CHAP. I V . ]
C H R I S T O P H E R
COLUMBUS.
255
grief and mortification: reflecting that this splendid enterprise had once been offered to himself, and had been rejected.
A casual
observation showed what was passing in his thoughts.
He ex
pressed a doubt whether the discovery did not really appertain to the crown of Portugal, according to the capitulations of the treaty of 1479 with the Castilian sovereigns.
Columbus replied that
he had never seen those capitulations, nor knew any thing of their nature: his orders had been not to go to La Mina, nor the coast of Guinea, which orders he had carefully observed. The king made a gracious reply, expressing himself satisfied that he had acted correctly, and persuaded that these matters would be readily ad justed between the two powers, without the need of umpires. On dismissing Columbus for the night, he gave him in charge as guest, to the prior of Crato, the principal personage present, by whom he was honorably and hospitably entertained. On the following day, the king made many minute inquiries as to the soil, productions, and people of the newly-discovered coun tries, and the route taken in the voyage; to all which Columbus gave the fullest replies, endeavoring to show in the clearest man ner, that these were regions heretofore undiscovered and unappro priated by any Christian power.
Still the king was uneasy lest
this vast and undefined discovery should in some way interfere with his own newly-acquired territories.
He doubted whether
Columbus had not found a short way to those very countries which were the object of his own expeditions, and which were compre hended in the papal bull, granting to the crown of Portugal all the lands which it should discover from Cape Non to the Indies. On suggesting these doubts to his councilors, they eagerly confirmed them.
Some of these were the very persons who had
once derided this enterprise, and scoffed at Columbus as a dreamer.