The Spanish Conquest in America (Volume 1); And Its Relation to the History of Slavery and to the Government of Colonies (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1900. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... BOOK II COLUMBUS CHAPTER I DISCOVERY OF AMERICA / DEGREESOLUMBUS was born in the Genoese territory in the year 1447, or 1448.1 His family was obscure, but, like most others, when the light of a great man's birth is thrown upon its records, real and possible, it presents some other names not altogether unworthy to be inscribed among the great man's ancestors. Columbus was sent to Pavia for his education, and seems to have profited by it; for he wrote legibly, designed well, was a good Latin scholar, and it is probable that he then acquired the rudiments of the various sciences in which he afterwards became proficient.1 At the age of fourteen he went to sea. Of his many voyages, which of them took place before, and which after, his coming to Portugal, we have no distinct record; but are sure that he traversed a large part of the known world, that he visited England, that he made his way to Iceland,8 that he had been at 1 I am aware that this date differs considerably from those given by some biographers of Columbus: I have, however, determined it for myself upon the evidence of ancient authorities which seemed to me the most to be relied upon. Nearly all recent writers of weight, except Mr J. Fiske, basing their conclusions on the researches of Mr H. Harrisse, have decided that Columbus was born between May 1446 and November 1447. Mr Fiske (Discovery of Amcrica, p. 342, et seq.) agrees with Navarrete, Humboldt, and Washington Irving, in adopting 1436, or thereabouts, as the probable date. ] a P. Gaffarel (Hist. de la Dicotevertc de FAmirique, \, p. 14)doubts the stay at Pavia, and describes his scientific attainments as only mediocre.] * "In the month of February of the year 1477 I navigated a hundred leagues beyond Thule an island of which the southern side El Mina, o.