ward with his whole fleet; and passing the small though pleasant isles of Monte Christo, anchored before an Indian town, where he designed to plant a colony.

Having landed those that were intended for settlers in a commodious plain, he built a tower to which he gave the appellation of Isabella. The spot lay under a rock, on which a fort might be easily erected; the harbour was large, and in the vicinity ran a stream of excellent water, from which the town might be conveniently supplied. At no great distance, the mines of Cebao were said to lie. To ascertain this, the admiral dispatched a captain and 15 men; and on the 2d of February, 1494, he sent off 12 of his ships to Castile under the command of Antonio de Torres.

The party sent to explore the country, informed the admiral, that on the second day, they came to the pass of an almost inaccessible mountain; and at the distance of every league found a cazique, by whom they were hospitably received. On the sixth day, they reached the mines of Cebao, where they actually saw the Indians collecting gold from a small river, as they afterwards did from many others of the same province.

This grateful intelligence assisted to revive the admiral, who had experienced a fit of sickness from fatigue; and on the 12th of March he set out for Cebao, well attended by men on foot and horseback, leaving, however, a strong guard under the command of his brother, Diego Columbus. This precaution he took in consequence of a conspiracy which he had detected and quelled on board, and likewise to secure the settlers from any sudden attack. He took such necessaries with him as he judged proper to build a fort in the province of Cebao, for the protection of those he meant to leave there to gather gold; and to intimidate the natives, he marched his people through their villages in rank and file with arms and accoutrements, trumpets sounding, and colours flying. The inhabitants seemed to have no idea of private property: they endeavoured to make free with whatever pleased their fancy, and shewed surprize at meeting with a repulse. The whole way was agreeably diversified with pleasant mountains, covered with wild vines, and various sorts of fragrant trees.

On the 14th of March, the admiral proceeded for the river of Canes; and soon reached another to which he gave the appellation of the Gold river, because here he discovered some grains of that precious metal. Having with some difficulty passed this large volume of water, he found a considerable town with the doors barricadoed against him with canes. He entered the province of Cebao on the 16th, which though not very fertile, yields plenty of grass, and is watered by rivers abounding in gold.

His first attention was directed to the building of a fort in the centre of the mines, and in a situation naturally strong. This fortification he called the castle of St. Thomas. It was garrisoned by 56 men, under the conduct of Peter Margarite.

The admiral having communicated his instructions and advice to the garrison, set out on his return for Isabella, where he found cucumbers and melons, raised from European seeds, fit for the table; and ears of wheat which had been sown only two months, ripe and luxuriant. Vetches produced a crop in 25 days, and sugar canes budded in the same space. Columbus saw and admired the fertility of the soil; nor were the climate and the water less agreeable to his wishes.

A messenger arrived on the 1st of April, with intelligence, that the cazique Caunabo, was preparing to attack the fort of St. Thomas. To this Columbus gave little credit, as he did not suppose the natives had either resolution or force to make any impression on it; but wishing to leave every thing in quiet, before he proceeded on farther discoveries, he dispatched a reinforcement of 70 men. Meanwhile he completed his town, which was regularly disposed, and supplied with water by an artificial canal. He likewise resolved to send all the superfluous hands back to Spain, European provisions beginning to fail, and the health of several, in consequence, appearing to decline. The more robust, he ordered to traverse the island, that they might make discoveries, and become habituated to the Indian diet.

Accordingly 400 Spaniards departed from Isabella on the 29th of April, and having crossed the river del Oro, appre

hended a cazique, whom, with his brother, they sent to the admiral in irons, for breach of trust. Another cazique, relying on the services he had done the Spaniards, accompanied the prisoners to Isabella, in order to intercede for their liberation. The admiral received him courteously, and, to enhance the value of the favour he intended to grant, commanded the delinquents to be brought out for execution. The mediator, with a flood of tears, begged for their lives, which were granted to his friendship and solicitations. Immediately after their release, a person on horseback arrived from St. Thomas's, who told him he had rescued four Spaniards, who had been taken by the cazique's subjects by way of reprisal, and that 400 persons fled at the very sight of his horse.

Columbus having made preparations for a new expedition, left a council, of which his brother was president, to govern in his absence. He then sailed to Cuba; and on the 3d of May discovered Jamaica, where he was informed there was plenty of gold. This island appeared beautiful in the extreme. A number of natives came on board to barter provisions for toys. Coasting along the shore, he sent out his boats to sound, when they were unexpectedly surrounded by armed canoes. The Spaniards, however, not being intimidated, saluted the assailants with a flight of arrows, by which several were wounded, and the rest fled with precipitation. The admiral having repaired his ship, stood over, again, for Cuba, determined to discover whether it was an island or a continent.-The same time a young Jamaica Indian requested to accompany Columbus to Spain; and, in spite of the remonstrances of his countrymen and friends, persisted in his resolution. It is needless to say he met with a kind reception.

Having reached the point of Cuba, which he denominated Cabo de Santa Cruz, he was overtaken by a dreadful storm of thunder and lightning. He found the whole sea in this quarter interspersed with little sandy islands, which render the navigation very dangerous. Close to the shore, some of them, however, were very pleasant; and therefore he styled them the Queen's Garden. On these, they saw scarlet-coloured cranes, abundance of turtles, and an infinite quantity of sing

ing birds. The very air was impregnated with fragrance, and the senses were recreated with delight.

In one of the channels separating these islands, they observed some fishermen in a canoe, exercising their vocation after a new and curious form. A string being tied round the tail of some small fishes, called reves, which had been taught to encounter their fellows of the deep, by clinging fast to them, both are drawn up together. The Spaniards saw them catch a tortoise by this means; the reve being wound round its neck. It is said that these decoy fishes will sometimes attack sharks of the largest size. The Indians made a present to the admiral of the fish they had caught; for which he gave them a suitable return. He now began to be in great want of provisions; and his health was much impaired by fatigue, and want of rest, which he could not venture to enjoy amid such a dangerous navigation.

On the 22d of May, Columbus landed on one of these larger, surrounding islands, to which he gave the name of St. Mary. Here he entered a town, abandoned by the inhabitants; where he found nothing but fish and dogs. Continuing his voyage, to the north-east, he became still more embarrassed by the vast number of flats and islands which opened in unvaried succession to his view. With all his precautions the ship was frequently aground; and seeing no probable termination of the dangers he incessantly encountered, he was induced to relinquish his design of making the circuit of the island, till he should return to Spain.

The admiral now touched again at Cuba. On this occasion one of the mariners having ascended a tree, saw about 30 persons armed with spears and staves called macanas; and among them one clad in a white vest, reaching to his knees, and carried by two men drest in a similar manner, with complexions as fair as Spaniards. As these Indians hastily retired, Columbus next day sent several people on shore to ascertain the truth of this report, but without success.

Some canoes coming off with a supply of water and provi sions, one of the Indians was detained as an interpreter; on promise, however, of being set at liberty as soon as he had

given the intelligence required. From him the admiral was given to understand, that Cuba was an island; that the king never deigned to address his subjects but by signs; and that the surrounding coast was low, and full of islets.

Next day they fell in with such a number of turtles, that they actually covered the sea; while the sun was darkened by a cloud of sea-crows. They likewise saw such swarms of butterflies, that the face of the day was obscured from morning fill night, when a deluge of rain swept them all away.

On the 13th of June, Columbus anchored in an island about 30 leagues in circumference, which he called Evangelista; and having wooded and watered, directed his course southward; but soon found himself embayed. Returning to the coast of Cuba, he stood to the eastward; and on the 30th his ship ran aground, and stuck so fast, that it was with great difficulty and some damage she could be got off. While in this vicinity, they were visited by an old cazique, during the celebration of mass. To this service he seemed to pay great attention; and, at its conclusion, signified his belief in the existence of a supreme Being, the rewarder of virtue, and the punisher of vice in a future state.

The admiral put again to sea on the 16th of July. The winds and rains considerably incommoded him at first; but as he approached cape Cruz, he was overtaken by such a sudden storm, that before the sails could be furled, the ships were well nigh overset. Nor was this storm the only evil: they had also to contend with famine. Providentially, however, they reached cape Cruz, where the Indians supplied them with cassada bread, and abundance of fish, and store of fruits.--Thus refreshed, they stood for Jamaica, and coasting it to the westward, found it furnished with excellent harbours, and replete with inhabitants.

On the 20th of August, Columbus made the south side of Hispaniola, near cape Teberoon, which he then called cape St. Michael. Soon after, a cazique came on board, who accosted him by name, and pronounced some Spanish words. Towards the end of the month, having lost sight of the other two ships under his command, he anchored near the island of