He Had Already Performed The
Grand Object Of His Undertaking Before He Set Out To Discover The Indies;
Which Was To Shew That There Were Islands And A Continent To The Westwards,
That The Way Was Easy And Navigable, The Advantages Great And Manifest,
And The People Gentle And Unwarlike.
As he had verified all this
personally, there only now remained for their highnesses to pursue what
was begun,
By sending people to discover the secrets of these countries;
for now the way was opened up and made plain, and any one might follow out
the course, as some had done already who improperly arrogated the title of
discoverers; not considering that they had not discovered any new country,
but that all which they had done or could do in future was merely to
pursue and extend the first discovery, the admiral having already shewn
them the route to the islands and to the province of Paria, which was the
first discovered land of the new continent. Yet, having always a great
desire to serve their majesties, more especially the queen, he consented
to return to his ships and to undertake the proposed voyage to be now
related, for he was convinced that great wealth would be discovered, as he
formerly had written to their majesties in 1499. All of which has since
been verified by the discovery of Mexico and Peru, though at that time, as
generally happens to the conjectures of most men, nobody would give credit
to his assertions.
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