Giving
this appointment, which ought only to have come from them; yet they
confirmed it some years afterwards.
[1] The eastern point of Cuba, in Lat. 20 deg. 22' N. Long. 74 deg. 3' W. is now
named Cape Maize. - E.
[2] Now called Cumberland Bay. - E.
[3] At 17-1/2 leagues to the degree, the distance between the Isle of
Pines and Isabella is only 192 leagues: Or even counting twenty to the
degree, only 220 marine leagues. - E.
[4] We are to suppose Columbus was now at the east end of the Isle of
Pines, from whence Cape St Antonia, the western point of Cuba, is
about 52 Spanish leagues. - E.
[5] The numbers in the translation of Herrera are inextricably corrupt,
and quite irreconcileable with each other, or with truth. - E.
[6] Cadiz is in Long. 6 deg. 18' W. from Greenwich, the east end of the Isle
of Pines 82 deg. W. Hence the difference of longitude is 75 deg. 42' W. very
near the same as in the text. - E.
[7] The text, or its original translation, is here obscure; but Columbus
appears not to have been aware that this island, to which he gave the
name of St Jago was the same which he had before visited as Jamaica.
The extent in the text is exceedingly erroneous, as the length of
Jamaica is only thirty-five Spanish leagues, and its greatest breadth
thirteen leagues. - E.
[8] From the sequel it would appear that this Cape Ferol belonged to
Jamaica, and is probably that now called North-East Cape - E.
[9] The distance from Cape North-East in Jamaica, to Cape Tiberoon in
Hispaniola is thirty-three Spanish leagues. - E.
[10] Beata is the most southern point of Hispaniola, directly to the west
of Juliana Bay; and Alto Vela does not exceed 3-1/2 leagues from that
port. - E.
[11] Near the eastern end of the south side of Hispaniola, there is a
small island called Santa Catalina, near which a considerable extent
of the main island is called the Plains. - E.
[12] This would give a difference of 80 deg. 45', and would place Saona in 87 deg.
3' W. But it is only in 68 deg. 30' W. leaving an error in the text of 19 deg.
30' or an hour and eighteen minutes in time. - E.
[13] Now called Cape Engano. - E.
SECTION XIV.
Summary of Occurrences in Hispaniola, to the return of Columbus into
Spain from his second Voyage.
During the absence of Columbus from the colony, Don Peter Margarite, whom
he had left with the command of the troops, instead of employing them
prudently to keep the natives in awe, as he had been directed by the
admiral, quartered them among the towns in the Royal Plain, where they
lived at free quarters, to the utter ruin of the Indians, one of them
eating more in a day than would suffice an Indian for a month.
