Nicuessa
And His People Accordingly Set Sail, But Were Never Seen More, And No One
Knew What Became Of Them.
There was a story current in the West Indies,
that when the Spaniards came afterwards to settle the island of Cuba, they
found inscribed on the bark of a large tree, "Here the unfortunate
Nicuessa finished his life and miseries."
[1] We learn from the history of the conquest of Mexico, by Bernal Diaz
del Castillo, one of the conquerors, that the government of the
province of Tierra Firma, in which Darien and Nombre de Dios were
situated, was afterwards granted by the court of Spain to Pedro Arias
de Avila, in 1514, who gave his daughter in marriage to Vasco Nugnez
de Balboa; yet caused him afterwards to be beheaded; on suspicion that
he intended to revolt. - E.
SECTION VIII.
The Conquest and Settlement of the Island of Cuba by Diego Velasquez.
The admiral Don James Columbus was much blamed for not endeavouring to
give succour to these adventurers, although the grants which they had
received of separate governments were in direct contradiction to his just
rights. His enemies made use of this to his prejudice at the court of
Spain, which was always jealous of him, and listened therefore with much
complacency to every complaint that was proffered against him. He on the
other hand, was very sensible of the disposition of the court, and used
every means he could think of to secure his rights in these countries,
pursuant to the agreement which had been made with his father.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 635 of 789
Words from 176943 to 177204
of 219607
