An attempt to settle

nent

greeably to instruction from the king, he set, tled a colony in Cubagua, where large fortunes were soon acquired by the fishery of pearls.

Alonso de Ojeda, having sailed from Hispaniola with a ship and two brigantines, carrying three the conti- hundred soldiers, to settle the continent, landed at Carthagena; but was beaten off by the natives. While he began a settlement at St. Sebastian,' on the east side of the gulf of Darien, Diego Nicuesproves un- sa with six vessels and seven hundred and eighty men began another at Nombre de Dios, on the west side. 3 Both however were soon broken up

successful.

A small colony set

gulf of Darien.

by the natives.*

1510.

The greater part of those, who had engaged with tled at the Ojeda and Nicuessa in the expedition for settling the continent, having perished in less than a year, a few, who survived, now settled, as a feeble colony, at Santa Maria on the gulf of Darien, under the command of Vasco Nunez de Balboa. 5

Puerto

Rico.

Juan Ponce de Leon, who had commanded in the eastern district of Hispaniola, under Ovando, now effected a settlement, by his permission, on Puerto Rico. Within a few years this island was subjected to the Spanish government; and the natives, treated with rigour, and worn out with fatigue and sufferings, soon became extinct."

1 Robertson, i. book iii.

2 Harris [i. 271.] from Galvano, calls it a fort, and says, it wast he first built by the Spaniards in Terra Firma.

3 Nicuessa obliged all his men, whether sick or well, to work on his fort, and they died at their labour. The 780 men, whom he brought from Hispaniola, were soon reduced to 100. Herrera, i. 359.

4 Herrera, ibid. Harris Voy. i. 271. Robertson [i. b. iii.] says, that these Indians were fierce and warlike; that their arrows were dipped in a poison so noxious, that every wound was followed with certain death; that in one encounter they slew above 70 of Ojeda's followers; and that the Spaniards, for the first time, were taught to dread the inhabitants of the New World.

5 Robertson, book iii. Prince Chron. Introd. 83.

6 Herrera, i. 369. Robertson, i. book iii. This island was discovered

39

John de Esquibel sailed from Hispaniola, and Jamaica. began a settlement at Jamaica.'

1511.

Don Diego Columbus proposing to conquer the Conquest island of Cuba, and to establish a colony there, of Cuba. many persons of distinction in Hispaniola engag ed in the measure. Three hundred men, destined for the service, were put under the command of Diego Velasquez, who, with this inconsiderable number of troops, conquered the island, without the loss of a man, and annexed it to the Spanish monarchy. 3

Hispaniola was not completely subdued until this year. Two bishops were now constituted here, one at St. Domingo, and another at the Conception. Three bishopricks had been previously erected in the island, but no bishops had been sent to them. S

Ferdinand established the Council of the Indies, in which was vested the supreme government of all the Spanish dominions in America. He now

6

by Columbus in his second voyage. Juan Ponce passed over to it in 1508, and penetrated into the interior part of the country. Ibid. B. de las Casas [p. 4.] says, that above 30 islands, near this, were in like manner entirely depopulated.

1 Prince Chron. Introd. 83.

2 He accompanied Christopher Columbus in his second voyage. Rob. 3 Robertson, i. 241. Prince Chron. Introd. 83. The island is about 700 miles long, and at that time had two or three hundred houses, with seve ral families in each, as was usual in Hispaniola. Hatuay, a rich and potent cazique, who, to avoid slavery or death, had fled from Hispaniola to Cuba, was taken in the interior part of this island, and carried to Velasquez, who condemned him to the flames. When he was fastened to the stake; a Franciscan friar, labouring to convert him, promised him immediate admittance to the joys of heaven, if he would embrace the Christian faith; and threatened him with eternal torment, if he should continue obstinate in his unbelief. The cazique asked, if there were any Spaniards in that region of bliss, that he described. On being told, there were; "I will not go," said he, " to a place where I may meet with one of that accursed race. B. de las Casas, 20, 21. Robertson, i. book iii.

4 Univ. Hist. xli. 467.

6 Robertson, iii. book viii.

5 Herrera, i. 375.

This, or a similar council, was in being

April 2.

discovers Florida.

permitted the importation of negroes in greater numbers, than before, into his American colonies."

1512.

Juan Ponce de Leon, sailing northwardly from Juan Ponce Puerto Rico with three ships, discovered the continent in thirty degrees eight minutes north latitude, and called it Florida. Having gone ashore, and taken possession, he returned to Puerto Rico through the channel, afterward known by the name of the Gulf of Florida, and discovered the Bahama Islands. 3

Sept. 25.

nez disco

1513.

Vasco Nunez de Balboa, a Spaniard, employed Vasco Nu- in the conquest of Darien and the Gulf of Uraba, having travelled across the isthmus of Darien South Sea. with two hundred and ninety men, from the top

vers the

of a high mountain on the western side of the continent discovered an ocean, which, from the direction in which he saw it, took the name of the South Sea. Falling on his knees, and lifting up his hands to heaven, he gave thanks to God for being the first discoverer. Having proceeded with his followers to the shore, he advanced up to his middle in the water with his sword and buckler, and

some years before, for we have already met with one of its decrees. See A. D. 1509, Note 5.

I Robertson i. book iii.

2 "Because" says Purchas, [i. 769.] "it was first discovered by the Spaniards on Palm Sunday, or on Easter day, which they call Pasqua Florida [de Flores, Herrera]; and not, as Thevot writeth, for the flourishing verdure thereof." P. Martyr [301.] agrees with Purchas: "Floridam appellavit, quia resurrectionis festo repererit. Vocat Hispanus Pascha floridum resurrectionis diem."

3 Herrera, ii. 33, 34. Harris Voy. i. 271. Univ. Hist. xl. 378. Brit. Emp. iii. 208. Robertson, i. 243. Prince Chron. Intrad. 83. Encyclop. Methodique, Histoire, Art. CABOT; and Geog. Art. FLORIDE. Purchas, i. 769.

4 Venegas California, i. 119.

5 Harris Voy. 271.

took possession of this ocean in the name of the
king his master, vowing to defend it, with those
arms, against all his enemies.'
In token of pos-

session he erected piles of stones on the shore.

Peter de Cordova, a Dominican Friar, having Friars go obtained leave of the king, now went over from to CumaSpain to the continent of America, with other friars of his order, to preach to the Indians at Cu

mana. 3

na.

Indians.

Ferdinand issued a decree of his privy council, Decree declaring, that the servitude of the Indians is war- concerning ranted both by the laws of God and man; and that, unless they were subjected to the dominion of the Spaniards, and compelled to reside under their inspection, it would be impossible to reclaim them from idolatry, and to instruct them in the principles of the Christian faith.*

1514.

Vasco Nunez having sent the king of Spain an account of his discovery of the South Sea, and of what he had heard of Peru, acquainting him at the same time, that it would require a thousand men to effect that conquest; his majesty ordered Pedro Arias d'Avila to embark for America, as governor of Darien." He accordingly sailed from St. Lucar

Herrera, ii. 53. P. Martyr, 178. Prince Chron. Introd. 83. Robertson, i. 251. Forster Voy. 263.

2 P. Martyr, 182. This author says, that the Indians opposed his passage over the mountains; that they fled at the discharge of the Spanish guns; that the Spaniards, pursuing them, cut them in pieces; that 600 of them, together with their prince, were destroyed like brute beasts; and that Vasco ordered about 50 to be torn to pieces by dogs. "Canum opera," adds the historian, " nostri utuntur in præliis contra nudas eas gentes: ad quas rabidi infiliunt, haud secus ac in feros apros aut fugaces cervos." Ibid. 180, 181. Vasco returned in February, 1514, to Darien, without the loss of one man in any of his numerous actions with the natives. Ibid. 205.

3 Herrera, ii. 43. 4 Robertson, i. 166. 5 Herrera, ii. 68.

6 He was the fourth governor of " Golden Castile," as the countries of Darien, Carthagena, and Uraba were now denominated. Harris Voy.

as desolates

Pedro Aris with fifteen vessels and fifteen hundred men; and, by his tyranny and exactions after his arrival, all the country, from the gulf of Darien to the lake of Nicaragua, was desolated.'

the Indian country.

A dissension not long after arose between Vasco Nunez and Arias. Vasco, charged with calumny Vasco Nu- against the government, was sent for by the gov to death. ernor, and put in chains; and, after some formalities of a trial, was condemned, and beheaded.*

nez is put

Town of
Puerto Ri-

Puerto Rico, the chief town on the island of this co founded. name, was founded, and John Ponce de Leon ap pointed its governor.3

Pearl Is

covered.

1515.

Gasper Morales, sent by Pedro Arias d'Avila, lands dis marched from Darien across the land to the South Sea; and discovered the Pearl Islands in the bay of St. Michael in five degrees north latitude.+

Bermudas

John Arias began to people Panama on the South Sea, and discovered two hundred and fifty leagues on the coast to eight degrees thirty minutes north latitude. 5

Gonsales Ferdinandus Oviedas discovered the is discovered. lands of Bermudas, 12 degrees north of Hispaniola.

6

i. 271. F. John de Quevedo, a Franciscan friar, came over with him, as bishop of Darien, accompanied with several ecclesiastics of that order. Herrera, ii. 69.

I Herrera, ii. 68, 69. Robertson, i. 257. B. de las Casas [23-26.] says, that this “merciless governor" ran through above 50 leagues of the finest country in the world, and carried desolation with him wherever he went; that before his arrival there were many villages, towns and cities, which excelled those of all the neighbouring countries; that this country abounded in gold, more than any that had yet been discovered; that the Spaniards in a little time carried away above three millions out of this kingdom; and that here above 800,000 people were slaughtered. Herrera, ii. 128. Robertson, i. 250, 251.

2 P. Martyr, 320.

3 Univ. Hist. xli. 520.

PUERTO RICO.

Encyclop. Methodique, Geog. Art. JUAN DE

4 Harris Voy. i. 271. Prince Chron. Introd. 83.

5 Prince, ibid. 84.

6 Ibid. from Purchas. Many authors ascribe this discovery to John Ber mudez, a Spaniard, in 1522.