The 11 CWS that the Admiral of the Ocean Seas had arrived home in chains served his cause bet ter than any argument. He was promptly re leased and summoned to Court. where every favor was shown him. King Ferdinand, how ever, was too shrewd to restore him to the full powers of control which he claimed by virtue of his discovery. As soon as he became convinced that there was little use in trying to secure his rights, Columbus asked for a fleet with which to continue his discoveries. This was readily granted, and iu May, 1502, lie set sail with four caravels to seek a route to the real East. A part of the royal grant was the condition that he should not revisit Espanola. hut on June 29th Columbus anchored off Santo Domingo. Being forbidden to enter the harbor. he refitted as best he could outside, where he successfully weathered a storm which, curiously enough overwhelmed a fleet on which Bobadilla and several of his bit terest enemies had set sail for Spain. Columbus proceeded westward, and between July 30, 1502, and January 24, 1503, he sailed along the coast of Central America, from Honduras to Veragua, where he attempted a settlement. In April, 1503, the disheartened survivors insisted on abandon ing the enterprise. With the greatest difficulty the rotten ships were brought as far as Jamaica, w here, in August. they had to he beached to save their cargoes. The Admiral had been confined for many weeks to his bed. with a complication of mental and bodily ailments, from which he aroused himself at moments of special danger to show his earlier courage, enthusiasm, and skill. From Jamaica a messenger, Diego Alen dez, started across to Cuba in a canoe to seek help at Santo Domingo. it was ninny months before the pitiful survivors learned that he had not perished on the way. He reached Espanola in safety, but Ovando, who had succeeded Boba dilla, delayed as long as he could before permit ting Mendez to hire a vessel to go to the rescue of the castaways on Jamaica. At last, in June,
1504, the survivors who had remained .faithful to the Admiral through dangers and disasters were once more embarked on their way back to civilization. Refitting the vessel at Santo Do mingo, Columbus proceeded to Spain. landing at San Lucar de Barrameda on November 7. Be fore the end of the month, Queen Isabella, upon whom a11 his hopes rested. died. Columbus went to Seville. where he busied himself during such intervals of freedom from pain as he had in trying to put his affairs in order, and in writing letters to all whose friendship or help he craved. In May, 1505, he vainly journeyed to Segovia to plead with the KIng for some recognition of his rights and those of his son. Thence he retired to Valladolid. where he died, May 20. 1506.
Columbus literature, already very voluminous, was more than doubled during the celebration of the four hundredth anniversary of his discovery of America in 1892. The chief source for infor mation about him was for many years Navar rete's great collection of documents, published at Madrid between 1825 and 1837. This has been in a measure supplanted by a monumental work published by the Italian Covernment. Seritti di Colombo (Rome, 1492). The standard English version of the Letters is Major's trans lation in the Hakluyt Society volumes for 1848 and 1870, supplemented by Markham's transla tion of the Journal in 1843. There is a conve nient edition of the Letters edited by W. C. Ford (New' York, 1892). The great critical study of Columbus's life and family is by Harrisse. in two volumes (Paris. 1854), the results of which were presented in English by Winsor (Boston, 1892). Among the best of the many shorter biographies are those by Markham (London, 1893), and by Adams (New York, 1392).