"Mac-Homer, too, in prose or song,
By the state-papers of Buffon,
To deep researches led;
A Gallo-Celtic scheme may botch,
To prove the Ourang race were Scotch,
Who from the Highlands fled."
Lord John Townshend.
The intelligence of the return of Columbus, and of the important
discoveries he had made, spread through Europe like wild-fire. It soon
got to be, in the general estimation, the great event of the age. For
several years afterward, or until the discovery of the Pacific by
Balboa, it was believed that the Indies had been reached by the western
passage; and, of course, the problem of the earth's spherical shape was
held to be solved by actual experiment. The transactions of the voyage,
the wonders seen, the fertility of the soil of the east, the softness of
its climate, its treasures in gold, spices, and pearls, and the curious
things that the admiral had brought as proofs of his success, were all
the themes of the hour. Men never wearied in discussing the subjects.
For many centuries had the Spaniards been endeavoring to expel the Moors
from the peninsula; but as that much-desired event had been the result
of time and a protracted struggle, even its complete success seemed tame
and insignificant compared with the sudden brilliancy that shone around
the western discoveries. In a word, the pious rejoiced in the hope of
spreading the gospel; the avaricious feasted their imaginations on
untold hoards of gold; the politic calculated the increase of the power
of Spain; the scientific exulted in the triumph of mind over prejudice
and ignorance, while they hoped for still greater accessions of
knowledge; and the enemies of Spain wondered, and deferred, even while
they envied.
The first few days that succeeded the arrival of Columbus' courier, were
days of delight and curiosity. Answers were sent soliciting his early
presence, high honors were proffered to him, and his name filled all
mouths, as his glory was in the heart of every true Spaniard. Orders
were issued to make the necessary outfits for a new voyage, and little
was talked of but the discovery and its consequences. In this manner
passed a month, when the admiral arrived at Barcelona, attended by most
of the Indians he had brought with him from the islands. His honors were
of the noblest kind, the sovereigns receiving him on a throne placed in
a public hall, rising at his approach, and insisting on his being seated
himself, a distinction of the highest nature, and usually granted only
to princes of royal blood. Here the admiral related the history of his
voyage, exhibited the curiosities he had brought with him, and dwelt on
his hopes of future benefits. When the tale was told, all present knelt,
and _Te Deum_ was chanted by the usual choir of the court; even
Ferdinand's stern nature dissolving into tears of grateful joy, at this
unlooked-for and magnificent behest of heaven.
For a long time, Columbus was the mark of every eye; nor did his honors
and consideration cease untill he left Spain, in command of the second
expedition to the east, as the voyage was then termed.
A few days previously to the arrival of the admiral at court, Don Luis
de Bobadilla suddenly appeared in Barcelona. On ordinary occasions, the
movements of one of the rank and peculiarities of the young grandee
would have afforded a topic for the courtiers, that would not soon have
been exhausted, but the all-engrossing theme of the great voyage
afforded him a screen. His presence, however, could not escape notice;
and it was whispered, with the usual smiles and shrugs, that he had
entered the port in a caravel, coming from the Levant; and it was one of
the received pleasantries of the hour to say, in an undertone, that the
young Conde de Llera had also made the _eastern_ voyage. All this gave
our hero little concern, and he was soon pursuing his ordinary life,
when near the persons of the sovereigns. The day that Columbus was
received in state, he was present in the hall, attired in the richest
vestments, and no noble of Spain did more credit to his lineage, or his
condition, than Don Luis, by his mien and carriage. It was remarked that
Isabella smiled on him, during the pageant; but the head of more than
one wary observer was shaken, as its owner remarked how grave the
queen's favorite appeared, for an occasion so joyous; a fact that was
attributed to the unworthy pursuits of her truant nephew. No one, that
day, gazed at Luis with more delight than Sancho, who lingered at
Barcelona to share in the honors of his chief, and who, in virtue of his
services, was permitted to take his place among the courtiers
themselves. Not a little admiration was excited by the manner in which
he used the novel weed, called tobacco; and some fifteen or twenty of
his neighbors were nauseated by their efforts to emulate his indulgence
and satisfaction. One of his exploits was of a character so unusual, and
so well illustrates the feeling of the hour, that it may be well to
record it in detail.
The reception was over, and Sancho was quitting the hall with the rest
of the crowd, when he was accosted by a man apparently of forty, well
attired, and of agreeable manner, who desired the honor of his presence
at a slight entertainment, of which several had been prepared for the
admiral and his friends. Sancho, nothing loth, the delights of
distinction being yet so novel, cheerfully complied, and he was quickly
led to a room of the palace, where he found a party of some twenty young
nobles assembled to do him honor; for happy was he that day in Barcelona
who could get even one of the meanest of Columbus' followers to accept
of his homage. No sooner did the two enter the room, than the young
Castilian lords crowded around them, covering Sancho with protestations
of admiration, and addressing eager questions, a dozen at a time, to his
companion, whom they styled "Senor Pedro," "Senor Matir," and
occasionally "Senor Pedro Matir." It is scarcely necessary to add, that
this person was the historian who has become known to us of these latter
days as "Peter Martyr," an Italian, to whose care and instruction
Isabella had entrusted most of the young nobles of the court. The
present interview had been got up to indulge the natural curiosity of
the youthful lords, and Sancho had been chosen for the occasion, on the
principle that when the best is denied us, we must be content to accept
information of an inferior quality.
"Congratulate me, Senores," cried Peter Martyr, as soon as he could find
an opportunity to speak, "since my success surpasseth our own hopes. As
for the Liguirian, himself, and all of high condition about him, they
are in the hands of the most illustrious of Spain, for this day; but
here is a most worthy pilot, no doubt the second in authority on board
one of the caravels, who consenteth to do us honor, and to partake of
our homely cheer. I drew him from a crowd of applicants, and have not
yet had an opportunity to inquire his name, which he is about to give us
of his own accord."
Sancho never wanted for self-possession, and had far too much mother-wit
to be either clownish or offensively vulgar, though the reader is not
now to be told that he was neither qualified to be an academician, nor
had the most profound notions of natural philosophy. He assumed an air
of suitable dignity, therefore, and, somewhat practised in his new
vocation by the thousand interrogatories he had answered in the last
month, he disposed himself to do credit to the information of a man who
had visited the Indies.
"I am called Sancho Mundo, Senores, at your service--sometimes Sancho of
the ship-yard-gate, though I would prefer now to be called Sancho of the
Indies, unless, indeed, it should suit his Excellency Don Christopher to
take that appellation--his claim being somewhat better than mine."
Here several protested that his claims were of the highest order; and
then followed sundry introductions to Sancho of the ship-yard-gate, of
several young men of the first families in Castile; for, though the
Spaniards have not the same mania for this species of politeness as the
Americans, the occasion was one in which native feeling got the
ascendency of conventional reserve. After this ceremony, and the
Mendozas, Guzmans, Cerdas, and Toledos, present, felt honored in knowing
this humble seaman, the whole party repaired to the banqueting-room,
where a table was spread that did credit to the cooks of Barcelona.
During the repast, although the curiosity of the young men made some
inroads on their breeding in this particular, no question could induce
Sancho to break in upon the duty of the moment, for which he entertained
a sort of religious veneration. Once, when pushed a little more closely
than common, he laid down his knife and fork, and made the following
solemn reply:
"Senores," he said, "I look upon food as a gift from God to man, and
hold it to be irreverent to converse much, when the bounties of the
table invite us to do homage to this great dispenser. Don Christopher is
of this way of thinking, I know, and all his followers imitate their
beloved and venerated chief. As soon as I am ready to converse, Senores
Don Hidalgos, you shall be told of it, and then God help the ignorant
and silly!"
After this admonition, there remained nothing to be said until Sancho's
appetite was satisfied, when he drew a little back from the table, and
announced his readiness to proceed.
"I profess to very little learning, Senor Pedro Martir," he said; "but
what I have seen I have seen, and that which is known, is as well known
by a mariner, as by a doctor of Salamanca. Ask your questions, then, o'
heaven's sake, and expect such answers as a poor but honest man can
give."
The learned Peter Martyr was fain to make the best of his subject, for
at that moment, any information that came from what might be termed
first hands, was greedily received; he proceeded, therefore, to his
inquiries, as simply and as directly as he had been invited to do.
"Well, Senor," commenced the man of learning, "we are willing to obtain
knowledge on any terms. Prithee, tell us, at once, which of all the
wonderful things that you witnessed on this voyage, hath made the
deepest impression on your mind, and striketh you as the most
remarkable!"
"I know nothing to compare with the whiffling of the north star," said
Sancho, promptly. "That star hath always been esteemed among us seamen,
as being immovable as the cathedral of Seville; but, in this voyage, it
hath been seen to change its place, with the inconstancy of the winds."
"That is, indeed, miraculous!" exclaimed Peter Martyr, who scarcely knew
how to take the intelligence; "perhaps there is some mistake, Master
Sancho, and you are not accustomed to sidereal investigations."
"Ask Don Christopher; when the phernomerthon, as the admiral called it,
was first observed, we talked the matter over together, and came to the
conclusion, that nothing in this world was as permanent as it seemed to
be. Depend on it, Senor Don Pedro, the north star flits about like a
weathercock."
"I shall inquire into this of the illustrious admiral; but, next to this
star, Master Sancho, what deem you most worthy of observation? I speak
now of ordinary things, leaving science to future discussion."
This was too grave a question to be lightly answered, and while Sancho
was cogitating the matter, the door opened, and Luis de Bobadilla
entered the room, in a blaze of manly grace and rich attire. A dozen
voices uttered his name, and Peter Martyr rose to receive him, with a
manner in which kindness of feeling was blended with reproof.
"I asked this honor, Senor Conde," he said, "though you have now been
beyond my counsel and control some time, for it appeared to me that one
fond of voyages as yourself, might find a useful lesson, as well as
enjoy a high satisfaction, in listening to the wonders of an expedition
as glorious as this of Colon's. This worthy seaman, a pilot, no doubt,
much confided in by the admiral, hath consented to share in our poor
hospitalities on this memorable day, and is about to give us many
interesting facts and incidents of the great adventure. Master Sancho
Mundo, this is Don Luis de Bobadilla, Conde de Llera, a grandee of high
lineage, and one that is not unknown to the seas, having often traversed
them in his own person."
"It is quite unnecessary to tell me that, Senor Pedro," answered Sancho,
returning Luis' gay and graceful salutation, with profound, but awkward
respect, "since I see it at a glance. His Excellency hath been in the
east, as well as Don Christopher and myself, though we went different
ways, and neither party went as far as Cathay. I am honored in your
acquaintance, Don Luis, and shall just say that the noble admiral will
bring navigation more in fashion than it hath been of late years. If you
travel in the neighborhood of Moguer, I beg you will not pass the door
of Sancho Mundo without stopping to inquire if he be within."
"That I most cheerfully promise, worthy master," said Luis, laughing,
and taking a seat, "even though it lead me to the ship-yard-gate. And
now, Senor Pedro, let me not interrupt the discourse, which I discovered
was most interesting as I entered."
"I have been thinking of this matter, Senores," resumed Sancho, gravely,
"and the fact that appears most curious to me, next to the whiffling of
the north star, is the circumstance that there are no doblas in Cipango.
Gold is not wanting, and it seemeth passing singular that a people
should possess gold, and not bethink them of the convenience of striking
doblas, or some similar coin."
Peter Martyr and his young pupils laughed at this sally, and then the
subject was pushed in another form.
"Passing by this question, which belongeth rather to the policy of
states than to natural phenomena," continued Peter Martyr, "what most
struck you as remarkable, in the way of human nature?"
"In that particular, Senor, I think the island of the women may be set
down as the most extraordinary of all the phernomerthons we fell in
with. I have known women shut themselves up in convents; and men, too;
but never did I hear, before this voyage, of either shutting themselves
up in islands!"
"And is this true?" inquired a dozen voices--"did you really meet with
such an island, Senor!"
"I believe we saw it at a distance, Senores; and I hold it to be lucky
that we went no nearer, for I find the gossips of Moguer troublesome
enough, without meeting a whole island of them. Then there is the bread
that grows like a root--what think _you_ of that, Senor Don Luis? Is it
not a most curious dish to taste of?"
"Nay, Master Sancho, that is a question of your own putting, and it must
be one of your own answering. What know I of the wonders of Cipango,
since Candia lieth in an opposite course? Answer these matters for
thyself, friend."
"True, illustrious Conde, and I humbly crave your pardon. It is, indeed,
the duty of him that seeth to relate, as it is the duty of him that
seeth not to believe. I hope all here will perform their several
duties."
"Do these Indians eat flesh as remarkable as their bread?" inquired a
Cerda.
"That do they, noble sir, seeing that they eat each other. Neither I nor
Don Christopher was invited to any of their feasts of this sort; for, I
suppose, they were well convinced we would not go; but we had much
information touching them, and by the nearest calculation I could make,
the consumption of men in the island of Bohio must be about equal to
that of beeves in Spain."
The speaker was interrupted by twenty exclamations of disgust, and Peter
Martyr shook his head like one who distrusted the truth of the account.
Still, as he had not expected any very profound philosophy or deep
learning in one of Sancho's character, he pursued the conversation.
"Know you any thing of the rare birds the admiral exhibited to their
Highnesses to-day?" he asked.
"Senor, I am well acquainted with several, more particularly with the
parrots. They are sensible birds, and, I doubt not, might answer some of
the questions that are put to me by many here, in Barcelona, to their
perfect satisfaction."
"Thou art a wag, I see, Senor Sancho, and lovest thy joke," answered the
man of learning, with a smile. "Give way to thy fancy, and if thou canst
not improve us with thy science, at least amuse us with thy conceits."
"San Pedro knows that I would do any thing to oblige you, Senores; but I
was born with such a love of truth in my heart, that I know not how to
embellish. What I see I believe, and having been in the Indies, I cannot
shut my eyes to their wonders. There was the sea of weeds, which was no
every-day miracle, since I make no doubt that the devils piled all these
plants on the water to prevent us from carrying the cross to the poor
heathens who dwell on the other side of them. We got through that sea
more by our prayers, than by means of the winds."
The young men looked at Peter Martyr, to ascertain how he received this
theory, and Peter Martyr, if tinctured with the superstition of the age,
was not disposed to swallow all that it pleased Sancho to assert, even
though the latter had made a voyage to the Indies.
"Since you manifest so much curiosity, Senores, on the subject of Colon,
now Admiral of the Ocean Sea, by their Highnesses' honorable
appointment, I will, in a measure, relieve your minds on the subject, by
recounting what I know," said Luis, speaking calmly, but with dignity.
"Ye know that I was much with Don Christopher before he sailed, and that
I had some little connection with bringing him back to Santa Fe, even
when he had left the place, as was supposed for the last time. This
intimacy hath been renewed since the arrival of the great Genoese at
Barcelona, and hours have we passed together in private, discoursing on
the events of the last few months. What I have thus learned I am ready
to impart, if ye will do me the grace to listen."
The whole company giving an eager assent, Luis now commenced a general
narrative of the voyage, detailing all the leading circumstances of
interest, and giving the reasons that were most in favor at the time,
concerning the different phenomena that had perplexed the adventurers.
He spoke more than an hour; proceeding consecutively from island to
island, and dilating on their productions, imaginary and real. Much that
he related, proceeded from the misconceptions of the admiral, and
misinterpretations of the signs and language of the Indians, as a matter
of course; but it was all told clearly, in elegant, if not in eloquent
language, and with a singular air of truth. In short, our hero palmed
upon his audience the results of his own observation, as the narrative
of the admiral, and more than once was he interrupted by bursts of
admiration at the vividness and graphic beauties of his descriptions.
Even Sancho listened with delight, and when the young man concluded, he
rose from his chair, and exclaimed heartily--
"Senores, you may take all this as so much gospel! Had the noble Senor
witnessed, himself, that which he hath so well described, it could not
have been truer, and I look on myself to be particularly fortunate to
have heard this history of the voyage, which henceforth shall be my
history, word for word; for as my patron saint shall remember me, naught
else will I tell to the gossips of Moguer, when I get back to that
blessed town of my childhood."
Sancho's influence was much impaired by the effects of Luis' narrative,
which Peter Martyr pronounced to be one that would have done credit to a
scholar who had accompanied the expedition. A few appeals were made to
the old seaman, to see if he would corroborate the statements he had
just heard, but his protestations became so much the louder in behalf of
the accuracy of the account.
It was wonderful how much reputation the Conde de Llera obtained by this
little deception. To be able to repeat, with accuracy and effect,
language that was supposed to have fallen from the lips of Columbus, was
a sort of illustration; and Peter Martyr, who justly enjoyed a high
reputation for intelligence, was heard sounding the praises of our hero
in all places, his young pupils echoing his words with the ardor and
imitation of youth! Such, indeed, was the vast reputation obtained by
the Genoese, that one gained a species of reflected renown by being
thought to live in his confidence, and a thousand follies of the Count
of Llera, real or imaginary, were forgotten in the fact that the admiral
had deemed him worthy of being the repository of facts and feelings such
as he had related. As Luis, moreover, was seen to be much in the company
of Don Christopher, the world was very willing to give the young man
credit for qualities, that, by some unexplained circumstance, had
hitherto escaped its notice. In this manner did Luis de Bobadilla reap
some advantages, of a public character, from his resolution and
enterprise, although vastly less than would have attended an open
admission of all that occurred. How far, and in what manner, these
qualities availed him in his suit with Mercedes, will appear in our
subsequent pages.
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