all
the parts of his body well proportioned. His hair was decidedly reddish,
and the complexion of his face quite florid and marked with spots of
red."

Bishop Las Casas knew the admiral personally, and describes him in these
terms: "He was above the middle stature, his face was long and striking,
his nose was aquiline, his eyes clear blue, his complexion light,
tending towards a distinct florid expression, his beard and hair blonde
in his youth, but they were blanched at an early age by care."

Las Casas says in another place, "he was rude in bearing, and careless as
to his language. He was, however, gracious when he chose to be, but he
was angry when he was annoyed."

Mr. Harrisse, who has collected these particulars from the different
writers, says that this physical type may be frequently met now in the
city and neighborhood of Genoa. He adds, "as for the portraits, whether
painted, engraved, or in sculpture, which appear in collections, in
private places, or as prints, there is not one which is authentic. They
are all purely imaginary."

For the purpose of the illustration of this volume, we have used that
which is best known, and for many reasons most interesting. It is
preserved in the city of Florence, but neither the name of the artist
nor the date of the picture is known. It is generally spoken of as the
"Florentine portrait." The engraving follows an excellent copy, made
by the order of Thomas Jefferson, and now in the possession of the
Massachusetts Historical Society. We are indebted to the government of
this society for permission to use it.(*)

(*) The whole subject of the portraits of Columbus is
carefully discussed in a learned paper presented to the
Wisconsin Historical Society by Dr. James Davie Butler, and
published in the Collections of that Society, Vol. IX, pp.
79-96.

A picture ascribed to Titian, and engraved and circulated by the
geographer, Jomard, resembles closely the portraits of Philip III. The
costume is one which Columbus never wore.

In his youth Columbus was affiliated with a religious brotherhood, that
of Saint Catherine, in Genoa. In after times, on many occasions when it
would have been supposed that he would be richly clothed, he appeared
in a grave dress which recalled the recollections of the frock of the
religious order of Saint Francis. According to Diego Columbus, he
died, "dressed in the frock of this order, to which he had always been
atta