Chapter 7

　　COLUMBUS IS CALLED TO MEET THE KING AND QUEEN-HIS MAGNIFICENT RECEPTION--NEGOTIATIONS¹ WITH THEPOPE AND WITH THE KING OF PORTUGAL--SECONDEXPEDITION ORDERED--FONSECA--THE PREPARATIONS ATCADIZ.

　　The letter which Columbus sent from Lisbon to the king and queenwas everywhere published. It excited the enthusiasm first of Spain andthen of the world. This letter found in the earlier editions is now one of themost choice curiosities of libraries. Well it may be, for it is the first publicannouncement of the greatest event of modern history.

　　Ferdinand and Isabella directed him to wait upon them at once at court.

　　It happened that they were then residing at Barcelona, on the eastern coastof Spain, so that the journey required to fulfill³ their wishes carried himquite across the kingdom. It was a journey of triumph. The people cametogether in throngs⁴ to meet this peaceful conqueror⁵ who brought with himsuch amazing illustrations of his discovery.

　　The letter bearing instructions for him to proceed to Barcelona wasaddressed "To Don Christopher Columbus, our Admiral of the Ocean Sea,Viceroy and Governor of the islands discovered in the Indies." So far washe now raised above the rank of a poor adventurer, who had for sevenyears attended the court in its movements, seeking an opportunity toexplain his proposals.

　　As he approached Barcelona he was met by a large company of people,including many persons of rank. A little procession was formed of theparty of the Admiral. Six Indians of the islands who had survived thevoyage, led the way. They were painted according to their custom invarious colors, and ornamented⁶ with the fatal gold of their countries,which had given to the discovery such interest in the eyes of those wholooked on.

　　Columbus had brought ten Indians away with him, but one had died onthe voyage and he had left three sick at Palos. Those whom he brought toBarcelona, were baptized in presence of the king and queen.

　　After the Indians, were brought many curious objects which had comefrom the islands, such as stuffed birds and beasts and living paroquets,which perhaps spoke⁷ in the language of their own country, and rare plants,so different from those of Spain. Ornaments⁸ of gold were displayed, whichwould give the people some idea of the wealth of the islands. Last of allcame Columbus, elegantly mounted and surrounded by a brilliantcavalcade of young Spaniards. The crowd of wondering people pressedaround them. Balconies and windows were crowded with women lookingon. Even the roofs were crowded with spectators.

　　The king and queen awaited Columbus in a large hall, where they wereseated on a rich dais covered with gold brocade. It was in the palaceknown as the "Casa de la Deputacion" which the kings of Aragon madetheir residence when they were in Barcelona. A body of the mostdistinguished lords and ladies of Spain were in attendance. As Columbusentered the hall the king and queen arose. He fell on his knee that he mightkiss their hands but they bade him rise and then sit and give an account ofhis voyage.

　　Columbus spoke with dignity and simplicity⁹ which commandedrespect, while all listened with sympathy. He showed some of the treasureshe had brought, and spoke with certainty of the discoveries which hadbeen made, as only precursors¹⁰ of those yet to come. When his shortnarrative was ended, all the company knelt and united in chanting the "TeDeum," "We Praise Thee, O God." Las Casas, describing the joy and hopeof that occasion says, "it seems as if they had a foretaste of the joys ofparadise."It would seem as if those whose duty it is to prepare fit celebrations ofthe periods of the great discovery, could hardly do better than to produceon the twenty-fourth of April, 1893, a reproduction of the solemn pageantin which, in Barcelona, four centuries before, the Spanish courtcommemorated the great discovery.

　　From this time, for several weeks, a series of pageants¹¹ and festivitiessurrounded him. At no other period of his life were such honors paid tohim. It was at one of the banquets, at which he was present, that theincident of the egg, so often told in connection with the great discovery, took place. A flippant courtier--of that large class of people who stay athome when great deeds are done, and afterwards depreciate¹² the doers ofthem--had the impertinence to ask Columbus, if the adventure so muchpraised was not, after all, a very simple matter. He probably said "a shortvoyage of four or five weeks; was it anything more?" Columbus replied bygiving him an egg which was on the table, and asking him if he couldstand it on one end. He said he could not, and the other guests said thatthey could not. Columbus tapped it on the table so as to break the end ofthe shell, and the egg stood erect¹³. "It is easy enough," he said, "when anyone has shown you how."It is well to remember, that if after years showed that the ruler of Spainwearied in his gratitude¹⁴, Columbus was, at the time, welcomed with theenthusiasm which he deserved. From the very grains of gold brought homein this first triumph, the queen, Isabella, had the golden illuminationwrought of a most beautiful missal-book.

　　Distinguished artists decorated the book, and the portraits ofsovereigns then on the throne appear as the representations of King David,King Solomon, the Queen of Sheba and other royal personages. This bookshe gave afterwards to her grandson, Charles V, of whom it has been saidthat perhaps no man in modern times has done the world more harm.

　　This precious book, bearing on its gilded¹⁵ leaves the first fruits ofAmerica, is now preserved in the Royal Library at Madrid.

　　The time was not occupied merely in shows and banquets. There wasno difficulty now, about funds for a second expedition. Directions weregiven that it might be set forward as quickly as possible, and on animposing scale. For it was feared at court that King John of Portugal, thesuccessful rival of Spain, thus far, in maritime¹⁶ adventure, might anticipatefurther discovery. The sovereigns at once sent an embassy to the pope, notsimply to announce the discovery, but to obtain from him a decreeconfirming similar discoveries in the same direction. There was at leastone precedent¹⁷ for such action. A former pope had granted to Portugal allthe lands it might discover in Africa, south of Cape¹⁸ Bojador, and theSpanish crown had assented¹⁹ by treaty to this arrangement. Ferdinand andIsabella could now refer to this precedent, in asking for a grant to them of their discoveries on the western side of the Atlantic. The pope nowreigning was Alexander II. He had not long filled the papal chair. He wasan ambitious and prudent²⁰ sovereign--a native of Spain--and, although hewould gladly have pleased the king of Portugal, he was quite unwilling²¹ todisplease the Spanish sovereigns. The Roman court received with respectthe request made to them. The pope expressed his joy at the hopes thrownout for the conversion²² of the heathen, which the Spanish sovereigns hadexpressed, as Columbus had always done. And so prompt were theSpanish requests, and so ready the pope's answer, that as early as May 3,1493, a papal bull was issued to meet the wishes of Spain.

　　This bull determined²³ for Spain and for Portugal, that all discoveriesmade west of a meridian²⁴ line one hundred leagues west of the Azoresshould belong to Spain. All discoveries east of that line should belong toPortugal. No reference was made to other maritime powers, and it does notseem to have been supposed that other states had any rights in suchmatters. The line thus arranged for the two nations was changed by theirown agreement, in 1494, for a north and south line three hundred and fiftyleagues west of the Cape de Verde Islands. The difference between the twolines was not supposed to be important.

　　The decision thus made was long respected. Under a mistakenimpression as to the longitude²⁵ of the Philippine Islands in the East Indies,Spain has held those islands, under this line of division, ever since theirdiscovery by Magellan. She considered herself entitled to all the islandsand lands between the meridian thus drawn²⁶ in the Atlantic and the similarmeridian one hundred and eighty degrees away, on exactly the other sideof the world.

　　Under the same line of division, Portugal held, for three centuries andmore, Brazil, which projects so far eastward²⁷ into the Atlantic as to crossthis line of division.

　　Fearful, all the time, that neither the pope's decree, nor any diplomacywould prevent the king of Portugal from attempting to seize lands at thewest, the Spanish court pressed with eagerness arrangements for a secondexpedition. It was to be on a large and generous scale and to take out athousand men. For this was the first plan, though the number afterwards was increased to fifteen hundred. To give efficiency to all the measures ofcolonization, what we should call a new department of administration wasformed, and at the head of it was placed Juan Rodriguez de Fonseca.

　　Fonseca held this high and responsible position for thirty years. Heearly conceived a great dislike of Columbus, who, in some transactionsbefore this expedition sailed, appealed to the sovereigns to set aside adecision of Fonseca's, and succeeded. For all the period while he managedthe Indian affairs of Spain, Fonseca kept his own interests in sight moreclosely than those of Spain or of the colonists³⁰; and not Columbus only, butevery other official of Spain in the West Indies, had reason to regret theappointment.

　　The king of Portugal and the sovereigns of Spain began complicatedand suspicious negotiations with each other regarding the new discoveries.

　　Eventually, as has been said, they acceded³¹ to the pope's proposal anddecree. But, at first, distrusting each other, and concealing³² their realpurposes, in the worst style of the diplomacy²⁸ of that time, they attemptedtreaties for the adjustment between themselves of the right to lands not yetdiscovered by either. Of these negotiations, the important result was thatwhich has been named,--the change of the meridian of division from thatproposed by the pope. It is curious now to see that the king of Portugalproposed a line of division, which would run east and west, so that Spainshould have the new territories north of the latitude³³ of the Grand Canary,and Portugal all to the south.

　　In the midst of negotiation², the king and queen and Columbus knewthat whoever was first on the ground of discovery would have the greatadvantage. There was a rumor³⁴ in Spain that Portugal had already sent outvessels to the west. Everything was pressed with alacrity³⁶ at Cadiz. Theexpedition was to be under Columbus's absolute command. Seamen³⁷ ofreputation were engaged to serve under him. Seventeen vessels³⁵ were totake out a colony. Horses as well as cattle and other domestic animalswere provided. Seeds and plants of different kinds were sent out, and tothis first colonization²⁹ by Spain, America owes the sugar-cane, and perhapssome other of her tropical productions.

　　Columbus remained in Barcelona until the twenty-third of May. But before that time, the important orders for the expedition had been given.

　　He then went to Cadiz himself, and gave his personal attention to thepreparations. Applications were eagerly pressed, from all quarters, forpermission to go. Young men of high family were eager to try the greatadventure. It was necessary to enlarge the number from that at firstproposed. The increase of expense, ordered as the plans enlarged, did notplease Fonseca. To quarrels between him and Columbus at this time havebeen referred the persecutions which Columbus afterwards suffered. Inthis case the king sustained Columbus in all his requisitions, and Fonsecawas obliged to answer them.

　　So rapidly were all these preparations made, that, in a little more thana year from the sailing of the first expedition, the second, on a scale somuch larger, was ready for sea.

1 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

2 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

3 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

4 throngs   

n.人群( throng的名词复数 )v.成群，挤满( throng的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She muscled through the throngs of people, frantically searching for David. 她使劲挤过人群，拼命寻找戴维。 来自辞典例句
• Our friends threaded their way slowly through the throngs upon the Bridge. 我们这两位朋友在桥上从人群中穿过，慢慢地往前走。 来自辞典例句

5 conqueror   

n.征服者，胜利者

参考例句：

• We shall never yield to a conqueror.我们永远不会向征服者低头。
• They abandoned the city to the conqueror.他们把那个城市丢弃给征服者。

6 ornamented   

adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The desk was ornamented with many carvings. 这桌子装饰有很多雕刻物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She ornamented her dress with lace. 她用花边装饰衣服。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 ornaments   

n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The shelves were chock-a-block with ornaments. 架子上堆满了装饰品。
• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments. 一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 simplicity   

n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯

参考例句：

• She dressed with elegant simplicity.她穿着朴素高雅。
• The beauty of this plan is its simplicity.简明扼要是这个计划的一大特点。

10 precursors   

n.先驱( precursor的名词复数 )；先行者；先兆；初期形式

参考例句：

• Phenyl (or polyphenyl) substituted epoxides serve as excellent precursors to phenyl (or diphenyl) carbenes. 某些苯代（或多苯）环氧乙烷是制取带苯环（或二苯）碳烯的极好原料。 来自辞典例句
• Note the presence of megakaryocytes, erythroid islands, and granulocytic precursors. 可见巨核细胞，红细胞岛和粒细胞前体细胞。 来自互联网

11 pageants   

n.盛装的游行( pageant的名词复数 )；穿古代服装的游行；再现历史场景的娱乐活动；盛会

参考例句：

• It is young people who favor holding Beauty pageants. 赞成举办选美的是年轻人。 来自互联网
• Others say that there's a fine line between the pageants and sexual exploitation. 其他人说，选美和性剥削之间只有非常细微的界线。 来自互联网

12 depreciate   

v.降价，贬值，折旧

参考例句：

• The computer value will depreciate by $ 500 in the first year.在头一年里这台电脑会贬值500美元。
• If you neglect this property,it will depreciate.如果你忽视这份资产，它无形中就贬值了。

13 erect   

n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的

参考例句：

• She held her head erect and her back straight.她昂着头，把背挺得笔直。
• Soldiers are trained to stand erect.士兵们训练站得笔直。

14 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

15 gilded   

a.镀金的，富有的

参考例句：

• The golden light gilded the sea. 金色的阳光使大海如金子般闪闪发光。
• "Friends, they are only gilded disks of lead!" "朋友们，这只不过是些镀金的铅饼！ 来自英汉文学 - 败坏赫德莱堡

16 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

17 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

18 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

19 assented   

同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The judge assented to allow the prisoner to speak. 法官同意允许犯人申辩。
• "No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women -- they're too noble. “对，”汤姆表示赞同地说，“他们不杀女人——真伟大！

20 prudent   

adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的

参考例句：

• A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
• You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。

21 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

22 conversion   

n.转化，转换，转变

参考例句：

• He underwent quite a conversion.他彻底变了。
• Waste conversion is a part of the production process.废物处理是生产过程的一个组成部分。

23 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

24 meridian   

adj.子午线的；全盛期的

参考例句：

• All places on the same meridian have the same longitude.在同一子午线上的地方都有相同的经度。
• He is now at the meridian of his intellectual power.他现在正值智力全盛期。

25 longitude   

n.经线，经度

参考例句：

• The city is at longitude 21°east.这个城市位于东经21度。
• He noted the latitude and longitude,then made a mark on the admiralty chart.他记下纬度和经度，然后在航海图上做了个标记。

26 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

27 eastward   

adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部

参考例句：

• The river here tends eastward.这条河从这里向东流。
• The crowd is heading eastward,believing that they can find gold there.人群正在向东移去，他们认为在那里可以找到黄金。

28 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

29 colonization   

殖民地的开拓，殖民，殖民地化； 移殖

参考例句：

• Colonization took place during the Habsburg dynasty. 开拓殖民地在哈布斯堡王朝就进行过。
• These countries took part in the colonization of Africa. 这些国家参与非洲殖民地的开发。

30 colonists   

n.殖民地开拓者，移民，殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Colonists from Europe populated many parts of the Americas. 欧洲的殖民者移居到了美洲的许多地方。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Some of the early colonists were cruel to the native population. 有些早期移居殖民地的人对当地居民很残忍。 来自《简明英汉词典》

31 acceded   

v.（正式）加入( accede的过去式和过去分词 )；答应；（通过财产的添附而）增加；开始任职

参考例句：

• He acceded to demands for his resignation. 他同意要他辞职的要求。
• They have acceded to the treaty. 他们已经加入了那个条约。 来自《简明英汉词典》

32 concealing   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Despite his outward display of friendliness, I sensed he was concealing something. 尽管他表现得友善，我还是感觉到他有所隐瞒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• SHE WAS BREAKING THE COMPACT, AND CONCEALING IT FROM HIM. 她违反了他们之间的约定，还把他蒙在鼓里。 来自英汉文学 - 三万元遗产

33 latitude   

n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区

参考例句：

• The latitude of the island is 20 degrees south.该岛的纬度是南纬20度。
• The two cities are at approximately the same latitude.这两个城市差不多位于同一纬度上。

34 rumor   

n.谣言，谣传，传说

参考例句：

• The rumor has been traced back to a bad man.那谣言经追查是个坏人造的。
• The rumor has taken air.谣言流传开了。

35 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

36 alacrity   

n.敏捷，轻快，乐意

参考例句：

• Although the man was very old,he still moved with alacrity.他虽然很老，动作仍很敏捷。
• He accepted my invitation with alacrity.他欣然接受我的邀请。

37 seamen   

n.海员

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather. 有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• In the storm, many seamen wished they were on shore. 在暴风雨中，许多海员想，要是他们在陆地上就好了。