NOTES.

NOTE (A). P. 1.

THE question of Columbus' birth place has been agitated more than three centuries; and it is but a few years, since the subject called forth one prolix volume from the academy of Turin, and another, from that of Genoa. Columbus himself seems to have studied to keep the place a secret; and it is somewhat remarkable, that his own son, who has written his life, and who was sixteen years old, at his death, should have been so negligent as not to ask the question, or so unsuccessful as to obtain no answer. Piedmont, Placentia, Genoa, Savoy, and Laguria, have all been ready to claim the discoverer of the New World; but, with the exception of Genoa, their claims have little to support them. In his will, dated in 1494, Columbus describes himself as a Genoese: and an expression in the life by his son, is supposed to prove, that, if any of these countries was the place, it must have been Genoa. Some persons,' says he, 'would have him essay to trace the admiral's descent from noble blood, but that he refrained therefrom,-believing that our Lord, who had elected him for so great a work as the one he did accomplish, and appointed him his chosen apostle, whom he had called from the seas and rivers, and not from high places and palaces, to make known his name to the nations.'

K k

It has been said, that Henry VII. gave no encouragement to Bartholomew Columbus; and that his discouraging answer was communicated to Christopher, before he applied to the court of Castile. But it appears from the life by Don Ferdinand, his son, that the king of England at once yielded to the proposal; and that the admiral did not hear from his brother, until after he had performed his second voyage. 'But to return to the king of England, I say, that after he had seen the map, and that which my father, Christopher Columbus, offered unto him, he accepted the offer with joyful countenance, and sent to call him into England. But because God had reserved the said offer for Castile, Columbus was gone in the mean space, and also returned with the performance of his enterprise.' This life of Columbus is extremely scarce; and we have taken our translation from HACKLUYT's Travels, pt. iii. p. 508.

Just before Columbus arrived at Lisbon, on his return from the first voyage, he experienced a very dangerous storm; and, fearing that he might be cast away in such another, while sailing to Palos, the seat of the Spanish government, he addressed a letter to Don Raphael Sanzio, the king's treasurer; in which he gives a cursory account of his discoveries. Till within a short time, this precious document was very rare; and even Dr. Robertson, who is called the most diligent of mankind,' appears to have been ignorant of its existence. The English reader is indebted for it to the Edinburgh Review; the conductors of which have given us an account of the only copies, that are known to exist. The most ancient,-the one, from which they made a translation, was printed in 1493, and is in the Brera library, at Milan. Three are in the French king's library, at Paris, dated 1494. Another is found in a volume published at Bazil, in 1533;

and it was next inserted in the Hispania Illustrata, published at Frankfort, in 1603. The seventh is in the Magleabechi library, at Florence; and the eighth, in the Casanata library, at Rome. It is of considerable length; and, instead of being filled with wild and incredible stories, contains a pertinent, businesslike account of what had been discovered, and every where speaks the good sense, acuteness, and humanity of the writer. It is such an account as may be depended upon; and we shall make no apology for laying a part of it before our readers.

Of this island, (Hispana says he,) and of all the others which I have seen or obtained any knowledge of, the inhabitants go naked, both sexes alike, just as they were born; except that some of the women have a leaf, or some sort of cotton covering, which they themselves prepare for that purpose, about their middles. As I have already said, all these people are entirely without iron of any sort. They are also without arms, of which they know not the use, and indeed would be ill adapted to make use of them; not from any bodily defects, for they are well formed, but because they are so remarkably timid and fearful. The only kind of arms they possess are canes parched in the sun, on the roots of which they fix a sort of spear-head of dry wood, sharpened into a point: yet these they do not often dare to use; for it frequently happened when I had sent two or three of my men to some of the villages, that they might have communication with the inhabitants, a whole body of Indians would come out: but no sooner did they see our men approach, than off they set; parents deserting their children, and children their parents, without any scruple. Nor was this owing to any violence on my part, as I was particularly anxious that they should meet with no injury;-on the contrary, among whatever people I landed, or whom I could bring to

a conference, I always imparted to them, in quantities, whatever I happened to have,-such as clothes, and many other things, nor took any thing from them in return. But they are by nature of a very timid disposition. Whenever they know themselves to be in safety, however, and get over their fears, they are an uncommonly simple and honest people; very liberal in bestowing whatever they possess. They never refuse a request: nay, they themselves invited us to make demands of them. They have in truth the show of the greatest good will to all: they give things of great value for what is of scarce any; and are, indeed, content with very little or nothing in exchange. I however made a point that they should not be imposed upon by the very trifling and worthless articles which were apt to be given them, such as broken bits of earthen ware, or of glass,-likewise nails; although the truth is, if they might but obtain these, they thought themselves possessed of the most beautiful ornaments in the world. A sailor, on one occasion, got for one nail as great a weight of gold as would have made three golden nobles: and in the same way for other articles of still less value, they gave whatever the purchaser was inclined to ask them. But because I felt this to be an unjust species of traffic, I forbid it; and gave them many useful and beautiful articles which I had brought along with me, without any return being asked; that I might render them more friendly to me, that I might gain them over to the Christian faith. They have no idolatry amongst them; but seem to have a firm persuasion, that all force, power, and all good things come from Heaven, from whence, indeed, they imagined that I had come down with my ships and sailors.

In all these islands, according to my information, no man has more than one wife, except the chiefs and kings, who may have as many as twenty. The women seem to work more than

the men; and I have not been able to discover, whether there is any such thing as separate property; for I have always seen these people impart to each other whatever they had, particularly food, and things of that sort. I found no ministers among them, as some have imagined, but every where men of very estimable and benign aspect. Neither are they black like the Africans: their hair is smooth and long.'

Edin. Rev. vol. xxvii. p. 505. et seq.

NOTE (B). P. 14.

Captain Smith was born in England, in 1597. At the age of thirteen, he sold his school books and sachel, to equip himself for sea. His plot was discovered; and, instead of going before the mast, he was put behind the counter. He ran from his master at fifteen; and, after travelling for some time, on the continent, returned to England, and betook himself to the study of history and military tactics. Setting out again upon his travels, he embarked, at Marseilles, for Italy; but a tempest obliged the ship to anchor off Nice; and Smith's companions, who were pilgrims, attributing the storm to his presence, cast him into the sea. He swam ashore; went to Alexandria; and, entering the Austrian service against the Turks, soon displayed himself to so much advantage, that the emperor put him at the head of two hundred and fifty horsemen. At the siege of Regal, Lord Thurbisha sent a message to the army, that, for the diversion of the ladies, he would fight any Christian soldier, who might accept his challenge. Smith rode forth: the ladies stood on the battlements: the champions met; and Smith soon bore away the head