The vision of Columbus; a poem in nine books. / By Joel Barlow, Esquire.

INTRODUCTION.

EVERY circumstance relating to the discovery and settlement of America, is an interesting object of enquiry. Yet it is presumed, from the present state of literature in this country, that many persons, who might be entertained with an American production of this kind, are but slightly acquainted with the life and character of that great man, whose extraordinary genius led him to the discovery of the continent, and whose singular sufferings ought to excite the indigna|tion of the world.

THE Spanish historians, who treat of the discovery and settlement of South-America, are very little known in the United States; and Doctor Robertson's histo|ry of that country, which, as is usual in the works of that judicious writer, contains all that is valuable on the subject, is not yet reprinted in America, and therefore cannot be supposed to be in the hands of American readers in general: and perhaps no other writer in the English language has given a sufficient account of the life of Columbus to enable them to un|derstand many of the necessary allusions in the fol|lowing Poem.

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS was born in the repub|lic of Genoa about the year 1447; at a time when the navigation of Europe was scarcely extended be|yond the limits of the Mediterranean. The mari|ner's compass had been invented and in common use for more than a century; yet with the help of this

sure guide, prompted by the most ardent spirit of discovery, and encouraged by the patronage of prin|ces, the mariners of those days rarely ventured from the sight of land. They acquired great applause by sailing along the coast of Africa and discovering some of the neighbouring islands; and after pushing their researches with the greatest industry and perseverance for more than half a century, the Portuguese, who were the most fortunate and enterprising, extended their discoveries southward no farther than the equator.

THE rich commodities of the East had for several ages been brought into Europe by the way of the Red Sea and the Mediterranean; and it had now become the object of the Portuguese to find a passage to In|dia, by sailing round the southern extremity of Africa and then taking an eastern course. This great object engaged the general attention of mankind, and drew into the Portuguese service adventurers from every maritime nation in Europe. Every year added to their experience in navigation and seemed to promise a reward to their industry. The prospect however of arriving at the Indies was extremely distant; fifty years perseverance in the same track, had brought them only to the equator, and it was probable that as many more would elapse before they could accomplish their pur|pose. But Columbus, by an uncommon exertion of genius, formed a design no less astonishing to the age in which he lived, than beneficial to posterity. This design was to sail to India by taking a western direc|tion. By the accounts of travellers who had visited India, that country seemed almost without limits on the east; and by attending to the spherical figure of the earth, Columbus drew this conclusion, that the At|lantic ocean must be bounded on the west either by India itself, or by some great continent not far distant from it.

THIS extraordinary man, who was now about twen|ty-seven years of age, appears to have united in his character every trait, and to have possessed every tal|lant, requisite to form and execute the greatest enter|prizes. He was early educated in all the useful sci|ences that were taught in that day. He had made great proficiency in geography, astronomy and draw|ing, as they were necessary to his favourite pursuit of navigation. He had now been a number of years in the service of the Portuguese, and had acquired all the experience that their voyages and discoveries could afford. His courage and perseverance had been put to the severest test, and the exercise of every amiable and heroic virtue rendered him universally known and respected. He had married a Portuguese lady by whom he had two sons▪ Diego and Fardinand; the younger of whom is the historian of his life.

SUCH was the situation of Columbus, when he form|ed and thoroughly digested a plan, which, in its op|eration and consequences, unfolded to the view of mankind one half of the globe, diffused wealth and dignity over the other, and extended commerce and civilization through the whole▪ To corroborate the theory which he had formed of the existence of a wes|tern continent, his descerning mind, which always knew the application of every circumstance that fell in his way▪ had observed several facts which by others would have passed unnoticed. In his voyages to the African islands he had found, floating ashore after a long western storm, pieces of wood carved in a curi|ous manner, canes of a size unknown in that quarter of the world, and human bodies with very singular features. Fully confirmed in the opinion that a con|siderable portion of the earth was still undiscovered, his genius was too vigorous and persevering to suffer an idea of this importance to rest merely in specula|tion,

as it had done in the minds of Plato and Seneca, who appear to have had conjectures of a similar na|ture. He determined therefore to bring his favourite theory to the test of actual experiment. But an ob|ject of that magnitude required the patronage of a Prince; and a design so extraordinary met with all the obstructions, delays and disappointments, which an age of superstition could invent, and which personal jealousy and malice could magnify and encourage. Happily for mankind, in this instance, a genius, ca|pable of devising the greatest undertakings, associat|ed in itself a degree of patience and enterprize, mo|desty and confidence, which rendered him superior, not only to these misfortunes, but to all the future ca|lamities of his life. Prompted by the most ardent enthusiasm to be the discoverer of new continents, and fully sensible of the advantages that would result to mankind from such discoveries, he had the mortifica|tion to waste away eighteen years of his life, after his system was well established in his own mind, before he could obtain the means of executing his designs. The greatest part of this period was spent in successive and fruitless solicitations, at Genoa, Portugal and Spain. As a duty to his native country, he made his first proposal to the Senate of Genoa; where it was soon rejected. Conscious of the truth of his theory, and of his own abilities to execute his design, he re|tired without dejection from a body of men who were incapable of forming any just ideas upon the subject; and applied with fresh confidence to John the second, King of Portugal, who had distinguished himself as the great patron of navigation, and in whose service Columbus had acquired a reputation which entitled him and his project to general confidence and appro|bation. But here he suffered an insult much greater than a direct refusal. After referring the examina|tion of his scheme to the council who had the direc|tion

of naval affairs, and drawing from him his gen|eral ideas of the length of the voyage and the course he meant to take, that great monarch had the mean|ness to conspire with this council to rob Columbus of the glory and advantage he expected to derive from his undertaking. While Columbus was amused with this negotiation, in hopes of having his scheme adopt|ed and patronized, a vessel was secretly dispatched, by order of the king, to make the intended discovery. Want of skill and perseverance in the pilot rendered the plot unsuccessful; and Columbus, on discovering the treachery, retired with an ingenuous indignation from a court capable of such duplicity.

HAVING now performed what was due to the coun|try that gave him birth and to the one that had a|dopted him as a subject, he was at liberty to court the patronage of any prince who should have the wisdom and justice to accept his proposals. He had com|municated his ideas to his brother Bartholomew, whom he sent to England to negotiate with Henry seventh; at the same time that he went himself into Spain to apply in person to Fardinand and Isabella, who go|verned the united kingdoms of Aragon and Castile. The circumstances of his brother's application in Eng|land, which appears to have been unsuccessful, is not to my purpose to relate; and the limits prescribed to this introduction will prevent the detail of all the par|ticulars relating to his own negociation in Spain. In this negociation Columbus spent eight years, in the various agitations of suspence, expectation and disap|pointment; till, at length his scheme was adopted by Isabella, who undertook, as Queen of Castile, to de|stroy the expences of the exp••dition; and declared herself, ever after, the friend and patron of the hero who projected it.

COLUMBUS, who, during all his ill success in the ne|gotiation, never abated any thing of the honours and emo••••ments which he expected to acquire in the ex|pedition, obtained from Fardinand and Isabella a full stipulation of every article contained in his first pro|posals. He was constituted high Admiral and Vice|roy of all the Seas, Islands and Continents which he should discover; with power to receive one tenth of the profits arising from their productions and com|merce. These offices and emoluments were to be heredita••y in his family.

THESE articles being adjusted, the preparations for the voyage were brought forward with rapidity; but they were by no means adequate to the importance of the expedition. Three small vessels, scarcely suffici|ent in size to be employed in the coasting business, were appointed to traverse the vast Atlantic; and to encounter the storms and currents that might be ex|pected in so lengthy a voyage, through distant and un|known seas. These vessels, as might be expected in the infancy of ••avigation, were ill constructed, in a poor condition, and manned by seamen unaccustomed to distant voyages. But the tedious length of time which Columbus had spent in solicitation and sus|pence, and the prospect of being able soon, to obtain the object of his wishes, induced him to overlook what he could not easily remedy, and led him to dis|regard those circums••ances which would have intimid|ated any other mind. He accordingly equiped his small squadron with as much expedition as possible, manned with ninety men and victualled for one year. With these, on the 3d of August 1492, amidst a vast croud of anxious spectators, he set sail on an enter|prize, which, if we consider th•• ill condition of his ships, the inexperience of his sailors, the length and

uncertainty of his voyage, and the consequences that flowed from it, was the most daring and important that ever was undertaken. He touched at some of the Portuguese settlements in the Canary Isles; where, although he had had but a few days run, he found his vessels needed refitting. He soon made the necessary repairs, and took his departure from the westermost Islands that had hitherto been discovered. Here he left the former track of navigation and steered his course due west.

NOT many days after he had been at sea, he began to experience a new scene of difficulty. The sailors now began to contemplate the dangers and uncertain issue of a voyage, the nature and length of which was left entirely open to conjecture. Besides the fickle|ness and timidity natural to men unaccustomed to the discipline of a seafaring life, several circumstances contributed to inspire an obstinate and mutinous dispo|sition, which required the most consummate art as well as fortitude in the admiral to controul. Having been three weeks at sea, and experienced the uniform course of the trade winds, which always blow in a west|ern direction, they contended that, should they con|tinue the same course for a longer period, the same winds would never permit them to return to Spain. The magnetic needle began to vary its direction. This being the first time that phenomenon was ever discovered, it was viewed by the sailors with astonish|ment, and considered as an indication that nature it|self had changed her course, and that Providence was determined to punish their audacity, in venturing so far beyond the ordinary bounds of man. They declared that the commands of their sovereign had been fully obeyed, in their proceeding so many days in the same direction, and so far surpassing the attempts of all for|mer

navigators, in quest of new discoveries. Every talent, requisite for governing, soothing and temper|ing the passions of men, is conspicuous in the conduct of Columbus on this occasion. The dignity and af|fability of his manners, his surprising knowledge and experience in naval affairs, his unwearied and minute attention to the duties of his command gave him a complete ascendant over the minds of his men, and inspired that degree of confidence which would have maintained his authority in almost any possible cir|cumstances. But here, from the nature of the under|taking, every man had leisure to feed his imagination with all the gloominess and uncertainty of the pros|pect. They found, every day, that the same steady gales carried them with great rapidity from their na|tive country, and indeed from all countries of which they had any knowledge. Notwithstanding all the variety of management with which Columbus addressed himself to their passions, sometimes by soothing them with the prognostics of discovering land, sometimes by flattering their ambition and feasting their avarice with the glory and wealth they would acquire from discovering those rich countries beyond the Atlantic, and sometimes by threatening them with the displea|sure of their sovereign, should their timidity and dis|obedience defeat so great an object, their uneasiness still increased. From secret whisperings, it arose to o|pen mutiny and dangerous conspiracy. At length they determined to rid themselves of the remonstran|ces of Columbus, by throwing him into the sea. The infection spread from ship to ship, and involved Offi|cers as well as common sailors. They finally lost all sense of subordination, and addressed their command|er in an insolent manner, demanding to be conducted immediately back to Spain; or, they assured him, they would seek their own safety by taking away his life.

Columbus, whose sagacity and penetration had dis|covered every symptom of the disorder, was prepared for this last stage of it, and was sufficiently apprized of the danger that awaited him. He found it vain to con|tend with passions he could no longer controul. He therefore proposed that they should obey his orders for three days longer; and, should they not discover land in that time, he would then direct his course for Spain. They complied with his proposal; and, hap|pily for mankind, in three days they discovered Land. This was a small Island, to which Columbus gave the name of San Salvador. Their first interview with the natives was a scene of amusement and compassion on the one part, and of astonishment and adoration on the other. The natives were entirely naked, sim|ple and timorous, and they viewed the Spaniards as a superior order of beings, descended from the Sun, which, in that Island and in most parts of America, was worshiped as a Deity. By this it was easy for Colum|bus to perceive the line of conduct proper to be ob|served toward that simple and inoffensiv•• people. Had his companions and successors, of the Spanish na|tion possessed the wisdom and humanity of that great discoverer, the benevolent mind would feel no sensa|tions, of regret, in contemplating the extensive advan|tages arising to mankind from the discovery of A|merica.

IN this voyage, Columbus discovered the Islands of Cuba and Hispaniola; on the latter of which, he erect|ed a small fort, and having left a garrison of thirty|eight men, under the command of an Officer by the name of Arada, he set sail for Spain. Returning a|cross the Atlantic, he was overtaken by a violent storm, which lasted several days and increased to such a degree, as baffled all his naval skill and threatened

immediate destruction. In this situation, when all were in a state of despair, and it was expected that ev|ery sea would swallow up the crazy vessel, he manifest|ed a serenity and presence of mind, perhaps never e|qualled in cases of like extremity. He wrote a short account of his voyage and of the discoveries he had made, wrapped it in an oiled cloth, enclosed it in a cake of wax, put it into an empty cask and threw it o|verboard; in hopes that some accident might pre|serve a deposit of so much importance to the world.

THE storm however abated, and he at length ar|rived in Spain; after having been driven by stress of weather into the Port of Lisbon, where he had oppor|tunity in an interview with the King of Portugal, to prove the truth of his system by arguments more con|vincing than those he had before advanced, in the character of an humble and unsuccessful suitor. He was received every where in Spain with Royal hon|ours, his family was ennobled, and his former stipula|tion respecting his offices and emoluments was ratifi|ed in the most solemn manner, by Fardinand and Isa|bella; while all Europe resounded his praises and re|ciprocated their joy and congratulations on the discov|ery of a new world.

THE immediate consequence of this was a second voyage; in which Columbus took charge of a squad|ron of seventeen Ships of considerable burthen. Vo|lunteers of all ranks and conditions solicited to be employed in this expedition. He carried over fif|teen hundred persons, together with all the necessa|ries for establishing a Colony and extending his dis|coveries. In this voyage he explored most of the West-India Islands; but, on his arrival at Hispaniola, he found the garrison he had left there had been total|ly

destroyed by the natives, and the fort demolished. He however proceeded in the planting of his colo|ny; and, by his prudent and humane conduct towards the natives, he effectually established the Spanish au|thority in that Island. But while he was thus laying the foundation of their future grandeur in South A|merica, some discontented persons, who had returned from the colony to Spain, together with his former enemies in that Kingdom, conspired to accomplish his ruin.

THEY represented his conduct in such a light at court, as to create uneasiness and distrust in the jeal|ous mind of Fardinand, and made it necessary for Co|lumbus again to return to Spain, in order to counter|act their machinations, and to obtain such farther sup|plies as were necessary to his great political and be|nevolent purposes. On his arriving at court, and stating with his usual dignity and confidence the whole history of his transactions abroad, every thing wore a favourable appearance. He was received with usual honours, and again solicited to take charge of another squadron, to carry out farther supplies, to pursue his discoveries, and in every respect to use his discretion in extending the Spanish Empire in the new World. In this third voyage he discovered the Con|tinent of America at the mouth of the river Oronoque. He rectified many disorders in his government of Hi|spaniola which had happened in his absence; and ev|ery thing was going on in a prosperous train, when an event was announced to him, which completed his own ruin, and gave a fatal turn to the Spanish policy and conduct in America. This was the arrival of Francis de Bovadilla, with a commission to supercede Columbus in his government; and with power to ar|raign him as a criminal, and to judge of his former administration.

IT seems that by this time the enemies of Columbus, despairing to complete his overthrow by groundless insinuations of mal-conduct, had taken the more ef|fectual method of exciting the jealousy of their Sove|reigns. From the promising samples of Gold and oth|er valuable commodities brought from America, they took occasion to represent to the King and Queen, that the prodigious wealth and extent of the countries he had discovered would soon throw such power into the hands of the Viceroy, that he would trample on the Royal Authority and bid defiance to the Spanish pow|er. These arguments were well calculated for the cold and suspicious temper of Fardinand, and they must have had some effect upon the mind of Isabella. The consequence was the appointment of Bavadilla, who had been the inveterate enemy of Columbus, to take the government from his hands. This first tyrant of the Spanish nation in America began his admini|stration by ordering Columbus to be put in chains on board a ship, and sending him prisoner to Spain. By relaxing all discipline he introduced disorder and licen|ciousness throughout the colony. He subjected the unhappy natives to a most miserable servitude, and ap|portioned them out in large numbers among his adhe|rents. Under this severe treatment perished in a short time many thousands of those innocent people.

COLUMBUS was carried in his fetters to the Spanish court, where the King and Queen either feigned or felt a sufficient regret at the conduct of Bovadilla to|wards this illustrious prisoner. He was not only re|leased from confinement, but treated with all imagin|able respect. But, although the king endeavoured to expiate the offence by censuring and recalling Bova|dilla, yet we may judge of his sincerity from his ap|pointing Nicholas de Ovando, another bitter enemy of Columbus, to succeed in the government, and from

his ever after refusing to reinstate Columbus, or to ful|fil any of the conditions on which the discoveries were undertaken. After two years solicitation for this or some other employment, he at length obtained a squadron of four small vessels to attempt new discove|ries. He now set out, with the ardour and enthusiasm of a young adventurer, in quest of what was always his favourite object, a passage into the South Sea, by which he might sail to India. He touched at Hispan|iola, where Ovando, the governor, refused him admit|tance on shore even to take shelter during a hurricane, the prognostics of which his experience had taught him to discern. By putting into a small creek, he rode out the storm, and then bore away for the conti|nent. Several months, in the most boisterous season of the year, he spent in exploring the coast round the gulph of Mexico, in hopes of finding the intended navigation to India. At length he was shipwrecked, and driven ashore on the Island of Jamaica.

HIS cup of calamities seemed now completely full. He was cast upon an island of savages, without pro|visions, without any vessel, and thirty leagues from any Spanish settlement. But the greatest providen|tial misfortunes are capable of being imbittered by the insults of our fellow creatures. A few of his hardy companions generously offered, in two Indian canoes, to attempt a voyage to Hispaniola, in hopes of obtaining a vessel for the relief of the unhappy crew. After suffering every extremity of danger and hardship, they arrived at the Spanish colony in ten days. Ovando, through personal malice and jeal|ousy of Columbus, after having detained these mes|sengers eight months, dispatched a vessel to Jamaica, in order to spy out the condition of Columbus and his crew; with positive instructions to the Captain not to afford them any relief. This order was punctually executed. The Captain approached the

shore, delivered a letter of empty compliment from Ovando to the Admiral, received his answer and re|turned. About four months afterwards a vessel came to their relief; and Columbus, worn out with fatigues and broken with misfortunes, returned for the last time to Spain. Here a new distress awaited him, which he considered as one of the greatest he had suf|fered, in his whole life. This was the death of Queen Isabella, his last and greatest friend.

HE did not suddenly abandon himself to despair. He called upon the gratitude and justice of the King; and, in terms of dignity, demanded the fulfilment of his former contract. Notwithstanding his age and infirmities, he even solicited to be farther employed in extending the career of discovery, without a pros|pect of any other reward but the consciousness of doing good to mankind. But Fardinand, col•••• ungrateful and timid, dared not to comply with a single propo|sal of this kind, lest he should encrease his own obli|gations to a man, whose services he thought it danger|ous to reward. He therefore delayed and avoided any decision on these subjects, in hopes that the declining health of Columbus would soon rid the court of the remonstrances of a man, whose extraordinary merit was, in their opinion, a sufficient occasion of destroy|ing him. In this they were not disappointed. Co|lumbus languished a short time, and gladly resigned a life, which had been worn out in the most essential services perhaps that were ever rendered, by any hu|man character, to an ungrateful world.

SOMETIME in this gloomy interval, before his death, the Vision is supposed to have been presented to him; in order to satisfy his benevolent mind, by unfolding to him the importance of his discoveries, in their ex|tensive influence upon the interest and happiness of mankind, in the progress of society.

THE Author has indulged a small anachronism in the opening of the Poem, for the sake of grouping the misfortunes of the hero; as the time of his actu|al imprisonment was previous to his last voyage and to the death of Isabella.

THE Author, at first, formed an idea of attempting a regular Epic Poem, on the discovery of America. But on examining the nature of that event, he found that the most brilliant subjects incident to such a plan would arise from the consequences of the discovery, and must be represented in vision. Indeed to have made it a patriotic Poem, by extending the subject to the settlement and revolutions of North America and their probable effect upon the future progress of soci|ety at large, would have protracted the vision to such a degree as to render it disproportionate to the rest of the work. To avoid an absurdity of this kind, which he supposed the critics would not pardon, he rejected the idea of a regular Epic form, and has con|fined his plan to the train of events which might be re|presented to the hero in vision. This form he con|siders as the best that the nature of the subject would admit; and the regularity of the parts will appear by observing, that there is a single poetical design con|stantly kept in view, which is to gratify and sooth the desponding mind of the hero: It being the greatest possible reward of his services, and the only one that his sit••••tion would permit him to enjoy, to convince him that his labours had not been bestowed in vain, and that he was the author of such extensive happiness to the human race.