de la Cosa, but
whether this may be styled his first or his second must be left to the
intelligence of the reader, for the historians are at odds themselves,
and it might seem presumptuous in the biographer to assume to decide.
This voyage was narrated by him in the following letter, written
within a month of his return, to Lorenzo di Pier Francesco de Medici,
of Florence. It is dated, "Seville, July 18, 1500," and has been
called by one of his countrymen "the oldest known writing of Amerigo
relating to his voyages to the New World." Mr. John Fiske, in _The
Discovery of America_, denounces this letter as a forgery; but why,
and for what reason it should have been written by another, he does
not state.

"MOST EXCELLENT AND DEAR LORD,--It is a long time since I
have written to your Excellency, and for no other reason
than that nothing has occurred to me worthy of being
commemorated. This present letter will inform you that about
a month ago I arrived from the Indies, by way of the great
ocean, brought by the grace of God safely to this city of
Seville. I think your Excellency will be gratified to learn
the results of my voyage, and the most surprising things
which have been presented to my observation. If I am
somewhat tedious, let my letter be read in your more idle
hours, as fruit is eaten after the cloth is removed from the
table.

"You will please to note that, commissioned by his highness
the King of Spain, I set out with two small ships, the 18th
of May, 1499, on a voyage of discovery to the southwest, by
way of the Fortunate Isles, which are now called the
Canaries. After having provided ourselves there with all
things necessary, first offering our prayers to God, we set
sail from an island which is called Gomera, and, turning our
prows southwardly, sailed twenty-four days with a fresh
wind, without seeing any land. At the end of that time we
came within sight of land, and found that we had sailed
about thirteen hundred leagues, and were at that distance
from the city of Cadiz, in a southwesterly direction. When
we saw the land we gave thanks to God, and then launched our
boats and, with sixteen men, went to the shore, which we
found thickly covered with trees, astonishing both on
account of their size and their verdure, for they never lose
their foliage. The sweet o