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DISCOVERY ^u ,

OF THE / /A- f'^A^

ORIGIN OF THE NAME OF AMERICA

THOMAS DE St. BRIS.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1888, by Thoma^ ^ m the Office

of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. Right of Translation reserved.

Communications to the Publishers should be addressed: '■'Origin o/the A'ame 0/ America," Box No. 18 j 2, Nezu York City.

NEW YORK. ^^^^^k\^

1888.

.y.

MAY

9.^

l|

PAGE.

Cause of the discoveiy of America 7

Portugal seeks a passage to India 13

Excitement in Spain, and arrival of Columbus 15

Columbus sails to find Japan, where gold and pearls grew 21

Columbus lands in the "Western hemisphere 22

English ships seek the isle where gold and pearls grew 30

Spain prohibits foreigners from landing in the Western hemi- sphere 31

Columbus finds a Continent 32

Ojeda, with Amerigo Vespucci as passenger, lands at Amaraca-

pana 37

Sir Walter Ealeigh finds the valley of America-pana 50

Amaraca-pana, the first settlement on the Continent 64

Conquest of the Kingdom of Amaraca and twenty millions 68

Amaracan or American national history 91

Splendor of the Kings of Amaraca or America 94

St. America or Hua-Amaraca, the foundation and historical

Capitol of aboriginal America 123

Charles ; King of Spain and Emj)eror of Germany, baptizes

America 124

Treasure found in America creates wild excitement in Europe . . . 128

Who said that America was named after Amerigo Vespucci ? 130

[Copyright 1888.]

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"eosraphical ideas of the fifteenth century, ancl tlie

e cities and Kingdor>-'

INTRODUCTION.

THE object of this abridged popular edition is to present in a brief, clear, and simple style our discovery of the origin of the name of America, which came as unexpectedly as that of Columbus; while we were collecting from the old works of the Spanish historians, the customs and histories of the Americans — called Indians by mistake — in order to show their connection with Egypt, of w^hich a pre- liminary sketch was published in 1882.

We have attached a map to be kept in view while reading; so that a perfect idea may be obtained of the places named by Columbud, and of the geog- raphy of the age when America was discovered.

Asia is placed in the position given to it by the first standard map of the world on which the West- ern hemisphere appeared ;i and the Atlantic coast — representing the early discoveries and settlements on this Continent — is taken from the first atlas^ where the name of America is apj^lied to its southern divis- ion, to which we have added the information ob- tained from a local chart" showing the coast of Am- araca and the kingdom of Cundin-Amaraca, while

' Ptolemy Atlas 1508. = Mercator, Atlas, 1541. => Codazzi, Atlas Venezuela.

4 INTRODUCTION.

the cities on the Pacific coast represent the extent of the kingdom of Amaraca at the period of its con- quest by Spain. Instead of referring to the numer- ous Spanish authors which we have consulted in order to show the importance of this Empire — which only bears indirectly on our subject — we have referred our readers to a most interesting work; where these scattered histories may be found col- lected. We speak of the well-known "Prescott's History of the Conquest of Peru " — a great nation; of which our notes only give a passing outline.

We use the word King in its general sense, instead of the native name of Inca, which has a similar meaning; preferring to exclude foreign words — which tend to mystify history — when an idea can be conveyed in our own.

The Kings of Amaraca or America; like the Kings of England, Japan, (the Mikado) Turkey, (the Sultan) and Persia, (the Shah) were the temporal and spiritual chiefs of their dominions. Nearly all the works we have examined are to be found at the Astor Library, which — with a valuable number of the American Geographical Societ^^'s maps and atlases — have been the principal means of throwing light on this subject of national interest.

The following are the principal authorities which have been consulted in this work :

Adam, Etudes stir six langues Americaines.

American Encyclopedia.

Borde, Histoire de I'ile de Trinidad.

Brinton, Mj'tbs of the New World.

Balboa, Histoire dn Perou.

Brasseur de Bourboiarg, Grammatica de la langne Quiche.

Biondelli, Glossarum Azteco-Latinum et Latino-Aztecum.

Bandini, " Vita e lettere di Vespucci gentiluomo Fiorentino.

Brasseur de Boiirbourg, " Histoire des nations civilisees du Mex- iqtie.

Brasseur de Bourbourg, "Popol Vuh, Le livre sacre et les mythes de I'antiquite.

Beeton's Universal Biographj'.

Carochi, Compendio del arte de la lengua Mexicana.

Cancellieri, Dissertazioni epistol e bibliografiche Sopra C. Colombo.

Codazzi, Atlas of Venezuela.

Caulin El padre, Coro-graphica de la nuevo Andalusia.

Charnay Desire, Cites et ruines Americaines.

Del Canto, Arte y Vocabulaiio en la lengua general del Peru llamada Quicha, 1614.

Daly Cesar, Kevue generale de rarchitecture.

Encyclopedia Britannica.

Estevan, Arte dela lengua general del Ynga llamada Quechhua, 1614.

Enciso, M. F., Suma de geographia, etc.

Fernandez, Histoire del Perou.

Febres, A., Arte y lengua general del Eeyno de Chile, 1775.

Garcilasso de la Vega, Commentaries and La Florida del Inca.

Gomara Francisco, Historia de la Conquista.

Gumilla Jose, El Orenoco— 1745.

Harrisse, Les Cortoreal, Eecueil de voyages, etc.

Herrera, Historia general delas Indias, etc.

Humboldt, Histoire du Perou, and Relations historiques.

6 ■ AUTHORITIES.

Holgiain, Arte y vocabulario de la lengua Quicha. Huerta, Arte de la lengua Quicha. Irving, Washington, Life of Columbus. Jomard, Edouarde Fran9ois, Cartes.

Kunstmann, Atlas Zur entdeckerungsgeschichte Arnerikas.* Kohl, Die beiden iitlesten general-karten von Amerika.* Las Casas, Historia. Leon Ciezca de Cronica ap Hakluyt. La Hontain, New voyages of America. Lelewel, Geographie du Moyen Age. Murioz, J. B., Historia del Nuevo Mundo, 1793. Malte — Brun, Geographie uuiverselle, 184L Mercator Gerard, Sphere terrestre et sphere celeste, 1541.* Navarrete, F. D., Coleccion de los Viages, etc. Napione, Primo scopritore del Continente del nuovo mondo. Our Country. History of the United States. Oviedo y Baiios, Historia de la Conquista, etc., 1723. Oviedo y Valdes, Historia general de las Indias. Prescott, Wm. H., History of the Conquest of Peru. Piedrahita, L. F., Historia general de la nueva reyno, etc. Pelli, Difesa de Vespucci. Kycaut, Sir Paul, The Royal Commentaries,

Eestrepo, Historia de la revolucion de la Republica de Colombia, Bosny, Leon, Les ecritures, etc.

Santarem, Essai sur I'histoire de la Cosmographie, etc., and Re- cherches, etc.

Simon Padre Fray Pedro, — Primera parte de las noticias, etc.

Stephens, Incidents of Travels in Central America.

Squier, Peru.

Torres Diego, Vocabulario de la lengua Quichua, 1745.

Ternaux-Cowpans, Essai sur I'ancien Cundin-Amarea.

Velasco, Histoire du royaume de Quito.

"Winsor, Narrative and Critical History of America.*

Ximemes, Las Historias.

Zarate, Conquista del Peru.

* American Geol. Soc.

DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN

- OF THE

NAME OF AMERICA.

WHAT LED TO THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.

Two eminent merchants from the beautiful city of Venice, Nicolo and Matteo Polo by name, explored Turkey, Russia, and India, remaining three years in Mongolia to learn the language of the country; with the intention of extending their commerce in the East.

They were invited to accompany some ambas- sadors en route to the Grand Khan, who happened to be passing through their village (1261), and ar- riving safely at the summer residence, he gave the Venetians a hospitable reception; being exceedingly anxious to obtain information about Europe.

The Khan appointed them his envoys to the Pope, with a request for one hundred Europeans to become instructors in the Mongolian kingdom. They ar- rived at Rome, but no one could be induced to go with them; and, returning accompanied by a nephew — the afterwards famous Marco Polo — were royally re- ceived (1271); more especially the young visitor, who

8 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

— rapidly learning the language and customs of the country — was sent as envoy to numerous princes, and heard a great deal about central Asia.

He was appointed Governor of a Mongolian town (1281), and subsequently as ambassador to southern China; acquired much knowledge about Japan (Zipangu), which Columbus was destined to sail in search of two centuries later.

Having obtained permission to join the escort of a Mongolian ]3rincess, who was traveling to the Court of Persia, the three Polos left, and arriving at Teheran, stayed there until hearing of the Khan's death, when they continued their journey, and re- turned to Venice (1295) — with much wealth and many precious objects — wearing Tartar costumes, and with complexions and manners so totally ori- ental, that their stupified compatriots stood gazing at beings apparently from some unknown clime, while they completely astonished themselves on at- tempting to speak their own language, after an ab- sence of twenty-four years. No one could be found to recognize them, and to overcome this difficulty; they gave a magnificent entertainment; receiving their guests in gorgeous oriental dresses.

Retiring to prepare for dinner, they returned in robes of crimson damask, and after the first course, again disappearing, came back in suits of crim- son velvet, finally withdrawing, they re-entered dressed as Venetians, making presents of their Mon-

NAME OF AMERICA. 9

golian costumes. After dinner, Marco Polo showed them his coarse Tartar travehng suit, and then cut- ting it open, took out an immense number of beauti- ful jewels. Everyone seemed to be willing to believe them now. or at least tried to do so, but their stories were so fabulous, that the more they thought it over, the more impossible they seemed to be.

Some years afterwards, Venice was at war with Genoa, and the illustrious Marco Polo— commanding his own galley in the great naval engagement which ■ended victoriously for the Genoese republic — was among the captives.

In prison he told wonderful stories about his voy- ages in the east, soon acquiring a reputation, which was only excelled by that of the arch-fiend him- self for prevarication, and would have been severely punished were he unable to point to the wonderful trophies from fabulous lands. These romances, how- ever, as the people thought, were exceedingly amus- ing; and he was allowed to write them. This de- scription of his travels and the magnificence of the oriental nations— published in Latin, French, and Italian, — were read to the amazement of the entire world .

In these days, the art of printing had not been discovered, and it was only to the favored few, that the great voyages of Marco Polo were known; none of whom believed that they were more than grossly exaggerated dreams, and at his death (1323), he was

10 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

implored to "retract the falsehoods which he had been constantly repeating during the latter years of his life as to these voyages," but he died asserting that nothing which he had related was exaggerated, and the good people of that age were dumbfounded.

Such impossible stories were they; and yet they asked, would he lose his soul for all eternity, for the pleasure of persisting in a few harmless falsehoods ?

Those who only saw fables in them, and were charitably disposed ; came to the conclusion that he had been telling them so long, that he had eventually convinced himself, while astronomers tried to read the answer in the stars; and look- ing heavenwards through their telescopes with new ideas, saw the vindication of the great traveler.

Previously, all the science of Astronomy came from the Arabs, who, as masters of Egypt, had capt- ured the knowledge of that country, but, Marco Polo aroused Europe, and from the date of his dis- coveries; maybe placed the origin of our astronomy.

It was nearly two centuries, however, before the people of that primitive age would admit, that their beloved great-grandfathers were entirely wrong in asking him to withdraw his assertions.

The famous Toscanelli took the initiative, and Christopher Columbus was in communication with him as to the possibility of sailing by the west to India. Toscanelli had come to the .conclusion that Marco Polo's fairy land, could also be reached by sea,

NAME OF AMERICA. W

which he communicated to King Alfonso Y, of Portugal.

In his letter to Columbus, (1474) this celebrated astronomer said, " I praise your idea to navigate to- wards the west. The expedition you wish to under- take is not easy; but the route from the west coast of Europe to the spice islands is certain, if the tracks I have marked out be followed." He also sent a map projected from the Ptolemy atlas then in use, and the history of Marco Polo's voyages.

In the fifteenth century, the Arabs were the most celebrated merchants of the world. They had established themselves at various cities on the great road from Europe to India, and held possession of it for ages. The merchants of two rival republics — Genoa on the Mediterranean and Venice on the Adriatic— sent their ships to Egypt, the Black Sea, and other Arabian centres and trading with them, supplied Europe.

In the sharp contests of these rival republics for commercial supremacy, the Venetians finally ac- quired; by diplomacy and business activity, such in- fluence over the ports of the Black Sea and the Levant, that the Genoese saw ruin before them; and they began to look in other directions for relief and continued prosperity.

The merchants of western Europe,^ being ex- cluded by the Venetians from direct participation in

^ See Our Country, Vol. I.

12 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

eastern commerce through the Mediterranean; were seeking other channels of communication with India. In this enterprise they had the assistance of Prince Henry, a son of John I, king of Portugal and the English princess Philippa of Lancaster, a sis- ter of Henry IV of England. When prince Henry was with his father on an African expedition, the Moors related stories of the coast of Guinea and other lands then unknown to Europeans. He be- lieved that important discoveries might be made by navigating along the western coast of the conti- nent, and the idea absorbing his attention; he retired from court, to a beautiful country seat near Cape St. Vincent, in full view of the ocean, and drew around him men of science and learning who came to the conclusion that India might be reached by going around the southern shores of the African continent, an idea which was contrary to the assertions of Ptolemy — the standard geography at that time — and of many learned men.

Up to this period, European navigators believed in dreadful reefs, stormy headlands, reaching far into the ocean, and a fiery climate at the equator; which boiled every whale in the ocean depths attempting to cross the line where waves of scalding water washed the burning sands of the coast.

NAME OF AMERICA. 13

PORTUGAL AWAKENED BY POLO'S HISTORY; SEEKS INDIA.

The King of Portugal had now determined ta test Toscanelli's ideas— also believed in by other astronomers of that age— as soon as he was in a position to do so. Portugal had not long been a kingdom (1139), and it was only during the reign of Joan— the great— (I3S5-1433) that they succeeded in repulsing the Moors— who took the country from the Visigoths in the eighth centur}'- and a formid- able invasion by the Spaniards.

The Monarch — whose nation was now undis- turbed— looking towards the passage which might lead to the wonderful country where Marco Polo's treasure lay; sent an expedition which discovered Madeira and the Azores, before returning to relate stories causing intense excitement. Every one wished to sail in search of Polo's golden land ; amongst them the King's son who immediately prepared for sea, and making further discoveries- became known as "Prince Henry, the navigator." About this period, the art of printing was invented (1440), but fifteen years rolled by before the first book appeared — so far as is known, the Mazarine bible — and gradually, stories of Portuguese enterprise began to reach the seaports and learned centers of Europe; which brought many mariners and scholars to that country, where the jet-black gentlemen, ira-

14 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

ported as slaves from Africa (1444), — then living wonders — turned the eyes of Europe towards the little kingdom for many years, and correspondents sent there by the principal people of several nations, wrote home any information wliich might lead them towards the land of gold.

Mariners who had flocked there, begged of the crown to put tliem in command of vessels in search of new countries, although the applications were not yet so numerous as Columbus described them; when he stated that after discovering the new land, the commonest sailor in his vessel wished to go in search of territory and even the very tailors were willing.

He was among those who went to Portugal (1470), but the government naturally preferring to associate their own subjects with these enterprises; did not then employ foreigners.

He was the son of Domenico Casenueve^ — some- times called Coulon or Colon in Spanish, and Colum- bus in Latin — a Genoese wool-comber, and after hav- ing been sent to the University of Pavia, returned home to assist his father. At the early age of four- teen, he was sent to sea with a distant relative, — an Admiral of the Genoese navy — and is supposed to have been in the naval expedition, which was fitted out by the Duke of Calabria to recover that King- dom for his father.

Finding nothing to be done at sea, he tried his

^ Narrative and critical history of America.

NAME OF AMERICA. 15

fortune on land ; by making charts at Lisbon, where he " popped the question," and was accepted by the widow of a Portuguese navigator; "a rich widow," historians tell us, thus far resembling Mohammed,^ immediately before he founded the third chief re- ligion of the world, and we may be gallant enough to suppose, that it was the widow who advised Columbus to go west, but he eventually lost her, and being reduced to poverty, (148-i) went with his son to Spain.

Portugal continued to send expeditions, dispatch- ing Bartholomew Dias — who was blown around the west coast — to explore Africa, and the King deter- mined to follow up his discoveries and endeavor to reach India by sea— called this cape. Good Hope, or Boa Esperanga.

Vasco de Gama, a gentleman of His Majesty's household, offering to go with an expedition, sailed, (8 July, 1497) arrived in India, and by appointing Viceroys, extended commerce; which made them masters of the eastern ocean for nearly a century.

MARCO polo's travels EXCITE SPAIN.

Spain was anxious to participate in these expe- ditions, but she also, had yet too much to do at home.

1 The name of the religion founded by the Arab Mahommed— who wrote their sacred book, the Koran, 610 a. d. — and incorrectly called Mahommedanism, is Islamism, i. e. submission to God.

16 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

When the Germans attacked the Spanish province of falHng Rome: these, invited the Visigoths to aid them, who subdued Spain and ruled it, until Alaric, — one of their chiefs; quarreling with the others- about an election, — asked the Moors to assist him, which they did; like the Visigoths, by conquering the country, (711, A. D.), but the Spaniards soon regained a large portion of it, only to be lost again (1252-S-i), while Alfonso X was seeking the Im- perial Crown of Germany, and they did not recover it, until the war against the Moors (1481), — which ended by their return to Mauritana (Africa) in 1492, and complete expulsion from Castile.

Some years previously a navigator — soon to be- come famous — had arrived in Spain/ Just at the evening twilight of a beautiful October day (1485), a man of fifty summers, — tall, well formed, and muscular, a face once rosy, but now careworn in ex- pression; an aquiline nose, rather high cheek bones, eyes of light gray ; his hair thin and silvery;— stood at the gate of the Franciscan monastery near Palos in Spain, asking for a little bread and water for his pale-faced motherless son whom he led by the hand.

It was Christopher Columbus, then in extreme poverty, on his way to the Spanish Court.

While the porter was getting refreshments for his boy, the prior of the monastery was attracted by

1 See Our Country, Vol. I.

NAME OF AMERICA.

17

the dignified appearance of the stranger, and con- cluding after a brief conversation that he was an

COLUMBUS AND HIS SON AT THE MONASTERY.

extraordinary man; invited him to remain. With increasing wonder and admiration he hstened to the navigator's theories, his plans and his hopes. That

18 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

such a man should stand a beggar at his gate was a marvel to Father Marchena.

The friar was learned in geographical science. Able, therefore, to comprehend the grandeur of the views of Columbus, he was deeply impressed with the wisdom of the appai-ently inspired navigator, and sent for a scientific friend in Palos to come and converse with his guest within the quiet cloisters of the monastery where the project was received with the most profound respect. The friar offered him a court introduction, and proposed to educate his son Diego.

It was now^ one of the most remarkable and brilliant periods in the history of the Spanish mon- archy. The marriage of Ferdinand, King of Arragon , and Isabella, Queen of Leon and Castile, had united their kingdoms and formed a strong empire. These two monarchs were but one in love, respect, interest, views and aims, and were happily united in their councils for the good of the realm, yet they ruled as distinct sovereigns, each having an independent council, and frequently holding court and exercising sovereignty at widely separate points at the same time. They wei'e wise in council and brave in action. Sometimes they were both in the field at the head of troops in their warfare with the Moors. The armor worn by the Queen on these occasions may been seen in the royal arsenal at Madrid. All acts of sovei-eignty

^ Our Country, Vol. 1.

NAME OF AMERICA. 19

were executed jointly. The national coins bore their united profile, and the royal seal displayed the arms of Castile and Arragon.

Columbus remained quietly at the monastery until the spring of 1486, when the court had arrived at the ancient city of Cordova, where the troops had assembled for a vigorous spring campaign. To that old city, and to the court of the young sovereigns he repaired, bearing a letter from the friar to the superior of the monastery of Prado, who was the Queen's confessor, but war was then raging, and every peaceful occupation was disturbed by the clash of arms. The Crown however, eventually in- foi'med the navigatoi', that they would consider his pro osition when peace was restored. Columbus hac received an invitation to visit the King of Fraiice at Paris, and resolved to go, but the friar advised him to see Queen Isabella again, and ar- riving while the Spanish troops were in pursuit of the last of the Moorish army, he was presented at court; but the King said that the war had depleted the treasury to such an extent; that they could not entertain the project. " I will undertake the enter- prise," said Queen Isabella, "for my crown of Castile, and, if essential. I shall pledge my jewels to obtain the necessary funds." Columbus knelt, giv- ing thanks to God.

The ambition of the navigator was lofty and noble. His piety was heartfelt; his religious con-

20

DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

victions were deep and controlling, and his zeal was fed by an earnest desire to serve God and benefit mankind. And when; with a tongue that seemed

QUEEN ISABELLA INVOKING BLESSINGS.

to be touched with the flame of inspiration, he told the Queen of his faith and hope,— a belief that he was ordained by God to bear the gospel to the heathen of

NAME OF AMERICA. 21

unknown lands, and a hope that he should bring back to her the glad tidings of pagans converted to the true faith, — her face kindled with enthusiasm and beamed with angelic benignity. And when he spoke of giving to Spain the honors and emoluments of his anticipated discoveries, and promised to devote the profits of the enterprise for the recovery of the holy sepulchre at Jerusalem from the hands of the Mahommedans, the beautiful Queen was transported with joy, and rising in ecstacy froixr the throne, while her bright blue eyes beaming rays of hope that fain would pierce the very heavens, vied with the inani- mate lustre from those marble jewel-clasped hands which shone like a divine benediction over the awe- struck form of the navigator as he stood statue- like, with bowed head, before the almost transfigured Sovereign, while the King responded "Amen."

Hardly had this war ended, than Queen Isabella- borrowing money on her crown jewels — began to prepare the expedition to find a western passage to India, and by agreement with Columbus (17 Apl,, 14!)2), appointed him High Admiral, and Viceroy, of lands to be discovered.

COLUMBUS GOES TO FIND JAPAN; THE ISLAND WHERE THE GOLD AND PEARLS GREW,

Sailing out of Palos on the 2d of August, 1492, and after a perilous voyage— guided by the chart made by Toscanelli;^ their courage was rewarded at

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THE NAME OF AMERICA. 23

2 A. M. on the 12th of October, when the Admiral saw a light moving in the darkness, and calling a companion, they discussed the serious question of its reality; but the low sandy shore, observed in the bright moonlight, by one of the crew of the Pinta, soon removed all doubt.

Next morning after landing, every one knelt in solemn prayer, before formal possession was taken for the Crown of Spain. It appears from the Ad- miral's log,Hhat this was the island of "Guana- hani," which he named Holy Redeemer (San Sal- vador).

Sailing away on the 14th, so many islands ap- peared—about one hundred — that he did not know which to go to, but next day, one was named "St. Mary of the conception," and another in honor of the King, " Fernandino," and on the 16th, landing at " Samoat," — which the natives said was the place to find gold— he named it after Queen " Isabella."

"All, all events," he writes, "if the weather is favorable, I will sail around this isle until I get an opportunity to speak with the King, and see if I can have the gold that I hear they bring, and then I will leave for the other large isle; which I firmly believe must be "Cipango."- According to the signs that those Indians give me; I make out that they call it Colba " (this was Cuba), "but notwithstanding this, I am determined to go to the mainland, and to

' Navarrete, Vol. I. = Meaning Japan.

'^4r DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIX OF THE

the city of Guiasay,^ to deliver the letters of Your Majesties to the ' Grand Khan.' and to ask him re- spectfully if I may go with him.*"

The Admiral had sailed from Spain, to find the island of Japan,- spoken of by Marco Polo, whose description of it, appears on an old chart: which was made by Martin Behaim (14S4i, a young German' student, who — like many others — was attracted to Portugal by these discoveries, during the period that Columbus resided there and employed his time by making charts. In Behaim's map of the world, the unknown isle of Japan, was placed where he thought it probably was: adding these words: — ^' The island is called Zipangut. lying in the eastern world, whose inhabitants manufacture their own gods, and have no King. Enormous quantities of gold grow there: and also jevjels. and eastern joearls, the sailors having found li?,700 islands in the Indian ocean."*

The Spanish monarch s must have concluded, that, as Marco Polo had learned Turkish, the Grand Khan — out of common politeness, if nothing else — had studied Spanish; for they did not hesitate to give Columbus a letter of introduction, which he took ashore to present to the Khan, who was only

' Spoken of ia Marco Polo's voyages, ch. 58.

' Navarrete, Cipango. ^LeleweL

■* " Diese Insul genannt Zepangut, lieget im orient der Welt. Die Inwohner- bethen abgotter, an ihr Konig ist nimand, Inder insnl -wachst ubertreslicht viel gold, auch wUchst da alleley edelgestein, pearlen oriental. In diesen Indianischcn Meer sollen die scbifflenth den 12,700 insulen befnnden liaben."

,<^ f^'it.

t y-^i %

J !s^<»r

'A

i/

XAME OF AMERICA. 25

to be found in a directly opposite quarter of the globe.

Discovering the island of Cuba on the 2Sth of October, he named it '' Juana." after Prince John; the Spanish heir apparent. Some of the natives were smoking cigars which tliey called tobacco, while others made them: but Columbus considering it a savage custom, left its European introduction to Sir Walter Raleigh. Hayti, they found on De- cember 6th, and going ashore to dine, five chiefs, subjects of King Gua-Camahari, came to visit him. He heard from the natives.that the people were afraid of the Caribs. who went all over the islands and eat them, so that the Indian who accompanied the Spaniards, ran forward crying: — "'Don't fearl The christians are not Caribs: but came from heaven, and give many beautiful things to those who visit them."

On this invitation, two thousand people ap- proached, and putting their hands on the heads of the terror-stricken Spaniards. — a sign of eternal friendship, — invited them to dinner; which was finally accepted when confidence had been restored. Their bread — made of roots resembling radishes — had the flavor of chestnuts. Columbus sailed about these islands still looking in vain for the Khan, On Christmas eve, a large number of Indians were on board the vessel, whom he asked, where the gold was, and taking with him the most intelligent of

26 THE NAME OF AMERICA.

them, who, — after naming many places, —mentioned Civao, which the Admiral sailed for, expecting to reach Japan, but, it was only another part of Haiti, and they called it (Hispanola) " Little Spain."

On landing, King Gua-Camahari, advanced to re- ceive the Viceroy, and laying hands on his head, in- vested him with his own crown, placed him in a royal sedan chair covered with a canopy; in which he was carried toward the city, on the shoulders of four men, as their Kings are.

Columbus, taking off a handsome collar of beads, put it on the King's neck — gave him a cloak, sent for some colored slippers, and placed a silver ring on his finger, which seemed to have attracted their at- tention while two chiefs exchanged large plates of gold for trinkets. Soon afterwards the Admiral's ship was wrecked here, leaving only two small ves- sels. After building a fort — placing twenty-nine men in it, who were never seen again — they called to say good-bye to the King, and sailing among the islands, turned homewards on the 17th of January, 1493. Columbus was nearly wrecked on this voy- age, and fearing that no one would survive to an- nounce the new world to Europe, he retired to his cabin, writing hurriedly on parchment an account of the voyage — amidst the uproar and shouting of the despairing crew — and wrapping it in oilskin, sur- rounded completely with wax, he put it into a barrel, well fastened, and water tight, which was thrown

28 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

overboard/ Columbus, however, landed first, and after stopping at Lisbon to have an intervievv^ with the King of Portugal, he arrived in Spain on the 15th of March, after an absence of seven months, and had a royal reception at Barcelona from their Majesties, who requested him to be seated in their presence— an honor only accorded to grandees.

He was given the title of Don, and a crest bear- ing the royal arms of Spain — the lion and castle — adding a group of islands to represent his discover- ies; while extensive preparations were hastened for another expedition. The Admiral presented Indians, gold, pearls, fish, and birds from the new^ islands, to their Majesties, w^ho were much interested in hear- ing of the hospitable treatment of the natives, and amused by the story of the Indian lady, who had seen her face for the first time in a mirror.

That Grand Cardinal of Spain," invited Colum- bus to a feast, to meet the Spanish Grandees and prelates. To the navigator he gave the seat of honor and other marks of distinction. These at- tentions,— to one so lately a poor Italian mariner — excited the jealousy of some guests. A courtier asked the Admiral whether he thought that in case he did not discover the Indies; there were not men in Spain who would have been equal to the enterprise ? Columbus took an egg that was before him, and invited the courtier to make it

' Canoellieri, p. 102. = Our Country Vol. 1.

NAME OF AMERICA. 29

stand on its end. He could not. All the company tried in vain to do it. Then the Viceroy struck the Q^^ upon the tahle so as to flatten the end by a fracture and left it standing. ''Any one could do that," cried the courtier. "After I have shown the way," rephed the Admiral. "Gentlemen," he con- tinued, "after I have shown a new way to India, nothing is easier than to folIow\"

Nearly every one wished to go on the new expe- dition ; so intense was the excitement, and the government got a bull (4 May, 1493), from pope Alexander VI, which granted fields for discovery. Then Portugal got one; which gave Spain the right to all the land one hundred leagues west of the Azores, but the Portuguese objected, and it was agreed shortly after to move the dividing line three hundred and seventy leagues further west, which unexpectedly gave her: Brazil, the Spice islands, and half of New Guinea.

The Admiral sailed away on the 25th of Septem- ber, 1493, with seventeen ships, and fifteen hundred colonists, arriving on the 3d of November, and after discovering several islands; returned to Haiti, found- ing the city of Isabella.

An expedition to the interior for the purpose of finding gold was successful; and twelve ships were sent home with Indians and some of the precious metal.

These discoveries had created intense excitement

30 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

all over Europe, and questions of fitting out expedi- tions were freely spoken of.

ENGLISH SHIPS SAIL, SEEKING THE ISLE WHERE GOLD AND PEARLS GROW.

At Bristol, England, lived Zuan Caboto, a Vene- tian, whom they called John Cabot, who having ob- tained a patent from Henry VII for discoveries, he sailed, and arriving on the coast of Labrador (24th of June, M97), saw such a quantity of fish that he called it "Baccalos," meaning codfish. His son — then a boy— was with him, and writing afterwards of this voyage, he says, — "I began to saile toward " the northwest, not thinking to find any other land "than that of Cathay,^ and from thence turne to- ^' w^ard India, but after certaine dayes I found that " the land ranne towards the north, which was to " me a great displeasure."'- On his return, the King gave him (3d February, 1498), a grant to take six mer- chant vessels, paying the government price for them, and to enlist volunteers, "and theym convey and lede, to the londe, and isles of late founde, by the seid John."

Cabot, was a tow^nsman of Columbus, but natu- ralized by Venetia.

1 Marco Polo called China, Cathay.

= " Sebastian Cabot in the first voyage which he made at the charges of king Henrie VII, intended [as hlmselfe confesseth] to find no other Lande but Cathay and from Ihence tnrne towards India: and the opinions of Aristotle* and Seneca, tliat India was not farre frome Spaine, confirmed them therein " Purchas Edu. 1GI7, p. 894.

* Arist. de Coelo et Mundo.

NAME OF AMERICA. 31

SPAIN PROHIBITS FOREIGNERS FROM PARTICIPATING IN HER DISCOVERIES.

The Crown of Spain had been aware of these in- tended expeditions, and in order to anticipate them, a proclamation was issued (10th April, 1495), per- mitting passports to be granted on certain conditions, to native horn subjects, to settle in Haiti; or to go on voyages of discovery and commerce in the new^ possessions.^ Columbus had been for nearly three years, the only one to whom aid was given to ex- plore the Western hemisphere, and the govern- ment,—seeing that other nations were preparing to participate in their discoveries — offered permission to their subjects to anticipate them. This was not unjust to the Viceroy, whose rights were preserved by an edict issued soon after. Complaints were being made of the Admiral's government of Haiti with such persistency; that the Crown was obliged to send a representative to investigate them (in October), and he returned next year, w^hile the Viceroy accompanied him in another vessel. These difficulties were surmounted, and Columbus obtained a decree (4 June, 1497), prohibiting emigration or trading in his discoveries.

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33

mbers. They had very polished and graceful figures; wearing with whiter skin than any I ies, besides being courageous land he considered, " was the world, and nearest to the sky." they called this place Paria, ards west, was a larger popu- '^ them on board, and sail- d the most charming land od, where we anchored to ry and to see the people; i)eg of me on behalf of their L they saw that we were not inense number arrived, bring- They wore handkerchiefs on around their arms, and some .elighted to see these, and in- here they found them, which ) be had further west, when we land, we shall see the p ce, whom I think are father and ri a very large coast, where bread 0 wine come from, and, not hav- h ' must be made from fruit or tc hat found in Spain. All the s e of the house, and the women ave great difficulty in making tand their questions; as to us,

*• '''^' ^,. ''^''=s^-.

32 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIX OF THE

COLUMBUS FINDS THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.

Another expedition was fitted out, and sailing- on his third voyage in command of six vessels < 30th May, 1498), Columbus discovered an isle, naming it Trinidad, before sailing into the Orenoco (^Slst July), which he thought was the river Gihon, with its source in the garden of Eden "the earthly paradise of Adam and Eve." The view of this immense river inflamed the Admiral's very rehgious feeling, and after referring to the four rivers of Paradise, he gives the following indication of knowledge, which would not be supposed from his style of writing; "St. Isador and St. Bede, and Strabo, and the Master of history, (Herodotus j and St. Ambrose and Scoto, and all the sacred theologians agree, that para- dise is in the east." Then, after referring to the Latin historian Pliny, he continues, "Aristotle said that the world was small, and the water little ; so that it was easy to pass from Spain to India, and Seneca said, that Aristotle got his information from Alexander the Great." He continues: — "'I had not yet spoken with any of the natives, which I was ex- ceedingly anxious to do, and after sailing a long distance, where the land v:as cultivated, I sent boats ashore, as we wanted provisions. The land continued to improve, and the population was denser, as we went west; therefore, we proceeded along the coast until coming to a river. The people crowded to the

NAME OF AMERICA. 33

shore in countless numbers. They had very pohshed manners, and tall and graceful figures; wearing smooth long hair, and with whiter skin than any I had yet seen in the Indies, besides being courageous and intelhgent." This land he considered, " was the highest elevation in the world, and nearest to the sky." "They told me that they called this place Paria, and that from there towards west, was a larger popu- lation. We took four of them on board, and sail- ing thirty-two miles; found the most charming land in the world, well populated, where we anchored to admire its verdant beauty and to see the people; who came in boats to beg of me on behalf of their king to land, and when they saw that we were not afraid of them, an immense number arrived, bring- ing presents for us. They wore handkerchiefs on the neck, and others around their arms, and some pearls. We were delighted to see these, and in- quired anxiously where they found them, which they told me were to be had further west.

" They say that when we land, we shall see the two chiefs of the place, whom I think are father and son. They govern a very large coast, where bread and many kinds of wine come from, and, not hav- ing any vines, they must be made from fruit or maize, similar to that found in Spain. All the men occupy one side of the house, and the women the other. They have great difficulty in making our Indians understand their questions; as to us.

34 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

and our country, and so have we; in our endeavor to find out about them."

"After lunch at the house of the oldest inhabit- ant, we took his son and others with us, and sailed away, as I was so anxious to replenisn our supplies, which is done with great difficulty. We arrived at a place which I called, "' the gardens,'' as it looked so. The people wore gold plates around their necks, and had very large canoes, with cabins for the chief and his wives "

"I did my best to find where they got the gold, which they say is to be found not far away on very high lands north of them, but they advise us not to go; as the people might eat us. They told us that they found the pearls further west, and as our time was precious; we passed it in asking questions, and then sailed in that direction."

After being ill for sometime on the coast, the Admiral finally returned to his Viceroyalty at Haiti; sending five ships to Spain with slaves, and as large a quantity of pearls and gold dust as he could collect, with a chart, and, a complete description of the main- land,^ which the government handed to John Eoder- iquez de Fonseca — afterwards Bishop of Toledo — who, shortly before the arrival of these vessels, had been appointed Commissioner to issue passports to the Western part of India," which it was supposed to be.

1 Navarrete Coleocion III. » HerreTra, p. 5 and 539. Note.

NAME OF AMERICA. 35

The illustrious national sacred name, of the greater portion of the southern Continent, includ- ing that x>art first discovered hy Columbus, was "^7«eWca,"^ which appeared on early maps, as an appropriate honor to the great Navigator, who had made the discovery. This was, however, only an additional acknowledgment of gratitude, which the world owed to him. They had previously made him Admiral and Viceroy of the West Indies, named the " Columbian Archipelago " and the " Co- lumbian Sea."- He was authorized to use the royal arms of Spain, on armorials granted to him, the islands first discovered being represented on it, one of which was called ''Monferrato,"— after his birthplace,^ — on the earliest standard map showing the Western Hemisphere.^

The Spanish colonists adopted the native name of America, to designate their first settlement on the main-land of the new world, but in those days, the rules of orthography were undefined, and in addi- tion to the numerous errors of printing, names were spelled in any way which the writer considered most appropriate, and hence we have America, not only written Amaraca,' Amerioco and Amerioca," Mara- ca,' Moraca^ and America,^ but they added the

1 Ptolemy S:ditions, Astor Library. - Codazzi, Map 3. » Cancellieri, p. 25.

■* Ptolemy, 1508. ^ Humboldt, Vol. I, p. 324. « Raleigh, p. 11 and 99.

^ Herrera. *' Mercater.

» The style in which national names were written, depended on the nationality of the writer. An Englishman spealis of Germany which the Spaniards call Alema- nia, although Deutschlan J is the proper name.

^:

i*l«l I

i

36 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

native word, "pana," which Sir Walter Ealeigh ex- plains, meant an equivalent of couutr}',^ and in Codazzi's map, the name applying to the seashore is, "coast of Maracapana."

The Baron de Humboldt spent several j^ears in this part of America (1799-1804), and wrote three volumes,- containing nearly seven thousand pages of modern size. The object of his visit, was to study the nation, and we need hardly refer to his- rare erudition, to be found in this beautiful work, which treats of nearly every subject. From him we learn, that the first settlernent of the Spaniards on the main-land, was at AMARACA-j9a72a,^ which, with Cumana, and Cubagua — both adjoining it — were the chief places of the African slave trade, so fright- fully active there in the sixteenth century, untiL stopped by the Emperor, Charles, V.

The immense quantity of pearls, first attracted the attention of Columbus and the Spanish pioneers who followed him, all of whom spoke of it as the pearl coast,* which was on the low shore between

^ p. 95. It is ciistomary to add the word land, to names of countries ; as in Erin or Ir-laud, Po-land, Scot-land, Angle or Engliiud, HoU-land, DeutscL-land, (the pioper nairie of Germany). Japan Koonee, or country, and the Amaracans or Americans, used the same system ; which distinguished countries from names of races, persons, or diviniiies, but they generally defined their nation and cities as, "America, the capitol," or on the mountaju, in which cases, the word, Vana being unnecessary, was not addtd. Its meaning as land, may be found in Del Canto's "Arte y vocabulario," 1611 a. d., and others. In Mexican pan, meaning, country, was written by sketching a flag, which floated over the national territory.

= Eelalions historiques. = Kelaiions historiques, Vol. I., p. 324.

* Navarrete, Vol. I, p. 263 ; Caulin Histcria, p. 157 ; Simon, p. 316.

NAME OF AMERICA. 37

the capes Paria, and de la Vela,^ appearing under the nambs of "coast of Maracapana," or properly Amaraca-pana" and "Pearl Coast," both covering equally the entire shore in Codazzi's map of Vene- zuela, showing the voyages of the Admiral and others.

The name Maracapan, was written on the early Spanish maps^ in red, which indicated the places first discovered by Columbus.

OJEDA, WITH AMERIGO VESPUCCI, AS PASSENGER, FOL- LOWS COLUMBUS; LANDING AT SEVERAL PLACES, BUT WAS ONLY WELL RECEIVED AT AMARACA- PANA, " WHERE WE WERE TREATED LIKE ANGELS."

An expedition arrived at the main-land (1499), following the Admiral, in command of Alonzo de Ojeda, who had with him, Amerigo Vespucci. Ojeda wrote a concise history of his voyage along the coast of Maracapana or America, and this has been preserved in an old Spanish book; from which we have taken an extract.

It is the work of Don Antonio de Herrera, " his- torian of his Majesty of India, and of Spain," which he calls "general history of the West Indies, or lands of the Spaniards, in the islands and main-land, on the Ocean Sea."

1 Humboldt Relations liistoriques,

- numboldt Relations liistoriques, Vol, I, p. 364.

^ Eunstmann and Kohl charts. Am. Geol. Soc. and Jomard, etc., Astor Library.

38 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

After referring to the colonists in the West Indies; several of whom, said Columbus; were most undesirable acquisitions, he begins the description given by Ojeda/ during his voyage to Amaraca- pana :

"There arrived at the Spanish court, Miguel Bal- lester, and Garcia de Barrantes, with a legal process against Francisco Eoldan and his companions, who also sent counsel for their defense "

" The prosecution charged; that Eoldan and his followers were wicked men, vicious, violent, flirting terribly with the women, highwaymen, and hypo- crites. The Counsel of Viceroy Columbus also averred, that without any reason, they had caused many scandals and dangerous affairs in the Island (Haiti, the seat of Government). They also refused obedience to the admiralty, and resided as far as possible out of the Governor's jurisdiction; in order to be able to live at liberty, and to commit the above-named crimes; wherefore this indictment was sent, with information of the annoyance they had caused since their arrival, and what the admiralty had suffered by them, as well as the impediments put in the way of the prosecution of so many great discoveries,(which the admiralty had begun to show), and other matters of much service to the King. Eoldan's Counsel, on the contrary, complained ter- ribly of the Admiral, and the admiralty, calling

' Heriera, Vol. I, p. 82.

NAME OF AMERICA. 39

them cruel tyrants, who tormented people for al- most nothing, and punished them as if they were anxious to spill Spanish blood, and that one could hardly ask for anything in the Empire of the Indies, without being locked up; because they did not wish anyone, except themselves; to w^ork the gold mines. They also made many other charges, to hide their disgrace and rebellion, and concluded by saying; that these circumstances had caused them to refuse to obey the Admiral; who wrote a very long letter to the King, abbreviating many things that had hap- pened on the voyage, complaining of his misfortunes and adversities; and adding, that counsel for the prosecution and defense, would sail with five ships, bringing slaves "

" Great was he satisfaction of their Majesties "with the news of the further discovery (the Ameri- can Continent), made by the Admiral, and with the samples of pearls, wiiich had never before been found, and on seeing the form of the land (in the chart sent them by Columbus) which gave every in- dication that it might be the main-land (of India). Great would have been the joy at Court, if the news of the revolt of Roldan had not accompanied it ''

" Alonzo de Ojeda, at that time in the City, (he had sailed with Columbus on his second voyage), came to see the samples of gold and pearls, being a friend of Juan Roderiquez de Fonseca— the future Bishop of Toledo, — to whom applications were to be

40 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

made for passports to India, and he applied for one to go "anywhere," to discover islands or main-land, which w^as granted to him; excluding the possessions of the King of Portugal, (who had already much territory in the East Indies), and the discovery of the Admiral, up to the year 1495."

" So many people wished to join the Expedition; that four ships were fitted out, and Ojeda — who had already lived for some time in the West Indies, — took Juan de la Cosa Vizcano, with him as pilot, and Amerigo Vespucci, as Merchant, "because he was so learned in navigation and universal geogra- phy."^

" They sailed (20th May 1499), — guided by a copy of the chart sent home by Columbus" — and steering westward and then south, arrived — after a passage of twenty-six days,— insight of land, which they con- cluded was a continent, observing an infinite number of naked people, who, after gazing at them, appar- ently in a state of stupefaction, fled to the mount- ains, while they called them in vain to return."

" The ships were anchored on the open shore, and fearing a storm ; it was decided to go to the lower coast in search of a harbor."

" After coasting for two days, they found a good port, w^here a large number of people came to see them. Forty soldiers landed, calling the Indians by signals, showing little bells, mirrors, and other toys,

1 Herrera, Vol. I, p. 86. ^ Piedraliita, p. 316.

NAME OF AMERICA. ' 41

but without success. At length, some of the most courageous surrounded them, to whom they gave bells, before returning on board for the night, as the Indians retired to their houses. In the morning, the shore was covered with people, the women carry- ing children in their arms ; who were very quiet, and while the Spaniards were rowing ashore, the natives ; with much confidence, swam out to meet them. These people were of middle height, well proportioned, broad faces, very red skin, and only wore hair on the head. Either sex were ex- tremely athletic, and expert swimmers and warriors. They taught the women the art of war; so that they might defend themselves against those of another nation who were fond of eating people, and their only battles were against these. There were few gold mines in this place, or anything else of value, but nothing could have been better than the fertility of their lands."

"Ojeda sailed along the low coast, stopping on the way, and trading with the people."

" Finally, he arrived at a port, where they saw a village on the shore — called Maraca-ibo by the natives— " which had twenty-six large houses of bell shape, built on pillars or supports, with swinging bridges leading from one to another ; and as this looked like Venice in appearance, he gave it that name, which was subsequently adopted by the re- public of Venezuela."

43 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

'' The Indians approached the vessels and re- turned very much frightened ; closing the bridges and shutting themselves up in houses, but eventu- ally they paddled around the ships in twelve canoes; gazing at them" — as the Spaniards said " in a state of stupefaction." They used every means to attract them on board, but an unfortunate accident oc- curred quite unexpectedly, which soon darkened their prospects. "

Making signals that they would return, and row- ing ashore towards a hill, the natives came back with sixteen yonng ladies; giving four to each one,"^ — as there were foui' ships, — probably to each of the Captains.

" The streets soon became crowded with people, but none ventured near. Some of the old women began to scream and pull out their hair, when the young ladies, — jumping overboard, swam towards the shore, while the Indians, leaving the ships, entered their canoes, and paddling away, shot arrows at their visitors, who were between them in their boats."

'' The Spaniards swamped some of the canoes,^ and killed twent}" natives; also wounding many."

" They captured two young ladies, and three men; but one of the latter, extricating himself dex- terously; jumped overboard."

"Sailing along three hundred and twenty miles of the low coast, toward Paria — where the natives had

NAME OF AMERICA. 45

different manners, — they saw over four thousand naked people along the river who fled in terror to the mountains."

Here they landed, and found fish drying at fires in their cabins, which was to be boiled, cut up, made into small loaves, baked on wood fires, and used as bread."

"" There was an abundance of fruit, flowers, and beautiful birds in this charming place, but they were determined to find some gulf where fresh water was to be had, and left Paria, for the isle of Margarita, where Ojeda landed, and coasted from place to place."

" This shore had already been discovered by tha Admiral, who knew the ground and mountain ridges well, in fact all of this discovery was due to him, as it was from the beginning declared to the King, and yet Ojeda went all along this coast, trading for gold and pearls. From Margarita, he went to Cumana, and Maraca-pana, which is two hundred and seventy miles from the island, with towns all along the sea- coast. After leaving Cumana, they entered a large gulf, which was suri'ounded by a thickly populated country, but a river flowed into it, bringing an in- finite number of what the Spaniards call lizards, and the Indians caymanes; but which are really the crocodiles of the Nile; according to the most reliable information, and this being unfavorable for the ships ; they anchored in Maraca-pana (Amaraca),.

44 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

<xnd ivere ivell received, and served as if they ivere angels, by the great number of people of this dis- trict." "" We discharged the ships' cargoes and re- paired them, aided by the inhabitants. We re- mained here thirty-six days, and all this time; the Inflians treated .us to their bread, venison, fish; and the food was so good; that ever after, vi^hen we could not get it, we wished to return home."

"During this time they went inland from town to town, receiving much hospitality; and when about to return to Spain, some of the Indians complained l)itterly of the people of a certain isle," (the Caribs) ^'who frequently surprised and eat them. This was related so vividly, that the Spaniards offered to re- taliate, although refusing to accede to their request to be permitted to join them; whereon the Indians insisted on accompanying them in their own boats, unless they promised to return."

" During the first week after their departure, many isles were discovered; some of which were in- habited, and observing along a river, four hundred Indians — whose bodies were painted many colors — armed with bows, arrows, and shields, they proceeded towards the shore, but before they had time to land, the Indians surrounded the boats and fired, to which the Castilians replied with guns and artil- lery, killing many, while the others fled."

" The natives renewed the attack, after Ian ding — fighting courageously for two hours, — but the guns

NAME OF AMERICA. 45

were too much for them, and they retired to the mountams."

" Next morning, fifty-six Spaniards landed, and forming four hues, with a Captain for each, made the most vigorous attack on them — kilhng an immense number — until they finally fled, pursued to a town where twenty-six were captured ; but one Span- iard was killed and twenty were wounded. These people were the Caribs; whom they wished to pun- ish for the sake of their good friends, and having accomplished their object, they set sail homewards and finally reached Spain."

We find from the foregoing history, that after searching the entire coast, the only place where they found a safe harbour, fresh water, good food and hospitality ; was Amaraca — which probably accounts for its having been the first settlement on the mainland according to Baron de Humboldt.

The excitement continued unabated in Spain, where several expeditions were spoken of. The gold and pearls sent by Columbus, which he had collected on the coast of Amaraca-pana, had caused the great- est curiosity, and, John Eoderiquez de Fonseca, who had been appointed by the Crown, receiver of appli- cations for passports, and given the map of the coast which was sent by the Admiral to the govern- ment; was besieged by navigators who wished to see the chart of the country where these treasures had been collected.

46 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

Nina, and Guerra, sailed for America a month after Ojeda, (navigating as he did, with a copy of the Admiral's map;^) and arrived on the coast of ^maraca-pana, a few days after he had sailed.^

On Ojeda's return to Spain, he reported the arrival of English vessels, and got permission (1501), to colonize and govern at his own expense, the island of Coquivacoa.^ The place however, as shown on our map, was a small isthmus and not an isle.

He induced Juan de Vergara,^ and Garcia de Ocampo to join him, and provide the money. They sailed in 1502, and reaching the gulf of Paria, traded along the coast of ^maraca-pana, until coming to some cultivated land in a beautiful Valley, which was so named by Ojeda^ and also spoken of as farmed by Columbus." It is today in the province of Barcelona, formerly the port of Amaraca-pana, for which the pioneers sailed,^ and is no doubt the place referred to by Sir Walter Ealeigh, as the " bewtiful valley of J.mer^oca pana."* Seizing what- ever they wanted here ; while Vergara sailed to Jamaica for provisions, with orders to join the fleet at Maraca-ibo, Ojeda, selected a place for the center

1 Piedrahita p. 316. Navarrete, Vol. III. - Herrera.

= Navarrete Coleccion, Vol. Ill, p. 85 & 89. " Navarrete, Vol. III., p. 91.

^ Navarrete, Vol. Ill, p. 86. « Navarrete, Vol. I., p. 249. ' Kohl Maracapana.

" Sir Walter Keleigh. "The discoverie of the large & bewtiful Empire, etc." Ojeda said that the natives told him that the name of the beautiful valley was Cumana. In the American language (called Quichua), cumani, means beautiful.*

* Del Canto. Arte y vocabulario.

\ - 5' Wl

NAME OF AMERICA. 47

of his .governorship, calHng it " Holy cross, "^ but the natives were so hostile ; that food could not be col- lected in the neighborhood, and Vergara returned with only a small supply of provisions, while the leading Colonists— concluding that Ojeda ; who had been previously to these places, misrepresented their advantages or rather their disadvantages — began quarrelling, which resulted in his seizure by the two partners who had found the money — and shipment to Haiti.

Columbus, who had been nearly two years in Spain, sailed on his fourth and last voyage (9 May, 1502), with his brother and son, to find the land of gold, and reaching the West Indies ; steered for the hidden treasures towards Mexico, which stopped his passage, as they only found a gulf. The natives told them of nations still further west abounding in gold and copper. An old Indian,— who made a map of the coast — went with him, and landing at Hon- duras, they heard of a rich and populous country over the mountains ; where the women wore pearls and corals, — which they called Eich Coast or Costa Rico, — and the people gave him the gold plates they wore, in exchange for trinkets. His quaint style of letter, written to their Majesties as to his adventures on this voyage, runs thus: — " When I was young, I had many hairbreadth escapes with my life. I arrived at Cariay, where I stayed to repair the ships and

1 Santa Cruz.

48 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

boats, and to allow our people to rest, as they were much fatigued. I, as I say, had arrived many times at the door of death."

" Knowing of the gold mines of the province of Ciamba, which I seeked, I took two Indians with me to Cararabaru, where the naked people wore gold mirrors around their necks, hut they would not sell or exchange them ! "

" They gave me the names of many places on the sea coast, where they said there were mines. The last they named was Veragua which is far from here, about 250 miles, I left with the intention of trying to get there at all hazards, and arriving at noon, I learned that they had mines about two days^ journey, but, on the evening of St. Simon and Judas, when I intended going, there arose in the night so much wind and sea; that I had to run the ship for wherever I could. I had the Indian chief of the mines always with me. All these places where 1 have been; only prove to me what I have heard of them. At Ciguare, tliey say they have no end of gold ; the people wearing corals on their heads, bracelets to the feet, and on their arms; and plenty of them. Their chairs, boxes and tables are adorned with them. I would be satisfied to see the tenth part of what they tell me. They say that the coast is shallow at Ciguare, and at ten days' sail from there, is the river Ganges ! " (East Indies.)

Columbus endeavored to make the national

NAME OF AMERICA. 49

names agree with the Asiatic places mentioned by Marco Polo, which he was looking for, so that— as may be observed on our map— the gold mountains of Ciamba^ appear in Asia, and also in America,- and the nearest sea port to them is Moraca-pana,^ which was a transformation of the name of Amaraca-pana or America; in order to give it some resemblance to Mangi (see map). After two years of disappoint- ment in his search for Japan, where the gold grew; Columbus sailed for Spain (12 Sep. 1504), with a valuable cargo; although not laden with the long expected shipment of gold, which cooled the enter- prising spirit of intending colonists for some years.

The modern description of Amaraca-pana, agrees identically with the history of it; from the early colonists.

It is now the province of Barcelona;* one of the states of Venezuela, divided into nine cantons, and bounded on the north, by the Carribean Sea, and by the river Orenoco on the south.

Excepting a belt of hills bordering on the coast; where there are excellent arable lands, and the best plantations in the state, the face of the country is composed of low plains, and extensive plateaus ; offering fine pasturage for cattle, horses, and mules. °

1 ap. Ptolemaeus, 1508. = jjavarrete Vol. I. ^ ap. Mercater, 1541.

* Kohl Die beiden atlesten. '^ Amer. Encyclo.

50 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

SIR WALTER RALEIGH FINDS THE VALLEY OF AMERICA -

PANA.

As Sir Walter Raleigh is the only author who has — as far as we know — correctly given the native name of the coast of America, first visited by Colum- bus, we will recall the chief incidents of his extra- ordinary career, up to the period of this voyage, as evidence of experience; which ought to have enabled him to get the best information.

At the age of seventeen, Mr. Ealeigh left Oriel College, Oxford (1569), to join some volunteers, sent to assist the French huguenots. Sometime later, he served in Holland, and on returning to London ; joined his half-brother, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, in an expe- dition (1578), for which he had obtained a patent, to establish a plantation in the Western world, — but one of the ships was lost; and the others being disabled in an engagement with the Spaniards; they did not com- plete the voyage. Soon after his return to London from Ireland — where he was in command of a regi- ment, sent to subdue the Desmond insurrection — a courteous deed — for which he had to thank the weather — led him toward a career of fame. He had observed Queen Elizabeth approaching ; and throwing his cloak over a damp part of the foot- path so that Her Majesty might proceed; his gal- lantry was rewarded by a command to appear at Court, and he was afterwards commissioned

NAME OF AMERICA.

51

attendant on the French ambassador, before being appointed escort to the Duke of Anjou. ]\[r. Ealeigh obtained permission for another expedition west wards, in command of which, Sir Humphrey Gilbert

^^

KALEIGH SPREADING HIS MANTLE BEFORE THE QUEEN.

was lost; after taking possession of Newfoundland for the Crown. Sending soon again, they discovered the coast which he called after the Virgin Queen (Virginia), who knighted him.

He then dispatched colonists (1585), but they re-

52

DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

turned with Sir Francis Drake, introducing the first potato and tobacco leaf to Europe, and drinking^ smoke— as they called it — soon became fashionable. Ealeigh^ adopted and encouraged its use in Eng- land, and very soon the habit became so widespread^, that the demand exceeded the supply. It was the staple product of Virginia, and a bond of union

THE WAGER DECIDED.

between England and some of her American colonies,, as well as a source of much revenue. It is said that Queen Elizabeth became Raleigh's apt pupil in the art of smoking tobacco. One day while Her Majesty and two or three others were indulging in the habit, Ealeigh offered a wager that he would ascertain the weight of smoke that should issue from the

1 Our CoiXLtry, Vul. 1, p. U9.

^ mi

NAME OF AMERICA. 53

Toyal lips in a given time. The Queen accepted the challenge. Ealeigh weighed the tobacco to be put in the pipe, and afterwards the ashes that re- mained in it; the difference being, said he, the weight of the smoke. The Queen, laughing, ac- knowledged that he had won the wager, and said he was probably the first alchemist who had succeeded in turning smoke into gold.

Two years later, he sent another expedition — was ■created Lieutenant-General of Cornwall, Member of the Council of war, and placed in command of the army stationed at the Lands-end, where a Spanish invasion was expected. After this, commanding a T-essel of his own, he sailed with Sir Francis Drake's fleet to reinstate the King of Portugal, whose domin- ion was seized by Spain, claiming the right of suc- -cession to that crown, — and Raleigh captured some ■of the Spanish navy en route to invade England, A year later, he commanded a fleet of thirteen vessels (1590); intending to seize the Spanish West Indies, and took the most valuable Castilian prize •ever brought to Britain, but next year alas! a maid of honor — whom he married after a dreadful flirta- tion— brought him banishment from Court, and two months of imprisonment; where he planned the ex- pedition; of which he wrote a work on his return; and from this we subjoin an extract,

Tlie editor of the edition of 1841, tells us that, ■" As H. M's commissioner to survey the boundaries

54 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

of British Guinea, I explored in 1841, that wondrous delta of the Orenoco. I traversed the regions which Keymis describes, as the site of that gordeous capitol of El Dorado, (Cundin-Amarca) with the sealike lake enlivened by its multitudes of Canoes. What wonder therefore that I should read Ealeigh's de- scriptions— expressed with such force and elegance — with the greatest delight," Sir Walter's book was written in 1596, and is entitled " The discouerie of the large, rich, and bewtiful Empire of Guiana^ with a relation of the greate and golden citie of Manoa," "performed in the yeare 1595, by Sir Walter Ealeigh."

" The greate and golden citie, which the Span- yardes call El Dorado,^ and the naturals Manoa; which Citie was conquered, reedified, and inlarged, by a younger sonne of Guainacapa, Emperor of Peru, at such time as Francisco Pizaro and others, conquered the saide Empire from his two elder brethren ; both of whom contending for the same, the one beeing favored by the oreiones" of Cuzco, and the other by the people of Cax-Amalca (America)."

" Wee arriued at Trinidado 22 March, casting ancour at Point Curia-pa?^. Wee abode there four or five dales, and all that time, came we not to the speach of the Indian or Spaniard." After naming several places he continues : —

" Some Spaniardes come abord of us to buy lynnen

^ The golden. ^ xhe nobility.

NAME OF AMERICA. 55

of the company, and such other thinges as they wanted, and also to view our shippes and company, all which I entertained kindly, and feasted after our manner : by meanes whereof, I learned of one and another, as much of the estate of Guiana as I could, or as they knew, for these poore souldiers having beene many j^eares without wine, a few draughtes made them merry, in which moode they vaunted of Guiana and of the riches thereof, and all what they knew of the waies and passages, my selfe seeing^ seeming to purpose, nothing less then the enterance or discoverie thereof, but I bred in them an opinion, that I was bound onely for the relief e of those En- glish, which I had planted in Virginia, whereof the brute was come among them, I found occasions of staying in this place for two causes : the one was to be revenged of Berreo, who, the yeare before, be- traied 8 of Captaine Whiddon's men : in whose ab- sence Berreo sent a canoa aboard the pinnace, only with Indians and dogs, inviting the company to goe with them into the wods to kil a deare, who like ivise men in the absence of their captaine, followed the Indians, but were no sooner one harquebush shot from the shore, but Berreo's souldiers lying in ambush, had them all, notwithstanding that he had given his worde to Captaine Whiddon, that they should take water and wood safelie : the other cause of my stay was, for, that by discourse with the Spaniards, I daily learned more and more of Guiana,

56 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

of the rivers and passages, and of the enterprise of Berreo, by what meanes or fault he failed/ and how he meant to prosecute the same."

"While we thus spent the time, I was assured by another cassique (chief ) of the north side of the island, that Berreo had sent to Marguerita, and to Cumana for souldiers, meaning to have given me a '' cassado''^ at parting, if it had bin possible. So as both to be revenged of the former wrong, as also considering; that to enter Guiana by small boats, to depart 400 or 500 miles from my ships, and to leave a garison in my backe, interessed in the same enter- prize, who also daily expected supplies out of Spaine, I should have savoured very much of the Asse : and therefore taking a time of most advantage, I set upon the guard in the evening, and having put them to the sword, sent Captaine Calfeild onwards with 60 souldiers, and my selfe followed with 40 more, and so toke their new city; which they called St. Joseph, by breake of day : they abode not any fight after a few shot, and al being dismissed, but onely Berreo and his companion, I brought them with me abord, and at the instance of the Indians, I set their new city of S. Joseph's on fire.''

" We then hastened away towards our purposed discouery, and first, I called all the captaines of the iland together, that were ennemies to the Spaniards,

' He had gotten wp an expedition with 700 horses to reach the golden city in the Kingdom of Cundin-Amarca where he lived.— Purehas edn. 1614, p. 1038.

NAME OF AMERICA. 57

and by my Indian interpreter, made them under- stand that I was a seruant of a Queene, who was a great Casique of the North, and a Virgin, and had more Casiqui under her, than there were trees in their iland : and that she was an enemy "to the Spaniards — in respect to their tyranny and oppres- sion, and that she had delivered all such nations about her, as were by them oppressed, and having freed all the coast of the northern world from their seruitude, had sent me to free them also, and withal; to defend the countrey of Guiana from their invasion and conquest. I shewed them her maiestie's picture, which they so admired and honored, as it had beene easie to have brought them idolatrous thereof. The like and a more large discourse, I made to the rest of the nations in my j)assing to Guiana, and to those of the borders. This done; wee returned to Curia- pan, and having Berreo my prisoner, I gathered from him, as much of Guiana as he knewe."

" This Berreo is a Gent, well descended, and had long serued the Spanish King in Millain (Milan), Naples, the lowe countries (Holland), and else where, very valiant and liberall, and a Gent, of greate as- surednes, and of a great heart : I used him accord- ing to his estate and worth in all things I could, ac- cording to the smalle means I had." Speaking of the supposed treasures of Guiana, Raleigh says: — ■" Whatsoueuer Prince shall possess it, shalbe Lorde of more gold and a more beautifull Empire, and of

58 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

more cities and people; than eyther the King- of Spayne, or the Greate Turk. Bat because there arrise many doubtes, and how this Empire is become so populous, and adorned with so manie greate cities, townes, temples, and threasures, I thought good to make it knowen, that the Emperor now reigning, is descended from these magnificent Princes of Peru, of whose large territories, of whose pollicies, conquests, edifices and riches, manie haA^e written large discourses : for when the Spaniards conquered the saide Empire of Peru, and had put to death Atabahpa,^ which had formerly caused his elder brother Guascar^ to be slaine, one of his younger brothers fled out of Peru, and tooke with him many thousands of those souldiers of the Empire, called Oreiones (noblemen), and with these, and many others which followed him, he vanquished al that tract and valley of America," situated between the rivers Orenoco and Amazon."

' Atahualpa. = Huascar.

3 In Sir Robt. Schomburgk's map; attached to Raleigh's work, the Valley of Amerioca-pana, is between the rivers referred to, but the name America, was given to the mainland; from Amaraca or America — the first Spanish settlement — whose people treated them "as if they were angels" while the others at- tacked them. Many authors; nnawai-e that America was the national name of the Southern Continent, could not understand the Spanish pioneers, who gave this name to several places on the coast, and cartographers hotly disputed the question; as to which was correct, without finding that they all were* The coast which Navarrcte says, Columbus first visited; is the valley of America of Raleigh. Pur- chas' Edition of 1614, p. 836, which quotes Lerius, Starlius and others, says that the Brazilians have a Maraca or Tamaraka, which is their household god. On the same- page, he refers to Vespucci's voyage to Brazil. The map of 1508, places the isle of Tainaragua, thousands of miles away from Brazil on the coast of Amaraca-pana. In

* See Kohl. Maracapana.

NAME OF AMERICA. 5^

At another part^ lie writes : " I sent Captaine Key mis with six shotte to goe on, and to march downe the saide valley as farre as the river called Cumaca," where I promised to meet him againe, and as they marched, they left the townes of Empare- pana, and Capure-pana, on the righte hande, and marched downe the saide valley of Amsivioca-pana,. and we, returning the same daie to the river's side^ sawe by the way many rockes, like unto golde oare^ and on the left hand, a rounde mountain which con- sisted of minerall stone."

" After I had displanted Don Antonio de Berreo, (Spanish Governor of Trinidad,) who was on the same

the map of St. Die, where the proposition emanated to call America after Vespucci, an isle is placed beside Tamaragua, named Isle of Brazil. "We observe on modern, maps, the isle of Maraca near the month of the Amazon in Brazil. This is circum- stantial evidence, that the St. Die people; who got their information from Vespucci,, had heard of the port of Amaraca-pana — where Ojeda was so hospitably received, ■when Vespucci was with him — and also of the Maraca, or Amaraka, of Brazil, and so- they place the island of Amaraca in Brazil, on the coast of Amaraca-pana — and it was evidently, this similarity of name with Amerigo — called Morigo by Ojeda — that led them to suppose, that, the name came from him.

The Ptolemy map of 1524, places the supposed isle of Brazil, in the Atlantic ocean, nearer to England than America, which name appears on the Continent, in the- same latitude and longitude* as Aymarca. f The same evidence occurs in Ptolemy of 1535.

The name of the Brazilian god Tamaraka; explains the proximity of the isles of Brazil and Tamargua, in the St Die map of 1513.

The prophets of the Brazilians were the Caribs t whose god was 'Rna.-Amaracan.

The Ptolemy map of 1540, § states that the new world is called Brazil, and' America; and they also place it in the latitude and longitude of the native district of Aymaraca. Then comes Mercater, next year, who places the name of America over the entire continent.

* There is no longitude on these maps but we take that of Hayti; which is- placed in a line with it.

t Hakluyt, map of Peru.

J Purchas ed. 1614 p, 896.

§ Map XVII. " Orbis, Insula Atlantica quam uocant Brasilii et Americam."

^ p. 99. - No doubt the river Cumana on the Coast of Amaraca-pana.

^Q DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

•enterprise, leauing my ships at Trinedaclo, I wan- dered 400 miles into the said country, by land and river. The country hath more quantity of gold by manifolde, than the best partes of the Indies or Peru. The King of Spaine is not so impoverished by taking three or four townes in America as we suppose, neither are the riches of Peru, or Nueva Espania, so left by the seaside, as it can be easily washt awaie with a great flood or spring tide, or left to drie upon the sandes on a lowe ebbe, and we might thinke the Spaniardes verie simple; having so manie horses and slaues, (slaves) that if they coulde not, upon two dales' warning, carrie all the golde they have into the land, and farre enough from the reach of our footmen, •especiallie the Indies; being so mountainous, so full of woods, rivers, and mairshes. If we take the ports and villages within the bay of Uruha etc., they have golde enough to paye the Kinge part, and are not easily invaded by way of the Ocean. Peru liath besides those^ and besides the magnificent cities of Quito, and Lima, so many Islands, ports, cities, and mines, as if I should name them with the rest, it would seem incredible to the reader."

" The first that ever sawe Manoa, was Johannes Martynes,^ master of the munition to Ordace, who departed Spaine with six hundred soldiers and thirty horse, who arriving on the coaste of Guiana, was

1 Many authors believe Martynes' story to be an invention, but the gold ob- tained at Cax-amarca looked much more like a fable, except to those who received it.

NAME OF AMERICA. ^\

slane in a mutany, with the most part of such as fauoured him, as also of the rebelhoiis part, in so- much as his ships perished, and few or none re- tourned, neither was it certainly known what be- came of the saide Ordace, untill Berreo (Governor of Trinidad) found the ankor of his ship in the river of Orenoque, but it was supposed, and so it wa& written by Lopez, that it was on the seas, and of other w^riters diversely conceived and reported, and hereof it came, that Martynes entred so far within the lande, and arrived at that Citie of Inga, the Emperor. It chanced that while Ordace with his armies, rested at the port of Morequito, by some negligence, the whol store of powder provided for the service was set on fire, and Martynes, haviug the chief charge, was condemned by the generall Ordace to be executed forthwith, but Martynes being much fauoured by the soldiers, had al the meane possible procoured for his life, but it could not be obtained in other sort than this; that he shuld be set into a canoe alone, without any victual, onely with his amies, and so turned loosse into the great river, but it pleased God, that the Canoe was carried down the streame, and that a certaine of the Guiars met it the same evening, and having not at any time sene any christian, or any man of that coulour, they caried Martynes into the lande to be wondered at, and so from towne to towne, untill he came to the great Citie of Manoa, the seate and residence of

^2 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

Inga, the Emperor. The Emperor, after he had beheld him, knew him to be a christian, (for it was not long before, that his brethren, Guascar and Ata- balipa were vanquished by the Spanyards in Peru.) and caused him to be lodged in his pallace and well entertained, he lived seven moneths in Manoa, but not suffered to wander into the countrey anywhere. He was also brought thither all the waie, blindfold; led by the Indians, until he came to the entrance of Manoa it selfe, and was fourteen or fifteen dales on the passage, he avowed at his death, that he entered the Citie, and that they then uncovered his face, and that he travelled al that dale til night, thorow the Citie. The Spanyarde Martynes lived seven moneths in Manoa; and began to understand the language of the countrie. The Inga asked him whether he desired to returne to his own countrey, or would willingly abide with him, but Martynes, not desirous to stay, obtained the favour of the Inga to depart, with whom he sent divers Guianians to conduct him to the river of Orenoco, al loden with as much golde as they could Carrie, which he gave to Martynes at his departure, but when he was arriued neere the river's side, the borderers robbed him and his Guianians, of all the treasure, (the borderers being at that time at warres with Inga, and not conquered), excepting some gold and pearls they had in bottles, which these thought was food."

Further on, he continues:— "We sent away one

NAME OF AMERICA. 63

of our pilots to seek the King of Aromaia. The King brought us plenty to eat. He had walked a long way, and after repast, the olde King rested awhile in a little tent that I caused to be set up. I began by my Indian interpreter, which I carried out of Eng- land, to discourse with him, and ere I went anie far- ther, I made him know the cause of my comming thither, whose seruant I was, and that the Queen's pleasure was, I should undertake the voiage for their defence, and to deliver them from the tyrannie of the Spaniardes. Then I began to sound the olde man as touching Guiana. He told me they called themselve Orenoqueponi, (poni, means in Macusa^ language, upon), and that on the other side of the Emeria Mountains, there was a large plain, (which I after discouered on my returne,) called the A^allej'- of ^??iarzoca-pana."

"To Francis Sparrow, I gave instructions, if it were possible, to go on to the great Citie of Manoa. I was informed of one of the Cassiques (chiefs) of the Valley of -4.??^ar^ocopana, which had buried with him, a little before our arrival, a chaire of golde most curiously w^rought."

1 He probably means Muysoa; the name given to the Chibchi royal race of the Kingdom of Cundin-Amaraca.

64 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

THE GOLDEN CASTLES MOUNTAINS, ON THE COAST OF AMAKACA, THE FIRST SPANISH SETTLEMENT IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.

The Spaniards thought that each island was at last, the famous place where the gold grew, but one by one these gilded dreams were doomed to dis- appointment, which cooled the ardour of the enter, prising spirits of Spain, and it was not until a valu- able cargo was brought home by dela Cosa^who had sailed again in 1507 — that the idea of colonization was revived. Ojeda ; who had been unceremoniously exported by his partners of the former expedition, wished to try his fortune again, and so did Diego de Nicuesa, both of whom the Crown appointed joint Governors for four years; with the right to colonize the mainland from Cape Gracias a Dios, to Cape dela Yela;" the jurisdiction of each; being divided by the gulf of Darien (Uruba). The territory of Ojeda, was to the east of the gulf, to be known as New Andalusia — after a Spanish province — while Nicuesa had the western side, which, for the first time, ap- peared under the name of " Golden Castles,"" on the Coast of Amaraca^ or America, and the fertile island of Jamaica was to be the joint granary. The Gov- ernors were to be free of tax, with the right to en- gage four hundred settlers, and two hundred miners

1 See map. 2 Herrera.

3 Codazzi map & Humboldt's Relations Historiques, Vol. I, p. 32i.

NAME OF AMERICA.

65

at Haiti, where they met to complete arrange- ments; but a quarrel arose, each claiming Darien, wh|' )re the river was finally agreed upon as the divid- ing line. The son of the late Admiral Columbus —

OJEDA CUTTING HIS WAY THEOUGH THE INDIAN RANKS.

then Governor of Haiti — prevented the possibility of any dispute about Jamaica, by sending an agent to take possession of it for himself; and he refused to permit anyone to join their expedition, Ojeda, ob- tained the assistance of Enciso, a wealthy lawyer

66 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

who had made a fortune at his profession in the West Indies, and having appointed him Lieutenant oi ui.. "'"• forest; Sdiled to take possession of it, (12 Nov., 1509) with Juan dela Cosa and three hundred men; landing in the harbor of Cartagena, where they had a disastrous engagement with the natives; who used poisoned arrows, killing sixty-nine colonists in- cluding the pilot Cosa.

Nicuesa arrived soon after, and, joining forces; defeated the natives, recovering the body of de la Cosa, which they found suspended to a tree, swollen,, and disfigured by the poison.

After this, both Governors sailed for their re- spective forest principalities; Nicuesa, toward the mountainous district, to be known as "Golden Castles," the nearest point being at the harbour of Amaraca-jDana; while Ojeda sailed along the gulf of Pan-ama, looking for gold, slaves, and food, but the poisoned arrows soon drove them within the fort which they had fortunately built. The Governor waited in vain for the return of a ship, which had been sent to Haiti for provisions and recruits; until Talavera arrived — a Spanish pirate — with whom he sailed, and was wrecked at Cuba, finally reaching Haiti, after terrible suffering; only to find that a ves- sel had just left; with all that was necessary, com- manded by Enciso— the Lieutenant-Governor whom he had appointed, who took charge, which was a small responsibihty, as Pizarro— afterwards the

NAME OF AMERICA. 57

famous Governor of Peru — was left in command by Ojeda, with instructions; that if he did not hear from him within fifty days, to return to Haiti with the re- maining colonists, who — by suffering and privation — had so diminished, that there was ample room for them in two little vessels; one of which was struck by a fish, and foundered with all hands, after leaving the port which Enciso now entered, to see his store ship strike the rocks, losing all the provisions; the crew barely escaping. Enciso, — much to his aston- ishment— had found Balboa on board his vessel after leaving Haiti; having so carefully concealed himself, that he was not seen by the government officers, whose duty it was to search every departing vessel for absconding debtors, — one of whom, was this bankrupt farmer.

Enciso made friends with the poisoned arrow warriors, but Balboa advised the colonists to cross the gulf of Darien, where there were no such heroes to be found . They moved safely, drove the natives from their village, and settling there, called the place " Santa Maria del Antigua del Darien." In many of their towns; the only thing to be found was the name, but here, they had also gold, and provisions, in abun- dance. G overnor Enciso, — having declared it unlaw- ful for private people to trade with the natives for gold — was deposed; the new colony — as Balboa said — being within Governor Nicuesa's province, so that he had no authority — whereon a municipal

68 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

government was formed, with Balboa and Zamudio as Mayors, whom the people; after electing, disobeyed, and divided into sections, shortly before the arrival of Comenares, who had been been left in Haiti, with in- structions to follow with provisions, and he persuaded them all to join Nicuesa, who — after leaving Ojeda — sailed for his principality, was wrecked on the banks of a large river, and only arrived, after having suffered severely. Threatening punishment on those who had been trading in his province, they refused to join him, and moved to Pan-ama; from which the ships were afterwards destined to sail, carrying the Conquerors of CsiX-Amcuxa and its millions. The last record of Ojeda, was, as witness against the pir- ate Talavera (1511-13-15,) who was hung, but what became of the unfortunate Governor after this, is yet unknown.

THE ROAD WHICH LED TO THE CONQUEST OF AMARACA AND TWENTY MILLIONS.

Forty leagues from Pan-ama, lived Comogre, — the Chief of a district bearing his name — whom Balboa and other Spaniards went to visit, and were much surprised at the comfort of his palace — which was one hundred and fifty feet long, eighty feet wide, and a similar height. The interior floors and ceilings of its numerous apartments were exquisite, includ- ing a granary, cellars, and a room reserved for the mummies of the Chief's ancestors. Comogre received

NAME OF AMERICA.

69

his visitors hospitably; presenting them with seventy slaves, and four thousand pesos of gold, which the Spaniards began to weigh; in order to separate the fifth part for the King of Spain, when a quarrel arose between them. The Chief's eldest son, struck the scales vvith his hand, and as the gold fell, he

:l .

2- X*

DISCOVERY OF THE PACIFIC.

asked them, "What is this, Christians; is it for such a trifle that you quarrel ? If you have such a love of gold, that you disturb our peaceful nations to obtain it, and suffer, and banish yourselves from your own lands, I will show you a country, where you may be satisfied " as he pointed southwards, say-

70 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

iiig, that if they would cross the mountains, they could see people, who had ships as large as their own, and drank out of golden vases, which were as abundant as their Spanish iron was.'"

Soon after, Balboa, ascending the mountains be- tween the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, cried out, "that he claimed the imknown land for the King of Castile, and would contest his rights with chris- tian or heathen daring to dispute it."

After taking possession, of the country in his own way, he called one hundred and fifty followers, who had been commanded not to ascend the moun- tain summit until he had discovered the great ocean — and entering the water, claimed that also.

There had been, however, so many disappoint- ments, that the pioneers began to move more cau- tiously, and it was some years (1515,) before any special attempt was made on the Pacific; when Pi- zarro and another, were selected by the Colony at Pan-ama, to trade with the natives, and much later still C24th November, 1524) was it, when he, with three others, got up an expedition; and leaving with a hundred men, arrived in the river Biru, only to find swamps, from which they sailed, short of provisions, meeting hurricanes, with a leaky ship, and being obliged to return, landed, sending the vessel home for food. Here, in the swamps, the dauntless Spaniards looked heaven-

1 Las Casas, ap. Helps. 2 See Prescott's History of the Conquest of Peru.

NAME OF AMERICA.

71

wards for protection from the wild animals which attacked them at night, or the poisonous fruit that hunger tempted them to eat during day, which

VASCO NUNEZ DE BALBOA TAKING POSSESSION OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

carried off twenty of the little band within a few weeks, until fate; taking pity on them, pointed out a little restaurant, by a light in the woods, which they

A""

%<^

# W

« 4

72 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

followed promptly, almost entering an Amaracan village,with the native who unluckily carried it, whose townsmen hastily fled, as the Spaniards heartily fed; for the first time during several w^eeks. The citizens — wearing large gold ornaments — returned to in- quire, why they did not remain at home, to till their own lands, instead of roving about to pillage those who had never injured them ? and spoke of a rich nation over the southern mountains at ten days' march, where a powerful sovereign once reigned, until his kingdom was captured by the child of the sun. (Quito taken by the King of Amaraca.)

The Spaniards had now more than hope to live on, until their vessel returned; when they sailed southwards in search of golden dreams, landing at several places, where some of them fell before an attack by the natives, yet, they secured sufficient gold to send home; with a report to the Governor of Pan-ama, w^hen Almagro — a friend of Pizarro's — succeeded in forming an expedition of three ves- sels, which resulted in a celebrated agreement; both giving all their property as security to Padre Luque; who advanced $20,000 (10th March, 1526), on behalf of a friend — all receiving an equal division of profits, which the Government assented to, and finally, they signed the famous contract — tw^o citizens acting for Almagro and Pizarro, — who couldn't write — three more witnessed it, and after all had received holy communion with the greatest devotion, they took

NAME OF AMERICA.

73

an oath on the bible to carry out their contracts; be- fore sailing with the three vessels, one hundred and sixty men, horses, guns, stores, and proceeding south, they landed with a number of soldiers on the banks of a well-populated river, capturing some nativ^es, and a large quantity of gold ornaments; which were immediately sent to Pan-ama to in- duce further colonists, as the native population

A NATIVE AMERICAN SHIP. FROM A SKETCH IN HUMBOLDT'S ATLAS.

was so large — to whom their arrival was known all along the coast. During the voyage, an apparition bewildered them, until it was found to be a native Amarican ship, which was the first vessel ever seen; with the movable centerboard-keel, so eminently characteristic of the yachts of their successors. These vessels are still the native conveyance on the lakes and distant rivers and territories. The craft

74 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

which they met, was a coasting merchant vessel, carrying gold and silver ornaments.

Two Merchants told the Spaniards, that gold and silver, was as common as wood, in the palaces of their Kingdom, which was further south ;^ but sev- eral colonists had written unfavorable reports to Pan-ama, and the Governor ordered the vessels home, but Pizarro, — refusing to obey — sent for aid, while he and those faithful to him, remained seven months on a small isle, before they returned to sail away to Tumbez, whose Curaca (chief), sent them by boat on their arrival there; bananas, cocoa- nuts, Indian corn, sweet potatoes, game, and fish. The Spaniards were astonished at the splendor of this place, whose people; calling them children of the Sun, were very hospitable, while an African servant, caused an unlimited amount of fun among the natives, in their fruitless and indefatigable at- tempts to rub the black off his face.

After coasting along the Pacific, they returned here, where some of the Spaniards; falling in love with the ladies, the agreeable manners of the people, and the comfort and cleanliness of the place, begged to be allowed to remain — which was granted — while some of the Amaricans (Peruvians) joined the ships, to learn Spanish.

All these expeditions — though full of expectation — had so far, only resulted in loss; and as the Gov-

1 See Prescott's History of the Conquest of Peru.

NAME OF AMERICA.

70

ernment now prohibited them, Pizarro returned to Spain, and next year (26th July, 1529), the Emperor Charles V, being satisfied with his dazzling prom-

PADRE LUQDE INSTRUCTING A NATIVE.

ises; appointed him Governor and Captain-General of the Pacific coast, Padre Luque, bishop, and Almagro, governor of Turabez, In order to get

76 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

as many colonists as possible to join him, Pizzara related everywhere, the wonderful stories of the golden land, during this visit, and they were re- peated throughout the dominions of his Sovereign; the King of Spain and Emperor of Germany, one of whose friends, the great German mercantile house of Velsers, got authority — during the year that Pizarro had returned, — to found cities, and to mine, in the mountains called "golden castles" on the coast of Aniaraca-pana. Their people, landing in the Orenoco, as Sir Walter Ealeigh had done, settled at Amaracapana, from which place, the German Federmann led an expedition to Bogota, in search of its treasures in 1531, while another marched across the Andes, commanded by Quisada, from Quito, on the Pacific, and a third, under the Spanish Gov- ernor of Popayan, all of whom accidentally met there ;^ but they did not find the gold, though Quisada sent expedition after expedition for years, in search of it. Federmann returned to his dis- trict, of which Sir Walter Raleigh speaks: — "Be- yond us lay another towne, towards the south, in the Valley of ^mer/oca-pana, which beareth the name of the said Valley, whose plaines stretch themselves some sixty miles in length, east and west, as fayre ground, and as bewtifuU fieldes, as any manne hath ever scene, with divers copses scat- tered heere and there, by the rivers side, and all as

1 The capitol of Cundin-Amarca, Piedrahita.

NAME OF AMERICA. 77

full of deere, as any forest or parke in England, and in every lake, and river, the like abundance of fish and fow^le, of which Irra-parra-gota is Lord."^

PizaiTO, arriving again, crossed over to Pan- Ania; and returned (Jan. 1531) to Tumbez, where they re- mained five months, before marching to Cassa- Amaraca, the capitol of the Empire. On the way, they stopped at Caxas, where messengers from the King had arrived, with an invitation to visit him, and a present of two stone fountains in the form of forts, some woollen stuffs embroidered with gold and silver, and a quantity of perfume powder used by the native nobility.

Proceeding onwards, Pizarro heard from a govern- ment officer, that the Sovereign — who had a large army with him — was at Pult-^wmraca, on the other side of the mountains, where he was enjoying the royal sulphur baths — which are still known as "Baths of the King." Continuing their march, another envoy met them, with more royal presents, and a week later, they were in the valley of Cassa-^wmrca, where the woollen dresses, neatness, cleanliness, and superiority of the people and their residences, very much surprised them; as they gazed in wonder from the mountain side, at miles of streets and roads, forming the City of Cassa-Amarca." The Spaniards would have given a good deal, to be on the other side

1 Here we have Cumana, meaning beautiful, the Val-fermosa— or beautiful Valley of Ojeda and cultivated district referred to by Columbus.

2Haklugt Vol. 4. See Prescott's History of the Conquest of Peru.

78 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

of the mountain which they had just left, but they were here, and it was too late to look back. It was however, fortunate for them, that the King was carrying on an important war at that moment, and had only concluded the conquest of his brother's kingdom, a few months previously.

Near the camp, was a stone fortress, and an im- mense square, surrounded by low buildings, con- taining large rooms with entrances opening towards it; apparently barracks.

Another stone cut fort, surrounded by three wide circular walls of great strength, was built on a hill commanding the City, which they now (15 Nov. 1532), entered. The walls of the royal palace, — in front of which, was a large fountain of hot and coldw^ater — were of glittering plaster of many colors. Nobles festively attired, in waiting on the King, filled the Court.^

Pizarro's brother rode up to the Monarch, with an escort, and using spurs, caused his horse to prance and rear, which appeared to awe them; the natives never having seen one."

" Hearing of his great victories," said he, " they had come, as the subjects of a mighty Sovereign, far beyond the waters, to offer their swords and the doctrines of the true faith."

The Child of the Sun, did not condescend to

1 Cieza de Leon ap. Hakluyt. See Prescott's History of the Conquest of Peru. 2Purcha8 Edo. 1614, p. 1058.

NAME OF AMERICA. 7^

answer, or to look at them, but one of his nobles re- plied; " Very good."

Pizarro, fearing that appearances were not so " very good," demanded a reply from the Monarch; whoaugustly smiling, said: " Inform your Captain, that I am keeping a fast, which will finish to morrow; when I shall visit him with my Court, and order preparations for his reception; but until then, he may occupy the public buildings in the Square."

The Spaniards, before riding away, were offered some of the sparkling chicha, in immense golden vases, which was served by the brunette beauties of the harem. On the following day, towards noon, they observed an immense procession advancing, which looked so formidable, that Pizarro dis- patched an envoy to the King, with an invita- tion for supper, — adding, that he could not receive him then — to which the Monarch sent his accept- ance, stating that he would come, escorted only by a few unarmed courtiers.^ The Amaru palace was ordered to be prepared, and before sunset, hundreds of servants were busily dusting it, while singing a truly diabolical chorus. When these had gone, others entered, in liveries of white, or checkered with red; the former carrying maces of silver' or copper. The life-guards and gentlemen of the royal house- hold, wore skyblue, with many decorations, and towards evening, they surrounded the King, who,—

1 Las Casas. ap. Helps.

so DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

wearing a collar of emeralds, of colossal size — was seated on a golden throne of immense value, in a sedan; carried by four men, the palanquin of which was hned with beautiful tropical feathers, and plates of pohshed silver and gold. Thousands of people accompanied the King, who asked, where the Spaniards were; as they did not appear, the fact being, that the Castilians felt, as if they had walked into the lion's mouth. In response to the Monarch's question, a friar^ with bible and crucifix; saying that he came to announce the true faith, asked the King- to acknowledge it, and to become a subject of Charles V, but the Sovereign answering — with flashing eyes —said; that being greater then any earthly prince, he would not submit, or change his faith, while he asked the friar — who pointed in answer to the bible — what right he had to speak so. The Monarch, taking the Testament, looked at several pages, before throw- ing the book on the ground, and while the Monk picked it up exceedingly scandalized, he sent a mes- sage to Pizarro, that he would be sorry for his con- duct before leaving. Pizarro, only saw one course — it was life or death — the supreme moment had arrived — and the Spaniards — who were ready — hearing the stentorian Castilian voice of the old war- cry, " St. laga- and at them," jumped on their horses, charging right and left, as the unfortunate people, nobles, and soldiers, were ridden over by

1 Purchas Ed. 1614, p. 1059. 2 St. James.

NAME OF AMERICA. gl

the Spanish cavahy. They had never heard the report of a gun, which now rumbled through the valley like incessant thunder, while the blinding smoke and intrepid cavalry, now seen for the first time, stupified them, as they gazed panic-stricken on their countrymen, falling in hundreds from some invisible cause, for no arrow had touched them.

The nobles stood like living shields before the King, as targets in front of the guns, contesting the honor of filling the constantly broken ranks of those, who— falling over each other — made a dying barrier around their Monarch, until his capture and all was over. Immense booty in gold and silver was found. The Government warehouses of the city of Cassa-^l???a?Ta, were so full of cotton and woollen goods — beautifully dyed in various colors, and of exceedingly fine texture — that the immense quantity taken by the Spaniards, did not make any perceptible difference.^

The King; fearing that his brother — whom he had imprisoned in the fortress of And-^4marca since the annexation of his Kingdom, might now escape and seize the Crown — began to negotiate with Pizarro for his liberty. Sitting one day in a room of the Amaru palace, the Sovereign offered to cover the floor with gold, if they would agree to release him, but the Spaniard made no reply to this mild sugges- tion. The captive Monarch arose, and reaching to-

iPurchas Edn. IGU, p. 1059.

82 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

wards the ceiling as high as he could, offered to fill the room so far with gold.^

The Spaniards were thunderstruck, but Pizarro; drawing a red line along the wall, sent for a notary, wiio recorded the acceptance of the offer; on condi- tion, that an adjoining room, be filled twice with silver within two months.

The King then sent couriers to Cuzco and other cities; requesting that the gold ornaments and serv- ices of the royal palaces, be sent to Cassa-Amarca, w'hich soon began to arrive ; some of the massive gold plates weighing seventy-five pounds. From Cuzco alone, came two hundred loads of gold ; con- sisting of goblets, salvers, vases, of every shape and size, sacred ornaments, and palatial decorations, tiles, cornices, plates, and animal statuary of solid gold.

Almagro now arrived opportunely — and they all called for a division of booty, many wishing to return home with their portions, while others de- sired to march in search of more, and after the native goldsmiths had worked day and night for a month, melting the entire quantity into standard bars, so that it could be divided; the money value, was over fifteen millions, a result unparalleled in the annals of history .-

1 Another account says, tliat Pizarro was in communication with both Kings; who vied with each other in offering ransom for liberty, and that Huascar oflered to treble the iiuantlty of gold promised by Atahuallpa, if they would release him. Purchas Edn. 1014 p. 1060.

- Lopez ap Raleigh, p. 14, " They founde iiftie and two thousand markes of good siluer, and one million and three hundred, twentie and sixe thousand and fine hundred pesos of golde."

NAME OF AMERICA. 83

News ari'ived from And- JL7« area, that Huascar had been drowned in the river of that name, and reports continued to be heard, of intended insurrec- tions in favor of the King; of which he denied any knowledge whatever.

A Court-martial, however, condemned him to be burned in the great square of the City, or to be hung; if he became a Christain, an inducement, which he accepted, and was baptized John, the day of his execution (29th August, 1533) being that of St. John.

Pizarro and his Court went into mourning for Juan de Atahuallpa, for whose obsequies, solemn preparations were made, while he lay in state at the Cathedral.

At the funeral service, Castilian voices chanted the litany of the dead, padres sprinkled the royal coffin, while the people prostrate on the ground, im- plored divine mercy for the soul of the departed Monarch, when suddenly, loud voices, weeping and wailing, were heard outside, and the church doors opened to the wives and relations of the late Sover- eign, who surrounded the coffin, protesting against the performance of their King's funeral rites in such avsray ; and wished to sacrifice themselves on his tomb, to go with him to the land of spirits, which several of them eventually did; although informed that he had died a christian, and to this day, the natives oc- casionally perform a tragedy of Atahuallpa's death, amid much lamentation.

84

DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF 7 HE

The Spaniards also found about six millions worth of gold and silver at Cuzco, and drawing lots; Lequizano — who got the image of the Sun, as his share; gambled it away before morning; from

SPAMAEDS GAMBLIKG.

which came the motto: (Juega el sol antes que amanezca), " he plays away the sun before sunrise."^ As the population on the Atlantic side of the Andes mountains; are also Quichua- or Amaracan, let us now recall some of the history of the great Chibcha Kingdom of Cundin-Amaraca, the neigh- bors of the nation just spoken of.

1 Sir Arthur Helps. Vol. Ill, p. 504.

2 Amer. Encyclopedia.

NAME OF AMERICA. 85

After the Peruvians and Mexicans, the Chibchas — improperly called Muysca, meaning man — were the next in importance, of the five great nations of America. At the time of the Spanish conquest, their population was estimated at two millions.

Tly.y cultivated lands, mined, carved in bone and stone, had a primitive sort of money, and traded in painted mantles, gold ornaments, and emeralds.

Their chronology was divided into a week of three days, ten of v/hich made a month, twenty months a year, and twenty years an age.

Their Kingdom of Cundin-Amaraca, and its capital of Bogota, now forms part of the United States of Columbia, in Central America; containing one hundred thousand square miles of territory, w^iich may be found in longitude 74°, and latitude 4°, to 6°, north.

The Kings of Amaraca, on the Pacific coast, had a road, which followed the course of the Andes mountains, connecting their city with the capitol of Cundin-Amaraca.^

These mountains subdivide into branches; as they approach the Atlantic, and the chain running along the coast, goes as far as the river Orenoco — thus enclosing two fertile valleys," which are the lands of the American Continent, first discovered by Columbus, as shown on our map; where the extent of this famous Kingdom also appears.

1 Humboldt Atlas, p. 259. 2 Codiazzi Atlas.

86 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

We have an account of it, from Doctor Don Luis Fernandez Piedrahita, Canon of the Metropohtan Church of Bogota,— " Cahiicador"^ of the holy office of the supreme and general inquisition, and Bishop- elect of Santa Marta.

This work" was dedicated in the year 1688, to His Majesty, the King of Spain; and of the Indies. The Bishop informs us, that ' ' Cundin - Amaraca — as the heathens called it — was the most important Kingdom after Peru and Mexico. The chiefs of its population, and the court of the barbarous King, were at

the capitol, Bogota. To their 3,,^,^.^,.,,,.,, 3 ,n.sT king of idols of solid gold, they offered cundin-amaraca.

emeralds, powdered with gold dust."

"The city had twenty thousand houses in the days of its fame, and the King, with his two hun- dred wives, resided in an immense palace, guarded by twelve gates, which were entered by solid stone staircases."

The author explains^ "the rites and ceremonies of the Muyscas "under paganism," and informs us, that when anyone died from the bite of a snake; that

' Calificado was one of the Inquisition appointed to examine books and writ- ings.

= Historia general de las conquistas del Nuevo Keyno de Granada. 3 PiedraLeta, cb. 3, p. 17.

NAME OF AMERICA. 87

the sign of the cross was placed on the tomb," which is the American (Peruvian) sign for the word "amaru,"'and with the addition of the word "ca," or land, represents the sacred national name, America. amaeu.

"Should a favorite wife of the King, or of one of the Chiefs (cassiques) die, a great quantity of gold and emeralds were put in the tomb. The priests lived very devoutly in the temples, praying con- tinually and meditating. They slept and spoke little, offering sacrifice frequently, during which they wore mitres of gold, and the people made much preparation, whenever they went to the temples with offerings. The Spaniards were amazed at the immense quantity of gold used in making masks, jewelry, medals, half moons, bracelets, rings and many figures of insects. In each of these designs the amount was fabulous."

" The Chibcha Kings of Cundin-^wzaraco, had grand processions, at which their chiefs assisted."

" Ten to twelve thousand people congregated at these assemblies, and divided into social circles, wearing costumes and masks, covered with golden medals, and an abundance of jewelry. At this carnival, some of them represented lions, tigers, bears, and various forms, painting themselves, and wearing the skin of the animal selected."

1 Rosny, Lss Ecritures, p. 21. S3e explanation at p. 122 of this work.

88

DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

" These fetes continued many years after the con- quest, and as late as 1570, or 1571, the Chief of Uba- que, appeared before the Spanish authorities of Cundin-^?Horaca, to ask permission to hold a car- nival in his district, declaring that as the Spanish people had bull and dog fights, masquerades and carnivals, that there was no reason v^hy their pastimes and pleasures should be prohibited, w^hich they only inaugurated, to drive away dull care, and give recreation to their working people. The city of Bogota, was thirty miles by sixty, in size, and there were many theatres, places of amusement and baths."

"The Chiefs were absolute masters of the lives and properties of their subjects, acknowledging allegiance only to the King; whose right to the Crown, was by primogeniture; the eldest sons of royal daughters being alone admissible. At the time of the Spanish discovery, the Kingdom of Cundin-^maraca, had been extending its terri- tory by conquest. Their sacred history relates; that after the deluge, by the overflow of the river Funzi,from which Bochica was saved, he disappeared mysteriously from Iraca, to the east of Tunga, but, before leaving, advised them to choose a Sov-

HUA-ATA-BITU, A FAMOUS CHIEF OF CUNDIN-AMAKACA.

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NAME OF AMERICA. 39

ereign; as many Chiefs disputed the supreme au- thority."

"They selected Hunca-hua, who reigning two hun- dred and fifty years, made great conquests/ Bochica, was their first High-priest, and Hunca the first capi- tal of the Chiefs of Cundin- J.?«araca,"

The Andes silver mines of Peru, and Cundin- Amaraca; are yet the richest in existence, and the finest gems of these mountains, are the em- eralds found in the Tunga mines near Bogota; which supply nearly the entire market of the world. -

This is the neighborhood, about which the Span- iards heard such fabulous stories of wealth, that so many expeditions left in search of the golden City (El dorado).

Baron de Humboldt; who had spent many years in these regions, says,Hhat "Luis Da^a, met (1535) an Indian of QuYidim-Amaraca, at Cassa- J.?/ia?^aca, who was sent by his Sovereign, to ask the assistance of King Atahualpa, and as usual, praised the richness of his country to Daga, but what fixed the attention of the Spaniards, was the story of a Lord; whose body was covered with gold dust, and who lived at a, lake in the middle of the mountains. This was probably, that to the east of Iraca and Tunga, where the two spiritual and secular Chiefs of the Empire of Cundiin- Amaraca lived. Its temple of the sun

1 Probably means himself and his descendants. 2 Amer. Encyclopedia.

90

DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

-MOXI, niL,tl-rnii..SX OF CUNDrS-AMAEACA.

was not far from the north side of the lands, first found by the Spaniards."

"The High Priest powdered his face and hands with gold dust every morning — which he had previously oiled or greased, so as to retain it, — before offering sacrifice." ^

The chief Kingdom in the western hemisphere, when Columbus landed, was Amaraca or America, whose Inca Kings, claimed descent from the Aymara race, of Aymaraca, the earliest known of the existing population, from whom these Monarchs — who re- semble them — got some of their arts and religious ceremonies.

The national history of Amaraca, names " Saint Amaraca or America, the Capitol " as the first city of their Empire.^

1 Humboldt, Relations hlstoriques. Vol. II, p. 704. 2 See unabridged edition.

The Spaniards wrote it " Gumarcaah,"* and ijronoiince the G — which does not exist with nativest — like H, which gives lis Hua, or Saint, a word added to their sacred names, while their history indicates, that it ought to be Hua-Amaraca or America. It is near the celebrated lake Amatitlan. These people were the Quichua race, and from this, the- Castilians called the City, the "Holy Cross of Quichua,"i the latter name only being used to-day. The Amaru, or holy cross of these people, was conspicuous there; as in all the chief cities of America, ^It is the central object of adoration, in the immense sacred ruins at Palenca — from which the Con- tinent was probably first called "Land of the Holy Cross." One author, has attempted to find the etymology of Gumarcaah, by phonetic comparison, forgetting, that in pic- torial literature, the meaning of a sign, when lost — can only be obtained, by its morphological classification. The Spaniards endeavoured to turn the American names into familiar sounds, as in the city of Eimac, which is to-day known as Lima. The Kings of America claimed descent from the Amara race, who are still

*Bourbourg, " Popol Vuh," p. 307. t Torres, p. 4. % Santa Cruz del Quiche.

NAME OF AMERICA. gj

General Alvarado encountered the most vigorous resistance here, where the King met him with 232,000 men, and not until he had been slain, after a battle of six days, was the metropolis captured. The ruins of the old City; once the large and opulent capitol of Utlatlan, with the Court of the ancient Kings, was the most sumptuous that had been dis- covered in that section of America/ The floors of the palace were of hard cement, and the inner walls covered with plaster. The place of sacrifice, is a square stone structure, sixty-six feet on each side at its base, and in pyramid form. The City was in its greatest splendor, when conquered by Alvarado. Its proximity to Mexico, (being only about sixty miles distant,) and to their chief ruins of Palenca, is in accordance with the history of both nations, which claim the same origin.

THE A:\rARACAN OR AMERICAN NATIONAL HISTORY.

These celebrated Amaracans or Americans — im- properly called Peruvians, — had a sacred book- existing, and the most ancient race on the Continent. In the map of Peru, by the Hakluyt Society; shewing " the cradle of the Yncas," may be seen Aymaraca. In this neighborhood, is an Amarican City, which Cieza de Leon says, is the finest in America, with magnificent houses, built of cut stone and massive fortifications. The name given it was Guamanga, but we find in Torres dictionary, that Hua-Manca is more correct. When the Aymaras moved South, they probably founded another Hua-Amaraca, before the Inca Kings followed, and tock it from them. The war which broke out between Atahuallpa, and Huascar, began by the formers seizure of a rich province, in his brothers Kingdom, who took him prisoner, but he escaped, and told his people, that the Sun turned him into an Amaru, which enabled him to retTirn, and this inflamed their religious sentiment to such an extent, that they van- quished the enemy, and captured Kin g Huascar. (Cieza de Leon ap Hakluyt Society) .

1 See map. 2 " Popol Vuh."

92 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN 01 THE

which explains clearly, the origin of their illustrious national name. This history relates; that two Mexi- can princes/ were executed by command of two kings, on a charge of creating a revolt, in the kingdom of Xibalba." As a monument of their punishment, the head of one of them,'' was placed on a dead tree, which immediately returned to life and bore fruit.

The kings forbade any one to touch it, but the daughter of a Xibalbian Prince,^ strangely enough for one of the fair sex, is prompted by curiosity, to go and take some of the forbidden fruit. On ap- proaching the tree, a voice from the Prince's head warns her, and, asking her desire, he commands that she extend her arms, when he places sacred saliva on her hand, which immediately disappears. The Princess returns home; is accused by her father of assisting the traitors; she pleads innocence, but is condemned to death by the Court. Then, aided by

1 Hiinhun Ahpu and Vukub Hun Ahpu.

2 During the reign of Hun Came and Vukub Came.

3 Hunhun Ahpu. -ilxquic.

Tulan, is said to Lave been the chief country of the ancient Mexicans, which some authorities suppose, was near Palenca, the name given to the principal ruins of Central America, discovered during the middle of the last century, as it was the nearest village. These ruins of forty-four towns, covering about twenty-eight miles, were so well hidden by a dense forest, tha! people living only a few miles away, had never heard of them. The " Popol Vuh " states, that a revolt against the kingdom of Xibalba, which was anterior to that of the Toltecas— ended in the foundation of the Quicha race, which was their generic name. They claim, descent from the Toltecas of Tulan, like the Mexicans, in whose language, ollen, means the sun, teca, people, and ot, country. The name of Tulan, suggests an error of fre- quent occurrence, the loss of an initial vowel, and was probably otoUen, or Country of the Sun, whose people were the ot-ol-tecas, or people of the Sun Country, now written Tolteca, and we find* this place, near the capital of Amarca or America;

* See map.

NAME OF AMERICA.

93

the executioners, she escapes the penalty, and going to the mother of the Prince, is received as a daughter-in-law, remaining there until the birth of twin brothers,^ who go to Xibalba and per- form many wonders, killing and restoring them- selves to life. The Kings command that they repeat this with them, whereon they kill their majesties, but do not restore them. Then, they tell the people, that they are the sons of one of the heroes, executed by these kings, and that they have thus avenged their father. They then retire to Utlatlan, the seat of the common people, declare war, defeat Xibalba,- and form an empire, making Utlatlan the capital, but changing its name to Amarca before doing so.

Cassa-Amaraca^ was the royal sacred necropolis, and near it is YwXi-Amarca, where the sulphur springs are still called, the "Kings' baths." Yan- Amaraca, teas their Hercules, from yan,^ "behold," the present indicative of the verb, yanhal, to be.

whose people avow, tliat its former name was Utlatlan, — probably also a cor- rnptlou of otollen, or Tulan— from which both] nations claim descent, and the name Am-eri-ca is a translation of it, written by the sign of the cross and snake — which meant the great Sun; pronounced Amaru — with ca or land, and this also agrees, with the name given to America, — discovered in 983 a. d. by the Icelander, Marrson — and mentioned in their history as Irland-ik mitla, " Irland-the-great." The sign of E, the Sun as Ea, Eire, Aryan, Uira-cocha etc. was universal, Ireland is Eire— the Sun— in the Irish Celtic history, but as the Germans always add the word land, to the names of countries, they called it Eire, or Ir-land.

1 Hun Ahpu and Xbalenca.

2 This war against Xibalba, by Xbalenca and his brother, may explain the ruins of Palenca,

3 The Kings performed miracles here. Hakluyt Soc. Vol. 48, p. 8. Malte-Brun, 5th Edu.. Vol. 1, p. 273.

4 Torres.

<)4 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN' OF THE

^'Behold America" was an appropriate name for the American Hercules. There was Vin-Amarca/ in the gulf where Manco Capac, the prince of Ameri- can legislators and first Inca King, received his divine vocation. Then there were the cities of Ang — Amarca,C]ien^i-Amerca,\]i'm-Amarca,-C2it-Amarca — QsiW- Amarca,^ and Pa-tinamit-^«ia;'ca, or " Amer- ica the capitol" — the only one which appears in their ancient documents and sacred history, as the foun- dation of their Kingdom.

SPLENDOR OF THE KINGS OF AMERICA ; THEIR MOUN- TAIN CITIES, PALACES, AND CUSTOMS.

The Kings or Incas — according to their own, and other native history — were conquerors of nations, already in an advanced state of civilization. They selected the very best and richest parts of the con- tinent for their strongholds, and paid particular attention to its gold mines, which were nearly all in the Andes,— the most compact mountain system in the world, running along the Pacific coast, almost the entire length of South America, from Patagonia; the southern end of the Pacific ocean, to the Carri- bean sea in the Atlantic, a distance of at least 4,500 miles.

At latitude 22° south, this mountain divides into two colossal ridges, which enclose a valley, five hun-

1 Malte-Brun, 5tli Edn., Vol. 2, p. 276. 2 Malte-Brun, 5tli EdD., Vol. 3, p. 278 3 Cant-, amarca. Hakluyt Soc. Map of Peru.

NAME OF AMERICA. 95

dred miles loDg, thirty to sixty wide, thirteen hun- dred feet above the level of the sea, and so completely walled in by high mountains; that its streams — which have not any outlet apparently — meet in a famous lake of 4,600 square miles, (Titicaca); the largest in South x\merica — where the beautiful pal- aces of the vestal virgins (of Amaraca), in the island Coati, have been excavated for centuries — the work still going on— a Spanish explorer having found gold and silver, to the extent of $4,450,280 in one of them. In another isle of this lake; where the first American High- priest — Manco Capac — received his divine call from heaven, — becoming a child of the Sun, — there are immense sacred ruins, and at Ti-Huanco, a tra- dition is still repeated; of large vaults, filled with treasure, beneath the great mound, and a subterra- neous passage leading to Cuzco — one of the royal cities — four hundred miles away, where — among the innumerable sculptures— the Amaru; or great serpents predominate; whose swift quivering move- ment, was taken as an emblem of the streaks of lightning, so often seen there, and said to come from the Sun — a belief indirectly true.

The yl??iar2t-cancha, or palace of snakes— with its cornices and interior walls covered with gold^— and the temple of the Sun, were immense stone buildings, enclosing large aqueducts and gardens, kept in order by priests— four thousand of whom, were attached

1 See Prescott's History of the Conq.uest of Peru.

90 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

to the latter temple, where the royal family alone could enter; the surrounding ground being consid- ered so holy, that one could only walk with bare feet within two Imndred paces of it. Of the three hun- dred temples at Cuzco, this one — unsurpassed in the greatness and richness of its decorations^ by any building in the world — is only one instance, of the immense value of the treasures of Amaraca, before the Spanish invasion. Near this city, is Ollenta)^- tambo; with numerous palaces and buildings, wrought in polished marble; where that of the A'irgins of the Sun — a marvel of Amaracan art — was well guarded by its position and bridges, not far from a rocky mountain, which may still be seen, for a mile long and seven hundred fet't wide, apparently covered with white specks, which are tombs cut in the solid rock. The roads in this kingdom; says Baron de Humboldt,'' "are the most useful and stupendous works, ever executed by man." Their four chief routes from Cuzco, rival the best Roman work, frequently going into the region of perpetual snow — completely closed in winter— through tunnels cut in solid rock — over giant precipices by steps — cross- ing rivers by solid masonry or suspension bridges swung with osier ropes, leading along the table lands of Pasco — the highest point of the Andes occu- pied by man — to their richest silver mines, at an

elevation of fourteen thousand feet above the level Mx t!iSt*>

* Ss*^escott'sm&tory of the Conquest of Peru. 2 Vues des Cordilleras.

NAME OF AMERICA. 97

of the sea; and only fifteen hundred below the per- petual snow fine. There are eight of these great highways in Chili, six in Bolivia, and three in Peru.

The valleys of the great branches of the Andes, are also specially adapted for these roads, which are connected with the sea coast, by various passes over the western mountains — one of them running from the Pacific seaport of Truxillo, crosses over a sum- mit of 11,600 feet, before reaching Cassa-Amaraca, the capitol of the Kings, near which are the ruins of excavations through these mountains, made to afford an outlet to a lake which had — during the rainy season — inundated the surrounding country includ- ing the valley of Curymayo, where gold was found in great quantities and smelted in furnaces. This road is continued to Popayan, and ending at Bogota; the capitol of the Kingdom of Cundin-Amaraca— is still a celebrated commercial thoroughfare. There are immense ruins at Cassa-Amaraca, with subter- ranean treasure vaults in the houses, and a portion of the King's palace cut out of solid rock.

Padre Calancha — one of the pioneers — referring to the buried treasures of Cassa-Amaraca and other cities; says that, "If these were discovered; they would be sufficient to enrich the world."

98 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

CUSTOMS OF THE KINGDOM OF AMARACA OR AMERICA.

The Monarch traveled through the Kingdom ; along the beautiful roads they had made, in a sedan, covered with exquisite embroidery and gold, carried by a large number of men, who waited impatiently for the honor, at all the stations, which were very numerous, with government buildings reserved for the Sovereign and his suite, or royal palaces in their cities. The roads were prepared by the people — wdien the intended visit was announced, — who strewed the path with flowers, made floral arches, and received the monarch with the utmost enthusiasm; as he stopped on the w^ay to give his decision, on questions left by the judges for a royal fiat.

Prayers and acclamations arose, as he raised the curtain, and appeared to the crowd, who waited at every point to see him; and wherever he stopped be- came sacred.

Small houses were also erected at distances of five miles, for the royal postmen, who carried mes- sages at the speed of one hundred and fifty miles a day, and also brought fish, game, and fruit for the court. ^

The Kings were continually making conquests; by peacefully insisting on the chiefs to recognize them; and by war, in case of refusal. Their army

1 Purclias, 1614, p. 1066.

NAME OF AMERICA. 99

of two hundred thousand men, ^ fought with toma- hawks, bows, arrows, and lances of sharp bone or copper, and slings, while the nobility used gold or silver mounted weapons, wearing helmets of wood, or tiger skins, decorated with feathers.

The eldest son— always the heir apparent to the throne — was educated by the College Professors," in exercises specially religious and military. All the re- lations of the royal family, and these Professors, — one of its castes, — were examined at the age of six- teen for admission, as every nobleman had to prove himself worthy of the honor, before being accepted. The examination — which lasted thirty days — was performed by the oldest and most illustrious of the nobility. The candidates — who w^ore white shirts, with a cross embroidered in front — were obliged to show their efficiency in war exercises, wrestling, boxing, running long distances, fasts of several days, imaginary battles, in which they were wounded, and sometimes killed, sleeping on the ground, and going barefooted to inspire sympathy for the unfort- unate.

The heir to the throne was not exempt from this discipline, or favored in any way — and if selected, was presented with the others; (who had been suc- cessful), to the Sovereign, who, after congratulating them, dwelt on the responsibihties of their high

1 Hakluyt, Vol. 48.

100 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

position as children of the Sun, and recommended them to follow his example, as they knelt before him one by one, so that their ears might be pierced with a golden wire ; (before putting in the immense rings — only worn by the royal family — ) which con- sequently became so long, that they almost patted them on the shoulder.

While the candidate's ear was prepared by the King for this honor, a noble put on the sandals of royalty; and a sash around the waist, when they were crowned with flowers and evergreen, as an em- blem of virtue. The head of the prince was alone adorned with a yellow tassel of Vicuna wool, after which the nobles, — beginning with his nearest re- lations— knelt before him as the heir apparent, and finally, they all assembled in the great square of the Capitol, where national songs, dances, and fetes, in- cluding theatrical performances — some of which have been preserved — closed with the important ceremony of the Hua-Aracu.

In their schools; the Professors read their na- tional history from pictorial signs to the scholars, while the King opened the spring season, by cutting the ground with a golden hatchet to inaugurate planting; nor did anyone dare to reap a blade of the autumn harvest, until he had gathered the flrst seeds, which were preserved and sown in small quantities all over the Kingdom, as a blessing for the future crop.

NAME OF AMERICA. 101

The royal family had many privileges. The choicest lands were reserved for them; and living at Court near the King; were members of his Council, dining with him or from his table.

They alone performed sacred rites, commanded the armies, and governed the provinces, filling every position of trust.

The second noble caste, were the chiefs of con- quered provinces, — called Curaca or Cecique — who were obliged to educate their sons at the capitol; and to visit it occasionally themselves — as well as to speak the Quichua or national diplomatic language. The entire Kingdom was divided into principalities of ten thousand inhabitants, under a royal governor, who was obliged to deliver judgment in law cases, within five days, from which there was no appeal.

Inspectors visited the cities to investigate the conduct of Judges, and examine the monthly reports, made by the lower, to the Supreme Courts; who reported to the Governors,

From every ten persons, one was chosen, who was obliged to see that they received justice in the administration of the law; and then they were divided into jurisdictions of 50, 100, 500, and 1,000, over whom officers were appointed.^

The Kingdom was equally divided into three parts; for the King, the Sun, and the people. The first, supported public worship, the second, the Gov-

1 Ximeues ap. Helps.

102 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

ernment. and the third was divided in equal shares among the people, who first tilled the lands of the Sun, then of the old or sick, the widow, orphan and soldiers in service, then, each one his own ground — also assisting any neighbor who had a large family — and lastly, the lands of the King, very ostenta- tiously, by the community. A royal proclamation every morning, was answered by the entire house- hold in their best attire, who sang ballads of the King's great deeds as the work went on, keeping time with the music, of which the chorus " hailli " or triumph, was the theme.

The American King — like the Chinese Buddist pontiff — w^as the human habitation of the divine spirit. His relations went barefooted before him, always carrying something as an emblem of hom- age. ^

He was high priest of all great religious festivals, raised armies, which he commanded personally, made laws, regulated taxation, appointed and re- moved Judges at pleasure. His dress was of the finest Vicuna wool, beautifully dyed and ornamented with gold, pearls, and emeralds, while his unique turban of various colors, was surmounted by two feathers of a bird so seldom found; that it was death to destroy. His inspection of the lower classes was frequent, while he drank the health of those of the nobility, whom he wished to honor, at state dinners,

iHakluyt.Vol. 48.

NAME OF AMERICA. 103

which were prepared with great pomp and dig- nity.'

The flocks of sheep were for the Sun and King, whose shepherds— choosing their own seasonable climates in the mountains; which offered every possible variation — sent males only, to the capitol, for the royal table and for sacrifice, while their wool was stored and served to families who weaved."

Marriage was compulsory, between eighteen and twenty for the fair sex, and not later than twenty- four for men. The King performed the ceremony for the nobility; by taking both hands of the bride and groom in his, while announcing, they were married ; which is as prompt as the Mohammedan divorce law, where the husband merely says " ta lek," — you are divorced.

Marriages of the nobility were very fashionable. The bride was painted! and decorated with much taste. She was covered from waist to knee with an exquisite tunic of rich feathers, while rare shells or pearls adorned her person, and a golden plate and chain embellished her neck. Songs and dancing- announced the arrival at her father's house, of six noblemen, preceded by musicians and two bearers of magnificent feather fans, followed by ballet dancers and the bride's relatives. She appeared immediately, and ascending floral steps; was placed by her parents in a beautiful sedan chair— crowned with green

> Garcilasso de Vega ap. Helps. 2 Hakluyt, Vol. 48.

104

DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

boughs and floral decorations — which rested on the shoulders of noblemen, who carried her to the bride- groom's residence, where she was received by Lords in waiting and conducted to a seat by the side of the future husband, who rose from an elevated dais to

AN AMERICAN BEIDE.

escort her to the King, where they all proceeded with much pomp and ceremony, w^hile bridesmaids fanned them in warm weather, with an assortment of beautiful tropical feathers, offering in season the unfermented juice of grapes, or a sort of orange sherbet in golden goblets, until arriving at the royal

NAME OF AMERICA. 105

palace, where the King; taking- both hands in his, as they knelt before him, invoked an eternal blessing.

Towards sunset, the Chief and his young bride Walked into an open field followed by all the people, and kneeling towards the west, commended them- selves and their posterity to divine protection.

Afi;er sunset, the people danced to the music of the reed and tambourine, until the stars appeared, when festive lamps surrounding the bridegroom's house, announced the marriage- feast.

The Governors of districts, performed a similar service for the people; whose relations met in the square of the town to witness the ceremony, after which, sufficient land and a house was allotted by the government, who changed these divisions an- nually; according to the number of people com- posing each family, of whom the King received annual reports; giving the total number of births, deaths, and marriages, as well as agricultural stat- istics. The royal palaces were closed on the Monarch's death, excepting one, which was kept open in state by his guard and attendants; as they believed — like the Egyptians — that the soul would reinhabit the royal body at a later period, and therefore every- thing was preserved for his return, while they cele- brated with royal splendor, the obsequies of every King, called to the mansion of his father the Sun, embalming their bodies, which were placed in rows in the temple, dressed in state, with gold chains, and

106 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

arms crossed, seated in chairs of gold; the Kings to the right and Queens to the left of the sun.

A Spaniard found gold to the value of $1,000,000 at Truxillo, in one of these royal tombs, where immense treasure was often discovered,^ Their palaces, were lavishly studded with gold and silver ornaments, of which everything possible w^as made, while the artistic designs in American w'ool were so exquisite, that they were used in the royal palaces of Charles V. The groves, flowers and baths, — supplied by silver pipes and golden basins, — and the fountains or flower imitations in both metals, were exquisite ; and came from the overflowing gold mountains, which solely supplied the Monarch.

The government regulated the amount of work, to be done by each one for the state, and the surplus harvest of the Sun or King, was put into stone warehouses, and divided among the people in seasons of sickness, misfortune, or want. These were found by the Spaniards at QdJ^- Amaraca, full of maize, cocoa, woollen and cotton clothing, vases, gold, silver and copper. -

Cassa-Amarca is now a department in northern Peru, with a population of 280,000 people, though only fourteen thousand square miles, a very small part of its ancient area. It is between 6° and 8° N. latitude— 78° longitude— one of the most fertile parts of South America, where many of the descendants

' Humboldt. "- Purchas Efln. 1614, p. 1059.

NAME OF AMERICA. 107

of the American nobility still reside, — one of whose Kings is quoted as saying, that; ''as the enemy and all that belongs to them will soon be om-s, we must be careful to destroy as little as we can of our own property."

After every conquest, the national faith was immediately established; for which temples were built and priests sent to convert the nation; whose religions were also respected, while the country was surveyed to ascertain its fertility, and the chiefs and their sons were immediately sent to the capitol to be instructed in the language, court etiquette, and government, before returning to represent the King.

No one was eligible for any government office, who did not speak the national language, teachers of which were found in all the towns and villages, — but only the chiefs learned it, for — as the King Tupac Yupanqui, said, "Science was not intended for the people; but for those of generous blood. Persons of low degree are only made vain by it, neither should they interfere with the affairs of government, for this would bring high offices into disrepute and injure the empire.''^

When the kingdom of Quito was conquered, ^ superb routes were made along the mountains, with hotels, stores, and royal residences for the sovereign and his- suite.

' See Prescott's History of the Conquest of Peru.

108 ■ DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

It was the last of this royal race, who built the edifices which are to day the ruins to be seen, from the modern province of Cassa-Amarca— the south- ern limit of the ancient Kingdom of Quito — to the mountains of Pastos.

Their chief road, with this last addition, was fifteen hundred miles long, forty feet wide, regularly macad- amized, with solid masonry over the marshes, and it was continued from Quito to Cundin-Amarca. ^

We have therefore, at the period of the Spanish pioneers, the South American continent, under two great Kingdoms, of one name, and probably only one government; in an advanced state of civilization, civilly if not morally.

The population of the Empire of Amaraca — which extended along the Pacific coast for three thousand miles — was estimated at twelve millions.

Huayna-Capac — who was one of the most illus- trious of the American Kings — had subdued the entire country surrounding Quito, and the Queen of the newly conquered territory, became one of his wives, by whom he had a son named Atahualpa, who was his favorite, although his brother, Huascar, was the lawful heir to the throne. During the Monarch's last days, this Queen induced him to issue a decree, by which her son was to succeed him as the King of Quito; while his brother, the heir apparent, was to reign in the ancient King-

' Humboldt, vol. I.

NAME OF AMERICA.

109

dom. At the King's death, Atalmalpa prcK^eeded to the capitol of Quito, where he was royally received, and assumed the Crown.

The late King had asserted, that this decree was not contrary to the national law of primogeniture; as he was only returning Atahualpa, to the nation of which he was the legitimate sovereign— Quito being a new conquest.

KING ATAHUALPA, ATTACKS HIS BROTHEES ARMY NEAR CASSA-AMAKACA.

Historians disagree as to the cause of the war between the brotheis; in which Atahualpa defeated Huascar's army, annexed his Kingdom, and impris- oned himself in the fortified city of Kw^-Amaraca, ^ where he was held, when the Spaniards arrived in Cassa-^4«mraca.

1 f rescott's History of Peru.

110 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

It was some time, however, before the comitry became known under the name of America, and Bishop Geraldini, writing from tlie new lands in 1515, said clearly, in a letter addressed to Pope Leon X. "That the island was larger than Europe and Asia, which the ignorant call Asia, and others America or Paria. "^

The Spaniards could not have annihilated the national traditions, even if they desired to do so, and for years, in order to satisfy the natives, they were obliged to appoint a descendant of the Kings, who — so far as they knew — was still supreme ruler •of the Empire.

THE NATIVE SYSTEM OF WRITING THE MOST ILLUS- TRIOUS ANCIENT NATIONAL NAME OF AMERICA.

Nearly all the early navigators to America, wrote their voyages; and made maps; many of which were published.

The earliest of these, known to be in existence, may be seen in the Royal Spanish Naval Museum; or a copy of it, at ttie Astor library. New York.-

It was made by Juan de la Cosa, a companion of Oolumbus, who also sent several to the Spanish government, and one to Pope Alexander; but it is not known what has become of them. The next map we find, was by Cortereal, who had made several voyages to America (1500-1) and gave much

1 Humboldt. 2 Jomard collection.

NAME OF AMERICA. \\\

information about it to Cantino, who was tlie Agent at Lisbon of the Duke of Farrara (Italy), for the purpose of writing any news of these discoveries, and in one of his letters (19 Nov. 1502), he enclosed a copy of the " chart, to navigate to the zsZawc? newly found in part of India," wiiich is now^ in the Estense Library, at Farrara. ^ A brother of Columbus, (Bar- tholomew), gave a map to the Canon of the church of St. John of Lateran, at Eome, but none of these were recognized as standard w^orks by the nautical world; who were still guided by those originally issued for many centuries, by the Ptolemy kings of Egypt, which the Arab Mohammedans continued to publish, after they had conquered that historic land, but, soon after Christianity began to enlighten w^estern Europe; one of these works, finding its way to Eome, became the pilot of the christian navigator.

A new edition was generally issued, whenever any important discovery had been made. Pope Julius II, gave the exclusive right for six years, to issue an edition of Ptolemy (1506), — to Toscinus, the publisher — which appeared next year, containing six new maps besides those of the previous issues, (1478-1490) but America was not noticed until their edition of 1508, which contained a supplement; giving a description of the new world by the monk Beneveutanus.

This delay was probably caused by the King of

^ Harisse, Les Cortereal. The island meant America.

112 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

Portugal, who had made the first known European discovery of the East Indies, after Marco Polo, and was apparently asserting, that the new Western islands of the Spaniards, were only part of his dominion; in consequence of which, they prohibited their navigators from going near his mines. ^ Tlie result of this claim, was a dividing line, drawn across the map by the Pope, separating the limits in which each of these nations could make discoveries, in order to avoid dispute.

The Kings of America, had a curious system of naming their cities and provinces. The sacred city was called "the capitol of America," and others, "America in the mountains," or the valley, and similar designations," but it was w^ritten Amavca by the Spaniards, in whose language the word "marca" means a frontier, and from this; they gave it an easy form. The Baron de Humboldt informs us; that the early Spaniards gave an immense number of various names to the same people, who only spoke two languages on the mainland first discovered, and they often added consonants to names, which had a vocal initial.^ When the Moors were masters of Spain, a large number of words were adopted from

'Navarrete, Vol. Ill, p. 85, Ojeda.

2 Cundin-Amarca : Cax-Amarca ; Pult-Amarca ; Yan-Amarca ; Vin-Amarca, And-Amarca ; Uria-Amarca ; Chenpi— Arnarca ; Cat-Amarca Call-Amarca — Cant- Amarca.

3 It is on the map of Cortereal as Tamarique; written in red, to show that it was one of the first discovered, and the map of Frisius (1525) who joined the mainland to Africa, contains it. He must have understood that the new discovery was named "Tamarique " or " Amerique " in french.

NAME OF AMERICA. 1|3

their language, and the pronunciation hardening materially, become at that time very gutteral; which was learned from their conquerors, in whose Shemetic tongue, there are no vowels.

In the lirst standard map of the world showing the Western hemisphere, 4t was called an island, and there also appeared, another named " Tamaraqua," (meaning "Amaraca" or "America ")- which was not an island, but part of the mainland much resembling one,' as may be observed by our sketch.

1 Ptolemy. 1503.

2 Humboldt, Relations historiqnes. Vol. II, p. 462.

Hence we iind the name written by them " TamanagrMa," should end in " ca." The custom of using g lor c, is also referred to in Torres' American (Quiche) dic- tionary p. 4. " Tambien se advierta, que ya corruptamente se usa dela G. en lugar de la C 6 dela h como Inga, Guamanga for Inca Hua-Manca, que de se, he pronunciar segun la propriedad dela lengua general, que no admite g en su alfabeto como se advirtio al principe "

^ The point of land, so like an isle, and now known as Maraca-ibo, was no doubt- part of Amaraca-pana, mentioned by Humboldt, and it is a curious illustration of these early errors, to find it called by Ojeda, the isle, province, and lake of Coqui- vacoa — which the Crown appointed him governor of, though existing only in his imagination; but they soon found out their mistake, for the name Coqui, meant Chibchi— the Chibchi royal race of the kingdom of Cundin-Amaraca. The cape Chibchi was opposite the supposed isle,(Codazzi map 3) and Mercater, getting nearer the fact, wrote it Cuchi, and others— Chibchi * which they found later on; was the name of the people, and not their country; and altered it to Maraca-ibo, which like Maraca pana, meant Amaraca or America. Humboldt sayst that only two languages were spoken on the mainland first visited; that of the Caribs— always at war with the people of Amaraca-pana, who must therefore have spoken Ihe other, or Tam- anagua. "The Orenoco," he adds, " is a Tamanagua word. It was probably from them that the Spaniards first heard of the treasures of Cundin-Amaraca." It is evident, that these people, living on the coast of Amaraca, were the Americans, for which the name Tamanagua, and the isle of Tamaragua are intended. We supposed that the isle of Tamaragua, might have meant Jamaica, pronounced Ham-ah-e-ca, by the Spaniards, and would have explained the cause of Mercater's calling the West Indies " Camercan islands, " but the evidence we found disproved it.

American (Peruvian) was the diplomatic and fashionable language of the "Western hemisphere at the time of the Spanish conquest.t as we now find i^'rench

* Kohl Atlas, p. 123. t Vol. II, p. 462. + Prescolt's history of Peru .

114 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

SPAIN PROHIBITS OTHERS FROM TRADING IN THE DIS- COVERIES OF COLUMBUS ON THE MAINLAND: —THE COAST OF AmARACA-PANA.

Whatever transgressions the Admiral had com- mitted; in consequence of being made Viceroy of the West Indies, — a trying position, requiring much experience; of which he never had any, — were promptly forgiven him by the Crown, who were obliged in justice to hear the complaints of her subjects. He was granted a royal coat of arms, on which were engraved the islands he had discovered. These had become known as the Columbian archi- pelago.^ We do not know if the "Camercan Islands "- referred to the American islands, appearing

2 Mercater's Map Camercane insule.

spoken all over the world, because it has been accepted as the tongue which must be used by all nations, in their official communications. When (Christians became powerful enough to make their language international, they introduced their re- ligion also, and so did the Americans, who preached Amaru, or the cross — to which we will refer presently —and consequently we find this faith all over America.* On Mercater's map, may be observed the name of the Aruaccas, given to the country be- hind the golden castle mountains, on the coast of Amaraca-pana. The chief god of these people is Hua-Amaracou, and they were neighbors of the Ca-iribs, in whose houses there was always a Maraca or Taniaraka,f which was the name of their household god, and when shakenhy the priests, the great Spirit spoke through them. t They were placed on the ground, adorned with feathers, and meat and wine was placed before them, which the people thought they eat. Purchas says that on the coast of Amaraca-pana "among their many idols and figures which they honour as gods, they have one like St. Andrewes crosse which they thought preserved them from night-spirita and they hanged it on their new-borne children." These Maraoas or Tamarakas were rattles t no doubt of the Amaru or rattlesnake, and so we find the sacred cross, or Amaru, among all the Amaracan nations. The chief god at Hayti, where Columbus resided, was also Hua-Amaracon — written Amanacon by the Spaniards.

* See our unabridged Edition. t Purchas Edn. 1617 A. D., p. 1017-38.

NAME OF AMERICA.

115

on the arms of Columbus, but the Spanish Govern- ment prohibited trading on the coast of Amaraca

AKIIOEIALS OF COLUMBUS.^

or ^7waraca-pana; which he had sailed along, before

(^ By favor of Winsor's Narrative and Crit. Hist, of U. S.,p. 15, Vol. II.

IIG DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

others arrived, calling it the " pearl coast," ^ having found the first gold and pearls there; which were sent to Spain announcing his discovery.

Other navigators were only permitted — with this prohihition — to follow the admiral; in order to anti- cipate England, who had sent vessels to America.'-

The object of the voyage of Ojeda; was to dis- cover the coast on both sides of the land, supposed to have been found by the Britains, in order to limit their claim. ^ But his nephew traded within the reserved discovery, and was condemned to lose all his property, at a irial held at Haiti, which were restored to him on appealing to the Crown.*

The dozens of early maps which have been ex- amined, also contain the statement, that the new world was discovered by Columbus, who was grateful to the Crown for their protection of his discoveries and supposed gold mines, which we learn by the folio w-

1 Navarrete, Vol. I, p. 253.

■2 Ojeda's appointment as Governor of Coquibacoa* (8 June, 1501) prohibited his trading, " beginning at Paria, where the Monks are, the bay opposite the isle of Marguarita, and the other part of the coast, to the small pointed island in the sea, and all the land called Citr;ana."t Another historiant says, that " a few days after Ojeda bad sailed, that Guerra left, guided by the same chart, (a copy of Columbus'§) and arrived, tollowing him to the lands of Paria and Maraca-pana, where he disregarded the prohibition from trading in the discoveries of the Admiral," called the coast of "Maracapana, which also included the surrounding islands, "II notably Margarita, the first visited.

* Navarrete, Vol. Ill, p. 85.

t This name— probably intended for Curiana— which is shown on Mercater's map ad.ioiuiug the supposed district of Coquivacoa. The third map of Codazzi places Curiana at the western end of the Coast of Maraca-pana, or America.

t Oviedo, y Banos, p. 312. § Herrera. II Piedrahita, p. 65.

3 Navarrete, Vol. Ill, p. 86. J Navarrete, Vol. Ill, p. 28.

NAME OF AMERICA. \Yl

ing extract, from his last letter to King Ferdinand:^ *' Gold is a thing very necessary to your Majesty, for to accomplish an ancient prediction, Jerusalem ought to be rebuilt by a Prince of the Spanish monarchy. Gold is the most excellent of metals. What be- comes of those precious stones which they find at the €nds of the earth ? They sell them and in the end they are converted into gold. With gold, you can not only do all you want in the world, but you can get souls out of purgatory with it, and thus people par- adise."

The great Admiral died at Valladolid, in Spain, on the 26th of May, 1506. Later on, his remains were removed to Seville, and in 1536, to the island of Saint Domingo, which was ceded to France in 1795, when they were taken to the cathedral of Havannah, where they now rest. " To Castile and Leon, Columbus gave a new world " was the inscription placed on his tomb by the Spanish government.

One cause of the various ways in which the ancient name of America was w^ritten, is, that the natives — who had no alphabet — wrote pictures of their ideas, as all the early nations did— becoming the origin of our alphabet, which is only an abbre- viated form of the original pictures. When the na- tive American wrote the sacred word "Amaru'' he drew a cross, and so did the Aymaras for their name, and this with the sign for ca, or land, was America;

1 Humboldt Relations Historique, Vol. I, p. 618.

118 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

about which there could not be any error, but, every European spelled the name with different letters, which he supposed to be more correct than his neigh- bor, who was left to guess what was meant. The native American could not make this mistake, for he had no alphabet.

A few illustrations will show, how simple and re- liable the ancient system was.

As soon as the mind was unable to remember everything ; writing was suggested by necessity. We do not know how long our ancestors lived on earth, before they had arrived at the state of per- fection, that they knew more than they could re- late within a given space of time, but we are certain^ that such a state of things existed sooner or later;, because we have examples of the primitive style of writing which was carved on rocks, or in caves, or on gold, and instead of writing as we do, for ex- ample;— "that a man went out to ride, and that the horse kicked and threw him, on his way home," the primitive nations simply drew the outlines of a horse, with his hind legs in a vertical line with his head, while the rider lay on the ground, some dis- tance off from a house or hut. This told the sad story.

As an illustration of what may be done, by this simple means of communication, we have taken the following; from the work of Baron La Hontain, a missionary of the seventeenth century in Canada,

NAME OF AMERICA. \\o,

who took a copy of an account of a battle by the Huron tribe, who were attacked by the French,

"The French (a French flag) are ready for war, (an axe). Tliey number 110 men, (11 dots, each counted 10) and marched from (a bird flying) Mon- treal, (a mountain, the present French name means Mount Eoyal or Montreal,) during the first week of (first quarter of the moon) July, (a stagg, as they were then most numerous,) and embarking sailed (a boat) for four days, (four huts, a man entered his hut at the end of every day,) and then marched (a foot) for three days (three huts) until within the distance of (a hand pointing) three days (three huts) of the Iroquois, (armorials of that tribe, each had their own.) They arrived to the east of them (the rising Sun) and surprised them, (a man lying) but the Iroquois (armorials) killed (a club) forty (40 heads in a bow) of their men. There was a vigor- ous resistance (arrows flying towards each other); one hundred (10 dots) Iroquois (armorials) were killed, (heads in a bow) and four hundred (40 dots) were taken pi'isoners (heads marked) while the others fled," (arrows flying one way.)

It may thus be seen, what an accurate statement can be made by such primitive means, and in this way, the early histories of the Earth were remem- bered, until the invention of the alphabet; introduced the present phonetic system. Before that, all ideas were expressed by metaphor, simile, contrast or

120 DISCOVERY OF THE O RIG IX OF THE

likeness of something similar, and all ne\v words are still invented in the same way. Take the old gun or itiMskef, — which is named from the hawk lUHScatus,^ — because people caught the birds with it, which they used the hawk for, before its inven- tion, and even now. when you are requested to shoot, some one says "let fly," as if the gun had the wings of its predecessor, the hawk, for whom the expression was used.

It is a curious fact, that the American writing was much more reliable tlian ours; as they understood a written word by its sound, and also by the picture of its meaning.

Let us see results: — the English word glory was originally kru. Its fii^st change was to klu. being more easily pronounced, and then for the same reason to glu. and later to glor, which became Latinized as gloria, and English as glory. How difficult and uncertain this looks, and why did Kru mean glory? But let us take a pictorial word. In Mexican, a doctor is a man witli the head of plant. Here, no change is possible; for take away either the man, or his vegetable head, and the doctor disap- peai"s.

The Americans could not understand: why a word was written by letters which were not pictures of its nieauiug, and when the Mexicans were taught the Lord's prayer in Latin, they repeated it for some time

' Mflllex. Chips from a German Workshop.

XAM£ OF AMERICA. i^l

with much devotion, and eventually began to write it, beginning with the first words, ''pater noster," each very unfortunate for them, as they have not any sound in their language to represent our letter " E,"* which appeared in each of these first words of the prayer. Their writing as we know is pictorial, and they began thus:

p m ® m

Here we have '" pater noster.*' or rather they have it, and to those who know the simplicity of prim- itive writing, it is easily translated.

The first sign is evidently a flag, which they pro- nounce pan. The next sign represents a rock or stone and is '* te." Xow we have^a«fe', which was their most approximate phonetic to pater. The third sign — apparently the back of some learned Mexican head — represents the native fig, called notch, and the fourth sign we observe is the same as the second meaning te, or noch-te, which was as near to noster as they could get, so that in order to learn the Latin pro- nunciaiion, the}- had to sketch a flag, a fig, and a stone .^

To write the meaning of the woixls " our Father,"

• RosDT. Les ecritures, p. 19.

123 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

they simply drew a cross, meaning God, but of course this would not have given them the Latin sound which they wished to learn.

But long before the ancients had such advanced ideas as these, they began by writings of sim- phcity, and probably— like all other juvenile cali- graphers— their first idea was to write their own names, or in other words, to make a sketch of • themselves, and in the earliest forms of pictorial writing, we find the sign which meant man,^ always drawn with outstretched arms, like the Chinese mode

CHILD IN CHINESE. MOTHER IN CHINESE. EGYPTIAN SIGN FOR LIFE.

of writing the word child, or mother, or the Egyptian sign meaning living, and, as man ivas the image of God,^ the cross became the most sacred sign of all the chief nations of the ancient world. ^

1 Bosny. Les ecritures, p. 19. 2 Old Testament, ch. 1. v. 26.

". Some authors say that the cross meant the four quarters of the globe, but this is an error, for it w s almost invariably written to represent a man, and hence the four lines were not of equal length. Others suggest that it is emblematic of the sun and adored by sun worshippers, but none of the great nations were sun wor- shippers. The Mexicans say that Votan taught them to worship a Supreme Deity, whom he called " the God of all truth." The Veda says: "That which is one, the wise call him many," while the nine Egytian gods were only said to be the self- development of Ea. The Greeks said that Appollo was a divine being, living in the sun, while part of the Huron prayer was: "Vouchsafe uuto us the light of the 8un, which speaks thy grandeur and power." Outward ceremonies which were wholly unwarrdnta^gf tenbecame popular. In Buddism, there is no authority for

wajTdnta^af ten:

NAME 01' AMERICA.

ST. AMERICA.

123

The most illustrious national name of America was therefore sacred to her people, written in their pictorial writing by a snake crossing a straight line and called Amaru.^— the great Sun— which began to mean anything sacred at a later period, and when an American went nearer to any of the temples than the law permitted, the pohce said "amarac"' stop, don't do that, for these were the temples of their King who was also the spiritual chief, and this was the name — given to the southern continent— which first appeared in 1541, on the map of Gerard Mer- cater— a subject of Charles V,— by whom he was em- ployed to make charts— and a pupil of Frisuis, whom he consulted. ^

Since Frisuis had published his map in 1525,

1 In Egyption the cross is Am, and the sun Ra. In America, the snake— whose quivering movements resembled lightning, and its rattles the thunder — represented the sun. This is the meaning given in the chief mythological works.

3 Del Canto, Arte y vocabulario. If a word should appear to be unchanged for centuries, that fact would be good proof that the modern and old word was not the same. Take the german word for bad i. e. sohlecht which meant good a few cen- turies ago. It went from good to innocent, simple, foolish, wicket, bad.

3 Beeton.

one-half of their ceremonials. Chaki Mouni — called Buddha or the Saint in sancrit — said that life was pain, and that one could only get out of it by leading niue con- secutive good lives; otherwise the soul always returned to inhabit another body. After the ninth good life the soul went into nirvana, i. e , ceased to exist. In Bra- hamism,* the Rig Veda says, the widow " shall o^e?- ^acri^ce " at the alter. This was translated " shall be sacrificed," which cost millions of lives until the error was recently discovered. Some years ago we noticed a sign painted on the walls in various quarters of Paris, France, " the worship of the Virgin is prohibited," and 80 it is all the world over; that the illiterate often take the emblem for the original.

* Prof. Max Miiller Chips, etc. . • ^_ ^

124 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

some of the Spaniards had married Americans at Tumbez, to whom Pizarro returned, spending five months with these new subjects of the King of America, while laying the plans of his future capt- ure. They had found that the King was sacred to his people, and therefore if they could only secure him — holding out the prospect of release, or a threat to put his brother — the rightful heir — on the throne in default of ransom, that the long sought for golden land might yet become an accomplished fact. These ideas were carried out and the results as we have seen, more than fully realized the most sanguine expectations.

Mercator had the benefit of this information.^

THE MOST FAMOUS MONARCH OF THAT PERIOD BAPTIZES AMERICA.

Charles I, King of Spain, who was also Charles V, Emperor of Germany, was the high priest who gave the Western hemisphere its name.

King Ferdinand — the Prince consort of Queen Isabella — had died in 1516, and his grandson — born at Ghent, in Belgium, ascended the throne at the age of sixteen, and subsequently married a daughter

^ He had found that Ojeda's Coqui-Vacoa was Chibchi-vacoa, — as shown on his map, — the name of the royal race of Cundin- Amarca, and that Pizarro's brother had arrived from Cax — Amarca, both of which kingdoms received Spanish names. The native name had already appeared in large letters on previous maps, but he omits it, and also the isle of Tamaragna, writing the name of America over the entire continent.

NAME OF AMERICA. ^25

of Emmanuel, King of Portugal, eventually becom- ing the greatest monarch of his day.

His favorite saying, in describing these vast dominions was ; that "the sun never set in them.'^ The monarch's crest was two globes; and two pillars of Hercules — the former name of Gibraltar — ap- peared on his coins, denoting the Western limit of Europe to which his sceptre extended — with the motto, "more beyond,"^ — meaning his American globe.

Pizarro had despatched his brother in 1533, from Cax-Amaraca ; to lay three millions in gold at the feet of this famous sovereign, which had caused the rush to search Cundin-Amaraca in 1534, where the two Governors, Quesada from Quito, and Balcazar from Popayan, met Federmann from Amaraca-pana, representing the great German firm of Velsers, friends of the Emperor.

The celebrated Sebastian Cabot who had sailed to America for England, went to reside in Spain (1509), on the invitation of the late King Ferdinand — father-in law of Henry VIH of England— who had made him one of the Spanish Council of the Indies, and Senior pilot some years later. It is in his map that the name of Bogota, the capital of Cundin- Amaraca appears.

The Spaniards had their principalities of New Granada, New Castile, the West Indies, Golden

1 Plus ultra.

126 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

Castles, ill the Western hemisphere, but they wanted a general name to include all these possessions.

When the great German merchants had reported to their Emperor, that Bogota the capital of the kingdom of Cundin-^?;mraca was the city to which their agent went from J.?/ia?'aca-pana for treasure — when it was known that Amaraca-pana on the At- lantic was the nearest port to the mountains called "Golden Castles," and the name of the mainland first seen by Columbus and held for him by the Monarch's grandfather — when they found that Tamaragua was the name of the mainland or Amaraca, now called Maraca-'iho — when Pizarro told him of the imprisonment of Huascar at And- Amarca—ot his death in the river Andi- Amarca—oi the holy city of Amaraca — of their ancestors the Aymaras of Aymaraca, — of the cross or Amaru, worn during the initiation of the royal family as children of the sun — of the famous royal palace of Amaru, prepared to receive Pizarro, by the King, who afterwards filled one of its rooms with gold, three millions of which lay at the monarch's feet, it was only a just tribute, a golden debt of gratitude, to erect an everlasting monument, a gigantic histor- ical statue, always on the lips of the universe, in honor of the late Vice-King and Lord High Admiral Don Christopher Columbus, by instructing his carto- grapher Gerard Mercater, to write over the entire southern contineyit, His "plus ultra," a world on His

NAME OF AMERICA. 127

crest, the name of America, where it appeared — so far as we know — for the first time in this atlas issued in 1541, to which was added the remark " many still call it New India. "^

In 1555, the illustrious Monarch — abdicating the Kingdom in favor of his son Philip, and the Empire to his brother — entered a Spanish monastery where He died three years later.

We find therefore, the Western hemisphere named America, in honor of Columbus, from the land he first discovered which was reserved for him, and the sacred national name of its great nation, whose temple of J.?>iari{-cancha was unsurpassed in riches by any in the world, and whose roads, the great Humboldt "did not hesitate to designate, as "the most beautiful and stupendous works ever executed by man." Well could he have asserted,' "that only at Quito, Peru, (the kingdom of Amaraca at the time of the Spanish conquest,) Mexico, (claiming the same origin as the Americans) and Cundin- Amaraca, were to be found traces of antique civi- lization."

' amultis hodie noua India dicta.

The maps made for Charles V, are supposed to be dated 1527-29, and we have only been able to find circumstantial evidence that Jlercater wrote the name of America over the Southern Continent by the King's command.

2 Humboldt, Vol. II. a Humboldt, Vol. Ill, p. 58.

128 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

EFFECT OF THE REPORTS OF AMERICAN GOLD MINES ELSEWHERE.

The intense excitement in Spain, created by the treasure found at Cax-Amaraca, can be imagined by the effect of the news elsewhere. In England, information from the Spanish discoveries was eagerly looked for, and their books were translated as soon as they could be obtained. In the year 1613, a work appeared, giving the most minute par- ticulars of American laws and religions,' geneology, customs, and the Spanish captures, New Editions were issued the year following and in 1617. This work was named after the author, " Purchas, his pilgrimage, or Relations of the world and the re- ligions observed in all ages and places discouered from the creation unto this present. Printed for Henrie Featherstone, and are to be solde at his shoppe in Pauls cliarch-yard at the Signe of the Rose." Later on Sir Paul Rycaut published several volumes in English, from the works of Garcilasso de Vega, an American noble who wrote the history of his country in Spanish. After strenuous efforts to obtain permission to trade in Spanish America, " The South Sea Company '" was inaugurated by the Earl of Oxford,^ in 1711. It was called after the Pacific; first known by that name,- and they

' Memoirs of Estraonlinary popular delusions. Vol. I.

2" Mar del Zur " Sur, They bad a royal charter and a crest representinf; a cornu- copia, out of which money was falliug into the (JIar del Zur) South Sea.

NAME OF AMERICA.

129

were given a monopoly of the commerce there, Avhich it was believed Spain would permit, but the only grant they had, was to send one small vessel yearly to trade in the Pacific and to supply the colonies with negroes for thirty years, People were so anxious to buy the company's stock, that Ex- change Alley— the brokers' quarter— became so crowded that traffic was suspended. A ballad pub- lished at the time, informs us that : —

" The greatest ladies thither came And plied in chariots daily, Or pawned their jewels for a sum To venture in the alley."

The collapse of this speculation nearly brought England to financial ruin. The Duke of Wharton insinuated that the Earl of Stanhope was interested in it, and while replying in the House of Lords he had a stroke of apoplexy and expired. The de- mand for the stock of the South Sea Company led to numerous wild undertakings, and eighty-six com- panies were oi^ganized, with 1,700 millions of dollars as capital, according to present money value. The wildest ideas prevailed, such as, " For supplying London with sea coal," — "For carrying on an un- dertaking of great advantage ; but nobody to know what it is, "I " For insuring from thefts and rob- beries." In France also, similar scenes were enacted with the Mississippi scheme.

130 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

WHO SAID THAT AMERICA WAS CALLED AFTER AMERIGO VESPUCCI ?

Amerigo Vespucci was a Florentine — residing at Seville, Spain — as the agent of the celebrated com- mercial firm of Juanoti Berardi of Italy — dming the period when Columbus discovered the Western hemisphere, and being anxious to see it, he was per- mitted to go with Ojeda; who sailed on the 20th May, 1499. Being a foreigner, there was probably some difficulty ; as they were prohibited by the government from going to the new discoveries^ (1495), and it is possibly for this reason, that Ojeda explains that he took him, " being learned in navi- gation and universal geography." ^

As we have seen, Amaraca-pa«a — the only place where Ojeda was favorably received during the voyage that A.merigo Vespucci was with him " and treated like an angel " ^ — became the first settlement of the Spaniards,^ and was the name of that coast.* All these navigators wrote accounts of their voyages, but they were more at home on the Atlantic Ocean, while Vespucci's ship was his inkstand, and histori- ans have related how much he w^rote, possibly en- deavoring to gain by the sale of his books — which had become conspicuous by the similarity of his name with that of the continent — what he probably

1 Navarrete. 2 Herrera, Vol. I.,Voyage Ojeda.

s Humboldt. 4 Codazzi. Ovieda y Baiios, etc.

NAME OF AMERICA. 13 1

supposed had been lost by the law prohibiting for- eigners from participating in voyages to America.

The Egyptians told the Greeks, that an immense island named "Atlantis" larger than Asia and Europe, had disappeared,^ and when Columbus found America, he recalled this," Vespucci also seems to have referred to it,' and Sir Thomas Moore,* who says that the Western hemisphere was discovered by a friend of Vespucci's, — probably Columbus — had also Atlantis in view.

Possibly the act reserving the new discoveries for Spaniards, had caused the Florentine to leave Spain, but he returned in 1505, and Columbus gave him a letter in February to his son; of whom he asked aid for him.® In April, he became a naturalized Spanish subject, and received authority for Berardi to dis- patch ships to the West Indies. His letters are said to have been sent to the Duke of Lorraine, who apparently saw in the name of Amaraca- pana or "America," the evidence of the new continent's discovery by Amerigo Vespucci, and the Duke's secretary, Walter Ludd, wrote a pamphlet of four pages (1507), suggesting that the new world be named after him, as he had discovered it. It is hardly possible that people of education, would have attempted to propose a name for territory, in which

1 Solon ap. Plato. 2 Navarrete. 3 Ptolemy, 1508. * Utopia, Edn. 1551. 5 Navarrete. "Con Amerigo Vespuchy te escrebi, procura que te envie la carta, salvo si ya la hobistes."

132 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN 01 THE

they had not the sHghtest interest; unless they had assumed that their proposition had ah-eady been practically carried out, which they were led to sup- pose from the similarity of name. In 1508, Vespucci became a Senior Spanish pilot, and three years later, the government prohibited the sale of maps to for- eigners. Las Casas — who wrote a history in 1527, — informs us that he was said to have written the name of America on the map, which, — as we have seen — was perfectly correct. It was Spain therefore, who adopted the native name of her new coast of Amaraca-pana or "America," and Charles V, gave it to his new world; while outsiders — from whom all information had been prohibited — are the only people to whom historians can refer, in justification of their assertion that Vespucci named America.

It is a curious coincidence, that the nam'es of the two countries — America and China — guarding the Pacific ocean, have appeared in history for centuries, before the men lived, who are said to have named them. The celestial kingdom is said to have been called after the royal family of Tsin^ (200 b. c.) which Eoman historians have taught us to pro- nounce China, and — as if by way of adding insult to injury — they have created much confusion, by calling their greatest philosopher, Confucius, which

1 We may observe en passant, that " Sin " means God in Japanese, and heart in Chinese, but of course phonetics will not explain its meaning; unless agreeing with the morphological construction of the sign. All early nations considered their lands holy, and the heart or center of the earth.

NAME OF AMERICA.

133

does not look much like his name :— Kung-tze, meaning the master. A historian of the middle ages who did not make mistakes, was a most un- fashionable being— which none of them can be ac- cused of. And as soon as ilmy had decided that Amerigo Vespucci must have named Amaraca or America— in consequence of the similarity of name; and that this was positive evidence of its discovery by him, they began to correct what they supposed to be the errors of their contemporaries, the first of which seemed to be a serious blunder; for it gave to Columbus; the honor of the discovery of the Western hemisphere, and concluding that two voyages of Vespucci had been made into one, they divided them, giving to one the date of l-i99, and to the other 1497, being a year before Columbus.^ Europe was anxiously looking for news of the famous lands where the gold grew, and Ludd's pamphlet was in demand, and copied everywhere for publication. This little sheet spoke of four voyages made by Vespucci;' two from Spain, and two from Portugal, wliich was re- ferred to in England, at a later period, as " Those four voyages that be nowe in printe and abrode in every mannes handes."' Spain did not notice these re- ports about her new possessions, having refused to give foreigners any information.

Nothing however proves more conclusively, that the mistake of Ludd was discovered and corrected;

i Humboiat Examen Critique. 2 Sir Thos. Moore Utopia Ed. 1551.

134 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

than the map published in 1512 — by the same people who issued the pamphlet referred to — in which it is specially stated, that the Western hemisphere was found by Columbus.

This ought to have been satisfactory; but it was not so to the compatriots of Vespucci — who wrote book after book on the nautical deeds of our " Amerigo " as they called him, and over the gate of a college in Florence, which one of his ancestors had endowed in the thirteenth century, there is an in- scription, stating that Amerigo Vespucci; the dis- coverer of America, had once lived there. ^

If the early writers on this subject had only in- quired whether Vespucci had named America, they would have been saved the trouble of proving that he did not discover it. Viscount Santarem, had over hundred thousand documents examined in the royal archives of Portugal, relating to voyages of discovery ; (1495-1503) none of which mention his name, while Munoz found among the records of money paid for preparing western expeditions in Spain, that from April 1497, to May 1498 — the period when the supposed expedition before Columbus is alleged to have taken place — he was engaged in equipping the fleet for the Admiral's third voyage. Ojeda, with whom he first sailed, has- sworn as witness in a law suit, that he himself arrived on the continent after Columbus;"' while a

' Humboldt. 2 Humboldt Navarrete, vol. Ill, Coleccion.

NAME OF AMERICA. 135

letter supposed to have been written by Vespucci, states that "his first voyage was made" by Royal command— which was necessary, as foreigners were prohibited.

It was customary for historians of that age to- correct supposed errors, in a very summary way; of which there are many instances.

Some mediaeval cartographers, saw the Arabic name of Dina Mograbin on a map, and concluding that one word was enough for a small isle; they cut an unfortunate little island in two by a stroke of the pen; but navigators continued to sail over one of them, until it disappeared without explanation from the map — the only place it had ever existed — and the name Dina Mograbin or Western Isle was duly restored to the rightful owner. ^ While another geographer, seeing that Bermuda was called Sum- mer's isle — after a navigator of that name, who thought that he had discovered it — and ruminating over the long tropical summers; wrote it "Isle of the Summer," and still another — seeing the name of Erin^ in Trindad — concluded that an Irish family had lived there. And so it is, that similarity of name is constantly leading to mistake.

It is not for us to unravel the mediaeval attempts to explain the cause — which never existed — of Ves- pucci's having named this Continent. He died in

1 Malte-Brun, Erin or R, the universal sign for the sun, is more frequently found in Am-eri-ca than in any other quarter of the globe.

136- DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

1512. The Spaniards continued their conquests; and finding that America was the national name of the Southern Continent, the Government adopted it. No explanation was given — as far as we know — few people knew it; but the Italians continued to point to their great compatriot, which induced a host of biographers to stick their pens into his reputation, and also their ink, in an endeavour to prove a similarity of color. Others like Humboldt, have de- fended him — pleading a historical mistake, while some have questioned his name^ of Amerigo— of which there is positive evidence — because it was written as usual in that age in many different ways. Columbus was the pioneer who introduced the Western hemisphere to the mediaeval world in 1498, but England apparently, put in a previous claim" by Cabot's discovery on the 24 June 1497. Then comes the pamphlet from Germany, giving Ves- pucci's departure on the 10th of May 1497, on be- half of the King of Spain — which sends Cabot's claim higher than a kite, but now comes a copy of his map found at Oxford — another in Germany, and another at Paris, with the date of his discovery as 5 A. M. 24th June 1494 — wiiich completely dislocates Vespucci — while each nation claims him as a sub- ject. Eden says " Sebastian Cabotte tould me that he was borne in Bristovve, and that at four yeare olde, he was carried with his father to Venice," but

> See Nation p. 310, 1881. 2 Ptolemy 1508.

NAME OF AMERICA. 137

the diary of the Venetian Ambassador states, that he was born in Venice, and bred in England.

King Ferdinand invited him to Spain, and he com- manded an expedition to the River Plate, (1527) re- maining there sev^eral years before returning, but England issued a warrant (9 Oct. 1557) "for the transporting of one Shabot, a pilot, to come out of Hispain, to serve and inhabit in England " where he arrived next year — receiving a large pension.

Charles V, applied unsuccessfully for his return, (1550) and three years later, sent an urgent demand, but Cabot refused to go. He obtained the grant from Henry VII (5 Mch. 1496), to find a north west passage to China and Japan, — the dream of his life — probably also inspired by the stories of his famous compatriot, Marco Polo, and it was on this, that he made the voyages referred to.

It is very probable, that Spain was willing to allow foreigners — who had no interest in her new dis- coveries— to retain the popular belief, that Vespucci had named America. England had claimed part of the Western hemisphere on Cabots' discovery,^ who called the land Baccalos, which Mercater — the carto- grapher of the King of Spain — puts just outside of America. These were the days of ambiguous language. Pizarro told the King that he came to fight for him — he meant for the possession of him — and historians say that the Monarch — looking for an

^ Xavarrete Colecciou, Vol. Ill, p. 8G. Ptolemy— 1508.

138 DISCOVERY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

opportunity to return the compliment — pressed him urgently to wear a pair of gold slippers, so that his soldiers might be able to recognize him. Raleigh told the Guianians that the Queen sent him to fight for them, against the Spaniards. The mediaeval conscience was elastic.

It is extraordinary, that it could have been be- lieved so long, that a Senior pilot, a foreigner, in the employment of a government who prohibited out- siders from sailing to the New World, or even ob- taining maps of it, would have been permitted to give his name to America, remaining in the employ- ment of Spain, and on friendly terms with Columbus, and when we know, that the only evidence that the Western hemisphere was named after him, is the withdrawn suggestion of a pamphlet of four pages, it is still more remarkable, specially when we con- sider, that ideas of that age, were so often printed without the slightest reason, like the work of Goro- pius Becanus, who attempted to prove, that the three first languages used in the Garden of Eden, by Eve, Satan, and God, were Persian, French, and Swedish. Whatever may have been the mistakes of that dark age, there was no mistake about the fact, that it was Charles V — one of the most famous monarchs of the world — who gave his Western hemisphere, one of the most illustrious names of antiquity, and in- stead of bearing a name unfairly alleged to have been given by error and deception, it is known by

NAME OF AMERICA. 139

one of the most famous, the most sacred in the oldest continent, not a dishonorable name, but ihat of its chief nation, an empire, second to none in antique civilization, originating like that of Africa, the first place known to the Komans, which was afterwards given to the continent. So Amaraca, or America, was the first known name of this hemis- phere to her Spanish discoverers, and the only one, among those of the four quarters of the globe, of which the history and origin has been preserved, so far as it is known at present.

One of the greatest successes of mediaeval days was its geographical errors, but, the Amerigo Vespucci fable, was a highly respectable myth in comparison to others; such as William of Gloucester's history, referring to the monastery of St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall, which he recorded as six miles inland, and scientists, finding it at the w^ater's edge, used this as proof, that the earth's axis was changing.

When the monks of the abbey of Mont St. Michel ill France, went over to England, with William the Conqueror, they brought their books describing the French monastery, one of which, the good William happened to read, and thinking that it referred to Saint Michael's Mount in Cornwall, invented what gave philosophers some serious thought, before making the discovery,^ and then again, who would be able to convince us, that only a century ago, let-

' See Miiller Chips, etc.

140 THE NAME OF AMERICA.

ters were addressed to New York, near Newport, E. I., if our good forefathers had not kept the envelopes to show us. And so it is, that truth alv/ays shines and fiction disappears in the hght.

1

^ickari) ^m^vBfe m\b the |lame Jlmeriia,

Bt ALFKl'li) F. HTTDl), F.S.A.. Hon. SKCRK,TAr<v,

Reprinted from the Proceedings of the Clifton Antiquarian CI ill Part xix, Vol, vii, Part i, p. 1.

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By ALFRED E. HUDD, F.S.A., Hon. Secretary.

(Read May 21st, 1908.)

During the celebration of the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of the Continent of North America by John Cabot, which took place in Bristol in the year 1897, an ancient manuscript, which had then recently been dis- covered amoni,^ the muniments at Westminster Abbey, was, by permission of the Dean and Chapter, sent down to Bristol for the inspection of the Marquis of Dufferin and others interested in tlie celebration. This manuscript was "' the Customs Roll of the Port of Bristol, for A.D. 1496 to 1499," and its chief interest lay in the fact that among the payments recorded in the years 13 and 14 of King Henry VII — i.e., between September 29th 1497 and the same date 1499 — are two payments of twenty pounds each to John Cabot.

This shows, what we did not know previously,^ that John Cabot returned to Bristol after his second voyage of 1498, and claimed the pension which had been conferred by the King on " him that found the new Isle," %.e., North America. So much interest was taken in the manuscript in Bristol, that it was arranged to repro luce it in facsimile, Mr. Edward Scott, M.A., at that time " Keeper of Manuscripts in the British Museum," undertaking the translation and transliteration, while I contributed a brief introduction. This was published by Messrs. Georges Sons, of Bristol, in the

1 Mr. Henry Harrisse, in his " John Cabot tlie discoverer of North America, p. 134, wrote, of the 1498 voyage, "We do not know when they returned to England, nay, whether John Cabot survived the expedition."

2 Richard Ameryk

autumn of 1897, under the title of Tha Customs Roll of the Port of Bristol, A.D. 1496-09, with three autotype fac- amiile reproductions of the original document, full size. Fig. 1 is an enlarged photograph, by Mr. William Moline, of the name of the man from whom Cabot received his pension, Richard Ameryk, as it appears in the Roll for 1497-8.

FIG. 1.

There is no longer any doubt that on his return from his second voyage, John received for the second time the handsome pension conferred U])on him b\' the King, from the hands of the Collectors of Customs of lh(; Port of Bristol. One of these officials, the senior of the two, who probably was the person who actually handed over the money to the explorer, was named Richard Amerj^k (also written Ap Meryke in one deed) who seems to have been a leading citizen of Bristol at the time, and was Sheriff in 1503. Now it has been suggested both by Mr. Scott and myself that the name given to the newly found land by the discoverer was " Amerika," in honour of tlie official from whom he received his pension. We know from contemporary records that John, on his return from London after his visit to Court, was received in Bristol with great honour ; he dressed in silk and was called " the Great Admiral." And also that, being somewhat over elated with his triumph, he apparently made rather a fool of himself. See, for instance, the account of his conduct given b}' Raimundo di Soncino to the Duke of Milan, in December in 1497.^

" The Admiral, as Master Joanne is styled, has given a companion an island, and has also given another to his barber,

^ John aiid Sebastian Cabut, by C. R. Beazley, London, 1898, p. 65

and the Name America. 3

a Genoese — some Italian friars have the promise of being bishops," etc. If John was so free with Ids gifts to his poorer friends, we can quite imder-tand his wish to show gratitude to the King's official, and that he may have done so by conferring his name on " the new island," which was then supposed to be not a new Continent, but to be situated off the coast of China, or India. Now, have we any evidence that the name America was known in Bristol at this time ? Possibly we have, or should have if the .lost "Fust MS." could be re-discovered.

There was formerh' in the possession of the Fust family, at Hill Court, Gloucestershire,^ a manuscript which has often been quoted, but the original of which is lost.

It was one of the "Calendars" in which local events were recorded, similar to the well known " Bristowe Kalendar" li' Robert Ricart, and others which still remain. Under the m.aj^oral j'ear, 1496-7, it was recorded that John Drews was Mayor, Hugh Johnes, Sheriff, Thomas Vaughan and John Elyott, Bailiffs, and that "This year (1497), on St. John the Baptist's day (June 24th), the land of America was found by the merchants of Bristow, in a ship of Bristowe called the ' Mathew,' the which said ship departed from the port of Bristowe the 2nd of May and came home again the 6th August following." Mr. Beazley- in quoting this, says : " No great confidence can be expressed in the tradition of the lost manuscript. 'Dia use of the tevTii America shows that it is not a strictly contemporary document." But if our suggestion as to the origin of that name be correct, this manuscript may be looked upon as contemporary evidence of the fact, that the newly discovered land was already called xlmerica in Bristol long before that name became known on the Continent.

For nearly four centuries it has been supposed that the name America had been given to the land by the friends of a

* See Weare, Cabot's Discovery of Noi-th America, pp. 116-122. 2 John and Sebastian Cabot, p. 90.

4 Richard Afneryk

certain Italian of good birth, Alberico or Amerigo Vespucci, who was certainly not the discoverer of the land. Columbus we know, and Cabot we know, but what had Vespucci to do with the discovery ? It has always struck me as curious that, several years after its discovery, the new continent should have received the name — and the Christian name be it remembered — of such a comparatively obscure person as this Italian "purveyor of beef," or "ship chandler," as he has been called. It is also difficult to see how the name America, or Amerika as the Germans and Dutch write it, was derived from that of the Italian Amerigo or Alberico.

His name is variously given by old authors, but in the State Archives of Mantua there is a letter dated December, 1492, by himself, which is signed ' Ser Amerigho Vespucci, merchante florentino in Sybilia." He is sometimes called Amerigo or Americo, sometimes Alberigo or Alberico — in Latin Americus or Albericus Vespuccius— and sometimes Morigo Vespuche, which was probably the name b}" which he was known to his Spanish friends. The name Amerika was not given to the land in Spain, but " by foreign writers " (see Las Casas later), and if so possibly in England. Amerika seems much more like the name of the Bristol Customs official, than that of the Italian, and what I venture to suggest is that after having been invented in Bristol, by Cabot, and having been the only name for " the new island " for more than ten years after its discovery, the resemblance of the name to that of Vespucci struck the "foreign writer" at Freiburg (to whom the English ''Richard Ameryk " was quite unknown), and thus through an error of his editor, to Vespucci was transferred the honour that the discoverer of North America, John Cabot, had intended to confer on the Bristolian " Ameryk."

" As early as 1507," says Herr Otte,^ " the name Anierici

^ Humboldt's Cosmos, note by the editor, E. C. Otte, in Bohn's edition, vol, ii, p. 676.

ana the Name America. 5

terra had been proposed for the new continent by a person whose existence was undoubtedly unknown to Vespucci, the geographer Waldsee-Miiller {Martinus Hylacomylus), of Freiburg ... in a work entitled Cosmographice Introductio, insivper quatiior Ainerici Vespucii Navigationes."

Vespucci was born at Florence, and was baptized in the Church of San Giovanni (The l^aptistry) in that city, 18th iMarch, 1452. He died 22nd February, 1512, in Seville. About ten years ago a lost fresco by Domenico Ghir- landajo was discovered in the Church of San Salvadore d'Ognisanti in Florence, among the adornments of a tomb of the V^espucci famil}^^ One of the figures in this fresco is said to represent the explorer from whom America has been supposed to have taken its name.

Unfortunately much confusion arose among the recorders of the transatlantic voyages of Cabot, Columbus and their successors, which gave rise to an opinion, apparently widely believed in in the early part of the 16th century, that the first voyage in which A. Vespucci took part, preceded that of Columbus, and that therefore Vespucci (they seem to have ignored Cabot) was the actual discoverer of the New World. In a quaint dramatic poem of the beginning of the reign of Henry VIII. probably about 1519, the recent discovery of the new land in the West is alluded to, and the discovery is distinctly ascribed to Amerigo Vespucci : — But the.se new lands found lately Be called America, because only Anieiicus did first them find.^

In 1527, las Casas writes, in his preface " Prologo " : — " To Amerigo alone without naming any other, the discovery of the continent is ascribed . . . Circumstances have led some to attribute to him that which is due to others, and

1 Architect, February 11th, 1898.

2 "A new Interlude ... of the IV Elements. Printed 1519-20." Copy in British ISluseum, Press-mark C 39. 6. 17. Beazley, pp. 131—134.

6 Richard Ame7'yk

which ought not to be taken from them " — namely, Columbus and Cabot. And again, " Tlie foreign writers call the country America ; it ought to be called Columba."^

Fifty 3^ears after the voyages of Columbus and Cabot, in 1543, tlie great astronomer, Nicholas Copernicus, in his Revolutionihus orhium coelestium, vol. vi, ascribed the dis- covery of the new part of the globe to Vespucci.

" Accident, and not fraud and dissensions deprived the continent of America of tlie name of Columbus," says Alexander von Humboldt {Cosmos, vol. ii, p. 67(>, Bohn's edition). The charges made by many writers on the character of Amerigo, who attribute to "a fraudulent attempt to arrogate to himself the honour due to Columbus "' (and to Cabot) are now generally believed to be unfounded. The publisher of Vespucci's narrative of his voyages, under the impression that his first voyage was made before that of Columbus, believed Amerigo to have been the discoverer of the new world, and therefore, it is said, gave his name to the land.

Whether Humboldt is right in denying that Vespucci had any voice in " the fraudulent attempt to arrogate to himself the honour due to Columbus " and to Cabot, is still somewhat uncertain, and perliaps never will be clear!}' established. Some later writers are not so well disposed to the Florentine and have hard things to say about him. " The Florentine contractor was merely a landlubber .... fond of airing his classical knowledge .... inaccurate in his narratives and regardless of the truth, as was ably shown by Las Casas, while he habitually assumed the credit of works which belonged to his superiors, and .... was dis- loyal to the men under whom he served. He certainly was not a practical navigator or pilot." All this and more is recorded by Sir Clements Markham in his " Letters of Amerigo Vespucci," Haklu^'t Society, J 894.

^ Historia General de las Indias, A.D. 1527-59, by Fra Bartholome de las Casas.

and the Name America. 7

In the year 1548 an accusation was brought against Vespucci, by the astronomer Schoner, of Nuremberg, of having inserted the words "'Terra di Amerigo " in charts which he had altered. l.as Casas {Historia Generale) 1559, mentions this report. " He is said to have placed the name America in maps, thus sinfully failing towards the Admiral'' (Columbus). But there appears to be no evidence of this, and so far as is known the first appearance of the name America is on a map in an edition of Ptolemy's "Geography" printed in 1522, twenty-seven years after we suggest that it was given to the country by Cabot, and fifteen after it had been suggested by Hylacompylus.

^ Amerigo seems to have been on good terms with Columbus and his family, which we should hardly have expected to have been the case if the Florentine had during the lifetime of the Admiral, claimed to have himself been the discoverer of the new lands.

If our suggested origin of the name be correct, it seems curious tliat we have no further evidence of it in Bristol records, except that of the lost Fust manuscript. But, as Richard Americk died several years before we have any evidence that the name was attributed to Vespucci, and the Bristol official was quite unknown to Continental writers, one can imagine how the mistake may have arisen.

The family of Merrick, or A'Mer3'k, or Ap ]\Ieryk seem to have been settled in Bristol from early times, and several of the members are mentioned in Bristol wills.

Richard Amerycke was a person of importance in Bristol towards the end of the fifteenth century. He was elected Sheriff of Bristol in 1503, and according to Mr. Weare, died during his year of office, when he was succeeded by Robert Thorne, one of the Founders of the Bristol Grammar School.

In his " Manorial History of Clifton," published in the Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, iii, 223-4, Mr. ElHs writes :— " We find in 1470,

8 Richard Ameryk.

one third " (of the manor of Clifton) in possession of a wealthy citizen of Bristol, named Richard Amerycke, who had also been purchasing large estates in Somersetshire. By charter dated the last day of August that year he con- veyed the same to John Broke atid Joan his wife, and the lieirs of John, remainder to the right heirs of Hugh Broke. This John was a lawyer, and Joan his wife was one of the (laughters and co-heirs of Richard Amerj^cke, who died June 9th, 1501." Mi-. Ellis is certainly in error when he states that "Richard Amerycke died June 9th, l-iOl," as all the Calendars give him as Sheriti in 150'l-4,^ associated with Henry Dale, or Deal, as Mayor, and Wm. Bedford as Bailiff. A daughter of Richard, named Joan, married John Broke, Serjeant-at-Law to Henry VIII, and a Justice of the Assize in the Western circuit. He died in 1525, and was buried in the Church of St. Mary Redcliff, where his fine monu- mental brass, with effigies of himself and his wife Joan can be seen. On this brass are the Arms of Broke impaling Americk, the latter being : — Paly of six. Or and Azure, on a fess Gules, three mullets Argent ; which, rather than the Stars and tripes, might have been the Arms of America.

NOTE.

The publication of tiiis paper has been delayed in the hope that a copy of the Fust manuscript, which is supposed to have been in possession of the late Mr. William George, of Bristol, might have been found, but so far the search has not been successful. The original MS. was purchased by one of the original members of our Club, the late Mr. Thomas Kerslake, and unfortunately perished, with many other valuable manuscripts and works in the fire which destroyed his premises in Bristol, in 1860.

1 See " Two Bristol Calendars," Transactions Bristol and Glou- cester Archaeological Society, vol. xix, pp. 128-9.

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