 
The time for rest and recovery had not yet come for poor Columbus. Unforeseen blows, new difficulties, new anxieties, new labors and dangers, so great that they would have tested the endurance of a well man and exhausted any man not worn down with trouble, were awaiting him. His noble brother, Bartolomeo, during his absence had conducted an expedition to a favorable and not far distant region and had begun the erection of a new city, which he named San Domingo in honor of his father, Domenico. This city, which still flourishes, has been for a long time one of the most important in the West Indies and the whole island has gradually come to take its name. While laying out the new city, Bartolomeo, with a part of his men, advanced into parts of the island where Columbus had never been, leaving behind him the captain-general Roldan in command of those remaining. This evil-disposed man betrayed the confidence reposed in him and proved himself guilty of blackest ingratitude. Roldan had long waited an opportunity to overthrow the Columbus family and make himself ruler of the island. The departure of Bartolomeo and the absence of his great brother seemed to offer just that opportunity. He improved it to the utmost of his ability, sought to turn the Spaniards left behind against Bartolomeo and his younger brother, Diego, and succeeded so well that most of them came over to his side. They chose him for their leader, took up arms against the adelantado, his plan being to seize all the supplies and take the fort at San Domingo by storm. This plan, however, was fortunately thwarted by the vigilance of some of the officers who had been left to protect the fort, and the leaders were forced to retreat to another part of the island. There they strove to win the natives to their side and so far succeeded that in a short time the whole island was in the throes of revolution. Such was the desperate condition of the spot where Columbus had planned to rest! Still further to aggravate his troubles, he learned that the three vessels sent by him with supplies from the Canaries had not arrived. It seemed certain to him that they had been lost by some disaster or another upon the ocean. For a time everything seemed as good as hopeless for Columbus. Storms and ocean currents had driven these vessels out of their prescribed course and, after being tossed about in unknown regions of the ocean, they at last reached Hispaniola, but upon that coast where Roldan and his followers had settled. The cunning Roldan concealed his seditious undertaking from the captains of the three vessels and induced them to send a part of their crews on shore, whom he agreed to conduct to San Domingo. These men, the offscourings of the Spanish prisons, gladly enlisted under his banner, as it would give them a chance to rob and plunder. This was the first unpleasant result of the course which Columbus had inconsiderately taken. Several days after the Admiral’s arrival the three vessels appeared at San Domingo but without bringing the men he so much needed. Most of them had gone and most of the supplies had been consumed. Roldan, the ingrate, chuckled over Columbus’ weakness and boasted of his own authority. Columbus’ soul was filled with deep and bitter indignation. He magnanimously decided, however, not to pay any attention to the injury done him but rather to arrange an interview and see if the thankless Roldan and his erring followers could not be induced through kindness to return to their duties. To accomplish this he announced that all who were sorry for their offences should be forgiven as soon as they returned to their allegiance. Besides this he made the same promise to Roldan and assured him he should be restored to his former dignity. By this kindly condescension and after many urgent communications, he carried out his purpose and had the satisfaction of quelling this dangerous outbreak without shedding a drop of blood. Thereupon he sent a vessel to Spain to inform the Court of his discovery of the mainland and of his suppression of the uprising, with the evidences of the products which he had found there, consisting of pearls, gold, and a great quantity of many-colored cloths, besides finely woven fabrics. He sent his diary, in which he had kept the course of his vessels and all the important events which had occurred. Roldan, on the contrary, as well as his accomplices, did not fail to send information to the King of a nature to calumniate the Admiral and to justify his own shameless conduct. Unfortunately the King was unjust enough to put more credence in his statements than in those of the brave Admiral, notwithstanding the one uttered the truth and the other shameful calumnies. In the meantime the King of Portugal, deeply regretting that he had so mistaken Columbus and rejected his proposals, resolved to spare no cost in discovering the long-sought passage to the East Indies. To retrieve his mistake he fitted out an expedition and entrusted its command to the skilful and experienced mariner, Vasco da Gama. Difficulties which appeared insurmountable confronted this undertaking, but fortunately Da Gama had the same stamp of greatness as Columbus. No difficulties, however great, could deter him from the execution of a purpose once formed. It mattered not to him that the African coasts were unknown, that they abounded in rocks and sand bars, that the sun beat down with heat so fierce as to threaten the burning of the vessels, that storms raged and menaced them. He met all these obstacles with an unconquerable spirit, kept resolutely on, and at last reached the southernmost point of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope. That was only the starting-point for such an ambitious spirit as Vasco da Gama. He pushed farther ahead, sailed around to the other side of Africa, and at last reached the city of Melinda, upon the coast of Zanzibar. He was greatly surprised to find, in place of barbarians such as he had encountered all along the African coast, a highly civilized nation resembling in some respects the Asiatics. They carried on an extensive trade with foreigners, were Mohammedan in religion, and were acquainted with many of the arts of civilization. Eager to accomplish the real purpose of his expedition, he still sailed on and, on the twentieth of May, 1498, had the good fortune to reach the coast of India. He landed at the city of Calicut, in the Malabar district, on the Indian Ocean. He was no more surprised at the richness of the country and the value of its products than at its orderly administration and the polished manners of its people. Unfortunately he had nothing on his vessel which he could exchange for these valuable products, for the mere trifles which the savages prized so highly were of little account to these people. He did not remain there long, therefore, but turned back to inform the King of the fortunate outcome of his undertaking. Thus, at about the same time Columbus discovered the New World, another world, though known already, but of little practical advantage, was brought into close communication with Europe by navigation. From this time on wealth poured in great streams into little Portugal. It was not without envy that the Spaniards observed the rich treasure their neighbors were enjoying while they had not yet been able to pay the expenses of discovering their new possessions. The enthusiasm for making discoveries now spread more and more. Kings and republicans, nobles and burghers sought to make fortunes, to fit out expeditions, and gain adventures either for themselves or others. Among these the chevalier Ojeda, who had accompanied Columbus on his second voyage, persuaded some merchants of Seville to equip four vessels and despatch them on voyages of discovery under his command. He obtained permission to make these voyages, and a contract which violated the provisions of the one which the Court had made with Columbus. The Bishop of Badajos, who, as Prime Minister, had charge of all West Indian affairs, was a sworn enemy of Columbus and took advantage of his sickness to give Ojeda his diary and charts, to be used on the voyage. This Ojeda was accompanied by a well-known Italian nobleman, Amerigo Vespucci, or, in Latin, Americus Vespucius. With the help of the diary of Columbus, Ojeda reached the island of Trinidad, and, after many adventures, arrived at Hispaniola, where he made common cause with Roldan, but returned to Spain after he had been betrayed by him. Ojeda’s voyage, though it was of little importance, brings Americus Vespucius into notice. In what capacity he accompanied Ojeda is not clear. He himself maintains he made the voyage in the service of the Crown. In his description of it he is not always truthful. He overestimates his own importance, and yet it is evident from his writings that he was very fond of adventure and natural beauty. Americus Vespucius did not propose that the newly discovered country should be named for him. He was not so foolish as that. The name was first given to it after his death, because it was first made well known in his writings. Realizing the important gains to be made from the passage discovered by Da Gama, the King of Portugal fitted out a great fleet which was loaded with European goods with which to carry on a lucrative business, and a man named Cabral was appointed its commander. As he knew how unsafe it was to sail along the African coast, he steered, as soon as he was on the other side of the equator, to the west, and, after keeping in that direction for some time, suddenly and much to his astonishment found himself on the coast of a great country. By accident he had discovered the rich Brazil. He took possession of it in the name of the King and sent one of his vessels back with the agreeable news. In this way was one part of America after another discovered, demonstrating more and more how correct were the grounds upon which Columbus’ conjectures rested. |
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