 Preface of a Book of American Explorers. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Larry Wilson. A Book of American Explorers by Thomas Wentworth Higginson. Preface. It has always seemed to me that the narratives of the early discovers and explorers of the American coast were as interesting as Robinson Crusoe, and were indeed very much like it. This has led me to make a series of extracts from these narratives, selecting what appeared to me the most interesting parts and altering only the spelling. The grammar is not always correct, but it would be impossible to alter that without changing the style of writing too much. So it has not been changed at all. Wherever it has seemed necessary, I have put a word of my own in brackets, thus. But all else is the very language of the old writers or their translators. Whenever anything has been omitted, great or small, the place has been marked by dots. Some of the hardest words have been explained by footnotes. One great thing which I have wished my readers to learn is the charm of an original narrative. We should all rather hear a shipwreck described by a sailor who was on board the ship than to read the best account of it afterwards, prepared by the most skillful writer. What I most desire is that those who have here acquired a taste for these old stories should turn to the books from which the extracts are taken and follow up the study for themselves. Then they can go with renewed interest to the pages of Bancroft and Parkman, or at least to my own young folk's history, for the thread on which these quaint narratives may be strong. The explorers of various nations are represented in this book. There are Northmen, Italians, Englishmen, Fridgemen, Spaniards, and Dutchmen. Where the original narrative was in some foreign language, that translation has been chosen which gives most of the spirit of the original. And Mr. Cabot's versions of the Norse legends were especially selected for this reason. It seemed proper to begin the book with these, and it is brought down to the time when the Virginia and Massachusetts colonies with that of the New Netherlands were fairly planted on the American shore. Possibly at some future time I may recommence with the Massachusetts colonies and tell their own story down to the Revolution, either in a book of extracts like this or in my own words. T.W.H. Newport, Rhode Island, March 1, 1877. End of preface. A Book of American Explorers by Thomas Wentworth Higginson. Book one, The Legends of the Northmen, 985-1008. These extracts are taken from two Icelandic works called Tauta Ericsreda, the piece about Eric the Red, and Greilendinga Taut, the piece about the Greenlanders. These passages were translated by J. Eliot Cabot Esquire and were published in the Massachusetts Quarterly Review for March 1849. It is now generally believed of historians that these legends are mainly correct and that the region described as Vinland was part of the North American continent. Beyond this we do not know. The poet Whittier has written thus of these early explorers in his poem called The Norsemen. What sea-worn barks are those which throw the light-spray from each rushing prow? Have they not, in the North Sea's blast, bowed to the waves the straining mast? Their frozen sails, the low pale sun, of Thule's night has shone upon, flapped by the sea wind's gusty sweep round icy drift and headland steep, while Jutland's wives and Lachlan's daughters have watched them fading o'er the waters, lessening through driving mist and spray, like white-wing sea-birds on their way. Onward they glide, and now I view their iron-armed and stalwart crew. Joy glistens in each wild blue eye, turned to green earth and summer sky. Each broad-seemed breast has cast aside its combering vest of shaggy hide, bared to the sun, and soft warm air streams back the Norsemen's yellow hair. I see the gleam of axe and spear, the sound of smitten shields I hear, keeping a harsh and fitting time to Saga's chant and runic rhyme. Part One How the Northmen Discovered North America About the year 860 a Danish sailor, named Gardar, was driven upon the shores of Iceland, after which that island was settled by a colony from Norway. About a hundred years later Greenland was settled from Iceland, Erik the Red being the first to make the voyage. With him went one Harry Ulf, whose son, Bjarne, had been in habit of passing every other winter with his father, then sailing on distant voyages, then happened what follows. That same summer, 985 or 986, came Bjarne with his ship to Irar, Iceland, in the spring of which his father had sailed from the island. These tidings seemed to Bjarne waity, and he would not unload his ship. Then asked his sailors what he meant to do. He answered that he meant to hold to his want and winter with his father, and I will bear for Greenland, if you will follow me thither. All said they would do as he wished, then said Bjarne, imprudent they will think our voyage, since none of us has been in the Greenland Sea. Yet they bore out to sea as soon as they were bound, and sailed three days till the land was sunk. Then the fair wind fell off, and there arose North winds and fogs, and they knew not whether they fared, and so it went for many days. After that they saw the sun, and could then get their bearings. Then they hoisted sail, and sailed that day before they saw land, and they counseled with themselves what land that might be. But Bjarne said he thought it could not be Greenland. They asked him whether he would sail to the land or not. This is my counsel, to sail nigh to the land, he said he. And so they did, and soon saw that the land was without fells, and wooded, and small heights on the land, and they left the land to larbored, and let the foot of the sail look towards land. After that they sailed two days before they saw another land. They asked if Bjarne thought this was Greenland. He said he thought it no more Greenland than the first, for the glaciers are very huge as they say in Greenland. They soon neared the land, and saw that it was flat land, and overgrown with wood. Then the fair wind fell. Then the sailors said it seemed prudent to them to land there, but Bjarne would not. They thought they needed both wood and water. Of neither are you in want, said Bjarne, but he got some hard speeches for that from his sailors. He bade them hoist sail, and so they did, and they turned the bows from the land, and sailed out to sea with a west-south wind three days, and saw a third land. But that land was high, mountainous, and covered with glaciers. They asked then if Bjarne would put ashore there, but he said he would not, for this land seems to me not very promising. They did not lower their sails, but held on along this land, and saw that it was an island, but they turned the stern to the land, and sailed seawards with the same fair wind. Then rose, and Bjarne bade them shortened sail, and not to carry more than their ship and tackle would bear. They sailed now four days, then saw they land the forth. Then they asked Bjarne whether he thought that was Greenland or not. Bjarne answered, that is likeest to what is said to me of Greenland, and we will put ashore. So they did, and landed under a certain nests at evening of the day. And there was a boat at the nests, and here lived Harry Ulf, the father of Bjarne, on this nests, and from him as the nests taken its name, and his sense called Harry Ulf's nests. Now fared Bjarne to his father, and gave up sailing, and was with his father whilst Harry Ulf lived, and afterwards lived there after his father. End of section one. Section two of a book of American explorers. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Phil Shempf. A book of American explorers by Thomas Wentworth Higginson. Book one, The Legends of the Northmen. 985-1008. Part two, The Voyage of Life the Lucky. After Bjarne had reached the Greenland settlement and told his story, he was blamed for not having explored these unknown lands more carefully, and Laef the Lucky bought Bjarne's vessel and set sail with thirty-five companions to see what he could discover. A.D. 999. First they found the land which Bjarne had found last, then sailed they to the land and cast anchor, and put off a boat and went ashore, and saw there no grass. Mickel glaciers were over all the higher parts, but it was like a plane of rock from the glaciers to the sea, and it seemed to them that the land was good for nothing. Then said Laef, we have not done about this land like Bjarne, not to go upon it. Now I will give a name to the land, and call it Heluland, Flat Stone Land. Then they went to their ship. After that they sailed into the sea, and found another land, sailed up to it and cast anchor, then put off a boat and went ashore. This land was flat, and covered with wood and broad white sands wherever they went, and the shore was low. Then said Laef, from its make shall a name be given to this land, and it shall be called Markland, Woodland. Then they went quickly down to the vessel. Now they sailed thence into the sea with a northeast wind, and were out two days before they saw land, and they sailed to land, and came to an island that lay north of the land. And they went on to it, and looked about them in good weather, and found that dew lay upon the grass, and that happened that they put their hands in the dew, and brought it to their mouths, and they thought they had never known anything so sweet as that was. Then they went to their ship, and sailed into the sound that lay between the island and a nest, which went northward from the land, and then steered westward past the nest. There were great shoals at Ebtide, and their vessel stood up, and it was far to sea from the ship to the sea, but they were so curious to fare to the land that they could not bear to bide till the sea came under their ship, and ran ashore where a river flows out from a lake. But when the sea came under their ship, then took they the boat, and rode to the ship, and took it up the river, and then into the lake, and there cast anchor, and bore from the ship their skin-cots, and made their booths. Afterwards they took counsel to stay there that winter, and made their great houses. There was no scarcity of salmon in the rivers and lakes, and larger salmon than they had before seen. There was the land so good, as it seemed to them that no cattle would want fodder for the winter. There came no frost in the winter, and little did the grass fall off there. Day and night were more equal there than in Greenland or Iceland. But when they had ended their house-building, then said Leif to his companions, now let our company be divided into two parts, and the land canned, and one half of the people shall be at the house at home, but the other half shall can the land, and fare not further than they may come home at evening, and they shall not separate. Now so they did one time. Leif changed about so that he went with them one day, and the next was at home at the house. Leif was a Mikkelman and stout, most noble to see, a wise man and moderate in all things. End of Section 2 Section 3 of a Book of American Explorers This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Phil Shempf. A Book of American Explorers by Thomas Wentworth Higginson. Book 1. The Legends of the Northmen 985-1008 Part 3. Leif finds vines and goes back to Greenland. One evening it chanced that a man was wanting of their people, and this was Tearcare, the southerner. Leif took this very ill, for Tearcare had been long with his parents and loved Leif much in his childhood. Leif now chid his people sharply and made ready to fare forth to seek him and twelve men with him. But when they had gone a little way there came Tearcare to meet them and was joyfully received. Leif found at once that his old friend was somewhat out of his mind. He was bustling and non-steady-eyed, freckled in face, little and whizzened in growth, but a man of skill in all arts. Then said Leif to him, why weren't thou so late, my fosterer, and separated from the party? He talked at first a long while in German and rolled many ways his eyes and twisted his face, but they skilled not what he said. He said then and Norse after a time, I went not very far, but I have great news to tell. I have found grapevines and grapes. Can that be true, my fosterer, quote Leif? Surely it is true, quote he, for I was brought up where there is no want of grapevines or grapes. Then they slept for the night, but in the morning Leif said to his sailors, now we shall have two jobs. Each day we will either gather grapes or hew grapevines and fell trees, so there will be a cargo for my ship, and that was the council taken. It is said that their longboat was filled with grapes. Now was hewn a cargo for the ship, and when spring came they got ready and sailed off, and Leif gave a name to the land after its sort, and called it Vinland, wine land. They sailed then afterwards into the sea and had a fair wind until they saw Greenland and the fells under the glaciers. After that he was called Leif the Lucky. Leif was now both well-to-do and honored. Now there was great talk about Leif's Vinland voyage, and Torvault, his brother, thought the land had been too little explored, then said Leif to Torvault, thou shalt go with my ship, brother, if thou wilt, to Vinland. End of Section 3 Section 4 of a Book of American Explorers This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Phil Schempf A Book of American Explorers by Thomas Wentworth Higginson Book 1 The Legends of the Northmen 985-1008 Part 4 Torvault Leif's brother goes to Vinland. Now Torvault made ready for this voyage with thirty men with the counsel thereon of Leif his brother. Then they fitted out their ship and bore out to sea, A.D. 1002. And there is nothing told to their voyage before they came to Vinland, to Leif's booths, and they laid up their ship and dwelt in peace there that winter, and caught fish for their meat. But in the spring, Torvault said they would get ready their ship and boat and some men with it along to the westward of the land and explore it during the summer. The land seemed to them fair and woody, and narrow between the woods and the sea, and of white sand. There were many islands and great shoals. They found neither men's abode nor beasts. But on an island to the westward they found a corn shed of wood. More works of men they found not, and they went back and came to Leif's hall. But the next summer fared Torvault eastward with the merchant ship, and coasted to the northward. Here a heavy storm arose as they passed one of two capes, and drove them up there and broke the keel under the ship. And they dwelt there long and mended their ship. Then said Torvault to his companions, now will I that we raise up here the keel on the nests, and call it keel nests, and so they did. After that they sailed thence, and coasted to the eastward, and into the mouths of the furths that were nearest to them, and to the headlin that stretched out. This was all covered with wood. Here they brought the ship into harbour, and shoved a bridge onto the land, and Torvault went ashore with all his company. He said then, here it is fair, and here would I like to raise my dwelling. They went then to the ship, and saw upon the three heights, and they went hither, and saw there three skin boats, and three men under each. Then they divided their people, and laid hands on them all, except one that got off with his boat. They killed these eight, and then went back to the headlin, and looked about them there, and saw in the furth some heights, and thought that they were dwellings. After that there came a heaviness on them, so great that they could not keep awake, and all slumbered. Then came a call above them, so that they all awoke. Thus said the call, Awake, Torvault, and all thy company, if thou wilt keep thy life, and fare thou to thy ship, and all thy men, and fare from the land of the quickest. Then came from the furth innumerable skin boats, and made toward them. Torvault said then, we will set up our battle shields, and guard ourselves the best we can, but fight little against them. So they did, and the screlings shot at them for a while, but then fled, each as fast as he could. Then Torvault asked his men if any of them was hurt. They said they were not hurt. I have got a hurt under my arm, said he, for an arrow flew between the bulwarks and the shield under my arm, and here is the arrow, and that will be my death. Now I counsel that ye make ready as quickly as may be to return, but ye shall bear me to the headland which I thought the likeliest place to build. It may be, it was a true word I spoke, that I should dwell there for a time. There ye shall bury me, and set crosses at my head and feet, and call it Crosonus, henceforth. Renland was then Christianized, but Iric the Red had died before Christianity came thither. Now Torvault died, but they did everything according as he had said, and then went and found their companions, and told each other the news they had to tell, and live there that winter, and gathered grapes and vines for loading the ship. Then in the spring they made ready to sail to Greenland, and came with their ship to Iric's Firth, and had great tidings to tell life. Section 4 Section 5 of A Book of American Explorers This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Phil Shempf A Book of American Explorers by Thomas Wentworth Higginson Book 1 The Legends of the Northmen 985-1008 Part 5 Carl Sefney's Adventures Carl Sefney, a rich Norwegian came to Greenland, stayed at Leif's house, married a wife, and was finally persuaded to bring a colony of sixty men and five women to Vinland. This agreement made Carl Sefney and his seamen that they should have even handed all that they should get in the way of goods. They had with them all sorts of cattle, as they thought to settle there if they might. Carl Sefney begged Leif for his house in Vinland, but he said he would lend him the house, but not give it. Then they bore out to sea with the ship and came to Leif's booths, hail and hole, and landed there their cattle. There soon came into their hands a great and good prize, for a whale was driven ashore, both great and good. Then they went to cut up the whale, and had no scarcity of food. The cattle went up into the country, and it soon happened that the male cattle became wild and unruly. They had with them a ball. Carl Sefney had wood felled and brought to the ship, and had the wood piled on the cliff to dry. They had all good things of the country, both grapes and of all sorts of game and other things. After the first winter came the summer, then they saw up here the scralings, and there came out from the wood a great number of men. Nearby were their neat cattle, and the bull took to bellowing and roared loudly where at the scralings were frightened and ran off with their bundles. These were furs and sable skins and skin-wares of all kinds, and they turned toward Carl Sefney's booths and wanted to get into the house, but Carl Sefney had the doors guarded. Neither party understood the other's language. Then the scralings took down their bags and opened them and offered them for sale, and wanted, above all, to have weapons for them. But Carl Sefney forbade them to sell weapons. He took this plan. He bade the women bring out their dairy stuff for them, and so soon as they saw this they would have that and nothing more. Now this was the way the scralings traded. They bore off their wares in their stomachs, but Carl Sefney and his companions had their bags and skin-wares, and so they parted. Now hereof is this to say that Carl Sefney had post-driven strongly round about his booths and made all complete. At this time Goodrid, the wife of Carl Sefney, bore a man-child, and he was called Snory. In the beginning of the next winter the scralings came to them again, and were many more than before, and they had the same wares as before. Then Carl Sefney said to the women, now bring forth the same food that was most liked before, and no other. And when they saw it they cast their bundles in over the fence. But one of them being killed by one of Carl Sefney's men they all fled in haste, and left their garments and wares behind. Now I think we need a good counsel said Carl Sefney, for I think they will come for the third time in anger and with many men. Now we must do this. Ten men must go out on that nest and show themselves there, but another party must go into the wood and hue a place for our neat cattle when the foe shall come from the wood, and we must take the ball and let him go before us. But thus it was with the place where they thought to meet that a lake was on one side and the wood on the other. Now it was done as Carl Sefney had said. Now came the scralings to the place where Carl Sefney had thought should be the battle, and now there was a battle, and many of the scralings fell. There was one large and handsome man among the scralings, and Carl Sefney thought he might be their leader. Now one of the scralings had taken up an axe and looked at it a while, and struck at one of his fellows and hit him whereupon he fell dead. Then the large man took the axe and looked at it a while, and threw it into the sea as far as he could. But after that they fled to the wood, each as fast as he could, and thus ended the strife. Carl Sefney and his companions were there all that winter, but in the spring Carl Sefney said he would stay there no longer and would fare to Greenland. Now they made ready for the voyage and bear dense much goods, namely grapevines and grapes and skin-wares. Now they sailed into the sea and came whole with their ships to Irox Firth and were there that winter. End of Section 5 Section 6 of A Book of American Explorers. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org A Book of American Explorers by Thomas Wentworth Higginson. Book 2 Columbus and his Companions 1492-1503 Part 1 The First Letter from Columbus This letter was written on-board ship by Columbus, March 14th 1493 2. The Noble Lord Rafael Sanchez Treasurer to their most Invincible Majesties Ferdinand and Isabella King and Queen of Spain It was written in Spanish, but the original is supposed to be lost. Latin translations of it were made and published in different cities and a political translation was made in Italian and was sung about the streets of Italy. Knowing that it will afford you pleasure to learn that I have brought my undertaking to a successful termination, I have decided upon writing you this letter to acquaint you with all the events which have occurred in my voyage and the discoveries which have resulted from it. 33 days after my departure from Cadiz, I reached the Indian Sea where I discovered many islands thickly peopled of which I took possession without resistance in the name of our most illustrious monarch by public proclamation and with unfurled manners. To the first of these islands which is called by the Indians Guanahani, I gave the name of the blessed savior San Salvador relying upon whose protection I had reached this as well as the other islands. To each of these I also gave a name, ordering that one should be called Santa Maria della Concepcion, another Fernandina, the third Isabella, the fourth Juana, and so with all the rest respectively. As soon as we arrived at that which as I have said was named Juana, I proceeded along its coast a short distance westward and found it to be so large and apparently without termination that I could not suppose it to be an island but the continental province of Cathay. Seeing however no towns or populous places on the sea coast but only a few detached houses and cottages, with whose inhabitants I was unable to communicate, because they fled as soon as they saw us, I went further on, thinking that in my progress I should certainly find some city or village. At length, after proceeding a great way and finding that nothing new presented myself and that the line of coast was leading us northwards, I resolved not to attempt any further progress, but rather to turn back and retrace my course to a certain bay that I had observed, and from which I afterwards dispatched two of our men to ascertain whether there were a king or any cities in that province. These men reconnoitered the country for three days and found a most numerous population and great city hall, and built without any regard to order, with which information they returned to us. In the meantime I had learned from some Indians whom I had seized that the country was certainly an island, and therefore I sailed towards the east, coasting to the distance of 322 miles, which brought us to the extremity of it. From this point I saw lying eastwards another island, 54 miles distant from Juana, to which I gave of Española. All these islands are very beautiful, and distinguished by a diversity of scenery. They are filled with a great variety of trees of immense height, and which I believe to retain their foliage in all seasons, for when I saw them they were as verdant and luxuriant as they usually are in Spain in the month of May. Some of them were blossoming, some bearing fruit, and all flourishing in the greatest shape, according to their respective stages of growth, and the nature in quality of each. Yet the islands are not so thickly wooded as to be impassable. The nightingale and various birds were singing in countless numbers, and that in November, the month in which I arrived there. None of them, as I have already said, are possessed of any iron. Neither have they weapons being unacquainted with, and indeed incompetent to use them, not for they are well-formed, but because they are timid and full of fear. They carry, however, in lieu of arms, canes dried in the sun, on the ends of which they fix heads of dried wood sharpened to a point, and even these they dare not use habitually, for it is often occurred, when I have sent two or three of my men to any of the villages to speak with the natives, that they have come out in a disorderly troop, and have at the approach of our men, that the fathers forsook their children and the children their fathers. This timidity did not arise from any loss or injury that they had received from us, for on the contrary, I gave to all I approached whatever articles I had about me, such as cloth and many other things, taking nothing of theirs in return. But they are naturally timid and fearful. As soon, however, as they see that they are safe and have laid aside all fear, they are very simple and honest and exceedingly liberal with all that they have, none of them refusing anything he may possess when he is asked for it, but on the contrary inviting us to ask them. They exhibit great love towards all others in preference to themselves. They also give objects of great value for trifles and content themselves with very little or nothing in return. I, however, forbade that these trifles and articles of no value, such as pieces of dishes, plates and glass, keys and leather straps, should be given to them, although if they could obtain them, they imagined themselves to be possessed of the most beautiful trinkets in the world. It even happened that a sailor received for a leather strap as much gold as was worth three golden nobles and for things of more trifling value offered by our men, especially newly coined blockas or any gold coins, the Indians would give whatever the sailor required, as for instance an ounce and a half or two ounces of gold or 30 or 40 pounds of cotton with which commodity they were already acquainted. Thus they bartered like idiots, cotton and gold for fragments of bows, glasses, bottles and jars which I forbade as being unjust and myself gave them many beautiful and acceptable articles which I had brought with me, taking nothing from them in return. I did this in order that I might more easily conciliate them, that they might be led to become Christians and be inclined to entertain a regard for the king and queen, our princes and all Spaniards, and that I might induce them to take an interest in seeking out and collecting and delivering to us in excess and abundance, but which we greatly needed. They practiced no kind of idolatry, but have a firm belief that all strength and power, and indeed all good things, are in heaven, and I had descended from fence with these ships and sailors, and under this impression was I received after they had thrown aside their fears. Nor are they slow or stupid, but a very clear understanding, and a simple description of everything they observed, but they never saw any people clothed, nor any ships like ours. On my arrival at that sea I had taken some Indians by force from the first island that I came to in order that they might learn our language and communicate to us what they knew respecting the country, which plan succeeded excellently and was a great advantage to us, for in a short time, either by we were enabled to understand each other. These men are still traveling with me, and although they have been with us now a long time, they continue to entertain the idea that I have descended from heaven, and on our arrival at any new place they publish this, crying out immediately with a loud voice to the other Indians, come and look upon beings of a celestial race, upon which both women and men, children and adults, young men and old women they at first entertained, would come out in throngs, crowding the roads to see us, some bringing food, others drink, with astonishing affection and kindness. Each of these islands has a great number of canoes built of solid wood, narrow and not unlike our double-banked boats in length and shape, but swifter in their motion, they steer them only by the oar. These canoes are of various sizes, but the greater number are constructed with 18 banks of oars, and with these they cross to the other islands, which are of countless number to carry on traffic with the people. I saw some of these canoes that held as many as 78 rowers. In all these islands there is no difference of physiognomy, of manners or of language, but they all clearly understand each other. There are in the western part of the island two provinces which I did not visit, one of these is called Anam, and its inhabitants are born with tails. Finally, to compress into few words the entire summary of my voyage in speedy return, and of the advantages derivable therefrom, I promise that with a little assistance afforded me by our most invincible sovereigns I will procure them as much gold as they need, as great a quantity of spices, of cotton and of mastic, which is only found at Chios, and as many men for the service of the navy, as their majesties may require. I promise also, rhubarb, and other sorts of drugs which I am persuaded the men whom I have left and the aforesaid fortress have found already, and will continue to find. I myself have tarried nowhere longer than I was compelled to do by except in the city of Navidad while I provided for the building of the fortress, and took the necessary precautions for the perfect security of the men I left there. Although all I have related may appear to be wonderful and unheard of, yet the results of my voyage would have been more astonishing if I had had at my disposal such ships as I required. Thus it has happened to me in the present instance who have accomplished a task to which the powers of mortal man have never hitherto attained. For if there have been those who have anywhere written or spoken of these islands, they have done so with doubts and conjectures, and no one has ever asserted that he has seen them, on which account their writings have been looked upon as little else than fables. Therefore let the king and queen, our princes and their most happy kingdoms and all the other provinces of Christendom, render thanks to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who has granted us so great a victory and such prosperity. Let processions be made, and sacred feasts be held, and the temples be adorned with festive boughs. Let Christ rejoice on earth as he rejoices in heaven, in the prospect of the salvation of the souls of so many nations hitherto lost. Let us also rejoice as well on account of the exaltation of our faith, as on account of the increase of our temporal prosperity, of which not only Spain, but all Christendom will be partakers. Such are the events which I have briefly described. Farewell Christopher Columbus Admiral of the Fleet of the Ocean Lisbon 14 March End of Section 6 Recording by Pete McKelvin Section 7 of A Book of American Explorers This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org A Book of American Explorers by Thomas Wintworth Higginson Book 2 Part 2 The Second Voyage of Columbus This description is taken from a letter by Dr. Chonka physician to the Fleet of Columbus to the authorities of Seville Dr. Chonka's residence. On the first Sunday after all Saints namely the 3rd of November 1493 about dawn a pilot of the ship Capitana cried out the reward I see of the land. The joy of the people was so great that it was wonderful to hear their cries and exclamations of pleasure and they had good reason to be delighted for they had become so worried of bad living and working the water out of the ships that all sighed most anxiously for land. On the morning of the aforesaid Sunday we saw lying before us an island and soon on the right hand another appeared. The first island and mountainous on the side nearest to us the other flat and very thickly wooded. As soon as it became lighter other islands began to appear on both sides so that on that day there were six islands to be seen lying in different directions and most of them of considerable size. We directed our course towards that which we had first seen and reaching the coast in anchor but without finding one. All that part of the island which we could observe appeared mountainous, very beautiful and green even up to the water which was delightful to see for at that season there is scarcely anything green in our own country. When we found that there was no harbor there the admiral decided that we should go to the other island which appeared on the right and which was at four or five leagues distance. One vessel however of that island all that day seeking for a harbor in case it should be necessary to return thither. At length having found a good one where they saw both people in dwellings they returned that night to the fleet which had put into harbor at the other island and there the admiral accompanied by a great number of men landed with a royal banner in his hands and took formal possession in behalf of their majesties. On this first day of our landing several men and women came on the beach up to the water's edge and gazed at the boats in astonishment at so novel a sight and when a boat pushed on shore to speak with them they cried out, Tano, Tano, which is as much to say good, good and waited for the landing of the sailors standing by the boat in such a manner that they might escape when they pleased. The result was that none of the men could be taken by force and only two were taken by force who were secured and led away. Another day at the dinner hour we arrived at an island which seemed to be worth finding for judging by the extent of cultivation and it appeared very populous. We went thither and put into harbor when the admiral immediately sent on shore a well-manned barge to hold speech with the Indians in order to ascertain what race to gain some information respecting our course. Although it afterwards plainly appeared that the admiral who had never made that passage before had taken a very correct route. But since doubtful questions ought always by investigation to be reduced as nearly to a certainty as possible he wished that communication should be held with the natives at once and some of the men who went in a barge leaped on shore and went up to a village where the inhabitants had already withdrawn and hidden themselves. They took in this island five or six women and some boys most of whom were captives like those in the other island. We learned from the women whom we had brought with us that the natives of this place also were caribies. As this barge was about to return to the ships with the capture which they had taken a canoe came along the coast containing four men, they were so stupefied with amazement that for a good hour they remained motionless at the distance of nearly two gun shots from the ships. In this position they were seen by those who were in the barge and also by all the fleet. Meanwhile those in the barge moved towards the canoe but so close in shore that the Indians in their perplexity and astonishment as to what all this could mean never saw them until they were so near or our men pressed on them so rapidly that they could not get away although they made considerable effort to do so. When the caribies saw that all attempt at flight was useless they most courageously took to their bows both women and men. I say most courageously because there were only four men and two women and our people were twenty-five in number. Two of our men were wounded by the Indians one with two arrow shots in his chest and another with one in his side and if it had not happened that they carried shields and wooden bucklers and that they got near them with the barge and upset their canoe most of them would have been killed with their arrows. After their canoe was upset they remained in the water swimming and occasionally waiting for there were shallows in that part still using their bows as much as they could so that our men had enough to do to take them and after all there was they were unable to secure till he had received a mortal wound with a lance and whom thus wounded they took to the ships. The difference between these caribies and the other Indians with respect to dress consists in their wearing their hair very long while the others have it clipped irregularly and paint their heads with crosses in a hundred thousand different devices each according to his fancy which they do with sharpened reeds. All of them both the caribies and the others are beardless so that it is a rare thing to find a man with a beard the caribies whom we took had their eyes and eyebrows stained which I imagine they do from ostentation and to give them a more formidable appearance. The country is very remarkable and contains a vast number of large rivers and extensive chains of mountains with broad open valleys and the mountains are very high it does not appear that the grass is ever cut throughout the year I do not think they have any winter in this part for near Navidad at Christmas were found many birds nests some containing the young birds and others containing eggs. No four-footed animal has ever been seen in this or any of the other islands except some dogs of various colors as in our own country but in shape like large house dogs and also some little animals in color size and fur like a rabbit with long tails and feet like those of a rat these animals climb up the trees and many who have tasted them say they are very good to eat there are not any wild beasts there are a great number of small snakes and some lizards but not many for the Indians consider them as a great luxury as we do pheasants they are of the same size as ours but different in shape. In a small adjacent island close by a harbor called Monte Cristo where we stayed several days our men saw an enormous kind of lizard which they said was as large round as a calf with a tail as long as a lance which they often went out to kill but bulky as it was it got into the sea so that they could not catch it. There are both in this and the other islands an infinite number of birds like those in our own country and many others such as we have never seen no kind of domestic fowl has been seen here with the exception of some ducks in the houses of Zoroquia these ducks were larger than those of Spain though smaller than geese very pretty with tufts on their heads most of them as white as snow but some black End of Section 7 Recording by Pete McKelvin Section 8 of A Book of American Explorers This is a LibriVox Recording all LibriVox Recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org A Book of American Explorers by Thomas Wentworth Higginson Book 2 Part 3 Columbus Reaches the Mainland from his narrative of his third voyage 1498 I then gave up our northward course and put in for the land at the hour of Complans we reached a Cape which I called Cape Galea having already given to the island the name of Trinidad and here we found a harbor which would have been excellent but that there was no good anchorage we saw houses and people on the spot and the country around was very beautiful and as fresh and green as the gardens of Valencia in the month of March the next day I set sail in the direction in search of a harbor where I might repair the vessels and take in water as well as improve the stock of provisions which I had brought out with me when we had taken in a pipe of water we proceeded onwards till we reached the Cape and there finding good anchorage and protection from the east wind I ordered the anchors to be dropped the water cask to be repaired a supply of water and wood to be taken in and the people to rest themselves from the fatigues which they had endured for so long a time I gave to this point the name of Sandy Point Punta de Arenal all the ground in the neighborhood was filled with foot marks of animals like the impressions of the foot of a goat but although it would have appeared from the circumstance that they were very numerous only one was seen and that was dead on the following day a large canoe came from the eastward containing 24 men all in the prime of life and well provided with arms such as bows arrows and wooden shields they were all as I have said young well proportioned and not dark black but wider than any other Indians that I had seen a very graceful gesture and handsome forms wearing their hair long and straight and cut in the Spanish style their heads were bound round with cut in scarves elaborately worked in colors which resembled the Moorish headdresses some of these scarves were worn round the body and used as a covering in lieu of trousers the native spoke to us from the canoe while it was yet at a considerable distance but none of us could understand them I made signs to them however to come nearer to us and more than two hours were spent in this manner but if by any chance they moved a little nearer they soon pushed off again I caused distance and other shining objects to be shown to them to tempt them to come nearer and after a long time they came somewhat nearer than they had hitherto done upon which as I was very anxious to speak with them and had nothing else to show them to induce them to approach I ordered a drum to be played upon the quarter deck and some of our young men to dance believing the Indians would come to see the amusement no sooner however did they perceive the beating of the drum then they all left their oars and strung their bows and each man laying hold of his shield they commenced discharging their arrows at us upon this the music and dancing soon ceased and I ordered a charge to be made from some of our crossbows they then left us and went rapidly to the other caravelle and placed themselves under its poop the pilot of that vessel received them courteously and gave to the man who appeared to be their chief a coat that and it was then arranged between them that he should go speak with him on shore upon this the Indians immediately went thither and waited for him but as he would not go without my permission he came to my ship in the boat where upon the Indians got into their canoe again and went away and I never saw any more of them or any of the other inhabitants of the island when I reached the point of Arinal I found that the island of Trinidad formed the land of Gracia a straight of two leagues width from east to west and as we had to pass through it to go to the north we found some strong currents which crossed the straight and which made a great roaring so that I concluded there must be a reef of sand or rocks which would preclude our entrance and behind this current was another and another all making a roaring noise like the sound of breakers against the rocks I anchored there under the said point of Arinal outside of the straight and found the water rush from east to west with as much impetuosity as that of the Guadalquivir at its conflict with the sea and this continued constantly day and night so that it appeared to be impossible to move backwards for the current or forwards for the shoals End of Section 8 Recording by Pete McKelvin Section 9 of a book of American Explorers This is a LibriVox Recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org A Book of American Explorers by Thomas Wentworth Higginson Book 2 Part 4 Columbus at the mouth of the Orinoco In the dead of night while I was on deck I heard an awful roaring that came from the south towards the ship. I stopped to observe what it might be and I saw the sea rolling from west to east like a mountain as high as the ship and approaching little by little On the top of this rolling sea came a mighty wave roaring with a frightful noise and with all this terrific uproar were other conflicting currents producing as I have already said the sound as a breakers upon the rocks. To this day I have a vivid recollection of the dread I then felt lest the ship might founder under the force of that tremendous sea. But it passed by and reached the mouth of the before mentioned passage where the uproar lasted for a considerable time. On the following day I sent out boats to take soundings and found that in the straight at the deepest part of the ombro shore there were seven fathoms of water and that there were constantly contrary currents one running inwards the other outwards. It pleased the Lord however to give us a favorable wind and I passed through the middle of the straight after which I recovered my tranquility. The men happened at this time to draw up some water from the sea which strange to say proved to be fresh. I then sailed northwards till I came to a very high mountain from the Punta de Arenal. Here two lofty headlands appeared one towards the east and forming part of the island of Trinidad and the other on the west being part of the land which I have already called Gracia. We found here a channel still narrower than that of Arenal with similar currents and a tremendous roaring of water. The water here was also fresh. Hitherto I had held no communication with any of the people of this country although I very earnestly desired it. I therefore sailed along the coast westwards and the farther I advanced the fresher and more wholesome I found the water and when I had proceeded a considerable distance I reached a spot where the land appeared to be cultivated. I then anchored at the mouth of a river and we were soon visited by a great number of the inhabitants who informed us that the country was called Paria and westward it was more fully peopled. I took four of these natives and proceeded on my westward voyage and when I had gone eight leagues farther I found on the other side of a point which I called the Needle one of the most lovely countries in the world and very thickly peopled. It was three o'clock in the morning when I reached it and seeing its verger in beauty I resolved to anchor there and communicate with the inhabitants. The natives came out to the ship in canoes to beg me in the name of their king to go on shore and when they saw that I paid no attention to them they came to the ship in their canoes in countless number many of them wearing pieces of gold on their breasts and some with bracelets of pearl on their arms. End of Section 9 Recording by Pete McKelvin Section 10 of a Book of American Explorers This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org A Book of American Explorers by Thomas Wentworth Higginson Book 2, Part 5 Columbus Thinks Himself Near the Earthly Paradise From the same narrative it was generally believed in the time of Columbus that the Garden of Eden or Earthly Paradise still existed somewhere on the globe. Irving's Columbus appendix gives an account of these views. I have always read that the world comprising the land and water was spherical as is testified by the investigations of Ptolemy and others who have proved it by the eclipses of the moon and other observations from east to west, as well as the elevation of the pole from north to south. But I have now seen so much irregularity as I have already described that I have come to another conclusion respecting the earth, namely that it is not round as they describe but of the form of a pair which is very round except where the stalk grows at which part it is most prominent. Ptolemy and the others on the globe had no information respecting this part of the world which was then unexplored. They only established their arguments with respect to their own hemisphere which, as I have already said, is half of a perfect sphere. And now that your highnesses have commissioned me to make this voyage of discovery, the truths which I have stated are evidently proved. I do not find nor have ever found by the Romans or Greeks which fixes in a positive manner the sight of the terrestrial paradise. Neither have I seen it given in any map moaned laid down from authentic sources. Some placed it in Ethiopia at the sources of the Nile but others traversing all these countries found neither the temperature nor the altitude of the sun correspond with their ideas respecting it. Nor did it appear that the overwhelming waters of the Deluge had been there. Some pagans pretended to adduce arguments to establish that it was in the fortunate islands, now called the Canaries, etc. I have already described my ideas concerning this hemisphere and its form, and I have no doubt that if I could pass below the equinoctial line after reaching the highest point of which I have spoken, I should find a much milder temperature in the stars and in the water not that I suppose that elevated point to be navigable, nor even that there is water there. Indeed I believe it is impossible to ascend thither, because I am convinced that it is the spot of the earthly paradise where there no one can go but by God's permission. But this land which your highnesses have now sent me to explore is very extensive, and I think there are many countries in the south that have never had any knowledge. I do not suppose that the earthly paradise is in the form of a rugged mountain, as the descriptions of it have made it appear, but that it is on the summit of the spot which I have described as being in the form of the stalk of a pair. The approach to it from a distance must be by a constant and gradual ascent, but I believe that as I have already said no one could ever reach the top. I think also the water I have described may proceed from it, though it be far off, and that stopping at the place which I have just left, it forms this lake. There are great indications of this being the terrestrial paradise, for its site coincides with the opinion of the holy and wise theologians whom I have mentioned, and moreover, the other evidences agree with the supposition, for I have never either read or heard of fresh so large a quantity, in close conjunction with the water of the sea. The idea is also corroborated by the blandness of the temperature, and if the water of which I speak does not proceed from the earthly paradise, it appears to be still more marvelous, for I do not believe that there is any river in the world so large or so deep. End of Section 10, Recording by Pete McAlvin Section 11 of A Book of American Explorers This is a LibriVox recording. A LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Deon Giants, Salt Lake City, Utah. A Book of American Explorers by Thomas Wentworth Higginson. Book 2 Part 6 Daring Deed of Diego Mendez Taken from the last will of Diego Mendez these adventures happened on the fourth voyage of Columbus in 1502. When we were shut in at the mouth of the River Bellin or Ibra through the violence of the sea and the winds which drove up the sand and raised such a mountain of it as to close up the entrance of the port. His lordship being there greatly afflicted, a multitude of Indians collected together on shore to burn the ships and kill us all, pretending that they were going to make war against other Indians upon his consulting me as to the best manner of proceeding, so as clearly to ascertain what was the intention of the people, I offered to go to them with one single companion, and this task I undertook though more certain of death than of life in the result. After journeying along the beach up to the river of Vergue I found two canoes of strange Indians who related to me more in detail, that these people were indeed collected together to burn our ships and kill us all, and that they had forsaken their purpose in consequence of the boat which had come up to the spot, but that they intended to return after two days to make the attempt once more. I then asked them to carry me in their canoes to the upper part of the river, offering to remunerate them if they would do so, but they excused themselves and advised me by no means to go, for that both myself and my companion would certainly be killed. At length, in spite of their advice, I prevailed upon them to take me in their canoes to the upper part of the river until I reached the villages of the Indians whom I had found in order of battle. They, however, would not at first allow me to go to the principal residence of the cacacae, till I pretended that I was come as a surgeon to cure him of a wound that he had in his leg. Then, after making them present, they suffered me to proceed to the seat of royalty which was situated on the top of a hillock, surmounted by a plane, with a large square surrounded by three hundred heads of the enemies he had slain in battle. When I had passed through the square and reached the royal house, there was a great clamour of women at the gate who ran into the palace screaming. Upon this, one of the chief sons came out in a high passion, uttering angry words in his own language, and laying hands upon me with one push he thrust me far away from him. In order to appease him, I told him I was come to cure the wound in his father's leg and showed him an ointment that I had brought for that purpose. But he replied that on no account whatever should I go into the place where his father was. When I saw that I had no chance of appeasing him in that way, I took out a comb, a pair of scissors, and a mirror, and caused Escobar, my companion, to comb my hair and then cut it off when the Indian and those who were with him saw this, they stood in astonishment upon which I prevailed on him to suffer his own hair to be combed and cut by Escobar. I then made him a present of the scissors with the comb and the mirror, and thus he became appeased. After this I begged him to allow some food to be brought, which was soon done, and we ate and drank in love and good fellowship, like very good friends. I then left him and returned to the ships and related all this to my lord the admiral who was not a little pleased when he heard all these circumstances and the things that had happened to me. He ordered a large stock of provisions to be put into the ships and into certain straw houses that we had built there with a view that I should remain with some of the men to examine and ascertain the secrets of the country. The next morning his lordship called me to ask my advice as to what ought to be done. My opinion was that we ought to seize that chief and all his captains because when they were taken great numbers of the people would submit. His lordship was of the same opinion. I then submitted the strategy and plan by which this might be accomplished and his lordship ordered that the Adelantado, his brother and I accompanied by 80 men should go to put it into execution. We went and our lord gave us such good fortune that we took Kakei and most of his captains, his wives, sons and grandsons with all the princes of his race but in sending them to the ships thus captured the Kakei extricated himself from the too slight grasp of the man who held him, a circumstance which afterwards caused us much injury. At this moment it pleased God to cause it to rain heavily, occasioning a great flood by which the mouth of the harbor was opened and the admiral enabled to draw out the ships to sea in order to proceed to Spain. I meanwhile remaining on land as accountant of his highness with 70 men and the greater part of the provisions of biscuit, wine, oil and vinegar being left with me. End of section 11 section 12 of A Book of American Explorers. This is a LibriVox recording. A LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Deon Giants, Salt Lake City, Utah. A Book of American Explorers by Thomas Wentworth Higginson Part 7. How Diego Mendez got food for Columbus. Also taken from the last will of Diego Mendez. On the last day of April in the year 1503 we left Vergue with three ships intending to make our passage homeward to Spain. But as the ships were all pierced and eaten by the Toretto we did not keep them above water. We abandoned one of them after we had proceeded 30 leagues. The two which remained were even in a worse condition than that. So that all the hands were not sufficient with the use of pumps and kettles and pans to draw off the water that came through the holes made by the worms. In this state with the utmost toil and effort we sailed for 35 days thinking to reach Spain and at the end of this time we arrived at the lowest point of the island of Cuba at the province of Jomo where the city of Trinidad now stands so that we were 300 leagues farther from Spain than when we left Vergue for the purpose of proceeding thither and this as I have said with the vessels in very bad condition unfit to encounter the sea and our provisions nearly gone. It pleased God that we were enabled to reach the island of Jamaica where we drove the two ships on shore and made of them two cabins thatched with straw in which we took up our dwelling. Not however without considerable danger from the natives who were not yet subdued and who might easily set fire to our habitation in the night in spite of the greatest watchfulness. It was there that I gave out the last ration of biscuit and wine. I then took a sword in my hand three men only accompanying me and advanced into the island for no one else dared to go to seek food for Admiral and those who were with him. It pleased God that I found some people who were very gentle and did us no harm, but received us cheerfully and gave us food with hearty goodwill. I then made a stipulation with the Indians who lived in a village called Agua Cabita and with their kateke that they should make cassava bread and that they should hunt and fish to supply the Admiral every day with a sufficient quantity of provisions which they were to bring to the ships where I promised there should be a person ready to pay them in blue beads, combs and knives, hawk spells and fish hooks and other such articles which we had with us for that purpose. With this understanding Spaniards whom I had brought with me to the Admiral in order that he might send a person to pay for the provisions and secure their being sent. From thence I went to another village at three leagues distance from the former and made a similar agreement with the natives and their kakeke and then dispatched another Spaniard to the Admiral begging him to send another person with a similar object to this village. After this I went farther on and came to a great kakeke named Huraco living in a place which is now called Malia, 13 leagues from where the ships lay. I was very well received by him. He gave me plenty to eat and ordered all his subjects to bring together in the course of three days a great quantity of provisions which they did and laid them before him whereupon I paid him for them to his full satisfaction. I stipulated with him that they should furnish a constant supply and engaged that there should be a person appointed to pay them. Having made this arrangement I sent the other Spaniard to the Admiral with the provisions they had given me and then I begged the kakeke to allow me two Indians to go with me to the extremity of the island one to carry the hammock in which I slept and the other carrying the food. In this manner I journeyed eastward to the end of the island and came to a kakeke who was named Amero with whom I entered into close friendship. I gave him my name and took his image amongst this people is regarded as an evidence of brotherly attachment. I bought of him a very good canoe and gave him in exchange an excellent brass helmet that I carried in a bag a frock and one of the two shirts that I had with me. I then put out to sea in this canoe in search of the place that I had left the kakeke having given me two Indians to assist in guiding the canoe. When I reached the spot to which I had dispatched the provisions I found there the Spaniards whom the admiral had sent and I loaded them with the victuals which I had brought with me and went myself to the admiral who gave me a very cordial reception. He was not satisfied with seeing and embracing me but asked me respecting everything that had occurred in the voyage and offered up thanks to God for having delivered me in safety from so barbarous a people. The men rejoiced greatly at my arrival for there was not a loaf left in the ships when I returned to them with the means of allaying their hunger. This and every day after that the Indians came to the ships loaded with provisions from the places where I had made the agreements so that there was enough for the 230 people who were with the admiral. End of section 12 Section 13 of a book of American explorers. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org A book of American explorers by Thomas Wentworth Higginson. Book 2, Part 8 How Diego Mendes Saved Columbus from the same narrative. Ten days after this the admiral called me aside and spoke to me of the great peril he was in addressing me as follows. Diego Mendes my son, not one of those whom I have here with me has any idea of the great danger in which we stand except myself and you. For we are but few in number and these wild Indians are numerous and very fickle and capricious and whenever they may take it into their heads to come and burn us in our two ships which we have made into straw-thatched cabins they may easily do so by setting fire to them on the land side and so destroy us all. The arrangement you have made with them for the supply of food to which they agreed with such goodwill may soon prove disagreeable to them and it would not be surprising if on the morrow they were not to bring us anything at all. In such a way we are not in a position to take it by main force but shall be compelled to accede to their terms I have thought of a remedy if you consider it advisable which is that someone should go out in the canoe that you have purchased and make his way in it to Espanola to purchase a vessel with which we may escape from the extremely dangerous danger in which we now are tell me your opinion to which I answered my lord I distinctly see the danger in which we stand which is much greater than would be readily imagined with respect to the passage from this island to Espanola in so small a vessel as a canoe I look upon it not merely as difficult but impossible for I know not who would venture to encounter so terrific a danger as to cross a gulf of 40 leagues of sea and amongst islands where the sea is so impetuous and scarcely ever at rest his lordship did not agree with the opinion that I expressed but adduced strong arguments to show that I was the person to undertake the enterprise to which I replied my lord I have many times put my life in danger to save yours and the lives of all those who are with you and God has marvelously preserved me in consequence of this there have not been wanting murmurs who have said that your lordship entrusts every honorable undertaking to me while there are others amongst them who would perform them as well my opinion is therefore that your lordship would do well to summon all the men and lay this business before them to see if amongst them all there is one who will volunteer to undertake it which I certainly doubt and if all refuse I will risk my life in your service as I have many times already on the following day his lordship caused the men to appear together before him and then opened the matter to them in the same manner as he had done to me when they heard it they were all silent until some said that it was out of the question to speak of such a thing for it was impossible in so small a craft to cross a boisterous and perilous gulf to islands where very strong vessels had been lost in going to make discoveries not being able to encounter the force and fury of the currents I then arose and said my lord I have but one life and I am willing to hazard it in the service of your lordship and for the welfare of all those who are here with us for I trust in God that in consideration of the motive which actuates me he will give me deliverance as he has already done on many other occasions when the admiral heard my determination he arose and embraced me and kissing me on the cheek said well did I know that there was no one here but yourself who would dare to undertake this enterprise I trust in God our lord that you will come out of it victoriously as you have done in the others which you have undertaken on the following day I drew my canoe onto the shore fixed a false keel on it and pitched and greased it then I nailed some boards upon the poop and prow to prevent the sea from coming in as it was liable to do from the lowness of the gun wells I also fixed a mast in it set up a sail and laid in the necessary provisions for myself one Spaniard and six Indians making eight in all which was as many as the canoe would hold I then bade farewell to his lordship and all the others and proceeded along the coast of Jamaica up to the extremity of the island which was 35 leagues from the point whence we started this distance was not traversed without considerable toil and danger for on the passage I was taken prisoner by some Indian pirates from whom God delivered me in a marvelous manner when we had reached the end of the island and were remaining there in the hope of this sea becoming sufficiently calm to allow us to continue our voyage across it many of the natives collected together with the determination of killing me and seizing the canoe with its contents and they cast lots for my life to see which of them should carry their design into execution as soon as I became aware of their project I betook myself secretly to my canoe which I had left at three leagues distance from where I then was and set sail for the spot where the Admiral was staying and reached it after an interval of 15 days from my departure I related to him all that had happened and how God had miraculously rescued me from the hands of those savages his lordship was very joyful at my arrival and asked me if I would recommence my voyage I replied that I would if I might be allowed to take to be with me at the extremity of the island until I should find a fair opportunity of putting to sea to prosecute my voyage the admiral gave me 70 men and with them his brother the Adelantado to stay with me until I put to sea and to remain there three days after my departure with this arrangement I returned to the extremity of the island there four days finding the sea become calm I parted from the rest of the men with much mutual sorrow I then commended myself to God and our lady of Antigua and was at sea five days and four nights without laying down the oar from my hand but continued steering the canoe while my companions rode it pleased God that at the end of five days I reached the island of Espanola at Cape San Miguel having been two days without eating or drinking for our provisions were exhausted I brought my canoe up to a very beautiful part of the coast to which many of the natives soon came and brought with them many articles of food so that I remained there two days to take rest I took six Indians from this place and leaving those that I had brought with me I put off to sea again moving along the coast of Espanola for it was a hundred and thirty leagues from the spot where I landed to the city of San Domingo where the governor dwelt when that expedition was finished I went on foot to San Domingo a distance of seventy leagues and waited in expectation of the arrival of ships from Spain it being now more than a year since any had come in this interval it pleased God that three ships arrived one of which I bought and loaded it with provisions bread, wine, meat, hogs sheep and fruit and dispatched it to the place where the admiral was staying in order that he might come over in it with all his people to San Domingo and from thence sail for Spain I myself went on in advance with the two other ships in order to give an account to the king and queen of all that had occurred in this voyage I think I should now do well to say somewhat of the events which occurred to the admiral and to his family during the year they were left on the island a few days after my departure the Indians became refractory and refused to bring food as they had hitherto done the admiral therefore caused all the cock-a-cays to be summoned and expressed to them his surprise that they should not send food as they were want to do knowing as they did and as he had already told them that he had come there by the command of God he said that he perceived that God was angry with them and that he would that very night give tokens of his displeasure by signs that he would cause to appear in the heavens and as on that night there was to be an almost total eclipse of the moon he told them that God caused that appearance to signify his anger against them for not bringing the food the Indians believing him were very frightened and promised that they would always bring him food in future and so in fact they did until the arrival of the ship which I had sent loaded with provisions the admiral and those who were with him felt no small joy at the arrival of the ship and his lordship afterwards informed me in Spain that in no part of his life experience so joyful a day for he had never hoped to have left that place alive and in that same ship he set sail and went to San Domingo and then to Spain end of section 13 section 14 of a book of American explorers this is a LibriVox recording a LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Dion Jones, Salt Lake City, Utah a book of American explorers by Thomas Wentworth Higginson book 2 part 9 a appeal of Columbus in his old age to the king and queen of Spain taken from his letter 1503 describing his fourth voyage such as my fate that the twenty years of service through which I have passed with so much toil and danger have profited me nothing and at this very day I do not possess a roof in Spain that I can call my own if I wish to eat or sleep I have nowhere to go but to the inn or tavern and most times lack wherewith to pay the bill another anxiety I have drawn my very heart strings which was the thought of my son Diego whom I had left an orphan in Spain and stripped of the honor and property which were due to him on my account although I had looked upon it as a certainty that your majesties as just and grateful princes would restore it to him in all respects with increase for seven years was I your royal court where every one to whom the enterprise was mentioned treated it as ridiculous but now there is not a man down to the very tailors who does not beg to be allowed to become a discoverer there is reason to believe that they make the voyage only for plunder and that they are permitted to do so to the great disparagement of my honor and the detriment of the undertaking itself it is right to give God his due and to receive that which belongs to oneself this is a just sentiment and proceeds from just feelings the lands in this part of the world which are now under your highnesses sway are richer and more extensive than those of any other Christian power and yet after that I had by the divine will placed them under your high and royal sovereignty and was on the point of bringing your majesties into the receipt of a very great and unexpected revenue and while I was waiting for ships to convey me in safety and with a heart full of joy to your royal presence victoriously to announce the news of the gold that I had discovered I was arrested and thrown with my two brothers loaded with irons into a ship stripped and very ill treated without being allowed any appeal to justice I was twenty-eight years old when I came into your highnesses service and now I have not a hair upon me that is not gray my body is infirm and all that was left to me as to my brothers has been taken away and sold even to the frock that I wore to my great dishonor I cannot but believe that this was done without your royal permission the restitution of my honor the reparation of my losses and the punishment of those who have inflicted them will redound to the honor of your royal character a similar punishment also is due to those who have plundered me of my pearls and who have brought a disparagement upon the privileges of my admiralty great and unexampled will be the glory and fame of your highnesses if you do this and the memory of your highnesses as just and grateful sovereigns will survive as a bright example to Spain in future ages the honest devotedness I have always shown to your majesty's service and the so unmerited outrage with which it has been repaid will not allow my soul to keep silence however much I may wish it I implore your highnesses to forgive my complaints I am indeed in as ruined a condition as I have related hitherto I have wept over others may heaven now have mercy upon me and may the earth weep for me end of section 14 section 15 of a book of American explorers this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by John Brandon of American explorers by Thomas Wentworth Higginson book three Cabot and Verizzano 1497 to 1524 art one first news of John and Sebastian Cabot the first of these extracts in regard to the cabots may be found in one of the Hake Luke Society's volumes entitled Henry Hudson the Navigator edited by GM Escher 1860 art 69 the extracts which follow are from another volume of the same series entitled Hake Luke's Divers voyages London 1850 pages 23 to 26 Verizzano's narrative is taken from Hake Luke's Divers voyages same edition pages 55 to 71 another translation by J.G. Cogswell may be found with the original Italian narrative in the collections of the New York historical society second series volume one Cabot and Verizzano one first news of John and Sebastian Cabot from a letter written by Lorenzo Pasqualigo from London to his brothers in Venice and dated August 23rd 1497 this definition of ours who went with a ship from the capital in quest of New Islands is returned and says that 700 leagues hence he discovered terra firma which is the territory of the Grand Shem he coasted for 300 leagues and landed he saw no human being whatsoever but he has brought hither to the king certain snares which had been set to catch game and a needle for making nets he also found some felled trees therefore he supposed there were inhabitants and returned to his ship an alarm he was three months on the voyage it is quite certain and coming back he saw two islands to starboard but would not land time being precious as he was short of provisions the king is much pleased with this intelligence he says that the tides are slack and do not flow as they do here the king has promised that in the spring he shall have ten ships armed according to his own fancy and at his request he has conceded to him all the prisoners except such as are confined for high treason to man them with he has also given him money wherewith to amuse himself till then and he is now at Bristol with his wife who is a Venetian woman and with his sons his name is John Cabot and they call him the great admiral vast honor is paid him and he dresses in silk and these English run after him like mad people so that he can enlist as many of them as he pleases and a number of our own rogues besides the discoverer of these places planted on his newfound land a large cross with one flag of England and another of Saint Mark by reason of his being a Venetian so that our banner has floated very far afield end of section 15 recording by John Brandon section 16 of a book of American explorers this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by John Brandon a book of American explorers by Thomas Wentworth Higginson book 3 Cabot and Barrisano 1497 to 1524 part 2 Sebastian Cabot's Voyage the following notes preserved in Hague Luke's voyages give the earliest authentic information about Sebastian Cabot a note of Sebastian Cabot's voyage of discovery taken out of an old chronicle written by Robert Fabian sometime alderman of London which is in the custody of John Stowe a Venetian searcher and preserver of antiquities this year 1498 the King Henry VII by means of a Venetian which made himself very expert and cunning in knowledge of the circuit of the world and islands of the same as by a card and other demonstrations reasonable he showed caused to man and victual ship at Bristol to search for an island he said he knew well was rich and replenished with rich commodities which ship thus manned and victualed at the King's cost divers merchants of London ventured in their small stocks being in her as chief patron the said Venetian and in the company of the said ship sailed also out of Bristol three or four small ships fraught with slight and gross merchandises as coarse cloth caps, laces, points and other trifles and so departed from Bristol in the beginning of May of whom in this mayor's time returned no tidings of three savage men which he brought home and presented onto the King in the seventeenth year of his reign this year also was brought onto the King three men taken in the newfound island that before I spake of in William Purchase's time being mayor clothed in beast skins and eight raw flesh and spake such speech that no man could understand them and in their demeanor like two brute beasts whom the King kept the time after of the which upon two years passed after I saw two appareled after the matter of Englishman in Westminster Palace which at that time I could not discern from Englishman till I was learned what they were which I heard none of them utter one word John Baptista Ramousius in his preface to the third volume of the Navigations Righteth thus of Sebastian Cabot in the latter part of this volume are put certain relations of John Dave Arizona a Florentine and a great captain a Frenchman and the two voyages of Jacques Cartier a Breton which is called into the land set in 50 degrees of latitude to the north which is called New France and the which lands hitherto it is not thoroughly known whether they do join with the firm land of Florida and Nova Hispania or whether they be separated and divided all by the sea as islands and whether by that way one may go by sea to the north of the country of Cathay as many years past it was written unto me by Sebastian Cabot our countryman Venetian a man of great experience and very rare in the art of navigation and the knowledge of cosmography who sailed along and beyond this land of New France as the charges of King Henry the Seventh King of England and he told me that having sailed along time west and by north beyond these islands into the latitude of 67 degrees and a half under the north pole and at the eleventh day of June finding still the open sea without any manner of impediment he thought verily by that way to have passed on still the way to Cathay which is in the east and what have done it if the mutiny of the shipmaster and mariners had not rebelled and made him to return homewards from that place but it seems that God doth reserve this great enterprise for some great prince to discover this voyage of Cathay by this way which for the bringing of the spiceries from India into Europe were the very easy and shortest of all other ways hitherto found out and surely this enterprise would be the most glorious and of most importance of all other that can be imagined to make his name great and fame immortal to all ages to come far more than can be done by any of all these great troubles and wars which daily are used in Europe among the miserable Christian people this much concerning Sebastian Cabot's discovery may suffice for the present cast but shortly God willing shall come out in print all his own maps and discourses drawn and written by himself which are in the custody of the worshipful master William Worthington one of Her Majesty's pensioners who because so worthy monuments should not be buried in perpetual oblivion is very willing to suffer them to be overseen and published in as good order as may be to the encouragement and benefit of our countrymen end of section 16 recording by John Brandon