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APPENDIX.
pilots, testified that he saw a sea-chart which Columbus had made of the coast of Paria, and he believed that all governed
themselves
by it.*
Numerous witnesses in this process testify to the fact that Paria was first discovered by Columbus.
Las Casas, who has been at the pains of
counting them, says that the fact was established by twenty-five eye-wit nesses and sixty ear-witnesses.
Many of them testify also that the coast
south of Paria, and that extending west of the island of Margarita, away to Venezuela, which Vespucci states to have been discovered by himself in 1497, was now first discovered by Ojeda, and had never before been visited either by the admiral " or any other Christian whatever." Alonzo Sanchez de Carvajal says that all the voyages of discovery which were made to the Terra Firma, were made by persons who had sailed with the admiral, or been benefited by his instructions and directions, following the course he had laid down ;f and the same is testified by many other pilots and mariners of reputation and experience. It would be a singular circumstance, if none of these witnesses, many of whom must have sailed in the same squadron with Vespucci along this coast in 1499, should have known that he had discovered and explored it two years previously.
If that had really been the case, what motive could he
have for concealing the fact ? and why, if they knew it, should they not proclaim it ?
Vespucci states his voyage in 1 4 9 7 to have been made with
four caravels ; that they returned in October, 1498, and that he sailed again with two caravels in May, 1499, (the date of Ojeda's departure.) Many of the mariners would therefore have been present in both voyages. Why,
too, should Ojeda and the other pilots guide themselves by the
charts of Columbus, when they had a man on board so learned in nautical science, and who, from his own recent observations, was practically ac quainted with the coast ?
Not a word, however, is mentioned of the voy
age and discovery of Vespucci by any of the pilots, though every other voyage and discovery is cited ; nor does there even a seaman appear who has accompanied him in his asserted voyage.
* Process of D. Diego Colon, Pregunta 10. t Que en todos los viages que algunos hicieron descubriendo en la dicha tierra, ivan personas que ovieron navegado con el dicho Almirante, y a ellos mostrô muchas cosas de marear, y ellos por imitacion é industria del dicho A l mirante las aprendian y aprendieron, e seguendo ag°. que el dicho Almirante les habia mostrado, hicieron los viages que descubrieron en la Tierra Firma. Process, Pregunta 10.