Nicuesa, Diego de, appointed governor of Golden
Castile, 238.

Niño, Pedro Alonzo, sails for Hayti, 130; undertakes
a voyage of discovery, and returns from the pearl
coast after a lucrative voyage, ib. ; arrives at Cadiz
from Hispaniola, with a number of Indian pris-
oners, 132.

Noya, Juan de, his escape by diving, 199.

O.

Ocean, line of demarkation of the, between Spain and
Portugal, 79.

Oderigo, documents in the possession of the family
of, relative to Columbus, 185.

Ojeda, Don Alonzo de, goes in search of Diego
Marque, at Guadaloupe, 82; his expedition to ex-
plore the interior of Hispaniola, 89; sallies from
Isabella, ror; character of, ib. ; his conduct in re-
spect to some Haytian thieves, ib. ; character of,
116; is besieged by Caonabo, ib.; anecdote of, ib. ;
undertakes to seize Caonabo, and deliver him alive
into the hands of Columbus, 118; visits him, ib. ;
offers him the hell of Isabella, ib.; his stratagem to
take him off, ib.; conquers in an engagement with a
brother of Caonabo, 119; his conduct at the battle
of the Vega, 121; arrives at the western part of
Hispaniola on a voyage of discovery, 164; cause
of his voyage, 165; his manœuvres with Roldan,
166; leaves the island with a threat, ib.; returns
to Spain with a drove of slaves, ib.; appointed
governor of New Andalusia, 238; fails in his un-
dertaking to colonize that country, ib.; his evidence
relative to the discovery of the coast of Paria by
Columbus, 250.

Oro, Rio del, or Santiago, discovered, 62.

Otto, Mons., remarks on his letter to Dr. Franklin
relative to Martin Behem, 255.

Ovando, Don Nicholas de, chosen to supersede
Bobadilla, 179; character of, ib.; great privileges
granted to, ib.; his fleet, 181; allowed to wear
silk, precious stones, etc., ib.; sails, ib.; reaches
St. Domingo and assumes the government, 186;
refuses to let Columbus take shelter, ib.; his mys-
terious conduct to Columbus in his distress at
Jamaica, 210; an account of his administration
and oppression, 213; sufferings of the natives
under the civil policy of, ib.; view of the military
operations of, 215; visits Anacaona, 215; takes it
into his head that she intends to massacre him and
all his attendants, 216; seizes Anacaona and burns
all the Caciques, ib. ; massacres the populace,
ib.; and causes Anacaona to be ignominiously
hanged, 217; his further atrocious conduct to the
unfortunate Indians, ib.; founds Santa Maria in
commemoration of his atrocities, ib.; wages war
against the natives of Higuey, ib. ; causes many of
them to be slaughtered and their chieftains to be
burnt, ib.; hangs a female Cacique of distinction,
ib.; causes 600 Indians of Saona to be imprisoned
in one dwelling and put to the sword, ib. ; receives
Columbus on his arrival at St. Domingo with an
hypocritical politeness, 221.

Oviedo, Gonzalo Fernandez de, a short account of his
life and writings, 278.

Oysters, in the Gulf of Paria, round the roots of the
mangrove trees, 139.

Ozema, river of, and the country through which it
flows, 144.

P.

Palos, the port, whence Columbus sailed on his first
expedition, 33: present state of, 70.

Palms, Cape of, discovered, 48.

Pane, Roman, labors to convert the Haytians, 147.
Paradise, observations on the situation of the terres-
trial, 281; of the Haytians, 97.

Paria, Gulf of, Columbus's voyage through the, 138;
description of the coast of, 137; manners of the
natives, ib. ; current of the sea, 143.

Perez, Alonzo, discovers land in Columbus's third
voyage, 137.

Fray Juan, prior of the convent of La Rabida,
entertains Columbus on his first entry into Spain,
29 gives him letters of introduction to the queen's
confessor, and educates his son, ib.; reception of
Columbus, ib.; writes to Queen Isabella, ib.; in-
vited to court, ib. ; pleads the cause of Columbus,
30; receives a visit from Columbus after his suc-
cess, 33.

Philip, King of Castile, listens to the request of
Columbus, and promises a prosperous termination
to his suit, 227.

Pigeons, wood, vast numbers seen on the south side
of Cuba, 107.

Pilgrimages, lots for, drawing of, 65, 67.

Pilot, observations on the rumor of a pilot having died
in the house of Columbus, 251.

Pineapple first met with, 81.

Pines, island of, discovered by Columbus, 108.
Pinos, Isla de, discovery of, 187.
Pinta, desertion of, 51.

Pinzons, family of, they enable Columbus to offer to
bear one eighth of the charge of the expedition, and
to add a third ship to the armament, 32; their
activity and interest in the voyage, 33; furnish
Columbus with money to defray the eighth share of
the expense, ib. ; account of their family, 70,

note.

Pinzon, Martin Alonzo, offers to bear the expenses of
Columbus in a renewed application to the court,
29; his opinion relative to the nearness of land,
40; begins to lose confidence in the course they
are pursuing, ib. ; crediting the accounts of the
Indians in respect to a very rich island, deserts
and goes in search of it, 51; Columbus meets him,
62; his apology, ib. ; account of his proceedings,
ib. his duplicity becomes more evident, ib.; his
arrival at Palos, 69; effect of his treacherous con-
duct, ib.; his death, 70; reflections on, ib.; ob-
servations relative to the supposed idea of Colum-
bus owing to him the success of his great enter-
prise, 252; his character, 253.

Vicente Yañes, obtains a license for voyages of
discovery, 125; sails on a voyage of discovery, 178;
discovers the Brazils, ib. ; is allowed, as a reward,
to colonize and govern the lands which he had dis-
covered, ib.

Planisphere of Martin Behem, 35.

Pliny, his notice of electrical lights on the masts of
ships, 80.

Poetry of the Haytians, 98.

Polo, Nicholas and Matteo, an account of their travels
into the east, 264; their first journey, ib.; return,
ib.; their second journey, 265; their return, 266 ;
invite their relatives to a splendid banquet, ib.

Marco, influence of his travels upon the mind
of Columbus, 16, 264; short account of his travels,
264; his return, ib.; commands, a galley at the
battle of Cuzzola, 266; is taken prisoner and sent
in chains to Genoa, ib. ; writes an account of his
travels, ib.; is liberated and returns to Venice, ib. ;
an account of his work, ib.

Porras, Francisco de, engages in a mutiny at Jamaica,
205; they embark with most of Columbus's crew
in ten Indian canoes, 206; are driven back, ib. ;
and with their companions rove about the island,
207; refuses an offer of pardon, 211; attacks the
Admiral and Adelantado, 212; taken prisoner, ib. ;
is set at liberty by Ovando. 221; and sent to Spain
to be examined by the Indian board, ib.

Queen's Gardens, Columbus's arrival at, in his third
voyage, 187; archipelago of, discovered, 104.
Question, the territorial, how settled, 79.
Quibian, Cacique of Veragua, interview with Barthol-
omew Columbus, 195; second interview. ib. ;
determines on preventing the Spaniards from ob-
taining a settlement in his territories, ib.; con-
spires to burn their houses and murder them, 196;
is seized by the Adelantado with his wives and
children, 197; escapes in a very extraordinary
manner, ib.; attacks the Spaniards and is de-
feated, 198.

Quinsai, Marco Polo's account of, 268.
Quintanilla, Alonzo de, receives Columbus into his
house, 23.

R.

Rabida, La, convent of, Columbus is entertained at, on
his first arrival in Spain, 29; present state, 70, note.
Reeds, river of, 94.

immense, seen on the Mosquito coast, 189.
Reinier, King of Naples, Columbus engages in his
service, 9.

Religion of the natives of Hayti, 96.

Repartimientos, origin of, 162; opposition of Don
Diego Columbus to the, 238.

Requelme, Pedro, makes his house the headquarters
of the rebels at Hispaniola, 158; made Alcalde by
Roldan, 163; joins in a conspiracy with Adrian de
Moxica, 166; is taken, 168.

Rewards and punishments, ideas of the Haytians in
respect to, 97.

Rio Verde, or the Green River, 94.

Road, the first constructed by Europeans in the New
World, 93.

Rodriguez, Sebastian, takes a letter from the prior
Perez to the queen, 29.

Roldan, Francisco, history and character of, 150;
an account of his conspiracy, ib.; takes pos-
session of Xaragua, 157; his conduct in re-
spect to the ships sent forward by Columbus,
ib. promises to repair to St. Domingo on the ar-
rival of Columbus, ib.; his interview with Ballester,
158; rejects an offer of pardon, ib.; demands his
discharge, 160; his interview with Caravajal, etc.,
ib.; determines on going to the admiral, 161;
correspondence with the admiral, ib. ; sends prop-
ositions by Caravajal, ib. ; which are accepted,
ib.; circumstances prevent their being acted upon,
ib.; makes a second arrangement with the admiral,
162; is permitted to resume his office of Alcalde
mayor, ib.; receives a grant of lands, 163; visits
his lands, ib.; assumes new authority, ib.; is
sent to meet Alonzo de Ojeda, 164; his manœuvres
with him, 165, 166; his rivalship with Guevara, 167;
seizes him in the dwelling of Anacaona, ib.; treated
with confidence by Bobadilla, 175; his conduct
investigated by Ovando, 161: sails for Spain, and
is lost in a violent hurricane, 187.

Roman, Friar, his account of the natives of Hispan-
iola, 96.

S.

Sabellicus, his account of the capture of the Venetian
galleys, 246.

Salamanca, the learned assemble at, to consider the
proposition of Columbus, 24; pronounce the plan
to be vain and impossible, 29.

Salcedo, Diego de, arrives at Jamaica with succors
from Ovando, 221.

Salvador, St., discovery oi, 42; awe and surprise of
the natives on first beholding the ships of Colum-
bus, 43; description of them, ib.; gold first dis-
covered in this island, ib.

Samana, Gulf of, discovered, 63.

San Rafael, discovery of, 112.

Sanchez, Juan, takes charge of Quibian, 197; who
escapes, ib.; killed in battle by the Adelantado,
274.

Sande, Don Ruy de, his mission to the Spanish court,
76.

Santa Marta, island of, discovered, 105.
Santa, La Isla, discovery of, 137.

Santa Cruz, island of, discovery of, 82.

Santa Gloria (St. Ann's Bay), discovered by Colum
bus, 103.

Santiago. See Jamaica; letter of Heneken, 93.
——, river of, discovered, 62.

Saometa, discovery of, 45.

Saona, island of, discovered, 112; difference of lon-
gitude between, and Cadiz, ib.

Scandinavians, an essay relative to the voyages of,

255.

Schedel, remarks on an interpolation in his chronicle,
255.

Seneca, his notice of electrical lights on the masts of
ships, 80.

Serafin Point, 106.

Sharks, a multitude of, seen on the coast of Veragua,
194; curious method of taking them, 105; super-
stition concerning, 194.

Ships, observations relative to the size of those em-
ployed by Columbus, 257.

Slaves, five hundred are sent to Spain, 120; three hun-
dred sent to Bartholomew Columbus, 144; arrival
in Spain, 125; Queen Isabella interests herself in
their favor, ib.; orders them to be sent back to
Hayti, ib.; negroes first introduced to the New
World, 181; revolt of, 239; Hispaniola the first
island to exhibit an awful retribution, ib.; regula-
tions in respect to, ib.

Solomon, the gold used in the temple of, 128.
Soria, Juan de, his insolence to Columbus, 78.
Soul, ideas of the Haytians in respect to the, 97; the
after state of, believed by the natives of Cuba, 109.
Spain and Portugal, diplomatic negotiations between
the courts of, with respect to the new discoveries,
76.

Spotorno, Gio, publishes documents
Columbus, 185.

relative to

Sugar-cane introduced into Hayti, 99.
Superstition of St. Elmo lights, 80.
Swallow, a, encircles the ships of Columbus, 80.

T.

Talavera, Fernando de, prior of Prado and confessor
to Queen Isabella, 28; esteems Columbus's plan
impossible, 29; he is desired by the king to assem-
ble men of science to consider the matter, ib. ; re-
ports to the king that the council had pronounced
the plan vain and impossible, ib. ; takes a message
from the king, ib. ; disgusted at the high terms in-
sisted on by Columbus, 30.

Teneriffe, fears of the crew at beholding Mount, 36.
Territory, question of, how settled, 79.

Thomas, St., fortress of, erected. 94; see note, ib. ;
conduct of the colonists there, 99: attacks of, 116.
Tobacco, first seen in the island of Cuba, 49.
Tobago, discovery of, 141.

Toledo, Archbishop of, his character, 24; gives

Columbus an attentive hearing, ib.; and procures
him an audience of the king, ib.
Toledo, Doña Maria de, Don Diego Columbus be-
comes enamored of, 237: their marriage, ib. ; and
embarkation for Hispaniola, ib.; is left as vice-
queen at St. Domingo on the sailing of Don Diego
for Spain, 238; becomes a widow, 240.
Torre, Doña Juana de la, receives a letter from
Columbus with an account of his treatment, 176.
Torres, Antonio de, dispatched from Hispaniola,
with twelve ships, to Spain, 90; arrives at Cadiz,
125; dismissed from office, 134.

Luis de, sent up the island of Cuba by Colum-
bus, 48; an account of his journey, ib.
Tortoises, sea covered with, on the southern coast of
Cuba, 107; curious method of taking, 105; a living
one taken out of the maw of a shark, 194.
Tortugas, beautiful island of, discovery of, 55.
Toscanelli, Paulo, his correspondence with Colum-
bus, 16.

Trade of the colonies monopolized by the crown of
Spain, 180; the Spanish system the scoff of modern
times, 181.

Trasierra, Juan de, 173.

Triana, Rodrigo de, first sees the land of the western
world, 42.

Tribute imposed upon the Haytians, 122.

Trinidad, island of, discovered, 137; description of its
appearance, ib. ; curious account of the natives, ib.
Tristan, Diego, 198; is killed, 199.

Tudela, Benjamin, travels of, 19.

Turk's Island, observations relative to, 259.

Velasquez, Diego, commands the soldiery at the mas-
sacre of Xaragua, 216.

Veragua, coast of, discovery of, 191; warlike spirit
of the inhabitants, ib. ; soil appears to be impreg-
nated with gold, 195; Golden Castile, 237.

employed by Columbus at court, 225; an account
of, 247; a summary view of his claim to the title of
a discoverer, ib. ; the voyage whence his name was
given to the American continent, 248; Columbus's
letter to his son relative to the merit and mis-
fortunes of, 249; Peter Martyr's character of, 251;
his letter to René, Duke of Lorraine, 249; obser-
vations relative to the points in controversy, ib. ;
author's conclusion, that the voyage asserted to
have been made by Amerigo Vespucci never took
place, 251.

Vessel, stern-post of a, found in one of the houses at
Guadaloupe, 81.

Villains, natives of Hispaniola reduced to the con-
dition of, 163.

Villejo, Alonzo de, appointed to carry Columbus to
Spain, 175; character of, ib.; his colloquy with
Columbus previous to their sailing, 176.
Vines introduced into Hayti, 99.
Vinland, a supposed discovery, 255.

Virgins, the Eleven Thousand, islands of, discovered,
83.

Vows made in a storm by Columbus and his crew,
65; attempt at fulfilment, 66.

W.

Waterspout, a remarkable, seen on the coast of
Veragua, 194.

Wax, cake of, presented to the sovereigns by Colum-
bus, 51.

Wheat introduced into Hayti, 99.

Wolves, sea, several killed on the coast of Hispan-
iola, III.

Woman, account of a very strong, of Guadaloupe, 129;
taken to Columbus's ship, ib.; falls in love with
Caonabo, and refuses to return on shore, ib.
Women, origin of, according to the Haytians, 97.
Writing, fear of the Indians of Cariari at seeing the
Spaniards write, 190.

240.

the heirship to Columbus decided in his favor,

Verde, Cape de, discovery of, II.

Y.

Z.

INTRODUCTION.

IN the course of occasional visits to Canada many years since, I became intimately acquainted with some of the principal partners of the great Northwest Fur Company, who at that time lived in genial style at Montreal, and kept almost open house for the stranger. At their hospitable boards I occasionally met with partners, and clerks, and hardy fur traders from the interior posts; men who had passed years remote from civilized society, among distant and savage tribes, and who had wonders to recount of their wide and wild peregrinations, their hunting exploits, and their perilous adventures and hair-breadth escapes among the Indians. I was at an age when imagination lends its coloring to everything, and the stories of these Sinbads of the wilderness made the life of a trapper and fur trader perfect romance to me. I even meditated at one time a visit to the remote posts of the company in the boats which annually ascended the lakes and rivers, being thereto invited by one of the partners; and I have ever since regretted that I was prevented by circumstances from carrying my intention into effect. From those early impressions, the grand enterprises of the great fur companies, and the hazardous errantry of their associates in the wild parts of our vast continent, have always been themes of charmed interest to me; and I have felt anxious to get at the details of their adventurous expeditions among the savage tribes that peopled the depths of the wilderness.

About two years ago, not long after my return from a tour upon the prairies of the far West, I had a conversation with my friend, Mr. John Jacob Astor, relative to that portion of our country, and to the adventurous traders to Santa Fé and the Columbia. This led him to advert to a great enterprise set on foot and conducted by him, between twenty and thirty years since, having for its object to carry the fur trade across the Rocky Mountains, and to sweep the shores of the Pacific. Finding that I took an interest in the subject, he expressed a regret that the true nature and extent of his enterprise and its national character and importance had never been understood, and

I

a wish that I would undertake to give an account of it. The suggestion struck upon the chord of early associations, already vibrating in my mind. It occurred to me that a work of this kind might comprise a variety of those curious details, so interesting to me, illustrative of the fur trade; of its remote and adventurous enterprises, and of the various people, and tribes, and castes, and characters, civilized and savage, affected by its operations. The journals, and letters also, of the ad venturers by sea and land employed by Mr. Astor in his comprehensive project, might throw light upon portions of our country quite out of the track of ordinary travel, and as yet but little known. therefore felt disposed to undertake the task, provided documents of sufficient extent and minuteness could be furnished to me. All the papers relative to the enterprise were accordingly submitted to my inspection. Among them were journals and letters narrating expeditions by sea, and journeys to and fro across the Rocky Mountains by routes before untravelled, together with documents illustrative of savage and colonial life on the borders of the Pacific. With such materials in hand, I undertook the work. The trouble of rummaging among business papers, and of collecting and collating facts from amid tedious and commonplace details, was spared me by my nephew, Pierre M. Irving, who acted as my pioneer, and to whom I am greatly indebted for smoothing my path and lightening my labors.

As the journals on which I chiefly depended had been kept by men of business, intent upon the main object of the enterprise, and but little versed in science, or curious about matters not immediately bearing upon their interests, and as they were written often in moments of fatigue or hurry, amid the inconveniences of wild encampments, they were often meagre in their details, furnishing hints to provoke rather than narratives to satisfy inquiry. I have, therefore, availed myself occasionally of collateral lights supplied by the published journals of other travellers who have visited the scenes described: such as Messrs. Lewis and Clarke, Bradbury, Breckenridge, Long, Franchere, and Ross Cox, and make a general acknowledg ment of aid received from these quarters.