The Life of the Admiral Christopher Columbus, by his son, Ferdinand.

James asked me about any passages indicating Columbus had been involved in genocide, as is the currently popular accusation flying around politically correct circles. Going by the testimony of Ferdinand, Christopher seems to have repeatedly restrained his people from their evil designs against the Indians. This eventually caused mutinies to break out and almost cost him his life. One example of this is from the last voyage where the last two ships were no longer seaworthy so he put in at Jamaica, sending out a canoe to Espanola for help:

"We being in such straits, God was pleased to bring us to an island abounding in eatables and densely inhabited by Indians eager to trade with us, so that they came from all directions. For this reason, and that his people might not disperse throughout the island, the Admiral preferred to fortify himself aboard and not ashore. Our people being by nature disrespectful, no punishment or order could have stopped them from running about the country and into the Indians' huts to steal what they found and commit outrages on their wives and children, whence would have arisen disputes and quarrels that would have made enemies of them; and if we had taken their food from them by force, we would later have suffered great need and privations." - chapter 101.

In this incident, the canoe reached Espanola, but the governor refused to send help to Columbus, apparently hoping that he would die on Jamaica. One of the officers took a ship back to Spain, outfitted another ship, and then sailed back to Jamaica to finally rescue them - taking about 15 months altogether. Such was the state of the cooperation among the leaders in the New World.

Throughout the book, Columbus is always insisting on fair trade with the Indians, but the adventurers who joined the voyages always seem to have a different agenda. There is plotting and scheming, with every manner of accusation being made against Columbus. At one point Ferdinand includes this little gem regarding a particular group of Indians:

"The fact that they refused to take anything of ours was more evidence that they suspected us of being enchanters, confirming the adage that says a rogue sees himself in every other man." - Chapter 91.

This I have seen many times in my career as those who are corrupt and dishonest usually are the first to accuse others. A friend of mine once cited this as a general principal: "If someone is angry with you for what you have done, whatever it is, accuse them of doing the same thing!" This is a great way to stir up dissension, but I hope no one who reads that quote puts it in practice.

The introduction to this book spends many pages as the translator, Benjamin Keen, reviews the history of Columbus histories. What stands out in this is how each generation seems to take what Ferdinand wrote, but then re-tells the story projecting the values of that current age onto the story telling. This by itself is a very interesting read. Perhaps this is a good justification for my preferred method of fetching the original authors on a particular subject first rather than the derivative works.