than all the more
dazzling treasures. Even the hammock and its name were given to
civilization by this first voyage.

In March, 1493, after a fearful return voyage, Columbus was again in
Spain, telling his wondrous news to Ferdinand and Isabella, and showing
them his trophies of gold, cotton, brilliant-feathered birds, strange
plants and animals, and still stranger men,--for he had also brought
back with him nine Indians, the first Americans to take a European trip.
Every honor was heaped upon Columbus by the appreciative country of his
adoption. It must have been a gallant sight to see this tall, athletic,
ruddy-faced though gray-haired new grandee of Spain riding in almost
royal splendor at the king's bridle, before an admiring court.

The grave and graceful queen was greatly interested in the discoveries
made, and enthusiastic in preparing for more. Both intellectually and as
a woman, the New World appealed to her very strongly; and as to the
aborigines, she became absorbed in earnest plans for their welfare. Now
that Columbus had proved that one could sail up and down the globe
without falling over that "jumping-off place," there was no trouble
about finding plenty of imitators.[3] He had done his work of
genius,--he was the pathfinder,--and had finished his great mission. Had
he stopped there, he would have left a much greater name; for in all
that came after he was less fitted for his task.

A second expedition was hastened; and Sept. 25, 1493, Columbus sailed
again,--this time taking fifteen hundred Spaniards in seventeen vessels,
with animals and supplies to colonize his New World. And now, too, with
strict commands from the Crown to Christianize the Indians, and always
to treat them well, Columbus brought the first missionaries to
America,--twelve of them. The wonderful mother-care of Spain for the
souls and bodies of the savages who so long disputed her entrance to the
New World began early, and it never flagged. No other nation ever
evolved or carried out so noble an "Indian policy" as Spain has
maintained over her western possessions for four centuries.

The second voyage was a very hard one. Some of the vessels were
worthless and leaky, and the crews had to keep bailing them out.

Columbus made his second landing in the New World Nov. 3, 1493, on the
island of Dominica. His colony of La Navidad had been destroyed; and in
December he founded the new city of Isabella. In January, 1494, he
founded there t