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a letter to her Highness urging a reconsideration of the decision of the Court, and support of the proposals of Columbus. The letter was sent, and in two weeks came a friendly reply commanding the priest to appear at Court. At midnight this intrepid man mounted his mule and set forth upon the long and dangerous journey to Santa Fé. In the meantime Columbus. remained at the monastery buoyed up by new hopes and, perhaps, daring to dream of ultimate success. At the conference of the Queen and the priest it was agreed that three vessels should be equipped for the expedition. To a citizen of Granada, Isabella gave 20,000 maravedis and a letter to be delivered to Columbus. This commanded him to purchase a mule; also suitable raiment and present himself before her Majesty. Leaving his son Diego with Garcia Hernandez and Father Sanchez, Columbus set out for Santa Fé. Though the landscape must have been unchanged, it is certain that the successful suppliant saw in it, as he rode back to Santa Fé, beauties that he had not observed before.

Assistance Promised Before the Surrender. With more detail Dr. Garcia Hernandez on an interesting occasion told the story. In 1829 it was published in full by Navarrete.

The

Spanish Sovereigns with their armies formally entered and took possession of the city of Granada on Friday, January 6, 1492. In the introduction to his Journal, Columbus informs us that he was an interested spectator of that great event. In the opinion of Christendom this triumph nearly offset the Mohammedan conquest of Constantinople in 1453. If Columbus in obedience to the commands of Queen Isabella had completed his preparations and made the journey to Santa Fé, it is certain that her Majesty had concluded to equip the expedition even before the conquest of Granada. triumph of Columbus was really greater than is generally believed. His perseverance and his intelligence had won success notwithstanding the distractions and the uncertainties of existing war.

The

On the 17th and on the 30th of April, 1492 were executed the two documents known as the Capitulation. In another connection a synopsis of one of the papers will be given. For the present it is sufficient to state that by this instrument it was provided that "Columbus should be Admiral of such islands and mainlands as he or his heirs should discover or acquire with such prerogatives as belonged to the office of High Admiral of Castile." He was also to be "Viceroy and Governor-General in all those islands or mainlands he might discover or acquire, with

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power to name three persons for each office under him, from which three persons the Sovereigns must select one." The homeless and friendless stranger who had knocked at the portals of La Rabida on that dreary night in December, 1491 had gone far in a season. He was now a high official in one of the most powerful monarchies of Europe. If Columbus was, indeed, the sort of man described by some modern historians, it is hard to understand his advancement.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE EQUIPMENT AND THE DIS

COVERY.

Legends Concerning the Equipment.

After years of endeavor and anxiety Columbus and those whom he had won over to the support of his grand enterprise finally succeeded in gaining the assistance of Queen Isabella. The next step was to obtain the ships and the men. Around the subject of the equipment there have grown up legends more or less picturesque. One thing to be noted is that in them the ethnical, the personal and the religious estimates have played a considerable part. This is well illustrated in the case of B. L. de Argensola, who asserted that he found in the archives of the Treasury of Aragon documents which proved that it was that kingdom which furnished the money for the equipment. By the eyes of trained investigators outside of that kingdom these records have never been seen. They appear to have been visible to only Aragonese historians. There is no evidence that Aragon contributed so much as a

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single maravedi toward the enterprise. Not only ethnical pride but family importance has contributed to fashion stories that have entertained generations of readers.

Columbus Advanced One Eighth.

Under the terms of the Capitulation, Columbus was entitled to contribute one eighth part of the expense of the expedition and to receive one eighth of the profit. That he did contribute that portion is established by the Majorat, executed February 22, 1498. In this document he says: é yo hobiese el diezmo de todo lo que en el dicho Almirantazgo se fallase é hobiese o rentase, y asimismo la octava parte de las tierras, y todas las otras cosas.1

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And that I should have the tenth of everything that might be discovered and possessed and produced in the said Almirantazgo, and also the eighth part of the lands and of all other things.

On this point, and for a reason that will presently appear, Las Casas is a very interesting witness. In examining this subject that historian

says:

"And as Christopher Columbus wished to con

Navarrete, Coleccion, etc., II, p. 252. The entire instrument is well worth reading.