from the drain upon them occasioned by the conquest of Granada, or if they
thought that the plan must be forthwith carried out, she would pledge her
jewels to raise the necessary funds. Santangel and Quintanilla kissed her
hands, highly delighted at succeeding; and Santangel offered to advance
the money required. Upon this the queen sent an alguazil to overtake
Columbus and bring him back to the court. He was overtaken at the bridge
of Pinos, two leagues from Granada; returned to Santa Fe, where the
sovereigns were encamped before Granada; was well received by Isabella;
and finally the agreement between him and their catholic highnesses was
settled with the secretary, Colama.


THE AGREEMENT SETTLED.

Not much is seen of King Ferdinand in all these proceedings; and it is
generally understood that he looked rather coldly upon the propositions of
Columbus. We cannot say that he was at all unwise in so doing. His great
compeer, Henry the Seventh, did not hasten to adopt the same project
submitted to him by Bartholomew Columbus, sent into England[8] for that
purpose by his brother Christopher; and it has not been thought to
derogate from the English king's sagacity.

[Footnote 8: It is difficult to determine how the project brought before
Henry the Seventh's notice by Bartholomew Columbus was received. Some
say it was made a mockery of at the English court; others speak of it as
actually accepted. Lord Bacon states that Bartholomew was taken by
pirates on his voyage to England, which delayed him so much that "before
he had obtained a capitulation with the king for his brother, the
enterprise by him was achieved." It is probable that Henry listened with
interest to Bartholomew Columbus, who was a man of much intelligence and