fortunate man who should see land first. The "Pinta" was the foremost
vessel; and it was from her deck, at two o'clock in the morning, that land
was first seen by Rodrigo de Triana. We cannot but be sorry for this poor
common sailor, who got no reward, and of whom they tell a story, that in
sadness and despite, he passed into Africa, after his return to Spain, and
became a Mahometan. The pension was adjudged to the admiral: it was
charged, somewhat ominously, on the shambles of Seville, and was paid him
to the day of his death; for, says the historian Herrera, "he saw light in
the midst of darkness, signifying the spiritual light which was introduced
amongst these barbarous people, God permitting that, the war being
finished with the Moors, seven hundred and twenty years after they had set
foot in Spain, this work (the conversion of the Indians) should commence,
so that the Princes of Castille and Leon might always be occupied in
bringing infidels to the knowledge of the Holy Catholic faith."


RELIGIOUS MOTIVIES.

These last words are notable. They are such as Columbus himself would
probably have made use of in describing this, the crowning event of his
life. In the preface to his diary, which is an address to Ferdinand and
Isabella, he speaks at large of the motives of their highnesses. He begins
by saying how, in this present year of 1492, their highnesses had
concluded their war with the Moors, having taken the great city of
Granada, at the siege of which he was present, and saw the royal banners
placed upon the towers of the Alhambra. He then tells how he had given
information to their highnesses of the lands of India, and of a prince,
called the Grand Khan, who had sent ambassadors to Rome, praying for
doctors to instruct him in the faith; and how the Holy Father had never
provided him with these doctors; and that great towns were perishing, from