It is in no way strange that the demands of Columbus should have been
thought excessive; indeed, the wonderful thing is that they should,
under any circumstances, have been agreed to. Here was a man, to all
appearances a penniless adventurer, asking for honors, dignities and
rewards which any grandee of Spain might have envied him. That they
should have been granted was due to the impulsive sympathy of Isabella
and the indifference of her royal consort, who said neither yes nor no;
though, in the light of subsequent events, it is not improbable that the
thought may have crossed his mind that royal favor may always be
withdrawn, and that the hand which gives may also take away.
But though Columbus had triumphed in this particular, his trials were by
no means at an end. The little port of Palos was commanded by royal
order to furnish the new Admiral with two small vessels known as
caravels. This was soon done, but no sailors were willing to embark on
such a voyage, the maddest in all history. Only by the most extreme
measures, by impressment and the release of criminals willing to
accompany the expedition in order to get out of jail, were crews
finally provided. A third small vessel was secured, and on the morning
of Friday, August 3, 1492, this tiny fleet of three boats, the Santa
Maria, the Pinta and the Nina, whose combined crews numbered less than
ninety men, sailed out from Palos on the grandest voyage the world has
ever known.
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