tness.

"In conclusion, referring only to what has been effected by this
voyage, which was made with so much haste, Your Highnesses may see
that I shall find as much gold as desired with the very little
assistance afforded to me; there is as much spice and cotton as can
be wished for, and also gum, which hitherto has only been found in
Greece, in the island of Chios, and they may sell it as they please,
and the mastich, as much as may be desired, and slaves, also, who
will be idolators. And I believe that I have rhubarb, and cinnamon,
and a thousand other things I shall find, which will be discovered
by those whom I have left behind, for I did not stop at any cape
when the wind enabled me to navigate, except at the town of Navidad,
where I was very safe and well taken care of. And in truth much
more I should have done if the ships had served me as might have
been expected. This is certain, that the Eternal God our Lord gives
all things to those who obey Him, and the victory when it seems
impossible, and this, evidently, is an instance of it, for although
people have talked of these lands, all was conjecture unless proved
by seeing them, for the greater part listened and judged more by
hearsay than by anything else.

"Since, then, our Redeemer has given this victory to our illustrious
King and Queen and celebrated their reigns by such a great thing,
all Christendom should rejoice and make great festivals, and give
solemn thanks to the Blessed Trinity, with solemn praises for the
exaltation of so much people to our holy faith; and next for the
temporal blessings which not only Spain but they will enjoy in
becoming Christians, and which last may shortly be accomplished.

"Written in the caravel off Santa Maria; on the eighteenth of
February, ninety-three."

The following postscript was added to the letter before it was
despatched:

"After writing the above, being in the Castilian Sea (off the coast
of Castile), I experienced so severe a wind from south and
south-east that I have been obliged to run to-day into this port of
Lisbon, and only by a miracle got safely in, from whence I intended
to write to Your Highnesses. In all parts of the Indies I have
found the weather like that of May, where I went in ninety-three
days, and returned in seven