Notable Voyagers | Page 5

Fe,
confiding in the noble probity of the Queen.
Articles of agreement were drawn up by the royal secretary at once.
Columbus was to have for himself during his life, and his heirs and
successors for ever, the office of admiral of all lands and continents
which he might discover.
Secondly: He was to be viceroy and governor-general over them.
Thirdly: He was to be entitled to receive for himself one-tenth of all
pearls, precious stones, gold, silver, spices, and all other articles and
merchandise obtained within this admiralty.
Fourthly: He or his lieutenant was to be the sole judge in all cases and

disputes arising out of traffic between those countries and Spain.
Fifthly: He might then, and at all after times, contribute an eighth part
of the expense in fitting out vessels to sail on this enterprise, and
receive one-eighth part of the profit.
The latter engagement he fulfilled through the assistance of the Pinzons
of Palos, and added a third vessel to the armament.
Thus, one-eighth of the expense attendant on this grand expedition,
undertaken by a powerful nation, was actually borne by the individual
who conceived it, and who likewise risked his life on its success.
The capitulations were afterwards signed by Ferdinand and Isabella on
the 17th of April, 1492, when, in addition to the above articles,
Columbus and his heirs were authorised to prefix the title of Don to
their names.
It was arranged that the armament should be fitted out at the port of
Palos, Columbus calculating on the co-operation of his friends Martin
Alonzo Pinzon and the Prior of the convent.
Both Isabella and Columbus were influenced by a pious zeal for
effecting the great work of salvation among the potentates and peoples
of the lands to be discovered. He expected to arrive at the extremity of
the ocean, and to open up direct communication with the vast and
magnificent empire of the Grand Khan of Tartary. His deep and
cherished design was the recovery of the Holy Sepulchre, which he
meditated during the remainder of his life, and solemnly provided for in
his will.
Let those who are disposed to faint under difficulties in the prosecution
of any great and worthy undertaking, remember that eighteen years
elapsed after the time that Columbus conceived his enterprise, before
he was able to carry it into effect; that the greater part of that time was
passed in almost hopeless solicitation, amidst poverty, neglect, and
taunting ridicule; that the prime of his life had wasted away in the
struggle; and that when his perseverance was finally crowned with

success, he had reached his fifty-sixth year.
CHAPTER TWO.
FIRST VOYAGE OF COLUMBUS--A.D. 1492.
Columbus returns to Palos--Assisted by the Prior of La Rabida--The
Pinzons agree to join him--Difficulty of obtaining ships and men--At
length three vessels fitted out--Sails in the Santa Maria, with the Pinta
and Nina, on 3rd August, 1492--Terrors and mutinous disposition of
the crews--Reaches the Canary Islands--Narrowly escapes from a
Portuguese squadron seat to capture him--Alarm of the crews
increases--The squadron sails smoothly on--Columbus keeps two logs
to deceive the seamen--Signs of land--Seaweed--Flights of birds--Birds
pitch on the ship--Frequent changes in the tempers of the crews--
Westerly course long held--Course altered to south-west--Pinzon
fancies he sees land--Disappointment--Columbus sees lights at
night--Morning dawns--San Salvador discovered--Natives
seen--Columbus lands--Wonder of the natives--Proceeds in search of
Cipango--Other islands visited, and gold looked for in vain--Friendly
reception by the natives--Supplies brought off--Search for
Saometo--Cuba discovered 20th October, 1492-- Calls it
Juana--Believes it to be the mainland of India--Sends envoys into the
interior--Their favourable report of the fertility of the country--A
storm--Deserted by Martin Pinzon in the Pinta--First view of
Hispaniola--A native girl captured--Set free--Returns with large
numbers of her countrymen--Arcadian simplicity of the natives.
Columbus hastened to Palos, where he was received as the guest of
Fray Juan Perez, the worthy Prior of the convent of Rabida. The whole
squadron with which the two sovereigns proposed to carry out their
grand undertaking was to consist only of three small vessels. Two of
these, by a royal decree, were to be furnished by Palos, the other by
Columbus himself or his friends.
The morning after his arrival, Columbus, accompanied by the Prior,
proceeded to the church of Saint George in Palos, where the authorities

and principal inhabitants had been ordered to attend. Here the royal
order was read by a notary public, commanding them to have two
caravels ready for sea in ten days, they and their crews to be placed at
the disposal of Columbus. He himself was empowered to procure and
fit out a third vessel.
Orders were likewise read, addressed to the public authorities, and the
people of all ranks and conditions in the maritime borders of Andalusia,
commanding them to furnish supplies and assistance of all kinds for