6.  It was not above a month after his departure from the Canary Islands, where he had come to an anchor to get refreshment, when Columbus discovered the first island in America; and during this short run, he suffered more from the murmurings and discontent of the people of his fleet, than he had done even from the refusals of the princes he had applied to.  This island, which he discovered and named St. Salvador, lies about a thousand leagues from the Canaries.  Presently after he likewise discovered the Lucayan islands, together with those of Cuba and Hispaniola, now called St. Domingo.

7.  Ferdinand and Isabella were in the utmost surprise to see him return at the end of nine months, with some of the American natives of Hispaniola, several rarities from that country, and a quantity of gold, with which he presented their majesties.

8.  The king and queen made him sit down in their presence, covered like a grandee of Spain, and created him high admiral and viceroy of the new world.  Columbus was now every where looked upon as an extraordinary person sent from heaven.  Everyone was vying who should be foremost in assisting him in his undertakings, and embarking under his command.  He soon set sail again, with a fleet of seventeen ships.  He now made the discovery of several other new islands, particularly the Caribees and Jamaica.  Doubt had been changed into admiration on his first voyage; in this, admiration was turned into envy.

9.  He was admiral and viceroy, and to these titles might have been added that of the benefactor of Ferdinand and Isabella.  Nevertheless, he was brought home prisoner to Spain, by judges who had been purposely sent out on board to observe his conduct.  As soon as it was known that Columbus was arrived, the people ran in shoals to meet him, as the guardian genius of Spain.  Columbus was brought from the ship, and appeared on shore chained hands and feet.

10.  He had been thus treated by the orders of Fonseca, Bishop of Burgos, the intendant of the expedition, whose ingratitude was as great as the other’s services.  Isabella was ashamed of what she saw, and did all in her power to make Columbus amends for the injuries done to him:  however he was not suffered to depart for four years, either because they feared that he would seize upon what he had discovered for himself, or that they were willing to have time to observe his behaviour.  At length he was sent on another voyage to the new world; and now it was that he discovered the continent, at six degrees distance from the equator, and saw that part of the coast on which Carthagena has been since built.

11.  At the time that Columbus first promised a new hemisphere, it was insisted upon that no such hemisphere could exist; and after he had made the actual discovery of it, it was pretended that it had been known long before.