[4] This probably alludes to the foul means then employed in Spain for
    converting the Moors and Jews, by means of the holy office of the
    Inquisition.—­E.

[5] Perhaps this expression mean knights, or fidalgos; men of family and
    substance:  yet it probably means nothing more than that twenty
    volunteer cavalry formed part of the military force of the
    expedition.—­E.

[6] I am apt to suspect the real sense of this passage ought to be,
    “requiring the court of Spain not to send off Columbus for sixty
    days.”—­E.

[7] One hundred leagues, at 17-1/2 to the degree, west from the Azores,
    would fix the boundary about Long. 42 deg.  W. and would include within the
    Portuguese boundary a small portion of Brazil.  By compact between the
    two crowns, this line was afterwards extended to 370 leagues west from
    the islands of Cabo Verde, giving considerably more of Brazil, then
    unknown, to Portugal:  But the boundaries of that colony have been
    several times changed and regulated by treaties between the two crowns,
    without any rigid adherence to the papal grant.—­E.

[8] This negociation, which is confusedly interspersed in the original
    among the transactions of Columbus, is here thrown together:  But, as
    very indefinitely narrated, and exceedingly uninteresting, is somewhat
    compressed in this place.—­E.

[9] This date is assuredly erroneous, as we afterwards learn that nothing
    had been finally settled with Portugal on the fifth of September.—­E.

SECTION XII.

Second Voyage of Columbus to the West Indies, and establishment of Isabella, the first European colony in the New World.

Every thing being in readiness, the stores all shipped, and the men embarked, the fleet set sail from the bay of Cadiz on Wednesday the 25th of September 1493 before sunrise.  The admiral directed his course to the south-west for the Canary islands.  On Wednesday the 2d October the fleet came off the island of Gran Canaria, and on Friday the 5th came to anchor at Gomera, where the admiral remained two days taking in wood and water, and procuring cattle, sheep, goats, and swine, for the intended colony in Hispaniola.  Among these he purchased eight sows for 70 maravedies each, from which all those which have since stocked the Indies have multiplied.  He likewise took on board poultry, and other creatures, and garden seeds.  At this place the admiral delivered sealed instructions to all the pilots of the fleet, directing them how to shape their course for the territory of Guacanagari in the island of Hispaniola; but these were on no account to be opened, unless in case of separation from him, as he wished as much as possible to prevent the course of the voyage from becoming known to the king of Portugal.