Botanists were called
upon to decide which Spanish fruits and vegetables might best be
transplanted to the new islands; arrangements were made for shipping
horses (which were lacking there), also sheep and cows.
Plans were soon drawn up for towns and cities--not mere log-cabin
villages such as the later English and Dutch colonists were content
with--and a handsome cathedral was to be begun in Haiti, and filled
with paintings and carvings and other works of art. In fact, no material
detail was overlooked to make the new settlements worthy of their mother
country. Where the effort failed was in selecting the men to be sent
out, not in the things sent. If only the proper individuals had been
sent to Columbus's islands, all these other details might have taken
care of themselves in the course of time.
The second expedition was to be on a very large scale. It had to be
assembled quickly lest other nations, learning of the discovery, or the
one nation that had already learned of it, might get there first;
wherefore Fonseca and Columbus were authorized to buy, at their own
price, any boat lying in any port of Andalusia that was suitable for the
long journey; if its owner protested against the price named, they had
authority to seize it. The same system applied to provisions and other
equipment for the voyage--these must be given at the government's price,
else the government, represented by Columbus and Fonseca, would seize
them.
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