By this artifice, above forty thousand were decoyed into Hispaniola to mingle their groans and tears with its na tive inhabitants. The ardour with which the Spaniards pursued their operations in the mines, and the success attending their pursuit seemed to have engrossed their whole attention: no enterprize of any moment had been undertaken since the last voyage of Columbus. But the rapid decrease of the Indians rendered it impossible to acquire wealth with that facility as formerly; they began to form new schemes of aggrandizement, and the spirit of discovering new countries revived.

Juan Ponce de Leon, who commanded under Ovando in the eastern district of Hispaniola, passed over to the island of St. John de Puerto Rico, which Columbus had discovered in his second voyage, and penetrated into the interior part of the country. As he found the soil fertile, and expected from the information of the inhabitants, to discover gold mines in the mountains, Ovando permitted him to make a settlement. This was easily effected by that officer, who was eminent for his conduct and courage.

In a few years Puerto Rico was subject to the Spanish government; the natives were reduced to servitude, and treated with the same inconsiderate rigour as those of Hispaniola; and were soon exterminated.

About this time, Juan Diaz de Solis, in conjunction with Vincent Yanez Pinzon, one of Columbus's original companions, made a voyage to the continent. They held the same course which Columbus had taken, as far as to the island of Guanicos; but, standing from thence to the west, discovered a new and extensive province, afterwards known by the name of Yucatan, and proceeded along the coast of that country.

This led to discoveries of greater importance. Sebastian de Ocampo, by the command of Ovando, sailed round Cuba, and first discovered that this country, which Columbus once supposed to be a part of the continent, was a large island. This was one of the last occurrences of Ovando's administration.

Ever since the death of Columbus, his son Don Diego, had been employed in soliciting Ferdinand to grant him the offices of viceroy and admiral, in the New World, to gether with all the other immunities and profits, which des cended to him by inheritance, in consequence of the origi nal capitulation with his father. But, if these dignities and

revenues appeared so considerable to Ferdinand, that at the expense of being deemed unjust as well as ungrateful, he had wrested them from Columbus, it is not surprizing that he should withhold them from the son.

Don Diego, after wasting two years in fruitless solicitation, brought his suit against Ferdinand, before the council that managed Indian affairs, and that court with that integrity, which reflects honour upon its proceedings, decided against the king, and confirmed Don Diego's claim of the viceroyalty, and all the other privileges, stipulated. in the capitulation.

The sentence of the council of the Indies, gave him a title to a rank so elevated, and a fortune so opulent, that he found no difficulty in concluding a marriage with Donna Maria, daughter of Don Ferdinand de Toledo, great commendator of Leon, and brother of the duke of Alva, a grandee of the first rank, and nearly related to the king. The duke and his family so warmly espoused the cause of their new ally, that Ferdinand could not resist their solicitations. He recalled Ovando, and appointed Don Diego his successor, in 1509: in conferring this favour, he could not conceal his jealousy; for he allowed him only to assume the title of governor, and not that of viceroy, which had been adjudged to him.

He soon repaired to Hispaniola, attended by his uncles, his wife, (whom the courtesy of the Spaniards honoured with the title of vice-queen) and a numerous retinue of persons of both sexes, descended of good families. He lived with a splendour and magnificence, hitherto unknown in the New World; and the family of Columbus seemed now to enjoy the honours and rewards due to his superior genius; and of which he had been cruelly defrauded.

The colony acquired new lustre by the accession of so many inhabitants of a different rank and character, from those who had hitherto emigrated to America; and many of the most illustrious families in the Spanish settlements, are descended from the persons who attended Don Diego at that time. Though it was above ten years since Columbus had discovered the main land of America, the Spaniards had hitherto made no settlement in any part of it: but Alonzo de Ojeda, who had formerly made two voyages as a discoverer, by which he acquired considerable reputation, but no wealth; his character for intrepidity and

conduct, easily procured him associates, who advanced the money requisite to defray the charges of the expedition.

About the same time, Diego de Nicuessa, who had ac quired a large fortune in Hispaniola, revived the spirit of his countrymen. Ferdinand encouraged both; and, though he refused to advance the smallest sum, was very liberal of titles and patents. He erected two governments on the continent; one extending from the Cape de Vela, to the gulf of Darien; and the other from that to Cape Gracios a Dios. The former was given to Ojeda, the latter to Nicuessa.

Ojeda fitted out a ship and two brigantines, with three hundred men; Nicuessa, six vessels, with seven hundred and eighty men. They sailed about the same time from St. Domingo, for their respective governments. There is not in the history of mankind, any thing more singular or extravagant, than the form and ceremony they made use of in taking possession of the country. They endeavoured to convince the natives of the articles of the Christian faith, and in particular, of the jurisdiction of the pope over all the kingdoms of the earth; and, that he had granted their country to the king of Spain: they required them to submit to his authority, and embrace the Catholic religion. If they refused to comply, Ojeda and Nicuessa, were authorised to attack with sword and fire; to reduce them, their wives, and children, to a state of servitude, and compel them by force to submit to the authority of the king, and jurisdiction of the church.

The Indians of the continent, spurned with indignation at propositions so extravagant: they could not conceive how a foreign priest, of whom they had no knowledge, could have a right to dispose of their country; or how a prince, altogether a stranger to them, should claim the right of commanding them as his subjects. They turned to ridicule such extravagant proposals, and fiercely opposed the new invaders of their territories. Ojeda and Nicuessa, endeavoured to effect by force, what they could not accomplish by persuasion.

They found the natives of the continent different from their countrymen in the islands; they were fierce and brave. Their arrows were dipped in poison so deadly, that every wound was followed with certain death. In one encounter, they cut off seventy of Ojeda's followers, and the Spaniards were, for the first time, taught to dread the in

habitants of the New World. Nothing could soften their ferocity. Though the Spaniards practised every art to soothe them, and gain their confidence, they refused to hold any intercourse, or exchange any friendly office; they considered them as enemies come to deprive them of their liberty, and independence.

Though the Spaniards received two considerable reinforcements, the greater part of those engaged in this unhappy enterprize, perished in less than a year. A few who survived, settled a feeble colony, at Santa Maria el Antigua, on the gulf of Darien, under the command of Vasco Nugnez de Balboa, who, in the most desperate extremities, displayed such courage and conduct, as gained him the confidence of his countrymen, and marked him out for a leader, in more splendid and successful undertakings. Nor was he the only adventurer, who will appear with lustre in more important scenes.

Francis Pizarro, who was one of Ojeda's companions, afterwards performed many extraordinary actions. Ferdinand Cortes, whose name became still more famous, had engaged early in this enterprize, which roused all the active youth of Hispaniola to arms; but the good fortune which attended him in his subsequent adventures, interposed to save him from the disasters, to which his companions were exposed. He was taken ill at St. Domingo, before the departure of the fleet, and there detained.

The unfortunate issue of this expedition in 1511, did not deter the Spaniards, from engaging in new schemes of a similar nature. Don Diego Columbus proposed to conquer the island of Cuba, and to establish a colony there. Many persons of distinction in Hispaniola, entered with alacrity into the measure.

The command of the troops sent on this expedition, was given to Diego Velasquez, one of his father's companions in his second voyage, whose ample fortune, long residence in Hispaniola, and reputation for probity and prudence, qualified him for conducting an expedition of importance. Three hundred men were deemed sufficient for the conquest of an island, seven hundred miles in length, and filled with inhabitants. But as they were of the same unwarlike people as those of Hispaniola, the undertaking was not very hazardous.

The only obstruction the Spaniards met with, was from Hatuey, a cazique who had fled from Hispaniola, and taken

possession of the eastern extremity of Cuba. He stood upon the defensive when they first landed, and endeavoured to drive them back to their ships. His feeble troops, were soon broken and dispersed; and he himself made prisoner. He was soon condemned to the flames. While he was fastened to the stake, a Franciscan friar labouring to convert him, promised him the immediate joys of heaven if he would embrace the christian faith; "are there any “Spaniards,” said he after some pause "in that region of "bliss which you describe?" Yes, replied the monk, but only such as are worthy and good. "The best of them," replied the indignant cazique "have neither worth nor "goodness: I will not go to a place where I shall see one "of that accursed race." With this dreadful example, the natives were so intimidated, that they submitted to their invaders, and Velasquez, without the loss of one man, annexed this large and fertile island to the Spanish monarchy.

Juan Ponce de Leon about the year 1512, discovered Florida; he attempted to land in different places, but was repulsed with such vigour by the natives, as convinced him that an encrease of force was necessary, to make a settlement with safety. But the primary object which induced him to undertake this voyage, was a tradition that prevailed among the natives of Puerto Rico, that in the island of Bimini, there was a fountain of such wonderful virtue, as to renew youth, and recall the strength and vigour of every person who bathed in it. That a tale so incredible should gain belief, among simple uninstructed Indians is not surprizing; but that it should make an impression on enlightened people, appears in the present age, altogether incredible. The fact however is certain, and Robertson in his history of America, says, the most authentic Spanish historians mention this extravagant attempt of their credulous countrymen.

Soon after the expedition to Florida a discovery of much greater consequence was made in another part of America. Balboa having been raised to the government of Santa Maria in Darien, made frequent inroads into the adjacent country. In one of these excursions, the Spaniards contended with such eagerness about the division of some gold, that they were upon the point of proceeding to violence. A young cazique, astonished at the high value they set upon a thing of which he did not discern the use,