True Story of Christopher Columbus, Admiral; told for youngest readers by Elbridge Streeter Brooks
page 46 of 91 (50%)
page 46 of 91 (50%)
|
the Indians against the white men. The fort and village were surprised,
surrounded and destroyed. And the little band of "conquerors"--as the Spaniards loved to call themselves--was itself conquered and killed. It was a terrible disappointment to Columbus. The men in whom he had trusted had proved false. The gold he had told them to get together they had not even found. His plans had all gone wrong. But Columbus was not the man to stay defeated. His fort was destroyed, his men were killed, his settlement was a failure. It can't be helped now, he said. I will try again. This time he would not only build a fort, he would build a city. He had men and material enough to do this and to do it well. So he set to work. But the place where he had built from the wreck of the unlucky Santa Maria his unlucky fort of La Navidad did not suit him. It was low, damp and unhealthy. He must find a better place. After looking about for some time he finally selected a place on the northern side of the island. You can find it if you look at the map of Hayti in the West Indies; it is near to Cape Isabella. He found here a good harbor for ships, a good place on the rocks for a fort, and good land for gardens. Here Columbus laid out his new town, and called it after his friend the queen of Spain, the city of Isabella. He marked out a central spot for his park or square; around this ran a street, and along this street he built large stone buildings for a storehouse, a church and a house for himself, as governor of the colony. On the side streets were built the houses for the people who were to |
|