FROM CORDOVA TO CATHAY.

sword, while the blood of their slain was still fresh upon their weapons, the
Spanish sovereigns were again importuned by this Genoese adventurer.

Little wonder that Ferdinand grew impatient and Isabella wearied of his
plea. In the light of their own unsurpassed achievement, when even the
Pope hastened to congratulate them upon their unqualified success in ridding
Europe of the hated Moslems, the schemes of this Unknown must have appeared
ridiculous. The wonder is that they should have maintained him, idle, persis-

 

THE BRIDGE OF PINES.
(Here the royal courier overtook Columbus and turned him back to the discovery of America.)

tent, an attendant upon their camps for years, from Cordova to Granada. At
last, he had gone away disheartened, but he had returned again at the solicitations
of Juan Perez, the queen’s old confessor, and at the instance of Isabella herself.
He had returned as persistent, as calmly confident of ultimate success from some
‘quarter, as before. He abated no jot or particle of his ridiculous demands; he
‘wanted ships and caravels, sailors, provisions, munitions, articles for barter; he
‘demanded that he be made Admiral of the Ocean Sea and Viceroy over the re-
gions discovered ; that he be granted the privileges of the aristocracy, and one
tenth of the revenue of the yet undiscovered country ; in truth there seemed no