antangel, receiver of the ecclesiastical
revenues of the crown of Aragon, and of other courtiers, Isabella was
induced to determine on the expedition. A messenger was sent after
Columbus, and overtook him near a bridge called "Pinos," 6 m. from
Granada. He returned to the camp at Santa Fe; and on the 17th of April
1492, the agreement between him and their Catholic majesties was signed
and sealed.

As his aims included not only the discovery of Cipangu or Japan, but
also the opening up of intercourse with the grand khan of Cathay, he
received a royal letter of introduction to the latter. The town of Palos
was ordered to find him two ships, and these were soon placed at his
disposal. But no crews could be got together, in spite of the indemnity
offered to criminals and "broken men" who would serve on the expedition;
and had not Juan Perez succeeded in interesting in the cause the Palos
"magnates" Martin Alonso Pinzon and Vicente Yanez Pinzon, Columbus'
departure had been long delayed. At last, however, men, ships and stores
were ready. The expedition consisted of the "Santa Maria," a decked ship
of 100 tons with a crew of 52 men, commanded by the admiral in person;
and of two caravels; the "Pinta" of 50 tons, with 18 men, under Martin
Pinzon; and the "Nina," of 40 tons, with 18 men, under his brother
Vicente Yanez, afterwards (1499) the first to cross the line in the
American Atlantic.

First voyage.

America discovered.

The adventurers numbered 88-souls; and on Friday, the 3rd of August
1492, at eight in the morning, the little fleet weighed anchor, and
stood for the Canary Islands. An abstract of the admiral's diary made by
Las Casas is yet extant; and from it many particulars may be gleaned
concerning this first voyage. Three days after the ships had set sail
the "Pinta" lost her rudder; the admiral was in some alarm, but
comforted himself with the reflection that Martin Pinzon was energetic
and ready-witted; they had, however, to put in at Teneriffe, to refit
the caravel. On the 6th of September they weighed anchor once more with
all haste, Columbus having been informed that three Portuguese caravels
were on the look-out to intercept him. On the 13th of September the
westerly variations of the magnetic needle were for the first time
observed; on the 15th a meteor fell into the sea at four or five leagues
distance; soon after they arrived at those vast plains of seaweed called
the Sargasso Sea; while all th