
and is a gentleman of great learning and
influence. He lives in a beautiful palace
in Calle de Mateo, Madrid, and possesses
a library and art collection that are
famous all over Europe. He has large

Mother of the Duke of Veragua.
estates near Toledo, where

he raises fighting bulls, which are most popular in the bull-rings of

THE LAST DAYS OF COLUMEUS.

125,

Spain. He has a son, Don Cristoval Colon de la Cerda y Aguilera, who
was born in 1878, and will succeed to his titles and estates.

538. Fernando Colon, Marquis de Barboles, brother of the Duke of Veragua.

539. Residence of the Duke of Veragua, Madrid, Spain.
The residence of the

Duke of Veragua is one

of the finest palaces in

the city of Madrid, and is

furnished in the most

sumptuous manner. The

duke also has a large
estate near the city of Toledo, on
which is his stock farm for the raising
of bulls for the ring.

540. Grand stairway in the residence of

Duke of Veragua, Madrid, Spain.

A friend of the Duke of Veragua
furnishes the following sketch of his
character and career :

He is a person of the most highly finished
education, by nature distinguished, of refined
and agreeable manner, of recognized talent
and extensive knowledge, of liberal ideas
and of independent character.

He is one of the most democratic and
hard-working of the nobility, very learned in
agriculture and stock raising, having suc-
ceeded in making his stock farm of fighting
bulls the first in Spain. He is beloved by all
the social classes, popular by his tastes and by
his simplicity. >

He took no notable part in politics until after the revolution of September IfifiS *nrf
then joined the Radical party, whose chief was Don Manuel Ruis Zorrilla At this
time he was elected deputy in the Cortes for the District of Arevalo, twice in succes
sion, and afterward was Vice-President of the House of Deputies. When Don Alfonzo"

126 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

XII was proclaimed King, hie was elected deputy for Puerto Rico, and after the pro-
mulgation of the constitution, which to-day rules in Spain, he took his seat in the
Senate as a senator in his own right, by reason of his being Grandee of Spain of the
first class, according to Article XXI of said constitution. In the Senate, although with-
out ceasing to be a monarchist, he always voted with the Liberal opposition; but re-
maining free from all political engagements, and preserving his liberty of action. On
the dissolution of the Radical party, he recognized as chief Don Proxedes Mateo
Sagasta, and under his presidency accepted the portfolio of the Ministry of Fomento
(Public Works), an ofnca which he filled satisfactorily from the 21st of January to the
5th of July, 1890.

During his administration of the ministry he founded the Royal Bureau cf the Insti-
tute and Schools of Agriculture, brought before the Cortes the law of Secondary
Railroads, dictated suitable rules for the applications of books and works of art;
proposed that there should be set aside a sum for the restoration of the Alcazar
of Segovia; and adopted energetic measures to cause the town corporations to pay the
back salaries of the school teachers.

He signs as his short signature: " Veragua,'' and as his full signature:
" Y - Ch.istobal Colon de la Cerda."

541. Ancient tapestry in the residence of the Duke of Veragua, showing the

coat-of-arms of the family.

542. Autograph letter of Diego Colon to Emperor Charles V, claiming the

rights granted to his father.

543. The Grand Duke of Alba, Don Fernando Alvarez de Toledo.

544. City gate of Santo Domingo.

545. Facade of the San Telmo Palace of Fernando and Isabella at Seville.

RELICS OF COLUMBUS. 12?

SECTION K. THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

551. The autographs of Columbus.*

Columbus was a very voluminous writer, and ninety-seven formal
documents from his pen either exist or are known to have existed. He
may have written many more, for his reputation in this respect was such
as to cause the court jester of Charles V to say that he and Ptolemy, the
Egyptian geographer, "were twins in the art of blotting." Another con-
temporary, Zufiiga, in a letter to the Marquis de Pescara, says: "God
grant that Gutierrez may never come short for paper, for he writes more
than Ptolemy, and more than Columbus, who discovered the Indies."
Of his papers, however, but sixty-four are preserved entire. These con-
sist of letters descriptive of his plans, and arguments to sustain his
theories concerning a western passage to the Indies, memorials to the
court, narratives of his voyage and personal memoirs. Twenty-five
manuscripts, either wholly or in part in his own hand, are still preserved

552. The signature of Columbus.*

The signature or rubric of Columbus which appears at the close of all
of his communications, as the sign of the cross appears at the beginning,
has never been satisfactorily interpreted. It was the custom in his time
for men of importance to adopt sign manuals of a singular sort, as they
adopted mottoes for their escutcheons, which had some apparent or con-
cealed significance. The signs used by Columbus

S.
• S. A. S.
X. M. Y.
Xpo Ferens.
are generally interpreted to mean "Servus Suplex Altissimi Salvatoris
Christus Maria Yosef," which in English reads, " The humble servant of
Christ, the Supreme Saviour, Mary and Joseph, Christ-bearer." Others
render it in Spanish, "Servidor sus altezas, Sacras Christo Maria Ysabel,"
which means "I am the servant of the three Highnesses, the Sacred
Christ, Mary and Isabella, Christ-bearer." The last line was often written
by Columbus "Christo Ferens," and several signatures appear without it,
and "El Almirante" (the Admiral) instead. These were written after his
appointment as admiral in the Spanish navy. The most plausible
rendering of the signs seems to be, Salvo Sanctum Supulcrum
Xriste Maria Yesus Xristo Ferens.

*See autograph letters exhibited in the chapel.

128 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

553. Autograph letter of Columbus to the Catholic Kings.

ritUfW altOf ft?** »9Ct»ft*l p^^W^^t Cttt*4^ Ul^ v

>cou<?tf*7V tmi^o^ Sco^tf fc*-** ** acre W$c(co •
y<\1l9 nutirA v tyvMHKup> (*^$\u*m2 ^xaMttj;* ^«»*<

Letter of Cristobal Colon to the Catholic Kings, setting forth some
observations on the art of navigation, Granada, February 6, 1504.

Most High and Mighty Kings and Lords:

I desire to be the cause of pleasure and entertainment to Your Highnesses, and not
of pain and digust; but since the pleasure and delight attach to new things of any in-
terest, I shall speak of each in compliance with your commands as they come to my
memory ; and assuredly they will not be judged by their carelessness of expression, but
by my good intentions and desires, that in all things I may be of service to Your High-
nesses to state only that which has occurred to myself ; and although my strength fail
me and my fatigue overpower me, my will, as the most obliged and indebted of per-
sons, shall not be wanting in my soul.

Navigators and others who trade by sea always have a superior knowledge of par-
ticular parts of the world in which they move and have common intercourse, and for
this reason each one of them is better informed concerning that which he sees daily
than any others who may go thither from year to year; and for this reason we receive
with pleasure the relations which they themselves make of what they have seen and
gathered, as certainly we gain most perfect instruction from that which we learn by
our own experience.

If we consider the world spherical, as many writers' have declared it their opinion to
be, or science causes us to believe otherwise on its authority, it must not be supposed
that the temperature is equal in any parallel, since its diversity is as great on the sea as
on the land.

The sun diffuses its influence and the earth receives it according to the concave
surfaces on mountains which are framed in it, and even the ancients have written
enough on this subject, as Pliny also, who says that under the north (see Note 1) the

RELICS OF COLUMBUS. I2g

temperature is so mild that the people who live there never die except from vexation
and disgust with life, and that they suffocate and destroy themselves.

Here in Spain we find a variety of temperature so great that there is no need of testi-
mony from an early age of the world. We see here in Granada the mountains covered
with snow all the year around, an evidence of great cold, while at the foot of the same
mountain chain are the Alpujarras, where 'the temperature is always mild, without
excessive heat or cold; and as it is in this province, so it is among others in Spain
which it would be prolixity to name. I say that on the sea the same thing happens,
especially in proximity with the land, and this is better known to those who constantly
trade there than to those who trade in other regions.

In the summer, and certainly in Andalusia, every day the sun is high, and the land
and sea breezes blow alternately, and that which comes from the west is soft wind and
lasts till evening, and in the same manner that this wind holds sometime in this region
so other winds blow in other parts and regions in summer and in winter. Those who
constantly go from Cadiz to Naples know already that when they pass the coast of
Catalonia what wind they will find there, according to the season, and also those who
go to the Gulf of Narbonne. Those who wish to go from Cadiz to Naples, if it be
winter time, go in sight of the Cape of Creo, in Catalonia, by the Gulf of Narbonne.
There the wind is very troublesome, and sometimes vessels must yield and are obliged
to run before it as far as Berueria, and for this reason they oftener go to Cape Creo to
keep close to the wind and reach the shelter of the Pomegas of Marsella, or the Islands
of Eros, and never leave the coast until they arrive at their destination. If they have
to go from Cadiz to Naples in the summer time, they sail by the coast of Berueria as far
as Cerdena, or in the same manner as has been said of the other north coast. Some men
are designated from their voyages, who have so often made them that they know well
these routes and the changes of wind which may be expected according to the season of
the year in which they are. Commonly to these men is given the name of the greater
pilots, as on the land to the commander of an army; so much so that one who knows
perfectly the road takes his command to Fontarabia would not know it from here to
Liberia. The same upon the sea; some are pilots of Flanders and others of the Levant,
and of the country he most frequents.

The trade and travel from Spain to Flanders is greatly prosecuted, and great mariners
are engaged m it. In Flanders in the month of January all the ships are despatched to
return to their countries, and in this month it rarely happens that there is not a stretch
of wind either from the northeast or north-northeast. These winds at this time of year
do not blow gently, but strong and cold, and are even dangerous; the distances from
the land and the character of the earth are the cause which occasion this. These winds
are not steady, even though the weather may not have this fault; those who sail with
them are persons who take their chances, and most often arrive with their hands in
their hair. If the easterly breeze fail them and, nay, other wind blow hard, they must
make the ports of France or England until another tide allows them to leave those
ports.

Sea-faring men are covetous of money and eager to return to their homes, and
venture everything without waiting for the weather to settle. As it was in my chamber
on another occasion, I shall inform Youir Highnesses of what is but for the security of
this navigation, which should be undertaken when the sun is in Taurus, and be aban-
doned in the heaviest and most dangerous season of the winter. If the winds favor the
crossing is very slack; no departure should be made until the voyage seems assured, and
this can be best judged of when the sky is very clear and the wind blows from the north
star and holds north always rather stiffly. Your Highnesses know well what happened
the year ninety-seven, when they suffered so in Burgos from the duration of the severe
weather and the wind which followed, to escape which they went so Soria; and all the

130 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

court having left on Saturday, Your Highnesses remained to leave on Monday, and that
to a courier sent to me that night I replied in a written answer, which I sent to Your
Highnesses that day, that the wind would begin to blow the next day, that the fleet
ought not to sail, but to hold on until the wind strengthened, and should leave on
Monday, and that on Thursday it would be as far as the Island of Huict, and if it did
not put in there it would be in Laredo the next Monday, or else the science of naviga-
tion was lost. This writing of mine, with the desire to await the arrival of the Prin-
cess, induced Your Highnesses to change their intentions not to go to Soria, and to test
the judgment of the sailor; and on Monday a ship appeared off Laredo, which did not
go into Huict because it holds but few ships. [See Note 2.]

There are many opinions, and there always have been on land and sea, as to the
course to be pursued in similar cases, and to-day there are many other discovered
islands; and if that route is already known, those who have to trade back and forth there,
with the perfection of instruments and construction of ships, will have a better knowl-
edge of the land and winds and seasons most favorable to take advantage of, and have
hope for the security of their lives.

May the Holy Trinity defend Your Highnesses, for we have desire and need to keep
Your Highnesses with all their great estates and lordships.

From Granada, the sixth of February, fifteen hundred and two.

.S.

S. A. S.

X. M. Y.

Xpo FEREN8.

554. Photograph from the original letter of Columbus to the Bank of St.

George, preserved in the Municipal Palace, Genoa.

Before starting upon his fourth and last voyage, in the spring of 1502,
infirm in health and with impaired confidence in his sovereigns and the
Council of the Indies, which had treated him so shamefully, Columbus
sent copies of all his important papers to Genoa, his birthplace and the
home of his family. He entrusted all his contracts, privileges and com-
missions to Nicolo de Oderigo, the Genoese Ambassador to the Spanish
Court, to be deposited in trust with the Bank of St. George, which was to
the commercial world in those days what the Bank of England is to-day.
He addressed to the governors of that bank the following letter:
High, Noble Lords:

Although the body walks about here, the heart is constantly over there. Our Lord
conferred upon me the greatest favor ever granted to any since David. The results of
my undertaking already appear, and would shine greatly were they not concealed by
the blindness of the government. I am going to the Indies again under the auspices
of the Trinity, soon to return; and since I am mortal, I leave it with my son Diego that
you receive every year, forever, one-tenth of the entire [ revenue, such as it may be, for
the purpose of reducing the tax upon corn, wine and other provisions. If that tenth
amounts to something collect it. If not, at least take the will for the deed. 1 beg you
to entertain regard for the son I have recommended to you. Mr. Nicolo de Oderigo
knows more about my own affairs than I do myself, and I have sent by him the tran-
scripts of my privileges and letters for safekeeping. 1 should be glad if you would
keep them. My lords, the King and Queen, endeavored to honor more than ever. May
the Holy Trinity preserve you noble persons and increase the most magnificent House
(of St. George).'

RELICS OF COLUMBUS. I3I

Done in Seville on the second day of April, 1502. The Chief Admiral of the Ocean,
Viceroy and Governor-General of the islands and continents of Asia and the
Indies, of my lords the King and Queen, their Captain-General of the Sea, and
of their Councils.

S. A. S.

X. M. Y.

Xpo FERENS.

555. Enlarged fac-simile of the letter of Columbus to the Bank of St.

George.

556. Photograph of the original letter of Columbus to Nicolo Oderigo,

Genoese Ambassador to the Court of Spain.

Original preserved in the Municipal Palace, Genoa, dated March 21,
1502.

The letter to Nicolo Oderigo was as follows:

Sir : The solicitude in which you have left us can not be described. I gave Micer
Francis de Ribarol the book containing my deeds (or grants, or concessions) and also
copies of the letters and messages sent to me; and I pray you, as a great favor to me, to
write to Don Diego and inform him of the place in which you keep those documents,
and the use you make of them. A duplicate of all of them will be made, and sent to
you in the same way and through the same channel of Francisco. You will find
there a new concession. Their Highnesses promise therein, as you will see, to give me
all that belongs to me, and put Don Diego in possession thereof. I have written to
Micer Juan Luys, and to Madam Madona Catalina the letter I enclose. I shall start out,
in the name of the Most Holy Trinity, with a good equipment, at the first moment of
good weather. If Jerome de Santi Esteban comes, he must wait for me, and not to
commit himself to anything; because they will try to get out of him all that they can,
and afterward they will leave him in the cold. Let him come here, and the King and
Queen will entertain him until I come.

May our Lord keep you in His holy guard.

I am for what you may order,

Your servant,
X. M. Y.
Xpo FERENS.

Done on the 21st of March, at Seville, 1502.

557. Photograph of the original letter of Columbus to Nicolo Oderigo,

Genoese Ambassador to the Court of Spain, dated December 27,

1504.

Original preserved in the Municipal Palace, Genoa.

In 1504, after his return from his last voyage, having heard nothing
from the bank or from Oderigo about these documents, he writes the fol-
lowing indignant letter:

Virtuous Sir : When I started on my voyage to the places from where I have just
come, I spoke at length with you. 1 understand that you remember well all that then
was said.

132 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

When returning here, I was in hopes to find some letters from you, or some messenger
who would tell me verbally something in your name.

At about the same time of my departure from here, I sent to you by Francisco de
Ribarol, a book containing copies of several letters, and another in which all tho grants
and privileges given me were also copied, the whole inclosed in a red morocco case,
with a silver lock I also sent with the same men, two letters for the St. George gentle-
men, in which I assigned to them the tenth of my revenue, in consideration of and com-
pensation for the reduction made on the duties on wheat and the other supplies. To
nothing of this I have had any reply. Micer Francisco says that everything arrived
safely. If this is the case, the failure of the St. George gentlemen to answer my letters
is an act of discourtesy, for which the treasury is by no means better off. This is the
reason why it is generally said that to serve common people is serving no one.
Quieu 6irve a comun, no sirve a niugun.

Another book of my privileges, equal to the one above mentioned, was left by me at
Cadiz, with Franco Catanio (who is the bearer of this letter) with instructions (o send it
to you— in order that you would keep it, together with the other, in some safe place, at
your discretion.

At the time of my departure I received a letter from the King and Queen, my Lord
and Lady. It was written there. Look at it, and you will find it very good. Never-
theless, Don Diego was not given possession, as it was promised.

While I was in the Indies I wrote to their Highnesses, through three or four channels,
about my voyage. One of these letters came back to me, and sealed as it was. I
enclose it in this and send it to you. In another letter I enclose also a supplement to the*
above description of my voyage, and I pray you to give both to Micer Juan Luis, to
whom I also have written and said that you will be the reader and interpreter of the
said letters.

I am anxious to hear from you, especially about the plan we agree to.

I arrived here very sick, and about the time in which the Queen, my Lady (whom God
has with Him) died, and I could not see her.

Up to the present it is impossible for me to tell you what will be the practical result
of all my doings. I suppose that Her Highness has properly provided in her will for
everything concerning this matter, and the King, my lord, always gives good answers.

Franco Catanio will verbally explain to you at length all the rest.

May Our Lord keep you in His guard.

From Seville, December 27, 1504.

S. A. S.

X. M. Y.

Xro FERENS.

Great Admiral of the Ocean, Viceroy and Governor-General of the Indies,

558. Enlarged fac-simile of the letter of Columbus to Nicolo Oderigo,
December 27, 1504.

The letters sent by Columbus to the Bank of St. George were duly-
entered upon the records of that institution. The original entry can still
be read in the handwriting of the Chancellor, on pages 256 and 257 of
the "Manuale," in 1503. In 1829 the precious documents called the
Codice Diplomatico were transferred to the city of Genoa, and placed
in the Municipal Palace, in what is called the "Custodia," a marble

RELICS OF COLUMBUS. 133

shaft which is surmounted by a bust of Columbus. They are shown
once a week to visiting strangers, together with Paganini's violin, which,
since 1840, has found its resting place in the "Custodia." On such occa-
sions the chief custodian, who has charge of the relics, opens the little
monument and exhibits its contents. He then locks it up carefully and
places the key in a safe.

559. The Codice Diplomatico.

The Codice Diplomatico, preserved in the Municipal Palace of Genoa,
is a small folio volume of parchment, bound in Spanish leather, with
two silver ornaments on the sides, and enclosed in a leather bag. This
originally had a silver lock, but it has been taken off and only the marks
remain to show where it was fastened.

The first document is an original letter of Phillip II, King of Spain, to
Ottoviana Oderigo, Doge of Genoa, congratulating him upon his collec-
tion. Then follows a memorandum relating to Lorenzo Oderigo, who in
1669 gave the manuscripts to the republic.

Then comes the title, written in red and black Gothic letters, with
arabesque ornaments: "Cartas, Privileg, Cedulas y otras Escrituras de
Don Christoval Colon, Almirante Mayor del Mar Oceano, Visorey y
Gobernador de las Islas y Tierra Firma." (Letters, Privileges, Contracts
and other Documents of Don Christopher Columbus, Great Admiral of
the Ocean Sea, Viceroy and Governor of the Islands and the Main Land.)
On the back of the title is the coat-of-arms of Columbus.

The next leaf contains a table of contents of the volume.

Then begin the documents themselves, covering forty-two leaves, with
ornamental initial letters, and the attestations of the notaries and alcaldes
of Seville, in whose presence the copies were made.

Next follows the famous bull of Alexander V fixing the line of
demarcation. The next two documents are arguments by Columbus
describing his contract with the sovereigns and defending his rights,
occupying nine pages. After this comes a letter of Columbus to the
governess of the Prince Don Juan, which fills ten pages, and a mem-
orandum of the different copies that had been made of the contracts
with the sovereigns and their disposition. The two autograph letters of
Columbus to Nicolo Oderigo are pasted on the pages following, and a
copy of the reply of the director of the Bank of St. George of Genoa to a
letter from Columbus.

At the end of the volume is the sketch entitled "The Triumph of
Columbus," which is said to have been made by himself.

These manuscripts, with a duplicate copy, were sent by Columbus to

* his friend Nicolo Oderigo at Genoa, to be deposited in the Bank of St.

George, but it appears that he failed to execute the commission and

134 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

kept them. They were, however, preserved in his family until 1669,
when his descendant, Lorenzo Oderigo, presented them to the municipal-
ity of Genoa. During the occupation of Italy by Napoleon one of the
manuscripts was taken to Paris, where it still remains in the archives of
the foreign office. The other fell into the hands of Count Michael-
angelo Cambiasi, who in 1887 surrendered it to the municipality. In
1821 the custodia or monument was erected for its preservation from a
design by Sig. Carlo Barrabbuio, executed by the sculptor Sig. Peschiera.
Upon the column is the inscription:

QVM HEIC SVNT MEMBRANAS

Epistolas Q. Expendito

His Patriam Ipse Nempe Svam

Columbus Aperit

En Quid Mihi Creditum Thesavri Siet

Deer Decyrionum Genvens.

M DCCC XXI.

560. Bank of St. George at Genoa.

The building occupied by this famous institution, which was the most
powerful, financial and commercial organization in the world for several
centuries, still stands on the shores of the Bay of Genoa, and is used by
the government for customs purposes.

562. Relics in the museum at Rome. (Colored plate.)

There are in the museum at Rome certain relics of which illustrations
are herewith given. They are claimed by some to have been brought
from the New World by Columbus on his first voyage and sent by him
as a gift to Pope Alexander VI. But they are much more likely to have
been brought over by Cortez, or some of his associates in the conquest
of Mexico.

563. Photograph of votive offerings left by Columbus at the shrine of the

Holy Virgin at Siena, Italy, after his return from his voyage to the

New World.

While on the return from the discovery, in the midst of a fearful gale,
Columbus made a vow to the Holy Virgin that if his life was spared he
would visit a certain shrine at Siena, in the northern part of Italy, and
leave a votive offering. Among the relics preserved at this shrine to-day
are a helmet and sword, and a portion of the vertebras of a whale, which
he is claimed to have left there when he paid his vow. It is possi-
ble he visited his father in Genoa at this time, although there is no
evidence of the fact. It has been denied that these relics were
left by Columbus, and it is asserted with equal positiveness that they
belonged to the Florentines who were defeated at Poggibenzo in 1478.
The relics hang over the main entrance to the little church Fonteginsta.

RELICS OF COLUMBUS. 1 35

564. Coat-of-arms of Columbus.

The Spanish sovereigns bestowed upon Columbus a coat-of-arms
showing a lion and a castle in the upper quarters, and in those below a
group of golden islands in a sea of silver — as many as he discovered —
and the original arms of his family, five golden anchors on a blue ground.
The original is preserved in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Paris, and
a duplicate at Genoa. The arms have been changed by the Dukes de
Veragua, his descendants, to show silver capped waves in the sea, while
a globe surmounted by a cross is placed in the midst of a gulf con-
taining five islands.*

565. Tickets in the Columbus lottery at Genoa.

The Columbus Exposition at Genoa, Italy, which was organized to
commemorate the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery, was
supported by a lottery of which these are sample tickets.

566. Coins made of the first gold brought from America.

Loaned by Mr. Anton Springer, Rome, New York, to whom they were
presented by a prominent priest of Cordova, Spain, said to be made of the
first gold brought by Columbus from the New World. These coins
were struck by hammer, and there are said to be but eighteen of the
kind in existence.

567. Enlarged sketches of the Columbus coins.

568. The alleged breviary of Columbus. (Photograph.;

There is a book in the Orsini library at Rome which has been the sub-
ject of a great deal of discussion for more than a hundred years. It has
been described by many respectable and reliable authorities as a brevi-
ary presented to Columbus after his return from his first voyage by
Pope Alexander VI, and Columbus is alleged to have written that "it
comforted him in his battles, his captivities and his misfortunes." On a
leaf of this Ytock is written what has been claimed to be a codicil to the
will of Columbus, dated May 6, 1506, and this codicil has been used as
evidence that the admiral was insane. In it he assumes that the titles
and dignities he was promised by the sovereigns of Spain, whether they
were acknowledged or not, were his of right to alienate, and he be-
queathed them to the city of Genoa in case they were not recognized by
the sovereigns of Spain. He bestows upon his native city in the same
reckless manner the means to erect a hospital in his honor, and asks that
the institution shall be supported by the revenues from his Italian
estates, when he had no property whatever.

An investigation made by Mr. J. C. Heywood in Rome demonstrates

that the book is not a breviary at all, but an "Hours of the Virgin;" that

*The original decree granting the coat-of-arms to Columbus is on exhibition at the chapel.

I36 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

there is no evidence whatever that it belonged to Columbus, and the date
of its publication is many years subsequent to his death. The alleged
codicil is on one small page, written over the original text, and the pen-
manship is a very poor imitation of the autograph letters of Columbus
preserved at Genoa. The book first attracted attention in 1779, and the
manuscript was evidently a clumsy attempt, fraudulently, to give a
speculative value to an otherwise worthless volume.

569. The triumph of Columbus.

An allegory by Nicolo Barabino.

570. One of the bolts to which Columbus was chained in the dungeon at

Santo Domingo.

Obtained by Robert S. Moon, purser United States Navy in 1844 and
presented to the National Museum, Washington.

571. Silver coin issued at Bogota by the government of the republic of Col-

ombia in commemoration of the fourth centennial of the discovery of

America.

Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington, D. C.

572. Miniature souvenir medals of the Columbian Historical Exposition at

Madrid.

Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington, D. C.

573. Medal awarded to William E. Curtis, director of the Bureau of the

American Republics, by the commission in charge of the celebration
in Spain of the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of Amer-
ica, in acknowledgment of his services in promoting its success.

574. The wife of Columbus.

By Nicolau Florentino, of Lisbon, Portugal. The first and only
volume ever published concerning the wife of the admiral.

575. Fac-simile of a draft made by Columbus in favor of Rodrigo Bizcaino

and Francisco Nino.

Original in the collection of the Duchess of Alva.

576. Fac-simile of a fragment of an envelope with the seal of Columbus and

his signature to a letter.

577. Notes on Columbus.

By Henry Harisse. Containing important results of his investigations.
Privately printed.

578. Sermon delivered by Rev. Dr. Frederick H. Quitman, on the second

Sunday of October, 1792.

On the Island of Curacoa, West Indies. " God glorified by the dis-
covery of America." Loaned by Mrs. W. C. Nichols, 493 Fullerton
avenue, Chicago.

VERsn

PUBLICATION OF THE DISCOVERY. 1 37

SECTION L. THE PUBLICATION OF THE DISCOVERY.

600. Fac-simile of the title page of first book published about America.

The news of the discovery of a new world by Columbus first appeared
in print in the fall of 1493, a few months after his arrival at Palos.
It was a little quarto of four leaves, thirty-four lines to the page, printed
in black-faced type in the Latin language. The title, translated into
English, is as follows:

Letter from Christopher Columbus: to -whom our age oweth much: concerning the
islands of India beyond the Ganges, recently discovered. In the search of which he
was sent eight months ago under the auspices and at the expense of the most invincible
King of the Spains, Ferdinand. Addressed to the noble Lord Rafael Sanchez, treasurer
of the most serene King, which the noble and learned man, Alexander de Cosco,
translated from the Spanish idiom into Latin; the third day of the calendar of May,
1493. The year one of the Pontificate of Alexander VI.

While on his homeward voyage, February, 1493, and off the Canary
Islands, Columbus wrote two accounts of his discovery. One was
addressed to Rafael Sanchez, the crown treasurer of Aragon, and the
other to Louis Santangel, the receiver of the ecclesiastical revenues,
who had advanced the funds to equip the caravels and pay the expenses
of the expedition. No trace of the original manuscript can be found,
although it has been diligently searched for; nor is there any copy of
the original in Spanish. The letter, after being read at court, was prob-
ably handed to Alexander de Cosco, a notary, who made a translation
into Latin, which was the common language of the printing-office in
those days, and he undoubtedly threw away the original as of no further
use. The Latin translation was handed to a printer, and he is unknown,
as well as the place at which it was printed.

Six editions of the little pamphlet were, however, published during
the same year, 1493. The first and fourth editions are supposed to have
been printed by Stephanus Planneck, at a famous printer at Rome. They
have the same type and the same paper, and both, are identical with
other books published by this same printer about the same date. The
types used in the first, second and third editions are very different, and
the text varies in some particulars. The titles differ also. The third
edition bears the printer's name, Eucharus Silber of Rome. The fifth
and sixth editions were printed by Guyot Marchant at Paris.

The first edition is a plain pamphlet without an ornament, or even an
initial letter, and was evidently published with great haste.

I38 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

601. Fac-similes of the illustrations in the fifth edition of the first book

concerning the New World.

602. Wood cuts from the first book published concerning America.

603. Photograph of the t : .tle page of a volume of sermons.

By Dr. Ortiz, of Toledo, 1493.

^here was printed at Seville during the latter part of 1493 a volume
of sermons by Dr. Alonzo Ortiz, a canon of Toledo who was famous for
his bigotry and his rhetoric, in which the discovery of Columbus was
described. It appears on page 43 of an oration pronounced in honor of
Ferdinand and Isabella, and begins : " Behold, the eyes of mortals are
justly fixed upon you in merited approbation, on glorious princes, for
there is no nation ever so barbarous that is not aware of your triumphs."
The only copy of this volume known is in the public library of Boston,
to which it was presented by the late Mr. George Tichnor, and from
which this photograph is taken by consent of the trustees.

604. Second edition of the letter of Columbus.

The second edition contains ten leaves, with twenty-seven lines to the
page. It also contains seven elaborate wood cuts, five of which cover
entire pages. On the recto of the first leaf is the coat-of-arms of Castile
and Leon ; on the verso a vessel, with the words " Oceanica Classis ;"
on the verso of the second leaf is a picture of men landing inscribed
"Insula Hyspana,-" on the verso of the third leaf is a rude map inscribed
" Fernando Ysabella, Hyspana, Saluatoris conceptores Maria," and a
caravel ; the wood-cut of the second leaf is repeated on the fifth ; on the
verso of the sixth leaf is a fort in process of construction, and the words,
"Insula Hyspana-" on the tenth leaf a full-page portrait of King Ferdi-
nand, while on the last page appears the coat-of-arms of Granada, so
that we may assume that it was printed in that city.

There is a copy in the Lenox library in New York, and another in
the British museum. There was formerly a third in the Brera library
at Milan, but it has disappeared.

Copies of the third edition are found in the Lenox library at New
York and in the John Brown Carter college at Providence, Rhode
Island.

There are copies of the fourth edition in the British museum, in the
Royal library at Munich, in Milan, in the Carter-Brown collection at
Providence, in the Lenox library at New York, and one belonging to the
late Samuel L. M. Barlow, of New York, was sold at auction to Dodd,
Mead & Co., in 1890 for $2,250.

Both the first and second editions contain an epigram written by Leo-

PUBLICATION OF THE DISCOVERY. "1 39

nardo de Carminis, bishop of Monte Peloso, situated in the kingdom of
Naples, which reads in English as follows:

To the invincible King of the Spains:

Less wide to the world than the renown of Spain,

To swell her triumphs no new lands remain!

Rejoice, Iberia! See thy fame increase!

Another world Columbus from the east

And the mid-ocean summons to thy way!

Give thanks to him; but loftier homage pay

To God Supreme, who gives its realms to thee!

Greatest of monarchs, first of servants be.

Ferdinand was ruler of Naples as well as of Aragon, but had pawned the
former country to France, and it was not restored to him by Charles
VIII until some time after. It is supposed that the poetic bishop was
paying a visit to court at the time Columbus returned, when he took the
opportunity to sing the glory of his royal master.

The omission of Queen Isabella in the- first edition was corrected in
the third, which was published immediately after by the same printer,
and copies of that were sent to Rome and Paris when the pamphlet was
republished.

Of the first edition but three copies are known. One is in the British
museum, another in the Royal library at Munich, and the third in the
Public library of Boston, having been purchased for $3,000 in 1890, at the
sale of the books of the late Samuel L. M. Barlow, who procured it in
1864 from Col. Thomas Aspinwall. The latter bought it in London in
1831.
605. Fifth edition of the letter of Columbus.

The fifth edition of the letter of Columbus, which was printed at Paris,
has on the first leaf a wood cut, representing an angel appearing to a
group of shepherds. The only copies known are in the library at Paris
and the collection of the late John Carter-Brown at Providence.

608. Sixth edition of the letter of Columbus.

The sixth edition, which was also printed in Paris, bears the title
"Epistle Concerning Islands Recently Discovered," with a picture repre-
senting a tailor and a shoemaker at work, with a pair of clasped hands
and a pair of boots hanging from a rod. Three copies are known, be-
longing to the Carter-Brown collection, the Bodlein collection at Oxford,
and the University library atGottengen.

609. The letter of Columbus to Luis Santangel.

Columbus, while at sea, wrote a letter describing his voyage to Luis
Santangel, to whom he was indebted for the funds to pay the expenses
of the expedition. It was in black Gothic type, upon coarse paper,
without title, date, or printer's name; a pamphlet of four leaves, in Span-

140 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

ish. The only copy is in the Ambrosian library at Milan, bequeathed in
1852 by the Baron Pietro Custodi of that city.

A similar quarto, printed about the same time and also unique, was
sold by Mr. Brayton Ives in 1891 to Dodd, Mead & Co.

Translation cf the letter of Columbus to Luis De Santangel.

Sir : ' si am sure you will be pleased at the great victory which the Lord has given
me in my voyage, I write this to inform you that in twenty days I arrived in the Indies
with the squadron which their Majesties had placed under my command. There I dis-
covered many islands, inhabited by a numerous population, and took possession of
them for their Highnesses, with public ceremony and the royal flag displayed, without
molestation.

The first that I discovered I named San Salvador, in remembrance of that Almighty
Power which had so miraculously bestowed them. The Indians call it Guanahani. To
the second I assigned the name of Santa Marie de Conception: to the third, that of
Fernandina; to the fourth, that of Isabella; to the fifth, Juana ; and so on, to every
one a new name.

When I arrived at Juana, I followed the coast to the westward and found it so ex-
tensive that I considered it must be a continent and a province of Cathay. And as I
found no towns or villages by the seaside, excepting some small settlements, with the
people of which I could not communicate because they all ran away, I continued my
course to the westward, thinking I should not fa'l to find some large town and cities.
After having coasted many leagues without finding any signs of them, and seeing that
the coast took me to the northward, where I did not wish to go, as the winter was al-
ready set in, I considered it best to follow the coast to the south ; and the wind being
also scant, I determined to lose no more time, and thprefore returned to a certain port,
from whence I sent two messengers into the country to ascertain whether there was any
king there or any large city.

They traveled for three days, finding an infinite number of small settlements and an
innumerable population, but nothing like a city ; on which account they returned. I
had tolerably well ascertained from some Indians whom I had taken that this land was
only an island, so I followed the coast of it to the east 107 leagues, to its termination.
And about eighteen leagues from this cape, to the east, there was another island, to
which I shortly gave the name of Espanola. I went to it, and followed the north coast
of it, as I had done that of Juana, for 178 long leagues due east.

This island is very fertile, as well, indeed, as all the rest. It possesses numerous har-
bors, far superior to any I know in Europe, and what is remarkable, plenty of large
inlets. The land is high, and contains many lofty ridges and some very high mount-
ains, without comparison of the Island of Cetrefrey ; all of them very handsome and of
different forms ; all of them accessible and abounding in trees of a thousand kinds,
high, and appearing as if they would reach the skies. And I am assured that the- lat-
ter never lose their fresh foliage, as far as I can understand, fori saw them as fresh and
flourishing as those of Spain in the month of May. Some were in blossom, some bear-
ing fruit, and others in other states according to their nature.

The nightingale and a thousand kinds of birds enliven the woods with their song, in
the month of November, wherever I went. There are seven or eight kinds of palms, of
various elegant forms, besides various other trees, fruits and herbs. The pines of this
island are magnificent. It has also extensive plains, honey, and a great variety of birds
and fruits. It has many metal mines, and a population innumerable.

Espanola is a wonderful island, with mountains, groves, plains, and the country gen-
erally beautiful and rich for planting and sowing, for rearing sheep and cattle of all
kiaJs, anl r^ady far towns and cities. The harbors must be seen to be appreciated;

PUBLICATION OF THE DISCOVERY. I4 1

rivers are plentiful and large and of excellent water; the greater part of them contain
gold. There is a great difference between the trees, fruits, and herbs of this island and
those of Juana. In this island there are many spices, and large mines of gold and
other metals.

The people of this island and of all the others which I have discovered or heard of,
both men and women, go naked as they were born, although some of the women wear
leaves of herbs or a cotton covering made on purpose. They have no iron or steel, nor
any weapons; not that they are not a well-disposed people and of tine stature, but they
are timid to a degree. They have no other arms excepting spearo made of cane, to
which they fix at the end a sharp piece of wood, and then dare not use even these. Fre-
quently I had occasion to send two or three of my men on shore to some settlement for
information, where there would be multitudes of them; and as soon as they saw our peo-
ple they would run away every soul, the father leaving his child; and this was not
because any one had done them harm, for rather at every cape where I had landed and
been able to communicate with them 1 have made them presents of cloth and maiiy
other things without receiving anything in return; but because they are so timid. Cer-
tainly, where they have confidence and forget their fears they are so open-hearted and
liberal with all they possess that it is scarcely to be believed without seeing it. If any-
thing that they have is asked of them they never deny it; on the contrary, they will offer
it. Their generosity is so great that they would give anything, whether it is costly or
not, for anything of every kind that is offered them and be contented with it. I was
obliged to prevent such worthless things being given them as pieces of broken basins,
broken glass, and bits of shoe-latchets, although when they obtained them they esteemed
them as if they had been the greatest of treasures. One of the seamen for a latchet
received a piece of gold weighing two dollars and a half, and others, for other things of
much less value, obtained more. Again, for new silver coin they would give everything
they possessed, whether it was worth two or three doubloons or one or two balls of cot-
ton. Even for pieces of broken pipe-tubes they would take them and give anything for
them, until, when I thought it wrong, I prevented it. And 1 made them presents of
thousands of things which I had, that I might win their esteem, and also that they
might be m idegood Christians and be disposed to the service of your Majesties and
the whole Spanish nation, and help us to obtain the things which we require and of
which there is abundance in their country.

And these people appear to have neither religion nor idolatry, except that they believe
that good and evil come from the skies; and they firmly believed that our ships and their
crews, with myself, came from the skies, and with this persuasion, after having lost
their fears, they always received us. And yet this does not proceed from ignorance, for
they are very ingenious, and some of them navigate their seas in a wonderful manner
and give good account of things, but because they never saw people dressed or ships
like ours.

And as soon as I arrived in the Indies, at the first island at which I touched, I capt-
ured some of them, that we might learn from them and obtain intelligence of what
there was in those parts. And as soon as we understood each other they were of great
service to us; but yet, from frequent conversation which I have had with them, they
still believe we came from the skies. These were the first to express that idea, and oth-
ers ran from house to house, and to the neighboring villages, crying out, "Come and see
the people from the skies." And thus all of them, men and women, after satisfied them-
selves of their safety, came to us without reserve, great and small, bringing us some-
thing to eat and drink, and which they gave to us most affectionately.'

They have many canoes in those islands propelled by oars, some of them large and
others small, and many of them with eight or ten paddles of a side, not very wide, but
all of one trunk, andaboat can not ke^p way with them by oars, for they are incredibly

142 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

fast; and with these they navigate all the islands, which are innumerable, and obtain
their articles of traffic. I have seen some of these canoes with sixty or eighty men in
them, and each with a paddle.

Among the islands I did not find much diversity of formation in the people, nor in
their customs, nor their language. They all understand each other, which is remarka-
ble; and I trust Your Highnesses will determine on their being converted to our faith,
for which they are very well disposed.

I have already said that I went 107 leagues along the coast of Juana, from east to
west. Thus, according to my track, it is larger than England and Scotland together,
for, besides these 107 leagues, there were further west two provinces to which 1 did not
go, one of which is called Cibau, the people of which are born with tails; which prov-
inces must be about fifty or sixty leagues long, according to what I can make out from
the Indians I have with me, who know all the islands. The other island (Espanola) is
larger in circuit than the whole of Spain, from the Straits of Gibraltar (the Columns)
to Fuentarabia in Biscay, as I sailed 138 long leagues in a direct line from west to east.
Once known it must be desired, and once seen one desires never to leave it; and
which, being taken possession of for their Highnesses, and the people being at present in
a condition lower than I can possibly describe, the sovereigns of Castile may dispose of
it in any manner they please in the most convenient places. In this Espanola, and the
best district, 'there are gold mines, and, on the other hand, from thence to terra firma,
as well as from thence to the Great Khan, where everything is on a splendid scale. I
have taken possession of a large town, to which I gave the name of La Navidad, and
have built a fort in it in every respect complete. And I have left sufficient people in it
to take care of it, with artillery and provisions for more than a year, also a boat and
coxswain with the equipments, in complete friendship with the king of the island, to
that degree that he delighted to call me and look on me as his brother. And should
they fall out with these people, neither he nor his subjects know anything of weapons,
and go naked, as I have said, and they are the most timorous people in the world. The
few people left there are sufficient to conquer the country, and the island would thus
remain without danger to them, they keeping order among themselves.

In all these islands it appeared to me the men are contented with one wife, but to
their governor or king they allow twenty. The women seem to work more than the
men. I have not been able to discover whether they respect personal property, for it
appeared to me things were common to all, especially in the particular of provisions.
Hitherto I have not seen in any of these islands any monsters, as there were supposed
to be; the people, on the contrary, are generally well formed, nor are they black like
those of Guinea, saving their hair, and they do not reside in places exposed to the sun's
rays. It is true that the sun is most powerful there, as it is only twenty-six degrees
from the equator. In this last winter those islands which were mountainous were
cold, but they are accustomed to it, with good food, and plenty of spices and hot nutri-
ment. Thus I have found no monsters nor heard of any, except at an island which is
the second in going to the Indies, and which is inhabited by a people who are consid-
ered in all the islands as ferocious, and who devour human flesh. These people have
many canoes, which scour all the islands of India, and plunder all they can. They are
not worse formed than others, but they wear the hair long like women, and use bows
and arrows of the same kind of cane, pointed with a piece of hardwood instead of
iron, of which they have none. They are fierce compared with the other people, who
are in general but sad cowards; but I do not consider them in any other way superior
to them. These are they who trade in women, who inhabit the first island met with in
going from Spain to the Indies, in which there are no men whatever. Thpy have no ef-
feminate exercise, but bows and arrows, as before said, of cane, with which they arm
themselves, and use shields of copper, of which they have plenty.

PUBLICATION OF THE DISCOVERY. 143

There is another island, I am told, larger than Espanola, the natives of which have
no hair. In this there is gold without limit, and of this and the others 1 have Indians
with me to witness.

In conclusion, referring only to what has been effected by this voyage, which was made
with so much haste, Your Highnesses may see that I shall find as much gold as desired
with the very little assistance afforded to me; there is as much spice and cotton as can
be wished for, and also gum, which hitherto has only been found in Greece, in the
island of Chios, and they may sell it as they please, and the mastich, as much as may be
desired, and slaves, also, who will bu idolators. And I believe that I have rhubarb,
and cinnamon, and a thousand other things I shall find, which will have been dis-
covered by those whom 1 have left behind, for I did not stop at any cape when the
wind enabled me to navigate, except at the town of Navidad, where I was very safe and
well taken care of. And in truth much more I should have done if the ships had
served me as might have been expected. This is certain, that the Eternal God our Lord
gives all things to those who obey Him, and the victory when it seems impossible, and
this, evidently, is an instance of it. for although people have talked of these lands, all
was conjecture unless proved by seeing them, for the greater part listened and judged
more by hearsay than by anything else.

Since, then, our Redeemer has given this victory to our illustrious King and Queen
and celebrated their reigns by such a great thing, all Christendom should rejoice and
make great festivals, and give solemn thanks to the Blessed Trinity, with solemn
praises for the exaltation of so much people to our holy faith; and next for the
temporal blessings which not only Spain but they will enjoy in becoming Christians,
and which last may shortly be accomplished.

Wiitten in the caravel off the Canary Islands, on the fifteenth of February, ninety-
three.

The following is introduced into the letter after being closed:

After writing the above, being in the Castilian Sea (off the coast of Castile), I ex-
perienced so severe a wind from south and southeast that I have been obliged to run
to-day into this port of Lisbon, and only by a miracle got safely in, from whence I in-
tended to write to Your Highnesses. In all parts of the Indies I have found the
weather like that of May, where I went in ninety-three days, and returned in seventy-
eight, saving these thirteen days of bad weather that I have been detained beating
about in this sea. Every seaman here says that never was so severe a winter, nor such
loss of ships. *

6io. Fac-simile of the letter of Columbus to Louis Santangel.

Quaritch copy.

In 1891 Mr. Bernard Quaritch, of London, awakened the astonishment
of bibliophiles by offering for sale for §8,750 what he claimed to be a
copy of the first edition of this letter printed at Barcelona in April, 1493
This remarkable pamphlet is said to have been found in Spain in 1889.
It consists of two leaves of very coarse paper, printed in Spanish black-
faced type, without the name of the publisher or the place of impression.
Four leaves of similar paper are stitched to it, which have no doubt
been its protection for four hundred years. The first and second leaves
are glued together, and there is writing on all four. On the first and
second leaves appears a biography of Saint Leocadia, who suffered mar-
tyrdom at Toledo in the year 304. On the third and fourth is an appeal

144 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

to the Archduke Philip, dated 12th of May, 1497, against the exorbitant
taxation imposed upon the people of the Netherlands. From this docu-
ment it is inferred that the copy of the Santangel letter was taken from
Spain to Flanders by some member of the suite of the Princess Juaua,
the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella, who married Philip the Hand-
some at Lille on the 22d of August, 1496. The treasure was purchased
by the Lenox library, of New York, in the fall of 1892, where it is con-
sidered the most precious and important example of all literature relat-
ing to Columbus and the discovery of America.

6u. The sermon of Bishop Carvajal.

Loaned by the Library of Congress.

On the 19th of June, 1493, there was delivered at Rome a "sermon on
the solemn- pledge of obedience from the Most Christian Sovereigns,
Ferdinand and Isabella, King and Queen of the Spains, to our Most
Holy Lord the Pope Alexander VI, by the Reverend Father, Lord Ber-
nardin Carvajal, Bishop of Carthagena," who took for his text the verse
in Isaiah xi, reading: "The calf and the young lion and the fatling
together, and a little child will lead them."

In this sermon the holy father dwells at length upon the achieve-
ments of Ferdinand and Isabella, chief among which he numbers the
discoveries of Columbus. It was published late in the year 1493, and
three copies of the volume are known to exist; in the Peter Force collec-
tion of the Library of Congress at Washington, in the Lenox Library at
New York and in Milan.

612. Photograph of the Bull of Demarcation by Pope Alexander VI.

The famous Bull of Demarcation, uttered May 12, 1493, by Pope Alex-
ander VI, divided the newly-found world between his faithful subjects,
the sovereigns of Spain and Portugal. Only one printed copy of this
all-important document has been known of recent years. That was sold
at auction by Puttrick & Simpson, of London, on the 24th of May, 1854, to
Obadiah Rich, who is said to have represented some American collector,
but the name of his client is unknown, and the document has entirely
disappeared. There is no other copy known and the library of the Vat-
ican has been searched in vain for a duplicate. The manuscript copy
sent to Spain is now in the archives of the Indies at Seville, from which
this photograph was taken.

613. Narrative of the second voyage of Columbus — "De Insulis Meridiani

atque Indici Maris nuper inventis."

"An account of the islands recently discovered in the Southern and
Indian Ocean under the auspices of the invincible sovereigns of Spain
by Nicolas Syllacius."

PUBLICATION OF THE DISCOVERY. 145

The second voyage of Columbus was first described in print by Nico-
las Syllacius, lecturer on philosophy in the University of Pavia. Gugji-
elmo Coma, an Italian noble living in Spain, sent an account of it, hav-
ing gained the information from the letters of Columbus and that of Dr.
Chanca, of Seville, who accompanied the expedition as a surgeon. This
news was 'made the basis of a pamphlet of ten pages in Latin, which
was printed by Girard-hengi at Pavia in 1494 under the title: "To the
Most Learned Lewis Maria Sforza, of Anghiera, Seventh Duke of Milan,
Concerning the Newly-Discovered Islands of the South and Indian
Oceans, Under the Auspices of the Most Invincible Sovereigns of Spain.
By Nicholas Syllacio, Doctor of Arts and Medicine, Lecturer on Phi-
losophy at Pavia."

The voyage to which this account refers is the second, that on which
Columbus sailed from Cadiz on the 25th of September, 1493. The first
island he discovered was called Dominica from the day in which it was
seen. The second was named Maria-galante, or Volante, after the ad-
miral's vessel. He then visited in succession Guadeloupe, Santa Cruz,
the Island of St. John the Baptist, now Puerto Rico, and the last of all
Hispaniola.

This voyage has been described by other writers of the same age,
Peter Martyr among others.

The only known copies are in the Lenox library, New York, and the
Trivulzio library at Milan.
614. Modern reprint of the Guiliano Dati poem.

On the 25th of October, 1493, appeared, in the form of a poem, a met-
rical translation of the Santangel letter and it was printed at Florence.
The author was Guiliano Dati, Bishop of Saint Leone, burn at Florence
in 1445, and the author of several poems, which are among the rarest of
bibliographical curiosities. There are sixty-eight stanzas, of which four-
teen are devoted to a eulogy of the infamous Alexander Borgia. The
story of Columbus and his voyage is introduced in the fourteenth stanza,
of which the following is a translation:

Back to my time, O listener, turn with me,
And hear of islands all unknown to thee!
Islands whereof the grand discovery
Chanced in this year of fourteen ninety-three;
One Christopher Colombo, whose resort
Was ever in the King Fernando's court,
Bent himself still to rouse and stimulate
The King to swell the borders of his State.

The title of the poem translated is:

This is the history of the discovery of the Canary Islands of the Indies, extracted
from a letter of Christopher Columbus, and translated into Latin from the common

I46 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

language of Guiliano Dati for the praise and glory of the celestial court, and for the
consolation of the Christian religion, and at the request of the magnificent chevalier,
John Philip Delignaruine, private secretary of the most sacred and Christian King of
Spain, October 23, 14C3.

Only two copies of the first edition are known. One is in the British
museum, and the other was obtained for the historical collection of the
World's Columbian Exposition.

A second edition was, however, published only one day later than the
first, on the 26th of October, 1493, also at Florence, but the type is differ-
ent, and there are numerous changes in the text which was evidently re-
vised by the bishop. It contains also a frontispiece, representing the
King of Spain sitting upon his throne and gazing across the water at an
island covered with Indians, houses and palms. There are two copies
known, one in the British museum, and another in a library at Milan.

615. Original of the "Dati del Isole," 1492, the first poem concerning the

New World.

616. The first drama concerning America.

Loaned by the Library of Congress, Washington.

Early in the year 1494 there was published a drama presenting the
incidents in the siege of Granada, to which was attached a copy of the
letter of Columbus to Rafael Sanchez. The title reads: " To the Praise
of the Most Illustrious Ferdinand, King of the Spains, Bethica and
Granada; his siege, victory and triumph, and of the islands newly dis-
covered in the Indian Sea." Copies are found in the Lenox library,
New York, the Carter Brown collection in Providence, the Peter Force
collection in the Congressional library at Washington, and in the
library of Harvard College.

617. Original of the Da Vinci map.

Loaned by Her Imperial Majesty Queen Victoria at the request of the
President of the United States.

This map is entitled " Mappemonde " and shows Newfoundland and
Florida both as islands, and a passage to a western sea north of the
coast line of South America. The North Continent of America is not
represented, except by these two islands. There was published in Lon-
don, 1886, by the Society of Antiquaries, a volume entitled " Archaeolo*gia
or Miscellaneous Tracts'relating to Antiquity" (Volume XL), which con-
tains an extended article on this map by R. H. Major.

It is a curious fact that several letters passed between Columbus and
Leonardo da Vinci, the celebrated painter of " The Last Supper,"
respecting a western passage to the Indies. They were written in 1473
and 1474, when Da Vinci was an engraver and map-maker. This
original was found among a lot of sketches and drawings in the collec-
* tion of Queen Victoria at Windsor castle.

PUBLICATION OF THE DISCOVERY. I47

618. Original of first chart of the West Indies, by Juan de la Cosa.

Loaned by the government of Spain at the request of the President of
the United States.

The first map of the West Indies was drawn by Juan de la Cosa, the
pilot of Columbus on his second voyage, and the original belongs in the
Naval museum at Madrid. It was drawn upon an ox hide in 1500.
Baron von Humboldt found it, in 1832, in the library of Herr Walckner,
Paris, and through him it was purchased by the Spanish government.
La Cosa made several voyages to the West Indies and along the north-
ern coast of South America, and was killed by the natives on the
Isthmus of Darien in 1509. It is upon this map that the alleged por-
trait of Columbus appears as St. Christopher with the Christ-child upon
his back, crossing a stream, which was intended to be symbolical of
his carrying Christianity to the inhabitants of the New World.

619. First picture illustrating the natives of America.

In 1497 an account of the two voyages of Columbus was published in
German at Augsburg, without the name of the author or the printer, but
the book is notable for the reason that it contains the first pictorial illus-
tration of the manners and customs of the inhabitants of the New
World. It is a rude wood cut nine, by thirteen inches insize,- represent-
ing the natives of the West Indies preparing a cannibalistic feast.

620. The book of Philopono.

Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington.

Honorio Philopono was a monk of the order of St. Benedict. He
edited a book with the following title: " Voyage to the New World of
the Western Indies, given now to the press, made by the Most Rev.
Father Dom Buell, of Catalonia, Abbot of Montserrate, and Apostolic
Legate d latere of the Holy See for the whole America, or New World,
and Patriarch of the same, and his associates or brethren of the same
order of St. Benedict, sent by His Holiness the Pope Alexander VI in
1492, to preach the Gospel of Christ to the barbarous people of those
regions, written upon the notes and statements of several authors, and
illustrated with engravings."

621. The first published portrait of Columbus.

Wood cut copied from painting in possession of Paulus Jovius, Bishop
of Nocera, in his gallery on the banks of Lake Como.

622. Manuscript copy in Latin of Ptolemy's Cosmographiae, 1504.

623. The first biographies of Columbus.

One of the first biographies of Columbus published was printed as a
note to the 119th Psalm in a polyglot psalter on the 8th of April, 1516, by
Augustino Giustiniani, a native of Genoa and a member of the order of

145 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

Dominicans. He was a man of great learning and professor of oriental
languages in the university, until made bishop of Corsica in 1514. At
the request of King Francis I, who founded the University of Paris,
Giustiniani removed there to fill the chair of Hebrew. He was lost at
sea in 1536, and it is supposed he was killed by pirates.

It was the first polyglot edition of any portion of the Bible ever printed,
and the undertaking was viewed with indifference by both the religious
community and the booksellers of the time; but Giustiniani persevered
and published two thousand copies of his psalter at his own expense.
There is no evidence that he ever knew Columbus, but he was certainly
aware that Columbus believed himself to have been chosen by God to
fulfill the prophecy contained in the 119th Psalm. The following is
the introduction to the good bishop's biography.

The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork.

Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night showeth knowledge.
- There is no speech nor language where their voice is not known.

Their line has gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the
world — at least in our own times, when, through the wonderful daring of the Genoese,
Christopher Columbus, almost a new earth has been discovered and added to the
Christian family.

Then follows a sketch of his life. It is believed that this book was
printed in 1506, but it appears to bear date of 1516. The title page
is the following:

" Psalter, Hebrew, Greek, Arabic and Chaldean, with three Latin interpretations and
glossaries. Printed with wonderful skill by Peter Paul Porrus of Genoa, in the house
of Nicholas Justinian Paulus under the excellent Octavius Fulgoso, Pre sident of the
Republic of Genoa, in the name of the Most Illustrious King of France, in the year
of the Christian Salvation 1516, October 9, Peter Paul Porrus of Milan, residing at
Turin.

A copy of the original edition of this book was obtained for the Colum-
bus collection of the Chicago Exposition.
624. Life of Columbus, by his son Fernando.

Fernando Columbus is the reputed author of a biography of his father
which has been published in several languages. Spotorno, in the intro-
duction to his collection of documents concerning Columbus, asserts that
this biography was taken to Genoa by Luis Columbus after the death of
Fernando and placed in the hands of a friend, who delivered it to Alfonso
de Ullua, by whom it was translated into Italian and published at Venice
in 1751. Several editions have since been printed in different languages;
but Henry Harrisse has expended a great deal of labor in collecting
evidence to show that Fernando did not write it.

Washington Irving declared it to be "an invaluable document, entitled
to great faith, and the cornerstone of the history of the American Con-
tinent." John Fiske says that it "is of priceless value," and other

PUBLICATION OF THE DISCOVERY. 1 49

equally good authorities agree with them; but Justin Winsor admits that
there may be doubt of its genuineness—enough to keep it "constantly
subject to critical caution." The weak spot in the pedigree of the book
is that there is no copy in the Spanish language, and none has ever been
seen. Harrisse holds that the biography was written in 1525, perhaps
under the patronage of Fernando Columbus, by a man named Perez de
Oliva; that it was transported to Italy, and half a century afterward pub-
lished as the work of the son of the admiral in order to give it a more
authentic character and an increased sale. However, the inscription upon
the tomb of Fernando Columbus credits him with the composition.

625. First reference to America in the Dutch language.

Fac-simile of the title page of Newe Unbekanthe Landt, published at
Nuremburg in 1508. Originals in Lenox, Carter Brown and Congress-
ional libraries.

626. Works of Peter Martyr.

Loaned by the Library of Congress, Washington.

In April, 1511, in the works of Peter Martyr, published at Seville by
James Corumberger, a German printer, appears the first consecutive
and general account of the new world. And a copy of this work pre-
served in the Columbian Library, founded by Fernando Columbus, at
Seville, contains a manuscript map on vellum, which is claimed to have
been made by Columbus himself.

Pietro Martire d'Angliera, or Peter Martyr, as he is usually called in
English, was the father of American history. Like Columbus and Amer-
icus Vespucius, he was an Italian, was born in 1459, and educated at
Rome. He went to Spain in 1487, fought with the Spanish army in the
war against the Moors and was ordained as a priest in 1494. Shortly
after he was made tutor to the children of Ferdinand and Isabella, and
a chaplain at court, but he seems to have paid more attention to litera-
ture than to his ecclesiastical duties. He was quick of discernment, a
great gossip, and had a ready pen, which found occupation in the prep-
aration of more than eight hundred letters concerning events in Spain,
which were addressed to various distinguished individuals from 1488 to
1526, when he died. During the most of this time Peter Martyr was the
official chronicler at court, which he followed from place to place, and
was a witness of the most interesting scenes in that important epoch of
the world's history.

The relations of Peter Martyr with Columbus were intimate, as they
were with Americus Vespucius, and other famous characters of his
generation, and from him we learn more of personal interest concerning
them than from any other writer. Martyr wrote in a careless, gossipy
way, resembling the present style of journalism, and was not always

150 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

accurate. But his correspondence is most entertaining, and his letters
were transmitted to different parts of Europe, until they were finally
published in a volume under the title "De Orbe Novo" (concerning the
New World).

The only copies of the first edition known are in the Carter Brown
collection at Providence and the Royal Library at Munich. Subsequent
editions are now common.

627. One of the first books published concerning America.

Entitled "Voyage of the Spaniards in the West Indies."

628. A history of the voyage of Magellan, 1519-1522, by Antonio Pigafetta.

Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington, D. C.

This book is responsible for a great many of the romances in other
early publications about South America.

629. The Cosmographiae of Peter Apianus, 1524.

Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington, D. C.

The first geographic description of America appears in the Cosmo-
graphiae of Peter Apianus, printed at Antwerp, and reads as follows:

America, now called the fourth division of the earth, derived its name from that of
Americus Vespucius, its discoverer. It is also, and not without reason, called an island,
because it is surrounded everywhere by the sea. Owing to its being so far away it was
not known either to Ptolemy or other ancient writers. It was discovered, through the
efforts of the King of Castile, in the year 1497 of the Christian era. America is also
called "The New World" on account of its vast extant. Its inhabitants go about, irx
some localities, without any dress. Some of them are anthropophagi of the most cruel
description. They are exceedingly expert in archery, obey no one, and have no lords or
kings. Excellent swimmers are found among them in either sex. They have no iron,
or other metals, but use the teeth of fishes and other animals to make the heads of their
arrows.

It is there also where that animal is found which has a bag or purse below its chest,
where the little ones are carried, and out of which they are not taken by their mothers
except to be fed.

The natives of America are generally thin and light, and run with great swiftness.
Their ornaments consist of feathers of various colors, and of gems or stones which they
hang, sometimes in great number, from Sbeir ears and lips. Pearls and good gold, and
other similar things are nothing for them. When they give they are very liberal; tfut
when they receive they are very avaricious. They cause themselves to be bled from the^
calf of the leg and from the loins.

Some of them bury their dead and place water and food in the graves. Some others
place their dead, and even those who are dying, in some kind of net or hammock, which
they suspend from the trees in the forests, and spend the whole day dancing around it.

They worship the sun, the moon and the stars. Their mansions are built in the shape-
of a bell, and are roofed with palm leaves. They have no wheat, but they grind tiie
roots of some trees and make bread out of them.

This island is situated precisely in that part of the world, in which the sun sets for
us, the German people. Although it may on our map appear on the east, it is because of
the necessities of the drawing. When the map (as it is called) be properly rolled up,
so as to cause the equinoctial line to form a perfect circle— the earth and the waters

PUBLICATION OF THE DISCOVERY. I 5 I

which the latter divides into two great parts to appear round — then it will be seen that
it is on the west.

America has also several adjacent islands, as, for instance, the Parian Island, the
Isabella, which is also called Cuba, the Hispaniola in which the Guayaco tree is found,
the wood of which is used as a remedy against syphilis (morbum gallicum).

The natives of the Hispaniola Island, instead of using bread, feed themselves with
roots and with large snakes.

Habits and worship in these adjacent islands are similar to those of America.

630. The Cosmographiae of Peter Apianus.

Published in 1529. Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington.

This is one of the first books concerning America, and contains a
revolving diagram illustrating the movement of the earth, moon and
stars upon a globe which bears the name Ameri. It also contains the
first general description of America that was ever published. Peter
Apianus was born in Saxony, 1495, and was professor in the university
for more than thirty years. His reward for this geography was the order
of knighthood from Charles V, and three thousand crowns. He was the
designer of the earliest map that contains the name America.

631. First allusion in English concerning America.

Loaned by the Congressional Library, Washington.

The first allusion to the newly-discovered world in the English lan-
guage is found in a curious old book, entitled "Ye Shyppe of Fooles,"
written by Richard Eden, and published by Sebastian Brant, in London,
1509. It was a satire intended to ridicule the prevailing follies and vices
of the age, under the allegory of a ship freighted with fools, and in the
chapter "Of hym that will wryte and enquere of all regyons," occurs this
passage:

The thurde the whiche is unknowenof prystes that never had ben manyfestewas the
not f ounde with the eye and not with the herte. There was one that knewe that in ye
ysles of Spayne was inhabytantes. Wherefore he asked men of Kynge Ferdynandus
and wente and founde them, the whiche lyved as beestes.

There is only one copy of the original known, which is in the National
Library at Paris.

About a year later, in a drama written by some unknown author,
appears a description of "dyvers strange regyons and of newe founde
landys in America."

632. Title page of one of the first books printed about America concerning

the discovery of Yucatan.
Published in 1522.

633. The first three English books on America, 1511-1555.

Being translations, compilations, etc., by Richard Eden, from the
writings of Peter Martyr (1455-1526), Sebastian Munster (1489-1552) and
Sebastian Cabot (1474-1557).

The first English book on America was entitled:

Of the newe landes and of ye people founde by the messengers of the kynge of

I $2 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

Portyngale named Emanuel. Of the x. dyuers nacyons crystened. Of Hope John and
his landes and of the costely keyes and wonders molodyes that in that land is.

Published at Antwerp in 1511.

The second English book on America was entitled:

. "A treatise of the newe India, with other new founde landes and Hands, as well
eastwarde as westwarde, as they are knowen and found in these oure dayes, after the
description of Sebastian Munster in his boke of universall Cosmographie; wherein the
diligent reader may see the good successe and rewarde of noble and honeste enterpryses ,
by the which not only worldly ryches are obtayned, but also God is glorified and the
Christian fayth enlarged.

Published in London, 1553.

The third English book on America was entitled:

The decades of the newe worlde or West India, conteynying the nauigations and
conquests of the Spanyardes, with the particular description of the most ryche and
largp landes and ilandes lately founde in the west Ocean perteyning to the inheritance
of the kinges of Spayne. In the which the dilligent reader may not only consider what
commoditie may hereby chaunce to the hole Christian wo-Id in tyme to come, but also
learne many secreates touchynge the landd, the sea, and the etarres, very necessarie to
be known to al such as shal attempte'any nauigations, or otherwise haue delite to be-
holde the strange and wonderf ull woorkes of God and nature.

Published in London, 1555.

634. Oviedo's History of the Indies.

Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington, D. C.

Gonzalez Fernandez de Oviedo y Valdez, who was born in 1478 and
died in" 1557, was the author of a History of the Indies, published in 1525,
and gained a great part of his information concerning the discovery
from Columbus himself. At the age of thirteen he was appointed a
page at court, and witnessed the reception of the admiral at Barcelona
on his return from the newly found world. He crossed the Atlantic
twelve times and resided in America nearly thirty-four years, holding
various important official positions.

Copies of the original edition of his history are found in the Congres-
sional library at Washington, in the Lenox library at New York, the
Carter Brown collection at Providence, and in Harvard College library.*

635. Two copies, etc., Novus Orbis Grynaeus.

Published at Basle, 1532. Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington.

John Huttich compiled this geography, but Simon Grynaeus wrote the
preface and got his name on the title page. He was one of the early
reformers, a personal friend and associate of Luther, Calvin and Mel-
ancthon, and the fortunate discoverer of the last five books of Livy. This
is one of the most important historical works in existence, as it contains
the first connected description of the three voyages of Columbus — pages
90-118 — also the first connected description of the voyages of Americus
Vespucius. The map is especially interesting, as it represents South

PUBLICATION OF THE DISCOVERY. 1 53

America as a very large island separated by a narrow strait from anothei
large island called "Terra de Cuba" just east of Zipangi, which is Japan.
The island of Hispaniola is just to the eastward. The map is sur-
rounded by pictures of monsters which were seen by the early vOyagers
to the New World.

636. Portrait of Bartholomew de Las Casas.

The most famous of the historians of the time of Columbus was the
Friar Bartholomew de Las Casas, who was born in 1474, died in 1566,
and wrote the "Historia General de las Indias" in three volumes, which
has never been published, but manuscript copies are to be found in the
Lenox library, New York; the Congressional library at Washington, and
the library of Harvard college. The father of Las Casas accompanied
Columbus in 1492, and his narrative of that expedition was an abstract of
the log book kept by the admiral during the voyage. Columbus also
entrusted to him most of his papers. A translation of this narrative was
published in English by Samuel Kettele, of Boston, in 1827. »

637. Cosmographiae Universales, by Sebastian Munster.

Published at Basle, 1554. This book is especially prized because of
its maps. Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington.

638. Letter of Hernando de Soto to the justices and board of magistrates

of Santiago de Cuba.

Concerning his discoveries in Florida, July 9, 1539. Loaned by William
E. Curtis, Washington.

The Relacio7i and Comcntarios constitutes a doubly remarkable volume,
each of its parts taking a primary rank in the annals of the New W^orld.
The Relation printed in 1555 for the second time, but of the first edition
of which in 1542 only one copy is now extant, describes the wanderings
of Cabeca de Vaca with the luckless survivors of the expedition that had
set out in 1527 for the conquest of Florida (by which was meant all the
region afterward known as Florida and Louisiana). It is the record of
the first journey made by Europeans through the United States. Cabeca
de Vaca and a few others who survived the shipwreck of the expedition,
were seized by the Indians on the Mississippi coast and held in slavery
for four years, but escaped and made their way inland across Texas and
Sonora, or near to the inmost shore of the Gulf of California. Thence he
and his three companions traversed the country southward, and suc-
ceeded in reaching Mexico once more. On his return to Spain, 1537,
having failed to get the governorship of Florida, which had been given
to Soto, he obtained that 01 the River Plata in 1540. He arrived in
Uruguay in 1541, and proceeded to Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay,
where Spanish authority was now seated, the site of Buenos Ayres having

154 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

been abandoned. His work thenceforward was the exploration of the
regions around the Paraguay and Parana, the conciliation of the Indian
tribes, and discovery of the route toward Peru. He was, however, made
prisoner by mutineers, and sent back to Spain in 1546. His secretary,
Pedro Hernandez, wrote this narrative (which is the first printed account
of the Plata region), to which is appended a Relacion made in 1545 by
Hernando de Ribera, whom Cabeca de Vaca had sent on a journey of
exploration northward up the River Paraguay.

639. The narrative of Alvar Nunez Cabeca de Vaca.

Printed at Valladolid, 1555, concerning the first exploration of the
continent of North America from the coast of Florida to the city of
Mexico. Loaned by Willian E. Curtis, Washington.

640. The log book of Columbus.

A translation of the journal of Columbus was published in English by
Samuel Kettele, of Boston, in 1827. The manuscript of Las Casas'
history was entrusted to the Dominican monks at Seville, with an injunc-
tion not to permit any one to use them until forty years had elapsed; but
when the time came to release it, the work had been forgotten, nor was it
discovered until a century or more afterward. Since then no publisher
has been found to undertake the work, although the Royal Academy of
History at Madrid has several times announced an intention to do so.

Las Casas was, however, the author of numerous other works concern-
ing America, which have been published.

641. Bibliotheca Americana.

During the sixteenth century the literature concerning the New
World became very voluminous, and Henry Harrisse, in his Bibliotheca
Americana, mentions four hundred and fifty-four published works bear-
ing on the subject. The first publication was a letter from Americus
Vespucius, which appeared early in 1502.

642. The burial place of Columbus.

The official report of the government of Spain upon the dispute con*
cerning the location of the remains of Columbus.

643. Christopher Columbus and the Bank of St. George.

By Henry Harrisse. Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington.

Intended to demonstrate the forgery of an autograph letter of Colum-
bus offered for sale in 1888. This book was privately printed by the
late S. L. M. Barlow, and contains a great deal of valuable information
concerning Columbus that was never before published.

644. Cartas de las Indias.

Loaned by William E. Curtis.

This book is a collection of documents, including valuable letters
hitherto unpublished, from Columbus, Vespucius, Las Casas, Bernal

PUBLICATION OF THE DISCOVERY. 1 55

Diaz, Cortez and others, to officials and individuals in Spain during the
latter part of the fifteenth and the early part of the sixteenth centuries,
with biographical notes, fac-similes, charts, maps, etc. Published by the
government of Spain in 1877.

645. Columbus at Pavia.

A publication by the faculty of the University of Pavia, Italy,
intended to demonstrate that Columbus was once a student there.
Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington.

646. The birthplace of Columbus.

Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington.

This is a pamphlet of eighty-three pages with six plates attached to
it, fully discussing the exact location of the two houses owned by Domi-
nic Columbus in Stephen's Ward, Genoa. It proposes to show that the
current belief that the house of his residence was built on the Molcento
hill is erroneous, and that its true location was at the Boulevard de
Ponticelli, near the gate of St. Andrea. It gives the whole history of
that house, marked then "No. 37," and shows all the different owners
through which it has passed up to the present days and explains what
its arrangements were, etc.

647. Stevens' American Bibliographer, containing a list of publications relat-

ing to America, from the embarkation of Columbus in 1492 to the
adoption of the Constitution of the United States in 1789.
Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington.

648. Life of Columbus, by Aaron Goodrich of Minnesota.

Entitled "A History of the Character and Achievements of the
so-called Christopher Columbus. " It is intended to prove that Colum-
bus was an impostor. Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington.

649. The memorials of Columbus.

A collection of authentic documents translated into English. Loaned
by William E. Curtis, Washington.

650. Extracts from the National Intelligencer.

Published at Washington, May 17, 1827, giving an account of the first
voyage of Columbus to America.

651. De Bry's Voyages.

Loaned by the Department of State.

One of the rarest books in American literature. Published in 1595 by
Theodore De Bry of Antwerp. It contains the most elaborate engrav-
ings of the New World ever published.

652. De Bry's Voyages.

Loaned by Thos. W. Keer, London.

1 56 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

653. Minister's Cosmographiae, published at Basle, 1598, with twenty-six

maps and several hundred wood cuts.
Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington.

654. Manuscript atlas of the sixteenth century, beautifully illuminated on

parchment.

Loaned by Prince Stolberg, of Wernigerode, Germany.

655. A book of the Memorable Events of Spain.

By Maestro Pedro de Medina. Published in 1566. Loaned by R. W.
Turner, U S. Consul, Cadiz, Spain.
On page 64 is a map of the New World as it was then known.

656. First Part of the Historical Notices of the Conquest of the West Indies

and the Spanish Main.

By Padre Fray Pedro Simon, 1626. Loaned by R. W. Turner, U. S.
Consul, Cadiz, Spain.

657. John Ogilby's History of America, 1671.

Loaned by William E. Curtis, Washington, D. C.

One of the first books in English on the New World, containing many
remarkable engravings, including a picture of New York, probably the
first that was ever printed.

658. Manuscript volume in German dated 1736.

Relating the adventures of a party of emigrants from Salzberg, Ger-
many, to Georgia in the year 1735. Loaned by Prince Stolberg, of
Wernigerode, Germany.

659. Title-page of first book printed in America, 1555.

Molina's Mexican Dictionary, printed in the city of Mexico sixty years
before any book was printed in what is now the United States.

660. The smallest book ever published.

An almanac for the year 1841. Illustrated by the Hon. Mrs. Norton.
Published by A. Schloss, London. Loaned by Thos. W. Keer, London.

661. Illustrations from the American Retectio.

THE CHRISTENING OF THE CONTINENT. 1 57

SECTION M. THE CHRISTENING OF THE CONTINENT. HOW
THE NEWLY-DISCOVERED WORLD RECEIVED THE NAME

AMERICA.*

670. Portrait of Americus Vespucius.

Loaned by Francis Colton, of Washington, I). C, by whom it was
purchased at Venice about 1860, from an ancient Italian collection.
Believed to be from life.

The man whose name was given to the western hemisphere is
referred to in contemporaneous writings as Albericus, Emeric, Alberico,
Americo, Morigo, Amerigo, Almerigo and Americus. His surname is
given as Espuche, Vespuche, Despucchi, Vespuccio, Vespucci.
Christopher Columbus, in a letter to his son Diego, in February, 1505,
writes of him as Vespuchy. He was the son of a notary at Florence,
and came from a large and influential family. A hospital founded by
his ancestors is still standing. He was educated by his uncle, a learned
friar, and Peitro Soderini, Gonfalonier of Florence from 1502 to 1512, to
whom one of his letters was addressed, and King Rene, of Lorraine.

671. Portrait of Americus Vespucius, painted from life by Bronzino, an

Italian artist and pupil of Michael Angelo.

Owned by Air. Joseph D. McGuire, of Ellicott City, Maryland. Pur-
chased by his father about the year 1850 from Mr. C. Edwards Lester,
for many years Consul of the United States at Genoa.

672. Letter from Americus Vespucius to his father.

Vespucius, like Columbus, was a prolific writer, and being a man of
fine education his accounts of his voyages and descriptions of the places
visited are more intelligently presented than those of other voyagers of
his day. His narratives were addressed chiefly to his former friends and
patrons in Italy, who had them printed, and they were more widely cir-
culated than those of Columbus. At least twenty editions were pub-
lished between 1502 and 1508 in the Latin, Italian, German and Dutch
languages, at Florence, Rome, Venice, Antwerp, Nuremburg, Saint Die,
Leipsic, Strassburg, Basle and Paris, and it was in the edition issued at
Saint Die, in 1507, that the name of America was suggested for the New
World. It has been demonstrated beyond a doubt, however, that
Americus never knew, or believed, or expected, that he was to be thus

*For the original photographs from which these illustrations of St. Die were made, and the
descriptive text of this catalogue referring to them, the author is indebted to Captain Frank
H. Mason, U. S. Consul at Frankfort, Germany.

I58 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

immortalized ; and although for four centuries he has been anathema-
tized as an impostor and a thief, so able and disinterested an authority as
Baron von Humboldt has, after an investigation of years, absolved him
entirely from all attempts to rob Columbus of the honor and glory that
to him belonged.

Nothing is known of Americus Vespucius until 1495, when, as manager
of the house Juanoto Berardi at Seville, he obtained a contract for the
supplies for the third voyage of Columbus, receiving from the treasury
of Spain on the 12th of January, 1496, the sum of 10,000 maravedis. He
was in Portugal from 1501 until 1505. Then he returned to Spain, and
with a letter of introduction from Columbus repaired to the court of
King Ferdinand, who employed him in fitting out fleets for the Indies.
In 1506 he was associated with Juan de la Cosa, the famous pilot of
Columbus, in an expedition. In 1508 he was made chief pilot of the
Indies, and was given a salary equivalent to about $2,000 a year. He
died at Seville in 1512, highly respected, but never dreaming that he had
visited a new continent which was forever to bear his name. Like
Columbus, he always supposed the newly discovered lands were the
islands or coast of India or Japan.

673a. Petition from the descendants of Americus Vespucius for a pension

from the United States.

While Mr. Edward Lester was United States Consul at Genoa he formed
an acquaintance with the family of Americus Vespucius, and undertook
to secure for them a pension from Congress and a grant of land; Some
years before Elena Vespucci, one of the descendants, came to Washing-
ton and presented a petition for the same purpose, but her efforts were
futile. The other surviving descendants, however, presented in 1850
through Mr. Lester a petition asking:

1. That the Congress of the United States grant to them and their descendants the
right of citizenship.

2. That Congress grant them a sufficient tract of land to enable them "to maintain
with respectability the name of their ancestor, of which they are so proud.

The petition concludes with the following words:

The remarkable events which have of late years convulsed Europe, and destroyed
the estates of so many ancient families, have also wrecked the fortunes of the Vespucci
race. They are at present reduced to poverty, though they yet hope for better fortunes
through the generosity of the great American people.

(Signed) AMERIGO VESPUCCI,

ELIZA VESPUCCI,
TERESA VESPUCCI.

Congress failed to act upon the petition, but the family, as a mark of
gratitude, presented Mr. Lester with the' portrait which had descended
from generation to generation, and he disposed of it to Mr. J. C. Mc-
Guire, of Washington, after repeated attempts to sell it to the govern-

THE CHRISTENING OF THE CONTINENT.

159

673b.
674.

675a.

ment. Documents to show the genuineness of the portrait were depos-
ited in the Library of Congress, where they still remain.
Report of the Committee on Claims of the United States Senate

against granting a pension to the descendants of Americus Vespucius.
Title page of the book that named America.

In the first edition of April 25th the title page is thus arranged:

COSMOGR.APHTAB INTRODVCTIO/
CVM QVIBVSDAM
GEOMETRIAE
AC
ASTRONO
MJAE PRINCIPHS
ADEAM REM NECESSARIIS

Infupcr quatuor Amend Ve*
fpucij nauigattones.

Vniuerfalis Cbofmographi;r cWcriptia
tarn in fblido cpplano Zeis cuaro
inferos que Ptholomco
iguotaanupcris
repent
iunt.

DISTICHON

Cum ileus aftra regat/8f terra? climata Cactar
Nee cellu$ ncc cis fydcra maius habent.

From Harper's Magazine. — Copyright, 1892, by Harper & Brothers.

Original copy of the first edition of the book that christened America.

Loaned by Charles F. Gunther, Chicago.

For more than three centuries Vespucci rested under the disgrace of
having usurped the title of the lands which Columbus discovered. It
was not until 1837 that Alexander von Humboldt pointed out the real
culprit and showed that the name America was first suggested by a par-
agraph in a small Latin treatise written by Martin Waldseemuller, and
published during the year 1507 at Saint Die, a village in southeastern
Lorraine. This little book was entitled, "Cosmographiae Introduction

l60 THE RELICS OE COLUMBUS.

"The Rudiments of Geography," and the story of its authorship and pub-
lication, and the unforeseen part it played in christening the western
hemisphere, forms one of the most curious and fascinating narratives in
the whole record of bibliography.

The manuscript of "Cosmographiae" was begun during the summer of
1506, within a month, it may be, of the day when Christopher Columbus,
already poor, neglected and discredited at court, was laid in his humble
grave. It was finished during the following winter, and the first edition
was published on the "VII Kalend, May, 1507," which corresponds under
the Gregorian calendar to the 25th of April in that year. The success of
the enterprise was immediate and extraordinary . Four editions of the
"Cosmographiae" were published at Saint Die within less than five
months, two bearing the date of April 25th, as above staged, and two more
marked the "III Kalends Septembris," which corresponds to the 29th of
August. The title is as follows:

Introduction to Cosmography, together with some principles of Geometry necessary
to the purpose. Also four voyages (navigationes) of Americus Vespucius. A descrip-
tion of universal Cosmography, both stereometrical and planometrical, together with
what was unknown to Ptolemy and has been recently discovered.

Distich. Neither the earth nor the stars possess anything greater than God or
Csesar, for the God rules the stars and Caesar the climes of the earth.
675b. Duplicate copy of the book that named America.

Opened at the page on which the suggestion is made. Loaned by
Baer, Frankfort, Germany. (For sale.)

676. View of the old monastery at Saint Die, where was written the book

that christened America.

Among the inmates of the monastery the three most notable were the
poet Pierre de Blarru, Jean Basin, an accomplished linguist, and Wal-
tier or Gautrin Lud, director of the mines of Lorraine and secretary to
Duke Rene II, the sovereign of the province and one of the most
enlightened princes of his time. To these were subsequently added
Martin Waldseemuller and Matthias Ringman, both of whom were dis-
tinguished as linguists, geographers and devotees of science and letters.

677. Fac-simile of the page that named America.

Under the ninth title, " De quibusdam cosmographicc rudimentis" the
author who has been describing Europe, Asia and Africa as three
climates or grand divisions of the globe, as designated by Ptolemy,
abruptly launches the following proposition:

AMERICO. Nunc vero and hecpartes sunt latius lustratse et alia quarta pars per
Americu Vesputium (Vt in sequentibus audietur) inventa est-qua nun video cur
quis iure vetet ab Americo inventore sagaeis ingenij vim Amerigen quasi Americi
terram sive Americam discendam-cum Europa et Asia a mulieribus sua fortita sint
nomina.

Which in English reads:
But now (hat these parts have been more widely explored, and another fourth part

THE CHRISTENING OF THE CONTINENT. l6l

discovered by Americus Vespucius (as will be seen hereafter) , I do not see why we
should quietly refuse to name it America, namely, the land of Americus or America,
after its discoverer Americus, a man of sagacious mind, since both Europe and Asia
derived their names from women.

COSMOGRPHfAB

. Capadodam/Pamplnh>.m/Lidiam/CiIid.t/Arme
mas matore -5C miiiore.CoIchiJerv Hircamam/Hi#
bextarri/Albania>etprctcrca mfta.; qua* finoilatim
cnumerarelongamora cYTet.Ua dictx ab ems nomi
msrcgina.

Ntic tfo cV hf partes furtt fatkh \uftva.tx/$C alia
quart a pars per America Vefpimucvt in fcqueuti
bu* audietur Jmuenta efr. qui non video cur quis
iuiv yctet ab Amcrico inucntorc fagacis ingchrj vi
Ameri; ro Amengeiujuafi Amcrici terr.T. hue Amcricam"
ca dtcend»:cti 5.' Europa 5v Alia amulicnbus fuaibir

tica fnit nomina.Eius firu Sc gentis mores ex bis bi
nis Amend nauigarionibiis qua: icquunt'liquide
uueliigidatur. •

Huncmmodu terra iam quadripartira co*no*
icmct funt rres prime partes corinentc? quartacil:
infulatcu orrtm" quacp man circudata confpiciar.Ec
licet m ire vnu fit qucadmodu ct ipfa tellus/mulris
tameufinibus diftmcvtiim & innumeris replctum
Prifcia ,muI * s vari; * ^ibi noia affurnit :quc ct in Cofmogra
phix tabulis cofpiciunt. $C Prifcianus in tralatione
IDionifrj talibus,cnumcrat verfibus.
Circuit Oceani gurges tamert vndicf* vaftus
Quiijjuis vnus fitplurinta nommafurnit.
linibus Hefperrjs Athlanricus ille vocatur
At Borec qua gens furit Armiafpa fub armis
Dicic tile pigcr nemo Sacur.ide Mortuus eft alijs;

nus»

From Harper's Magazine. Copyright, 1892, by Harper & Brothers.

The page that named America.

" But for these nine lines," says Harrisse, " written by an obscure geog-
rapher in a little village of the Vosges.the western hemisphere might
have been called 'The Land of the Holy Cross,' or 'Atlantis,' or
'Columbia,' ' Hesperides,' or 'Iberia,' 'New India,' or simply 'The
Indies,' as it is designated officially in Spain to this day."

As it was, however, the suggestion of Hylacomylus was immediately
adopted by geographers everywhere; the new land beyond the Atlantic
had, by a stroke of a pen, been christened for all time to come.

162

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

673.
679.

680.

Copy of September edition of the Cosmographiae Introductio.

Loaned by James W. Ellsworth, of Chicago, Illinois.
Copy of the September edition.

Loaned by F. Baer, Frankfort, Germany. (For sale.)

Finitu.vrj.kKMarj
Anno fupra fefqui
millefimum.vfj.

From Harper's Magazine. — Copyright.
18»2, by Harper & Brothers.

Copy of the September edition.
Saint Die in the tenth century. The place
christened.

where America was

From Harper's Magazine. Copyright, 1892, by Harper & Brothers.

681. General view of the town of Saint Die, France, where America was
christened.

The village of Saint Die (Urbs Deodati) was founded about the year
660 A. D., by Saint Deodate, ex-Bishop of Nevers, who resigned his
bishropic and retired to a, pleasant valley on the headwaters of the

THE CHRISTENING OF THE CONTINENT.

:63

683.

684.

River Meurthe. Here he founded a chapel which he named "Galilee."
The chapel in time expanded to a church, was christened Notre Dame
and around it was built a powerful monastery with beetling walls and
encircling moat, a citadel of refuge and defense for the followers of the
cross.

Medallion portrait of King
Rene II, of Lorraine, un-
der whose patronage
America was christened.
Under the patronage of
Duke Rene a society of
learned and inquiring men
was constituted, which, about
the beginning of the six-
teenth century, were associ-
ated at Saint Die for mutual
inspiration and assistance
under the title of "Gymnase
Vosgien," or Academy of the
Vosges.

From Harper's Magazine. —Copyright, 1892, by Harper & Brothers.

• Portrait of King Rene.

Portrait of Duke Rene, King of Jerusalem and Sicily, under whose

auspices America was christened.
^ Duke Rene II, "King of Jerusalem and Sicily," was a grandson of
"Good King Rene," and was not only a scholar and patriot but a soldier
of shining renown in an age when prowess on the field was the one sure
title to fame. As the hero of the battle of Morat and the chivalrous con-
queror of Charles the Bold, he figures conspicuously in the annals of his
time. Upon his accession to the throne of Lorraine he found his coun-
try invaded and harassed by Charles and his Burgundians. After
repeated but fruitless appeals to the King of France for promised aid
he raised a force of Swiss and Germans, and joining to these his own
scanty but patriotic army, he fell upon and completely routed the
invaders before the walls of Nancy, in the year 1477, and there is to be
seen to-day m the marshes near the town a cross which marks the spot
where the body of Charles was found among the debris of the fight.
Rene gave his fallen adversary a magnificent burial, and devoted the
remainder of his life to study, the encouragement of learning and to
repairing the fortunes of his war-wasted province. He died in 1508 and
his epitaph tells us that he loved but three things-justice, peace and
letters.

164 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

685. Enlarged fac-similes of coins of the time of Rene II.

It was the custom for learned men in those times to conceal their per-
sonal identity under a classical pseudonym, and accordingly the young-
graduate at Freiburg assumed a Greco-Latinized rendition of his some-
what archaic family name and called himself Martinus Hylacomylus.
That is to say, the German Wald-see-muller (miller of the lake-in-the-
woods) was converted into a combination of the Greek words Hyle
(forest) and mylos (miller).

686. Equestrian portrait of King Rene II of Lorraine, under whose patron-

age America was christened.

687. Cloister of the Cathedral at Saint Die.

The real authors of the Cosmographias were Martin Waldseemuller
and his learned and devoted assistant Matthias Ringman. Of the family
and antecedents of Waldseemuller little is known beyond the fact that
his parents lived in Freiburg, where Martin was born about 1481, and on
the 7th of December, 1490, was enrolled by Rector Conrad Knoll as a
primary student in the university of that town. It was the custom for
learned men in those times to conceal their personal identity under a
classical pseudonym, and accordingly the young graduate at Freiburg
assumed a Greco-Latinized version of his family name and called him-
self "Martinus Hylacomylus." At what date he first went to Saint Die
can only be conjectured. It was apparently in 1504 or 1505, at which
time he was in his twenty-second or twenty-third year. He was then an
accomplished Greek and Latin scholar, a skillful mathematician and
draughtsman, and was inspired and excited by the geographical discov-
eries which were then reconstructing men's ideas of the physical globe.
The pious members of the Vosgian Gymnase, whose proposed revision
of Ptolemy was to be based on the original Greek text, apparently
engaged for the work of revision the young secular, who, being fresh
from the university lectures, would possess all the latest information.

688. Interior of church of Notre Dame, Saint Die, France.

The cathedral with its exquisite Gothic cloisters and pretty outdoor
reading pulpit facing the quadrangle, the petite Eglise archaic in its
simplicity but pure in style as a Grecian temple, encircled by the citadel
walls of red sandstone softened and enriched in color by the storm and
sunshine of centuries, all remain stately and beautiful as ever; but the
Chapitre is no longer supreme, and a modern Protestant church, with its
neatly slated spire and cushioned pews, stands near the center of the
town, to mark the foothold of a new faith.

689. View of Saint Die.

In the Municipal Library of Saint Die there is preserved as its most

THE CHRISTENING OF THE CONTINENT.

:6 5

precious possession a magnificent illuminated volume — the Graduel or
Lectern, containing the plain song of the various offices and ceremo-
nials of the Chapitre for the entire year. It is enriched with hundreds of
miniatures, illuminated initials, painted margins and colophons, which
illustrate many interesting phases. of the history of Saint Die, as well as
its industries, political vicissitudes and the social conditions which pre-
vailed in that community during the period of the Vosgien Gymnase.

690. Portrait of Gautrin Lud, the founder of Gymnase Vosgien, which christ-

ened America. Director-general of the mines at Saint Die, 1494-1512.

Gautrin Lud, the
founder and control-
ling spirit of the Gym-
nase, was born at
Saint Die about the
year 1448. He came
from wealthy and dis-
tinguished stock, his
mother Jeannette
d'Ainveau being a
daughter of one of the
noblest families of
Lorraine, and his
father a soldier of dis-
tinction in the service
of the king.

691. Pharmacie Bardy,

Saint Die. On the

site of the house

where the Cosmo-

graphia was printed.

The art of printing with movable types was hardly fifty years old,
printing facilities were everywhere limited, and in order to carry out its
plans the Gymnase needed a press and type of its own. Here the wealth
and enterprise of Gautrin Lud came to the rescue. In 1494 that liberal
prelate had set up in his own house in the principal street of Saint Die a
rude printing machine, with a font of large, round-faced type.

692. Town of Saint Die. View from the southward.

Modern Saint Die is a thriving town of nearly twelve thousand people,
who are engaged mainly in weaving, spinning, tanning and various in-
dustries connected with the manufacture and consumption of pine lum-
ber, which grows abundantly in that picturesque region. It is the

from Harper's Magazine.— Copyright. 1892, by Harper & Brothers.

Portrait of Gautrin Lud.

166

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

693.

694.

terminus of a railway which was originally laid out from Luneville to
Markirch in Alsace, but which stopped abruptly at Saint Die, where the
events of 1870 drew the new frontier of Germany across its path.

House of Jean Basin,
Saint Die, where
the Cosmographiae
Introductio, which
named America, was
translated.
The house of Jean
Basin was partially de-
stroyed by fire in 1554,
but the walls and lower
portions remained in-
tact, so that the struct-
ure was re-built, or
rather restored, with
exactly its original
form and dimensions;
and in that condition
it exists to-day, the
most perfectly pre-
served domicile that
remains from the
Gymnase Vosgien.

Coat-of-arms of Gautrin Lud
Die.

In his capacity as director-gen-
eral of mines, Lud adopted a special
coat-of-arms, bearing as a device
the implements of mining on a
shield supported by two kneeling
figures, one in the costume of a
laborer, the other in that of master.

From Harper's Magazine — Copyright,
Harper & Brothers.

695.

Ancient blacksmith shop at Saint Die.

The Gymnase concluded to publish a revision of the geography of

THE CHRISTENING OF THE CONTINENT.

:6 7

Ptolemy, and add as an appendix the full text of Vespucius' narrative,
which was then not only the latest and most complete, but the only
written account that had been received in central Europe of the newly
discovered lands beyond the sea.

696. Printing the Cosmographiae Introductio at Saint Die.

From an old print.

697. Matthias Ringman, member of the Gymnase Vosgien, who carried from

Paris to Saint Die the letter of Americus Vespucius, which, when trans-
lated, christened the New World.

Ringman was from '''llffill

all accounts a man of
extraordinary zeal and
versatility. Of his fam-
ily nothing is known,
but his parents must
have been in comfort-
able circumstances to
afford him the thor-
ough education he re-
ceived. He was born
in 1482, near the mon-
astery of Paeris, in the
valley of the Vosges.
About the year 1500,
when the discoveries
of Columbus, Cabot
and Alonzo de Ojeda
had set the educated
world aflame, Ring-
man shared in the
enthusiasm and took
up a thorough course
in mathematics and
cosmography. He
studied at Paris until
1503, when, at the age
of twenty-one, he re-
turned to Strassburg,
bringing with him a
copy of the memorable letter which Americus Vespucius had written
from Cape Verde in June, 1501, to his patron Lorenzo de Medici, at
Florence, giving a somewhat superficial account of his third voyage of

From Harper's Magazine. — Copyright, 1892, by Harper & Brothers.

Portrait of Matthias Ringman.

1 68

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

From Harper's Magazine — Copy-
right, 1892, by Harper &, Brothers.

Jean Basin.

discovery. This letter had been translated from Italian into French and
a smaller edition published at Pans. The letter was a mere sketch, but
contained so much that was new and interesting that Ringman
translated it into Latin and published it in pamphlet form at Strassburg
in August, 1503.

698. Portrait of Jean Basin.

Jean Basin, of Sandaucourt, the second mem-
ber of the Gymnase, was, like Gautrin Lud, a
canon of the Chapitre of Saint Die, and a
classical scholar of unusual attainments. His
leisure hours were devoted to literature. He
was wealthy and luxurious, and inhabited a
handsome canonical residence which stood at
the northwest corner of a block or irregular
group of buildings, of which the house of Gau-
trin Lud, with its printing-office, formed the
southeast or diagonally opposite corner.

699. View of the River Meurthe at Saint Die.

700. Citadel of Saint Die, France.

701. Portrait of Laurent Piladius, member of the

Gymnase Vosgien of Saint Die, France.

702. Exterior of Church of Notre Dame, Saint Die, France.

703. House at Saint Die, where America was christened.

704. Entrance to monastery at St. Die.

A copy of the Strassburg edition of the Cosmographiae Introductio
found its way in 1524 to the library of Fernando Columbus, son of the
great admiral, at Seville, where it became one of the favorite volumes
of that renowned collector of rare and interesting books. Fernando
Columbus was an inveterate traveler, and from his copious notes writ-
ten on tlue margin and fly-leaf of the Cosmographiae, he would seem to
have read it mainly for the information that it gave on the geogra-
phy and climate of Europe, and to have overlooked or ignored the
rank injustice which it offered to the memory of his father. Fernando
had this book in his possession during the fifteen years preceding his
death in 1539, and the fact that he did not in his famous " History of
Christopher Columbus " denounce the Cosmographiae and its author, is
held by M. Harrisse and other experts to prove that the history attrib-
uted to Fernando was not actually written by him or within his knowl-
edge.

705. Exterior walls of old monastery at Saint Die.

706. River Meurthe, near Saint Die.

THE CHRISTENING OF THE CONTINENT. 169

707. Another view of house of Jean Basin.

708. Death of the Virgin, from the Graduel of Saint Die.

709. Purification of the Virgin, from the Graduel of Saint Die.

710. Page from the Graduel showing methods of mining in the sixteenth

century.

711. Portrait of Saint Die, from the Graduel.

712. Tanneries along the River Meurthe, Saint Die.

713. Photograph of an old house in Saint Die.

714. Ancient Roman temple, Saint Die.

715. Statue of Americus Vespucius.

By Grazzini, in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence.

716. Portrait of Sebastian Munster, one of the earliest geographers.

717. Fac-simile of the title page of one of the first books about America.

MAPS AND CHARTS SHOWING THE PROGRESS OF CIVILIZA-
TION AND THE GROWTH OF GEOGRAPHICAL KNOWLEDGE.

727. Map representing North America as a collection of islands, and showing

portion of South America from Venezuela to Rio Cananea, Brazil.
A. D. 1500.

728. Map showing the Antilles and the mainland from Honduras to Cape

Santa Maria, Uruguay.

By Vincent Majolo. A. D. 1508.

729. Map from the Venetian edition of Ptolemy. 151 1.

730. Map showing portion of Florida, West Indies, Yucatan, Isthmus of

Panama and Spanish Main. A. D. 1517.

731. Map of the world. From 1520 edition of Ptolemy.

732. Map published in 1532, showing the West Indies and a portion of North

America.

Original inGrynaeus Neuvus Orbis.

733. Map showing east coast of America from Hudson bay to Tierra del

Fuego. A. D. 1532.

734. Map showing portions of east and west coasts of America, Straits of

Magellan, the Pacific Ocean and a portion of the south coast of Asia.
A. D. 1532.

735. Map of the New World, drawn by the pilot Maiesta Cesarea, 1534.

Original in Lenox library, New York.

170 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

736. Map of the world. From 1538 edition of Ptolemy.

Original in the possession of J. C. Brevoort.

737. Map showing Iceland, Greenland and Labrador. A. D. 1542.

738. Map of America. From the Cosmographiae of Petri Apiani, 1545.

739. Map of the world. From Ptolemy's Geographiae. Venice edition, 1548.

740. Map of Mexico and Central America. From 1548 edition of Ptolemy's

geography.

741. Map of South America. From 1548 edition of Ptolemy's geography.

742. Map of the world. From Munster's Cosmographiae Universales, Basle,

1554.

743. Map of the American hemisphere. From Munster's Cosmographiae

Universales, Basle, 1554.

744. Map of California and west coast of Mexico. By Yaz Dourado.

A. D. 1571.

745. Map of South America from Isthmus of Panama to thirty degrees south

latitude. By Yaz Dourado. A. D. 1571.

746. Map of South America from thirty degrees south latitude to Tierra del

Fuego. By Vaz Dourado. A. D. 1571.

747. Map of Atlantic coast of North America from eighty degrees north lati-

tude to New Brunswick. By Yaz Dourado, 1571 .

748. Map of Atlantic coast of America from New Brunswick to the Amazon

river. By Yaz Dourado, 1571.

749. Map of Atlantic coast of North America from forty-eight degrees north

latitude to Yucatan. By Thomas Hood. A. D. 1592.

750. Map of the western hemisphere. From De Bry's Yoyages, 1595.

751. Map of the West Indies, Florida and northern part of South America.

From De Bry's Voyages, 1595.

752. Map of the earth. From De Bry's Voyages, 1595.

753. Map of Virginia by Sir Walter Raleigh, 1585.

From De Bry's Voyages, 1595.

754. Map of Virginia, 1595. From De Bry's Voyages.

It was in 1584 that Sir Walter Raleigh obtained a charter for the col-
onization of Virginia, and the next year sent out some colonists (who
were rescued and returned by Sir Francis Drake), and in 1587 another
which was never heard from afterward.

755. Map of the Orinoco and Amazon rivers, showing the discoveries of

Sir Walter Raleigh. From a Dutch geography, 1595.

Raleigh's first voyage to the mouth of the Orinoco was in the year 1595,

THE CHRISTENING OF THE CONTINENT. I7I

with five ships, although he had sent out an expedition to reconnoitre
the year previous. He ascended the river to the gold region, but
returned to England without result, again making a voyage in 1516,
without finding gold.

756. Map of America. From Description of America by Henrici Seile, 1652.

757. Map of Virginia. From Ogilby's History of America, 1671.

The author of this work was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in the year
1600, and died in London, 1676. In 1671 he published nine volumes of a
very curious and valuable " Geography of the World," one specially
descriptive of America.

758. Map of the Chesapeake Bay. From Ogilby's History of America, 1671.

759. Map of the Atlantic coast states, 1673.

760. Map of Virginia, 1673.

761. Map of North America, 1694. Made for the Duke of Burgundy.

763. Ancient Dutch map showing Greenland and eastern shore of the New-

World. Two parts.

764. Illuminated Spanish missal of the fifteenth century. From a monas-

tery in the interior of Peru. Loaned by William E. Curtis.

765. Illuminated Spanish missal. From a monastery in the interior of Peru.

766. Map of the World. Made by order of King Henry II of France, 1546.

767. Map of the World of the sixteenth century. Made by Sebastian Cabot,

Chief Pilot for Charles V, first part of the sixteenth century.

768. Map of the World of the fourteenth century. By the brothers Psigani.

769. Map of the World of the thirteenth century. Original in Cathedral at

Hereford, England. Made by a Monk of Lincoln, in 1300.

770. Map of the World. By Gerard Mercator, Duisbourg, 1569.

172 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

SECTION N. CONQUEST OF MEXICO AND PERU AND THE
SETTLEMENT OF OTHER PORTIONS OF AMERICA.

801. Montezuma, Emperor of Mexico.

From Montanus.

Montezuma, the last of the Aztec emperors, was born about 1480, suc-
ceeded his uncle, Amitzotl, in 1502, and was killed June 30, 1480. He
was both a soldier and a priest. On the arrival of Cortez in Mexico, in

1519, he at first forbade the white men to approach his capital, but after-
ward sent an embassy to welcome them. He received Cortez with
courtesy, but a collision between the Mexicans and Spaniards took
place, and Cortez took advantage of it and seized Montezuma. Monte-
zuma was for awhile put in irons and completely humiliated. In June,

1520, an insurrection arising, the people besieged the Spaniards, an<d
Cortez induced Montezuma to address his subjects from the battlements
of his prison; but his appeals in behalf of the white men exasperated the
Mexicans, who discharged a shower of missiles at him, and he fell
senseless, struck in the temple by a stone. He refused all remedies and
nourishment, tore off the bandages, and died in a few days.

802. Portrait of Hernando Cortez, Conqueror of Mexico.

Loaned by the Spanish government. (In the chapel.)
Cortez, the conquerer of Mexico, was born at Medellin, Spain, in the year
1485, sent to the University of Salamanca, but returned 1501 to his home,
preferring a life of adventure, and went to Santo Domingo in 1504,
where he gained the favor of the governor, Ovando, and received reparti-
mientos of Indians. In 1511 he accompanied Diego Velasquez to Cuba,
where he became alcade of St. Jago, and in 1518 was appointed to the
command of the expedition fitted out -by Velasquez for the exploration of
Mexico. He landed on the coast of Mexico in March, 1519, finally
reaching the site of the present Vera Cruz, where he burned his ships
and prepared to march into the interior, having resolved to conquer the
kingdom of Montezuma, of whose power and riches he heard glowing
reports. With an insignificant army, but which had an advantage over
the natives in possessing firearms and defensive armor, he advanced
through hostile territory to the valley of Mexico, where he first saw the
opulent "city of the Aztecs and was received with pomp by Montezuma.
Fortifying himself in one of the palaces of the city, he finally secured
the person of Montezuma, and eventually brought about his death during

THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO AND PERU. 173

an insurrection, in which the Spaniards were driven from the city, losing
the flower of their army. But on the plain of Otumba Cortez gains a
victory and saved his troops from annihilation, forming a junction with
the Tlascalans, enemies of the Aztecs, with the assistance of whom he
returned to the siege of the city of Mexico, which, after a desperate
defense of several months, was taken with great slaughter of its mhab-
itants in August, 1521. Charles V appointed him governor-general of
Mexico and marquis of Oaxaca, and his conquest of the country became
complete. In 1536 he discovered the peninsula of California, and in 1541
he went with Charles V to Algiers, where he served in that disastrous
expedition; but this was his last appearance in battle. He died in com-
parative poverty in 1554, near Seville.

803. Fac-simile of the sword of Cortez.

Original in the Royal Armory, Madrid.

804. Hernando Cortez before Montezuma.

Cortez endeavored to persuade Montezuma to take up his residence
in the Spanish quarters, and the King fearing that he would be detained
as a prisoner, declined. Marina, the Indian mistress and interpreter of
Cortez, besought him to do so, but after two hours' discussion Velasquez
de Leon, impatient of delay, drew his sword and cried out: "Why do
we waste words on this barbarian. We have gone too far to recede
now. Let us seize him, and if he resists plunge our swords into his
body." (Prescott's Conquest of Mexico, Vol. II, pages 158-162.)

805. Aztec calendar stone, city of Mexico.

This great work illustrates not only the advancement of the Aztecs in
the art of sculpture, but shows their system of calculating the recur-
rence of their cycles, the solstices, etc. It is claimed by some investiga-
tors that this stone was a perpetual calendar, but by others that it was
solely intended to commemorate the feast days and to preserve in the
memory of man the years of the cycles that had passed at the time the
stone was engraved. It is recorded that it was hewn from a block of
basalt in the year 1479, during the reign of Axaycatl. Its face is eleven
feet eight inches across, and the whole mass is said to weigh twenty-six
tons.

806. The Aztec sacrifice.

From an old painting.

In ancient Mexico when a brave enemy was taken captive he was
tied to the center of a large circular stone by one foot, armed with a
sword of wood, and forced to fight against a number of adversaries
armed with weapons of obsidian as sharp as steel. If vanquished he was
dragged to the "Techcatl," or stone of sacrifice, the upper face of which

174 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

was convex to such a degree that when the victim ]ay stretched out upon
it his chest protruded. When he was secured in place the executioner
plunged his knife of obsidian into the chest of the victim, and thrusting
in his hand tore out the heart, which, after holding it up to the sun, he
threw to the image of the divinity to whom the temple was dedicated,
while the multitude knelt at the foot of the stone pyramid ready to re-
ceive the body, which was thrown to them by the priests. This they
divided among themselves and devoured.

807. The Aztec idol Teoyaomiqui.

Original in the National Museum, Mexico.

The most celebrated of the Aztec antiquities is the war god Huitzili-
pochtli, sometimes also called Teoyamiqui, or the Goddess of Death.
At all events rivers of blood have flowed before it and thousands have
perished in its presence; for according to historians the hearts of
human victims were kept smoking on its altar night and day. It was
found buried in the great square of the city of Mexico in 1790, and was
again buried for fear it might tempt the Indians to their ancient wor-
ship. It was re-exhumed in 1821 and is now in the National Museum of
Mexico.

808. Great idol of the Aztecs.

The Aztecs worshiped a supreme being whom they called Teotl.
Tlacatecolotl was the enemy of man; the Aztec Minerva, the most pow-
erful of their deities to whom they gave external form, was Tezcatlipoca,
or the shining mirror; Mextli, or HuitzilopoctH, was the Mexican Mars;
Cihuacohuatl, the woman serpent, was the first woman in the world to
have children, and she always had twins; Tlaloc, the God of Thunder,
dwelt in the crater of Popocatapetl, and so on. Besides these great
deities there were also many minor gods known as the Tepitoton, of
which the Aztecs kept images in their houses.

809. Original letter from Hernando Cortez, Conqueror of Mexico, to Charles

V, Emperor of Spain, concerning affairs in Mexico.

Loaned by C. F. Gunther, Chicago, 111.

Cortez, like Cassar, wrote an account of his own battles, and no sooner
had the city of Mexico been taken than he retired to the suburb of
Coyooacan and indited a letter to his sovereign, giving a temperate and
clear recital of his doings. These "Cartas de Cortez ' are valuable con-
tributions to the literature of the Conquest, and are five in number.

810. Autograph of Hernando Cortez, Conqueror of Mexico, written in 1541.

In Seville, in the great building containing the archives of the Indies,
are the autographs of nearly all the early voyagers and conquistadores,
including those of Cortez, Pizarro, Magellan, etc., and valuable papers

THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO AND PERU. 175

pertaining to the Conquest of the New World, that have never been
exploited.

811. Map of the city of Mexico, sent by Cortez to Charles V.

812. Chart of the Gulf of Mexico, sent by Cortez to Charles V, in 1520.

THE CONQUEST OF PERU.

4x4. Portrait of Francisco Pizarro.

Francisco Pizarro, the subjugator of Peru, was born at Truxillo in
Spain about 1471, an illegitimate child. His occupation in early life was
mat of a swine-herd; he received no education, and could not read or
write even in later life. He went to Seville and sailed for America in
1510, landing at Hispaniola, and thence going with Ojeda to Uraba, af ter-
wara marcnfng with Balboa across the Isthmus of Darien, and sharing
the honor of oeing among the first Europeans to look upon the Pacific.
In 1515 he went across the isthmus to trade with the Indians, and
established himself near Panama, and in 1524 sailed southward but was
compelled to return. He sailed for Spain in 1528 and obtained from King
Charles V permission to explore, and the title of adelantado and
captain general of the province of Peru — which he intended to try to
conquer. He returned to Panama in 1530 and the next year sailed south-
ward, bent on conquest, with three vessels, twenty-seven horses and one
hundred and eighty men. Landing on the coast of Peru, Pizarro found
the kingdom divided and that Atahualpa, one of the brothers to whom
it had been left by their father, Huayna Capac, had defeated and
imprisoned his brother and was then encamped at Cajamarca. March-
ing to meet him, Pizarro was received with friendliness, but he treach-
erously made Atahualpa prisoner, confining him until he had raised a
ransom of above $17,000,000, and then put him to death. This was in
August, 1533, and in November the Spaniards entered the Peruvian
capital, Cuzco. In 1535 the city of Lima was founded. Constant attacks
and insurrections of the Indians kept the country in perpetual warfare,
and in 1538 the Spaniards fought among themselves, Pizarro defeating
and executing his old comrade, Almargo, In 1540 a royal judge was
sent out to inquire into Pizarro's conduct, but before he reached Lima
the conqueror had been assassinated (June 26, 1541) at the instigation of
a son of Almargo.

815. Pizarro relating his adventures to Charles V.

Having heard the stories of the great and rich empire of Peru from the
Indians of Darien, PizanD returned to Spain in 1528 and had interviews
with King Charles V, whom he so moved by his tales of adventure and

176 "*" THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

promises of prospective wealth that the emperor gave orders for an
expedition to be fitted out, and invested Pizarro with titles fitting to the
station he might occupy after the conquest was consummated. He was
inflenced by the gold that Pizarro exhibited, the llamas he had brought
with him to Spain, and the reported abundance of the precious metals.
A capitulation was signed in July, 1529, defining the powers and privi-
leges of Pizarro, and his expedition started in January, 1530, on the voy-
age that ended in the conquest of Peru.

816. Atahualpa, the last of the Incas.

When Pizarro entered Peru he found that the kingdom was divided
between the princes Atahualpa and Huascar, the latter then a prisoner
to the former and striving for the power. Atahualpa opened negotia-
tions with Pizarro, and to this end marched to meet him with a vast
army, but was drawn into the city where the Spanish troops were
quartered, leaving the bulk of his' army outside. He was then taken
prisoner, his attendants being basely massacred. As a ransom the Inca
offered to fill the room in which he was confined with gold as high as he
could reach, a line nine feet above the floor, and the space he agreed tG
fill v/as twenty-two feet long by seventeen broad, and nine feet high.
His offer was accepted, and messengers were dispatched all over the
kingdom to collect the golden treasure. The gold alone is sa'd to have
amounted to over $15,000,000, besides a great amount of silver. Not-
withstanding, the Inca was condemned to be executed and was garroted
August 29, 1533.

817. Early pictures of America from De Bry's Voyages, 1595. First meet-

ing between Pizarro and Atahualpa.

"Elevated high above his vassals came the Inca Atahualpa, borne on
a sedan or open litter, on which was a sort of throne made of massive
gold of inestimable value. The palanquin was lined with the richly
colored plumes of tropical birds and studded with shining plates of gold
and silver. The monarch's attire was very rich; round his neck was
suspended a collar of emeralds of uncommon size and brilliancy. His
short hair was decorated with golden ornaments, and the imperial borla
encircled his temples. The bearing of the Inca was sedate and dignified.
From his lofty station he looked down on the multitudes below with an
air of composure, like one accustomed to command." (Prescott.)

818. The arrest of Atahualpa.

From an old print.

As Atahualpa entered the square where the Spaniards were quartered,
Pizarro's chaplain advanced to meet him and at once attempted to ex-
pound to him the tenets of the Christian faith, ending with a demand

THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO AND PERU. 177

that the Inca adjure his own gods and embrace the religion of the in-
vaders. The Inca, of course, understood little of what the priest had
said, and moreover was indignant that a common mortal should address
him so familiarly, and spurned both the priest and his doctrine. At this
the holy man was enraged, and gave Pizarro the order to set upon the
Indians at once, which the soldier did, giving the signal for a horrible
massacre in which thousands of the Inca's subjects were murdered.

819. Early pictures of America from De Bry's Voyages, 1595. Indians of

Peru bring the ransom of Atahualpa.

From his place of confinement the Inca sent orders to his subjects to
bring in the accumulated objects in gold and silver in the temples and
palaces, and for two months or more they were on the road, bringing in
such vast and beautiful treasures that the greedy Spaniards were
astonished. There were goblets, salvers, ewers, vases, ornaments for
the temples, and tiles and plates for tfie decoration of the public build-
ings, of great beauty of design and delicacy of workmanship — in all to
the value of over 815,000,000.

820. Early pictures of America from De Bry's Voyages, 1595. Murder of

Atahualpa by strangling.

Having secured the immense ransom from the subjects of the Inca,
Pizarro should have released him, but policy dictated that he be either
killed or kept a prisoner It was considered too dangerous to set at
liberty one possessed of such absolute power over his people while the
Spanish army was so small, and after a council it was decided to dis-
pose of him by burning. He was, however, garroted instead on the condi-
tion that he receive baptism, and died thus on the 29th of August, 1533.

821. Don Juan Marcelo Chiquanthopa, descendant of the Incas of Peru,

governor of San Geronimo, 1684.

822. Early pictures of America from De Bry's Voyages, 1595. City of

Cuzco, Peru, the capital of the Incas.

Situated in a province of the same name, eleven thousand feet above

the sea. According to the traditions of the Incas, Cuzco was their most

ancient capital, and was founded by Manco Capac in the eleventh

century. Its name signified " Navel of the Earth," thereby meaning

that it was the center of the world, and it was the holy city of the ancient

Peruvians, containing a glorious temple of the sun, richly ornamented ,

with gold and silver, besides above three hundred smaller temples, and

it was the mecca of pious pilgrims from all parts of Peru. Pizarro took

and sacked it, 1533, and little remains to recall the glorious capital of the

Incas, except fragments of massive walls.
12

I78 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

823. Early pictures of America from De Bry's Voyages, 1595. Atahualpa,

the Inca of Peru, with his army at the gates of Cuzco.

Atahualpa, who overthrew his brother and took him prisoner, took
possession of Cuzco in the year 1532, but did not retain it, as the year
following it was captured by Pizarro. Its population at that time was
said to be above two hundred thousand.

824. Early pictures of America from De Bry's Voyages, 1595. Conference

between Pizarro and his comrades.

825. Indians bringing presents to Pizarro. From De Bry's Voyages, 1595.

826. Early pictures of America from De Bry. Scene of Pizarro' s assassina-

tion, Lima, Peru.

It was on the 26th of June, 1541, that the end came to the conquerer of
Peru, at the instigation of the son of Almargo, his old companion-at-
arms, whom he had executed in '38. The friends of the Almargo family
formed themselves into a band for vengeance and rushed to the gov-
ernor's palace with the cry "Long live the King; death to the tyrant!"
Pizarro was at dinner with a few friends, and wholly unprepared for
attack, but he hastily attempted to buckle on his armor, while two or
three devoted adherents tried to hold the assassins at bay, and then
defended himself with all his old-time courage and skill, killing several
of them before he finally fell, pierced with sword wounds and bathed in
his own blood. The mangled corpses of Pizarro and his slain com-
panions were left where they had fallen, while the conspirators returned
to the streets and proclaimed the son of Almargo successor to the gov-
ernor. The remains were secretly buried by some of his menials, but a
few years later, when tranquility was restored to the country, they were
placed in a sumptuous coffin and deposited in a conspicuous part of the
Cathedral. In 1607, when time had thrown its friendly mantle over
the past and the memory of his errors and his crimes was merged in the
consideration of the great services he had rendered to the Crown by the
extension of its colonial empire, his bones were removed to the new
Cathedral and allowed to repose by the side of those of Mendoza, the
wise and good viceroy.

827. Fac-simile of the signature of Pizarro.

Pizarro could neither read nor write. This is a well attested fact. It
is said that he tried to learn to read on his first voyage, but his impatient
temper prevented. He learned to sign his name, and this was all.
Some of his contemporaries deny that he could even do that, and assert
that his secretary wrote his signature and Pizarro painfully inscribed the
rubrica or ornamental flourish, customary for all cavaliers to make in
those days. In the Lonja, or building containing papers pertaining to

THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO AND PERU. 179

the Indies, in Seville, is a "signature" of Pizarro — merely a cross with
accompanying rubrica.

829. Fac-simile of the standar of Pizarro.

After the execution of Atahualpa, the last of the Incas, at Caxamarca,
Peru, Pizarro marched to Cuzco and made his triumphal entry into the
capital of the empire, November 16, 1533. The standard carried on this
occasion was in the form of a gonfalon. On one of its sides, of red
damask, was worked the arms of Charles V, and on the other, which
was of yellow damask, was painted the Apostle James in an attitude
of combat upon a white horse, with shield, curass and helmet with
plumes. A red cross glittered on his breast, and a sword in his right
hand. The banner was deposited in the Temple of the Sun, which
was converted into a Christian cathedral. There it was found by Gen-
eral Sucre, the leader of the revolution in 1824, who, in a letter dated
at Cuzco, December 30th, of that year, sent it to General Simon Bolivar at
Bogota, as a trophy, saying: ■" I have the honor of presenting to Your
Excellency the royal standard of Castile, with which the Spaniards
entered this rich country three hundred years ago." General Bolivar
presented this relic to the municipality of Caracas, Venezuela, his native
place, and the original still remains in the council chamber of that city.
One of the corners, however, was cut off and presented to Lord Canning,
under whose ministry in 1822 Great Britain recognized the South Ameri-
can republics.

830. The Indians of Peru, tortured by the Spaniards to obtain the secret of

the buried gold. From De Bry's Voyages.

CONQUEST AND SETTLEMENT OF OTHER PORTIONS OF

AMERICA.

849. Vasco Nunez Balboa.

Vasco Nunez de Balboa was born at Xeres, Spain, 1475, went to the
New World in 1501 and settled in Hispaniola, and later to Darien.
Hearing that he had been condemned by the King and ordered to return
to Spain, he resolved upon some great enterprise that would conciliate
his sovereign, and sailed with one hundred and ninety men, landing at
Coyba, whence he attempted to traverse the Isthmus of Darien. On
September 26th, he reached the summit of a mountain range, and before
him lay the glorious expanse of the Pacific — the great southern sea.
Balboa was the first to look upon it, and the date of this achievement
was September 26, 1513. He reaped the usual reward of the brave
explorers of those days, and was beheaded in 1517.

841. Discovery of the Pacific ocean by Vasco Nunez de Balboa.

One of the most romantic of the events of the years of discovery was

l80 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

the discovery of the Pacific by Vasco Nunez de Balboa in the year 1513.
It has been celebrated in song and story, and every one is familiar with
that lone figure for the first time gazing upon the great southern sea—
" Silent, upon a peak of Darien."
After his first glimpse of the Pacific, Balboa descended the western
side of the mountain with infinite toil and took possession of the sea in
the name of the King of Spain. He afterward undertook the explor-
ation of the sea, building boats for that purpose, and would have
probably anticipated the conquest of Peru by Pizarro had not jealousy
prevented. His superior, Pedrarias, recalled him and had him beheaded
in the public square of Acla in the year 1517.

842. Fernando Magellan, the first mariner to sail around the world, and the

discoverer of the straits that bear his name.

Fernando Magellan was born about 1470, at or near Villa de Sabroza
in Portugal. He made several trips to the East Indies, and later was
sent to Morocco, where he was wounded. Being refused an increase of
pay, to which he considered himself entitled, he renounced his nationality
and offered his services to the King of Spain. On August 10, 1519, he
sailed in command of an expedition in search of a western route to the
Spice Islands. He passed through the straits that now bear his name,
November, 1520, but did not live to return to Spain, being killed in
April, 1521, in a fight with the natives of Zeba, in the Philippine Islands.

843. Vision of Magellan. Early pictures of America from De Bry's Voyages,-

1595.

844. The fleet of Magellan.

The fleet of Magellan consisted of five vessels of from sixty to one
hundred and thirty tons, manned by two hundred and thirty-six sailors,
and sailed from San Lucar, Spain, September 20, 1519. He made the
coast of Brazil, January, 1520, and the straits that bear his name as dis-
coverer in November, thence sailing into the Pacific, and finally meeting
his death at an island of the Philippines, April 27, 1521. The only
remnant remaining of the expedition, a single ship and eighteen men,
reached Spain again September 6, 1522, and this ship, the " Yitorio,"
was the first to make the circuit of the globe.

845. Portrait of John Cabot.

John Cabot was a Genoese by birth, but a naturalized citizen of the
republic of Venice. He removed to England, entered the service of
the government, and with his three sons, Luis, Sebastian and Santo, dis-
covered Newfoundland in 1494. He sailed three hundred leagues along
the coast southward and planted the standard of his king in New Eng-
land.

THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO AND PERU. 181

846. Sebastian Cabot, the discoverer of North America.

Sebastian Cabot, the renowned navigator and contemporary of Colum-
bus, was the son of John Cabot, a Venetian merchant, and was born at
Bristol, England, about 1476. Henry VII granted the first patent to
"John Gabote, citizen of Venice; to Lewis, Sebastian, Santus, sonnes of
said John;" and in the year 1497, John Cabot and his son, Sebastian dis-
covered that country which no one before his time had ventured to ap-
proach, on the 24th of June. He called the land Terra Primum Visa,
supposed to have been the coast of Nova Scotia or Cape Breton Island.
Supposed to have died in London in 1557.

847. Sebastian Cabot on the deck of his ship.

From an old print.
849. Sir Walter Raleigh.

Born in the year 1552, at the middle of that century so renowned for
its maritime discoveries. Raleigh early imbibed the love for adventure
so prevalent, and turned his attention from the petty offices with which
Elizabeth had rewarded his services to greater fields abroad. In 1583
he invested two thousand pounds in the ill-fated expedition of Sir Humph-
rey Gilbert, the next year obtaining a charter for colonization, sending
Amadas and Barlow to explore the new country which he named Vir-
ginia. In 1585 he sent thither a fleet full of colonists, and another in
1587; but the first ones were brought home by Qrake in 1586, and the
second perished. It was in 1584 that he commenced the cultivation of
the potato on a large scale on his estate in Munster, and in 1588 he took
an active part in the operations against the Armada, and commenced
that career against the fleets and colonies of Spain that distinguished his
greater plans in later life. About 1592 he was imprisoned by Queen
Elizabeth, but regained his liberty and sent out a mariner to learn the
way to Eldorado, a fabled country of gold in South America. The next
year, 1595, he himself took command of an expedition in search of El-
dorado, and arrived with five ships at the Island of Trinidad, whence he
ascended the Orinoco in small boats, and found some gold, though he
did not discover the mythical country. He published an account of his
voyage and discoveries, but the troubles and honors awaiting him at
home prevented what he so much desired — a thorough exploration of
the country and an expedition against the possessions of Spain in the
West Indies. He was tried for treason and condemned to the tower in
1603, and during his long imprisonment wrote his unfinished "History of
the World." Released on the condition that he discover the gold mines
of Guiana, though his life was still to be at the king's mercy if he tres-
passed upon the possessions of Spain, he sailed on that forlorn hope, fi-
nally returning without the expected gold, and having incurred the hostil-

1 82 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

ity of the king by taking and burning a Spanish settlement on the Orinoco.
Tried on the counts of piracy for having broken his promise and shed
Spanish blood, he was sentenced to death and executed on the 29th of
October, 1618.

851. Portrait of Martin Frobisher.

Martin Frobisher was born about 1535 in Yorkshire, England, and as
early as 1560 he was meditating the discovery of a northwest passage to
Cathay. In 1576, with two small barks and a pinnace, he sailed to the
coast of Labrador, returning the same year. The next year he com-
manded an expedition to Greenland, and was personally thanked by the
queen (Elizabeth), who encouraged him to take a third expedition the next
year again to Greenland, when he entered Hudson's Bay. In 1588 he was
knighted for his part in destroying the Spanish Armada, and in 1594 he
received a wound from which he died.

852. Portrait of John Hawkins.

Born at Plymouth, England, in 1532, and bred a sailor. He made three
voyages to Guinea, the first in 1562, second in 1564, and the third in com-
pany with young Drake in 1567. In the expedition against the Armada
he was appointed vice-admiral, hoisting his flag on board the "Victory,'"
and for his services on that occasion he was knighted. He was the first
to use chain pumps and fighting nettings for ships. His last expedition
was in 1595, in company with Drake, and he died the 12th of Novem-
ber of that year off Puerto Rico.

853. Sir Francis Drake, British mariner, identified with the early history

of America.
. Born about 1545, made a voyage to Guinea with Hawkins at the age of
twenty; in 1570 obtained a regular privateering commission from Queen
Elizabeth, and in 1572 sailed for the Spanish Main and Panama, where
he made great havoc among the shipping and took and plundered cities.
From the top of a tree on the isthmus he first saw the Pacific. Return-
ing to England in August, 1573, he was presented at court, and in De-
cember, 1577, sailed on his famous voyage around the world through the
Straits of Magellan, ravaging the coasts of Chile and Peru, and finally-
reaching England in November, 1580. In 1585 he took several cities on
the Spanish Main and in the West Indies, becoming a scourge to the
Spaniards, and in 1587 he destroyed above ten thousand tons of shipping
in the harbor of Cadiz— ships intended for the Spanish Armada. He
died and was buried at sea January, 1595, off Porto Bello.

854. Capture of Santo Domingo by Sir Francis Drake.

Early pictures of America from De Bry's Voyages, 1595.
Sir Francis Drake, the terror of the Spanish settlements along the
Spanish Main and in the West Indies, sacked the city of Santo Domingo

THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO AND PERU. I83

so thoroughly about the year 1585 that even the archives of the cathe-
dral were destroyed, and no paper of more ancient date than 1580 can
be found there. Embedded in the roof of the cathedral is a cannon
ball thrown from one of his vessels at this time.

855. Capture of Carthagena by Sir Francis Drake.

856. Reception of Sir Francis Drake.

Early pictures of America from De Bry's Voyages, 1595.

857. Buccaneer cannons from Tortola, West Indies.

Tortola, in the virgin group of the West Indies, is nearly deserted of
its white inhabitants and has no commerce, but at one time it was a
nourishing island with fine plantations. The virgins were the haunts at
one period of the pirates and the buccaneers, who infested these seas,
and one of the channels between the isles bears the name of Sir Francis
Drake. These cannons are believed to have come from one of the, pirate
ships landed here in the seventeenth century.

858. Ponce de Leon landing in Florida.

In his search for the fountain of perpetual youth, in 1512, Ponce de
Leon cruised the Bahamas and unwittingly discovered the coast of
Florida, finding there Indians more warlike than the natives of Santo
Domingo and Puerto Rico, where, he had been living for some years,
and who, on his return to Florida, afterward gave him battle and in-
flicted wounds that caused his death.

859. Indians of Florida presenting fruit to Ponce de Leon.

860. Queen of Florida. From De Bry's Voyages, 1595.

861. The King of Florida.

Early pictures of America from De Bry's Voyages, 1595.

862. People of Florida sacrificing their first-born to the sun. From an old

print.

863. Old pistols from Puerto Rico.

• Two old pistols from the island of Puerto Rico left there by the Eng-
lish after their invasion in the last century. Loaned by F. A. Ober.

864. Arquebuse and ancient swords from Puerto Rico.

The arquebuse was left in the island of Puerto Rico when the English
retreated after their invasion about one hundred and fifty years ago. It
is a Tower-of-London piece, and one of the best produced at that time.
The swords are of Spanish make, and were brought to Puerto Rico by
the early settlers, being of the first part of the eighteenth century. Pre-
sented to F. A. Ober, who loans them to the Exposition.

865. Group of old engravings representing scenes in the early history of

America.

I84 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

SPANISH REMAINS IN NORTH AMERICA.

866. Sir Francis Drake capturing St. Augustine, Florida.

In the year 1586 Sir Francis Drake, being then on a piratical expedi-
tion against the Spanish settlements, saw signs of a settlement at St.
Augustine -hitherto unsuspected by the English — and attacked and
plundered the town. During the seventeenth century the isolated settle-
ment was exposed to the attacks of Indians, pirates and the English set-
tlers of the adjacent Carolinas.

867. St. Augustine, Florida, in 1565.

868. St. Augustine in 1565. From an old print.

869. Ponce de Leon landing in Florida. From De Bry's Voyages, 1595.

Ponce de Leon, one of the conquistadores, first settled in Santo Domingo,
thence he invaded Puerto Rico, and from Puerto Rico sailed on his famous
quest for the Fountain of Youth, threading the chain of the Bahama
Islands and discovering the coast of Florida, 1512. He did not make any
extended exploration of the peninsula, but he returned some years later,
having been appointed adelantado of the Bahamas and Florida, and
was wounded in a skirmish with the Indians, and retreating to Havana he
died there in 1521. His body was taken to Puerto Rico, and the remains
now repose in the Dominican c*hurch of San Juan de Puerto Rico.

870. St. Augustine, Florida, in 1633. From Ogilby's History of America.

871. Relics of Spanish occupation in North America. Views of St. Augus-

tine, Florida.

St. Augustine was settled — or at least a fort was commenced there — in
1565, and so has the distinction of being the oldest city of European foun-
dation in the United States. The city was captured by Sir Francis Drake
in 1596, and the fort taken by the settlers of Carolina in 1704, but the prov-
ince remained in the hands of 1 the Spaniards until 1763, when it was ceded
to Great Britain in exchange for Cuba. It was retroceded to Spain by
treaty of 1783, and in 1819 was ceded to the United States, possession
being given in 1821.

872. Ponce de Leon Hotel, St. Augustine, Florida, 1892.

From its numerous attractions of climate, scenery and antiquity, St-
Augustine has long been a favorite resort with those seeking Florida for
a change of scene and climate during the winter months. Although pos-
sessed of a quaint architecture of its own, and being more Spanish than
any town on the Atlantic coast of the United States, yet nearly all the
great structures of modern times, as the hotels, have been built by
northern capital, and the place mainly supported by the influx of
northern visitors. The great hotels of recent erection, like the Ponce de

THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO AND PERU. 185

Leon and Alcazar, have oeen Moorish and oriental in their architecture,
entirely in accord with the- history and traditions of the old city.

873. Relics of Spanish occupation of North America. Views of Fort Marion,

St. Augustine, Florida.

The Spaniards established a fort at St. Augustine in 1565, but Fort
Marion was not finished until 1756. It is a fine specimen of the old Span-
ish military architecture, with moat and outworks, with walls twenty feet
high, bastioned and casemated. It is built in the form of a trapezium,
covers four acres, and is made of the coquina rock so plentiful on Anas-
tasia island across the bay.

874. Mission of Santa Barbara, California.

875. Ruins of the Mission of Saa Luis Rey, California.

876. San Gabriel Mission, California.

Lower California was occupied by Jesuit missionaries as early as 1697,
where they continued till 1767, when they were expelled by the king of
Spain and their possessions given to the Franciscans, who were replaced
by the Dominicans, and the Franciscans withdrew to upper California
and there established those famous missions, the ruins of which we find
there to-day. Selecting the finest spots and bringing under subjection
the native Indians, who virtually became their slaves, the fathers made
the country blossom with gardens and accumulated great wealth. The
missions were twenty-two in number, and flourished until the separation
of Mexico from Spain, in 1822, when they fell into decline and were
finally given up altogether, about 1840.

877. Mission of Santa Ynez, California.

878. Mission of San Carlos, near Monterey.

879. Mission of San Miguel, California.

880. Church of San Miguel, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

881. Mission of San Juan Bautista, California.

882. Mission of San Antonio de Padua, California.

883. Mission of San Juan Capestrano, California.

884. First pictures of New York. Published in 1595.

885. The natives of California. From an old print.

886. First map of the city of Santo Domingo.

887. First map of the island of Santo Domingo.

888. The city of Truxillo, Honduras, in 1565.

889. City of Havana in 1565.

l86 ' THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

SECTION O. ORIGINAL PAPERS PERTAINING TO COLUMBUS.
LOANED BY THE DUKE OF VERAGUA.*

900. Letters from the King of Portugal to Christopher Columbus.

Dated Avis, May 29, 1488.

901. The original commission given to Columbus by Ferdinand and Isabella

upon his departure for the first voyage.

Dated Granada, April 30, 1492, appointing him Grand Admiral of the
Ocean Seas, Vice-King and Governor-General of all the lands that he
should discover.

[Translation.]

In the name of the Holy Trinity and Eternal Unity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
three persons really distinct and one divine essence, who lives and reigns forever with-
out end; and of the most Blessed Virgin, glorious Holy Mary, our Lady, His Mother,
whom we hold as Lady and Advocate in all our undertakings; and to the honor and
reverence of her, and of the most blessed Apostle St. James, light and mirror of the
Spains, patron and gnide of the Kings of Castile and of Leon; and likewise to the honor
and reverence of all the other Saints of the Celestial Court; as man, by whatever knowl-
edge he may have of the world, can not, according to nature, completely know what
God is, but may know Him by seeing and contemplating His wonders and the works
and deeds which He performed and performs every day, because all the works are the
effect of His power and are governed by His wisdom and maintained by His goodness;
and so, man may understand that God is the beginning, the middle and end of all
things; and that they are included in Him and He maintains each one in that state in
which He placed it in the order (of the world), and all stand in need of Him and He of
none, and He can change them whenever it may be agreeable to His will; and He can not
be subjected to change, nor be changed in anything; and He is called the King of Kings,
because from Him they derive their name and reign through Him, and He governs and
preserves them, who are Vicars (each one in His own kingdom) placed by Him over the
people to maintain them temporarily in justice and in truth, which is fully demon-
strated in two ways — the one spiritual, according as the prophets and saints demon-
strated, upon whom our Lord conferred the grace of understanding those things cer-
tainly and make them be understood by others; the other natural, as the philosophers
demonstrated, who understood those things naturally, for the saints declared that the
King is established upon earth in the place of God to render justice and give to every one
his right, and on this account they called him the heart and soul of the people; and as
the soul resides in the heart of man and the body lives and is preserved by it, so justice
is established in the King, which is the life and preservation of the people of his do-
minions. And as the heart is one, and through it all the other members receive unity

*These documents, the most precious historical papers in existence, were loaned by
the Duke of Veragua at the request of the President of the United States, made by the
authority of Congress.

original papers pertaining to columbus. 187

so as to form one body, in like manner all the inhabitants of the kingdom, although
many, are one, because the King must be and is one, and through him all have to be one
with him to follow and assist him in the things he has to perform. Then philosophers
naturally declared that Kings are the head of the kingdom, for in the same manner as
sentiment springs from the head, which command all the other members of the body
in like manner by the command which emanates from the King, lord and head of all,
the inhabitants of the kingdom must be directed and governed, and they have to obey
him; and so great is the right of kingly power that all the laws and rights are in the
power of Kings, who acknowledge it not from men, but from God, whose place they
hold in temporal affairs. Among other things it especially behooves the King to love,
honor and preserve his people, and among these he must particularly distinguish and
honor persons meritorious, either by services rendered to him or on account of theirbe-
ing endowed with goodness. And as, according to the sayings of the wise, justice is
one of the virtues peculiar to Kin^s, which is the support and truth of things, by which
the world is better and more justly preserved, being likewise a fountain from which
every right is derived and remains always alive in the minds of just men and never fails
giving and distributing to each one equally his right, and embracing in itself all the
principal virtues, and very great utility arises from it, because it engages every person
to live with prudence and in peace according to his state without fault and without
error, the good becoming through it better by receiving a reward for their deeds rightly
performed, and the others correcting themselves and entering through it into the right
road. Of which justice there are two principal partb— the one is communicative
between man and man, the other is distributive, which carries with it the rewards and
recompenses of the good and virtuous labors and services which individuals render to
Kings and Princes and to the commonweal of their kingdoms; and as the conferring a
reward upon those who serve well and faithfully is an attribute, i.s the law sajs, very
becoming to all mankind, and more especially to Kings, Princes and great Lords, who
have the power of doing it, and whose proper office it is to honor and elevate those who
serve them well and faithfully and who are worthy of it on account of their virtues and
services; and Kings in conferring rewards upon worthy actions show by that their ac-
knowledgment of virtue and love of justice, for justice consists not only in giving an
example of punishment as a terror to the wicked, but likewise in recompensing the
good, and besides this a signal advantage arises from it, because it excites the good to
become better and the wicked to correct themselves, and by not acting thus the contrary
might take place; and since among other rewards and remunerations which Kings have
it in their power to bestow upon them truly and faithfully, there is that of honoring and
elevating them above all the others of their race and ennobling, decorating and honor-
ing them and conferring many other kindnesses, favors and graces upon them.

We, considering and reflecting upon the abovesaid things, will, that, by this our
patent of privilege, and by a copy of it signed by a public scrivener, pre-ent and future
generations may know, thatfcWe, Don Ferdinand and Dona Isabella, by the grace of
God, King and Queen of Castile, Leon, Aragon, Sicily, Granada, Toledo, Valencia,
Galicia, Majorca, Seville, Sardinia, Corsica, Murcia, Jahen, Algarve, Algesira, Gibral-
tar, anil the Canary Islands, Count and Countess of Barcelona, Lords of Biscay and
Molina, Dukes of Athens and Neopatria, Counts of Roussillon and Cerdan, Marquises
of Orestan and Goziano, have seen a patent of grace signed with our names, and sealed
with our seal, drawn up as follows :

Don Ferdinand and Dona Isabella, by the grace of God, King and Queen of Castile,
Leon, Aragon, Sicily, Granada, Toledo, Valencia, Galicia, Majorca, Seville, Sardinia,
Cordova, Corsica, Murcia, Jahen, Algarve, Algesita, Gibraltar, and the Canary Islands,
Count and Countess of Barcelona, Lords of Biscay and Molina. Dukes of Athens and
Neopatria, Counts of Roussillon and Cerdan, Marquises of Orestan and Goziano : In-

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

asmuch as you, Christopher Columbus, are going by our command to discover and
conquer, with some of our vessels and our subjects, certain islands and mainland in
the ocean, and as it is hoped, with the assistance of God, that some of the aforesaid
islands and mainland in the said ocean will be discovered and conquered through your
labor and industry; and it being just and reasonable that for exposing younelf to such
danger for our service, you should be rewarded; We, desiring on that account to do you
honor and favor, declare it to be our will and pleasure, that you, the abovesaid Chris-
topher Columbus, when you shall have discovered and conquered the said island and
mainland in the said ocean, or any one whatsoever of them, be our Admiral of the said
islands and mainland, which you shall thus discover and conquer, and be our Admiral,
Viceroy and Governor of them; and that you may from this time forward, style and
entitle yourself Don Christopher Columbus; and likewise your children and successors
in the said office and charge, may entitle and call themselves, Don, Admiral, Viceroy,
and Governor of them; and that you may use and exercise the said office of Admiral,
with the aforesaid office of Viceroy and Governor of the abovesaid islands and main-
land, which you discover and conquer, as well by yourself, and by means of your lieu-
tenants, and hear and determine all suits, and civil and criminal causes respecting the
said office of Admiral, and of Viceroy and Governor, according as you will find by
right, and in the manner in which the Admirals of our kingdoms were accustomed to
use and exercise it; and that you may punish and chastise delinquents; and use the said
office of Admiral, Viceroy and Governor, you and your abovesaid lieutenants, in all that
concerns and is annexed to the said offices, and to each one of them; and that you may
have and receive the rights and fees belonging and annexed to the 6aid offices,
and to each of them; according as our high admiral in the admiralty of our king-
doms receives, and is accustomed to receive them. And by this our patent, or by
a copy of it, signed by a public scrivener, we command the Prince Don John,
our most dearly beloved son, the Infantes, dukes, prelates, marquises, counts,
masters of orders, priors, companions, and those of our council; and the auditors
of our chamber, alcaldes, and other officers of justice, whoever they may be, of our
household, court and chancery, and the governors of castles and strong and open places;
and all counselors, assistants, corregidors, alcaldes, bailiffs and sheriffs, and the
twenty-four sworn chancellors, esquires, officers, and good men of all the cities, towns
and places of our kingdoms and dominions, and of those which you shall conquer and
acquire, and the captains, masters, mates and officers, mariners and seamen, our sub-
jects and natives, who now are and shall be hereafter, and every one, and whomsoever
of them, that the said islands and mainland in the ocean, being discovered and acquired
by you, and they being taken, and the solemnities that are required on such occasions
having been observed by you, or by the person who shall receive the power for you, to
have and to hold to you hereafter, during all your life, and after you, your son and suc-
cessor, and from successor to successor forever, as our admiral of the 6aid ocean, and
as viceroy and governor of the aforesaid islands and mainland, which you, the abovesaid
Don Christopher Columbus, shall discover and acquire; and to treat of whatever regards
such things with you, and with your abovesaid lieutenants, whom you shall place in the
said offices of admiral, viceroy and governor, and to exact and cause to be exacted for
you, with quittance, the fees and other things annexed and belonging to the said offices;
and to observe, and cause to be observed toward you, all the honors, graces, favors,
liberties, pre-eminences, prerogatives, exemptions and immunities, and all and every
other thing, which by right of the said offices of admiral, viceroy and governor you are
to have and enjoy, and which are to be maintained to you in all, well and completely, in
such manner as not to be diminished in anything, and not place, nor permit to be
placed, any sequestration upon, nor offer any opposition to them; because We, with
this our patent, now and forever, make a grant to you of the said offices of admiral

ORIGINAL PAPERS PERTAINING TO COLUMBUS. 189

viceroy and governor, by right of inheritance forever; and we give you possession of
them, and of every one of them, and the power and authority to use and exercise them,
and to take the fees and salaries annexed and belonging to them, and every one of them
according as has been said. And for as much as has been said, if it were necessary, and
if you should demand it, we order our chancellor, notaries, and other officers, who are
employed in the office of our seals, to give, expedite and seal for you, our patent to
privilege, folded up in the form of a roll; in the strongest, most firm, and fit manner,
and that you may demand of them, and be necessary for you; and none of you act, nor
let act otherwise in any manner, under the penalty of our displeasure, and of ten
thousand maravedis for our chamber, upon any pretense whatsoever. And moreover,
we enjoin the individual, who presents to you this our patent, to cite you to appear
before our presence in our courts, wherever we may be, within the fifteen next follow-
ing days from the day of the citation, under the aforesaid penalty; under which we com-
mand every public scrivener whatsoever, who for this purpose shall be called upon, to
give to him who shall have presented this paper a certificate signed with his signet, in
order that we may know how our command is executed.

Given in our city of Granada, on the thirtieth day of the month of April, in the year
of the nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, one thousand four hundred and ninety-two.

I, THE KING.
I, THE QUEEN.

902. Royal letters patent from the sovereigns of Spain, exempting from

taxes supplies needed for the fleet of Columbus on his first voyage.

Dated April 30, 1492.

903. Royal letters patent from the sovereigns of Spain, commanding the

inhabitants of Palos to furnish Christopher Columbus everything

necessary to equip the caravels for his first voyage.

Dated Granada, April 30, 1492.

Don Ferdinand and Dona Isabella, by the grace of God, King and Queen of Castile,
Leon, Aragon, etc., etc., to you Diego Rodrigues Prieto, and to all other persons inhab-
itants of the town of Palos, Greeting: You are well aware that in consequence of some
offense which we received at your hands, you were condemned by our council to render
us the service of two caravels armed at your own expense for the space of twelve
months whenever and wherever it should be our pleasure to demand the same, this serv-
ice to be rendered under certain penalties as stated more at large in the sentence given
against you.

And, inasmuch as we have ordered Christopher Columbus to proceed with a fleet of
three caravels, as our captain, to certain parts of the ocean, upon a matter connected
with our service, and we desire that the two caravels, the service of which you owe us
as abovesaid, should be placed at his disposal— we hereby order that within ten days
from the sight of this letter, without delay 'or waiting for any further directions, you
have in complete readiness the said two armed caravels for the service of the above-
mentioned Christopher Columbus in the enterprise upon which we have dispatched
him, and that they be placed at his command from that time forth ; and for the crews of
the saiel two caravels we order him to pay you fe>rthwith four months' wages at the same
rate with which the crew of the other caravel jis paid, being the common allowance for
ships of war.

The vessels thus placeel under his direction shall follow the route ordered by him on
our part, anel obey him in all other orders, provided that neither you nor the said
Christopher Columbus, nor any other person belonging to the said caravels, shall pro-
ceed to the mine, nor to the countries in that neighborhood occupied by the King of

190 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

Portugal, our brother, as it is our desire to adhere to the agreement existing between
us and the said King of Portugal upon that head.

And having received a certificate from the said captain that he has received the said
two caravels from you, and is satisfied with the same, we shall consider you as having
discharged the obligation imposed upon you by our council as abovesaid, and we hereby
declare you thenceforth free from the same; but in the event of the non-fulfillment of
or procrastination of the above order, we shall forthwith command the execution of the
penalties contained in the aforesaid sentence, upon each one of you and your goods.

The above requisition is to be complied with throughout, under pain of our displeas-
ure and a penalty of ten thousand maravedis for the non-performance of any part
thereof, to which end we hereby order under the said penalty, whatever public notary
may be called upon for that purpose, to furnish you with the proper signed attestations,
that we may be assured of the fulfillment of our orders.

Given in the city of Granada, on I, THE KING,

thirtieth day of April, in
the year of our Lord Jesus Christ,
one thousand four hundred and

ninety-two. I, THE QUEEN.

JUAN DE COLOMA,

Secretary of the King and
Queen, etc., etc.
Done in due form,

RODER1CUS, Doctor.
Registered,

SEBASTIAN DE OLANO,
FRANCISCO DE MADRID,

Chancellor.

904. Royal letters patent from the sovereigns of Spain commanding the

inhabitants of Palos to furnish Christopher Columbus with two cara-
vels for his first voyage.
Dated Granada, April 30, 1492.

905. Royal letters patent from the sovereigns of Spain granting license to

the persons accompanying Columbus on his first voyage.
Dated Granada, April 30, 1492.

Don Ferdinand and Dona Isabella, by the grace of God, King and Queen of Castile,
Leon, Aragon, etc., etc. To the Members of our C ouncil. Oidors of our Court of Audi-
ence, Corregidores, Asistentes, Alcaldes, Alguaeils, Merinos, and all other magistrates
whatsoever of all the cities, towns and villages of our kingdoms and dominions, to
every one who shall see this writing or a copy of the same attested by a public notary,
Greeting:

Be it known to you that we have ordered Christopher Columbus to proceed to sea for
the accomplishment of certain business for our service, and as we are informed by him
that in order to man the fleet which he is to command for the execution of this purpose,
it is necessary to grant security to the persons composing the crew of the same, who
would be otherwise unwilling to embark, and being requested by him to give the nec-
essary orders for this measure, we have determined to grant what is demanded by him
relating to this matter. ,

We therefore grant a security to each and every person belonging to the crews of the
fleet of the said Christopher Columbus, in the voyage by sea which he is to undertake

ORIGINAL PAPERS PERTAINING TO COLUMBUS. igi

by our command, exempting them from all hindrance or inconvenience either in their
persons or goods; and we declare them privileged from arrest or detention on account
of any offense or crime which may have been committed by them up to the date of this
instrument, and during the time they may be upon the voyage, and for two months
after they return to their homes.

And we hereby command you, all and each one, in your several districts and juris-
dictions, that you abstain from trying any criminal cause touching the person of the
crews under the command of the said Christopher Columbus, during the time above
specified, it being our will and pleasure that every matter of this sort remain suspended.
This order is to be complied with as you value our favor, and under a penalty of ten
thousand maravedis for any infringement of the same.

And we hereby furthermore command every public notary who shall be applied to
for any purpose connected with the above-mentioned mandate, that he furnish all the
proper signed attestations which are necessary in the case, in order that we may be
assured of the due performance of our orders.

Given in our city of Granada, on I, THE KING.

the thirtieth day of April, in
the year of our Saviour Jesus
Christ, one thousand four hun-
dred and ninety-two. I , THE QUEEN.

JUAN DE COLOMA, Secretary.
Executed in due form,

RODERICUS, Doctor.
FRANCISCO DE MADRID,

Chancellor.

906. Royal letters patent from the sovereigns of Spain ordering that Chris-

topher Columbus may take without charge anything needed for his
first voyage.
Dated May 15, 1492.

907. Royal letters patent from the sovereigns of Spain granting power to

Christopher Columbus to seal and deliver stores of provisions in their

names.

Dated May 15, 1492.

908. Royal letters patent from the sovereigns of Spain authorizing three

hundred persons to be taken by Columbus on his second voyage.
Dated Burgos, April 23, 1493.

909. Bull of Pope Alexander granting to the sovereigns of Spain all lands

discovered by Christopher Columbus.
Dated at Rome, May 4, 1493.

910. Royal letters patent from the sovereigns of Spain ordering that Chris-

topher Columbus may be allowed to pass freely through ports, cities

towns and villages.

Dated Barcelona, May 20, 1493.

911. Royal letters patent from the sovereigns of Spain directing Columbus

to prepare a fleet for his second voyage.
Dated May 23, 1493.

IQ2 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

912. Royal letters patent from the sovereigns of Spain ordering captains and

masters of vessels to recognize Admiral Christopher Columbus as
Captain-General, and to obey him in every particular.
Dated at Barcelona, May 28, 1493.

913. Royal letters patent from the sovereigns of Spain authorizing Christo-

pher Columbus to appoint three persons for the offices of government
in the lands he should discover.
Dated Barcelona, May 28, 1493.

914. Copy of the instructions for preparation for his second voyage given to

Columbus by Ferdinand and Isabella.
Dated May 29, 1493.

915. Letter from the sovereigns of Spain to Christopher Columbus concern-

ing certain expeditions of the King of Portugal, and informing him
that the book which he left with them would be forwarded to him by
Don Juan de Fonseca.
Dated June 1, 1493.

916. Letter from the sovereigns of Spain to Columbus assuring him of the

peaceful intentions of the King of Portugal.
Dated June 12, 1493.

917. Royal letters patent from the sovereigns of Spain directing Christopher

Columbus to return to the Indies.
Dated Medina del Campo, June 22, 1493.

918. Letter from Queen Isabella to Columbus recommending Juan Aguado

to a good position in his fleet.
Dated June 30, 1493.

919. Letter from the sovereigns to Christopher Columbus urging him to

hasten his departure to the Indies.
Dated August 18, 1493.

920. Letter from the sovereigns of Spain to Christopher Columbus, asking

his opinion in regard to a certain document which had been prepared
in reply to the King of Portugal.
Dated Barcelona, September 5, 1493.

921. Letter from Queen Isabella to Columbus enclosing a copy of a book

which he had left with her, asking him to send her a certain sailing
chart, and urging him not to delay his departure.
Dated September 5, 1493.

ORIGINAL PAPERS PERTAINING TO COLUMBUS. I93

922. Letter from the sovereigns of Spain to Christopher Columbus recom-

mending the appointment of Sebastian de Olano as collector in the

Indies.

•Dated August 4, 1493.

923. Instructions from the sovereigns of Spain to Columbus concerning his

second voyage.

Dated Barcelona, March 30, and September 15, 1493; Medina del
Campo, April 19, 1494; and Segovia, August 16, 1494.

924. Decree of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella granting to Columbus

an annuity of 10,000 maravedis, to be paid from the tax upon the
butcher shops of Cordova during his lifetime.
Dated at Valladolid, November 18, 1493.

925. Original memoranda written by Christopher Columbus to the sovereigns

of Spain concerning the money required for the compensation and
subsistence for six months for the three hundred people who were to
accompany him on his second voyage.

926. Letter from the sovereigns of Spain to Christopher Columbus acknowl-

edging the receipt, with great gratification, of letters received by the
hands of Antonio de Torres, and requesting him to send to Spain Bernal
Diaz de Pisa, accountant of the expedition.
Dated Medina del Campo, April 13, 1494.

927. Letter from the sovereigns of Spain to Christopher Columbus.

Dated Segovia, August 15, 1494, asking certain information and in-
forming him of an agreement with the Kingdom of Portugal.

928. Certificate of Rodrigo Perez, notary public in the city of Isabella, Santo

Domingo, December 16, 1495.

Concerning the contract made by the sovereigns of Spain with
Christopher Columbus in the town of Santa Fe de la Vega de Granada,
April 17, 1492.

929. Decree of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella granting a coat-of-arms

to Columbus, June, 1496.

930. Letter from the sovereigns of Spain to Christopher Columbus, congrat-

ulating him upon his return from his second voyage, and requesting
him to report to the court at once.
Dated July 12, 1496.

931. Letter from the sovereigns of Spain to Christopher Columbus about

gold, pearls and other treasure obtained in the Indies.

Dated March 30, 1497,

194 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

932. Commission as adelantado mayor granted to Bartholomew Columbus

by the sovereigns of Spain.

Dated at Medina del Campo, July 22, 1497.

933. Ordinances issued by the sovereigns of Spain to Christopher Columbus

and the court of Santo Domingo for the clearance of certain ma-
terials.
Dated 1497.

934. Copies of royal letters patent from the sovereigns granting to Chris-

topher Columbus all the rights, titles, dignities and regalias enjoyed
by the Admiral of Castile. Also copies of royal letters patent to
towns established in Santo Domingo and contracts of Columbus
with the sovereigns of Spain.

These copies were made in this book by Columbus or by some clerk
in his employ, and cover a period of twelve years.

935. The will of Christopher Columbus.

[Translation.]

In the name of the Most Holy Trinity, who inspired me with the idea and afterward
made it perfectly clear to me, that I could navigate and go to the Indies from Spain, by
traversing the ocean westwardly; which I communicated to the King, Don Ferdinand,
and to the Queen, Doiia Isabella, our Sovereigns; and they were pleased to furnish me
the necessary equipment of men and ships, and to make me their Admiral over the said
ocean, in all parts lying to the west of an imaginary line, drawn from pole to pole, a
hundred leagues west of the Cape de Verde and Azore Islands; also appointing me their
Viceroy and Governor over all continents and islands that I might discover beyond the
said line westwardly; with the right of being succeeded in the said offices by my eldest
son and his heirs forever, and a grant of the tenth part of all things found in the said
jurisdiction; and of all rents and revenues arising from it; and the eighth of all the
lands and everything else, together with the salary corresponding to my rank of
Admiral, Viceroy and Governor, and all other emoluments accruing thereto, as is more
fully expressed in the title and agreement sanctioned by their Highnesses.

And it pleased the Lord Almighty that in the year one thousand four hundred and
ninety-two, I should discover the continent of the Indies and many islands, among
them Espanola, which the Indians call Ayte and the Menicongos, Cipango. I then re-
turned to Castile to their Highnesses, who approved of my undertaking a second en-
terprise for further discoveries and settlements, and t\ie Lord gave me victory over the
Island of Espanola, which extends six hundred leagues, and I conquered it and made
it tributary; and I discovered many islands inhabited by cannibals, and seven hundred
to the west of Espanola, among which is Jamaica, which we call Santiago; and three
hundred and thirty-three leagues of continent from south to west, besides a hundred
and seven to the north, which I discovered in my first voyage; together with many
islands, as may more clearly be seen by my letters, memorials and maritime charts. .
And as we hope in God that before long a good and great revenue will be derived from
the above islands and continent, of which, for the reasons aforesaid, belong to me the
tenth and the eighth, with the salaries and emoluments specified above; and consider-
ing that we are mortal, and that it is proper for every one to settle his affairs, and to
leave declared to his heirs and successors the property he possesses or may have a right

ORIGINAL PAPERS PERTAINING TO COLUMBUS. I95

to: Wherefore, I have concluded to create an entailed estate (mayorazgo) out of the
said eighth of the lands, places and revenues, in the manner which I now proceed to
state :

In the first place I am to be succeeded by Don Diego, my son, who, in case of death
without children, is to be succeeded by my other son, Ferdinand; and should God dis-
pose of him also without leaving children and without my having any other son, then
my brother, Don Bartholomew, is to succeed; and after him his eldest son; and if God
should dispose of him without heirs, he shall be succeeded by his sons from one to
another forever; or, in the failure of a son, to be succeeded by Don Ferdinand, after
the same manner, from son to son, successively; or in their place by my brothers,
Bartholomew and Diego. And should it please the Lord that the estate, after having
continued some time in the line of any of the above successors, should stand in need of
an immediate and lawful male heir, the succession shall then devolve to the nearest re-
lation, being a man of legitimate birth and bearing the name of Columbus derived from
his father and his ancestors. This entailed estate shall in nowise be inherited by a
woman, except in case that no male is to be found, either in this or any other quarter of
the world, of my real lineage, whose name, as well as that of his ancestors, shall have
always been Columbus. In such an event (which may God forefend), then the female
of legitimate birth most nearly related to the preceding possessor of the estate shall
succeed to it; and this is to be under the conditions herein stipulated at foot, which
must be understood to extend as well to Don Diego, my son, as to the aforesaid and
their heirs, every one of them, to be fulfilled by them; and failing to do 60 they are to
be deprived of the succession for not having complied with what shall herein be ex-
pressed; and the estate to pass to the person most nearly related to the one who held
the right; and the person thus succeeding shall in like manner forfeit the estate,
should he also fail to comply with said conditions; and another person, the nearest of
my lineage, shall succeed, provided he abide by them, so that they may be observed in
the form prescribed. This forfeiture is not to be incurred for trifling matters, originating'
in lawsuits, but in important cases, when the glory of God, or my owd, or that of my
family may be concerned, which supposes a perfect fulfillment of all the things hereby
ordained; all which I recommend to the Courts of Justice. And I supplicate His
Holiness, who now is, and those who may succeed to the holy church, that if it should
happen that this, my will and testament, has need of his holy order and command for
its fulfillment, that such order be issued in virtue of obedience and under penalty of
excommunication, and that it shall not be in any wise disfigured. And I
also pray the King and Queen, our Sovereigns, and their eldest born, Prince Don Juan,
our Lord, and their successors, for the sake of the services I have done them, and be-
cause it is just, and that it may please them not to permit this, my will and constitu-
tion of my entailed estate, to be any way altered, but to leave it in the form and man-
ner which I have ordained forever, for the greater glory of the Almighty, and that it
may be the root and basis of my lineage, and a memento of the services I have
rendered their Highnesses; that, being born in Genoa, I came over to serve them in
Castile and discovered to the west of terra firma the Indies and islands before
mentioned. I accordingly pray their Highnesses to order that this, my privilege and
testament, be held valid and be executed summarily, and without any opposition or de-
mur, according to the letter. I also pray the grandees of the realm and the lords of the
council, and all others having admini8tratiorf"of justice to be pleased not to suffer this,
nay will and testament, to be of no avail, but to cause it to be fulfilled as by me
ordained; it being just that a noble, who has served the King and Queen and the king-
dom, should be respected in the disposition of his estate by will, testament, institution
of entail or inheritance, and that the same be not infringed either in whole or in part.
In the first place, my son, Don Diego, and all my successors and descendants, as well

10 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

as my brother?, Bartholomew and Diego, shall bear my arms, such as 1 shall leave them
after my days, without inserting anything else in them; and they shall be their seal to
seal with all. Don Diego, my son, or any other who may inherit this estate, on coming
in possession of the inheritance, shall sign with the signature which I now make use
of, which is an X with an S over it, and an M with a Roman A over it, and over that an
S, and then a Greek Y, with an S over it, with its lines and points as is my custom, as
may be seen by my signatures, of which there are many, and it will be seen by the pres-
ent one.

He shall only write "The Admiral," whatever other titles the King may have con-
ferred on him. This is to be understood as respects his signature, but not the enumer-
ation of his titles, which he can make at full length if agreeable, only the signature is
to be "The Admiral."

The said Don Diego, or any other inheritor of this estate, shall possess my offices of
the Admiral of the Ocean, which is to the west of an imaginary line, which his high-
ness ordered 10 be drawn, running from pole to pole a hundred leagues beyond the
Azores, and as many more beyond the Cape deYerde Islands,over[all of which I was made
by their order, their Admiral of the Sea, with all the pre-eminences held by Don Hen-
rique in the Admiralty of Castile; and they made me their Governor, and Viceroy per-
petually and forever, over all the islands and mainlands discovered, or to be dis-
covered, for myself and heirs, as is more fully shown by my treaty and privilege as
above mentioned.

Item. The said Don Diego, or any other inheritor of this estate, shall distribute
the revenue which it may please our Lord to grant him, in the following manner, under
the above penalty.

First. Of the whole income of this estate, now and at all times, and of whatever may
be had or collected from it,he shall give the fourth part of it to my brother, Don Bartlu 1-
omew Columbus, adelantado of the Indies; and this is to continue until he shall have
acquired an income of a million of maravedises* for his support, and for the services he
has rendered and will continue to render to this entailed estate; which million he is to
receive, as stated, every year, if the said fourth amount to so much, and that he have
nothing else; but if he possesses a part or the whole of that amount in rents, that
henceforth he shall not enjoy the said million, nor any part of it, except that he shall
have in the fourth year part unto the said quantity of a million, if it should amount to
so much; and as much as he shall have a revenue besides this fourth part, whatever sum
of maravedises of known rent from property or perpetual offices, the said nuantity
of rent or revenue from property or offices shail be discontinued ; and from said million
shall be reserved whatever marriage portion he may receive with any female he may
acquire or may have over and above his wife's dowery; and when it shall please God
that he or his heirs and descendants shall derive from their property and offices a reve-
nue of a million arising from rents, neither he nor his heirs shall enjoy any longer any-
thing from the said fourth part of the entailed estate which shall remain with Don
Diego, or who ever may inherit.

Item. From the revenues of the said estate, or from any fourth part of it (should
its amount be adequate to it), shall be paid every year to my son Ferdinand two mill-
ions, till such time as his revenue shall amount to two millions, in the same form and
manner as in the case of Bartholomew, who, as well as his heirs, are to have the million
or the part that may be wanting.

Item. The said Don Diego or Don Bartholomew shall make out of the said estate,
for my brother Di?go, su^h provision as may enable him to live decently, as he is my
brother, to whom I assign no particular sum, as he has attached himself to the church,

*Anpro^ima eiy tiirtv-nve hundred dollars, equivalent at the time to between ten and
twelve thousand dollars.

ORIGINAL PAPERS PERTAINING TO COLUMBUS. I97

and that will be given him which is right; and this is to be given him in a mass.and before
anything shall have been received by Ferdinand, my son, or Bartholomew, my brother,
or their heirs; and also according to the amount of the income of the estate. And in
case of discord, the case is to be referred to two of our relations, or other men of honor;
and should they disagree among themselves, they will choose a third person as arbitra-
tor, being virtuous and not distrusted by either party,

Item. All this revenue which I bequeath to Bartholomew, to Ferdinand, and to
Diego, shall be delivered to and received by them as prescribed under the obligation of
being faithful and loyal to Diego, my son, or his heirs, they as well as their children;
and should it appear that they, or any of them, had proceeded against him in anything
touching his honor, or the prosperity of the family or of the estate either in word or
deed, whereby might come a scandal and debasement to my family, and a detriment to
my estate in that case, nothing farther shall be given to them or his from that time
forward, inasmuch as they are always to be faithful to Diego and his successors. "

Itrni. As it was my intention, when I first instituted this entailed estate, to dis-
pose, or that my son Diego should dispose for me, of the tenth part of the income in
favor of the necessitous persons, as a tithe, and in commemoration of the Almighty,
and Eternal God; and persisting still in this opinion, and hoping that his High Majesty
will assist me, and those who may inherit it, in this or the New World, I have resolved
that the said tithe shall be paid in the manner following :

First. It is to be understood that the fourth part of the revenue of the estate which I
have ordained and directed to be given to Don Bartholomew, until he have an income
of one million, includes the tenth of the whole revenue of the estate; and that, as in pro-
portion as the income of my brother Don Bartholomew shall increase, as it has to be
discounted from the revenue of the fourth part of the entailed estate, that the said reve-
nue shall be calculated, to know how much the tenth part amounts to; and the part
which exceeds what is necessary to make up the million for Don Bartholomew shall be
received by each of my family as may most stand in need of it, discounting it from the
said tenth, if their income do not amount to the fifty thousand maravedises; and should
any of these come to have an income to this amount, such a part shall be awarded to
them as two persons, chosen for the purpose, may determine along with Don Diego or
his heirs. Thus, it is to be understood that the million which I leave to Bartholomew
comprehends the tenth of the whole revenue of the estate; which revenue is to be dis-
tributed among my nearest and most needy relations in the manner I have directed; and
when Don Bartholomew has an income of one million, and that nothing more shall be
due to him on account of said fourth part, then Don Diego, my son, or the persons which
I shall herein point out, shall inspect the accounts and so direct that the tenth of the
revenue shall still continue to be paid to the most necessitous members of my family
that may be found in this or any other quarter of the world, who shall diligently be
sought out; and they are to be paid out of the fourth part from which Don Bartholo-
mew is to derive his million, which sums are to be taken into account, and deducted
from th3 said tenth, which, should it amount to more, the overplus, as it arises from
the fourth part, shall be given to to the most necessitous persons as aforesaid; and
should it not be sufficient, that Don Bartholomew shall have it until his own estate
goes on increasing, leaving the said million in part or in the whole.

Item. The said Don Diego, my son, or whoever may be the inheritor, shall appoint
two persons of conscience and authority, and most nearly related to the family who are
to examine the revenue and its amount carefully, and to cause the tenth to be paid out
of the fourth from which Don Bartholomew is to receive his million to his most neces-
sitous members of my family who may be found here or elsewhere, whom they shall
look for diligently upon their consciences; and as it might happen that said Don Diego
or otbar s after him, for reasons which may concern their own welfare, or the credit or

THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

support of the estate, may be unwilling to make known the full amount of the income*
nevertheless I charge him on his conscience to pay the sum aforesaid and charge them
on their souls and consciences not to denounce or make it known, except with the con-
sent of Don Diego, or the person that may bucceed him, but let the above tithe be paid
in the manner I have directed.

Item. In order to avoid all disputes in the choice of the two nearest relations who
are to act with Don Diego or his heirs, I hereby elect Don Baitholomew, my brother,
for one, and Don Fernando, my son, for the other; and when these two shall enter upon
the business they shall choose two other persons among the most trusty, and most
nearly related, and these again shall elect two others, when it shall be question of com-
mencing the examination; and thus it shall be managed with diligence from one to the
other, as well in this as in the other of government, for the service and glory of God,
and the benefit of the said entailed estate.

Item. I also enjoin Diego, or any one that may inherit the estate, to have and main-
tain in the city of Genoa one person of our lineage to reside there with his wife, and
appoint him a sufficient revenue to enable him to live decently, as a person closely
connected with the family, of which he is to be the root and basis in that city; from
which great good may accrue to him, inasmuch as I was born there, and came from
them thence.

Item. The said Don Diego, or whoever shall inherit the estate, must remit in bills,
or in any other way, all such sums as he may be able to save out of the revenue of the
estate, and direct purchases to be made in his name, or that of his heirs, in a fund in
the Bank of St. George,* which gives an interest of six per cent, and is secure money;
and this shall be devoted to the purpose I am about to explain.

Item. As it becomes every man of rank and property to serve God, either personally
or by means of his wealth, and as all moneys deposited w.th St. George are quite safe,
and Genoa is a noble city and powerful by the sea, and as at the same time that I un-
dertook to set out upon that discovery of the Indies, it was with the intention of sup-
plicating the King and Queen, our lords, that whatever moneys should be derived from
the said Indies should be invested in the conquest of Jerusalem; and as I did so sup-
plicate them; if they do this, it will be well; if not, at all events the said Diego, or such
persons as may succeed him in this trust, to collect together all the money he can, and
accompany the King, our lord, should he go to the conquest of Jerusalem, or else go
there himself with all the force he can command; and in pursuing this intention, it
will please the Lord to assist toward the accomplishment of the plan; and should he
not be able to effect the conquest of the whole, no doubt he will achieve in part. Let
him therefore collect and make a fund of all h:s wealth in St. George in Genoa, and
let it multiply there until 6uch time as it may appear to him that something of conse-
quence may be effected as respects the project on Jerusalem; fori believe that when
their highnesses shall see that this is contemplated, they will wish to realize it them-
selves, or will afford him, as their servant and vassal, the means of doing it for them.

Item. I charge my son Diego and my descendants, especially whoever may inherit
this estate, which consists, as aforesaid, of the tenth of whatsoever may be had or
found in the Indies, and the eighth part of the lands and rents, all which, together with
my rights and emoluments as admiral, viceroy and governor, amount to more than
twenty-five per cent., I say, that I require of him to employ all this revenue, as well as
his person, and all the means in his power, in well and faithfully serving and support-
ing their highnesses, or their successors, even to the loss of life and property; since it
was their highnesses, next to God, who. first gave the means of getting and achieving
this property, although, it is true, I came ov^r these realms to invite them to the enter-
prise, and that a long time elapsed before any provision was made for carrying it into-

* The great financial corporation of Genoa.

ORIGINAL PAPERS PERTAINING TO COLUMBUS. 1 99

execution; which, however, is not surprising, as this was an undertaking of which all
the world was ignorant, and no one had any faith in it; wherefore, I am by so much
more indebted to them, as well as because they have since also much favored and
promoted me. %

Item. I also require of Diego, or whosoever may be in possession of the estate, that
in the case of any schism taking place in the church of God, or that any person of what-
ever class or condition should attempt to despoil it of its property and honors they
hasten to offer at the feet of his Holiness, that is, if they are not heretics (which God
forbid), their persons, power and wealth, for the purpose of suppressing such schism,
and preventing any spoliation of the honor and property of the church.

Item. I command the said Diego, or whoever may possess the said estate, to labor
and strive for the honor, welfare and aggrandizement of the city of Genoa, and to make
use of all his power and means in defending end enhancing the good and credit of that
republic, in all things not contrary to the service of the church of God, or the high
dignity of the King and Queen, our lords and their successors.

Item. The said Diego, or whoever may possess or succeed to the estate, out of the
fourth part of the whole revenue, from which, as aforesaid, is to be taken a tenth, when
Don Bartholomew or his heirs shall have saved the two millions, or part of them, and
when the time shall come of making a distribution among our relations, shall apply
and invest the said tenth in providing marriages for such daughters of our lineage as
may require it, and in doing all the good in their power.

Item. When a suitable time shall arrive, he shall order a church to be built in the
island of Espanola, and in the most convenient spot, to be called Santa Maria de la
Concepcion; to which is to be annexed an hospital, upon the best possible plan, like
those of Italy and Castile, and a chapel be erected to say mass in for the good of my
6oul, and those of my ancestors and successors with great devotion, since no doubt it
will please the Lord to give us a sufficient revenue for this and the afore-mentioned pur-
poses.

Item. I also order Diego my son, or whosoever may inherit after him, to spare no
pains in having and maintaining in the island of Espanola, four good professors in
theology, to the end and aim of their studying and laboring to convert to our holy
faith the inhabitants of the Indies; and in proportion as by God's will the revenue of
the estate shall increase in the same degree shall the number of teachers and devout
persons increase, who are to strive to make Christians of the natives; in attaining
which no expense should be thought too great. And in commemoration of all that I
hereby ordain, and of the foregoing, a monument of marble shall be erected in the said
church of La Concepcion, in the most conspicuous place, to serve as a record of what
I here enjoin on the said Diego, as well as to other persons who may look upon it;
which marble shall contain an inscription to the same effect.

Item. I also require of Diego, my son, and whosoever may succeed him'in the estate,
that every time, and as often as he confesses, he first show his obligation, or a copy of
it, to the confessor, praying him to read it through, that he may be enabled to inquire
respecting its fulfillment; from which will redound great good and happiness to his
soul.

S.
S. A. S.
X. M. Y.
El Almirante.
936. Memorandum submitted by Christopher Columbus to the council of the
Indies concerning his arrest and imprisonment, and declaring his inno-
cence of the charges.

200 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

937. Letter from Christopher Columbus to the Pope of Rome.

Dated February, 1502.

938. Letter from the sovereigns of Spain to Christopher Columbus, contain-

ing instructions concerning his fourth voyage.
Dated Valencia de la Torre, March 19, 1502.

939. Letter of Christopher Columbus to his son Diego.

November 21, 1504.

940. Letter of Christopher Columbus to his son Diego.

November 28, 1504.

941. Letter of Christopher Columbus to his son Diego.

December 1, 1504.

942. Letter of Christopher Columbus to his son Diego.

December 3, 1504.

943. Letter of Christopher Columbus to his son Diego.

December 13, 1504.

944. Letter of Christopher Columbus to his son Diego.

December 21, 1504.

945. Letter of Christopher Columbus to his son Diego.

December 29, 1504.

946. Letter of Christopher Columbus to his son Diego.

January 18, 1505.

947. Letter of Christopher Columbus to his son Diego.

February 5, 1505.

948. Letter of Christopher Columbus to his son Diego.

February 5, 1505.

949. Memorial of Christopher Columbus to the sovereigns of Spain in behalf

of his son Diego.

950. Letter from Christopher Columbus to the Rev.. Father Don Gaspar

Gorricio de las Cuevas.
April 4, 1502.

951. Letter of Christopher Columbus to the Rev. Father Don Gaspar Gorri-

cio de las Cuevas.
September 4, 1502.

952. Letter from Christopher Columbus to the Rev. Father Don Gaspar

Gorricio de las Cuevas.
July 7, 1503.

953. Letter from Christopher Columbus to the Rev. Father Don Gaspar

Gorricio de las Cuevas.
January 4, 1505.

ORIGINAL PAPERS PERTAINING TO COLUMBUS. 201

954. Letters from King Ferdinand Vto Diego Columbus.

Dated Naples, November 26, 1506.

955. Copy of the will of Diego Hernandez, who accompanied Christopher

Columbus on several of his voyages.

This document contains important evidence submitted by the heirs of
Columbus to sustain their claims against the crown of Spain.

95G. Commission as admiral of the Indies.

Granted to Don Luis, the grandson of Christopher Columbus.
Dated May 24, 1537.

957. Commission as adelantado mayor of the Indies. Granted by the sov-
ereigns of Spain to Diego Columbus.
Dated Valladolid, June 16, 1515.

978. Confirmation by the sovereigns of Spain of the title given to Chris-
topher Columbus as admiral and perpetual viceroy of the Indies.
April 24, 1497.

959. Fac-simile of a letter of Columbus to Ferdinand and Isabella concerning
the colonization and commerce of the Island of Hispaniola.

Written between July 5 and September 25, 1493, before starting on his
second voyage.
Most High and Mighty Sovereigns:*

In obedience to Your Highnesses' commands, and with submission to superior judg-
ment, I will say whatever occurs to me in reference to the colonization and commerce
of the island of Hispaiiola, and of the other islands,' both those already discovered and
those that may be discovered hereafter.

In the first place, as regards the island of Hispanola: Inasmuch as the number of
colonists who desire to go thither amounts to two thousand, owing to the land being
safer and better for farming and trading, and because it will serve as a place to which
they can return and from which they can carry on trade with the neighboring islands.

Item. That in the said island there shall be founded three or four towns, situated in
the most convenient places, and that the settlers who are there be assigned to the afore-
said places and towns.

Item. That for the better and more speedy colonization of the said island, no one
shall have liberty to collect gold in it except those who have taken out colonists' papers
and have built houses for their abode, in the town in which they are, that they may live
united and in greater safety.

Item. That each town shall have its alcalde or alcaldes, and its notary public, as is
the use and custom in Castile.

Item. That there shall be a church, and parish priests or friars to administer the sac-
raments, to perform divine worship, and for the conversion of the Indians.

*This letter has been assigned to the year 1497, but the internal evidence indicates that
it was written before Columbus sailed on his second voyage, as the number of colonists
he speaks of as wishing to go agrees with the statements as to the size of the second
expedition. This fixes the date between July 1st and September 25, 1493. It is thus
the first suggestion of a code of American laws.

202 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

Item. That none of the colonists shall go to seek gold without a license from the
governor or alcalde of the town where he lives; and that he must first take oath to
return to the place whence he sets out, for the purpose of registering faithfully all the
gold he may have found, and to return once a month, or once a week, as the time may
have been set for him, to render account and show the quantity of said gold; and that
this shall be written, done by the notary before the alcalde, or, if it seems better, that a
friar or a priest, deputied for the purpose, shall also be present.

Item. That the gold thus brought in shall be smelted immediately, and stamped with
some mark that shall distinguish each town; and that the portion which belongs to
Your Highnesses shall be weighed, and given and consigned to each alcalde in his oWn
town, and registered by the above-mentioned priest or friar, so that it shall not pass
through the hands of only one person, and there shall be no opportunity to conceal the
truth.

Item. That all gold that may be found without the mark of one of the said towns in
the possession of any one who has once registered in accordance with the above order,
shall be taken as forfeited, and that the accuser shall have one portion of it and Your
Highnesses the other.

Item. That one per centum of all the gold that may be found shall be set aside for
building churches and adorning the same, and for the support of the priests or friars
belonging to them; and, if it should be thought proper to pay anything to the alcaldes
or notaries for their services, or for insuring the faithful performance of their duties,,
that this amount shall be sent to the governor or treasurer who may be appointed there
by Your Highnesses.

Item. As regards the division of the gold, and the share that ought t6 be reserved
for Your Highnesses, this, in my opinion, must be left to the aforesaid governor and treas-
urer, because it will have to be greater or less, according to the quantity of gold that
may be found. Or, should it seem preferable, Your Highnesses might, for the space of
one year, take one-half, and the collector the other, and a better arrangement for the
division be made afterward.

Item. That if the said alcaldes or notaries shall commit or be privy to any fraud,
punishment shall be prqvided; and the same for the colonists who shall not have
declared all the gold they have.

Item. That in the said island there shall be a treasurer, with a clerk to assist him
who shall receive all the goM belonging to Your Highnesses, and the alcaldes and nota-
ries of the towns shall each keep a record of what they deliver to the said treasurer.

Item. As, in the eagerness to get gold, every one will wish, naturally, to engage in its
search in preference to any other employment, it seems to me that the privilege of going
to look for gold ought to be withheld during some portion of each year, that there may
be opportunity to have the other business necessary for the island performed.

Item. In regard to the discovery of new countries, I think permission should be
to all that wish to go, and more liberality used in the matter of the fifth, making the
tax easier, in some way, in order that many may be disposed to go on the voyage.

I will now give my opinion about ships going to the said island of Espanola, and the
order that should be maintained; and that is, that the said ships should only be allowed
to discharge in one or two ports designated for the purpose, and should register there
whatever cargo they bring or unload; and when the time for their departure comes, that
they should sail from these same ports, and register all the cargo they take in, that noth-
ing may be concealed.

Item. In reference to the transportation of gold from the island to Castile, that all
of it should be taken on board the ship, both that belonging to Your Highnesses and the
property of every one else; that it should all be placed in one chest with two locks, with
their keys, and that the master of the vessel keep one key, and some person selected by

ORIGINAL PAPERS PERTAINING TO COLUMBUS. 203

the governor and treasurer the other; that there should come with th« gold, for a testi-
mony, a list of all that has been put into the said chest, properly marked, so that each
owner may receive his own; and that, for the faithful performance of this duty, if any
gold whatsoever is found outside of the said chest in any way, be it little or much, it
shall be forfeited to Your Highnesses.

Item. That all the ships that come from the said island shall be obliged to make their
proper discharge in the port of Cadiz, and that no person shall disembark or other per-
son be permitted to go on board until the ship has been visited by the person or persons
deputied for that purpose, in the said city, by Your Highnesses, to whom the master
shall show all that he carries, and exhibit the manifest of all the cargo, that it may be
seen and examined if the said ship brings anything hidden and not known at the time
of lading.

Item. That the chest in which the said gold has been carried shall be opened in the
presence of the magistrates of the said city of Cadiz, and of the person deputied for
that purpose by Your Highnesses, and his own property be given to each owner. I beg
Your Highnesses to hold me in your protection, and I remain, praying our Lord God
for Your Highnesses' lives and the increase of much greater states,

S. A. S.

X. M. Y

Xpo FERENS.

980. Carved wooden case in which the Duke of Veragua preserves the man-
uscripts of Columbus belonging to his collection.

204 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

SECTION P. ORIGINAL PAPERS PERTAINING TO COLUMBUS.
LOANED BY THE DUQUESA DE BERWICK Y ALBA*

967. Original draft of letter of Columbus relating to his claims against the
crown of Spain, based upon the privileges and concessions granted
to him by the contract with the Spanish sovereigns, Ferdinand and
Isabella.

Columbus' autographic copy of a paper, on the back of which he
wrote the following words:

"Report on my privileges and concessions.

Jhs cumas. t no . . . "

(Jesus cum Mari sit nobis in vita,

or in English;

May Jesus and Mary be with us in life.)

[Translation.]
Magnificent Sirs:
It appears from your privilege and the articles of agreement entered into with yon,
that their Highnesses appointed you Admiral of the Ocean Seas, which they denned by
causing a line to be drawn from pole to pole, crossing the Cape Verde Islands and the
Azores, and that they granted to you exactly the same rights, honors, and favors as are
enjoyed by the Lord Admiral of Castile within his own district.

Item. They graciously appointed you also Viceroy and Governor-General of all the
islands and continents, whether already discovered or to be discovered, on the other
side of the line aforesaid, and they granted you the power to appoint all the officers who
should be required for the administration of the government of the said islands and
continents.

Item. They also gave you the tenth of everything received from the district subject to
your jurisdiction as Admiral, after deducting the expenses.

Item. They gave you, likewise, the eighth of all the profits made out of expeditions,
or fleets sent to the Indies, to the equipment of which you had contributed by paying
one-eighth of the expenses.

It appears from the acts of confirmation of your privileges that you are the discoverer
of the islands and continents of the Indies. If anything is now discovered there, it will be
owing to you and your industry, and can not properly be called discovery. You are the
one who discovered the Indies, in spite of the doubts which were raised about their exist-
ence, and of the great opposition raised against you both by men of learning, and by
people of practical knowledge in navigation and matters connected with the sea, who
all said that you were joking and that God had never placed any land where you said.
Whoever goes now to the Indies, even if he goes to places where you never set your foot,
can not as against you be called a discoverer, for he only goes to a district which is
already under your jurisdiction as Admiral, and enters seas or lands which were discov-
ered by you. Under these circumstances, your rights and authority as Admiral and Viceroy

♦These documents were loaned by the Duchess of Berwick-Alba at the request of the presi-
dent of the United States under the authority of congress.

ORIGINAL PAPERS PERTAINING TO COLUMBUS. 205

and Governor-General, and your power to make appointments for all offices, are to be
exercised in and over the whdle district, whether in land or on the sea, whether already
traveled or to be traveled hereafter, on the other side of the line which has been men-
tioned before. Beyond that line you are the only one having authority to attend in the
name of their Highnesses to all the business of the Government, to hear and decide all
cases and causes, to affix the Royal Seal entrusted to you for 6uch purposes, to all let-
ters patent to be issued there, to administer justice in civil and criminal matters, and
to have and exercise full power and jurisdiction in everything- relative to the adminis-
tration of said Government, as more in full described in the ordinances and letters of
concession and privileges which I have examined.

It appears, furthermore, that by a Royal letter of 1497, issued at Medina, their High-
nesses freed you from sharing the expenses incurred up to that date on account of this
business, and exempted you also from contributing toward defraying the expenses
of the expedition which was then being equipped, and you had to take to the Indies.
The said Royal letter says that you are bound to pay nothing on this account, except in
case of expenses incurred subsequent to your arrival to Hispaniola. You are free from
paying expenses prior to that moment ; but you can not, either, demand anything out
of what was brought here during the same period.

As you admit to having arrived there on the 31st of August, 1489, a liquidation must
be made of all the expenses incurred ever since, and you shall be bound to contribute
such portion thereof as has been agreed upon.

From the agreements entered into with the Lord Admiral of Castile, it appears that
he is entitled to one-third of all the profits made on the sea, either by him or their
Highnesses' navy. Whereupon, under your own letters of concession, which gave you
exactly the same rights and privileges as are given the Lord Admiral of Castile, you are
entitled to a third of the profits.

It appears from the agreements entered into with you in regard to the share you
ought to have out of the profits made and to be made in this business of the Indies, that
the said share belongs to you under three different considerations and for three different
reasons. Your share under each head is clearly 6tated, and there is no possibility of
error or misunderstanding in this respect. The liquidation of the profit is simply a
matter of arithmetic, as in the following example :

A man fits out a vessel and says to one of his servants: I make you master of this
vessel; go, and you shall have one-third of all the profits. Then he calls another serv-
ant and says to him: Go on board the vessel to be the purser and you shall have the
tenth. Finally he calls a third servant and tells him: Go as a clerk, and whereas you
have contributed one-eighth of the expenses you shall have also the eighth part of the
profits.

The vessel sailed, and on her return it was found out that the profits amounted to ten
ducats. The master says then to the man who fitted out the vessel : " Sir, the profits
amount to ten ducats, order the third part of that sum to be given to me as promised,"
and so he ordered. Then comes the purser and says : " Sir, the profits were ten ducats ;
order a tenth of that sum to be given to me as promised," and so he ordered. Finally
the clerk comes and says : " Sir, I contributed one-eighth of the expenses to fit out this
vessel ; the profits made by her are ten ducats ; cause one-eighth of these ten ducats to
be given to me," and so he did.

An account like this is to be made to liquidate the share which, under the concessions
made in your favor in this business of the Indies, belongs to you. It would be wrong
to give you the tenth of the whole, and then the eighth of the balance not of the "whole,
and then the third of the second balance, and not also of the whole. Such a manner of
making the calculation would be unacceptable, as each chapter or heading clearly fixes
the portion which under it must be paid to you.

206 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

In regard to the expenses my opinion is that as our Lord has given enough in this
business to pay amply all those which have been incurred, you might as well be satis-
fied with seeing them paid, if so pleases their Highnesses, out of the gold or anything
else of value which may be found there, and with having your share of the profits paid
to you by their Highnesses out of the net balance.

I have noticed that your deeds contain a provision, made by their Highnesses, order-
ing that nothing must be done in regard to the Indies without your personal interven-
tion or the intervention of a person having your power of attorney.

I have also noticed another provision under which nothing can be sent to the Indies
without your signature and the signature of the person appointed at Cadiz for such pur-
poses by their Highnesses, nor can anything brought from the Indies be received here
without the signature both of the said person and of the deputy comptroller.

I have seen also a bull of the Holy Father which is on file among your papers,
which states that you were and are the one who discovered and won those Indies as a
servant of their Highnesses^

From all your letters of privileges and concessions it appears, as already stated, that
you must have by reason of your rights, equal to those of the Lord Admiral of Castile,
one-third of everything obtained within the limits placed under your jurisdiction as
Admiral of the Ocean Sea, and by reason of your other concessions the eighth and the
tenth of the same. If their Highnesses make some other concessions in the Indies
without saying what is yours a wrong will be inflicted upon you, and this wrong will
be done whether the new concession applies to money matters or in regard to the right
of making appointments, or whether it concerns so-called new discoveries or not. The
discovery of the Indies was, as above stated, the basis and the consideration upon
which the agreements were made and entered into with you and executed and signed,
and as soon as you discovered the first island you discovered the Indies, and your part
of the contract was fulfilled. It was then that the Indies were given to their High-
nesses by the bull of donation issued by the Pope.

Their Highnesses are in conscience bound to imdemnify you for all damages which
any deprivation of your rights may cause you to sustain.

Gentlemen, I ask for nothing, and I place into the royal hands of the Queen and
refer to her all that is stated in the foregoing writing. 1 shall show to your lordships
my titles and letters of privilege whenever desired.

Another privilege which I have seen in your papers granted to you is the power to
convey your office of Viceroy and Admiral and Governor-General and all your property
unto Don Diego, your son, or unto whomsoever you may be pleased, and that none of
the said offices and nothing of the said property can ever be taken away, whether for
debts or criminal offence, unless the latter is a crime lessae majestatis.

968, Original autographic statement by Columbus of gold brought from
America and sold by him in Castile, with fac-simile and translation
in M Autografos de Colon," Madrid, 1892.

[Translation.]
On July 13 Christobal de Torres sold at Seville, 2 marks, 7 ounces, 4 ochavas of gold,
at 453, the weight of a cestellano. On August 12, at Valladolid, Carbajal sold 2 marks, 6
ounces, 4 ochavas, 3 tomins, almost all of which was given by him in payment of the
clothing which he bought for himself. September 11, at Arcos, Carbajal sold G ounces,
2 ochavas, 1 tomin, 3 grains. All was sold at— September 19, Burgos, 4 ounces, 7
ochavas, 3 tomins were weighed. October 7, Carbajal sold 7 ounces, 4 ochavas, 5 tomins,
8 grains, at 445. October 25, Burgos, Carbajal sold 7 ounces, 4 ochavas, 1 tomin, 10
grains, at 445. November 12, Burgos Carbajal sold 1 mark, 6 ounces and 7 ochavas, less
14 grains, at 448. December 17, Burgos, Caibajal sold 7 ounces, 5 ochavas and 3

ORIGINAL PAPERS PERTAINING TO COLUMBUS, 207

tomins, at 446. January 10, Burgos, Carbajal sold 1 mark, 6 ounces, 1. ochavt, at —
February 6, Burgos, Carbajal sold 7 ounces, 4 ochavas, 4 tomins, 4 grains, at 445. Febru-
ary 13, Burgos, Juan Antonio sold 7 ounces, 6 ochavas, 1 tomin, at 450. February 28,
Burgos, Juan Antonio sold 4 marks, 5 ounces, 6 ochavas and 3 tomins, at fSJi March 15,
or before, Burgos, Juan Antonio sold 1 mark (this item covers the transaction or busi-
ness of the "funda") , charged to him at 453. December 30, Burgos, Juan Afvtonio sold
to the silversmith who made the seal 4 ounces, 2 ochavas, 3 tomins, at 448. January 24,
Burgos, Carbajal sold 1 mark, 4 ochavas, 3 tomins, at -- March 3, Juan Antonio gave
to the silversmith in payment of the necklace made by him, 1 ounce and 2 tomins, at
453. The sum of 91 reals was due to the said silversmith for 47 links, which the necklace
has, at 2 reals per link. At the foot of the page on the left corner Columbus made the
the following note: Two hundred and thirty-four doredos which Don Diego gave

m > on

The title given by Columbus to this paper, written by him across the
left margin, was: "Statement of the gold sold in Castile up to the
months of -— "

969. Original draft of letters of Columbus relating to his claims and privi-

leges — a rough draft, with erasures and corrections all in the handwrit-
ing of Columbus.

Columbus states in what is left of the first paragraph that the Queen
had suggested a compromise in regard to his claim of one-eightb of the
profits free from expenses, and that he accepted it.

In the "second he speaks of the number of people he had to take to the
Indies, and how in this respect, as in some others, the orders given and
the promises made had been often modified. He says that all that he
did was as directed by the persons to whom the Queen had entrusted
this business.

In the third he expresses his readiness to appoint some person to
attend, in his name, to the settlements of his claims, if so desired.

In the fourth he says that he never asked any value to be forcibly
fixed for anything purchased for his vessels. He only had expressed the
desire that when exorbitant prices were demanded, undue advantage
being taken of the necessity of circumstances, an equitable reduction
should be secured through the government.

In the fifth he explains that he wishes in use of the privileges granted
him to control the appointment of officers, not for the purpose of dis-
tributing patronage and increasing the number of employes, who are
already too many, but in order to watch them and remove them at once
whenever necessary.

In the sixth he says that he agrees to the measures suggested to avoid
the thefts of gold.

970. Original draft by Columbus for one hundred gold castellanos.

Dated at Granada, 23d' October, 1501.

Most Virtuous Sir:
I pray you to cause one hundred gold castellanos, which I need here to go to Seville

208 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

to be loaned to me. You will be pleased to order them to be given to the bearer, Diego
Tristan, my majordomo, who Will acknowledge the receipt thereof on the back of this
draft.
Done on Friday, the 22d of October, 1501.

S. A. S.

X. M. Y.

The Admiral.

On the back. (In the handwriting of some one else.)

X
The Admiral of the Indies. 3 x 1 v ii j p d.
I, Diego Tristan, do hereby acknowledge to have received of the treasurer, Alonzo de
Morales, the one hundred gold castellanos to which the present draft of the admiral
refers, said amount being equal to 48,500 maravedis. In whose testimony I have here-
unto subscribed my name, at Granada, on the 23d of October, 1501.

DIEGO TRISTAN. (Autograph.)

Memorandum in continuation of the above in Columbus' handwriting:
The above amount was deducted from the 150,000 which afterward were given to me

at Seville, by order of her Highness, to aid me in defraying the expenses, and the receipt

of which I acknowledged.

971. Original draft by Columbus in favor of Diego Rodriguez, dated 1504.

Francisco de Morillo:

Pay to Diego Rodriguez, the master of the vessel named -, as many dollars in

gold as may be equivalent to sixteen thousand maravedis, the value of 40 quintals of
hard tack which he sold me for the use of the crew, at the rate of 400 maravedis the
quintal.

Pay him, furthermore, eight ducats, which are the price of two fixtures for the sails.

Pay also to the taid Diego Rodriguez eighty dollars in gold, which is the fare of the
25 persons who will go with me from here to Castile.

He will acknowledge the receipt of all the above on the back of this draft.

Done Friday, the 7th of September, 1504.

Xpo FERENS. (Autograph.)

972. Fragment of an envelope with the seal of Columbus and the words "la

corte" (the court), and his usual invocation, "Jesus cum Maria sit nobis
in vita" (May Jesus and Mary be with us in life), written in his own
hand on one edge.

973. Draft drawn by Columbus in favor of Rodrigo Vizcaino and Francisco

Nino, 1504.

[Translation.]
Francisco del Morillo:

Pay Rodrigo Vizcaino 56 reals, value of eight casks which were bought for the cara-
vel, at the rate of seven reals each. The sum is equivalent to three dollars and a half.

Pay also to Francisco Nino 98 reals, as follows: 42 reals for 4 casks, and the balance
for 3 sets of hoops and rings for cooperag3. In all two dollars and a half and one

min.

Done at the 6hip of Diego Rodriguez this 8th day of September, 1504.

Xpo FERENS. (Autograph.)

ORIGINAL PAPERS PERTAINING TO COLUMBUS. 20Q.

974. Signature of Columbus as viceroy affixed at the foot of a commis-

sion issued by the Catholic kings, appointing Juan Pestana treasurer
of the mint of the Isla Espafiola.

Preceded by statement of the date, also in Columbus' handwriting.
"Twenty-ninth day of January of the year of
our Saviour one thousand and five hundred.

S. A. S.

X.M. Y.

The Viceroy.

Supposed to be

Servus
Supplex Altissimi Salvatori
Christus, Maria, Joseph.
Or, in English,

Humble Servant of the Most High Saviour,
Christ, Mary and Joseph.

975. Autographic paper given by Columbus to Juan Pestana, treasurer of

the mint, in the name of the Catholic sovereigns, 1500.

976. " Autografos de Cristobal Colon, y Papeles de America."

Autographs of Christopher Columbus and American papers. Published
by the Countess of Berwick y de Alba (Condessa de Siruela), Madrid,
1892. Presented by the Countess to William E. Curtis. Sumptuous
and valuable work containing autographs of Columbus, autographic let-
ters and papers referring to America.

The Duchess of Berwick and Alba has been for a number of years the
leader of Madrid society, recognized as much alike by her position,
beauty and accomplishments. She is the daughter of the Duke of Yer-
nan-Nunez, a famous name in Spain, and belongs to a family that has
numbered the great ones of three centuries among its friends and
admirers ; as Velasquez, Titian, Cervantes, Calderon, Lope de Vega,
kings, queens and princes. She is as intelligent and intellectual as she
is beautiful, and has recently given to the world the preceding volume,
extracted from the famous archives of the House of Alba, which have so
long contained literary and historical treasures of inestimable value.
From this collection, which embraces documents of the reigns of Charles
V and others, and which has been the object of many a literary pilgrim-
age to Madrid by devout students, the countess has taken the most im-
portant, referring especially to Columbus and the early voyages to
America, and has given them to the world in a volume that has received
the encomiums of all critics. Published in 1892, with the special object
of contributing to the " Centenaria " at Madrid. The volume is also par-
ticularly timely in its appearance on this side of the water for the Expo-
sition of 1893,
14

210 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

SECTION Q. THE VATICAN EXHIBIT.

Valuable historical documents and objects of art from the
archives of the Vatican. Loaned by His Holiness Leo
XIII, in compliance with a resolution of the Congress of
the United States.

990. Letter from His Holiness, Pope Nicolas V.

Dated Rome, September 20, 1448, to the Irish bishops of Skahlolt and
Holar, concerning the condition of the Church in Greenland.

It has long been asserted by certain Scandinavian writers that the
archives of the Vatican contain evidence to prove the alleged voyages
of the Norsemen to America in the tenth century, as related in the Ice-
landic sagas; and some years ago a woman petitioned the Congress of
the United States to request His Holiness, the Pope, to cause an inves-
tigation to be made. No notice was taken of the petition, but it may be
stated upon authority that no such documents exist. The records, how-
ever, do show that the Scandinavian colonies in Greenland were under
the supervision of the church as early as the beginning of the tenth cen-
tury, and this letter from Pope Nicolas V, dated September 20, 1448, to
the bishops of Ireland refers to such colonies. It informs them that all
the inhabitants and indigenous peoples of the Island of Grcenlandia
(Greenland), situated at the farthest Arctic confines of the world, per-
tain to the Archbishopric of Drontheim. That for thirty years the
pirates of the neighboring islands have devastated the country, leaving
in the shelter of the craggy mountains only nine parish churches of that
flourishing Christianity, founded six centuries before in that region
under the Holy King Olaf and placed under the shelter of the Holy
Apostolic See, where there was once a noted cathedral. The me-
morial asserts that the barbarians had carried away many captives,
of which a few had returned to their hearthstones and were occupying
themselves in repairing the ruins of the temples. For this reason the
Pope gives authority to the above-named bishops as the nearest to
Grcenlandia, to ordain priests and properly provide the parishes with
churches, and to consecrate as bishop a suitable person, with the agree-
ment or consent, if obtainable, of the Metropolitan.

THE VATICAN EXHIBIT. 211

991,, Bull of His Holiness Alexander V to the sovereigns Ferdinand and Isa-
bella of Spain, dated Rome, May 3, 1493.

As early as 1438 the Pope had been called upon to settle the rivalries
between Spain and Portugal, and had issued a bull authorizing the
Spaniards to sail west and the Portuguese south. When Columbus
returned from his first voyage the Spanish sovereigns notified the
Vatican, and asked the authority of the church to continue the explora-
tions. In response to this request, Alexander VI concedes the same
privileges over the West Indies, discovered and to be discovered, as
were granted by the Holy See to the Kings of Portugal on the west
coast of Africa, properly called, and of Guinea.

992. Bull of His Holiness Pope Alexander VI, to Ferdinand and Isabella,

supplemental.

In regard to the grants and privileges in the Western Indies and
amplifying the same. Rome, 4th of May, 1493.

993. Bust of Pope Alexander VI.

994. Bust of Pope Nicholas.

Original in Imperial Museum, Berlin.

995. Bull of the Pope Alexander VI to Ferdinand and Isabella, commending

the discoveries of Columbus and drawing a line of demarcation
between the dominions of Spain and Portugal, dated Rome, May 4,
1493-

The Portuguese ambassador at Rome, having under instructions from
his sovereign questioned the discoveries of Columbus, the Pope issued
a second edict, known as the Bull of Demarcation, commending the
achievements of Columbus and declaring that the Spaniards were
entitled to possess, "on condition of planting the Catholic faith," all
lands not already occupied by Christian powers, west of a meridian
drawn one hundred leagues west of the Azores and Cape Verde Islands.

996. Bull of Pope Alexander VI, dated Rome, June 25, 1493, confirming

Father Boyl, the first missionary priest to America, who accompanied
Columbus on his second voyage, and conferring upon him ample
powers to govern ecclesiastical affairs in the New World.

997. Letter from Pope Julius II to Don Ferdinand, King of Aragon and

Sicily, dated Rome, April 10, 1507, commending Bartholomew, the

brother, and Diego, the son of Columbus.

Recommending to the King the persons of Bartholomew and Don
Diego, son of Christopher Columbus, who go to see His Majesty, after
an audience with the Pope.

212 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

998. Letter f rom Pope Clement VII, Rome, 7th June, 1526.

To Fr. Francisco de los Angeles, Minister-General of the Order of San
Francisco. "Religiosam et sanctam mentem tuam."

Praising his zeal for evangelical preaching in the Indies, and granting
him permission to depart thence in the exercise of his sacred ministry.

999. To the Emperor Charles V, from Pope Clement VII, Rome, October

19, 1532.

Grants to the emperor for the preaching of the faith in America, one
hundred and twenty Franciscans, seventy Dominicans, and ten monks of
the Order of St. Jerome.

1000. The Ribero chart. Geographical map of third decade of sixteenth century.

A beautiful and complete map, on vellum, of the Old and the New
World, drawn in third decade of sixteenth century,eighty-five centimeters
high and two and nine-tenths meters wide. It bears an inscription stating
that it is a universal map, containing all of the world that had been dis-
covered up to that time. Made by Diego Ribero, cosmographer to His
Majesty, in the year 1529, at Seville. It was divided into two parts, in con-
formity with the terms of the compact between the sovereigns of Spain
and King John of Portugal, at Tordesillas, into 1494. On either side the
line of demarcation, in conformity with that compact, are the banners
of Spain and Portugal, reaching America on the coast of Brazil. In
Peru, the conquest had gone as far as the province of Sierra Morena,
at the southern extremity, of which appears, written in red ink, the name
of a town which was then known as Chincha, founded by Almagro.

The escutcheon of Alexander VII (1655-67), and those of the Chigi
family, which may be seen in the center of the map, at the lower part,
were placed over a rough place of the same map.

1001. Large map on vellum. Early part of the sixteenth century.

Map of the Old and New World,drawn in same epoch as the preceding
— size, one and six tenths meters in height by two and one-tenth in width.
Its primitive inscriptions have been cut away and have disappeared.
It bears the well-defined line of demarcation of Alexander VI, which does
not appear to have been drawn by the original cosmographer, but by a
later hand. It also shows a plan of the city of Mexico, and illuminated
portraits of Montezuma, Atahualpa and Prester John. This map and the
one preceding belong to the college of the Propaganda Fide at Rome.

1002. The Borgian map of America, by Diego Ribero, geographer to His

Majesty, Seville, 1529.

This relic of the early stages of American discovery is a contemporary
copy of the first Borgian map, so celebrated in history on account of the
line traced across it by Pope Alexander VI. It must have been begun

THE VATICAN EXHIBIT. 213

in or about 1494 and finished 1529, probably for the benefit of the Em-
peror Charles V, to aid him in settling some difficulties with the Portu-
guese. It forms part of the extremely valuable collection left to the
sacred congregation of the propaganda, by Cardinal Borgia, the last of
the family, who died in 1830.

1003. Picture in Musaico Tagliato— "St. Peter Weeping."

From the Museum of the Vatican. Half figure, after the original
painting by Guido Reni.

This is considered a masterpiece — ne plus ultra. Its execution re-
quired six years' labor.

1004. Picture in Musaico Tagliato — "The Prophet Isaiah."

From the Museum of the Vatican.

After the original fresco painted by Raphael, in the Church of St.
Augustine. It preserves a precious work of the immortal artist
from its situation, and the force of circumstances is destined to perish.
Its execution required sixteen years' labor.

1005. Picture in Musaico Filato — "The Roman Forum."

From the Museum of the Vatican.

After the original painting by Angelini, showing the remains of these
grand monuments (Roman) as they existed before the restorations of the
last twenty years. This picture represents six years' labor.

1006. Picture in Musaico Filato — "Theology."

From the Museum of the Vatican.

After the original painting by Raphael, and cost the labor of nearly
six years.

1007. Picture in Musaico Filato.

From the Museum of the Vatican.

After an original painting from the actual, representing the facade
and colonnade of St. Peter and the Vatican Palace, when the Pope, from
the loggia, blessed the people.

1008. Album containing fac-simile reproductions of famous documents relat-

ing to Columbus in the archives of the Vatican. Furnished by His
Holiness, Pope Leo XIII.

1009. Portrait of His Holiness Pope Leo XIII. By Chatrau.

The collection of small oil paintings which ornament the sanctuary
of the chapel were furnished by the Pope for that purpose, showing
the interest His Holiness has taken in the reproduction of the monas-
tery at the World's Columbian Exposition.

214 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

SECTION R. THE JOHN BOYD THACHER COLLECTION OF

VALUABLE WORKS REFERRING TO THE DISCOVERY

AND COLUMBUS.

Loaned by John Boyd Thacher, Albany, New York.
Numbers.

1050. Ptolemy Cosmographia, folio vicentia, 1475.

This is the first edition of Ptolemy, but it contains no maps.

1051. Ptolemy Cosmographia, folio, twenty-seven maps, Rome; press

Arnoldus Plannick, 1478.

This is the earliest Ptolemy with engraved maps, which are on metal,
presenting one of the earliest examples of copper engravings. One sees
here the headwaters of the Nile fed from two Monies Lunce. It shows
all that was known of the world at the time Columbus set out upon his
first voyage.

1052. Ptolemy Cosmographia, folio, thirty-two maps, Ulm; press Leonardus

Hul, 1482.

This edition is interesting as presenting the first delineation of any
part of the American continent, the configuration of Greenland appear-
ing on one of the maps prepared by Nicolaus Denis. It would seem to
indicate that the latter knew something of the Norse map-makers.

1053. Ptolemy Cosmographia, large folio, thirty-four maps, Rome, 1508.

This edition of Ptolemy contains the first engraved map showing the
results of the Columbian discovery. It was made by Johan Ruysch.

1054. Ptolemy Cosmographia, large folio, twenty-seven double maps, Venice,

i5«.

In this edition of Ptolemy is found a map of the New World,distinguish-
ing it by the name Terra Sanctce Cruets. It is the first representation
of the continent of North America.

1055. Ptolemy Cosmographia, large folio, forty-seven maps, Strassburg, 1513.

This edition, besides the twenty-seven maps belonging to the ancient
Ptolemies, contains twenty new maps made by Martinus Hylacomylus,
the author of the Cosmography Introduction printed at Saint Die in 1507.

[See No. 980.]

THE JOHN BOYD THACHER ' COLLECTION. 21 5

1056. Ptolemy Cosmographia, large folio, forty-seven maps and two spheres,

Strassburg, 1522.

This edition is the first of the Ptolemaic series to place the name
America upon a map. [See No. 977.] Both North and South America
are shown.

1057. Ptolemy Cosmographia, small octavo, Venice, 1548.

The colophon is dated 1547.

This may be regarded as the consummation of the Ptolemaic series.
Space forbids giving other examples. Here the configuration of the
two continents is plainly seen. It is the first Italian edition of Ptolemy.

1058. Sabellicus, Marcus Antonius, large folio, Rhapsodae Historiarum

Enneades, Venice, 1498, 1504.

In the second volume, the eighth book of the tenth Ennead contains a
brief biographical sketch of Christopher Columbus, the first ever printed.

1059. Autograph of Rene II, Duke of Lorraine.

Son of Yolande d' Anjou, and grandson of the good King Rene. The
patron of the Vosgian Gymnase, under whose auspices the Cosmo-
graphia' Introductio was printed. Letter signed November 18, 1505.

1060. Cosmographiae Introductio, Waltseemuller (Martinus Hylacomylus),

first edition, Saint Die, VII Kalends May, 1507; quarto, fifty-two
leaves, twenty-seven lines to a full page.

It is in this book that the suggestion was first made of calling the New
World A7nerica.

1061. Cosmographiae Introductio, Waltseemuller (Martinus Hylacomylus),

Strassburg, 1509; small quarto, thirty-two leaves.

This is the edition of which Ferdinand Columbus, the son of the
admiral, had a copy and which he fully annotated. He offered no pro-
test or comment in regard to the suggestion of naming the New World
after Americus.

1062. Giustiniani Psalterium, Genoa, 1516, folio, title 1 leaf-f 4 leaves-f-199

leaves.

This is the first Polyglot psalter, and is printed in Hebrew, Chaldean,
Greek, Arabic and Latin. It contains an early biographical sketch of
Columbus under that passage (verse 4) of the XIX Psalm, beginning
In otnnetn terram. This, for a long time, was believed to be the earliest
biography of the great navigator. It asserts that Columbus Vilibus
ortus parcntibus.

1063. Solinus, Julius, Polyhistor, with notes by Johannes Camers, folio,

Vienna, 1520.

This book contains an engraved map of the New World by Petrus

2l6 THE RELICS OF COLUMBUS.

Apianus, and is the first time the name America appears on any en-
graved map,

1064. Oviedo, Gonzalo Fernandez, Historia de L'Indie Occidentali, Venice,

1534.

At the beginning of the second book is the earliest printed map of the
Island of Spain or Hayti, showing Navidad, where Columbus lost his
flagship Santa Maria, and the city of Isabella, the first two settlements
in the New World.

1065. Columbus, Ferdinand, Histoire . . . E relatione della vita dell

Ammiraglio, small 8vo, 247 leaves in addition to title and tables,

Venice, 1571.

This is the first known edition of the life of Columbus by his son Fer-
dinand. It was translated from the Spanish, but whether from a printed
edition or a manuscript we do not know.

1066. Jovius, Paulus, Elogia Virorum Illustrium, large folio, Bale, 1575.

This volume, page 191, Book IV, contains the first published likeness
of Columbus. This engraving was made from a painting in the Jovian
gallery at' Como.
*o67. Autograph order of Pope Alexander VI (Rodigo Borgia). Dated 1497.

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