LIFE OF COLON, BY HIS SON.
5
cond falfehood is, that at his firfh coming into Cadile, their catholic majefties, Ferdi-nand and Ifabel, or Elizabeth, accepted of his propofal, after it had been feven yearsbandied about and rejected by all men. The third, that he fet out to difcover withtwo fhips, which is not true, for he had three caravals. The fourth, that his firft dif-covery was Hifpaniola, and it was Guarahani, which the admiral called S. Salvador, orS. Saviour. The fifth, that the faid ifland Hifpaniola was inhabited by cannibals, thateat men’s flefh ; and the truth is, the inhabitants of it were the bed people, and modcivilized of any in thofe parts. The fixth, that he took by force of arms the canoe,or Indian boat, he faw ; whereas it appears that he had no war that fird voyage withany Indian, and continued in peace and amity with them till the day of his departurefrom Hifpaniola. The feventh, that he returned by way of the Canary Iflands, whichis not the proper way for thofe veffels to return. The eighth, that from the faid iflandhe difpatched a meffenger to their majedies aforefaid ; whereas it is certain, that he wasnot fird at that ifland, as was obferved, and he himfelf was the meffenger. Theninth, that the fecond voyage he returned with twelve fliips ; and it is manifed he hadfeventeen. The tenth, that he arrived at Hifpaniola in twenty days, which is a veryfhort time to reach the neared iflands, and he performed it not in two months, andwent to others much farther didant. The eleventh, that he prefently made from Hif-paniola with two fhips, and it is known there were three he took to go from Hifpa-niola to Cuba . Juftiniani’s twelfth falfehood is, that Hifpaniola is four hours didantfrom Spain , and the admiral reckons it above five. And farther, to add a thirteenthto the dozen, he fays, the wedern point of Cuba is fix hours didant from Hifpaniola,making it further from Hifpaniola to Cuba than from Spain to Hispaniola . So thatby his negligence and heedleffnefs in being well informed and writing the truth of thefeparticulars, which are fo plain, we may plainly difcern what inquiry he made into thatwhich was fo obfcure, wherein he contradicts himfelf, as has been made appear. Butlaying afide this controverfy, wherewith I believe I have by this time tired the reader,we will only add, that confidering the many midakes and falfehoods found in the laidJudiniani’s hidory and pfalter, the fenate of Genoa has laid a penalty upon any perfonthat fltall read or keep it; and has caufed it to be carefully fought out in all places ithas been fent to, that it may by public decree be dedroyed and utterly extinguilhed.I will return to our main defign, concluding with this affertion, that the admiral wasa man of learning and great experience ; that he did not employ his time in handicraftor mechanic exercifes, but in fuch as became the grandeur and renown of his wonder-ful exploits; and will conclude this chapter with forne words taken out of a letterhe writ himfelf to prince John of Cadile’s nurfe, which are thefe.
tc I am not the fird admiral of my family, let them give me what name they pleafe;for when all is done, David, that mod prudent King, was fird a fheplierd, and after-wards chofen King of Jerufalem, and I am fervant to that fame Lord who raffed himto fuch dignity.”
CHAP. III. — Of the Admiral’s Perfon , and what Sciences he learned.
THE admiral was well lhaped, and of a more than middling dature, long vifaged,his cheeks fomewhat full, yet neither fat nor lean ; he had a hawk nofe, his eyeswhite, his complexion white, with a lovely red ; in his youth his hair was fair, butwhen he came to thirty years of age, it all turned grey. He was always modedand fparing in his eating, drinking, and his d efs. Among drangers he wasaffable, and pleafant among his domedics, yet with modedy and an eafy gravity.