Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/149

125 HIS. APPLICATION AT THE COURT. 125 over her counsels. Their representations, combin- chapter ed with the opportune season of the application, '- — occurring at the moment when the approaching termination of the Moorish war allowed room for interest in other objects, wrought so favorable a change in the dispositions of the sovereigns, that they consented to resume the negotiation with Co- lumbus. An invitation was accordingly sent to him to repair to Santa Fe, and a considerable sum provided for his suitable equipment, and his ex- jDenses on the road. -° Columbus, who lost no time in availing himself coiumbusat ' _ _ O Santa Fe. of this welcome intelligence, arrived at the camp in season to witness the surrender of Granada, when every heart, swelling with exultation at the triumphant termination of the war, was naturally disposed to enter with greater confidence on a new career of adventure. At his interview with the king and queen, he once more exhibited the argu- ments on which his hypothesis was founded. He then endeavoured to stimulate the cupidity of his audience, by picturing the realms of Mangi and Cathay, which he confidently expected to reach by this western route, in all the barbaric splendors which had been shed over them by the lively fancy of Marco Polo and other travellers of the middle ages ; and he concluded with appealing to a higher principle, by holding out the prospect of extending 20 Ferreras, Hist. d'Espagne, dentales, dec. 1, lib. 1, cap. 8. — torn. viii. pp. 129, 130. — Muiioz, Navarrete, Coleccion de Viages, Hist, del Nuevo-Mundo, lib. 2, torn, i., introd., sec. 60. sec. 31. — Herrera, Indias Occi-