Diego Mendez

"Done January 18. "Your father who loves you more than himself.
There is playful reference here to Fonseca, with whom Columbus was evidently now
reconciled; and he was to be buttonholed and made to read the Admiral's letter to the
Pope. Diego Mendez is about to start, and is to make a "long statement"; and in the
meantime the Admiral will write as many long letters as he has time for. Was there no
friend at hand, I wonder, with wit enough to tell the Admiral that every word he wrote
about his grievances was sealing his doom, so far as the King was concerned? No human
being could have endured with patience this continuous heavy firing at long range to
which the Admiral subjected his friends at Court; every post that arrived was loaded with
a shrapnel of grievances, the dull echo of which must have made the ears of those who
heard it echo with weariness. Things were evidently humming in Espanola; large cargoes
of negroes had been sent out to take the place of the dead natives, and under the harsh
driving of Ovando the mines were producing heavily. The vessels that arrived from the
Indies brought a great deal of gold; "but none for me."
Letter written by CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS to his Son, DON DIEGO, February 5,
1505.
"VERY DEAR SON,—Diego Mendez left here Monday, the 3rd of this month. After his
departure I talked with Amerigo Vespucci, the bearer of this letter, who is going yonder,
where he is called in regard to matters of navigation. He was always desirous of pleasing
me. He is a very honourable man. Fortune has been adverse to him as it has been to many
others. His labours have not profited him as much as reason demands. He goes for me,
and is very desirous of doing something to benefit me if it is in his power. I do not know
of anything in which I can instruct him to my benefit, because I do not know what is
wanted of him there. He is going with the determination to do everything for me in his
power. See what he can do to profit me there, and strive to have him do it; for he will do
everything, and will speak and will place it in operation: and it must all be done secretly
so that there may be no suspicion.
"I have told him all that could be told regarding this matter, and have informed him of the
payment which has been made to me and is being made. This letter is for the Lord
Adelantado also, that he may see how Amerigo Vespucci can be useful, and advise him
about it. His Highness may believe that his ships went to the best and richest of the
Indies, and if anything remains to be learned more than has been told, I will give the
information yonder verbally, because it is impossible to give it in writing. May our Lord
have you in his Holy keeping.
"Done in Seville, February 5.
"Your father who loves you more than himself.
This letter has a significance which raises it out of the ruck of this complaining
correspondence. Amerigo Vespucci had just returned from his long voyage in the West,
when he had navigated along an immense stretch of the coast of America, both north and
south, and had laid the foundations of a fame which was, for a time at least, to eclipse
that of Columbus. Probably neither of the two men realised it at this interview, or
Columbus would hardly have felt so cordially towards the man who was destined to rob
him of so much glory. As a matter of fact the practical Spaniards were now judging
entirely by results; and a year or two later, when the fame of Columbus had sunk to
insignificance, he was merely referred to as the discoverer of certain islands, while
Vespucci, who after all had only followed in his lead, was hailed as the discoverer of a
great continent. Vespucci has been unjustly blamed for this state of affairs, although he
could no more control the public estimate of his services than Columbus could. He was a
more practical man than Columbus, and he made a much better impression on really wise
and intelligent men; and his discoveries were immediately associated with trade and
colonial development, while Columbus had little to show for his discoveries during his
lifetime but a handful of gold dust and a few cargoes of slaves. At any rate it was a
graceful act on the part of Vespucci, whose star was in the ascendant, to go and seek out
the Admiral, whose day was fast verging to night; it was one of those disinterested
actions that live and have a value of their own, and that shine out happily amid the
surrounding murk and confusion.
Letter signed by CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS to DON DIEGO, his Son, February 25,
1505.
"VERY DEAR SON,—The Licientiate de Zea is a person whom I desire to honour. He
has in his charge two men who are under prosecution at the hands of justice, as shown by
the information which is inclosed in this letter. See that Diego Mendez places the said
petition with the others, that they may be given to his Highness during Holy Week for
pardon. If the pardon is granted, it is well, and if not, look for some other manner of
obtaining it. May our Lord have you in His Holy keeping. Done in Seville, February 25,
1505. I wrote you and sent it by Amerigo Vespucci. See that he sends you the letter
unless you have already received it.