1, and
elsewhere. In their search for the Indies the Portuguese were
continually finding new lands, and it was likely to be the same
with the western route, which was supposed (see Catalan,
Toscanelli, and Behaim maps) to lead among spice islands
innumerable, and to Asiatic kingdoms whose heathen people had
no rights of sovereignty that Christian monarchs felt bound to
respect.]

[Footnote 506: Las Casas, _op. cit._ tom i. p. 243.]

[Footnote 507: See his letter of February, 1502, to Pope
Alexander VI. in Navarrete, tom. ii. p. 280; and cf. Helps,
_Spanish Conquest in America_, vol. i. p. 96; Roselly de
Lorgues, _Christophe Colomb_, p. 394.]

[Sidenote: Interposition of Luis de Santangel.]

The negotiations were broken off, and the indomitable enthusiast once
more prepared to go to France. He had actually started on his mule one
fine winter day, when Luis de Santangel rushed into the queen's room and
spoke to her with all the passionate and somewhat reproachful energy of
one who felt that a golden opportunity was slipping away forever. His
arguments were warmly seconded by Quintanilla, who had followed him into
the room, as well as by the queen's bosom friend Beatriz de Bobadilla,
Marchioness of Moya, who happened to be sitting on the sofa and was a
devoted admirer of Columbus. An impulse seized Isabella. A courier was
sent on a fleet horse, and overtook Columbus as he was jogging quietly
over the bridge of Pinos, about six miles out from Granada. The matter
was reconsidered and an arrangement was soon made. It was agreed:--

[Sidenote: Agreement between Columbus and the sovereigns.]

"1. That Columbus should have, for himself, during his life, and for his
heirs and successors forever, the office of admiral in all the islands
and continents which he might discover or acquire in the ocean, with
similar honours and prerogatives to those enjoyed by the high admiral of
Castile in his district.

"2. That he should be viceroy and governor-general over all the said
lands and continents; with the privilege of nominating three candidates
for the government of each island or province, one of whom should be
selected by the sovereigns.

"3. That he should be entitled to reserve for himself one tenth of all
pearls, precious stones, gold, silver, spices, and all other articles
and merchandises, in whatever manner found