is well known; you are aware of the consideration and
friendship with which we have treated you; the favours which you have
received from us shall not be the last that you will receive; we assure to
you your privileges, and are desirous that you and your children may enjoy
them. We offer to confirm them to you again, and to put your eldest son in
possession of all your offices, whenever you wish....We beg you to set out
as soon as possible."

NEW ENTERPRISE.

On the 9th of May the preparations were complete, and Columbus set sail
from Cadiz with his brother, Don Bartholomew, and his second son,
Fernando. As an instance of the admiral's chivalrous love of adventure, it
may be mentioned that upon hearing that the Portuguese fortress of
Arzilla, on the African coast, was besieged by the Moors, he first
proceeded thither, quite voluntarily, to its relief. When he reached it,
however, he found that the siege had been raised; and his services were
not, therefore, called into requisition.

COLUMBUS REFUSED SHELTER; DESTRUCTIVE TORNADO.

After a singularly prosperous voyage, he reached Martinique on the 13th of
June. His instructions from the Sovereigns expressly interdicted him from
visiting St. Domingo; but, on finding that his largest ship required some
repairs to make her seaworthy, he boldly disregarded the prohibition, and
sent a boat to ask Ovando to furnish him with another vessel in place of
the damaged one, and to allow his squadron to take refuge in the harbour
during a hurricane which he foresaw to be imminent. Ovando refused both
requests. His commission set forth that Columbus was not to visit the
island; and the contingency of hurricanes was not provided for. Besides,
the governor believed that this prediction of a hurricane was a mere
pretext of the admiral's for obtaining admission to the harbour. To an eye
unaccustomed to tropical changes, the weather appeared to be "set fair."
Scarcely a ripple passed over the sea; scarcely a breath stirred the
luxuriant foliage on shore. Ovando repulsed with scorn the admiral's
suggestion that, at any rate, the departure of the fleet for Spain should
he delayed. This fleet was the richest in cargo that had ever left the
islands. It contained all the gold which had been wrung out of the natives
by Bobadilla's harsh measures. Of one nugget, especially, the old
chroniclers speak in the most glowing terms. According to them, it was the
largest piece of virgin gold eve