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OF THIS VOLUME.

INTRODUCTION.

PAGE.

General View--Transition from the Old to the New Civilization--Historical Sketch of Spain--Spanish Character--Spanish Society--Prominent Features of the Age--Domestic Matters--The New World--Comparative Civilizations and Savagisms--Earliest Voyages of Discovery 1

COLUMBUS AND HIS DISCOVERIES. 1492-1500.

Early Experiences--The Compact--Embarkation at Palos--The Voyage--Discovery of Land--Unfavorable Comparison with the Paradise of Marco Polo--Cruise among the Islands--One Nature Everywhere--Desertion of Pinzon--Wreck of the Santa Mar?a--The Fortress of La Navidad Erected--Return to Spain--Rights of Civilization--The Papal Bull of Partition--Fonseca Appointed Superintendent of the Indies--Second Voyage--Navidad in Ruins--Isabela Established--Discontent of the Colonists--Explorations of the Interior--Coasting Cuba, and Discovery of Jamaica--Failure of Columbus as Governor--Intercourse with Spain--Destruction of the Indians--Government of the Indies--Diego and Bartolom? Colon--Charges against the Admiral--Commission of Inquiry Appointed--Second Return to Spain--Third Voyage--Trinidad Discovered--Santo Domingo Founded--The Roldan Rebellion--Francisco de Bobadilla Appointed to Supersede Columbus--Arbitrary and Iniquitous Conduct of Bobadilla--Columbus Sent in Chains to Spain 155

DISCOVERY OF DARIEN. 1500-1502.

Rodrigo de Bastidas--Extension of New World Privileges--The Royal Share--Juan de la Cosa--Ships of the Early Discoverers--Coasting Darien--The Terrible Teredo--Wrecked on Espa?ola--Spanish Money--Treatment of Bastidas by Ovando--Accused, and Sent to Spain for Trial--He is Immediately Acquitted--Future Career and Character of Bastidas--The Archives of the Indies--The Several Collections of Public Documents in Spain--The Labors of Mu?oz and Navarrete--Bibliographical Notices of the Printed Collections of Navarrete, Ternaux-Compans, Salv? and Baranda, and Pacheco and C?rdenas 183

COLUMBUS ON THE COASTS OF HONDURAS, NICARAGUA, AND COSTA RICA. 1502-1506.

The Sovereigns Decline either to Restore to the Admiral his Government, or to Capture for him the Holy Sepulchre--So he Sails on a Fourth Voyage of Discovery--Fernando Colon and his History--Ovando Denies the Expedition Entrance to Santo Domingo Harbor--Columbus Sails Westward--Strikes the Shore of Honduras near Guanaja Island--Early American Cartography--Columbus Coasts Southward to the Darien Isthmus--Then Returns and Attempts Settlement at Veragua--Driven thence, his Vessels are Wrecked at Jamaica--There midst Starvation and Mutiny he Remains a Year--Then he Reaches Espa?ola, and finally Spain, where he shortly afterward Dies--Character of Columbus--His Biographers 202

ADMINISTRATION OF THE INDIES. 1492-1526.

Columbus the Rightful Ruler--Juan Aguado--Francisco de Bobadilla--Nicol?s de Ovando--Santo Domingo the Capital of the Indies--Extension of Organized Government to Adjacent Islands and Mainland--Residencias--Gold Mining at Espa?ola--Race and Caste in Government--Indian and Negro Slavery--Cruelty to the Natives--Spanish Sentimentalism--Pacification, not Conquest--The Spanish Monarchs always the Indian's Friends--Bad Treatment due to Distance and Evil-minded Agents--Infamous Doings of Ovando--Repartimientos and Encomiendas--The Sovereigns Intend them as Protection to the Natives--Settlers Make them the Means of Indian Enslavement--Las Casas Appears and Protests against Inhumanities--The Defaulting Treasurer--Diego Colon Supersedes Ovando as Governor--And Makes Matters Worse--The Jeronimite Fathers Sent Out--Audiencias--A Sovereign Tribunal is Established at Santo Domingo which Gradually Assumes all the Functions of an Audiencia, and as such Finally Governs the Indies--Las Casas in Spain--The Consejo de Indias, and Casa de Contratacion--Legislation for the Indies 247

THE GOVERNMENTS OF NUEVA ANDALUC?A AND CASTILLA DEL ORO. 1506-1510.

Tierra Firme Thrown Open to Colonization--Rival Applications--Alonso de Ojeda Appointed Governor of Nueva Andaluc?a, and Diego de Nicuesa of Castilla del Oro--Hostile Attitudes of the Rivals at Santo Domingo--Ojeda Embarks for Cartagena--Builds the Fortress of San Sebastian--Failure and Death--Nicuesa Sails from Veragua--Parts Company with his Fleet--His Vessel is Wrecked--Passes Veragua--Confined with his Starving Crew on an Island--Succor--Failure at Veragua--Attempts Settlement at Nombre de Dios--Loss of Ship Sent to Espa?ola for Relief--Horrible Sufferings--Bibliographical Notices of Las Casas, Oviedo, Peter Martyr, Gomara, and Herrera--Character of the Early Chroniclers for Veracity 289

SETTLEMENT OF SANTA MAR?A DE LA ANTIGUA DEL DARIEN. 1510-1511.

Francisco Pizarro Abandons San Sebastian--Meets Enciso at Cartagena--He and his Crew Look like Pirates--They are Taken back to San Sebastian--Vasco Nu?ez de Balboa--Boards Enciso's Ship in a Cask--Arrives at San Sebastian--The Spaniards Cross to Darien--The River and the Name--Cemaco, Cacique of Darien, Defeated--Founding of the Metropolitan City--Presto, Change! The Hombre del Casco Up, the Bachiller Down--Vasco Nu?ez, Alcalde--Nature of the Office--Regidor--Colmenares, in Search of Nicuesa, Arrives at Antigua--He Finds Him in a Pitiable Plight--Antigua Makes Overtures to Nicuesa--Then Rejects Him--And Finally Drives Him Forth to Die--Sad End of Nicuesa 321

FACTIONS AND FORAGINGS IN DARIEN. 1511-1513.

The Garrison at Nombre de Dios--Subtle Diplomacies--Vasco Nu?ez Assumes Command--Enciso, his Life and Writings--The Town and the Jail--Rights of Sanctuary--Valdivia's Voyage--Zamudio's Mission--Expedition to Coiba--Careta Gives Vasco Nu?ez his Daughter--Ponca Punished--Jura, the Savage Statesman--Visit of the Spaniards to Comagre--Panciaco Tells Them of a Southern Sea--The Story of Valdivia, Who is Shipwrecked and Eaten by Cannibals--Vasco Nu?ez Undertakes an Impious Pilgrimage to the Golden Temple of Dabaiba--Conspiracy Formed by the Natives to Destroy Antigua--Fulvia Divulges the Plot--Darien Quieted--Vasco Nu?ez Receives a Royal Commission--Serious Charges--Vasco Nu?ez Resolves to Discover the Southern Sea before He is Prevented by Arrest 337

DISCOVERY OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 1513.

Departure of Vasco Nu?ez from Antigua--Careta's Welcome--Difficulties to be Encountered--Treacherous Character of the Country--Historical Bloodhounds--Ponca Reconciled--Capture of Quarequ?--First View of the Pacific from the Heights of Quarequ?--The Spaniards Descend to Chiapes--Take Formal Possession of the South Sea--Form of Taking Possession--The Names South Sea and Pacific Ocean--Further Discoveries--Perilous Canoe Voyage--Gold and Pearls in Profusion--Tumaco Pacified--The Pearl Islands--The Return--Teoca's Kindness--Ponca Murdered--Pocorosa Pacified--Tubanam? Vanquished--Gold, Gold, Gold--Panciaco's Congratulations--Arrival at Antigua 358

PEDRARIAS D?VILA ASSUMES THE GOVERNMENT OF DARIEN. 1514-1515.

How the Discovery of a South Sea was Regarded in Spain--The Enemies of Vasco Nu?ez at Court--Pedrarias D?vila Appointed Governor--Departure from Spain and Arrival at Antigua--Arbolancha in Spain--Pedrarias Persecutes Balboa--The King's Requirement of the Indians--Juan de Ayora Sent to Plant a Line of Fortresses between the Two Seas--Which Work He Leaves for Wholesale Robbery--Bartolom? Hurtado Sent to Bring in the Plunder--Disastrous Attempts to Violate the Sepulchres of Cen?--Expedition of Tello de Guzman to the South Sea--The Site of Panam? Discovered--The Golden Temple of Dabaiba Once More--Gaspar de Morales and Francisco Pizarro Visit the South Sea 386

DARIEN EXPEDITIONS UNDER PEDRARIAS. 1515-1517.

Gonzalo de Badajoz Visits the South Sea--What He Sees at Nombre de Dios--His Dealings with Totonagua--And with Tataracherubi--Arrives at Nat?--The Spaniards Gather much Gold--They Encounter the Redoubtable Paris--A Desperate Fight--Badajoz Loses his Gold and Returns to Darien--Pedrarias on the War-path--He Strikes Cen? a Blow of Revenge--Acla Founded--The Governor Returns Ill to Antigua--Expedition of Gaspar de Espinosa to the South Sea--The Licentiate's Ass--Robbery by Law--Espinosa's Relation--A Bloody-handed Priest--Espinosa at Nat?--He Courts the Acquaintance of Paris--Who Kills the Ambassadors--Hurtado Surveys the Southern Seaboard to Nicoya--Panam? Founded--An Aboriginal Tartarus--Return of Espinosa's Expedition 412

THE FATE OF VASCO NU?EZ DE BALBOA. 1516-1517.

Affairs at Antigua--Different Qualities of Pacification--Complaints of Vasco Nu?ez to the King--A New Expedition Planned--Vasco Nu?ez Made Adelantado and Captain-general of the South Sea--Pedrarias Keeps Secret the Appointment--Reconciliation of Balboa and Pedrarias--Betrothal of Do?a Mar?a--Vasco Nu?ez Goes to Acla--Massacre of Olano--The Municipality of Acla Established--Materials for Ships Carried across the Mountains--Difficulties, Perils, and Mortality--Balboa at the Pearl Islands--Prediction of Micer Codro, the Astrologer--Rumored Arrival of a New Governor at Antigua--Meditated Evasion of New Authority--The Infamy of Garabito--Vasco Nu?ez Summoned by Pedrarias to Acla--His Journey thither--Trial and Execution 432

DECLINE OF SPANISH SETTLEMENT ON THE NORTH COAST. 1517-1523.

Dishonesty the Best Policy--Pedrarias Stigmatized--His Authority Curtailed--Quevedo in Spain--He Encounters Las Casas--The Battle of the Priests--Oviedo Enters the Arena--Business in Darien--The Interoceanic Road Again--Its Termini--Pedrarias and Espinosa at Panam?--The Licentiate Makes another Raid--The Friars of St Jerome have their Eye on Pedrarias--The Cabildo of Antigua Shakes its Finger at Him--Continued Attempts to Depopulate the North Coast--Albites Builds Nombre de Dios--Lucky Licentiate--Arrival and Death of Lope de Sosa--Oviedo Returns and Does Battle with the Dragon--And is Beaten from the Field 460

GIL GONZALEZ IN COSTA RICA AND NICARAGUA. 1519-1523.

Andr?s Ni?o and his Spice Islands--Fails to Obtain Authority to Discover--Applies to Gil Gonzalez D?vila--Agreement with the King--Royal Order for the Ships of Vasco Nu?ez--Pedrarias Refuses to Deliver Them--Gil Gonzalez Transports Ships across the Mountains--Embarks from the Pearl Islands--Gil Gonzalez Proceeds by Land and Ni?o by Sea--Visit to Nicoya--And to Nicaragua--The Captain-general Converts many Souls--And Gathers much Gold--Fight with Diriangen--Nicaragua Apostatizes--The Spaniards Terminate the Discovery and Hasten to their Ships--Ni?o's Voyage to Fonseca Bay--Return to Panam? 478

SPANISH DEPREDATIONS ROUND PANAM? BAY. 1521-1526.

European Settlement on the West Coast of America--Progress of Panam?--Laws Respecting Spanish Settlements in America--Final Abandonment of Antigua--Administration of the South Sea Government--Piracy upon Principle--Pascual de Andagoya Explores Southward--Conquers Bir?--Return to Panam?--Colonies of Veragua and Chiriqu?--The Chieftain Urrac? Takes up his Abode in the Mountains and Defies the Spaniards--Pizarro, Espinosa, Pedrarias, and Compa?on in vain Attempt his Overthrow--Building of Nat?--Compa?on as Governor--Hurtado Colonizes Chiriqu?--Conspiracy--Capture and Escape of Urrac?--Several Years more of War 495

THE WARS OF THE SPANIARDS. 1523-1524.

Oviedo in Spain--He Secures the Appointment of Pedro de los Rios as Governor of Castilla del Oro--Pedrarias Determines to Possess Nicaragua--He Sends thither C?rdoba, who Founds Brus?las, Granada, and Leon--And Carries a Ship across the Land from the Pacific to Lake Nicaragua--He Makes a Survey of the Lake--Informed of Spaniards Lurking thereabout--Development of the Spanish Colonial System--Gil Gonzalez Escapes with his Treasure to Espa?ola--Despatches Cereceda to Spain with Intelligence of his Discovery--Sails from Santo Domingo to the Coast of Honduras--Arrives at Puerto Caballos--Founds San Gil de Buenavista--Encounters Hernando de Soto--Battle--Crist?bal de Olid Appears--Founds Triunfo de la Cruz 511

COLONIZATION IN HONDURAS. 1524-1525.

Cort?s in Mexico--Extension of his Conquests--Fears of Encroachments on the Part of Spaniards in Central America--Crist?bal de Olid Sent to Honduras--Touching at Habana, He is Won from Allegiance to Cort?s--Triunfo de la Cruz Founded--Olid as Traitor--Meeting with Gil Gonzalez--The Wrath of Cort?s--Casas Sent after Olid--Naval Engagement in Triunfo Harbor--Casas Falls into the Hands of Olid, Who is soon Captured by the Captive--Death of Olid--Return of Casas to Mexico--Trujillo Founded--Interference of the Audiencia of Santo Domingo 522

MARCH OF CORT?S TO HONDURAS. 1524-1525.

Doubts concerning Casas--Cort?s Tired of Inaction--Determines to Go in Person to Honduras--Sets out with a Large Party--Arrives at Goazacoalco--The Gay Army soon Comes to Grief--The Way Barred by Large Rivers and Deep Morasses--Scarcity of Provisions--Sufferings of the Soldiers--The Trick of the Merchant-cacique--Killing of the Captive Kings--Apotheosis of a Charger--Fears of Rebellious Spaniards Dissipated on Nearing Nito 537

CORT?S IN HONDURAS. 1525-1526.

He is Master of all the Miseries there--Miasma and Deep Distress--Exertions of Cort?s in Behalf of the Colonists--A Vessel Appears with Provisions--Cort?s Sends out Foragers--He Seeks a Better Locality--Sandoval at Naco--Others Settle at Caballos--Cort?s at Trujillo--Vessels Sent to Mexico, Cuba, and Jamaica--Troubles in Mexico--Cort?s Irresolute--Starts for Mexico--Is Driven back by a Storm--Pacification of Adjacent Pueblos--Cort?s Sends Presents to C?rdoba--Shall Cort?s Make himself Master of Nicaragua?--Arrival of Altamirano--Return of Cort?s to Mexico 566

PEDRARIAS REMOVES TO NICARAGUA. 1525-1527.

C?rdoba Meditates Revolt--Soto and Compa?on Object--Their Flight--Pedrarias Nurses his Wrath--Secret Motives for his Departure for Nicaragua--C?rdoba Loses his Head--The Governor Covets Honduras, and Comes to Blows--The Indians Follow the Example--Bloody Scenes--Pedrarias Interrupted in his Reverie--Pedro de los Rios Succeeds as Governor at Panam?--His Instructions and Policy--Residencia of Pedrarias--Triumphant Result 584

RIVAL GOVERNORS IN HONDURAS AND NICARAGUA. 1526-1530.

Colonial Policy--Salcedo Displaces Saavedra in the Government of Honduras--Saavedra's Escape--Pedrarias' Envoys Trapped--Salcedo Invades Nicaragua--His Cruelty and Extortion--Distress among the Colonists--Rios also Presents Claims, but is Discomfited--Pedrarias Follows Triumphant--Salcedo's Ignominious Fate--Estete's Expedition--Slave-hunting Profits and Horrors--Gladiatorial Punishment of Revolted Natives--Pedrarias' Schemes for Aggrandizement--He Grasps at Salvador and Longs for Peru--Both Elude Him--Further Mortification, and Death--Character of the Conquerors 597

MARCH OF ALVARADO TO GUATEMALA. 1522-1524.

Rumors in Mexico concerning the Country to the South-eastward--Pacification in that Quarter--The Chiefs of Tehuantepec and Tututepec--At the Gate of Guatemala--Summary of Aboriginal History--Allegiance and Revolt--Preparing of an Expedition--Delayed by the Troubles at P?nuco--A Second Army Organized--The March--Subjugation of Soconusco--The Taking of Zapotitlan 617

CONQUEST OF GUATEMALA BEGUN. February-March, 1524.

Overtures of Kicab Tanub to the Lords of the Zutugils and Cakchiquels--Death of the Quich? King--Tecum Umam his Successor--Gathers a Great Army--Intrenches Himself at Zacaha--Passage of Palahunoh by the Spaniards--A Skirmish--A Bloody Engagement--Quezaltenango Established--The Army Advances on Xelahuh--The City Deserted--Battle of Xelahuh--Tecum Umam Slain--Forcible Proselyting 632

DOWNFALL OF THE QUICH? NATION. April, 1524.

Utatlan, Capital of the Quich?s--Its Magnificence--The Royal Palace and Pyramidal Fortifications--Private Apartments and Gardens--Plan to Entrap the Spaniards--A Feast Prepared--The Enemy Invited--The Treachery Discovered--Masterly Retreat of Alvarado--The Quich? King and Nobles Entrapped--They are Made to Gather Gold--And are then Destroyed--Utatlan Burned and the Country Devastated--Subjugation of the Quich?s Complete 643

THE CAKCHIQUELS AND ZUTUGILS MADE SUBJECTS OF SPAIN. April-May, 1524.

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