to one of his vessels that he had to send it back to Hispaniola. The other was so badly damaged that it was doubtful whether it could accomplish the journey. Besides other mishaps it lost its fore and mainmasts. Columbus nevertheless kept on his course undauntedly. With his half-wrecked vessel he traversed seven hundred miles of the ocean and finally reached, though with extreme difficulty, the harbor of St. Lucas, in Andalusia, early in November in the year 1504. He had spent only a few days in Spain, recovering from the fatigue of his journey, when the news of a mournful event reached him. His patroness and only protector, Isabella, died November 26, 1504. He had looked to her as his last and only reliance in obtaining his rights. Now she was gone! What could he expect from the prejudiced King, who had always shown himself inimical to him? Nevertheless, as soon as his health was in some measure restored, he hastened to the Court to make a report of all that had occurred. But he was coolly received. His just complaints of the many injuries he had suffered from his enemies were not listened to, and his reasonable request that his rights should be restored to him was evaded by shallow pretexts. Thus was this great and well-deserving man condemned to devote the evening of his life to the business of vainly trying to obtain justice from an unjust judge and mercy from a merciless King. Heaven at last put an end to his long and bitter suffering. Exhausted by the trials and hardships he had undergone, he died at Valladolid on Ascension Day, May 20, 1506, his last words being, “Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commit my spirit.” His death was worthy of his life. He died with a peaceful spirit and with that trust in God which had characterized him during his whole life, even when it was darkest. His joyful soul hastened to that judgment-seat before which even Kings must appear. His earthly remains were at first deposited in the monastery of St. Francis in Valladolid and six years later were taken to the Carthusian monastery at Seville, where King Ferdinand erected a costly memorial to the discoverer. From this place the body was removed in 1536 to the island of San Domingo, the scene of his principal discoveries, and upon the cession of that island to the French it was taken to Cuba where the ashes rest in the cathedral of its capital. Near the high altar of this splendid structure his bust stands in a niche, and close by it is a silver urn which contains all that is left of the renowned explorer.