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depths。 He did succeed in obtaining a large product of gold； but the abuses of his government were not atoned for by such remittances。 Worst of all； the wrongs of the natives touched the sensitiveness of Isabella； and she was eager that his successor should be appointed； and should sail； to put an end to these calamities。
The preparations which were made for Ovando's expedition； for the recall of Bobadilla； and for a reform； if it were possible； in the administration of the colony； all set back any preparations for a new expedition of discovery on the part of Columbus。 He was not forgotten； his accounts were to be examined and any deficiencies made up to him； he was to receive the arrears of his revenue； he was permitted to have an agent who should see that he received his share in future。 To this agency he appointed Alonzo Sanchez de Carvajal； and the sovereigns gave orders that this agent should be treated with respect。
Other preparations were made； so that Ovando might arrive with a strong reinforcement for the colony。 He sailed with thirty ships； the size of these vessels ranging from one hundred and fifty Spanish toneles to one bark of twenty…five。 It will be remembered that the Spanish tonele is larger by about ten per cent than our English ton。 Twenty…five hundred persons embarked as colonists in the vessels； and； for the first time； men took their families with them。
Everything was done to give dignity to the appointment of Ovando； and it was hoped that by sending out families of respectable character； who were to be distributed in four towns； there might be a better basis given to the settlement。 This measure had been insisted upon by Columbus。
This fleet put to sea on the thirteenth of February； 1502。 It met； at the very outset； a terrible storm； and one hundred and twenty of the passengers were lost by the foundering of a ship。 The impression was at first given in Spain that the whole fleet had been lost； but this proved to be a mistake。 The others assembled at the Canaries； and arrived in San Domingo on the fifteenth of April。
Columbus himself never lost confidence in his own star。 He was sure that he was divinely sent； and that his mission was to open the way to the Indies； for the religious advancement of mankind。 If Vasco de Gama had discovered a shorter way than men knew before； Christopher Columbus should discover one shorter still； and this discovery should tend to the glory of God。 It seemed to him that the simplest way in which he could make men understand this； was to show that the Holy Sepulchre might； now and thus； be recovered from the infidel。
Far from urging geographical curiosity as an object； he proposed rather the recovery of the Holy Sepulchre。 That is； there was to be a new and last crusade； and the money for this enterprise was to be furnished from the gold of the farthest East。 He was close at the door of this farthest East； and as has been said； he believed that Cuba was the Ophir of Solomon； and he supposed； that a very little farther voyaging would open all the treasures which Marco Polo had described； and would bring the territory； which had made the Great Khan so rich； into the possession of the king of Spain。
He showed to Ferdinand and Isabella that； if they would once more let him go forward； on the adventure which had been checked untimely by the cruelty of Bobadilla； this time they would have wealth which would place them at the head of the Christian sovereigns of the world。
While he was inactive at Seville； and the great squadron was being prepared which Ovando was to command； he wrote what is known as the 〃Book of Prophecies；〃 in which he attempted to convince the Catholic kings of the necessity of carrying forward the enterprise which he proposed。 He urged haste； because he believed the world was only to last a hundred and fifty…five years longer； and； with so much before them to be done； it was necessary that they should begin。
He remembered an old vow that he had undertaken； that； within seven years of the time of his discovery； he would furnish fifty thousand foot soldiers and five thousand horsemen for the recovery of the Holy Sepulchre。 He now arranged in order prophecies from the Holy Scripture； passages from the writings of the Fathers； and whatever else suggested itself； mystical and hopeful； as to the success of an enterprise by which the new world could be used for the conversion of the Gentiles and for the improvement of the Christianity of the old world。
He had the assistance of a Carthusian monk； who seems to have been skilled in literary work； and the two arranged these passages in order； illustrated them with poetry； and collected them into a manuscript volume which was sent to the sovereigns。
Columbus accompanied the Book of Prophecies with one of his own long letters； written with the utmost fervor。 In this letter he begins； as Peter the Hermit might do； by urging the sovereigns to set on foot a crusade。 If they are tempted to consider his advice extravagant； he asks them how his first scheme of discovery was treated。 He shows that； as heaven had chosen him to discover the new world； heaven has also chosen him to discover the Holy Sepulchre。 God himself had opened his eyes that he might make the great discovery； which has reflected such honor upon them and theirs。
〃If his hopes had been answered；〃 says a Catholic writer； the modern question of holy places； which is the Gordian knot of the religious politics of the future； would have been solved long ago by the gold of the new world； or would have been cut by the sword of its discoverer。 We should not have seen nations which are separated from the Roman communion； both Protestant and Pantheistic governments； coming audaciously into contest for privileges； which； by the rights of old possession； by the rights of martyrdom and chivalry； belong to the Holy Catholic Church； the Apostolic Church； the Roman Church； and after her to France； her oldest daughter。〃
Columbus now supposed that the share of the western wealth which would belong to him would be sufficient for him to equip and arm a hundred thousand infantry and ten thousand horsemen。
At the moment when the Christian hero made this pious calculation he had not enough of this revenue with which to buy a cloak；〃 This is the remark of the enthusiastic biographer from whom we have already quoted。
It is not literally true； but it is true that Columbus was living in the most modest way at the time when he was pressing his ambitious schemes upon the court。 At the same time； he wrote a poem with which he undertook to press the same great enterprise upon his readers。 It was called 〃The End of Man；〃 〃Memorare novissima tua； et non peccabis in eternum。〃
In his letter to the king and queen he says； 〃Animated as by a heavenly fire； I came to your Highnesses； all who heard of my enterprise mocked it； all the sciences I had acquired profited me as nothing； seven years did I pass in your royal court； disputing the case with persons of great authority and learned in all the arts； and in the end they decided that all was vain。 In your Highnesses alone remained faith and constancy。 Who will doubt that this light was from the Holy Scripture