must be done; but let the admiral see whether it could not be managed
there" (i.e. in the Cannibal Islands) "that they should be brought to our
Holy Catholic Faith, and the same thing with the Indians of those islands
where he is."


SLAVERY PROPOSED.

The admiral's despatch goes much further: in the next paragraph he boldly
suggests that, for the advantage of the souls of these cannibal Indians,
the more of them that could be taken the better; and that, considering
what quantities of live-stock and other things are required for the
maintenance of the colony, a certain number of caravels should be sent
each year with these necessary things, and the cargoes be paid for in
slaves taken from amongst the cannibals. He touches again on the good that
will be done to the cannibals themselves; alludes to the customs duties
that their Highnesses may levy upon them; and concludes by desiring
Antonio de Torres to send, or bring, an answer, "because the preparations
here (for capturing these cannibals) may be carried on with more
confidence, if the scheme seem good to their Highnesses."


THE PROPOSAL REJECTED.

At the same time that we must do Columbus the justice to believe that his
motives were right in his own eyes, it must be admitted that a more
distinct suggestion for the establishment of a slave-trade was never
proposed. To their honour, Ferdinand and Isabella thus replied: "As
regards this matter, it is suspended for the present, until there come
some other way of doing it there, and let the admiral write what he thinks