Spanish America, Vol. 1 (of 2)Bonnycastle, Richard Henry, Sir
History
Spanish America, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Bonnycastle, Richard Henry, Sir
Latin America -- Description and travel; Latin America -- History
Ojeda, and Amerigo Vespucci, as well as many other adventurers,
followed Columbus in exploring parts of the coast of New Granada,
and Amerigo gave the first regular description of the people who
inhabited its shores. In the year 1508, Alonzo de Ojeda and Diego
Nicuessa obtained from the Spanish crown, extensive grants in the
territories now known by the names of Guatimala and New Granada;
Ojeda had the country from Cape de la Vela to the Gulf of Uraba,
or Gulf of Darien, included in his charter, which tract was to be
styled New Andalusia; and Nicuessa was appointed to govern from
the Gulf of Darien to Cape Gracias à Dios; the territory included
between these points, to be named Golden Castile, and they left
Hispaniola in the latter end of the year 1510, to assume the
functions assigned to them. Soon after the arrival of Ojeda at
Carthagena, (then called Caramari by the Indians,) he imprudently
attacked the natives, and after a severe action, lost the greater
part of his men, but was fortunately relieved by the arrival of
the fleet of Nicuessa; he then went to the gulf of Darien, and
established a colony on the eastern promontory, which place was
named St. Sebastian; but being soon reduced to great extremity for
want of provision, Ojeda sailed for Hispaniola, having dispatched
another vessel before him to procure supplies and reinforcements
for his new establishment; suffering shipwreck on the voyage, and
losing all his property, he died shortly after of want.
The colony being reduced to great distress, went back to
Carthagena, to endeavour to fall in with the reinforcements; by
great good fortune they met two vessels with their supplies, and
returning to St. Sebastian, found their town destroyed by the
natives; to augment their misfortunes, they run their ships ashore,
but by dint of great exertion they were at last floated, when the
whole colony, by the advice of Vasco Nunez de Balboa, sailed to the
river of Darien, where they attacked and conquered an Indian tribe,
and founded a town which was named Santa Maria el Antigua del
Darien, where they received a further reinforcement by accident, in
November 1510.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account