[2] This is certainly the greatest hereditary grant that ever was conceded
    by sovereign to subject.  Had it taken effect in its clear extent, the
    family of Columbus must long ere now have become prodigiously too
    powerful and wealthy to have remained hereditary admirals, viceroys,
    and governors of the whole new world.  They must either have become
    independent sovereigns, or must have sunk under the consequences of
    rebellion.  If they still exist, they owe their existence, or their
    still subjected state, to the at first gross injustice of the court of
    Spain, and its subsequent indispensably necessary policy to preserve
    the prodigious acquisition acquired for them by the genius of this
    great man.—­E.

[3] The author mentions that he and his elder brother, the sons of
    Columbus, were present on this occasion, probably to take leave of
    their father.  It appears afterwards that James the admirals brother,
    accompanied him on this second voyage.—­E.

[4] The phenomenon here alluded to is now well known to be electricity,
    proceeding from or to pointed projections and in a continued stream,
    resembling flame.—­E.

[5] These three additional islands probably were successively, Marigalante,
    Petite Terre, and Deseado or Desirade.—­E.

[6] The origin of this may have been one of the people saying he had seen
    a pan or vessel of a substance like iron, while in the progress of
    the story to the admiral the qualifying circumstance of resemblance
    was omitted.—­E.

[7] The meaning of this passage is quite inexplicable.—­E.

[8] Those here called cinnamon trees must only have had some distant
    resemblance to true cinnamon in flavour; probably what is now called
    Canella alba, which is only used to give a flavour to nauseous
    medicines.—­E.

[9] By the description of the route in the foregoing narrative, the
    distances appear to have been, from Isabella to the pass of Hidalgos 3
    leagues; from Hidalgos to the pass of Cibao 11 leagues; and from this
    latter pass to the Castle of St Thomas 4 leagues:  in all 18 leagues as
    in the text.—­E.

[10] This story, like the iron pan in Dominica formerly mentioned, seems
    to have gained circumstances in its passage to the author.  Such
    collections of balls or round stones are not uncommon in mines, and
    are termed nests:  The hay and straw seem an embellishment.—­E.

[11] In a former passage he was said to have waited for the convoy of
    provisions before going to Cibao, which must have been an oversight in
    the author.—­E.

[11a] All these mighty promises of mines turned out only torrents and
    rivulets, in the beds of which gold dust and grains were found with
    infinite labour, and which, after the destruction of the natives, were
    all abandoned as unprofitable.—­E.