[8]Diego accompanied his brother on his second voyage. He became a priest in 1500. [9]These dukes were Medina Sidonia and Medina Celi, both of whom favored the scheme at first, but eventually rejected it. [10]A maritime town in Andalusia. [11]The Monastery of La Rabida. [12]Other authorities state that the crew of the _Santa Maria_, commanded by Columbus, numbered fifty men; that of the _Pinta_, under Martin Pinzon, thirty men; and that of the _Nina_, under Vicente Pinzon, twenty-four; and that the total number of the adventurers was one hundred and twenty. [13]The astrolabe, an obsolete instrument, was used for taking the altitude of the sun and stars. It was superseded by Hadley’s quadrant and sextant. [14]The Sea of Sargasso is so named for the sea-weed, _Sargassum bacciferum_, which covers it. It is situated in the North Atlantic Ocean and is similar in shape to an egg, the large end being toward Florida. It reaches from longitude 70 to longitude 40, being about 600 miles southwest of the Azores. Its width lies between latitude 20 and latitude 35. The Bermuda Islands are the only body of land within its area, they being near its northwest edge. It is estimated to be about 130,000 square miles in extent. [15]This island has been variously stated as Turk’s Island, Cat Island, Mayaquanna, and Watling. The best authorities have decided in favor of Watling. [16]Cibao is a mountainous region in the central part of San Domingo. Columbus supposed it to be the Japan of Marco Polo. [17]The Caribs occupied Guiana and the region of the Orinoco and conquered the Caribbean Islands. Their descendants live in Honduras and Nicaragua. Our word “cannibal” is a corruption of “Carib.” [18]The cassava is a plant about four feet high with broad leaves and a thick stem. The root is shaped like a turnip and is about six inches thick. Eaten raw it is insipid and unhealthy but when cooked is very palatable. [19]Other authorities say the tenth of March. [20]Ponce de Leon, born in Arragon in 1460, a Spanish soldier, conqueror of Porto Rico and discoverer of Florida. [21]Velasquez accompanied Columbus to Española in 1493. Appendix The following is a chronological statement of the principal events treated of in this volume: (?)1436 Birth of Columbus. 1470 Columbus arrives at Lisbon. 1484 Columbus goes to Spain. 1490 His scheme rejected. 1492 Agreement signed with Ferdinand. 1492 Discovery of America. 1493 Columbus returns to Spain. 1493 Second voyage. 1495 Investigation of his administration. 1496 Returns to Spain. 1498 Third voyage. 1500 Bobadilla sent to the West Indies. 1500 Columbus sent to Spain in chains. 1502 Ovando appointed governor of Hispaniola. 1502 Fourth voyage. 1504 Returns to Spain. 1506 Death of Columbus.