THE
C O M P A N I O N S OF C O L U M B U S .
111!
with his last breath, he entreated his body might be buried in the monastery of San Francisco, just at the portal, in humble expia tion of his past pride, " that every one who entered might tread upon his grave."* Such was the fate of Alonzo de Ojeda,—and who does not forget his errors and his faults at the threshold of his humble and untimely grave !
He was one of the most fearless and as
piring of the band of " Ocean chivalry " that followed the foot steps of Columbus.
His story presents a lively picture of the
daring enterprises, the extravagant exploits, the thousand acci dents, by flood and field, which checkered the life of a Spanish cavalier in that roving and romantic age. " Never," says Charlevoix, " was a man more suited for a coup-de-main, or to achieve and suffer great things under the direction of another ; none had a heart more lofty, nor ambition more aspiring ; none^ ever took less heed of fortune, nor showed greater firmness of soul, nor found more resources in his own courage ; but none was less calculated to be commander-in-chief of a great enterprise.
Good management and good fortune for
ever failed him."f * Las Casas, ubi sup.
t Charlevoix, Hist. San Domingo.