The next day brought a visit from no less a person than Bartholomew Diaz.
Columbus had probably met him before in 1486, when Diaz had been a distinguished
man and Columbus a man not distinguished; but now things were changed. Diaz
ordered Columbus to come on board his small vessel in order to go and report
himself to the King's officers; but Columbus replied that he was the Admiral of
the Sovereigns of Castile, "that he did not render such account to such
persons," and that he declined to leave his ship. Diaz then ordered him to send
the captain of the Nina; but Columbus refused to send either the captain or any
other person, and otherwise gave himself airs as the Admiral of the Ocean Seas.
Diaz then moderated his requests, and merely asked Columbus to show him his
letter of authority, which Columbus did; and then Diaz went away and brought
back with him the captain of the Portuguese royal yacht, who came in great state
on board the shabby little Nina, with kettle-drums and trumpets and pipes, and
placed himself at the disposal of Columbus. It is a curious moment, this, in
which the two great discoverers of their time, Diaz and Columbus, meet for an
hour on the deck of a forty-ton caravel; a curious thing to consider that they
who had performed such great feats of skill and bravery, one to discover the
southernmost point of the old world and the other to voyage across an uncharted
ocean to the discovery of an entirely new world, could find nothing better to
talk about than their respective ranks and glories; and found no more
interesting subject of discussion than the exact amount of state and privilege
which should be accorded to each.
During the day or two in which Columbus waited in the port crowds of people
came down from Lisbon to see the little Nina, which was an object of much
admiration and astonishment; to see the Indians also, at whom they greatly
marvelled. It was probably at this time that the letter addressed to Luis de
Santangel, containing the first official account of the voyage, was
despatched. *
*****
*
*
"Sir: As I 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 discovered 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 extensive 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 fail 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 already 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 therefore 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 travelled 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—[should be 188]—long
leagues due east.
"This island is very fertile, as well, indeed, as all the rest. It
possesses numerous harbours, 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 mountains, without comparison of the island
of Centrefrey;—[Tenerife]—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 latter
never lose their fresh foliage, as far as I can understand, for I saw them
as fresh and flourishing as those of Spain in the month of May. Some were in
blossom, some bearing 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 generally beautiful and rich for planting and sowing, for rearing
sheep and cattle of all kinds, and ready for towns and cities. The harbours
must be seen to be appreciated; 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.
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