larger part of the coastal exploration of North and
South America was carried on during the sixteenth
century.

One of the earliest enterprises of Queen Isabella's
short-lived successor, Philip I. ( 1504-1506), was to
plan in 1506 an elaborate expedition to discover the
Spice Islands. The energetic and experienced Vi-
cente Yañez Pinzon was selected to command it, but
two years, however, elapsed before it finally got off
( June 29, 1508). ¹ Pinzon was accompanied by Juan
Diaz de Solis and Pedro de Ledesma. Starting from
Cuba, he coasted along its southern shore till he
rounded the western end, thus proving it to be an
island. ² Before Pinzon returned, however, it was
officially circumnavigated by Sebastian de Ocampo,
1508. ³ From thence they struck across the Gulf of
Mexico to the scene of Columbus's fourth voyage,
the Bay of Honduras. From Honduras Pinzon and
Solis went carefully over the coast-line of Central
and South America as far as the fortieth degree
south latitude, the longest continuous voyage that
had then been made in American waters. ⁴

-105-