Pedigree of discovery in the New World. Columbus -Ojeda. Nicuesa be shown which it had with previous enterprises of a like nature. Going back, then, to the earliest times of discovery, let us trace the descent of the great mariners and conquerors who preceded in, and made broad, the way for Cortes. The well-known Ojeda was the companion of Columbus. Favoured by the powerful Bishop of Burgos, Ojeda became a discoverer on the Terra-firma. Then followed and Ojeda. the disastrous expeditions of Nicuesa and Ojeda. Ojeda dies in obscurity; Nicuesa perishes miserably; and Vasco Nuñez de Balboa, who had come out, concealed from his creditors in the hold of a vessel, takes the command, as it were, of Spanish discovery. Very renowned, and more important even than renowned, were his discoveries. He discovered the South Sea: he came upon a civilization, in the neighbourhood of Darien, which was superior to anything that had been seen in the islands: he heard, in a dim way, of Peru. Vasco Tidings of discovery reach Spain. The tidings of great discovery near Darien reached the mother-country, and all Spain was excited with the idea of "fishing for gold." Vasco Nuñez was superseded, and Pedrarias sent out PRECEDING CORTES. with the most splendid and well-equipped arma- Armament ment that had yet left Spain for the Indies. of Pedrarias. Now, among the hidalgoes who had come out with Pedrarias were several who, perceiving that nothing was to be done at Darien, asked permission of the Governor to go to Cuba; and Pedrarias, not knowing what to do with his soldiers, consented. One of these men was Bernal Diaz Bernal Diaz. De Cordo del Castillo, a simple soldier, who has, however, written a narrative of the most undoubted authority. This man tells us that he and his compa- Origin of nions were received in a friendly manner by va's expedition. Velazquez, the Governor of Cuba, who promised to give them encomiendas* of Indians, whenever there should be vacancies. As these vacancies, however, would only occur from the death of the proprietors, or the confiscation of their property (for the island of Cuba was already pacified, to use the phrase of that day), encomiendas of Indians fell vacant but slowly. The impatient conquerors, * Encomienda is a word which has no equivalent in English. It means a body of men occupying a certain portion of land, which land was to be worked, and which men were to be employed, in almost any way that might be most profitable to the Spanish Lord. How Velazquez wished to be paid. who had now been three years from home, and had met with nothing hardly but disease and disaster, resolved to form an expedition of discovery on their own account. Taking into their company some Spaniards in Cuba who also were without Indians, this little party of discoverers amounted to one hundred and ten persons. They found a rich man of Cuba willing to join them, named Francisco Hernandez de Córdova, who was chosen as their captain, and who no doubt helped to furnish out their expedition. With their united funds they bought three vessels. One of these vessels belonged to the Governor Velazquez, and he wished to be paid in slaves for his share of the venture, requiring as a condition that the expedition should go to some islands between Cuba and Honduras, make war, and bring back a number of slaves. The gallant company, however, refused to entertain this suggestion. They said that what Velazquez required was not just, and that neither God nor the King demanded of them that they should make free men slaves.' Velazquez ad * 66 Y desque vimos los soldados, que aquello que pedia el Diego Velazquez no era justo, le respondimos, que lo mitted that they were right, and that their inten- que dezia, no lo mandava Dios, ni el Rey; que hiziesse- land at They they took a westward course, navigating in a haphazard fashion, knowing nothing of the shoals, or the currents, or the prevailing winds. They could not, however, fail to make a great discovery, as any one may see who will look at the map, and observe how near to the continent the western Discovers extremity of the island of Cuba lies. Singularly P.Cotoché. enough, they found land at the nearest spot at which they could have found it, touching at the point of Cotoché. This point was named from the words con escotoch, which mean "Come to my house," a friendly invitation which the voyagers heard very often at this part of the coast. could not but at once remark that the natives of this new-found land were more civilized in dress and in the arts of life than the inhabitants of the islands. They saw also a great town, to which they gave the name of Grand Cairo; and buildings made of stone and mortar were for the first time discovered by the Spanish conquerors. From what remains there are to be seen of buildings, even to the present day, in the province of Yucatan, we may well conclude how great an impression must have been produced upon those Europeans who were first permitted to see the signs of Yucatan. |