It seemed to him a matter of the highest importance to ascertain whether there was such a passage. If so, how much easier and more direct it would be to sail for the Indies in that direction than by the passage discovered by the Portuguese around Africa! Great as was the injury done to him by the King, his desire to benefit the world by fresh discoveries was still greater, greater even than his indignation at being superseded and refused his rights. He magnanimously resolved to forget all that had been done to him and in his old age to risk once more the dangers and hardships of a new voyage. He announced his purpose to the Court, which was only too delighted at the opportunity of ridding itself of his troublesome presence. The sight of this deserving and greatly maligned man was a daily reproach to the King and Queen and they were only too glad to be free from it. Hence they willingly accepted his offer. They also cherished a belief that his voyage might have fortunate results for them. The order to fit out an expedition was promptly issued.
What an apology for a fleet! Four wretched little vessels, the largest of which was not half as large as an ordinary freight vessel, constituted all the material entrusted to him for so great an undertaking. With this little fleet he must navigate a far-distant unknown ocean and find a way to those East Indies from which he had promised to bring rich treasures. What a wretched outfit for the accomplishment of so vast an undertaking! Any other man would have abandoned such a seemingly impossible project, but Columbus thought of his first voyage and had no hesitation in trusting his life this time to vessels as weak as those were with which he first crossed the ocean between Europe and the West Indies. He went on board courageously, accompanied by his brother Bartolomeo and his thirteen-year-old second son, Ferdinand, who afterward wrote the history of his life.
On the ninth of May, 1502, ten years after his first voyage, the gray-haired navigator set sail from Cadiz and steered for the Canary Islands. The voyage thus far was very fortunate, except that one of his vessels, the largest one, was such a slow sailer that it was very difficult to keep up with the others. He therefore first directed his course to Hispaniola that he might exchange this useless vessel for another. As soon as he reached the island he sent a messenger to Ovando, acquainting him with the reasons for his arrival and asking permission to enter the harbor. The governor, however, did not believe he had the right to grant this request as a different course had been laid out for him, and he had been forbidden to go to Hispaniola. So the Admiral had to submit to a humiliation which he must have expected. Notwithstanding his indignation he called the attention of Ovando to the fact, of which he was certain from long experience, that a violent storm was approaching. He begged for permission therefore to enter the harbor and remain there until the storm subsided. The governor at this time was about to send a considerable fleet to Spain. Columbus’ proposal, however, was disregarded. His petition was rejected, his advice spurned, and his warning was laughed at as the fancy of a conceited, knavish weather prophet. Meanwhile the Spanish homeward-bound fleet set sail.
But the Heavens avenged the slight which had been put upon Columbus. The storm which he had foreseen came in all its fury. Columbus saved himself by keeping close in to shore and his vessels escaped. Ovando’s richly laden fleet, however, on its way to Spain, became the prey of the storm. Roldan and Bobadilla paid the penalty of their treachery to Columbus and perished in the waters. When the Admiral learned later that they were among the drowned, he had no doubt that an overruling Power had thus punished these traitors. With righteous indignation Columbus left the island, which he had discovered and which had been refused him as a shelter from a terrible storm, and sailed westward for the mainland. He was beset by many dangers on this voyage but finally had the good fortune to reach an island called Guanaja, lying not far from the main coast of Honduras. As soon as he had come to anchor he sent his brother Bartolomeo with some armed men ashore to make investigations. As Bartolomeo approached the beach he met a large Indian boat much more skilfully built than any he had ever seen before in that region. It was of considerable length, eight feet wide, and covered in the middle with a roof of palm leaves which gave it the appearance of a large gondola. The wives and children of the Indians were on board, besides twenty-five men. As soon as they were overtaken they gave themselves up as prisoners, without resistance, although they were armed. Their cargo was examined and found to consist of woollen stuffs, some pieces of clothing, and great bands of cloth which served as draperies for the women, large wooden swords sharpened on both sides, besides copper hatchets and some other articles made of metal. Their food was of the same kind as that in Hispaniola except that they had a drink made of maize, resembling beer, and a small stock of cocoa beans of which they were very fond and which also served for money. These were the first beans of the kind ever seen by Europeans. Another remarkable thing about these savages was the modest manner in which they attired themselves.
The Admiral was delighted to have these natives in his power, as he hoped to learn from them much that he wished to know. He treated them generously, exchanged European articles for their own, and gave them to understand they could go back with their boat whenever it pleased them. One old man, who seemed to be the most distinguished among them, remained on board a long time and much useful knowledge was gained from him which was of service in further communications with the natives.
Columbus learned from this old man that there was a great region farther to the west which produced gold in abundance. The people in that region wore golden circlets on their heads and heavy gold rings on their fingers, arms, and ankles. They had tables, chairs, and chests of gold; and corals, spices, and other valuable articles could be found there in great quantities. This region was no other than the rich Mexico. But great as was the Admiral’s desire to secure these treasures, his desire to effect the purpose of his voyage by discovering the straits, which he hoped to find not far away, was still greater. After much consideration he abandoned the idea of obtaining these treasures which he was assured were so near. Without paying heed to the complaints of his companions he directed his course along the shore of the mainland toward the east.
Chapter XVI
Columbus Vainly Attempts to Find the Passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
In pursuance of his plan Columbus sailed from the coast of Honduras to the eastward, hoping to find the straits which the natives assured him were in that direction. On their eastern journey along the coast they saw men who were very different from those they had met before and at the same time more uncivilized. They went entirely naked, ate raw meat and fish, and their ears were distended even to their shoulders by the many things they wore in them. They were tattooed with pictures of deer, lions, and other animals all over their bodies. The most important of the natives were distinguished from the others by white and red head coverings of woollen stuff. Some were black, others red, and still others painted their lips, nostrils, and eyes with stripes of various colors.
From there he sailed farther on, making, however, but a short distance each day as the wind was almost continually contrary and he was greatly troubled by the currents. At last he reached a cape, stretching toward the south, and there the wind was so favorable that he coasted along without difficulty. Columbus, who never was lacking in gratitude toward the only Source of all good, named this cape Gracias á Dios, or “Thanks to God.” In one place where they lay at anchor for several days they encountered boats filled with armed savages who looked as if they intended to prevent them from making a landing. As soon as they were convinced, however, of the friendly intentions of the Spaniards, they approached with the utmost confidence and offered to sell their weapons of various kinds, crossbows, canes of a black hardwood—tipped with fish bone,—clubs, waistcoats of wool, and little pieces of pale gold which they wore on their necks. The Admiral presented them with various European playthings without taking anything for them. This seemed to dissatisfy them and when the Spaniards also declined their repeated invitation to go ashore they regarded it as a sign of mistrust. For this reason they shortly sent an old man of distinguished appearance, accompanied by two young maidens wearing gold necklaces, as ambassadors to the Spaniards. The old man appeared with a banner in his hand, which doubtless was a flag of truce, and desired to be conducted to the Admiral. Columbus received them courteously, provided them with food and clothing, and sent them back to shore delighted with their friendly treatment.
On the next day Columbus’ brother went ashore and saw all the presents which had been given to the natives lying in a heap, probably because it was not their custom to accept gifts without making gifts in return. As he landed, two of the foremost natives took him by the arms and requested him to sit between them on the grass. He did as they wished, asked them various questions with the help of an interpreter, and ordered his secretary to take down their answers in writing. Hardly had the savages noticed pen, paper, and ink before they sprang up excitedly and ran up to their fellows who were looking on near by. The poor superstitious people fancied that the secretary was a magician, that the writing materials were the instruments of his magic, and that he would do them harm. Every effort was made to convince them of their folly but they would not venture to come near the Spaniards until they had averted the danger in their peculiar way, which was as follows: They threw a kind of powder at them which gave out a smoke, and this smoke, which they probably believed had the power of averting magic, they managed so that it should touch the one whom they regarded as the master magician. Immediately after this Bartolomeo went with them to their village. The most remarkable thing he saw was a large wooden structure which served as a burial-place. He found several corpses in it wrapped in woollen cloths, one of which was embalmed. Upon each one of the graves there was a board upon which were figures of animals. Upon some there were likenesses of the deceased, ornamented in various ways. On the next day the Admiral detained several natives on board in order to obtain further information from them, which led the others to believe that he intended to keep them until they were ransomed. Accordingly they sent messengers to him with two young wild hogs as a ransom for the prisoners. The Admiral sought to make them understand their comrades were not prisoners and that a ransom was not necessary. He bought the hogs from them, whereupon they returned contented.