an did the most accomplished
man who visited the Indies, when he made to himself a similar comparison.
Occasionally, in a narrow nature, however cultivated, the commonest
prejudices hold their ground; but, in general, knowledge sees behind and
beyond disgust, and suffices to conquer it.

THE EARTHLY PARADISE.

Columbus, however, found the men, the country, and the products, equally
admirable. It is somewhat curious that he does not mention his discovery
of pearls to the Catholic monarchs, and he afterwards makes a poor excuse
for this. The real reason I conjecture to have been a wish to preserve
this knowledge to himself, that the fruits of this enterprise might not be
prematurely snatched from him. His shipmates, however, were sure to
disperse the intelligence; and the gains to be made on the Pearl Coast
were, probably, the most tempting bait for future navigators to follow in
the track of Columbus, and complete the discovery of the earthly Paradise.

ILLNESS OF COLUMBUS.

Of the delights of this Paradise Columbus himself was to have but a slight
and mocking foretaste. He had been constantly ill during the voyage,
suffering from the gout and from an inflammation in his eyes which
rendered him almost blind. His new colony in Hispaniola demanded his
attention, and must often have been the cause of anxious thought to him;
and the grave but glowing enthusiast made his way to St. Domingo, and
afterwards returned to Spain, to be vexed henceforth by those mean
miseries and small disputes which afflicted him for the remainder of his
days--miseries the more galling, as they were so disproportionately small
in comparison with the greatness of such a man, and with the aims and
hopes which they effectually hindered.

CHAPTER X.

SLAVES AND LOGWOOD; PLAN OF SLAVE BARTER.

It was on the 30th of August, 1498, that Columbus arrived at Hispaniola,
where he found the state of his colony far from cheering, the defection of
Roldan and his followers having put everything into confusion. The admiral
supposed at first that the enmity of Roldan's party was chiefly directed
against his brother, the Adelantado, and the admiral hoped that, now he
had arrived, some agreement would speedily be concluded with Roldan, of
which he might inform the catholic sovereigns by the vessels which he
purposed to send back immediately to Spain. This was very far, however,
from being the case. These vessels, five in number, left the port o