Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: both on this side [Europe] and with that yonder belonging to the Great Can [China], I took possession of a large town, which I named the city of Navidad. And 1 have made fortification there . . . and I have left therein men enough, with arms and artillery and provisions for more than a year . . . and a great friendship with the king of that land, to such a degree that he prided himself on calling and holding me as his brother. . . . In another island, which they assure me is larger than Espanola, the people have no hair. In this there is incalculable gold ; and concerning this and the rest I bring Indians with me as witnesses. . . . And I believe that I have discovered rhubarb and cinnamon, and I shall find that the men whom I am leaving there will have discovered a thousand other things of value. . . . And in truth I should have done much more if the ships had served me as well as might reasonably have been expected. . . . Since thus our Redeemer has given to our most illustrious King and Queen, and to their famous kingdoms, this victory in so high a matter, Christendom should have rejoicing therein, and make great festivals and give solemn thanks to the Holy Trinity for the great exaltation they shall have by the conversion of so many peoples to our holy faith ; and next for the temporal benefit which will bring hither refreshment and profit, not only to Spain but to all Christians. This briefly, in accordance with the facts. Dated on the caravel off the Canary Islands, the 15 February of the year 1493 At your command The Admiral The last years of Columbus' life were clouded with dis- 4. Columbus appointment, poverty, and sickness. He was greedy of both fame and gold. He had written to his sovereigns on the Diego, De- cember 1,1504 return from his fourth and last ...