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first establishment； and was not the motive either of that
establishment or of the discoveries which gave occasion to it；
and the nature； extent； and limits of that utility are not；
perhaps； well understood at this day。
The Venetians； during the fourteenth and fifteenth
centuries； carried on a very advantageous commerce in spiceries；
and other East India goods； which they distributed among the
other nations of Europe。 They purchased them chiefly in Egypt； at
that time under the dominion of the Mamelukes； the enemies of the
Turks； of whom the Venetians were the enemies； and this union of
interest； assisted by the money of Venice； formed such a
connection as gave the Venetians almost a monopoly of the trade。
The great profits of the Venetians tempted the avidity of
the Portuguese。 They had been endeavouring； during the course of
the fifteenth century； to find out by sea a way to the countries
from which the Moors brought them ivory and gold dust across the
desert。 They discovered the Madeiras； the Canaries； the Azores；
the Cape de Verde Islands； the coast of Guinea； that of Loango；
Congo； Angola； and Benguela； and； finally； the Cape of Good Hope。
They had long wished to share in the profitable traffic of the
Venetians； and this last discovery opened to them a probable
prospect of doing so。 In 1497； Vasco de Gama sailed from the port
of Lisbon with a fleet of four ships； and after a navigation of
eleven months arrived upon the coast of Indostan； and thus
completed a course of discoveries which had been pursued with
great steadiness； and with very little interruption； for nearly a
century together。
Some years before this； while the expectations of Europe
were in suspense about the projects of the Portuguese； of which
the success appeared yet to be doubtful； a Genoese pilot formed
the yet more daring project of sailing to the East Indies by the
West。 The situation of those countries was at that time very
imperfectly known in Europe。 The few European travellers who had
been there had magnified the distance； perhaps through simplicity
and ignorance； what was really very great appearing almost
infinite to those who could not measure it； or； perhaps； in order
to increase somewhat more the marvellous of their own adventures
in visiting regions so immensely remote from Europe。 The longer
the way was by the East； Columbus very justly concluded； the
shorter it would be by the West。 He proposed； therefore； to take
that way； as both the shortest and the surest； and he had the
good fortune to convince Isabella of Castile of the probability
of his project。 He sailed from the port of Palos in August 1492；
nearly five years before the expedition of Vasco de Gama set out
from Portugal； and； after a voyage of between two and three
months； discovered first some of the small Bahamas or Lucayan
islands； and afterwards the great island of St。 Domingo。
But the countries which Columbus discovered； either in this
or in any of his subsequent voyages； had no resemblance to those
which he had gone in quest of。 Instead of the wealth；
cultivation； and populousness of China and Indostan； he found； in
St。 Domingo； and in all the other parts of the new world which he
ever visited； nothing but a country quite covered with wood；
uncultivated； and inhabited only by some tribes of naked and
miserable savages。 He was not very willing； however； to believe
that they were not the same with some of the countries described
by Marco Polo； the first European who had visited； or at least
had left behind him； any description of China or the East Indies；
and a very slight resemblance； such as that which he found
between the name of Cibao； a mountain in St。 Domingo； and that of
Cipango mentioned by Marco Polo； was frequently sufficient to
make him return to this favourite prepossession； though contrary
to the clearest evidence。 In his letters to Ferdinand and
Isabella he called the countries which he had discovered the
Indies。 He entertained no doubt but that they were the extremity
of those which had been described by Marco Polo； and that they
were not very distant from the Ganges； or from the countries
which had been conquered by Alexander。 Even when at last
convinced that they were different； he still flattered himself
that those rich countries were at no great distance； and； in a
subsequent voyage； accordingly； went in quest of them along the
coast of Terra Firma； and towards the Isthmus of Darien。
In consequence of this mistake of Columbus； the name of the
Indies has stuck to those unfortunate countries ever since； and
when it was at last clearly discovered that the new were
altogether different from the old Indies； the former were called
the West； in contradistinction to the latter； which were called
the East Indies。
It was of importance to Columbus； however； that the
countries which he had discovered； whatever they were； should be
represented to the court of Spain as of very great consequence；
and； in what constitutes the real riches of every country； the
animal and vegetable productions of the soil； there was at that
time nothing which could well justify such a representation of
them。
The Cori； something between a rat and a rabbit； and supposed
by Mr。 Buffon to be the same with the Aperea of Brazil； was the
largest viviparous quadruped in St。 Domingo。 This species seems
never to have been very numerous； and the dogs and cats of the
Spaniards are said to have long ago almost entirely extirpated
it； as well as some other tribes of a still smaller size。 These；
however； together with a pretty large lizard； called the ivana；
or iguana； constituted the principal part of the animal food
which the land afforded。
The vegetable food of the inhabitants； though from their
want of industry not very abundant； was not altogether so scanty。
It consisted in Indian corn； yams； potatoes； bananas； etc。；
plants which were then altogether unknown in Europe； and which
have never since been very much esteemed in it； or supposed to
yield a sustenance equal to what is drawn from the common sorts
of grain and pulse； which have been cultivated in this part of
the world time out of mind。
The cotton plant； indeed； afforded the material of a very
important manufacture； and was at that time to Europeans
undoubtedly the most valuable of all the vegetable productions of
those islands。 But though in the end of the fifteenth century the
muslins and other cotton goods of the East Indies were much
esteemed in every part of Europe； the cotton manufacture itself
was not cultivated in any part of it。 Even this production；
therefore； could not at that time appear in the eyes of Europeans
to be of very great consequence。
Finding nothing either in the animals or vegetables of the
newly discovered countries which could justify a very
advantageous representation of them； Columbus turned his view
towards their minerals； and in the richness of the productions of
this third kingdom； he flattered himself he had found a full
compensation for the insignificancy of those of the other two。
The little bits of gold with which the inhabitants ornamented
their dress； and which； he was informed； they frequently found in
the rivulets and torrents that fell from the mountains； were
sufficient to satisfy him that those mountains abounded with the
richest gold mines。 St。 Domingo； therefore； was represented as a
country abounding with gold； and； upon that account； （according
to the prejudices not only of the present time； but of those
times） an inexhaustible source of real wealth to the crown and
kingdom of Spain。 When Columbus； upon his return from his first
voyage； was introduced with a sort of triumphal honours to the
sovereigns of Castile and Arragon； the principal productions of
the countries which he had discovered were carried in solemn
procession before him。 The only valuable part of them consisted
in some little fillets； bracelets； and other ornaments of gold；
and in some bales of cotton。 The rest were mere objects of vulgar
wonder and curiosity； some reeds of an extraordinary size； some
birds of a very beautiful plumage； and some stuffed skins of the
huge alligator and manati； all of which were preceded by six or
seven of the wretched natives； whose singular colour and
appearance added greatly to the novelty of the show。
In consequence of the representations of Columbus； the
council of Castile determined to take possession of countries of
which the inhabitants were plainly incapable of defending
themselves。 The pious purpose of converting them to Christianity
sanctified the injustice of the project。 But the hope of finding
treasures of gold there was the sole motive which prompted him to
undertake it； and to give this motive the greater weight； it was
proposed by Columbus that the half of all the gold and silver
that should be found there should belong to the crown。 This
proposal was approved of by the council。
As long as the whole or the far greater part of the gold；
which the first a