But he had now learned to suffer, and he was principally desirous of completing his work. Supposing the continent which he had seen to be Asia, he did not doubt that he should find, through the Isthmus of Darien, a way to the Spice Islands, from which the first fleet of the Portuguese had just returned richly laden. In four slender vessels supplied by the court for this purpose Columbus sailed from Cadiz on his fourth and last voyage, 9 May 1502, with his H brother Bartolommeo and his son Hernando; arrived contrary to his original intention off San Domingo 29 June, and was denied permis sion to enter the port for the purpose of refitting his vessels, and escaping an approaching storm. He succeeded, however, in anchoring his small squadron in a place of safety, and rode out the storm, while a fleet of 18 vessels, which had put to sea in spite of his warning, was almost entirely destroyed. He then continued his voy age to Darien, but without finding the expected passage. Two of his vessels were destroyed by a gale; the two others were wrecked off Jamaica, where he was scarcely able to save himself and his companions. Here the severest trials awaited the constancy of Columbus. Sep arated from the other part of the world, his destruction seemed to he certain. But he suc ceeded in procuring a few canoes from the natives, and prevailed on some of his boldest and best men to attempt a voyage to Hispaniola, in two canoes, in order to inform the governor of his situation. Several months elapsed with out a glimpse of hope. Part of his companions, reduced to despair, rebelled, repeatedly threat ened his life, separated from him and settled on another part of the island. Here they alien ated the minds of the natives by such cruel treatment, that the latter ceased to bring them supplies. The death of all seemed inevitable; but Columbus, whose courage rose with the danger, preserved his men in this crisis. He had ascertained that a total eclipse of the moon was about to take place, and threatened the natives with the vengeance of his God if they should persist in their enmity. As a proof of his assertion the moon, he said, would lose its light, in token of the chastisement which awaited them. When they beheld his threat verified they hastened to bring him provisions, and implore his intercession with the Deity. But hostilities now broke out between him and the rebels, in which several of the latter were killed, and their leader was taken prisoner. After remaining a year on the island, relief at last appeared. The two canoes had reached Hispaniola in safety, but the messengers could not prevail on the governor to undertake the deliverance of the admiral. They finally bought a vessel themselves, and it was on board this ship that Columbus left Jamaica, 28 June 1504. He went to San Domingo, but only to repair his vessel, and then hastened back to Spain. He arrived in Spain ill and exhausted. The death of the queen soon followed, and he urged in vain on Ferdinand the fulfilment of his con tract. After two years of illness, humiliations and despondency, Columbus died at Valladolid. His remains were transported, according to his will, to the city of San Domingo, but on the cession of Hispaniola to the French they were removed in January 1796, with great pomp, to the cathedral of Havana in Cuba. A splendid monument was erected to him, in a convent at Seville, where his body lay before being trans ferred to San Domingo. In 1898 his remains were again removed to Spain, Cuba being no longer a Spanish possession since the war with the United States.
In the vigor of manhood Columbus was, ac cording to tradition, of an engaging presence, tall, well formed and muscular, and of an ele vated and dignified demeanor. His visage
(here also we can be guided only by tradition and relatively late portraits, inasmuch as an authentic contemporaneous portrait probably does not exist) was long, his nose aquiline, his eyes light gray and apt to kindle. His whole countenance had an air of authority. Care and trouble had turned his hair white at 30 years of age. He was moderate and simple in diet and apparel, eloquent in discourse, en gaging and affable with strangers, and of great amiability and suavity in domestic life. His temper was naturally irritable, but he subdued it by the benevolence and generosity of his heart. Throughout his life he was noted for a strict attention to the offices of religion; nor did his piety consist in mere forms, but par took of that lofty and solemn enthusiasm with which his whole character was strongly tinc tured. Of a great and inventive genius, a lofty and noble ambition, his conduct was char acterized by the grandeur of his views and the magnanimity of his spirit.
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