Chapter III: 29

THE HOME OF THE INDIAN WEED

Columbus secures Queen Isabel’s good-will and help—Overcomes
all difficulties and sets sail in three small vessels from
Palos on his great enterprise westward—Mutiny suppressed—San
Salvador reached after three months’ toil—The officers
land—Natives friendly—Two captured and brought on board
the Santa Maria—A gladsome sight meets their eyes—Cuba
reached; the most beautiful island ever beheld—Clothed with
perennial verdure—Two of the crew sent to explore—Natives
discovered smoking fire-brands—They conceive a passion for
smoking—Columbus collects rarities to take with him to
Spain—Reports to the king and his consort the achievement of
his project—Is received with honour and made high admiral
of a new and powerful fleet with which he returns to the
West Indies—Gonzalo Oviedo, Inspector-general of the newly
discovered country—Fra Ramono Pane sends Peter Martyr the
first written account of tobacco and native method of using
it—Snuff-taking in France—The origin of the name tobacco—Red
Indian’s use of the weed—Oviedo dislikes tobacco—The discovery
of South America—The Aztecs of Mexico—The Italian traveller
Benzoni describes the plant and its uses among the natives—His
strong aversion to it—The origin of the plant related by the
chief of the Susquehanna tribe.