beacon lights of history-iii-2- 第14部分

warriors　in　all　Europe。　　Nowhere　were　there　such　chivalric　virtues。

No　people　were　then　animated　with　such　martial　enthusiasm；　such

unfettered　imagination；　such　heroic　daring；　as　were　the　subjects　of

Ferdinand　and　Isabella。　　They　were　a　people　to　conquer　a　world；　not

merely　heroic　and　enterprising；　but　fresh　with　religious

enthusiasm。　　They　had　expelled　the　infidels　from　Spain；　they　would

fight　for　the　honor　of　the　Cross　in　any　clime　or　land。



The　hopes　held　out　by　Columbus　were　extravagant；　and　these

extravagant　expectations　were　the　occasion　of　his　fall　and

subsequent　sorrows　and　humiliation。　　Doubtless　he　was　sincere；　but

he　was　infatuated。　　He　could　only　see　the　gold　of　Cipango。　　He　was

as　confident　of　enriching　his　followers　as　he　had　been　of

discovering　new　realms。　　He　was　as　enthusiastic　as　Sir　Walter

Raleigh　a　century　later；　and　made　promises　as　rash　as　he；　and

created　the　same　exalted　hopes；　to　be　followed　by　bitter

disappointments；　and　consequently　he　incurred　the　same　hostilities

and　met　the　same　downfall。



This　second　expedition　was　undertaken　in　seventeen　vessels；

carrying　fifteen　hundred　people；　all　full　of　animation　and　hope；

and　some　of　them　with　intentions　to　settle　in　the　newly　discovered

country　until　they　had　made　their　fortunes。　　They　arrived　at

Hispaniola　in　March；　of　the　year　1493；　only　to　discover　that　the

men　left　behind　on　the　first　voyage　to　secure　their　settlement　were

all　despoiled　or　murdered；　that　the　natives　had　proved　treacherous；

or　that　the　Spaniards　had　abused　their　confidence　and　forfeited

their　friendship。　　They　were　exposed　to　new　hostilities：　they　found

the　climate　unhealthy；　their　numbers　rapidly　dwindled　away　from

disease　or　poor　food；　starvation　stared　them　in　the　face；　in　spite

of　the　fertility　of　the　soil；　dissensions　and　jealousies　arose；

they　were　governed　with　great　difficulty；　for　the　haughty　hidalgoes

were　unused　to　menial　labor；　and　labor　of　the　most　irksome　kind　was

necessary；　law　and　order　were　relaxed。　　The　blame　of　disaster　was

laid　upon　the　Admiral；　who　was　accused　of　deceiving　them；　evil

reports　were　sent　to　Spain；　accusing　him　of　incapacity；　cruelty；

and　oppression；　gold　was　found　only　in　small　quantities；　some　of

the　leading　men　mutinied；　general　discontent　arose；　the　greater

part　of　the　colonists　were　disabled　from　sickness　and　debility；　no

gold　of　any　amount　was　sent　back　to　Spain；　only　five　hundred　Indian

slaves　to　be　sold　instead；　which　led　to　renewed　hostilities　with

the　natives；　and　the　necessity　for　their　subjugation。　　All　of　these

evils　created　bitter　disappointment　in　Spain　and　discontent　with

the　measures　and　government　of　Columbus　himself；　so　that　a

commission　of　inquiry　was　sent　to　Hispaniola；　headed　by　Aguado；　who

assumed　arrogant　authority；　and　made　it　necessary　for　Columbus　to

return　to　Spain　without　adding　essentially　to　his　discoveries。　　He

sailed　around　Cuba　and　Jamaica　and　other　islands；　but　as　yet　had

not　seen　the　mainland　or　found　mines　of　gold　or　silver。



He　landed　in　Spain；　in　1496；　to　find　that　his　popularity　had

declined　and　the　old　enthusiasm　had　grown　cold。　　With　him　landed　a

feeble　train　of　emaciated　men；　who　had　nothing　to　relate　but

sickness；　hardship；　and　disappointment。　　The　sovereigns；　however；

received　him　kindly；　but　he　was　depressed　and　sad；　and　clothed

himself　with　the　habit　of　a　Franciscan　friar；　to　denote　his

humility　and　dejection。　　He　displayed　a　few　golden　collars　and

bracelets　as　trophies；　with　some　Indians；　but　these　no　longer

dazzled　the　crowd。



It　was　not　until　1498　that　Columbus　was　enabled　to　make　his　third

voyage；　having　experienced　great　delay　from　the　general

disappointment。　　Instead　of　seventeen　vessels；　he　could　collect　but

six。　　In　this　voyage　he　reached　the　mainland；that　part　called

Paria；　near　the　mouth　of　the　Orinoco；　in　South　America；　but　he

supposed　it　to　be　an　island。　　It　was　fruitful　and　populous；　and　the

air　was　sweetened　with　the　perfumes　of　flowers。　　Yet　he　did　not

explore　the　coast　to　any　extent；　but　made　his　way　to　Hispaniola；

where　he　had　left　the　discontented　colony　himself　broken　in　health；

a　victim　of　gout；　haggard　from　anxiety；　and　emaciated　by　pain。　　His

splendid　constitution　was　now　undermined　from　his　various　hardships

and　cares。



He　found　the　colony　in　a　worse　state　than　when　he　left　it　under　the

care　of　his　brother　Bartholomew。　　The　Indians　had　proved　hostile；

the　colonists　were　lazy　and　turbulent；　mutiny　had　broken　out；

factions　prevailed；　as　well　as　general　misery　and　discontent。　　The

horrors　of　famine　had　succeeded　wars　with　the　natives。　　There　was　a

general　desire　to　leave　the　settlement。　　Columbus　tried　to　restore

order　and　confidence；　but　the　difficulty　of　governing　such　a

disorderly　set　of　adventurers　was　too　great　even　for　him。　　He　was

obliged　to　resort　to　severities　that　made　him　more　and　more

unpopular。　　The　complaints　of　his　enemies　reached　Spain。　　He　was

most　cruelly　misrepresented　and　slandered；　and　in　the　general

disappointment；　and　the　constant　drain　upon　the　mother　country　to

support　the　colony；　his　enemies　gained　the　ear　of　his　sovereigns；

and　strong　doubts　arose　in　their　minds　about　his　capacity　for

government。　　So　a　royal　commission　was　sent　out；an　officer　named

Bovadilla；　with　absolute　power　to　examine　into　the　state　of　the

colony；　and　supplant；　if　necessary；　the　authority　of　Columbus。　　The

result　was　the　arrest　of　Columbus　and　his　brothers；　who　were　sent

to　Spain　in　chains。　　What　a　change　of　fortune！　　I　will　not　detail

the　accusations　against　him；　just；　or　unjust。　　It　is　mournful

enough　to　see　the　old　man　brought　home　in　irons　from　the　world　he

had　discovered　and　given　to　Spain。　　The　injustice　and　cruelty　which

he　received　produced　a　reaction；　and　he　was　once　more　kindly

received　at　court；　with　the　promise　that　his　grievances　should　be

redressed　and　his　property　and　dignities　restored。



Columbus　was　allowed　to　make　one　more　voyage　of　discovery；　but

nothing　came　of　it　except　renewed　troubles；　hardships；　dangers；　and

difficulties；　wars　with　the　natives；　perils　of　the　sea；

discontents；　disappointments；　and　when　at　last　he　returned　to

Spain；　in　1504；broken　with　age　and　infirmities；　after　twelve

years　of　harassing　cares；　labors；　and　dangers　（a　checkered　career

of　glory　and　suffering）；nothing　remained　but　to　prepare　for　his

final　rest。　　He　had　not　made　a　fortune；　he　had　not　enriched　his

patrons；but　he　had　discovered　a　continent。　　His　last　days　were

spent　in　disquieting　and　fruitless　negotiations　to　perpetuate　his

honors　among　his　descendants。　　He　was　ever　jealous　and　tenacious　of

his　dignities。　　Ferdinand　was　polite；　but　selfish　and　cold；　nor　can

this　calculating　prince　ever　be　vindicated　from　the　stain　of　gross

ingratitude。　　Columbus　died　in　the　year　1506；　at　the　age　of　sixty；

a　disappointed　man。　　But　honors　were　ultimately　bestowed　upon　his

heirs；　who　became　grandees　and　dukes；　and　intermarried　with　the

proudest　families　of　Spain；　and　it　is　also　said　that　Ferdinand

himself；　after　the　death　of　the　great　navigator；　caused　a　monument

to　be　erected　to　his　memory　with　this　inscription：　〃To　Castile　and

Leon　Columbus　gave　a　new　world。〃　　But　no　man　of　that　century　needed

less　than　Columbus　a　monument　to　perpetuate　his　immortal　fame。



I　think　that　historians　belittle　Columbus　when　they　would　excite

our　pity　for　his　misfortunes。　　They　insult　the　dignity　of　all

struggling　souls；　and　make　utilitarians　of　all　benefactors；　and

give　false　views　of　success。　　Few　benefactors；　on　the　whole；　were

ever　more　richly　rewarded　than　he。　　He　died　Admiral　of　the　Seas；　a

grandee　of　Spain；having　bishops　for　his　eulogists　and　princes　for

his　mourners；the　founder　of　an　illustrious　house；　whose　name　and

memory　gave　glory　even　to　the　Spanish　throne。　　And　even　if　he　had

not　been　rewarded　with　material　gains；　it　was　enough　to　feel　that

he　had　conferred　a　benefit　on　the　world　which　could　scarcely　be

appreciated　in　his　lifetime；a　benefit　so　transcendent　that　its

results　could　be　seen　only　by　future　generations。　　Who　could

adequately　pay　him　for　his　services；　who　could　estimate　the　value

of　his　gift？　　What　though　they　load　him　to…day　with　honors；　or　cast

him　tomorrow　into　chains？that　is　the　fate　of　all　immortal

benefactors　since　our　world　began。　　His　great　soul　should　have

soared　beyond　vulgar　rewards。　　In　the　loftiness　of　his　self…

consciousness　he　should　have　accepted；　without　a　murmur；　whatever

fortune　awaited　him。　　Had　he　merely　given　to　civilization　a　new

style　of　buttons；　or　an　improved　envelope；　or　a　punch　for　a　railway

conductor；　or　a　spring　for　a　carriage；　or　a　mining　tool；　or　a

screw；　or　revolver；　or　reaper；　the　inventors　of　which　have　〃seen

millions　in　them；〃　and　been　cheated　out　of　his　gains；　he　might　have

whimpered　over　his　wrongs。　　How　few　benefactors　have　received　even

as　much　as　he；　for　he　won　dignities；　admiration；　and　undying　fame。

We　scarcely　know　the　names　of　many　who　have　made　grand　bequests。

Who　invented　the　mariner's　compass？　　Who　gave　the　lyre　to　primeval

ages；　or　the　blacksmith's　forge；　or　the　letters　of　the　alphabet；　or

the　arch　in　architecture；　or　glass　for　windows？　　Who　solved　the

first　problem　of　geometry？　　Who　first　sang　the　odes　which　Homer

incorporated　with　the　Iliad？　　Who　first　turned　up　the　earth　with　a

plough？　　Who　first　used　the　weaver's　shuttle？　　Who　devised　the

cathedrals　of　the　Middle　Ages？　　Who　gave　the　keel　to　ships？　　Who

was　the　first　that　raised　bread　by　yeast？　　Who　invented　chimneys？

But　all　ages　will　know　that　Columbus　discovered　America；　and　his

monuments　are　in　every　land；　and　his　greatness　is　painted　by　the

ablest　historians。



But　I　will　not　enlarge　on　the　rewards　Columbus　received；　or　the

ingratitude　which　succeeded　them；　by　force　of　envy　or　from　the

disappointment　of　worldly　men　in　not　realizing　all　the　gold　that　he

promised。　　Let　me　allude　to　the　results　of　his　discovery。



The　first　we　notice　was