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diff --git a/old/12325-8.txt b/old/12325-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8b201c1 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/12325-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,19611 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A General History and Collection of Voyages +and Travels, Vol. III., by Robert Kerr + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. III. + Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the + Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea + and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time + + +Author: Robert Kerr + +Release Date: May 11, 2004 [EBook #12325] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGES AND TRAVELS, VOL. III *** + + + + +Produced by Robert Connal, Allen Siddle and PG Distributed +Proofreaders. This file was produced from images generously made +available by the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions + + + + + +[Transcriber's note: The spelling and punctuation inconsistencies and +typographical errors of the original have been preserved in this etext.] + + + +A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS, + +ARRANGED IN SYSTEMATIC ORDER: + +FORMING A COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF NAVIGATION, +DISCOVERY, AND COMMERCE, BY SEA AND LAND, FROM THE EARLIEST AGES TO THE +PRESENT TIME. + + +BY + + +ROBERT KERR, F.R.S. & F.A.S. EDIN. + +ILLUSTRATED BY MAPS AND CHARTS. + +VOL. III. + +WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, EDINBURGH: +AND T. CADELL, LONDON +MDCCCXXIV + + * * * * * + + + + +CONTENTS OF VOL III. + + +PART II. CONTINUED. + +BOOK II. HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, AND OF SOME OF THE EARLY +CONQUESTS IN THE NEW WORLD + +CHAP. I. History of the discovery of America, by Christopher Columbus, +written by his son Don Ferdinand Columbus, Introduction, Epochs of +American discovery, Authors Preface. + +SECT. + I. Of the country, original, and name of Admiral Christopher + Columbus; with other particulars of his life previous to his arrival in + Portugal. + + II. Of his first coming to Portugal, and the motives of his + proposing to discover the West Indies. + + III. The Admiral, disgusted by the procedure of the King of + Portugal, in regard to the proposed discovery, offers his services + to the court of Spain. + + IV. Narrative of the First Voyage of Columbus, in which he actually + discovered the New World[1]. + + VI. Second Voyage of Columbus to the West Indies. + + VII. Account of the antiquities, ceremonies, and religion of the + natives of Hispaniola, collected by F. Roman, by order of the Admiral. + + VIII. The Admiral returns to Spain from his second voyage. + + IX. Account of the Admirals Third Voyage, during which he discovered + the continent of Paria; with the occurrences to his arrival in + Hispaniola. + + X. An account of the Rebellion in Hispaniola, previous to the arrival + of the Admiral. + + XI. Continuation of the troubles after the return of the Admiral to + Hispaniola, to their adjustment. + + XII. Transactions in Hispaniola subsequent to the settlement of the + disturbances, until the sending of Columbus in irons to Spain. + + XIII. Account of the Fourth Voyage of Columbus to the West Indies. + +CHAP. II. Account of the Discovery of America, by Christopher Columbus; +by Antonio de Herrera. + +SECT. + I. Of the knowledge of the Ancients respecting the New World. + + II. Of the motives which led Columbus to believe that there were + unknown countries. + + III. Columbus proposes his design to the King and Queen of Spain; which, + after many repulses, is adopted by the Queen. + + IV. Conditions granted to Columbus by the crown of Castile, and an + account of his First Voyage, in which he discovered the New World. + + V. Continuation of the voyage; signs of approaching land; the people + mutiny, and the Admiral endeavours to appease them. + + VI. Discovery of the Islands of San Salvador, the Conception, + Ferdinandina, Isabella, and others; with a description of these Islands, + and some account of the Natives. + + VII. Discovery of Cuba and Hispaniola, and desertion of Martin Alonzo + Pinzon. + + VIII. Farther discovery of Hispaniola; simplicity of the natives; the + Admiral loses his ship, and resolves to settle a colony in the island. + + IX. The Admiral builds a fort in Hispaniola, and prepares for his return + to Spain. + + X. Account of the Voyage home from Hispaniola to Lisbon. + + XI. From the arrival of Columbus at Lisbon till the commencement of his + Second Voyage to the New World. + + XII. Second Voyage of Columbus to the West Indies, and establishment of + Isabella, the first European colony in the New World. + + XIII. Columbus proceeds to explore the coast of Cuba, discovers the + island of Jamaica, and returns to Isabella in Hispaniola. + + XIV. Summary of occurrences in Hispaniola, to the return of Columbus + into Spain from his Second Voyage. + + XV. Conclusion of the discoveries of Columbus. + +CHAP. III. The voyages of Americus Vespucius to the New World, +Introduction. + +SECT. + I. The First Voyage of Vespucius. + + II. The Second Voyage of Americus Vespucius. + + III. The Third voyage of Americus Vespucius. + + IV. The Fourth voyage of Americus Vespucius. + +CHAP. IV. Summary of the discoveries and settlements of the Spaniards in +the West Indies, from the death of Columbus to the expedition of Hernando +Cortes against Mexico, Introduction. + +SECT. + I. Improvements made in the colony of Hispaniola, by Nicholas de + Obando, and the great value of gold procured in that island during his + government. + + II. Settlement of Porto Rico under Juan Ponce de Leon. + + III. Don James Columbus is appointed to the government of the Spanish + dominions in the West Indies. + + IV. Settlement of a Pearl Fishery at the island of Cubagua. + + V. Alonzo de Hojeda and Diego de Nicuessa are commissioned to make + discoveries and settlements in the New World, with an account of the + adventures and misfortunes of Hojeda. + + VI. The history of Vasco Nugnez de Balboa, and the establishment, by + his means, of the colony of Darien. + + VII. The adventures, misfortunes, and death of Don Diego de Nicuessa, + the founder of the colony of Nombre de Dios. + + VIII. The conquest and settlement of the island of Cuba by Diego + Velasquez. + + IX. The strange expedition of Juan Ponce de Leon in search of the + Fountain of Youth, in which he discovered Florida and the Bahama + Channel. + + X. The martyrdom of two Dominican Friars on the coast of Venezuela, + through the avarice of the Spaniards. + + XI. Discoveries on the continent of America, by command of Velasquez, + under the conduct of Francis Hernandez de Cordova. + + XII. Farther discoveries on the continent by Juan Grijalva, under the + orders of Velasquez, by which a way is opened to Mexico or New Spain. + +CHAP. V. History of the discovery and conquest of Mexico, written in the +year 1568, by Captain Bernal Diaz del Castillo, one of the conquerors, +Introduction, Preface by the Author. + +SECT. + I. Expedition of Hernandez de Cordova in 1517. + + II. Expedition of Juan de Grijalva in 1518. + + III. Commencement of the expedition of Hernando Cortes for the conquest + of Mexico, in 1518. + + IV. Arrival of the armament at St Juan de Ulua, and account of + occurrences at that place. + + V. The Spanish army advances into the country; an account of their + proceedings before commencing their march to Mexico. + + +[1] By error of the press, a considerable part of this Section is + marked in the running title as Section V. and the next is numbered + Section VI. so that, numerically only, Section V; is entirely omitted. + + +[Illustration: West Indies] + + + +A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS. + + +PART II. + +BOOK II. + +HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, AND OF SOME OF THE EARLY CONQUESTS +IN THE NEW WORLD. + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAP. I. + +HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, BY CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS; WRITTEN BY +HIS SON DON FERDINAND COLUMBUS[1]. + +INTRODUCTION. + +[Illustration: West Indies] + +The whole of this chapter contains an original record, being a distinct +narrative of the discovery of America by COLUMBUS, written by his own son, +who accompanied him in his latter voyages. It has been adopted into the +present work from the Collection of Voyages and Travels published at +London in 1704, by Awnsham and John Churchill, in four volumes folio; in +which it is said to have been translated from the original Italian of Don +Ferdinand Columbus, expressly for the use of that work. The language of +that translation is often obscure and ungrammatical, as if the work of a +foreigner; but, having no access to the original, has necessarily been +adopted for the present occasion, after being carefully revised and +corrected. No farther alteration has been taken with that version, except +a new division into sections, instead of the prolix and needlessly minute +subdivision of the original translation into a multitude of chapters; +which change was necessary to accommodate this interesting original +document to our plan of arrangement; and except in a few rare instances, +where uninteresting controversial argumentations have been somewhat +abridged, and even these chiefly because the original translator left the +sense obscure or unintelligible, from ignorance of the language or of the +subject. + +It is hardly necessary to remark, that the new grand division of the world +which was discovered by this _great navigator_, ought from him to +have been named COLUMBIA. Before setting out upon this grand discovery, +which was planned entirely by his own transcendent genius, he was misled +to believe that the new lands he proposed to go in search of formed an +extension of the _India_, which was known to the ancients; and still +impressed with that idea, occasioned by the eastern longitudes of Ptolemy +being greatly too far extended, he gave the name of _West Indies_ to +his discovery, because he sailed to them westwards; and persisted in that +denomination, even after he had certainly ascertained that they were +interposed between the Atlantic ocean and Japan, the Zipangu, or Zipangri +of Marco Polo, of which and Cathay or China, he first proposed to go in +search. + +Between the _third_ and _fourth_ voyages of COLUMBUS, _Ojeda_, an officer +who had accompanied him in his _second_ voyage, was surreptitiously sent +from Spain, for the obvious purpose of endeavouring to curtail the vast +privileges which had been conceded to Columbus, as admiral and viceroy of +all the countries he might discover; that the court of Spain might have a +colour for excepting the discoveries made by others from the grant which +had been conferred on him, before its prodigious value was at all thought +of. Ojeda did little more than revisit some of the previous discoveries of +Columbus: Perhaps he extended the knowledge of the coast of Paria. In this +expedition, Ojeda was accompanied by an Italian named _Amerigo_ or +_Almerico Vespucci_, whose name was Latinized, according to the custom of +that age, into _Americus Vespucius_. This person was a Florentine, and +appears to have been a man of science, well skilled in navigation and +geography. On his return to Europe, he published the first description +that appeared of the newly discovered continent and islands in the west, +which had hitherto been anxiously endeavoured to be concealed by the +monopolizing jealousy of the Spanish government. Pretending to have been +the first discoverer of the _continent_ of the _New World_, he +presumptuously gave it the appellation of _America_ after his own name; +and the inconsiderate applause of the European literati has perpetuated +this usurped denomination, instead of the legitimate name which the new +quarter of the world ought to have received from that of the real +discoverer. + +Attempts have been made in latter times, to rob COLUMBUS of the honour of +having discovered _America_, by endeavouring to prove that the _West +Indies_ were known in Europe before his first voyage. In some maps in the +library of St Mark at Venice, said to have been drawn in 1436, many +islands are inserted to the _west_ of Europe and Africa. The most +_easterly_ of these are supposed in the first place to be the Azores, +Madeira, the Canaries and Cape Verds. Beyond these, but at no great +distance towards the _west_, occurs the _Ysola de Antillia_; which we may +conclude, even allowing the date of the map to be genuine, to be a mere +gratuitous or theoretic supposition, and to have received that strange +name, because the obvious and natural idea of _Antipodes_ had been +anathematized by Catholic ignorance. Still farther to the _north-west_, +another fabulous island is laid down, under the strange appellation of +_Delaman Satanaxia_, or the land created by the hand of Satan. This latter +may possibly have some reference to an ignorant position of Iceland. Both +were probably theoretic, for the fancied purpose of _preserving a balance_ +on the globe with the continents and islands already known; an idea which +was transferred by learned theorists, and even persisted in for a +considerable part of the eighteenth century, under the name of the _Terra +Australis incognita_; and was only banished by the enlightened voyages of +scientific discovery, conducted under the auspices of our present +venerable sovereign. + +The globe of Martin Behaim, in 1492, repeats the island of _Antillia_, and +inserts beyond it to the _west_, the isle of St Brandan or Ima, from a +fabulous work of the middle ages. Occasion has already occurred to notice +two other ancient pretended discoveries of the New World: the fabulous +voyages of the Zenos, another Venetian tale; and the equally fabulous +Portuguese island of the _Seven Churches_, abounding in gold, and +inhabited by Spanish or Portuguese Christians. Britain even had its Madoc +prince of North Wales; and a _white_ nomadic nation in North America, +speaking _Welsh_, is still among the puerile fancies of this nineteenth +century. + +All these pretended proofs of any previous knowledge of the _western_ +world, resolve into complete demonstrations of perfect ignorance, even in +the art of deception and forgery. Not only is the world indebted to +COLUMBUS for this great and brilliant discovery, but every subsequent +improvement in navigation, geography and hydrography, is justly +attributable to his illustrious example. Much and deservedly as our COOK +and his coadjutors and followers have merited from their country and the +world, they are all to be considered as pupils of the truly great +archnavigator COLUMBUS; himself a worthy scholar from the nautical academy +of the truly illustrious and enlightened father of discoveries, DON HENRY. +All other discoveries, whether nautical or by land, dwindle into mere +ordinary events, when compared with his absolutely solitary exertion of +previous scientific views. The sagacious and almost prophetic induction, +persevering ardour, cosmographical, nautical, and astronomical skill, +which centered in COLUMBUS, from the first conception to the perfect +completion of this great and important enterprize, the discovery of a +large portion of the globe which had lain hid for thousands of years from +the knowledge of civilization and science, is altogether unexampled. He +was incontestibly the first bold and scientific mariner who ever dared to +launch out into the trackless ocean, trusting solely to the guidance of +the needle and the stars, and to his own transcendent skill and +intrepidity. + +There can be no doubt that Greenland, in some measure an appendage of +America, was discovered in 982, by the Norwegians or their Icelandic +colony; and that the same people accidentally fell in with Newfoundland, +or a part of Labradore, in 1003; of which early real discoveries +particular notices have been taken in the first part of this work. But +these were entirely accidental, and were lost to the world long before +COLUMBUS began his glorious career; and do not in the least degree detract +from the merit or originality of his discovery. + +The name even of the great COLUMBUS has of late been fastidiously +endeavoured to be rejected, in favour of the Spanish appellation _Colon_, +which he adopted on entering into that service, which repaid him with base +ingratitude and cruel injuries for his transcendent services. It will be +seen, however, from the authority of his own son, that the original name +of his family was _Colombi_; though some branches in other parts of Italy +had adopted the modern or middle age Roman name of _Collona_. COLUMBUS, +therefore, ought certainly to remain in our language as the Latinized +original name of this illustrious person. + +In supplement to the history of Columbus by his son, we have chosen to +give an account of the first Discovery of America, by _Herrera_ the royal +historiographer of Spain. To some readers this may appear superfluous: But, +as _Don Ferdinand Columbus_ may naturally enough be supposed to have +written under a degree of partial attachment to the glory of his immortal +father, it seems fortunate that we possess an authentic early history of +the same unparalleled event, from a more certainly impartial and well +informed author, having access to the public archives. That portion of our +work is given as an original record, almost without any remark; leaving it +to the ingenious industry of such of our readers as may be so disposed, to +make a critical comparison between the work of _Don Ferdinand Columbus_, a +rare and valuable monument of filial piety, and that of _Antonio de +Herrera_. We have only to regret, that the transcendent genius, who +possessed the unexampled sagacity to devise, and the singular good +fortune, perseverance, capacity, and conduct, to succeed in _Discovering +the Western Hemisphere_, had not sufficient health and leisure to have +favoured the world with his own _commentaries_ of this greatest +enterprise that was ever achieved by man.--_Ed_. + + * * * * * + + +_Abridged Series of the Epochs of American Discovery_[2]. + +A.D. 982. East Greenland discovered by the Norwegians or Icelanders, who +planted a small colony. This was long afterwards shut in by the +accumulation of arctic ice, and entirely lost. + +1003. Winland, either Newfoundland or Labradore, was discovered by the +Icelanders, but soon abandoned and forgotten. + +1492, August 3d. COLUMBUS commenced his first voyage. 12th October +discovered _Guanahani_, one of the _Bahama_ group, which he named _St +Salvador_, now named _Cat Island_. In this voyage, besides several others +of the Bahama islands, he discovered _Cuba_ and _Hispaniola_, leaving a +colony in the latter, which was cut off by the natives. He returned to +Spain from this voyage on the 4th March 1493. + +1494, September 25th. Second voyage of COLUMBUS began; in which he +discovered the _Carribbee_ islands, and founded a permanent colony in +_Hispaniola_ or Haiti. He returned from this voyage in 1496. + +1497. _Giovanni Gabotta_, a Venetian, employed by Henry VII. of England, +discovered _Newfoundland_, and traced the eastern coast of North America +as far south as _Virginia_. + +1498. Third voyage of COLUMBUS, in which he discovered _Trinidad_ and the +coast of Paria in _South America_; now called the _Spanish Main_ by the +English. He was _sent home in irons_ from Hispaniola in 1500. + +1499. _Ojeda_ was sent from Spain to interfere with the great privileges +granted to COLUMBUS; but did very little more than retrace some of his +previous discoveries. In this voyage, as already mentioned, Ojeda was +accompanied by _Americus Vespucius_, who usurped the right of giving the +_New World_ his own name _America_, which still continues universal. + +1500. _Cabral_, a Portuguese admiral, while on a voyage to India, +accidentally discovered Brazil. + +In this year likewise, _Corte de Real_, a Portuguese navigator, +discovered Labradore, while in search of a _north-west_ passage to India. + +1502. _Fourth_, voyage of COLUMBUS, in which he discovered the +continental coast, from _Honduras_ to near the Isthmus of _Darien_. + +1513. _Vasco Nunez de Balboa_, descried the _Pacific Ocean_, or great +_South Sea_, and waded into the waves, taking formal possession for the +crown of Spain; and even embarked on that ocean in a canoe, as a more +formal act of conquest. + +In the same year, _Florida_ was first discovered by _Ponce de Leon_, a +Spanish officer. + +1515. The continent of _South America_ was explored down to the _Rio de +la Plata_. + +1519. _Cortez_ began the conquest of _Mexico_, which he accomplished in +1521. + +About the same time, _Magalhaens_, usually named Magellan, explored the +_Pacific Ocean_. + +1526. _Pizarro_ visited the coast of _Peru_, which he invaded in 1530, +and _afterwards conquered_. + + +[1] Churchills Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. II. 479. + +[2] From Pinkertons Modern Geography. + + * * * * * + + + + +THE AUTHORS PREFACE. + +Because admiral DON CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, my father, was a person most +worthy to be held in eternal remembrance, it seems reasonable that _I his +son_, who sailed some time along with him, should to my other performances +add this my chiefest work: _The history of his life, and of his wonderful +discovery of the West Indies_. + +In consequence of his great and continual sufferings, and the diseases he +long laboured under, my father had not time to reduce his own notes and +observations into historical order; and these having fallen to me, enable +me to execute the present undertaking. Knowing that many others had +undertaken to execute this task, I long delayed its performance. But, +having read those other narratives, I found that they exaggerated many +circumstances, had passed lightly over other matters of importance, and +had even entirely omitted much that was deserving of particular notice. +From these considerations I have been induced to publish this work; +thinking it more becoming that I should undergo the censure of wanting +skill, rather than to permit the truth respecting my noble father to +remain in oblivion. Whatever may be the faults in this performance, these +will not be owing to my ignorance of the truth; for I pledge myself to set +down nothing which I do not find in his own papers or letters, or of which +I have not actually been a witness. + +In the following work, the reader will find a faithful record of all the +reasons which induced the admiral to enter upon his great and glorious +and successful enterprize, and will learn how far he personally proceeded +in his _four_ several voyages to the New World. He will see what great +and honourable articles were conceded to him, before going upon his great +discovery, by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, how basely all these +were violated, and he most unworthily and inhumanly treated, after +performing such unparalleled services; how far he established the affairs +of Hispaniola, the first settlement of the Spaniards in the New World; +and what care he took that the _Indians_ should not be oppressed, but +rather prevailed on by kind usage and good example, to embrace the +Catholic faith. In this work, likewise, will be found a faithful picture +of the manners and customs of the Indians, an account of their opinions +and practices respecting religion, and every thing that can reasonably be +looked for in a work like the present: The foundation for which was laid +by the great discoverer, and the superstructure raised by me his own son, +who possessed every advantage derivable from a liberal education and the +possession of authentic original documents, to fit me for executing a +work of such importance. + + + + +SECTION I. + +_Of the Country, Original, and Name of Admiral Christopher Columbus; with +other particulars of his Life previous to his arrival in Portugal._ + + +It is a material circumstance in the history of a great man to make known +his country and original, as those are best esteemed in the world who are +derived from noble cities and born of illustrious parents. Wherefore some +would have engaged me to prove that the admiral my father was honourably +descended, although his parents, through the fickleness of fortune, had +fallen into great poverty. Those persons required me to prove that his +ancestors descended from _Junius Colomus_, who, as Tacitus relates, +brought Mithridates a prisoner to Rome, for which service he was raised +by the Roman people to the consulate. They would likewise have induced me +to give an account at large of the two illustrious _Colomi_ his +predecessors, who gained a great victory over the Venetians, as recorded +by Sabellius, and which shall be mentioned in this work. But considering +that my father seemed to have been peculiarly chosen by the Almighty for +the great work which he performed, and may be considered in some measure +as an apostle of the Lord by carrying the gospel among the heathen; and +that the other apostles were called upon from the sea and the rivers, and +not from courts and palaces, by him whose progenitors were of the royal +blood of the Jews, yet who was pleased that they should be in a low and +unknown estate: And seeing that God had gifted my father with those +personal qualities which so well fitted him for so great an undertaking, +he was himself inclined that his country and original might remain hidden +and obscure. + +Some who would throw a cloud upon his fame, have alleged that he was from +Nerni, others from Cuguero, and others from Bugiesco, all small towns in +the Riviera of Genoa: While others again, who were disposed rather to +exalt his origin, say that he was a native of Savona, others of Genoa, +and some more vain, make him to have been a native of Placentia, where +there are some honourable persons of the name, and several tombs having +the arms and inscriptions of the family of Columbus, which was the usual +sirname of his predecessors; but he, in compliance with the country where +he went to reside, modelled the name in resemblance of the ancients to +Colon, thereby distinguishing the direct descent from the collateral +lines. + +Many names have been given by secret impulse, to denote the effects those +persons were to produce; and as most of my fathers affairs were guarded by +some special providence, his name and sirname were not without some +mysterious significations. Thus, considering the sirname of his ancestors, +Columbus or Columba, since he conveyed the grace of the Holy Ghost into +that New World which he discovered, shewing the knowledge of the beloved +Son of God to those people who knew him not, as was done by the Holy Ghost +in the form of a _Dove_ at the baptism of St John; and because, like Noahs +dove, he carried the olive branch and the oil of baptism across the waters +of the ocean, to denote the peace and union of those people with the +church, which had long been shut up in the ark of darkness and ignorance. +So likewise of the sirname of Colon which he revived, which was +appropriate to him as signifying a member; and, in conjunction with his +sirname of Christopher, denoted that he was a member of Christ, by whom +salvation was to be conveyed to the heathen people whom he discovered. +Thus, as St Christopher received that name because he carried Christ over +the deep waters with great danger to himself; so the admiral Christopher +Colonus, imploring the protection of Christ, safely carried himself and +his people over the unknown ocean, that those Indian nations which he +discovered might become citizens and inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem. +For many souls, whom the Devil expected for his prey, were through his +means passed through the water of baptism, and made inhabitants of the +eternal glory of heaven. + +To return to the quality and persons of his progenitors; however +considerable they may once have been, it is certain that they were reduced +to poverty and want, through the long wars and factions in Lombardy. I +have not been able to discover in what manner they lived; though in one of +his letters the admiral asserted that his ancestors and himself had always +traded by sea. While passing through Cuguero, I endeavoured to receive +some information on this subject from two brothers of the _Colombi_, who +were the richest in those parts, and who were reported to be somewhat +related to him; but the youngest of them being above an hundred years old, +they could give me no information. Neither do I conceive this any +dishonour to us his descendants; as I think it better that all our honour +be derived from his own person, without inquiring whether his father were +a merchant, or a nobleman who kept hawks and hounds. There have been +thousands such in all parts, whose memory was soon lost among their +neighbours and kindred, so that no memorials remain of there ever having +been such men. I am therefore of opinion, that the nobility of such men +would reflect less lustre upon me than the honour I receive from such a +father: And, since his honourable exploits made him stand in no need of +the wealth of predecessors, who though poor were not destitute of virtue, +he ought from his name and worth to have been raised by authors above the +rank of mechanics or peasants. + +Should any one be disposed to affirm that the predecessors of my father +were handicrafts, founding upon the assertion of Justiniani, I shall not +engage to prove the contrary; for, as the writing of Justiniani is not to +be considered as an article of faith, so I have received the contrary from +a thousand persons. Neither shall I endeavour to prove the falsehood of +his history from those other authors who have written concerning my father; +but shall convict him of falsehood out of his own writings and by his own +testimony; thus verifying proverb which says "that _liars ought to have +good memories_," because otherwise they contradict themselves, as +Justiniani has done in this case, of which I propose to exhibit sufficient +proofs. + +In his comparison of the four languages, when commenting upon that passage +in the psalms, "In omnem terrarum exivit sonus eorum," he says, "This +Christopher Columbus having acquired some rudiments of learning in his +tender years, applied himself to navigation when he came to manhood, and +went to Lisbon, where he learned cosmography from a brother who there made +sea charts; in consequence of which improvement, and by discoursing with +those who had sailed to St George del Mina in Africa, and through his own +reading in cosmography, he entertained thoughts of sailing towards those +countries which he afterwards discovered." Hence, contrary to the +assertion of Justiniani, it appears from his own words that my father +followed no handicraft or mechanic employment, but devoted his childhood +to learning, his youth to navigation and cosmography, and his riper years +to discoveries. Thus Justiniani convicts himself of falsehood, and proves +himself inconsiderate, rash, and malicious. When he had occasion to speak +of so renowned a person who reflected so great honour on his country, +although the admirals parents had even been very mean, it had been more +decent in mentioning his origin, as other authors have done, to have said +that he was of low parentage or come of very poor people, instead of +falsely calling him a mechanic, as he did in his Psalter, and afterwards +in his Chronicle. Even supposing he had not contradicted himself, reason +might have shewn that a man who had been bred up in a mechanical +employment, must grow old in it to become a perfect master, and could not +from his youth have travelled into so many countries, or have attained so +much knowledge and learning as his actions demonstrate; more especially in +those four principal sciences which were so indispensably necessary to fit +him for what he performed, astronomy, cosmography, geometry, and +navigation. It is not much to be wondered that Justiniani should be guilty +of untruth in this circumstance, which is hidden, since he has inserted +above a dozen falsehoods in half a sheet of paper in his Psalter, in +matters concerning this discovery and navigation, which are well known. +These I shall briefly mention, without staying to give him any answer, +that I may not interrupt the series of the history; and because from its +tenor, and by what has been written by others on that subject, the +falsehood of his writing will distinctly appear. + +The _first_ falsehood is, that the admiral went to Lisbon to learn +cosmography from a brother of his own who was settled in that place. This +is utterly contrary to the truth; since he lived in that city before the +arrival of his brother, and taught his brother what he knew instead of +learning from him. The _second_ falsehood is, that their Catholic +majesties Ferdinand and Isabella accepted his proposal at his first coming +to Castile, after it had been seven years bandied about and rejected by +all men. The _third_, that he set out upon his discovery with two ships; +whereas the truth is, that he had three caravels in his first voyage. The +_fourth_, that his first discovery was Hispaniola; whereas the first land +he came to was Guanahani, which he named St Salvador, or St Saviour. The +_fifth_, that the island of Hispaniola was inhabited by cannibals; while +the truth is, that its inhabitants were the best and most civilized people +in all those parts. The _sixth_, that he took the canoe or Indian boat +which he first saw by force of arms; whereas it is certain that he had no +hostilities in the first voyage with any of the Indians, and continued in +peace and amity with them until his departure from Hispaniola. The +_seventh_, that he returned by way of the Canary Islands, which is by no +means the proper route. The _eighth_, that he dispatched a messenger from +the Canaries to their Catholic majesties; whereas it is certain he was not +at these islands on his return, and that he was his own messenger. The +_ninth_, that he went with _twelve_ ships on his second voyage, while he +actually had _seventeen_. The _tenth_, that he arrived at Hispaniola in +twenty days, which is too short a time to reach the nearest islands; and +he certainly did not perform the second voyage in two months, and besides +went to other islands much farther distant before going to Hispaniola. The +_eleventh_, that he immediately afterwards went from Hispaniola with two +ships, whereas he certainly went to Cuba with three vessels. The _twelfth_ +falsehood is, that Hispaniola is four hours (difference in longitude) +distant from Spain; while the admiral reckoned it to be five. The +_thirteenth_, to add one to the dozen, is that the western point of Cuba +is six hours distant from Hispaniola; making a farther distance of +longitude from Hispaniola to Cuba, than from Spain to Hispaniola. + +By the foregoing examples of negligence, in inquiring into the truth of +those particulars which are plain and easy to have been learnt, we may +divine what inquiry he made into those which are obscure and in which he +contradicts himself, as already proved. But, laying aside this fruitless +controversy, I shall only add that, in consideration of the many +falsehoods in the Chronicle and Psalter of Justiniani, the senate of Genoa +have imposed a penalty upon any person within their jurisdiction who shall +read or keep those books, and have ordered that they shall be carefully +sought after and destroyed. + +To conclude this disquisition, I assert that the admiral, so far from +being a person occupied with the vile employments of mechanics or +handicraft trades, was a man of learning and experience, and entirely +occupied in such studies and exercises as fitted him for and became the +glory and renown of his most wonderful discoveries; and I shall close this +chapter with an extract from a letter which he wrote to the nurse of +Prince John of Castile. "I am not the first admiral of my family, let them +give me what name they please. After all, that most prudent king David was +first a shepherd, and was afterwards chosen king of Jerusalem; and I am a +servant to the same Lord who raised him to so great dignity." + +In his person the admiral was above the middle stature and well shaped, +having rather a long visage, with somewhat full cheeks, yet neither fat +nor lean. His complexion was very fair with delicately red cheeks, having +fair hair in his youth, which became entirely grey at thirty years of age. +He had a hawk nose, with fair eyes. In his eating and drinking, and in his +dress, he was always temperate and modest. In his demeanour he was affable +to strangers and kind and condescending to his domestics and dependents, +yet with a becoming modesty and dignified gravity of manner, tempered with +easy politeness. His regard for religion was so strict and sincere, even +in keeping the prescribed fasts and reciting all the offices of the church, +that he might have been supposed professed in one of the religious orders; +and so great was his abhorrence to profane swearing that I never heard him +use any other oath than by St Ferdinand; and even in the greatest passion, +his only imprecation was "God take you." When about to write, his usual +way of trying his pen was in these words, _Jesu cum Maria sit nobis in +via_; and in so fair a character as might have sufficed to gain his bread +by writing. + +Passing over many particulars of his character, manners, and disposition, +which will appear in the course of this history, I shall now only mention +that, in his tender years he applied himself to such studies at Pavia as +fitted him to understand cosmography, his favourite science; for which +purpose he chiefly devoted himself to the study of geometry and astronomy, +without which, it is impossible to make any proficiency in cosmography. +And, because Ptolemy, in the preface to his cosmography, asserts that no +person can be a good cosmographer without a thorough knowledge of drawing; +he therefore learnt to draw, so as to be able to delineate not only the +exact outlines of countries, but to express their cosmographical features, +whether having plain surfaces or interspersed with hills and vallies. + +Having laid a foundation in the before-mentioned sciences, he went to sea, +and made several voyages both to the east and west[1]: But of these, and +many other circumstances respecting his early years I have no perfect +knowledge. I was so young at his death, that owing to filial respect, I +had not the boldness to ask an account from him of the incidents of his +youth, and besides I was not then interested in such inquiries. But some +account of these things may be gleaned from his letters to their Catholic +majesties, to whom he would not dare to write any thing but the truth. In +one of these letters, written in the year 1501, he says, + +"Most Serene Princes! I went to sea when very young, and have continued to +the present day; and this art of navigation inclines those who follow it +to be desirous of discovering the secrets of this world. It is now forty +years[2] that I have been sailing to all those parts of the world which +are frequented at present; and I have conversed with many wise and learned +men, both clergy and laity, Latins, Greeks, Indians and Moors, and of many +other sects and nations. God has been favourable to my inclination, and +has given me the spirit of understanding, so that I have become very +skilful in navigation, with a competent knowledge in arithmetic, geometry, +and astronomy, and both genius and skill to draw maps and charts of this +world, with its cities, rivers, islands, and ports, all in their proper +places and proportions. During my whole life, I have endeavoured to see +and understand all books of cosmography, history, and philosophy; by which +my understanding hath been enlightened so as to enable me to sail from +Europe to the Indies, and God hath inclined me to put this design into +execution. Filled with this desire I came to your highnesses; and after +all who had heard an account of my proposed undertaking had rejected it +with scorn and contempt as visionary and impracticable; in your highnesses +alone I found judgment to believe in the practicability of my proposal, +and constancy and spirit to put it into execution." + +In another letter, written in January 1495 from Hispaniola, to their +Catholic majesties, in illustration of the errors and mistakes common in +voyages and the piloting of ships, he thus writes, "I was formerly sent to +Tunis by King _Renee_, whom God hath since taken to himself, to take the +galeasse called Fernandina; and, when near the island of St Peter off +Sardinia, I was informed that the Fernandina was accompanied by two ships +and a carack. This intelligence dismayed my people, who refused to proceed +in the enterprize, and demanded to go back to Marseilles for another ship +and more men. Finding that it was impossible to go on against their +inclinations, without a stratagem, I pretended to yield to their desires; +but having altered the card of the ships compass, I set sail when it was +late, under pretence of making for Marseilles. But next morning at +day-break, when all on board believed we had been sailing for Marseilles, +we found ourselves close in with Cape Carthagena[3]." + +In a memorandum or observation tending to prove that all the five zones +are habitable by the experience of navigation, he thus writes: "In +February 1467, I sailed an hundred leagues beyond Thule, or Iceland, the +northern part of which is 73 degrees distant from the equinoctial, and not +63 degrees as some suppose; neither does it lie upon the line where +Ptolemy begins the West, but considerably more to the westwards. To this +island, which is as large as England, the English carry on trade, +especially from the port of Bristol. When I was there the sea was not +frozen, but the tides were so great that in some places it rose and fell +twenty-six fathoms[4]. I have likewise been in the Portuguese fort of St +George del Mina, under the equinoctial, and can witness that it is not +uninhabitable, as some have supposed." In his book respecting his first +voyage, he says that he saw some mermaids on the coast of _Menegueta_, but +that they were not by any means so like ladies as represented in paintings. +In another place he says, that, in several voyages between Lisbon and +Guinea, he had observed that a degree on the earth corresponds to 56 miles +and two thirds. He notices having seen mastick drawn from some trees in +the island of Scio, one of the isles in the Greek Archipelago. + +In one place of his own writings he says that he had been at sea during +twenty-three years, without being on shore for any length of time; and had +seen all the countries of the east and west, and towards the north, +particularly England and Guinea; yet had never seen any harbours that +could be compared for goodness with those which he had discovered in the +West Indies. He says farther, "I went first to sea at fourteen years of +age, and have followed that profession ever since." In his note book of +his second voyage he says, "I had two ships, one of which I left at Porto +Sancto, for a certain reason, where it continued one day; and on the day +following, I rejoined it at Lisbon[5]; because I encountered a storm, and +had contrary winds at south-west, and the other ship had contrary winds at +south-east." From these instances it may be inferred that he had great +experience in sea affairs, and that he had visited many countries and +places, before he undertook his great discovery. + + + +[1] This must be understood as referring to voyages in the Mediterranean, + in respect of the port of Genoa.--E. + +[2] Supposing Columbus to have been 14 years of age on first going to sea, + it may be concluded that he was born in 1447. He must therefore have + been 45 years old when he set out in 1492 for the discovery of America; + and 59 years old at his death, in 1506.--E. + +[3] Or rather Cape Carthago, on the coast of Barbary near Tunis.--E. + +[4] It is highly probable that the original translator may have here + mistaken the braccio of 1.913 English feet, for the fathom of 6 feet. + In fathoms, this tide rises to the incredible height of 156 feet; + whereas in _braccios_, it amounts only to 49 feet: And besides there + are braccios considerably shorter than the one here assumed.--E. + +[5] There is some inexplicable ambiguity in this passage, which the + original translator must have misunderstood, and which cannot now be + explained.--E. + +[Illustration: Chart of North Western Africa] + + + + +SECTION II. + +_Of his first coming to Portugal, and the cause or motives of his +proposing to discover the West Indies._ + + +The occasion of his first coming into Portugal, arose from his attachment +to a famous man of his name and family, named Columbus, long renowned on +the sea as commander of a fleet against the infidels; insomuch that even +in his own country his name was used to frighten young children. This man, +known by the name of _Columbus the young_, to distinguish him from another +great sea captain of the same name, was a person of great prowess, and +must have commanded a goodly fleet, as he captured at one time four +Venetian galleys, of such size and strength as I could not have believed +unless I had seen them fitted out. Of this Columbus junior, Marc Anthony +Sabellicus, the Livy of our age, says, in the eighth book of his tenth +decade, that he lived at the time when Maximilian the son of the Emperor +Frederick III. was chosen king of the Romans; and that Jerom Donato was +sent ambassador from Venice to return thanks to John II. king of Portugal, +for having relieved and clothed the crews of their great galleys so as to +enable them to return to Venice. These galleys were returning from +Flanders, when they were encountered and taken by the famous corsair +Columbus junior, who stripped their whole crews and turned them ashore on +the coast of Portugal. + +The authority of so grave an author as Sabellicus, sufficiently proves the +malice of Justiniani who makes no mention whatever of this incident, +evidently lest the family of Columbus might appear less obscure than he +was disposed to hold it out to the world. If in this he erred through +ignorance, he is not the less worthy of blame for having undertaken to +write the history of his country without making himself acquainted with so +signal a victory, of which even the enemies of Genoa make mention. Even +Sabellicus in his eighth book, mentions the great discovery of the admiral, +though less obliged to inquire into it, but without adding the twelve lies +which Justiniani inserted. + +To return to the matter in hand. While the admiral my father sailed along +with Columbus junior, which he long did, they received intelligence of +four large Venetian galleys being on their voyage from Flanders, and going +in quest of them, came up with them near Cape St Vincent on the coast of +Portugal. A furious contest took place, in which the hostile vessels +grappled with each other, and the crews fought with the utmost rage, not +only using their hand weapons but artificial fire-works. The fight +continued with great fury from morning till night; when the vessel in +which my father was took fire, as did likewise a great Venetian galley to +which she was fast grappled by strong iron hooks and chains. In this +dreadful situation neither of them could be relieved, on account of the +confusion and terror of fire, which increased so rapidly that all who were +able of both crews leapt into the water, preferring that death to the +torture of fire. In this emergency, my father being an excellent swimmer, +and having the good fortune to lay hold of an oar, made for the land, +which was little more than two leagues distant. Sometimes swimming, and at +other times resting on the oar, it pleased God, who preserved him for the +accomplishment of greater designs, that he had sufficient strength to +attain the shore, but so exhausted by his exertions and by long +continuance in the water that he had much ado to recover. Being not far +from Lisbon, where he knew that many Genoese his countrymen then dwelt, he +made all haste to that city; where making himself known, he was +courteously received and entertained by the Genoese. + +After remaining some time at Lisbon, where he behaved himself honourably, +being a man of comely appearance, it happened that Donna Felipa Moniz, a +lady of good family, then a boarder in the nunnery of All-Saints whether +my father used to go to mass, fell in love with him and married him. The +father of his lady, Peter Moniz Perestrello, being dead, the newly married +pair went to live with the widow; who seeing her son-in-law much addicted +to cosmography, informed him that her husband, Perestrello, had been a +great sea-faring man, and had gone with two other captains to make +discoveries with the license of the king of Portugal, and under an +agreement that they were to divide their discoveries into three portions, +and each to have a share by lot. That accordingly they had sailed from +Lisbon towards the south-west, where they discovered the islands of +Madeira and Porto Sancto, places which had never been seen before. And as +Madeira was the largest, they divided it into two portions, making Porto +Sancto the third, which had fallen to the lot of her husband Perestrello, +who continued in the government of that island till his death. + +The admiral being much delighted with the relations of sea voyages, his +mother-in-law gave him the journals and sea charts which had been left by +her husband, which excited his curiosity to make inquiry respecting the +other voyages which the Portuguese had made to St George del Mina and the +coast of Guinea, and he enjoyed great delight in discoursing with such as +had sailed to those parts. I cannot certainly determine whether he ever +went to Mina or Guinea during the life of this wife. But while he resided +in Portugal he seriously reflected on the information he had thus received; +and concluded, as the Portuguese had made discoveries so far to the +southward, it was reasonable to conclude that land might be discovered by +sailing to the westwards. To assist his judgment, he again went over the +cosmographers which he had formerly studied, and considered maturely the +astronomical reasons which corroborated this new opinion. He carefully +weighed likewise the information and opinions on this subject of all with +whom he conversed, particularly sailors. From an attentive consideration +of all that occurred to him, he at length concluded that there must be +many lands to the west of the Canary and Cape de Verd islands; and that it +must be perfectly possible to sail to and discover them. But, that it may +distinctly appear by what train of arguments he came to deduce so vast an +undertaking, and that I may satisfy those who are curious to know the +motives which induced him to encounter so great danger, and which led him +to his great discovery, I shall now endeavour to relate what I have found +among his own papers respecting this matter. + +The motives which induced my father to undertake the discovery of the West +Indies were three. Natural reason, authority of authors, and the testimony +of sailors. From natural reason my father concluded that the whole sea and +land of this world composed a globe or sphere, which might assuredly be +gone round, so that men should stand with their feet directly against the +feet of other men, in any precisely opposite parts whatever. _Secondly_, +he took it for granted upon the authority of approved authors that a great +portion of our globe had been already travelled over and explored; and +that it now only remained to discover the whole, so as to make known what +was contained in the vacant space which remained, between the eastern +boundaries of India which were known to Ptolemy and Marinus, and those our +newly discovered western parts of the coast of Africa and the Azores and +Cape Verd islands, the most westerly which were yet known. _Thirdly_, he +concluded that this still unknown space, between the eastern limits known +to Marinus and the Cape Verds, could not exceed a third part of the +circumference of the globe; since Marinus had already described 15 hours +towards the east, out of the 24 parts or hours into which the +circumference of the world is divided by the diurnal course of the sun; +and therefore to return in an easterly direction to the Cape Verd islands +from the limits discovered by Marinus, or to proceed westerly from these +islands to meet the eastern limits of Marinus, required only to pass over +about 8 parts in 24 of the circumference of the earth[1]. + +He reckoned, _fourthly_, that as the cosmography of Marinus had given an +account of fifteen hours or parts of the circumference of the globe +eastwards, and had not yet attained to a knowledge of the eastern +extremity of the land, it followed of course that this eastern extremity +must be considerably beyond those known limits; and consequently, that the +farther it extended eastwards, so much the nearer it must approach to the +Cape Verd islands, or the then known western limits of the globe: And, if +this space were sea, it might be easily sailed over in a short time; and +if land, that it would be much sooner discovered by sailing to the west, +since it must be much nearer to these islands in that direction. To this +may be added what is related by Strabo in his Fifteenth Book, that no army +ever penetrated to the eastern bounds of India, which according to Ctesias +is as extensive as all the rest of Asia. Onesicritus affirms that India is +a full third part of the world; and Nearchus says that it is four months +journey in a straight line from west to east. Pliny, in the 17th Chap, of +his 6th Book, says that India is a third part of the earth, and that +consequently it must be nearer Spain in the western than in the eastern +direction. + +The fifth argument which induced the admiral to believe that the distance +in a western direction to India was small, was taken from the opinion of +Alfragranus and his followers, who computed the circumference of the +globe as much less than all other cosmographical writers, as they only +allowed 56-2/3 miles to a degree of longitude. Whence my father inferred, +that the whole globe being small, the extent of that third part which +remained to be discovered must necessarily be proportionally small +likewise; and might therefore be sailed over in a short time. And, as the +eastern bounds of India were not yet discovered, and must lie considerably +nearer us towards the west, he therefore considered that the lands which +he might discover in his proposed expedition westwards might properly be +denominated the Indies. Hence it appears how much Roderick the archdeacon +of Seville was wrong in blaming the admiral for calling those parts the +Indies which were not so. But the admiral did not call them the Indies as +having been seen or discovered by any other person; but as being in his +opinion the eastern part of India beyond the Ganges, to which no +cosmographer had ever assigned any precise limits, or made it to border +upon any other country farther to the east, considering those unknown +parts of eastern India to border on the ocean. And because he believed +those countries which he expected to discover formed the eastern and +formerly unknown lands of India, and had no appropriate name of their own, +he therefore gave them the name of the nearest known country, and called +them the _West Indies_. He was, so much the more induced to choose this +appellation that the riches and wealth of India were well known, and he +thereby expected the more readily to induce their Catholic Majesties to +accede to his proposed undertaking, of the success of which they were +doubtful; by saying that he intended to discover the way to India by the +west: And he was desirous of being employed in the service of the crown of +Castile, in preference to any other. + +The second motive which encouraged the admiral to undertake his great +enterprize, and which might reasonably induce him to call the countries he +proposed to discover by the name of the Indies, was derived from the +authority of learned men; who had affirmed that it was possible to sail +from the western coast of Africa and Spain to the eastern bounds of India +by the westwards, and that the sea which lay between these limits was of +no great extent. This is affirmed by Aristotle, in his Second Book of the +Heaven and of the World, as explained by Averroes; in which he says that a +person may sail from India to Cadiz in a few days. Seneca, in his book of +Nature, reflecting upon the knowledge of this world as insignificant in +comparison with what shall be attained in a future life, says that a ship +may sail in a few days with a fair wind from Spain to India. And if, as +some suppose, the same Seneca were the author of the tragedies, he +expresses himself to the same purpose in the following chorus of the Medea: + + Venient annis + Secula feris, quibus Oceanus + Vincula rerum laxat, et ingens + Pateat tellus, Typhysque novos + Detegat orbes, nec sit terris + Ultima Thule. + +"There will come an age in latter times, when the ocean shall loosen the +bonds of things, and a great country shall be discovered; when another +Typhys shall find out new worlds, and Thule shall no longer remain the +ultimate boundary of the earth." + +This prophecy has now certainly been fulfilled by my father. In the first +book of his cosmography, Strabo says that the ocean encompasses the whole +earth; that in the east it washes the shores of India, and in the west +those of Mauritania and Spain; and that if it were not for the vast +magnitude of the Atlantic, men might easily sail in a short time from the +one to the other upon the same parallel; and he repeats the same opinion +in his second book. Pliny, in the Second Book of his Natural History, Chap. +iii. says that the ocean surrounds all the earth, and extends from east to +west between India and Cadiz. The same author, in his Sixth Book, Chap. +xxxi. and Solinus in the sixty-eight chapter of the Remarkable Things of +the World, say that, from the islands of the Gorgonides, which are +supposed to be those of Cape Verd, it was forty days sail across the +Atlantic Ocean to the Hesperides; which islands the admiral concluded were +those of the West Indies. Marco Polo the Venetian traveller, and Sir John +Mandeville, say that they went much farther eastward than was known to +Ptolemy and Marinus. Perhaps these travellers do not mention any eastern +sea beyond their discoveries; yet from the accounts which they give of the +east, it may be reasonably inferred that India is not far distant from +Spain and Africa. Peter Aliacus, in his treatise on the Figure of the +Earth, in the eighth Chapter respecting the extent of habitable land, and +Julius Capitolinus upon inhabitable places, and in several other treatises, +both assert that Spain and India are neighbours towards the west. The +latter author, in the nineteenth Chapter of his Cosmography says, +according to the opinion of Pliny and other philosophers, the ocean which +stretches from the western shores of Spain and Africa to the eastern +limits of India is of no great extent, and might certainly be sailed over +in a few days with a fair wind; and therefore that the beginning of India +eastwards cannot be far distant from the western limits of Africa. + +From these and similar authorities of eminent writers, the admiral was led +to believe that he had formed a sound opinion on this subject; and he was +much encouraged to undertake his proposed voyage of discovery by his +contemporary Paul, physician to Signior Dominico of Florence. This Paul +corresponded with Ferdinand Lopez, a canon of Lisbon, concerning the +voyages which had been undertaken to Guinea in the reign of King Alphonzo +of Portugal, and concerning future discoveries which might be made to the +westwards. The admiral, who was always exceedingly ardent in inquiries on +these topics, came to the knowledge of this correspondence; and soon +afterwards, by means of Laurentio Girarde, a Florentine who then resided +in Lisbon, entered into correspondence with Paul on this subject, +acquainting him with his design, and sending him a small terrestrial globe. +The communications from Paul on this subject are as follow: + +"To Christopher Columbus, Paul the Physician wisheth health. I perceive +the noble and earnest desire which you entertain to sail to those parts +which produce spices; and therefore, in answer to your letter, I send you +one which I wrote some time ago to a friend of mine, a servant to the king +of Portugal, before the wars of Castile, in answer to one he had written +to me by the order of his highness upon this same subject; and I send you +a sea chart similar to the one I sent to him, which will satisfy your +demands. The copy of that letter is this!" + +"To Ferdinand Martinez, Paul the physician wisheth health.--I rejoice to +learn the familiarity which you have with your most serene and magnificent +king; and although I have often discoursed concerning the short way by sea +from hence to the Indies where spice is produced, which I consider to be +shorter than that you now take by the coast of Guinea; yet you now inform +me that his highness requires me to explain and demonstrate this my +opinion, so that it may be understood and reduced to practice. Therefore, +though I could better shew it with a globe in my hand, so as to make him +sensible of the figure and dimensions of the world; yet I have resolved to +make it as easy and intelligible as possible by delineating this way upon +a chart, such as is used in navigation. Wherefore I now send one to his +majesty, drawn by my own hand; in which I have set down the utmost bounds +of the west, from Ireland in the north to the farthest parts of Guinea, +with all the islands that lie in the way: Opposite to which western coast, +the beginning of the Indies is delineated, with the islands and places to +which you may go, and how far you may bend from the north pole towards the +equinoctial, and for how long a time; that is, how many leagues you must +sail before you arrive at those places which are most fruitful in all +sorts of spice, in jewels and precious stones. + +"Do not wonder that I term the country where the spice is produced in the +_west_, because that production has been generally ascribed to the _east_: +Since those who may sail to the westward will always find those places in +the _west_, which those who travel by land eastwards must find in the +_east_. The straight lines that run lengthways in the chart shew the +distances from east to west, and the other lines which cross these at +right angles shew the distances from north to south. I have likewise +represented in the chart, several places in India where ships may take +shelter in any storm or contrary wind, or on occasion of any unforeseen +accident. Moreover, to give you full information respecting all those +places of which you inquire, you must understand that none but traders +reside in these islands, in which as great a number of ships and mariners, +and as great quantities of merchandize is to be found, as in any other +part of the world; more particularly in a most noble port called Zacton[2], +where there are every year 100 large ships loaded and unloaded with pepper, +besides many other ships which take in other kinds of spice. This country +is exceedingly populous, and contains many provinces and kingdoms and +cities innumerable, under the dominion of a sovereign called the Great +Cham, which title signifies the King of kings, who usually resides in the +province of Cathay[3]. + +"The predecessors of the great cham were very desirous to have amity and +commerce with the Christians; and 200 years ago sent ambassadors to the +pope, desiring him to send many learned men and doctors to instruct them +in our holy faith; but by reason of some obstacles which these ambassadors +encountered, they returned back without coming to Rome. There came however +in our day an ambassador from those parts to Pope Eugenius IV. who told him +of the great friendship which subsisted between these princes and their +people with the Christians. I discoursed at large with this person upon +several matters, respecting the splendour of their royal buildings, the +great length and breadth of their rivers, and many other topics. He told +me many wonderful things of the multitude of cities and towns along the +banks of the rivers; insomuch that there were 200 cities upon one river +alone, having marble bridges over it of wonderful length and breadth, and +adorned with numerous pillars. This country deserves as well as any other +to be explored; and great profit may be made by trading thither, as it +abounds in many valuable commodities, and with gold, silver, all kinds of +precious stones, and spices of all sorts. It is likewise certain that many +wise men, philosophers, astronomers, and others, exceedingly ingenious and +skilled in the arts and sciences, govern the numerous provinces of that +mighty empire, and command its armies. + +"From Lisbon directly westwards, there are in the chart which I now +transmit twenty-six spaces, each of which contains 250 miles, or 6500 +miles in all, to the vast and most noble city of _Quisay_[4], which is 100 +miles or thirty-five leagues in compass. Its name signifies the heavenly +city, and wonderful things are reported respecting the magnificence of its +buildings, the prodigious amount of its revenues, and the multitude and +ingenuity of its inhabitants. This city is in, the province of Mango[5], +bordering on that of Cathay where the king resides. And the before +mentioned distance between Lisbon and that city westwards, is almost a +third part of the circumference of the globe. From the island of Antilia, +which you call the Seven Cities, and of which you have some knowledge, +there are ten spaces in the chart to the most noble island of Cipango, +which make 2500 miles or 875 leagues[6]. The island of Cipango abounds in +gold, pearls and precious stones, and the people even cover their temples +and palaces with plates of pure gold[7]. But, for want of knowing the way, +all these wonderful things remain hidden and concealed, although they +might easily be gone to with safety. Much more might be said, but as you +are a wise and judicious person, and I have already told you of what is +most material, I am satisfied that you will fully understand the whole, +and I shall not therefore be more prolix. What I have written may satisfy +your curiosity, and is as much as the shortness of the time and my +business will admit. Therefore I remain most ready to satisfy his majesty +to the utmost of my abilities in all commands which he may be pleased to +lay upon me." + +Paul the Physician afterwards wrote the following letter to my father.--"I +received your letter with those things you sent me, which I esteem a great +favour, and I greatly commend your noble and ardent desire of sailing +from the east to the west, as marked out in the chart which I sent you; +but which would be much better demonstrated in the form of a globe. I am +rejoiced that it is well understood, that the voyage laid down is not +only possible but true, certain, honourable, advantageous, and most +glorious among Christians. You can only become perfect in the knowledge of +it by practice and experience, which I have had in some measure, +especially by the solid and true information of many worthy and wise men +who came from those parts to the court of Rome, and from merchants who +are persons of good reputation and have long traded to those regions. +Hence, when the voyage shall be performed, it will be to powerful kingdoms, +and to most noble provinces and cities, rich, flourishing, and abounding +in all those commodities of which we are in need: particularly in great +quantities of all sorts of spice, and in great store of jewels. It will +likewise be very grateful to the kings and princes of those parts, who are +exceedingly desirous to have intercourse and trade with the Christians; +whether that some of them are inclined to become Christians, or else +desire to communicate with the wise and learned men of Europe, as well in +regard to religion, as in all the sciences, by reason of the extraordinary +accounts they have received of the kingdoms and governments and learning +of our part of the world. On all which accounts, and others which might be +alleged, it is reasonable that your own magnanimity, and the whole +Portuguese nation, ever renowned for great men, and memorable in all their +undertakings, should be eagerly bent upon performing this voyage." + +By this letter, as has been before observed, the admiral was greatly +encouraged to go upon his discovery, although the learned physician was +mistaken in believing that Cathay and the empire of the great Cham was the +first land to be met with in sailing towards the west; for experience has +made it appear, that the distance from the West Indies to that country is +greater than from Europe to the West Indies. + +The _third_ and last motive by which the admiral was incited to the +discovery of the West Indies, was the hope of finding in his way to India +some very beneficial island or continent, from whence he might the better +be enabled to pursue his main design. This hope was founded upon the +authority and opinion of many wise and learned men, who believed that the +greatest part of the surface of the terraqueous globe was composed of land, +or that there certainly was more earth than sea. If that were the case, he +concluded that, between the coast of Spain and the then known bounds of +India, there must be many islands and a great extent of continent +interposed, which experience has since demonstrated to be true. In this +opinion he was confirmed by many fabulous stories which he had heard from +sailors and others who had sailed to the islands and western coast of +Africa, and to Madeira; and as these testimonies, though false, tended to +confirm the purpose he had so long and ardently cherished, they the more +readily gained his assent; and, to satisfy the curiosity of such as are +curious in these matters, I shall here relate them. + +One Martin Vicente, a pilot in the service of the king of Portugal, +related to the admiral, that, being once 450 leagues to the westward of +Cape St Vincent, he had found a piece of wood most curiously curved, but +not with iron; and seeing that the winds had blown for many days +previously from the west, he conjectured that the carved wood must have +been drifted from some island in that direction. One Peter Correa, who had +married a sister of the admirals wife, told him of having seen another +piece of wood which had been brought to the island of Porto Sancto by the +same westerly wind, and of certain drifted canes, so thick that every +joint was large enough to contain four quarts of wine. These he alleged to +have shewn to the king of Portugal, and as there were no such canes in our +parts of the world, he believed that the winds must have wafted them from +some distant islands in the west, or else from India: More especially as +Ptolemy, in the first book of his cosmography, and chapter 17. says, that +such canes grow in the eastern parts of India; and some of the islanders, +particularly those in the Azores, informed Correa that when the west wind +blew long together, the sea sometimes drove pine trees on the islands +Gratioso and Fayal, where no such trees were otherwise to be found. He was +likewise told that the sea had cast upon the island of Flores, another of +the Azores, the dead bodies of two men, having very broad visages, and +very different in their appearance from Europeans. + +It was likewise reported to the admiral that the people about Cape Verga +had once seen some almadias or covered boats, which it was believed had +been driven thither by stress of weather while going from one of these +supposed islands in the west to another island. One Anthony Leme, who was +married and settled in the island of Madeira, told the admiral that, +having once made a considerable run to the westward, he had descried three +islands. To this information, however, he gave little credit, as by his +own account Leme had not sailed above 100 leagues to the west, and might +have been deceived by some rocks; or what he had seen might have been some +of those floating islands, called Aguades by the sailors, of which Pliny +makes mention in the 97th chapter of the first book of his natural history. +Pliny says that some spots of land are seen in the northern parts of the +ocean on which there are deep-rooted trees, and that these parcels of land +are carried about like floats, or islands swimming upon the water. Seneca, +in his third book, endeavouring to give a probable reason for the +existence of such islands, alleges that there are certain rocks so light +and spongy in their substance, that islands in India which are composed of +such do actually swim upon the water. Therefore, even if it were actually +the case that Leme had seen the three islands, the admiral, was of opinion +that they must have been of that kind, such as those called the islands of +St Brandan are supposed to be, where many wonders are reported to have +been seen. Accounts have also been propagated of other islands, which are +continually burning, and which lie far to the northward[8]. + +Juventius Fortunatus mentions an account of two floating islands +considerably to the west, and more southward than those of Cape Verd. +These and such like reports, might induce several of the inhabitants of +Ferro and Gomera, and of the Azores, to affirm that they saw islands +towards the west every year; of which they were so thoroughly convinced, +that many reputable persons swore that it was true. The same Fortunatus +relates, that a person came from Madeira to Portugal in the year 1484, to +beg a caravel from the king in which he might go in quest of an island +which he made oath that he saw every year, and always after the exact same +manner; with whom others agreed, who declared that they had seen the same +land from the Azores. + +On these grounds, in all the former maps and charts, certain islands were +placed in that direction. In his book concerning the wonderful things of +nature, Aristotle informs us of a report, that some Carthaginian merchants +had sailed across the Atlantic to a most beautiful and fertile island, of +which we shall give a more particular account hereafter. Some Portuguese +cosmographers have inserted this island in their maps under the name of +Antilla; though they do not agree with Aristotle in regard to its +situation, yet none have placed it more than 200 leagues due west from the +Canaries and Azores. This they assert to be certainly the island of the +seven cities, which is said to have been peopled by the Portuguese in the +year 714, at the time when Spain was conquered by the Moors. At that time, +according to the legend, seven bishops with their people sailed to this +island, where each of them built a city; and, that none of their people +might ever think of returning to Spain, they burnt their ships with all +the tackling, and destroyed every thing that was necessary for navigation. +There are who affirm that several Portuguese mariners have been to that +island, but could never find their way back to it again. It is said +particularly, that in the time of Don Henry, infant of Portugal, a +Portuguese ship was driven by stress of weather upon this island of +Antilla, where the men went on shore, and were led by the islanders to a +church, that they might see whether they were Christians and observed the +ceremonies of the Roman worship; and perceiving that they did, the +islanders requested them to remain till their lord should return, who +happened to be then absent, but who would be very kind to them, and give +them many presents. But the master and seamen were afraid of being +detained, and suspected that the islanders had no mind to be discovered, +and might burn their vessel; wherefore they sailed back to Portugal, +hoping to be rewarded for their discovery by Don Henry. But he reproved +them severely, and ordered them to return quickly; wherefore the master +and all his crew escaped from Portugal with their ship, and never +returned. It is likewise reported, that while the master and seamen of +this vessel were at church in the foresaid island, the boys of the ship +gathered sand for the cook room, a third part of which was found to be +pure gold. + +Among others who set out to discover this island was one Jattes de Fiene, +whose pilot Peter Velasquez, of the town of Palos de Moguer, told the +admiral in the monastery of St Mary de la Rabida, that they sailed 150 +leagues south-west from Fayal, and discovered the island of Flores in +their return, to which they were led by observing numbers of birds to fly +in that direction, and because these were land birds they concluded that +they were making for land, as they could not rest upon the waters. Leaving +Flores, they sailed so far to the north-east, that they came to Cape Clear +in the west of Ireland, where they met with a stiff western gale and yet a +smooth sea, whence they concluded that there must be land in that +direction by which the sea was sheltered from the effects of the west wind; +but it being then the month of August, they did not venture to proceed in +search of that supposed island, for fear of winter. This happened about +forty years before the discovery of the West Indies. + +The foregoing account was confirmed to the admiral by the relation of a +mariner whom he met with at Port St Mary, who told him that, once in a +voyage to Ireland he saw that western land, which he then supposed to be a +part of Tartary stretching out towards the west, but could not come near +it on account of bad weather. But it is probable that this must have been +the land now called _Bacallaos_, or Newfoundland. This was farther +confirmed by what was related to him by one Peter de Velasco of Galicia, +whom he met with in the city of Murcia in Spain: who, in sailing for +Ireland, went so far to the north-west, that he discovered land far to the +west of Ireland; which he believes to have been the same which one +Femaldolmos endeavoured to discover in the following manner, as set down +in my fathers writings, that it may appear how some men build great and +important matters upon very slight foundations. Gonzalo Fernandez de +Oviedo, in his natural history of the Indies, says that the admiral had a +letter in which the Indies were described by one who had before discovered +them; which was by no means the case, but only thus: Vincent Diaz, a +Portuguese of Tavira, on his return from Guinea to the Tercera islands, +and having passed the island of Madeira, which he left to the east, saw, +or imagined that he saw something which he certainly concluded to be land. +On his arrival at Tercera, he told this to one Luke de Cazzana, a Genoese +merchant, his friend, and a very rich man, and endeavoured to persuade him +to fit out a vessel for the conquest of this place: This Cazzana agreed to, +and obtained a license from the king of Portugal for the purpose. He wrote +accordingly to his brother Francis de Cazzana, who resided at Seville, to +fit out a vessel with all expedition for Diaz; but Francis made light of +the matter, and Luke de Cazzana actually fitted out a vessel from Tercera, +in which the before named pilot sailed from 120 to 130 leagues, but all in +vain, for he found no land. Yet neither he nor his partner Cazzana +desisted from the enterprize till death closed their hopes. The before +mentioned Francis de Cazzana likewise informed the admiral, that he knew +two sons of the pilot who discovered the island of Tercera, named Michael +and Jasper Cortereal, who went several times in search of that land, and +at last perished one after the other in the year 1502, without having ever +been heard of since, as was well known to many credible persons. + +If all that has been said above concerning so many imaginary islands and +continents appears to be mere fable and folly, how much more reason have +we to consider that as false which Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo conceits in +his Natural History of the Indies, "That there was another discoverer of +this navigation of the ocean, and that the Spaniards held anciently the +dominion of these lands." He pretended to make out this assertion from +what Aristotle wrote concerning the island of Atalantis, and Sebosus of +the Hesperides. Thus, looking upon his own imagination as a certain +standard of truth, he affirms upon the judgment of some persons whose +writings I have duly weighed and attentively examined. I should have +omitted to enlarge on this subject, to avoid tiring the reader, and that I +might not be obliged to condemn the opinions of others, were it not that +many persons, to detract from the honour and reputation of the admiral, +have made great account of these notions. Besides, it appeared that I +should not fully perform my duty by merely recounting with all sincerity +and truth, the motives and incitements which inclined the admiral my +father to undertake his unparalleled enterprize, if I should suffer what I +know to be a manifest falsehood to pass uncensured. Wherefore, the better +to detect the mistake of Oviedo, I shall first state what Aristotle has +said on this subject, as related by F. Theophilus de Ferrariis, among the +problems of Aristotle which he collected in a book entitled De Admirandis +in Natura auditis, in the following strain: + +"Beyond the pillars of Hercules, it is reported that certain Carthaginian +merchants discovered an island in the Atlantic, which had never before +been inhabited except by beasts. This island was not many days sail from +the continent, was entirely covered over with trees, and abounded in all +the usual productions of nature, having a considerable number of navigable +rivers. Finding this a beautiful country, possessing it fertile soil and +salubrious atmosphere, these Carthaginians began to people it; but the +senate of Carthage, offended with this procedure, passed a decree +forbidding any person to go to that island under pain of death, and they +ordered all those who had already gone there to be slain; meaning thereby +to prevent all other nations from acquiring any knowledge of the place, +lest some other and more powerful state might take possession, to the +detriment of their liberty and commercial interest." + +Oviedo had no just grounds for asserting that this island must have been +Hispaniola or Cuba. As he was ignorant of Latin, he was obliged to take +such interpretation of this story as he could procure from some other +person, who certainly was very ill qualified for the task, since the Latin +text has been altered and misinterpreted in several particulars. This may +have misled Oviedo, and induced him to believe that the foregoing +quotation referred to some island in the West Indies. In the Latin text we +do not read of the Carthaginian merchants going out of the straits of +Gibraltar as Oviedo writes[9]. Neither is it said that the island was +extensive, or its trees large, but only that it was much wooded. Nor do we +find that the rivers were wonderful, or the soil fat, or that the island +was more remote from Africa than from Europe; but merely that it was +remote from the continent. It is not said in the original that any towns +were built here, and indeed it is not likely that these traders should +build much; neither is the place said to have become famous, as we see on +the contrary that the Carthaginians were careful to prevent its fame from +spreading among the nations. Thus the translator being ignorant, led +Oviedo to believe quite a different story from the reality[10]. + +It is quite ridiculous to suppose that Carthaginian merchants could +possibly be carried so far out of their way as Hispaniola or Cuba; neither +could they have arrived at either of those islands without meeting with +the many other islands which surround them. It is more probable that the +island discovered by the Carthaginians was one of the Azores; for though +Ferrarius speaks of navigable rivers, he might possibly have written _ad +navigandum_ instead of _potandum_, and have thereby corrupted the meaning +of his author, that the island had plenty of streams fit for drinking, +into abundance of rivers adapted for navigation[11]. Oviedo falls into a +similar error in supposing this island of the Carthaginians to have been +the same with that mentioned by Seneca in his fourth book; where he tells +us that Seneca speaks of an island named Atlantica, which was entirely or +mostly drowned in the time of the Peloponnesian war; and of which island +Plato likewise makes mention in his Timaeus: But we have already dwelt too +long on these fables. + +Oviedo insists that the Spaniards had the entire dominion of these islands, +which he was pleased to consider as the same with our West Indies. He +grounds this opinion on what is said by Statius and Sebosus, that certain +islands called _Hesperides_ lay forty days sail west from the Gorgonian +islands on the coast of Africa. Hence he argued, that these islands must +necessarily be the West Indies, and were called Hesperides from Hesperes +king of Spain, who consequently with the Spaniards his subjects were lords +of these islands. But I am quite tired of this dispute, and shall now +proceed to the history of the admirals discovery. + + +[1] In his reasoning, by some error which cannot be now corrected, a + twenty-fourth part, or one hour, is omitted.--E. + +[2] Paul here evidently speaks of the empire of China, and the port here + named Zacton or Zaiton, may be that now called Canton, although spice + certainly is not the produce of that country.--E. + +[3] Cathay seems here to denote northern China.--E. + +[4] This is obviously the Quinsay of Marco Polo.--E. + +[5] Mangi or southern China.--E. + +[6] The island Antilia, the name of which has been since adopted by the + French for the smaller West India islands, was, like the more modern + Terra Australia incognita, a gratuitous supposition for preserving the + balance of the earth, before the actual discovery of America. Cipango + was the name by which Japan was then known in Europe, from the + relations of Marco Polo.--E. + +[7] Such appeared to the early travellers the richly gilt and lackered + tile used in Japan and other parts of India.--E. + +[8] This report must have proceeded from some very erroneous account of + Iceland, as it is the only place in the northern part of the Atlantic + which contains a volcano.--E. + +[9] Don Ferdinand, or his translator, has forgot here that, in the extract + from Ferrarius, beyond the straits, and in the Atlantic, are the + distinctly expressed situation of the island.--E. + +[10] There is a good deal more in the original, totally uninteresting to + the reader, in the same querulous strain of invective against Oviedo, + but which is here abridged as conveying no information.--E. + +[11] Our author falls into a mistake in this chapter, supposing the Azores + to have been the Cassiterides of the ancients, well known to have been + the Scilly islands.--E. + + + + +SECTION III. + +_The Admiral, being disgusted by the procedure of the King of Portugal, in +regard to the proposed Discovery, offers his services to the Court of +Spain._ + + +Having fully satisfied himself of the practicability of his long +considered project of discovering the route to India by the west, as +already explained, the admiral resolved to put his scheme into execution; +and being sensible that the undertaking was only fit for a prince who was +able to go through with the expence, and to maintain the dominion of the +discovery when made, he thought it proper to propose it to the king of +Portugal, because he then lived under his government and protection. And, +though King John who then reigned gave a favourable ear to his arguments +and proposals, he yet seemed backward in acceding to them, on account of +the great expence and trouble he was then at in carrying on the discovery +and conquest of Guinea on the western coast of Africa, which had not yet +been crowned with any considerable success; not having been hitherto able +to double the Cape of Good Hope, which name had been given to this cape +instead of its original denomination, _Agesingue_; as some say because the +Portuguese had no hope of ever extending their discoveries and conquests +any farther, while others assert it was so called on account of their +hopes of better navigation and of discovering more valuable countries +beyond. However this may have been, the king of Portugal was little +inclined to expend more money in prosecuting discoveries; yet he was so +far prevailed upon by the excellent reasons adduced by the admiral in +favour of his proposed undertaking, that the only remaining difficulty was +in complying with the terms my father demanded for himself in case of +success: For my father, who was a man of a noble and dignified spirit, +insisted upon conditions which should redound to his honour and reputation; +being resolved to leave behind him such a reputation, and so considerable +a family as he deemed due to his merits and the actions which he +confidently expected to perform. + +While matters were in this train, by the advice of one Doctor Calzadilla +in whom he reposed great confidence, the king of Portugal resolved to +dispatch a caravel in secret to attempt making the discovery which my +father had proposed to him; as, if he could make the discovery in this +clandestine manner, he should be freed from the obligation of bestowing +any great reward on the occasion. Accordingly, a caravel was fitted out +under pretence of carrying supplies to the Cape Verd islands, with private +instructions to sail in the direction in which my father had proposed to +go upon his intended discovery. But the people who were sent upon this +expedition did not possess sufficient knowledge or spirit; and, after +wandering many days in the Atlantic, they returned to the Cape Verd +islands, laughing at the undertaking as ridiculous and impracticable, and +declaring that there could not possibly be any land in that direction or +in those seas. When this scandalous underhand dealing came to my fathers +ears, he took a great aversion to Lisbon and the Portuguese nation; and, +his wife being dead, he resolved to repair into Castile, with his son Don +James Columbus, then a little boy, who has since inherited his fathers +estate. But, lest the sovereign of Castile might not consent to his +proposal, and he might be under the necessity of applying to some other +prince, by which much time might be lost, he dispatched his brother +Bartholomew Columbus from Lisbon to make similar proposals to the king of +England. Bartholomew, though no Latin scholar, was skilful and experienced +in sea affairs, and had been instructed by the admiral in the construction +of sea charts, globes, and other nautical instruments. While on his way to +England, Bartholomew Columbus had the misfortune to be taken by pirates, +who stript him and all the rest of the ships company of every thing they +had of value. On this account he arrived in England in such great poverty, +and that aggravated by sickness, that he was unable to deliver his message +until he had recruited his finances by the sale of sea charts of his own +construction, by which a long time was lost He then began to make +proposals to Henry VII. who then reigned in England, to whom he presented +a map of the world, on which the following verses and inscription were +written: + + + Terrarum quicunque cupis feliciter oras + Noscere, cuncta decens docte pictura docebit, + Quando Strabo affirmat, Ptolomaeus, Plinius, atque + Isiodorus, non una tamen sententia quisque. + Pingitur hic etiam nuper sulcata carinis + Hispanis zona illa, prius incognita genti, + Torrida, quae tandem minet est notissima multis. + + Pro Auctore, sive Pictore. + Janua cui patria est nomen, cui Bartholomaeus + Columbus de Terra-rubra, opus edidit istud, + Londiniis Ann. Dom. 1480, atque insuper anno, + Octavo decimaque die cum tertia mensis + Februarii. Laudes Christi cantentur abunde. + + +The sense of the first verses is to this effect: "Whosoever thou art who +desirest to know the coasts of countries, must be taught by this draught +what has been affirmed by Strabo, Ptolemy, Pliny, and Isiodorus; although +they do not in all things agree. Here is also set down the formerly +unknown torrid zone, lately visited by vessels from Spain, and now well +known to many." The second inscription has the following signification: +"As to the author or painter of this chart; he is Bartholomew Columbus of +the red earth, a Genoese, who published this work at London on the 21st of +February in the year 1480. Praised be Christ abundantly." + +It may be observed here, that I have seen some subscriptions of my father, +the admiral, in which he designs himself Christopher Columbus de +Terra-rubra; but this was before he acquired his title of admiral. But to +return to Bartholomew: The king of England graciously received the map; +and having favourably listened to the admirals proposals, which my uncle +had laid before him, readily agreed to the conditions demanded, and +ordered my father to be invited into England. But Providence had +determined that the advantage of this great discovery should belong to +Castile; and by this time my father had gone upon his first voyage, from +which he was already returned with success, as shall be shewn in its +proper place. + +About the end of the year 1484 the admiral stole away privately from +Lisbon with his son James, as he was afraid of being detained by the king +of Portugal. For, being sensible of the misconduct of the people whom he +had sent in the caravel already mentioned, the king was desirous to +restore the admiral to favour, and to renew the conferences respecting the +proposed discovery. But as he did not use as much diligence in executing +this new resolution as the admiral did in withdrawing himself, he lost the +opportunity, and the admiral got into Castile, where better fortune +awaited him. Leaving therefore his son James in the monastery of La Rabida +at Palos, he went to the court of their Catholic majesties at Cordova. +Being of affable manners and pleasant conversation, he soon acquired the +intimacy of such persons as he found best inclined to favour his views, +and fittest to persuade the king to embrace his proposed undertaking. +Among these was Lewis de Santangel an Arragonese gentleman, who was clerk +of the allowances in the royal household, a man of great prudence and +reputation. But, as a matter of such importance required to be learnedly +investigated, and not merely by empty words and the favourable reports of +courtiers, their majesties referred it to the consideration of the prior +of Prado, afterwards archbishop of Granada; ordering him to take the +assistance of some cosmographers, and after a full investigation of the +whole affair, to make a report of their opinion on its practicability. +There were few cosmographers then in Spain, and those who were convened on +this occasion were far from skilful: And besides, warned by the trick +which had been attempted in Portugal, the admiral did not explain himself +so fully as he might, lest he should lose his reward. On these accounts, +the report which they gave to their Catholic majesties was as various as +their several judgments and opinions, and by no means favourable to the +projected enterprize. + +Some alleged, that since so many skilful sailors, during the many thousand +years which had elapsed from the creation of the world, had not acquired +any knowledge whatever of these countries, it was not at all probable that +he should know more of the matter than all who had gone before or who now +existed. Others, pretending to ground their opinion upon cosmographical +arguments, said that the world was of such prodigious size that they +questioned if it were possible to sail in three years to the eastern +extremity of India, whither he proposed to go; and they endeavoured to +confirm this opinion by the authority of Seneca, who says in one of his +works, "That many wise men disagreed about whether the ocean were of +infinite extent, and doubted whether it were navigable, and whether +habitable lands existed on its other side; and, even if so, whether it +were possible to go to these." They added, that only a small proportion of +this terraqueous globe, which had remained in our hemisphere above the +water, was habitable; and that all the rest was sea, which was not +sussceptible of being navigated, except near the coasts and rivers; and +that wise men denied the possibility of sailing from the coast of Spain to +the farthest parts of the west. Others argued nearly in the same manner as +had been formerly done by the Portuguese in regard to the navigation along +the western coast of Africa: That if any one should sail due westwards, as +proposed by the admiral, it would certainly be impossible to return again +to Spain; because whoever should sail beyond the hemisphere which was +known to Ptolemy, would then go downwards upon the rotundity of the globe, +and then it would be impossible to sail up again on their return, which +would necessarily be to climb up hill, and which no ship could accomplish +even with the stiffest gale. Although the admiral gave perfectly valid +answers to all these objections; yet, such was the ignorance of these +people, that the more his reasons were powerful and conclusive so much the +less were they understood: For when people have grown old in prejudices +and false notions of philosophy and mathematics, these get such firm hold +of the mind that true and just principles are utterly unintelligible. + +The prior and his coadjutors were all influenced by a Spanish proverb, +which, though contradictory to reason and common sense, says _Dubitat +Augustinus_, or it is contradicted by St Augustine; who, in the 9th +chapter of the 21st book of his city of God, denies the possibility of the +_Antipodes_, or that any person should be able to go from one hemisphere +into the other. They farther urged against the admiral the commonly +received opinions concerning the five zones, by which the torrid zone is +declared utterly uninhabitable, and many other arguments equally absurd +and ridiculous. Upon the whole, they concluded to give judgment against +the enterprize as vain and impracticable, and that it did not become the +state and dignity of such great princes to act upon such weak information +as they conceived to have been communicated. Therefore, after much time +spent in the business, the admiral received for answer that their Catholic +majesties were then occupied in many other wars, and particularly in the +conquest of Granada then going on, and could not therefore conveniently +attend to this new undertaking; but that on some future opportunity of +greater leisure and convenience, they would have more time to examine into +his proposal. To conclude, their majesties refused to listen to the great +proposals which the admiral made to them. + +While these matters were in agitation, their Catholic majesties had not +been always resident in one place, owing to the war of Granada in which +they were then engaged, by which a long time was lost before they had +formed a final resolution and given their answer. The admiral went +therefore to Seville, where he still found their majesties as unresolved +as before. He then gave an account of his projected expedition to the duke +of Medina Sidonia; but, after many conferences finding no likelihood of +success, he resolved to make application to the king of France, to whom he +had already written on the subject; and, if he should not succeed there, +he proposed to have gone next into England to seek his brother, from whom +he had not hitherto received any intelligence. In this resolution, he went +to the monastery of Rabida, whence he proposed to have sent his son James +to Cordova, and to have then proceeded on his journey into France. But +Providence having decreed otherwise, occasioned the cementation of so +great friendship between the admiral and John Perez, the father guardian +of that monastery, who was so thoroughly assured of the excellence and +practicability of the project, that he was deeply concerned at the +resolution my father had adopted, and for the loss which Spain would +sustain by his departure. Perez earnestly entreated the admiral to +postpone his intended departure; saying, that as he was confessor to the +queen, he was resolved to make an essay to persuade her to compliance, and +hoped that she would give credit to his representations. + +Although the admiral was much disgusted with the irresolution and want of +judgment which he had encountered among the Spanish councillors, and was +quite out of hope of success; yet considering himself in a great measure +as a Spaniard, owing to his long residence in the country, he was desirous +that Spain rather than any other country, might reap the benefit of his +undertaking. Another reason of the preference was that his children were +then resident in Spain. In a letter which he wrote about this time to +their Catholic majesties he said: "That I might serve your highnesses, I +have refused the offers of France, England, and Portugal, as may be seen +by the letters of these princes, which I have deposited in the hands of +the doctor Villalan." + +Gained by the pressing instances of Perez, the admiral departed from the +monastery of Rabida, accompanied by that ecclesiastic, and went to the +camp of St Faith, where their Catholic majesties were then carrying on the +siege of Granada. Perez here made such pressing instances to Isabella, +that she was pleased to order a renewal of the conferences, which were +still held with the prior of Prado and his former coadjutors, who were +still irresolute and contradictory in their opinions. Besides Columbus was +high in his demands of honour and emolument, requiring that he should be +appointed admiral and viceroy of all the countries he might discover, +together with other important concessions. The Spanish councillors deemed +his demands too high to be granted, as too considerable even in the event +of success; and, in case of disappointment, they thought it would reflect +ridicule and the imputation of folly upon the court to have conceded such +high titles. Owing to these considerations the business again came to +nothing. + +I cannot forbear expressing my sense of the admirals wisdom and high +spirit, as well as his foresight and resolution on this trying occasion. +Besides his earnest desire to go upon his great undertaking, and his wish +that it might be in the service of Spain for the reasons formerly +mentioned, he was now so exceedingly reduced in his circumstances, that +any ordinary person would have been glad to accept of almost any offer +whatever. But he would not accept any terms short of the high titles and +honours, and those other conditions of eventual emolument which he had +demanded, as if foreseeing with assured certainty the entire success of +his project. Hence by his spirited determination they were at the last +obliged to concede to all his demands: that he should be admiral on the +ocean of all the seas and lands which he might discorer, with all the +allowances, privileges, and prerogatives enjoyed by the admirals of +Castile and Leon in their several seas; that all civil employments, as +well of government as in the administration of justice, should be entirely +at his disposal in all the islands and continents which he was to discover; +that all governments should be given to one of three persons to be named +by him; and that he should appoint judges in all parts of Spain trading to +the Indies, to decide upon all causes relating to that trade and to those +parts. Besides the salary and perquisites belonging to the offices of +admiral, viceroy, and governor-general over all his discoveries, he +demanded to have one tenth of all that should be bought, bartered, found, +or procured in any manner of way within the bounds of his authority, +abating only the charges attending the discovery and conquest; so that if +1000 ducats were acquired in any island or place, 100 of these were to +belong to him. Besides all this, as his adversaries alleged that he +ventured nothing in the undertaking, and had the command of the fleet +during the expedition, he offered to be at one eighth part of the expence, +for which he demanded to receive the eighth part of what he should bring +home in the fleet. As these high conditions were refused, the admiral took +leave of all his friends, and began his journey to Cordova, with the +intention of making preparations for going to France; being resolved not +to return into Portugal, although the king had invited him back. + +The admiral departed from the camp of St Faith in the month of January +1492 on his intended journey; and on the same day Lewis de Santangel, +formerly mentioned, who was exceedingly anxious to forward his project, +obtained an audience of the queen of Castile, and used every argument he +could devise to persuade her to adopt the undertaking and to comply with +the terms required. He expressed his astonishment that she, who had always +evinced much greatness of soul in all important matters, should now want +spirit to venture upon an undertaking where so little was to be risked, +and which might redound so highly to the glory of God and the propagation +of the faith, not without great benefit and honour to her kingdoms and +dominions. That, should any other prince accept the offer of Columbus, the +injury which her crown would sustain was very obvious; and that then she +would justly incur much blame from her friends and servants, and would be +reproached by her enemies, and all the world would say that she deserved +the misfortune and disappointment; and, although she might never be +sensible of the evil consequences of her refusal, her successors must. +That, since the proposal seemed well grounded in reason and sound argument, +and was made by a man of wisdom and knowledge, who demanded no other +reward but what might arise from his discoveries, and who was willing to +bear a proportion of the charges, and to adventure his own personal safety +on the event, her majesty ought certainly to make the attempt. That she +ought not to believe the undertaking was such an impossibility as had been +alleged by those learned men to whom the proposal had been referred, +neither to consider its possible failure as any reflection upon her wisdom; +for in his opinion it would be universally looked upon as a mark of +generous magnanimity to attempt discovering the secret wonders of the +world, as had been done by other monarchs to their great honour and +advantage. That, however uncertain the event might be, even a considerable +sum of money would be well employed in the endeavour to ascertain the +certainty of so very important an affair; whereas the admiral only +required 2500 crowns to fit out a fleet for the discovery; and that +therefore she ought not to allow it to be said hereafter that the fear of +losing so small a sum had kept her from patronizing the enterprise. + +The queen was much impressed by these representations of Santangel, of +whose sincere attachment to her service and honour she was extremely +sensible. She thanked him for his good counsel, and said that she was +willing to accede to the proposed enterprise, providing that the execution +were delayed until she might have a little time to recruit her finances +after the conclusion of the present war. Yet, if he thought it necessary +to proceed immediately, she was willing that the requisite funds should be +borrowed on the credit of her jewels. Upon this condescension to his +advice which she had refused to all other persons, Santangel immediately +replied, that there was no necessity to pawn her jewels on the occasion, +as he would readily advance his own money to do such a service to her +majesty. Upon this resolution, the queen immediately sent an officer to +bring the admiral back, who had already reached the bridge of Pinos, two +leagues from Granada. Though much mortified at the difficulties and delays +he had met with hitherto, yet, on receiving intimation of the queens +willingness to comply with his proposals, he returned immediately to the +camp of St Faith, where he was honourably received by their majesties. The +dispatch of the articles of agreement was commited to John Coloma the +secretary, and every thing which he had demanded, as has been mentioned +before, without alteration or diminution, was granted under the hands and +seals of their Catholic majesties. + + + + +SECTION IV. + +_Narrative of the first voyage of Columbus, in which he actually +discovered the New World._ + + +All the conditions which the admiral demanded being conceded by their +Catholic majesties, he set out from Granada on the 21st May 1492 for Palos, +where he was to fit out the ships for his intended expedition. That town +was bound to serve the crown for three months with two caravels, which +were ordered to be given to Columbus; and he fitted out these and a third +vessel with all care and diligence. The ship in which he personally +embarked was called the St Mary; the second vessel named the Pinta, was +commanded by Martin Alonzo Pinzon; and the third named the Nina, which had +square sails, was under the command of Vincent Yanez Pinzon, the brother +of Alonzo, both of whom were inhabitants of Palos. Being furnished with +all necessaries, and having 90 men to navigate the three vessels, Columbus +set sail from Palos on the 3d of August 1492, shaping his course directly +for the Canaries. + +During this voyage, and indeed in all the _four_ voyages which he made +from Spain to the West Indies, the admiral was very careful to keep an +exact journal of every occurrence which took place; always specifying what +winds blew, how far he sailed with each particular wind, what currents +were found, and every thing that was seen by the way, whether birds, +fishes, or any other thing. Although to note all these particulars with a +minute relation of every thing that happened, shewing what impressions and +effects answered to the course and aspect of the stars, and the +differences between the seas which he sailed and those of our countries, +might all be useful; yet as I conceive that the relation of these +particulars might now be tiresome to the reader, I shall only give an +account of what appears to me necessary and convenient to be known. + +On Saturday the 4th of August, the next day after sailing from Palos, the +rudder of the Pinta broke loose. The admiral strongly suspected that this +was occasioned by the contrivance of the master on purpose to avoid +proceeding on the voyage, which he had endeavoured to do before they left +Spain, and he therefore ranged up along side of the disabled vessel to +give every assistance in his power, but the wind blew so hard that he was +unable to afford any aid. Pinzon, however, being an experienced seamen, +soon made a temporary repair by means of ropes, and they proceeded on +their voyage. But on the following Tuesday, the weather becoming rough and +boisterous, the fastenings gave way, and the squadron was obliged to lay +to for some time to renew the repairs. From this misfortune of twice +breaking the rudder, a superstitious person might have foreboded the +future disobedience of Pinzon to the admiral; as through his malice the +Pinta twice separated from the squadron, as shall be afterwards related. +Having applied the best remedy they could to the disabled state of the +rudder, the squadron continued its voyage, and came in sight of the +Canaries at daybreak of Thursday the 9th of August; but, owing to contrary +winds, they were unable to come to anchor at Gran Canaria until the 12th. +The admiral left Pinzon at Gran Canaria to endeavour to procure another +vessel instead of that which was disabled, and went himself with the Nina +on the same errand to Gomera. + +The admiral arrived at Gomera on Sunday the 12th of August, and sent a +boat on shore to inquire if any vessel could be procured there for his +purpose. The boat returned next morning, and brought intelligence that no +vessel was then at that island, but that Donna Beatrix de Bobadilla, the +propriatrix of the island, was then at Gran Canaria in a hired vessel of +40 tons belonging to one Gradeuna of Seville, which would probably suit +his purpose and might perhaps be got. He therefore determined to await the +arrival of that vessel at Gomera, believing that Pinzon might have secured +a vessel for himself at Gran Canaria, if he had not been able to repair +his own. After waiting two days, he dispatched one of his people in a bark +which was bound from Gomera to Gran Canaria, to acquaint Pinzon where he +lay, and to assist him in repairing and fixing the rudder. + +Having waited a considerable time for an answer to his letter, he sailed +with the two vessels from Gomera on the 23d August for Gran Canaria, and +fell in with the bark on the following day, which had been detained all +that time on its voyage by contrary winds. He now took his man from the +bark, and sailing in the night past the island of Teneriffe, the people +were much astonished at observing flames bursting out of the lofty +mountain called El Pico, or the peak of Teneriffe. On this occasion the +admiral was at great pains to explain the nature of this phenomenon to the +people, by instancing the example of Etna and several other known volcanos. + +Passing by Teneriffe, they arrived at Gran Canaria on Saturday the 25th +August; and found that Pinzon had only got in there the day before. From +him the admiral was informed that Donna Beatrix had sailed for Gomera on +the 20th with the vessel which he was so anxious to obtain. His officers +were much troubled at the disappointment; but he, who always endeavoured +to make the best of every occurrence, observed to them that since it had +not pleased God that they should get this vessel it was perhaps better for +them; as they might have encountered much opposition in pressing it into +the service, and might have lost a great deal of time in shipping and +unshipping the goods. Wherefore, lest he might again miss it if he +returned to Gomera, he resolved to make a new rudder for the Pinta at Gran +Canaria, and ordered the square sails of the Nina to be changed to _round_ +ones, like those of the other two vessels, that she might be able to +accompany them with less danger and agitation. + +The vessels being all refitted, the admiral weighed anchor from Gran +Canaria on Saturday the first of September, and arrived next day at Gomera, +where four days were employed in completing their stores of provisions and +of wood and water. On the morning of Thursday the sixth of September 1492, +the admiral took his departure from Gomera, and commenced his great +undertaking by standing directly westwards, but made very slow progress at +first on account of calms. On Sunday the ninth of September, about +day-break, they were nine leagues west of the island of Ferro. Now losing +sight of land and stretching out into utterly unknown seas, many of the +people expressed their anxiety and fear that it might be long before they +should see land again; but the admiral used every endeavour to comfort +them with the assurance of soon finding the land he was in search of, and +raised their hopes of acquiring wealth and honour by the discovery. To +lessen the fear which they entertained of the length of way they had to +sail, he gave out that they had only proceeded fifteen leagues that day, +when the actual distance sailed was eighteen; and to induce the people to +believe that they were not so far from Spain as they really were, he +resolved to keep considerably short in his reckoning during the whole +voyage, though he carefully recorded the true reckoning every day in +private. + +On Wednesday the twelfth September, having got to about 150 leagues west +of Ferro, they discovered a large trunk of a tree, sufficient to have been +the mast to a vessel of 120 tons, and which seemed to have been a long +time in the water. At this distance from Ferro, and for somewhat farther +on, the current was found to set strongly to the north-east. Next day, +when they had run fifty leagues farther westwards, the needle was observed +to vary half a point to the eastward of north, and next morning the +variation was a whole point east. This variation of the compas had never +been before observed, and therefore the admiral was much surprised at the +phenomenon, and concluded that the needle did not actually point towards +the polar star, but to some other fixed point. Three days afterwards, when +almost 100 leagues farther west, he was still more astonished at the +irregularity of the variation; for having observed the needle to vary a +whole point to the eastwards at night, it pointed directly northwards in +the morning. On the night of Saturday the fifteenth of September, being +then almost 300 leagues west of Ferro, they saw a prodigious flash of +light, or fire-ball, drop from the sky into the sea, at four or five +leagues distance from the ships towards the south-west. The weather was +then quite fair and serene like April, the sea perfectly calm, the wind +favourable from the north-east, and the current setting to the north-east +The people in the Nina told the admiral that they had seen the day before +a heron, and another bird which they called _Rabo-de-junco_[1]. These were +the first birds which had been seen during the voyage, and were considered +as indications of approaching land. + +But they were more agreeably surprised next day, Sunday sixteenth +September, by seeing great abundance of yellowish green sea weeds, which +appeared as if newly washed away from some rock or island. Next day the +sea weed was seen in much greater quantity, and a small live lobster was +observed among the weeds: From this circumstance many affirmed that they +were certainly near the land. The sea water was afterwards noticed to be +only half so salt as before; and great numbers of tunny fish were seen +swimming about, some of which came so near the vessel, that one was killed +by a bearded iron. Being now 360 leagues west from Ferro, another of the +birds called Rabo-de-junco was seen. On Tuesday the eighteenth September, +Martin Alonzo Pinzon, who had gone a-head of the admiral in the Pinta, +which was an excellent sailer, lay to for the admiral to come up, and told +him that he had seen a great number of birds fly away westwards, for which +reason he was in great hope to see land that night. Pinzon even thought +that he saw land that night about fifteen leagues distant to the +northwards, which appeared very black and covered with clouds. All the +people would have persuaded the admiral to try for land in that direction; +but, being certainly assured that it was not land, and having not yet +reached the distance at which he expected to find the land, he would not +consent to lose time in altering his course in that direction. But as the +wind now freshened, he gave orders to take in the top-sails at night, +having now sailed eleven days before the wind due westwards with all their +sails up. + +All the people in the squadron being utterly unacquainted with the seas +they now traversed, fearful of their danger at such unusual distance from +any relief, and seeing nothing around but sky and water, began to mutter +among themselves, and anxiously observed every appearance. On the +nineteenth September, a kind of sea-gull called _Alcatraz_ flew over the +admirals ship, and several others were seen in the afternoon of that day; +and as the admiral conceived that these birds would not fly far from land, +he entertained hopes of soon seeing what he was in quest of. He therefore +ordered a line of 200 fathoms to be tried, but without finding any bottom. +The current was now found to set to the south-west. + +On Thursday the twentieth of September, two alcatrazes came near the ship +about two hours before noon, and soon afterwards a third. On this day +likewise they took a bird resembling a heron, of a black colour, with a +white tuft on its head, and having webbed feet like a duck. Abundance of +weeds were seen floating in the sea, and one small fish was taken. About +evening three land birds settled on the rigging of the ship and began to +sing. These flew away at day-break, which was considered a strong +indication of approaching the land, as these little birds could not have +come from any far distant country; whereas the other large fowls, being +used to water, might much better go far from land. The same day an +alcatraz was seen. + +Friday the twenty-first another alcatraz and a rabo de junco were seen, +and vast quantities of weeds as far as the eye could carry towards the +north. These appearances were sometimes a comfort to the people, giving +them hopes of nearing the wished-for land; while at other times the weeds +were so thick as in some measure to impede the progress of the vessels, +and to occasion terror lest what is fabulously reported of St Amaro, in +the frozen sea, might happen to them, that they might be so enveloped in +the weeds as to be unable to move backwards or forwards; wherefore they +steered away from those shoals of weeds as much as they could. + +Next day, being Saturday the twenty-second September, they saw a whale and +several small birds. The wind now veered to the south-west, sometimes more +and sometimes less to the westwards; and, though this was adverse to the +direction of their proposed voyage, the admiral to comfort the people, +alleged that this was a favourable circumstance; because among other +causes of fear, they had formerly said they should never have a wind to +carry them back to Spain, as it had always blown from the east ever since +they left Ferro. They still continued however to murmur, alleging that +this south-west wind was by no means a settled one, and as it never blew +strong enough to swell the sea, it would not serve to carry them back +again through so great an extent of sea as they had now passed over. In +spite of every argument used by the admiral, assuring them that the +alterations in the wind were occasioned by the vicinity of the land, by +which likewise the waves were prevented from rising to any height, they +were still dissatisfied and terrified. + +On Sunday the twenty-third of September, a brisk gale sprung up at W.N.W. +with a rolling sea, such as the people had wished for. Three hours before +noon a turtle-dove was observed to fly over the ship; towards evening an +alcatraz, a river fowl, and several white birds were seen flying about, +and some crabs were observed among the weeds. Next day another alcatraz +was seen and several small birds which came from the west. Numbers of +small fishes were seen swimming about, some of which ware struck with +harpoons, as they would not bite at the hook. + +The more that the tokens mentioned above were observed, and found not to +be followed by the so anxiously looked-for land, the more the people +became fearful of the event, and entered into cabals against the admiral, +who they said was desirous to make himself a great lord at the expence of +their danger. They represented that they had already sufficiently +performed their duty in adventuring farther from land and all possibility +of succour than had ever been done before, and that they ought not to +proceed on the voyage to their manifest destruction. If they did they +would soon have reason to repent their temerity, as provisions would soon +fall short, the ships were already faulty and would soon fail, and it +would be extremely difficult to get back so far as they had already gone. +None could condemn them in their own opinion for now turning back, but all +must consider them as brave men for having gone upon such an enterprize +and venturing so far. That the admiral was a foreigner who had no favour +at court; and as so many wise and learned men had already condemned his +opinions and enterprize as visionary and impossible, there would be none to +favour or defend him, and they were sure to find more credit if they +accused him of ignorance and mismanagement than he would do, whatsoever he +might now say for himself against them. Some even proceeded so far as to +propose, in case the admiral should refuse to acquiesce in their proposals, +that they might make a short end of all disputes by throwing him overboard; +after which they could give out that he had fallen over while making his +observations, and no one would ever think of inquiring, into the truth. +They thus went on day after day, muttering, complaining, and consulting +together; and though the admiral was not fully aware of the extent of +their cabals, he was not entirely without apprehensions of their +inconstancy in the present trying situation, and of their evil intentions +towards him. He therefore exerted himself to the utmost to quiet their +apprehensions and to suppress their evil design, sometimes using fair +words, and at other times fully resolved to expose his life rather than +abandon the enterprize; he put them in mind of the due punishment they +would subject themselves to if they obstructed the voyage. To confirm +their hopes, he recapitulated all the favourable signs and indications +which had been lately observed, assuring them that they might soon expect +to see the land. But they, who were ever attentive to these tokens, +thought every hour a year in their anxiety to see the wished-for land. + +On Tuesday the twenty-fifth of September near sun-set, as the admiral was +discoursing with Pinzon, whose ship was then very near, Pinzon suddenly +called out, "Land! land, Sir! let not my good news miscarry." And pointed +out a large mass in the S.W. about twenty-five leagues distant, which +seemed very like an island. This was so pleasing to the people, that they +returned thanks to God for the pleasing discovery; and, although the +admiral was by no means satisfied of the truth of Pinzons observation, yet +to please the men, and that they might not obstruct the voyage, he altered +his course and stood in that direction a great part of the night. Next +morning, the twenty-sixth, they had the mortification to find the supposed +land was only composed of clouds, which often put on the appearance of +distant land; and, to their great dissatisfaction, the stems of the ships +were again turned directly westwards, as they always were unless when +hindered by the wind. Continuing their course, and still attentively +watching for signs of land, they saw this day an alcatraz, a rabo de junco, +and other birds as formerly mentioned. + +On Thursday the twenty-seventh of September they saw another alcatraz +coming from the westwards and flying towards the east, and great numbers +of fish were seen with gilt backs, one of which they struck with a harpoon. +A rabo de junco likewise flew past; the currents for some of the last days +were not so regular as before, but changed with the tide, and the weeds +were not nearly so abundant. + +On Friday the twenty-eighth all the vessels took some of the fishes with +gilt backs; and on Saturday the twenty-ninth they saw a rabo de junco, +which, although a sea-fowl, never rests on the waves, but always flies in +the air, pursuing the alcatrazes till it causes them to mute for fear, +which it catches in the air for nourishment. Many of these birds are said +to frequent the Cape de Verd islands. They soon afterwards saw two other +alcatrazes, and great numbers of flying-fishes. These last are about a +span long, and have two little membranous wings like those of a bat, by +means of which they fly about a pike-length high from the water and a +musket-shot in length, and sometimes drop upon the ships. In the afternoon +of this day they saw abundance of weeds lying in length north and south, +and three alcatrazes pursued by a rabo de junco. + +On the morning of Sunday the thirtieth of September four rabo de juncos +came to the ship; and from so many of them coming together it was thought +the land could not be far distant, especially as four alcatrazes followed +soon afterwards. Great quantities of weeds were seen in a line stretching +from W.N.W. to E.N.E. and a great number of the fishes which are called +Emperadores, which have a very hard skin and are not fit to eat. Though +the admiral paid every attention to these indications, he never neglected +those in the heavens, and carefully observed the course of the stars. He +was now greatly surprised to notice at this time that the _Charles wain_ +or Ursa Major constellation appeared at night in the west, and was N.E. in +the morning: He thence concluded that their whole nights course was only +nine hours, or so many parts in twenty-four of a great circle; and this he +observed to be the case regularly every night. It was likewise noticed +that the compass varied a whole point to the N.W. at night-fall, and came +due north every morning at day-break. As this unheard-of circumstance +confounded and perplexed the pilots, who apprehended danger in these +strange regions and at such unusual distance from home, the admiral +endeavoured to calm their fears by assigning a cause for this wonderful +phenomenon: He alleged that it was occasioned by the polar star making a +circuit round the pole, by which they were not a little satisfied. + +Soon after sunrise on Monday the first of October, an alcatraz came to the +ship, and two more about ten in the morning, and long streams of weeds +floated from east to west. That morning the pilot of the admirals ship +said that they were now 578 leagues west from the island of Ferro. In his +public account the admiral said they were 584 leagues to the west; but in +his private journal he made the real distance 707 leagues, or 129 more +than was reckoned by the pilot. The other two ships differed much in their +computation from each other and from the admirals pilot. The pilot of Nina +in the afternoon of the Wednesday following said they had only sailed 540 +leagues, and the pilot of the Pinta reckoned 634. Thus they were all much +short of the truth; but the admiral winked at the gross mistake, that the +men, not thinking themselves so far from home, might be the less dejected. + +The next day, being Tuesday the second of October, they saw abundance of +fish, caught one small tunny, and saw a white bird with many other small +birds, and the weeds appeared much withered and almost fallen to powder. +Next day, seeing no birds, they suspected that they had passed between +some islands on both hands, and had slipped through without seeing them, +as they guessed that the many birds which they had seen might have been +passing from one island to another. On this account they were very earnest +to have the course altered one way or the other, in quest of these +imaginary lands: But the admiral, unwilling to lose the advantage of the +fair wind which carried him due west, which he accounted his surest course, +and afraid to lessen his reputation by deviating from course to course in +search of land, which he always affirmed that he well knew where to find, +refused his consent to any change. On this the people were again ready to +mutiny, and resumed their murmurs and cabals against him. But it pleased +God to aid his authority by fresh indications of land. + +On Thursday the fourth of October, in the afternoon, above forty sparrows +together and two alcatrazes flew so near the ship that a seaman killed one +of them with a stone. Several other birds were seen at this time, and many +flying-fish fell into the ships. Next day there came a rabo de junco and +an alcatraz from the westwards, and many sparrows were seen. About sunrise +on Sunday the seventh of October, some signs of land appeared to the +westwards, but being imperfect no person would mention the circumstance. +This was owing to fear of losing the reward of thirty crowns yearly for +life which had been promised by their Catholic majesties to whoever should +first discover land; and to prevent them from calling out land, land, at +every turn without just cause, it was made a condition that whoever said +he saw land should lose the reward if it were not made out in three days, +even if he should afterwards actually prove the first discoverer. All on +board the admirals ship being thus forewarned, were exceedingly careful +not to cry out land upon uncertain tokens; but those in the Nina, which +sailed better and always kept a-head, believing that they certainly saw +land, fired a gun and hung out their colours in token of the discovery; +but the farther they sailed the more the joyful appearance lessened, till +at last it vanished away. But they soon afterwards derived much comfort by +observing great flights of large fowl and others of small birds going from +the west towards the south-west. + +Being now at a vast distance from Spain, and well assured that such small +birds would not go far from land, the admiral now altered his course from +due west which had been hitherto, and steered to the south-west. He +assigned as a reason for now changing his course, although deviating +little from his original design, that he followed the example of the +Portuguese, who had discovered most of their islands by attending to the +flight of birds, and because these they now saw flew almost uniformly in +one direction. He said likewise that he had always expected to discover +land about the situation in which they now were, having often told them +that he must not look to find land until they should get 750 leagues to +the westwards of the Canaries; about which distance he expected to fall in +with Hispaniola which he then called Cipango, and there is no doubt that +he would have found this island by his direct course, if it had not been +that it was reported to extend from north to south[2]. Owing therefore to +his not having inclined more to the south he had missed that and others of +the Caribbee islands whither those birds were now bending their flight, +and which had been for some time upon his larboard hand. It was from being +so near the land that they continually saw such great numbers of birds; +and on Monday the eighth of October twelve singing birds of various +colours came to the ship, and after flying round it for a short time held +on their way. Many other birds were seen from the ship flying towards the +south-west, and that same night great numbers of large fowl were seen, and +flocks of small birds proceeding from the northwards, and all going to the +south-west. In the morning a jay was seen, with an alcatraz, several ducks, +and many small birds, all flying the same way with the others, and the air +was perceived to be fresh and odoriferous as it is at Seville in the month +of April. But the people were now so eager to see land and had been so +often dissappointed, that they ceased to give faith to these continual +indications; insomuch that on Wednesday the tenth, although abundance of +birds were continually passing both by day and night, they never ceased to +complain. The admiral upbraided their want of resolution, and declared +that they must persist in their endeavours to discover the Indies, for +which he and they had been sent out by their Catholic majesties. + +It would have been impossible for the admiral to have much longer +withstood the numbers which now opposed him; but it pleased God that, in +the afternoon of Thursday the eleventh of October, such manifest tokens of +being near the land appeared, that the men took courage and rejoiced at +their good fortune as much as they had been before distressed. From the +admirals ship a green rush was seen to float past, and one of those green +fish which never go far from the rocks. The people in the Pinta saw a cane +and a staff in the water, and took up another staff very curiously carved, +and a small board, and great plenty of weeds were seen which seemed to +have been recently torn from the rocks. Those of the Nina, besides similar +signs of land, saw a branch of a thorn full of red berries, which seemed +to have been newly torn from the tree. From all these indications the +admiral was convinced that he now drew near to the land, and after the +evening prayers he made a speech to the men, in which be reminded them of +the mercy of God in having brought them so long a voyage with such +favourable weather, and in comforting them with so many tokens of a +successful issue to their enterprize, which were now every day becoming +plainer and less equivocal. He besought them to be exceedingly watchful +during the night, as they well knew that in the first article of the +instructions which he had given to all the three ships before leaving the +Canaries, they were enjoined, when they should have sailed 700 leagues +west without discovering land, to lay to every night, from midnight till +day-break. And, as he had very confident hopes of discovering land that +night, he required every one to keep watch at their quarters; and, besides +the gratuity of thirty crowns a-year for life, which had been graciously +promised by their sovereigns to him that first saw the land, he engaged to +give the fortunate discoverer a velvet doublet from himself. + +After this, as the admiral was in his cabin about ten o'clock at night, he +saw a light on shore; but it was so unsteady that he could not certainly +affirm that it came from land. He called to one Peter Gutierres and +desired him to try if he could perceive the same light, who said he did; +but one Roderick Sanchez of Segovia, on being desired to look the same way +could not see it, because he was not up time enough, as neither the +admiral nor Gutierres could see it again above once or twice for a short +space, which made them judge it to proceed from a candle or torch +belonging to some fisherman or traveller, who lifted it up occasionally +and lowered it again, or perhaps from people going from one house to +another, because it appeared and vanished again so suddenly. Being now +very much on their guard, they still held on their course until about two +in the morning of Friday the twelfth of October, when the Pinta which was +always far a-head, owing to her superior sailing, made the signal of +seeing land, which was first discovered by Roderick de Triana at about two +leagues from the ship. But the thirty crowns a-year were afterwards +granted to the admiral, who had seen the light in the midst of darkness, a +type of the spiritual light which he was the happy means of spreading in +these dark regions of error. Being now so near land, all the ships lay to; +every one thinking it long till daylight, that they might enjoy the sight +they had so long and anxiously desired[3]. + +When day light appeared, the newly discovered land was perceived to +consist of a flat island fifteen leagues in length, without any hills, all +covered with trees, and having a great lake in the middle. The island was +inhabited by great abundance of people, who ran down to the shore filled +with wonder and admiration at the sight of the ships, which they conceived +to be some unknown animals. The Christians were not less curious to know +what kind of people they had fallen in with, and the curiosity on both +sides was soon satisfied, as the ships soon came to anchor. The admiral +went on shore with his boat well armed, and having the royal standard of +Castile and Leon displayed, accompanied by the commanders of the other two +vessels, each in his own boat, carrying the particular colours which had +been allotted for the enterprize, which were white with a green cross and +the letter F. on one side, and on the other the names of Ferdinand and +Isabella crowned. + +The whole company kneeled on the shore and kissed the ground for joy, +returning God thanks for the great mercy they had experienced during their +long voyage through seas hitherto unpassed, and their now happy discovery +of an unknown land. The admiral then stood up, and took formal possession +in the usual words for their Catholic majesties of this inland, to which +he gave the name of St Salvador. All the Christians present admitted +Columbus to the authority and dignity of admiral and viceroy, pursuant to +the commission which he had received to that effect, and all made oath to +obey him as the legitimate representative of their Catholic majesties, +with such expressions of joy and acknowledgment as became their mighty +success; and they all implored his forgiveness of the many affronts he had +received from them through their fears and want of confidence. Numbers of +the Indians or natives of the island were present at these ceremonies; and +perceiving them to be peaceable, quiet, and simple people, the admiral +distributed several presents among them. To some he gave red caps, and to +others strings of glass beads, which they hung about their necks, and +various other things of small value, which they valued as if they had been +jewels of high price. + +After the ceremonies, the admiral went off in his boat, and the Indians +followed him even to the ships, some by swimming and others in their +canoes, carrying parrots, clews of spun cotton yarn, javelins, and other +such trifling articles, to barter for glass beads, bells, and other things +of small value. Like people in the original simplicity of nature, they +were all naked, and even a woman who was among them was entirely destitute +of clothing. Most of them were young, seemingly not above thirty years of +age; of a good stature, with very thick black lank hair, mostly cut short +above their ears, though some had it down to their shoulders, tied up with +a string about their head like womens tresses. Their countenances were +mild and agreeable and their features good; but their foreheads were too +high, which gave them rather a wild appearance. They were of a middle +stature, plump, and well shaped, but of an olive complexion, like the +inhabitants of the Canaries, or sunburnt peasants. Some were painted with +black, others with white, and others again with red: In some the whole +body was painted, in others only the face, and some only the nose and eyes. +They had no weapons like those of Europe, neither had they any knowledge +of such; for when our people shewed them a naked sword, they ignorantly +grasped it by the edge. Neither had they any knowledge of iron; as their +javelins were merely constructed of wood, having their points hardened in +the fire, and armed with a piece of fish-bone. Some of them had scars of +wounds on different parts, and being asked by signs how these had been got, +they answered by signs that people from other islands came to take them +away, and that they had been wounded in their own defence. They seemed +ingenious and of a voluble tongue; as they readily repeated such words as +they once heard. There were no kind of animals among them excepting +parrots, which they carried to barter with the Christians among the +articles already mentioned, and in this trade they continued on board the +ships till night, when they all returned to the shore. + +In the morning of the next day, being the 13th of October, many of the +natives returned on board the ships in their boats or canoes, which were +all of one piece hollowed like a tray from the trunk of a tree; some of +these were so large as to contain forty or forty-five men, while others +were so small as only to hold one person, with many intermediate sizes +between these extremes. These they worked along with paddles formed like a +bakers peel or the implement which is used in dressing hemp. These oars or +paddles were not fixed by pins to the sides of the canoes like ours; but +were dipped into the water and pulled backwards as if digging. Their +canoes are so light and artfully constructed, that if overset they soon +turn them right again by swimming; and they empty out the water by +throwing them from side to side like a weavers shuttle, and when half +emptied they lade out the rest with dried calabashes cut in two, which +they carry for that purpose. + +This second day the natives, as said before, brought various articles to +barter for such small things as they could procure in exchange. Jewels or +metals of any kind were not seen among them, except some small plates of +gold which hung from their nostrils; and on being questioned from whence +they procured the gold, they answered by signs that they had it from the +south, where there was a king who possessed abundance of pieces and +vessels of gold; and they made our people to understand that there were +many other islands and large countries to the south and south-west. They +were very covetous to get possession of any thing which belonged to the +Christians, and being themselves very poor, with nothing of value to give +in exchange, as soon as they got on board, if they could lay hold of any +thing which struck their fancy, though it were only a piece of a broken +glazed earthen dish or porringer, they leaped with it into the sea and +swam on shore with their prize. If they brought any thing on board they +would barter it for any thing whatever belonging to our people, even for a +piece of broken glass; insomuch that some gave sixteen large clews of well +spun cotton yarn, weighing twenty-five pounds, for three small pieces of +Portuguese brass coin not worth a farthing. Their liberality in dealing +did not proceed from their putting any great value on the things +themselves which they received from our people in return, but because they +valued them as belonging to the Christians, whom they believed certainly +to have come down from Heaven, and they therefore earnestly desired to +have something from them as a memorial. In this manner all this day was +spent, and the islanders as before went all on shore at night. + +Next Sunday, being the 15th of October, the admiral sailed in his boats +along the coast of the island of St Salvador towards the north-west, to +examine its nature and extent, and discovered a bay of sufficient capacity +to contain all the ships in Christendom. As he rowed along the coast, the +people ran after him on shore inviting him to land with offers of +provisions, and calling to each other to come and see the people who had +come down from Heaven to visit the earth, and lifting up their hands to +Heaven as if giving thanks for their arrival. Many of them in their canoes, +or by swimming as they best could, came to the boats asking by signs +whether they came down from Heaven, and entreating them to come on shore +to rest and refresh themselves. The admiral gave to all of them glass +beads, pins and other trifles, being much pleased at their simplicity; and +at length came to a peninsula having a good harbour, and where a good fort +might have been made. He there saw six of the Indian houses, having +gardens about them as pleasant as those of Castile in the month of May, +though now well advanced in October. But the people being fatigued with +rowing, and finding no land so inviting as to induce him to make any +longer stay, he returned to his ships, taking seven of the Indians along +with him to serve as interpreters, and made sail for certain other islands +which he had seen from the peninsula, which all appeared to be plain and +green and full of inhabitants. + +The next day, being Monday the 16th of October, he came to an island which +was six leagues from St Salvador, to which he gave the name of St Mary of +the Conception. That side of this second island which is nearest to St +Salvador extended north-west about five leagues; but the side to which the +admiral went lies east and west, and is about ten leagues long. Casting +anchor off the west point of this island, he landed and took possession. +Here the people flocked to see the Christians, expressing their wonder and +admiration as had been done in the former island. + +Perceiving that this was entirely similar to St Salvador, he sailed on the +17th from this island, and went westwards to another island considerably +larger, being above twenty-eight leagues from north-west to south-east. +This like the others was quite plain and had a fine beach of easy access, +and he named it Fernandina. While sailing between the island of Conception +and Fernandina they found a man paddling along in a small canoe, who had +with him a piece of their bread, a calabash full of water, a small +quantity of a red earth like vermilion, with which these people paint +themselves, and some dried leaves which they value for their sweet scent +and as being very wholesome; and in a little basket he had a string of +green glass beads and two small pieces of Portuguese coin: Whence it was +concluded that he had come from St Salvador past the Conception, and was +going in all haste to Fernandina to carry the news of the appearance of +the Christians. But as the way was long and he was weary, he came to the +ships and was taken on board, both himself and his canoe, and was +courteously treated by the admiral, who sent him on shore as soon as he +came to land, that he might spread the news. The favourable account he +gave caused the people of Fernandina to come on board in their canoes, to +exchange the same kind of things as had been done at the two former +islands; and when the boats went on shore for water, the Indians both +readily shewed where it was to be got, and carried the small casks full on +their shoulders to fill the hogsheads in the boats. + +The inhabitants of Fernandina seemed to be a wiser and discreeter people +than those in the two former islands, as they bargained harder for what +they exchanged; they had cotton cloth in their houses as bed-clothes, and +some of the women wore short cotton cloths to cover their nakedness, while +others had a sort of swathe for the same purpose. Among other things +worthy of remark in this island, certain trees had the appearance of being +engrafted, as they had leaves and branches of four or five different sorts, +and were yet quite natural. They saw fishes of several sorts, ornamented +with fine colours; but no sort of land animals except lizards and serpents. +The better to observe this island, the admiral sailed along its coast to +the north-west, and came to anchor at the mouth of a most beautiful +harbour, at the entrance of which a small island prevented the access of +ships. In that neighbourhood was one of the largest towns they had ever +yet seen, consisting of twelve or fifteen houses together, built like +tents or round pavilions, but in which were no other ornaments or +moveables besides those which have been already mentioned as offered in +barter. Their beds were like nets, drawn together in the nature of a sling, +and tied to two posts in their houses. In this island they saw some dogs +resembling mastiffs, and others like beagles, but none of them barked. + +Finding nothing of value in Fernandina, the admiral sailed thence on +Friday the 19th October to another island called Saomotto by the natives, +to which, that he might proceed regularly in his nomenclature, he gave the +name of Isabella. Thus to his first discovery called Guanahani by the +natives, he gave the name of St Salvador or St Saviour, in honour of God +who had delivered him from so many dangers, and had providentially pointed +out the way for its discovery. On account of his particular devotion to +the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary, and because she is the great +patroness of the Christians, he named the second island St Mary of the +Conception. The third he named Fernandina in honour of the Catholic king; +the fourth Isabella in honour of the Catholic queen; and the next island +which he discovered, called Cuba by the natives, he named Joanna in +respect to prince John the heir of Castile, having in these several names +given due regard to both spirituals and temporals. Of the four islands +hitherto discovered, St Salvador, the Conception, Fernandina, and Isabella, +Fernandina far exceeded all the others in extent, goodness, and beauty, +and abounded more in delicious waters, pleasant meadows, and beautiful +trees, among which were many aloes. It had likewise some hills, which were +not to be seen in these other islands. Being much taken with its beauty, +the admiral landed to perform the ceremony of taking possession in some +meadows as pleasant and delightful as those of Spain in April, where +nightingales and other birds sung in the most cheerful manner, both in the +trees and flying about in such numbers as almost to darken the sun; but +most of them differed much from our birds in Spain. + +In this island there were great abundance of waters and lakes, and in one +of them our people saw a sort of alligator seven feet long and above a +foot wide at the belly. This animal being disturbed threw itself into the +lake, which was by no means deep; and though somewhat alarmed by its +frightful appearance and fierceness, our people killed it with their +spears. The Spaniards learnt afterwards to consider the alligator as a +dainty, and even as the best food possessed by the Indians; as when its +horrid-looking skin, all covered with scales, is removed, the flesh is +very white and delicious. The alligator is called yvana by the Indians. + +As it grew late, our people left the alligator where it was slain, and +returned to the ships; but being desirous to explore the country somewhat +farther, they landed again next day, when they killed another alligator in +the same place. Travelling thence into the interior of the island they +found a town or village, whence the natives fled at their approach, +carrying off as much of their goods as they were able. The admiral would +not suffer any part of what they had left to be taken away, lest the +natives should consider the Spaniards as thieves; wherefore their fears +soon abated, and they came to the ships to barter their commodities as the +other Indians had done. + +Having examined the nature and products of the island of Isabella and the +manners of its inhabitants, the admiral determined to waste no more time +in exploring the remaining islands in this numerous group, more especially +as he was informed by the Indians that they all resembled each other. He +therefore shaped his course for a large island to the southwards, which +the Indians named Cuba, and which was much applauded by them all. +Accordingly, on Sunday the 28th of October, he arrived on its northern +coast. At first sight this island appeared to be better and richer than +those which he had visited before; from the great extent of its coasts, +the size of its rivers, the beauty and variety of its hills and mountains, +and the extent of its plains, all clothed with an infinite variety of +trees. He was therefore desirous to get some knowledge of its people, and +came to anchor in the mouth of a large river, the banks of which were +richly adorned with thick and tall trees, all covered with fruit and +blossoms very different from those of Spain. The place was in every +respect delicious, and abounded in tall grass, and herbs of a vast variety +of kinds, mostly differing from those of Europe, and the woods were +thronged with birds of various plumage. On going to two houses at a short +distance, the inhabitants were found to have fled, leaving their nets and +other fishing tackle, together with a dog which did not bark. As the +admiral had given strict orders that nothing should be carried away, they +soon returned to the ships. + +Leaving this river, the squadron continued its course along the coast to +the westwards, and came to another river, which the admiral named Rio de +Mares, or the river of the seas. This was much larger than the former +river, as a ship was able to turn up its channel, and its banks were +thickly inhabited; but all the natives fled towards the mountains on first +perceiving the approach of our ships; carrying away every thing they were +able to remove. These mountains appeared of a round or conical form, very +lofty, and entirely covered with trees and an infinite variety of +beautiful plants. Finding himself disappointed, through the fears of the +natives, of learning what he wished respecting the nature and productions +of the island, and the manners of the people, and considering that he +should increase their terrors if be were to land a great number of men, he +resolved to send two Spaniards into the interior, accompanied by one of +the natives of St Salvador, whom he had brought along with him from that +island, and a native of Cuba who had ventured aboard in his canoe. He +instructed these men to travel up into the country, and to caress and +conciliate as much as possible any of the natives they might fall in with. +And that no time might be lost during their absence, he ordered the ships +to be laid on shore to careen their bottoms. It was observed in this place +that all the firewood they used was from a tree in every respect +resembling the mastic, but much larger than those of Europe. + +The ships being repaired and ready for sailing on the 5th of November, the +two Spaniards who had been sent into the interior returned, bringing two +of the natives along with them. They reported that they had travelled +twelve leagues up the country, where they came to a town of fifty pretty +large houses, all constructed of timber in a round form and thatched with +straw, resembling so many tents or pavilions. According to their +estimation, this place might contain 1000 inhabitants, as all that +belonged to one family dwelt together in one house. The principal people +of the place came out to meet them, and led them by the arms into the town, +giving them one of the large houses to lodge in during their stay. They +were there seated upon wooden stools made of one piece, in very strange +shapes, almost resembling some living creature with four very short legs. +The tail was lifted up, and as broad as the seat, to serve for the +convenience of leaning against; and the front was carved into the +resemblance of a head, having golden eyes and ears. The Spaniards being +seated on those stools or chairs, which the Indians called _duchi_, all +the natives sat about them on the ground, and came one by one to kiss +their hands with great respect, believing them to have come from Heaven. +They were presented with some boiled roots to eat, not unlike chesnuts in +taste; and as the two Indians who had accompanied them had given an +excellent character of the strangers, they were entreated to remain among +them, or at least to rest themselves for some days. Soon afterwards the +men went out from the house, and many women came to see them, who all +respectfully kissed their hands and feet, and offered them presents of +various articles. + +When they proposed returning to the ships, many of the Indians wanted to +accompany them, but they would only accept of the king, his son, and one +servant, whom the admiral received with every demonstration of honour and +respect. The Spaniards farther reported that they had fallen in with +several other towns, both in their going out and returning, in all of +which they had been entertained with the same courtesy; but that none of +these other towns contained above five houses. That they met many people +by the way, all of whom carried a lighted fire-brand, to light fires, by +means of which they perfumed themselves with certain odoriferous herbs, or +roasted some of the roots mentioned before, which seemed to be their +principal food. They saw during their journey many kinds of trees and +plants different from those which grew on the coast, and great variety of +birds altogether different from those of Europe; but among the rest were +partridges and nightingales; and they had seen no species of quadruped in +the country, except the dumb dogs formerly mentioned. They found a good +deal of cultivated land, some of which was planted with the roots before +mentioned, some with a species of bean, and some sown with a sort of grain +called maiz, which was very well tasted either baked or dried, and ground +to flour. They saw vast quantities of well spun cotton yarn, made up into +balls or clews; insomuch, that in one house only they had seen 12,500 +pounds of that commodity[4]. The plants from which the cotton is procured +grow naturally about the fields, like rose bushes, and are not cultivated +or planted by the natives. When ripe, the pods open of themselves, but not +all at one time; for upon the same plant young buds, others beginning to +open, and others almost entirely ripe are seen at the same time. Of these +pods the Indians afterwards carried large quantities on board the ships, +and gave a whole basket-full for a thong of leather: Yet none of them used +this substance to clothe themselves with, but only to make nets to serve +them for beds, which they call _hamacas_, and in weaving aprons for the +women, all the men going entirely naked. On being asked whether they +possessed any gold, or pearls, or spice, they made answer by signs that +there was great plenty towards the east, in a country which they named +_Bohio_, which was afterwards supposed to be the island of Hispaniola, but +it has never been certainly ascertained what place they meant to indicate. + +After receiving this account, the admiral resolved to remain no longer in +the Rio de Mares, and ordered some of the natives of Cuba to be seized, as +he intended to carry some from all parts of his discoveries into Spain. +Accordingly twelve were seized, men women and children; and this was done +with so little disturbance, and occasioned so little terror, that when the +ships were about to sail, the husband of one of the women and father of +two children, who had been carried on board, came off in a canoe, +requesting to go along with his wife and children. This circumstance gave +great satisfaction to the admiral, who ordered him to be taken on board, +and they were all treated with great kindness. + +On the 13th of November the squadron weighed from the Rio de Mares and +stood to the eastwards, intending to proceed in search of the island +called Bohio by the Indians; but the wind blowing hard from the north, +they were constrained to come to an anchor among some high islands on the +coast of Cuba, near a large port which the admiral named Puerta del +Principe, or the Princes Port, and he called the sea among these islands +the Sea of our Lady. These islands lay so thick and close together, that +most of them were only a musket-shot asunder, and the farthest not more +than the quarter of a league. The channels between these islands were so +deep, and the shores so beautifully adorned with trees and plants of +infinite varieties, that it was quite delightful to sail among them. Among +the multitude of other trees, there were great numbers of mastic, aloes, +and palms, with long smooth green trunks, and other plants innumerable. +Though these islands were not inhabited, there were seen the remains of +many fires which had been made by the fishermen; for it appeared +afterwards, that the people of Cuba were in use to go over in great +numbers in their canoes to these islands, and to a great number of other +uninhabited islets in these seas, to live upon fish, which they catch in +great abundance, and upon birds, crabs, and other things which they find +on the land. The Indians are by no means nice in their choice of food, but +eat many things which are abhorred by us Europeans, such as large spiders, +the worms that breed in rotten wood and other corrupt places, and devour +their fish almost raw; for before roasting a fish, they scoop out the eyes +and eat them. The Indians follow this employment of fishing and +bird-catching according to the seasons, sometimes in one island, sometimes +in another, as a person changes his diet when weary of living on one kind +of food. + +In one of the islands in the Sea of our Lady, the Spaniards killed a +quadruped resembling a badger, and in the sea they found considerable +quantities of mother-of-pearl. Among other fish which they caught in their +nets, was one resembling a swine, which was covered all over with a very +hard skin except the tail, which was quite soft. In this sea among the +islands, the tide was observed to rise and fall much more than in the +other places where they had been hitherto; and was quite contrary to ours +in Spain, as it was low water when the moon was S.W. and by S. + +On Monday the 19th November, the admiral departed from the Princes Port in +Cuba and the Sea of our Lady, and steered eastwards in search of Bohio; +but owing to contrary winds, he was forced to ply two or three days +between the island of Isabella, called Saomotto by the Indians, and the +Puerta del Principe, which lie almost due north and south, at about +twenty-five leagues distance. In this sea he still found traces of those +weeds which he had seen in the ocean, and perceived that they always swam +with the current and never athwart. + +At this time Martin Alonzo Pinzon, being informed by certain Indians whom +he had concealed in his caravel, that abundance of gold was to be had in +the island of Bohio, and blinded by covetousness, he deserted the admiral +on Wednesday the 21st of November, without being constrained by any stress +of weather, or other necessity whatever, as he could easily have come up +with him before the wind. Taking advantage of the superior sailing of his +vessel the Pinta, he made all sail during the next day, and when night +came on of the 22d, he was entirely out of sight. Thus left with only two +ships, and the weather being unfavourable for proceeding on his way in +search of Bohio, the admiral was obliged to return to Cuba, where he came +to anchor in a harbour which he called St Catherines, not far from the +Princes Port, and there took in wood and water. In this port he +accidentally saw signs of gold on some stones in the river where they were +taking in water. The mountains in the interior were full of such tall pine +trees as were fit to make masts for the largest ships; neither was there +any scarcity of wood for plank to build as many ships as might be wished, +and among these were oaks and other trees resembling those in Castile. But +perceiving that all the Indians still directed him to Bohio and the +eastwards as the country of gold, he ran ten or twelve leagues farther to +the east along the coast of Cuba, meeting all the way with excellent +harbours and many large rivers. In one of his letters to their Catholic +majesties, he says so much of the delightfulness and beauty of the country, +that I have thought fit to give an extract in his own words. Writing +concerning the mouth of a river which forms a harbour which he named +Puerto Santo, or the Holy Harbour, he says thus: + +"When I went with the boats before me to the mouth of the harbour towards +the south, I found a river up the mouth of which a galley could row easily; +and it was so land-locked that its entrance could not be discovered unless +when close at hand. The beauty of this river induced me to go up a short +distance, where I found from five to eight fathoms water. Coming to anchor, +I proceeded a considerable way up the river with the boats; and such was +the delightfulness of the place that I could have been tempted to remain +there for ever. The water was so clear that we could see the sand at the +bottom. The finest and tallest palm trees I had ever seen were in great +abundance on either shore, with an infinite number of large verdant trees +of other kinds. The soil seemed exceedingly fertile, being every where +covered by the most luxuriant verdure, and the woods abounded in vast +varieties of birds of rich and variegated plumage. This country, most +serene princes, is so wonderfully fine, and so far excels all others in +beauty and delightfulness as the day exceeds the night; wherefore I have +often told my companions that though I should exert my utmost endeavours +to give your highness a perfect account of it, my tongue and pen must ever +fall short of the truth. I was astonished at the sight of so much beauty, +and know not how to describe it. I have formerly written of other +countries, describing their trees, and fruits, and plants, and harbours, +and all belonging to them as largely as I could, yet not so as I ought, as +all our people affirmed that no others could possibly be more delightful. +But this so far excels every other which I have seen, that I am +constrained to be silent; wishing that others may see it and give its +description, that they may prove how little credit is to be got, more than +I have done, in writing and speaking on this subject so far inferior to +what it deserves." + +While going up this river in the boat, the admiral saw a canoe hauled on +shore among the trees and under cover of a bower or roof, which was as +large as a twelve-oared barge, and yet hollowed out of the trunk of one +tree. In a house hard by they found a ball of wax and a mans skull, each, +in a basket, hanging to a post, and the same was afterwards found in +another house; and our people surmized that these might be the skulls of +the founders of these two houses. No people could be found in this place +to give any information, as all the inhabitants fled from their houses on +the appearance of the Spaniards. They afterwards found another canoe all +of one piece, about seventy feet long, which would have carried fifty +persons. + +Having sailed 106 leagues eastwards along the coast of Cuba, the admiral +at length reached the eastmost point of that island, to which he gave the +name of Cape Alpha; and on Wednesday the fifth December he struck across +the channel between Cuba and Hispaniola, which islands are sixteen leagues +asunder; but owing to contrary currents, was unable to reach the coast of +Hispaniola until the next day, when he entered a harbour which he named +Port St Nicholas, in honour of the saint on whose festival he made the +discovery. This port is large, deep, safe, and encompassed with many tall +trees; but the country is more rocky and the trees less than in Cuba, and +more like those in Castile: among the trees were many small oaks, with +myrtles and other shrubs, and a pleasant river ran along a plain towards +the port, all round which were seen large canoes as big as those they had +found in Puerto Santo. Not being able to meet with any of the inhabitants, +the admiral quitted St Nicholas and stretched along the coast to the +northwards, till he came to another port which he named the Conception, +which lies almost due south from a small island about the size of the Gran +Canaria, and which was afterwards named Tortuga. Perceiving that this +island, which they believed to be Bohio, was very large, that the land and +trees resembled Spain, and that in fishing they caught several fishes much +like those in Spain, as soles, salmon, pilchards, crabs and the like, on +Sunday the ninth of December the admiral gave it the name of _Espannola_, +or little Spain, or as it is called in English Hispaniola. + +Being desirous of making inquiry into the nature of this country and its +inhabitants, three of the Spaniards travelled up the mountain and fell in +with a considerable number of Indians, who were all naked like those they +had seen at the other islands; these immediately ran off into the thickest +parts of the wood on seeing the Spaniards draw near, and they could only +overtake one young woman, who had a plate of gold hanging from her nose. +She was carried to the admiral, who gave her some baubles, as bells and +glass beads, and then sent her on shore without any injury being offered +to her; and three of the Indians who had been brought from the other +islands, with three Spaniards, were ordered to accompany her to her +dwelling-place. Next day he sent eleven men on shore well armed, with +directions to explore the country. After travelling about four leagues +they found a sort of town or village, consisting of about a thousand +houses, scattered about a large valley. The inhabitants all fled on seeing +the Spaniards; but one of the Indians brought from St Salvador went after +them, and persuaded them to return, by assuring them that the Spaniards +were people who had come down from Heaven. Having laid aside their fears +they were full of admiration at the appearance of the strangers, and would +lay their hands on their heads to do them honour; they brought food to our +people and gave them every thing they asked, requiring nothing in return, +and entreated them to remain all night in their village. The Spaniards +would not accept the invitation, but returned to the ships with the news +that the country was very pleasant and abounded in provisions; that the +people were whiter and handsomer than any they had seen in the other +islands, and were very courteous and tractable. To the constant question +respecting gold, they answered, like all the rest, that the country where +it was found lay farther to the eastwards. + +On receiving this intelligence, although the wind was adverse, the admiral +set sail immediately; and on the following Sunday the sixteenth of +December, while plying between Tortuga and Hispaniola, he found one man +alone in a small canoe, which they all wondered was not swallowed up by +the waves, as the wind and sea were then very tempestuous. This man was +taken into the ship and carried to Hispaniola, where he was set on shore +with several gifts. He told the Indians how kindly he had been treated, +and spoke so well of the Spaniards that numbers of the natives came +presently on board; but they brought nothing of value, except some small +grains of gold hanging from their ears and noses, and being asked whence +they procured the gold, they made signs that there was a great deal to be +had higher up the country. + +Next day, while the cacique or lord of that part of Hispaniola was on the +beach bartering a plate of gold, there came a large canoe with forty men +on board from the island of Tortuga to near the place where the admiral +lay at anchor. When the cacique and his people saw the canoe approach, +they all sat down on the ground, as a sign that they were unwilling to +fight. Almost all the people from the canoe immediately landed; on which +the Hispaniola chief started up alone, and with threatening words and +gestures made them return to their canoe. He then threw water after them, +and cast stones into the sea towards the canoe; and when they had all most +submissively returned into their canoe, he delivered a stone to one of the +Spanish officers, making signs to him to throw it at those in the canoe, +as if to express that he took part with the Spaniards against the Indians +of Tortuga; but the officer, seeing that they retired quietly, did not +throw the stone[5]. While afterwards discoursing the friendly cacique +affirmed that it contained more gold than all Hispaniola; but that in +Bohio, which was fifteen days journey from the place they were then in, +there was more than in any other land. + +On Tuesday the eighteenth of December, the cacique who came the day before +to where the canoe of Tortuga was, and who lived about five leagues from +where the ships lay, came in the morning to a town near the sea, where +some Spaniards then were by order of the admiral to see if the natives +brought any more gold. These men came off to the admiral to acquaint him +of the arrival of the king, who was accompanied by above 200 men, and who +though very young, was carried by four men in a kind of palanquin. Having +rested a little, the king drew near the ships with all his people, but I +shall give an account of the interview in the admiral's own words +addressed to their Catholic majesties. + +"There is no doubt that your highnesses would have been much pleased to +have seen the gravity of his deportment, and the respect with which he was +treated by his people, though all we saw were entirely naked. When he came +on deck and understood that I was below at dinner, he surprized me by +sitting down at my side without giving me time to go out to receive him or +even to rise from table. When he came down, he made signs to all his +followers to remain above, which they did with the utmost respect, sitting +down quietly on the deck, excepting two old men who seemed to be his +councillors, who came down along with him and sat down at his feet. Being +informed of his quality, I ordered some meat which I was eating at the +time to be offered him. He and his councillors just tasted it, and then +sent it to their men upon deck, who all eat of it. The same thing they did +in regard to drink; for they only kissed the cup, and then handed it about. +Their deportment was wonderfully grave, and they used but few words, which +were uttered very deliberately and with much decorum. After eating, one of +his attendants brought him a girdle not much unlike those used in Castile, +but wrought of different materials, this they very respectfully delivered +into his hand, and he presented it to me with two very thin pieces of +wrought-gold. Of this gold I believe there is but little here, though I +suspect there is a place at no great distance which produces a great deal, +and whence they procure it. Believing he might like a carpet or +counterpane which lay on my bed, I presented it to him, together with some +fine amber beads which I wore about my neck, a pair of red shoes, and a +bottle of orange-flower water, with all of which he seemed very much +pleased. The two old men who sat at his feet, seemed to watch the motions +of the kings lips, and spoke both for and to him; and both he and they +expressed much concern because they did not understand me or I them, +though I made out that if I wanted any thing all the island was at my +command. I brought out a casket in which was a gold medal weighing four +ducats, on which were the portraits of your highnesses, and shewed it to +him, endeavouring to make him sensible that your highnesses were mighty +princes, and sovereigns of the best part of the world. I shewed him +likewise the royal standard, and the standard of the cross, which he made +great account of. Turning to his councillors, he said that your highnesses +must certainly be great princes, who had sent me so far as from Heaven +thither without fear. Much more passed between us which I did not +understand; but could easily perceive that they greatly admired every +thing they saw. It being now late, and seeming anxious to be gone, I sent +him on shore very honourably in my boat, and caused several guns to be +fired. When ashore, he got into his palanquin attended by above two +hundred people, and a son whom he had along with him was carried on the +shoulders of one of his principal people. He ordered all the Spaniards who +were on shore to have provisions given to them, and that they should be +very courteously used. + +"Afterwards I was told by a sailor who met him on his way into the country, +that every one of the things I had given him were carried before him by a +person of note; that his son did not accompany him on the road, but was +carried at some distance behind with as many attendants as he had; and +that a brother of his, with almost as many more followed on foot, led by +two principal people supporting him under the arms. The brother had been +on board along with the king, and to him likewise I had made some trifling +presents." + +In continuance of the foregoing account of his proceedings, the admiral +gives the following narrative of the unfortunate loss of his own caravel +the St Mary: + +"Having put to sea, the weather was very calm on Monday the twenty-fourth +December, with hardly any wind; but what little there was carried me from +the sea of St Thomas to _Punta Santa_ or the Holy Cape, off which we lay +at about the distance of a league. About eleven at night, being very much +fatigued, as I had not slept for two days and a night, I went to bed; and +the seaman who was at the helm left it to a _grummet_[6], although I had +given strict injunctions that this should never be done during the whole +voyage, whether the wind blew or not. To say the truth I thought we were +perfectly safe from all danger of rocks and shoals; as on that Sunday when +I sent my boats to the king of the island, they went at least three +leagues and a half beyond Punta Santa, and the seamen had carefully +examined all the coast, and noted certain shoals which lie three leagues +E.S.E. of that cape, and observed which way we might sail in safety, a +degree of precaution which I had not before taken during the whole voyage. +It pleased God at midnight, while all the men were asleep, that the +current gently carried our ship upon one of the shoals, which made such a +roaring noise that it might have been heard and discovered at the distance +of a league. Then the fellow who felt the rudder strike and heard the +noise, immediately began to cry out, and I hearing him got up immediately, +for no one had as yet perceived that we were aground. Presently the master +whose watch it was came upon deck, and I ordered him and other sailors to +take the boat and carry out an anchor astern, hoping thereby to warp off +the ship. Thereupon he and others leapt into the boat, as I believed to +carry my orders into execution; but they immediately rowed away to the +other caravel which was half a league from us. On perceiving that the boat +had deserted us, and the water ebbed apace to the manifest danger of our +ship, I caused the masts to be cut away, and lightened her as much as +possible in hopes to get her off. But the water still ebbed, and the +caravel remained fast in the shoal, and turning athwart the stream the +seams opened and all below deck became filled with water." + +"Meanwhile, the boat returned from the other caravel to our relief, for +the people in the Nina, perceiving they had fled, refused to receive them, +and obliged them to return to our ship. No hopes of saving the ship +appearing, I went away to the other caravel to save the lives of the +people; and great part of the night was already spent, while yet we knew +not which way to get from among the shoals, I lay to with the Nina till +daylight, and then drew towards the land within the shoals. I then +dispatched James de Arana the provost, and Peter Gutieres, your highnesses +secretary, to acquaint the king with what had happened, and to inform him, +that as I was bound to his own port to pay him a visit, according to his +desire, I had lost my ship on a flat opposite his town. On receiving this +intelligence, with tears in his eyes, the king expressed much grief for +our loss, and immediately sent off all the people in the place with many +large canoes to our assistance. We accordingly began immediately to unload, +and with our own boats and their canoes, we soon carried on shore every +thing that was on the deck. The aid given us on this occasion by the king +was very great; and he afterwards, with the assistance of his brothers and +kindred, took all possible care, both on board and ashore, that every +thing should be conducted and preserved in the most orderly manner. From +time to time he sent some of his people to me weeping, to beg me not to be +dejected, as he would give me everything he possessed. I assure your +highnesses that better order could not have been taken in any port in +Castile to preserve our things, for we did not lose the value of a pin. He +caused all our clothes and other articles to be laid together in one place +near his own residence, and appointed armed men to watch them day and +night, until the houses which he had allotted for our accommodation could +be emptied and got in readiness for our reception. All the people lamented +our misfortune as if the loss had been their own. So kindly, tractable, +and free from covetousness are these good Indians, that I swear to your +highnesses there are no better people, nor is there a better country in +the world. They love their neighbours as themselves, and their +conversation is the sweetest that can be conceived, always pleasant and +always smiling. It is true that both men and women go entirely naked, yet +your highnesses may rest assured that they have very commendable customs. +The king is served with much state and ceremonious respect, and his +manners are so staid that it is very pleasing to see him. They have +wonderfully good memories, and are of quick apprehension, and were +extremely desirous to know every thing, asking many questions, and +inquiring into the causes and effects of every thing they saw." + +The chief king of the country came on board to visit the admiral on +Wednesday the 26th of December, and expressed much sorrow for his +misfortune, and endeavoured to comfort him by promising to give him every +thing that he might desire. He said that he had already given three houses +to the Spaniards to lay up every thing which had been saved from the ship +and was ready to give them as many more as they might require. In the mean +time, a canoe came from a neighbouring island, bringing some plates of +gold to exchange for small bells, which the Indians valued above every +thing; and our seamen from the shore informed the admiral that many +Indians resorted from other places to the town, who brought several +articles made of gold which they bartered for points and other things of +small value, and offering to bring much more gold if the Christians +desired. The king or great cacique perceiving that the admiral was much +gratified by this information, told him he would give orders to bring a +great quantity of gold from a place called _Cibao_, where it was to be had +in great abundance. Afterwards, when the admiral was on shore, the cacique +invited him to eat axis and cazabi, which formed the principal diet of the +Indians[7]. He likewise presented him with some masks or vizors, having +their eyes, noses, and ears, made of gold, and many pretty ornaments of +that metal which the Indians wore about their necks. + +The cacique complained to the admiral of a nation called the _Caribs_, who +used often to carry away his men to make slaves of or to eat them; and he +was greatly rejoiced when the admiral shewed him the superiority of the +European weapons, and promised to defend him and his people against the +Caribs. He was much astonished at our cannon, which so terrified the +natives that they fell down as if dead on hearing the report. Finding +therefore so much kindness among these people, and such strong indications +of gold, the admiral almost forgot his grief for the loss of his ship, +thinking that God had so ordered on purpose to fix a colony of Christians +in that place, where they might trade and acquire a thorough knowledge of +the country and people, by learning the language and conversing with the +natives; so that when he returned from Spain with succours and +reinforcements, he might have several persons qualified to assist and +direct him in subduing and peopling the country; and he was the more +inclined to this measure, that many of the people voluntarily offered to +remain and inhabit the place. For this reason he determined to build a +fort or blockhouse from the timber of the ship which had been wrecked, all +of which had been saved and was now put to that use. + +While employed in this plan, he received intelligence on Thursday the 27th +December, that the missing caravel, the Pinta, was in a river towards the +east point of Hispaniola. To be assured of the truth of this report, the +cacique, whose name was Guacanagari, sent a canoe with some Indians and +one Spaniard to make inquiry. These people went twenty leagues along the +coast, and returned without being able to hear any thing of the Pinta; for +which reason no credit was given to another Indian, who reported that he +had seen that vessel a few days before. The admiral still persisted, +however, in his resolution of leaving some Christians in that place, being +still more sensible of the goodness and wealth of the country, as the +Indians frequently brought masks and other articles of gold, and told them +of several districts in the island where that metal was to be procured. + +Being now nearly ready to depart, the admiral took occasion to discourse +with the cacique about the Caribs or Cannibals, of whom they complained +and were in great dread; and therefore, as if to please him, he offered to +leave some Christians behind for their protection. At the same time, to +impress him with awe in regard to our weapons, he caused a gun to be fired +against the side of the ship, when the bullet went quite through and fell +into the water, at which the cacique was much amazed. The admiral shewed +him all our other weapons, and explained to him both how the Spaniards +were able to offend others, and to defend themselves in a very superior +manner; telling him, that since such people with such weapons were to be +left for his protection, he need be in no fear of the Caribs, as the +Christians would destroy them all; and that he would leave him a +sufficient guard, while he returned to Castile for jewels and other things +to give him. + +The admiral particularly recommended to the attention of the cacique James +de Arana, son to Roderick de Arana of Cordova, of whom mention has been +formerly made in this narrative. To him, with Peter Gutierres and Roderick +de Eskovedo, he left the government of the fort, with a garrison of +thirty-six men, with abundance of commodities, provisions, arms, and +cannon, the boat which had belonged to the lost ship, with carpenters, +caulkers, a surgeon and gunner, and all other necessaries for settling +commodiously. All this being settled, he determined to return with all +speed to Castile without attempting to make any farther discoveries; +fearing, as he had now but one ship remaining, that some other misfortune +might befal him by which their Catholic majesties would be deprived of the +knowledge of those new kingdoms which he had acquired for them. + +On Friday the 4th of January 1493, the admiral set sail at sun-rise, +standing to the north-west, having the boats a-head to lead him safe cut of +shoal water. He named the port which he now quitted Navidad, or the +Nativity, because he had landed there on Christmas day, escaping the +dangers of the sea, and because he began there to build the first +Christian colony in the new world which he had discovered. The flats +through which he now sailed reach from Cape Santo to Cape Serpe, which +forms an extent of six leagues, and they run above three leagues out to +sea. All the coast to the north-west and south-east, is an open beach, and +continues plain and level for four leagues into the country, where high +mountains begin, and the villages were more numerous than are to be seen +in the other islands. Having got past the shoals, the admiral sailed +towards a high mountain, which he called Monte Christo, eighteen leagues +east of Cape Santo. Whosoever wishes to arrive at the Nativity from the +eastwards, most first make Monte Christo, which is a rock of a round or +conical form, almost like a pavilion. Keeping two leagues out to sea from +this mountain, he must sail west till he comes to Cape Santo, whence the +Nativity is five leagues distant, and to reach which place, certain +channels among the shoals which lie before it must be passed through. The +admiral chose to particularize these marks that it might be known where +the first Christian habitation had been established in these parts. + +While sailing eastwards from Monte Christo with a contrary wind on Sunday, +the 6th of January, a sailor from the round top discovered in the morning +the caravel Pinta coming down westward, right before the wind. As soon as +it came up with the admiral, the captain Martin Alonzo Pinzon came on +board, and began to give reasons and excuses for leaving the squadron, +alleging that it had been against his will. Though the admiral was +satisfied that it had proceeded from evil intentions, well remembering the +bold and mutinous proceedings of Pinzon during the voyage, he yet +concealed his displeasure and accepted the excuses, lest he might ruin the +voyage, as most of the crew were Martins countrymen, and several of them +his relations. The truth is, that when Martin Alonzo forsook the admiral +at Cuba, he went purposely away with the design of sailing to Bohio, where +he learned from the Indians on board his caravel that plenty of gold was +to be found. But not finding the object of his search, he had returned to +Hispaniola where other Indians informed him there was much gold, and had +spent twenty days in sailing not above fifteen leagues east of the +Nativity, where he had lain sixteen days in a river, which the admiral +called the river of Grace, and had there procured a considerable quantity +of gold for things of small value, as the admiral had done at the Nativity. +He distributed half of this gold among his crew, that he might gain them +to his purposes, and concealed the rest for his own emolument, pretending +to the admiral that he had not got any. Finding the wind still contrary, +the admiral came to an anchor under Monte Christo, and went in his boat up +a river to the south-west of that mountain, where he discovered signs of +gold in the sand, on which account he called it the river of gold. This +river is seventeen leagues east of the Nativity, and is not much less than +the Guadalquivir which runs past Cordova. + +Proceeding afterwards on the voyage, and being off Cape Enamorado, or the +Lovers Cape, on Sunday the 13th of January, the admiral sent the boat on +shore to examine the nature of the country. Our people there found a +considerable number of fierce looking Indians, armed with bows and arrows, +who seemed disposed to enter into hostilities, yet considerably alarmed at +the appearance of the Spaniards. After some conference, our people bought +two of their bows and some arrows, and with much difficulty prevailed on +one of them to go on board the admiral. These people appeared much fiercer +than any of the natives who had been hitherto seen; and their faces were +all daubed over with charcoal; their hair was very long, and hung in a bag +made of parrots feathers. Their mode of speech resembled the fierceness of +their aspect and demeanour, and one of them, standing completely naked +before the admiral, said in a lofty tone that all in these parts went in +the same manner. Thinking this Indian was one of those called Caribs, and +that the bay they were now in divided that race from the other inhabitants +of Hispaniola, the admiral asked him where the Caribs dwelt. Pointing with +his finger, the Indian expressed by signs that they inhabited another +island to the eastwards, in which there were pieces of _guanin_[8] as +large as half the stern of the caravel. He said moreover, that the island +of _Matinino_ was entirely inhabited by women, with whom the Caribs +cohabited at a certain season; and that such sons as they brought forth +were afterwards carried away by the fathers, while the daughters remained +with their mothers[9]. Having answered all the questions, partly by signs, +and partly by means of what little of their language the Indians from St +Salvador could understand, the admiral gave this person to eat, and +presented him with some baubles, such as glass beads and slips of green +and red cloth, and sent him on shore, desiring that his companions would +bring gold to barter as had been done by the other Indians. + +When our people landed with this man, they found fifty-five other Indians +among the trees near the shore, all of them armed with bows and arrows, +perfectly naked and having their long hair tied into a large knot on the +crown of the head, as worn by the women in Spain, and decorated with +plumes of various feathers. The man who had been on board prevailed upon +them to lay down their bows and arrows and great clubs, which they carry +instead of swords. The Christians stept on shore, and began to trade for +bows and arrows, as ordered by the admiral; but after selling two, they +scornfully refused to part with any more, and even made demonstrations to +seize the Spaniards, running to where they had left their arms, and taking +up ropes as if to bind our men. They being now on their guard, and seeing +the Indians coming furiously to attack them, although only seven, fell +courageously upon them, and cut one with a sword on the buttock, and shot +another in the breast with an arrow. Astonished at the resolution of our +men, and terrified at the effect of our weapons, the Indians fled, leaving +most of their bows and arrows behind; and great numbers of them would +certainly have been killed, but the pilot of the caravel, who commanded +the boats crew, restrained our people from any farther vengeance. The +admiral was not at all displeased at this skirmish, as he imagined these +Indians were Caribs, so much dreaded by all the other natives of +Hispaniola; or at least, being a bold and resolute people, that they +bordered on that race; and he hoped that the islanders on hearing how +seven Spaniards had so easily defeated fifty-five fierce Indians, would +give the more honour and respect to our men who had been left at the +Nativity. + +Afterwards about the evening, these people made a smoke as if in defiance; +but on sending a boat on shore to see what they wanted, they could not be +brought to venture near our people, and the boat returned. Their bows were +of a wood resembling yew, and almost as large and strong as those of +France and England; the arrows of small twigs which grow from the ends of +the canes, massive and very solid, about the length of a mans arm and a +half; the head is made of a small stick hardened in the fire, about +three-eighths of a yard long, tipped with a fishes tooth, or sharpened +bone, and smeared with poison. On this account, the admiral named the bay +in which he then was _Golpho de Flechas,_ or Gulf of arrows; the Indians +called it _Samana_. This place appeared to produce great quantities of +fine cotton, and the plant named _axi_ by the Indians, which is their +pepper and is very hot, some of which is long and others round[10]. Near +the land where the water was shallow, there grew large quantities of those +weeds which had formerly been seen in such abundance on the ocean; whence +it was concluded that it all grew near the land, and broke loose when ripe, +floating out to sea with the currents. + +On Wednesday the 16th of January 1493, the admiral set sail from the Gulf +of Arrows, or _Samana,_ with a fair wind for Spain, both caravels being +now very leaky and requiring much labour at the pumps to keep them right. +Cape Santelmo was the last land they saw; twenty leagues north-east of it +there appeared great abundance of weeds, and twenty leagues still farther +on the whole sea was covered with multitudes of small tunny fishes, and +they saw great numbers of them on the two following days, the 19th and +20th of January, followed by great flocks of sea-fowl; and all the weeds +ran with the currents in long ropes east and west; for they always found +that the current takes these weeds a great way out to sea, and that they +do not continue long in the same direction, as they sometimes go one way, +and sometimes another, as carried by the changes of the currents; and +these weeds continued to accompany them for many days, until they were +almost half way across the Atlantic. + +Holding on their course steadily with a fair wind, they made such way, +that on the 9th of February, the pilots believed they had got to the south +of the Azores; but in the opinion of the admiral, they were still 150 +leagues to the west of these islands, and his reckoning turned out to be +true. They still found abundance of weeds, which, when they formerly +sailed to the West Indies, had not been seen until they were 263 leagues +west from the island of Ferro. As they sailed thus onwards with fair +weather and favourable winds, the wind began to rise, and increased from +day to day with a high sea, till at length they could hardly live upon it. +The storm had so increased on Thursday the 14th of February, that they +could no longer carry sail, and had to drive whichever way the wind blew; +but the Pinta, unable to lie athwart the sea, bore away due north before +the wind, which now came from the south; and though the admiral always +carried a light, she was entirely out of sight next morning. Considering +their consort to be certainly lost, and believing themselves in imminent +hazard, the whole company betook themselves to prayers, and cast lots +which of them should go on pilgrimage for the whole crew to the shrine of +our Lady of Guadaloupe, which fell upon the admiral. They afterwards drew +for another to go to Loretto, and the lot fell upon Peter de Villa, a +seaman of Port St Mary; and they cast lots for a third to watch all night +at the shrine of St Olave of Moguer. The storm still increasing, they all +made a vow to go barefooted, and in their shirts, to some church of our +Lady at the first land they might come to. Besides these general vows, +several others were made by individuals. The tempest was now very violent, +and the admirals ship could hardly withstand its fury for want of ballast, +which was fallen very short in consequence of the provisions and water +being mostly expended. To supply this want, they filled all the empty +casks in the ship with sea water, which was some help and made the ship to +bear more upright, and be in less danger of oversetting. Of this violent +storm the admiral wrote thus to their Catholic majesties: + +"I had been less concerned at the tempest had I alone been in danger, for +I know that I owe my life to my Creator, and I have often been so near +death that only the slightest circumstance was wanting to its completion. +But, since it had pleased God to give me faith and assurance to go upon +this my undertaking in which I have been completely successful, I was +exceedingly distressed lest the fruits of my discoveries might be lost to +your highnesses by my death; whereas if I survived, those who opposed my +proposal would be convinced, and your highnesses served by me with honour +and increase of your royal state. I was therefore much grieved and +troubled lest the Divine Majesty should please to obstruct all this by my +death, which had yet been more tolerable to contemplate if it were not +attended with the loss of all those men I had carried with me upon promise +of happy success. They, seeing themselves in so great jeopardy, did not +only curse their setting out upon the expedition, but the fear and awe +which I had impressed upon them, to dissuade them from returning when +outward bound, as they had several times resolved upon. Above all, my +sorrow was redoubled by the remembrance of two sons whom I had left at +school in Cordova, destitute of friends and in a strange country, before I +had done, or at least before it could be known that I had performed any +service which might incline your majesties to remember and protect them." + +"Though I comforted myself with the hope that God would not allow a matter +which tended so much to the exaltation of his church to be left imperfect, +when I had through so much opposition and trouble brought it almost to +perfection; yet I considered that it might be his will that I should not +be permitted to obtain such honour in this world, because of my demerits. +In this perplexity, I remembered your highnesses good fortune; which, +though I were dead and the ship lost, might yet find some means that a +conquest so nearly achieved should not be lost, and that possibly the +success of my voyage might come to your knowledge by some means or other. +With this view, as briefly as the time would permit, I wrote upon +parchment that I had discovered the lands which I had promised; likewise +how many days were employed on the voyage, the direction in which I had +sailed, the goodness of the country, the nature of the inhabitants, and +how some of your highnesses subjects were left in possession of my +discoveries. Which writing I folded and sealed up and superscribed to your +highnesses, promising a reward of 1000 ducats to whoever might deliver it +sealed into your hands; that, in case it might be found by a foreigner, +the promised reward might induce him not to communicate the intelligence. +I then caused a great cask to be brought to me, and having wrapped the +writing in oiled cloth, which I surrounded with a cake of wax, I placed +the whole in the cask: I then carefully closed up the bung-hole and threw +the cask into the sea, all the people fancying that it was some act of +devotion. Apprehending that this might never be taken up, and the ship +coming still nearer to Spain, I made another packet like the first, which +I placed on the poop, that when the ship sunk the cask might float upon +the water, and take its chance of being found." + +Sailing on in such extreme danger, at break of day on Friday the 15th of +February, one Ruy Garcia saw land from the round top bearing E.N.E. The +pilot and seamen judged it might be the rock of Lisbon, but the admiral +concluded that it was one of the Azores. Yet though at no great distance, +they could not come to anchor there that day because of the weather, and +the wind being easterly, they lost sight of that island, and got sight of +another, towards which they used every effort to approach, struggling with +continual labour against wind and weather, but unable to reach the land. +In his journal, the admiral says that on the night of Saturday the 16th of +February he arrived at one of the Azores, but could not tell which; and +having had no rest from the foregoing Wednesday, and being lame in both +legs by being continually wet and in the open air, he took some sleep that +night. Even provisions were now scanty. Having come to anchor on Monday +the 18th February, he learnt from some of the inhabitants that it was the +island of St Mary, one of the Azores, and the inhabitants expressed great +surprize that the ship had weathered the storm, which had continued +fifteen days in these parts without intermission. + +Learning the great discovery which the admiral had made, the inhabitants +of St Mary seemed greatly to rejoice, giving praise to God, and three of +them came on board with some fresh provisions, and with many compliments +from the commander of the island, who resided at the town not far from +thence. About this place nothing was seen but a hermitage, said to be +dedicated to the Blessed virgin; whereupon the admiral and all the crew, +bearing in remembrance the vow which they had made on the Thursday before, +to go barefooted and in their shirts to some church of our Lady at the +first land, were of opinion that they ought here to discharge their vow, +especially as the governor and people expressed so much kindness for them, +and as they belonged to a king who was in perfect amity with Castile. The +admiral therefore requested these three men to repair to the town and +cause a chaplain to come to the hermitage to say mass for them. To this +these men consented, and went on shore in the caravels boat with half the +crew, that they might perform their vow, meaning on their return that the +other half of the ships company should then go on shore in their turn. +They accordingly landed, and proceeded according to their vow barefooted +and in their shirts towards the hermitage; but the governor and many +people from the town, who lay in ambush, suddenly rushed out upon them and +made them all prisoners, taking away their boat at the same time, without +which they believed it impossible for the admiral to get away from thence. + +It being now noon, and thinking that the people staid too long on shore as +they went off before day-break, the admiral began to suspect that some +misfortune had befallen them either by land or sea; but not being able to +see the hermitage from the place where he then lay, he sailed round a +point which intervened, and then saw a multitude of people on horseback, +who dismounted and went into the boat to attack the caravel. Suspecting +what had really happened, the admiral ordered all his remaining hands to +quarters well armed, but made no shew of resistance that the Portuguese +might come near. When they were near the admiral, the chief man among them +stood up and demanded a parley, which the admiral agreed to in hope that +he might come on board and might be secured without any breach of faith, +considering that he had seized the Spaniards without any just cause. But +the Portuguese would not venture nearer than was sufficient for being +heard; whereupon the admiral told him that he was surprised at his +irregular proceedings, and that none of his men had come off in the boat, +since they had gone ashore upon assurance of safety and offers of +assistance, and more especially as the governor of the island had sent to +welcome him. He desired him to consider that their conduct was contrary to +the laws of honour, such as even enemies would, not have been guilty of, +and at which the king of Portugal would be highly offended; since when any +of his subjects landed in the dominions of their Catholic majesties or +resided there, even without any safe conduct, they were perfectly safe and +were treated with all manner of civility. Besides, he declared that their +Catholic majesties had given him letters of recommendation to all princes +potentates and other persons in the world, which he was ready to shew if +he would come on board; and as such letters were received in all places +with respect, and he and the subjects of their Catholic majesties always +well treated on their account, much more ought they to be so in the +dominions of Portugal, their sovereigns being such near neighbours and +allies; and as he was their great admiral of the ocean and viceroy of the +Indies which he had discovered, he was ready to shew him all this under +their highnesses hands and seals. Accordingly at that distance he +exhibited his commissions, and told him he might draw near without any +apprehension, as he was commanded to pay the utmost civility to such +Portuguese ships as he might fall in with. He added, that even if they +should persist in detaining his men, this should not prevent his return to +Spain, as he still had a sufficient number, not only to return to Seville, +but if need were to punish his treacherous conduct which he well deserved; +besides that he would be assuredly punished by his own king, for giving a +cause of war between Spain and Portugal. + +The Portuguese captain and his men made answer, that they neither knew +their Catholic majesties or their letters, neither did they fear them, and +would make him to know what Portugal was. From this answer, the admiral +suspected that some breach had occurred between the crowns since his +departure, and therefore gave him such an answer as his folly deserved. +At last when about to depart, the captain stood up and said that the +admiral might go with his caravel to the harbour, as all he had done was +by order of the king his master. The admiral desired all his ships company +to bear witness to this, and then calling out to the Portuguese, declared +he would not leave his caravel till he had taken an hundred Portuguese to +carry prisoners to Castile, and that he would utterly destroy the whole +island. This said, the Portuguese went away to the land, and the admiral +came to anchor in the port where he had first arrived, being obliged by +the wind to do so. But the wind increasing next day and the place being +unsafe, he lost his anchors and was obliged to stand out to sea towards +the island of St Michael; resolving, in case he might be unable to come to +anchor there, to stand out to sea notwithstanding the danger, and that he +now had only three able seamen left and some _grummets_, all the rest of +the crew being landsmen and Indians who knew nothing of sea affairs. +Supplying the want of the absent hands by his own continual personal +attention, he passed the whole of that night in much danger and anxiety, +and when day appeared he perceived that the had lost sight of the island +of St Michael. The weather being now calmer, he resolved to return to St +Mary that he might endeavour to recover his men, anchors, and boat. + +On Thursday the twenty-first of February in the afternoon he got back to +the island of St Mary, and a boat soon afterwards came off with five men +and a notary, who all came on board upon assurance of safety, and staid +all night, it being then too late to return safely to the shore. Next day +the notary declared that they came from the governor to be certainly +informed whence the ship came, and whether it had a commission from their +Catholic majesties, and that being fully satisfied on these points the +admiral might depend upon receiving every friendly assistance; but all +this was merely because they could not succeed in seizing the ship and the +admiral, and were therefore afraid of the consequences of what they had +already done. The admiral suppressed his resentment and thanked them for +their civil offers; and since they now proceeded according to the maritime +rules and customs, declared his readiness to satisfy them. He accordingly +shewed them the letters of their Catholic majesties directed to all their +own subjects and to those of other princes, and his own commission for the +voyage; upon which the Portuguese went on shore quite satisfied, and soon +dismissed the Spanish boat and all the seamen. From them the admiral +learnt that it was reported in the island, that the king of Portugal had +sent orders to all his subjects to secure the person of the admiral +wherever he might be found. + +The admiral sailed from the island of St Mary for Spain on Sunday the +twenty-fourth of February, being still much in want of wood and ballast, +which he could not take in because of the badness of the weather; but the +wind being fair he was unwilling to make any longer delay. Being about 100 +leagues from the nearest land, a swallow came on board the ship, driven +out to sea as was believed by a storm; and this was the more probable as a +great many more swallows and other land birds came onboard next day, the +twenty-eighth February, and a whale was seen. On the third of March about +midnight it blew so great a storm as to split their sails; and being in +great danger of perishing, they made a vow to send one of their number on +a pilgrimage to the shrine of _Neustra Senhora de Cintra_ at Guelva, and +the lot fell again on the admiral, shewing that his offerings were more +acceptable than those of others. While thus driving on under bare poles, +amid high winds, a raging sea, and frightful thunder and lightning, it +pleased God to give them a sight of land about midnight. But this +threatened them with new danger; and to avoid being beaten to pieces on +the rocks, or running into some unknown place whence they might not be +able to get off, they were under the necessity to make some sail and to +beat up against the storm till day. When day appeared they found +themselves close in with the rock of Lisbon, and were forced to put in +there for present safety. The people and seamen of that country were much +astonished at the news, and flocked from all parts to behold the wonder; +for such they considered a ship which had escaped so terrible a storm, as +they had heard of many vessels having perished about the coast of Flanders +and other parts at this time. The admiral came to anchor in the river +Tagus on Monday the fourth of March, and immediately sent off an express +to their Catholic majesties with an account of his arrival, and another to +the king of Portugal asking leave to come to anchor off the city of Lisbon; +for he did not consider himself in safety where he then lay, especially +from any that might entertain evil designs against him, who might believe +that in destroying him they did acceptable service to their own king by +obstructing the success of the court of Spain. + +On Tuesday the fifth of March, the master of a large guard-ship which lay +in the Tagus came in his boat filled with armed men to the admirals +caravel, and required him to go with him to the kings officers to give an +account of himself, as was the custom of all ships that came to this port. +To this he answered, that the admirals of their Catholic majesties, one of +whom he was, were not bound to obey any such summons, nor to quit their +ships to give an account of themselves to any one, and that he was +resolved to do his duty. The master then desired him to send his +boatswain to make the report. To this the admiral replied that it was the +some thing whether he sent even a grummet or went himself, and it was +therefore in vain to desire him to send any person. Being sensible that +the admiral was right, the master now requested to see the letter of their +Catholic majesties, that he might be able to satisfy his own captain; and +this request being entirely reasonable, the admiral produced that letter, +with which he was entirely satisfied, and went back to his ship to give an +account to his captain Alvaro de Acunna, who immediately came on board in +great state, with trumpets, drums, and fifes, expressing much kindness and +offering every service in his power. + +Next day, it being known at Lisbon that the ship came from the Indies, +such throngs of people went on board to see the Indians that the caravel +could not contain them all, and the water was covered over with boats. +Some praised God for the happy discovery, while others expressed their +severe regret that their country should have been deprived of that vast +acquisition through the incredulousness of their king. On the next day the +king of Portugal gave orders to present the admiral with every kind of +refreshment, and all things he might need for himself or his people, +without taking any payment in return. He at the same time wrote to the +admiral a congratulatory letter on his safe arrival, and desiring that he +would come to see him. The admiral was doubtful how he should proceed in +this case; but considering that the king of Portugal was in amity with +their Catholic majesties and had treated him courteously, he consented to +go to Valparaiso, nine leagues from Lisbon, where the king then was. He +accordingly went there on Saturday night the ninth of March, and the king +ordered all the nobility of his court to go out to meet him; and when the +admiral came into the presence, the king received him with great honour, +commanding him to put on his cap and to sit down: and having listened with +a pleasant countenance to a recital of his successful voyage, made offer +of supplying with every thing he might stand in need of for the service of +their Catholic majesties. The king then alleged, as Columbus had been a +captain in the service of the crown of Portugal, that the discovery and +conquest of the new found Indies ought to belong to him. To this the +admiral answered, that he knew of no agreement to that effect, and that he +had strictly obeyed his orders, which were not to go to the Portuguese +mines nor to the coast of Guinea. The king then observed that all was well, +and he had no doubt that justice would be done between the two countries. +Having spent a long time in discourse, the king commanded the prior of +Crato, the greatest person then in the presence, to entertain the admiral +and to shew him all civility and respect, which was done accordingly. + +The admiral remained at Valparaiso all the Sunday and Monday till after +mass, when he took leave of the king, who expressed great kindness and +made him great proffers; and ordered Don Martin de Noronha to accompany +him. Many other gentlemen went along with him to do him honour, and from +curiosity to hear an account of the voyage. While on his way to Lisbon, +the admiral had to pass a monastery where the queen then resided, who +earnestly entreated him not to pass without seeing her. She received him +with all the favour and honour which is due to the greatest lord. That +night a gentleman brought a message from the king to inform the admiral +that if he chose to go by land into Spain, he had orders to attend him, +and to provide lodgings and every thing he might want by the way, as far +as the frontiers of Portugal. But the admiral chose to return by sea. + +On Wednesday the thirteenth of March, two hours after day-break, the +admiral sailed from Lisbon, and on the following Friday, the fifteenth of +March 1493, he arrived at Saltes about noon, and came to an anchor in the +port of Palos, whence he had set out on the preceding third of August 1492, +having been absent seven months and twelve days upon his expedition. He +was there received by all the people in solemn procession, giving thanks +to God for his prosperous voyage and glorious discovery, which it was +hoped would greatly redound to the propagation of Christianity, and the +extension of their Catholic majesties dominions. All the inhabitants +considered it as a great honour to their city that the admiral had sailed +from thence, and that most of his men belonged to the place, although many +of them, through the instigations of Pinzon, had been mutinous and +disobedient. + +It so happened that about the same time that the admiral arrived at Palos, +Pinzon had arrived with the Pinta in Galicia, and designed to have gone by +himself to Barcelona to carry the news of the expedition to their Catholic +majesties. But he received orders not to come to court, unless along with +the admiral with whom he had been sent upon the discovery; at which he was +so mortified and disappointed that he returned indisposed to his native +country, where he died shortly after of grief. But before Pinzon got to +Palos the admiral had set out for Seville, designing to go from thence to +Barcelona where their majesties then resided, and he was forced to make +several short stops by the way, to gratify the importunate curiosity and +admiration of the people, who flocked from all the towns in the +neighbourhood wherever he went, to see him and the Indians and the other +things he had brought with him. Thus holding on his way, the admiral +reached Barcelona about the middle of April, having before sent to their +highnesses on account of the happy success of his voyage. This was very +pleasing to them, and they ordered him to be received in the most +distinguished manner, as a person who had done them such signal service. +All the court and city went out to meet and welcome him, and to escort him +in honourable triumph to the royal presence. Their Catholic majesties sat +in public with great state on rich chairs under a canopy of cloth of gold +to receive him; and when he advanced to kiss their hands, they stood up as +if to receive a great lord, even making a difficulty in giving him their +hands to kiss, and then caused him to sit down in their presence. Having +given a brief account of his voyage, they gave him leave to retire to his +apartment, whither he was attended by the whole court; and so great was +the favour and honour shewn him, that when the king rode about Barcelona, +the admiral rode on one side of him and the Infante Fortuna on the other; +whereas before no one rode along-side of the king except the Infante, who +was his near kinsman. + + +[1] Rabo de junco is explained to signify Rush-tailed: Rabo being a tail + and Junco a rush in the Spanish language.--E. + +[2] Don Ferdinand compliments his father too largely in this place by + supposing Cipango and Hispaniola the same. The original design of + Columbus to sail westwards to India, which he erroneously supposed to + be vastly nearer in that direction, led him accidentally almost to + discover Hispaniola on the supposed route to Cipango or Japan.--E + +[3] The dates of the voyage may be here recapitulated. Columbus sailed + from Palos on the third of August 1492, and reached the island of + Gomera, one of the Canary islands, on the ninth of August, or in six + days. He remained there and at Gran Canaria, refitting and + replenishing his stores, till the sixth of September, when he began + his passage due west across the Atlantic; and the first land of + America was discovered on Friday the twelfth of October at two in the + morning: thirty-six days after leaving Gran Canaria, and seventy days + after leaving Palos in Spain.--E. + +[4] This would seem to be a great exaggeration, perhaps an error of the + press; but now impossible to be rectified.--E + +[5] Nothing can be more ambiguous than the interpretation of signs between + people who are utterly ignorant of each others language: But the signs + on this occasion seem rather to imply that the cacique requested the + Spaniards to declare themselves his friends, by participating in + hostile demonstrations against the people from Tortuga.--E. + +[6] This term evidently expresses a person unused to the sea, as + contradistinguished from an experienced seaman.--E. + +[7] Cazabi seems to have been what is now called casada in the British + West Indies, or prepared manioc root; and axi in some other parts of + this voyage is mentioned as the spice of the West Indies; probably + either pimento or capsicum, and used as a condiment to relish the + insipidity of the casada.--E. + +[8] The meaning of this term is nowhere explained in this voyage: but in + the account of the discovery of America by Herrera, it is said to + signify pale gold. From its application in the text, it is probably + the Indian name of gold, the perpetual object of inquiry by the + Spaniards.--E. + +[9] Such absurd fables have in all ages been the consequence of credulous + intercourse of ill-informed men, ignorant of the languages of newly + discovered nations. The Amazons of antiquity are here supposed to be + rediscovered; but were afterwards transferred to the interior marshy + plains of South America.--E. + +[10] The author probably alludes here to the various-shaped pods of + different species or varieties of capsicum.--E. + + + + +SECTION VI. + +_Second Voyage of Columbus to the West Indies_. + + +Orders were issued from Barcelona to prepare with all care and expedition +for the return of the admiral to Hispaniola, as well to relieve those +Christians who had been left there as to enlarge the colony and subdue the +island, with the rest that were and should be discovered. To strengthen +and confirm their title to the newly discovered regions, their Catholic +majesties by the advice of the admiral, procured the approbation and +consent of the pope for the conquest of the Indies, which was readily +granted by Alexander VI, who then governed the church; and the bull to +this effect was not only for what was already discovered, but for all that +might be discovered westwards, until they should come to the _East_, where +any Christian prince was then actually in possession, and forbidding all +persons whomsoever to intrude within these bounds. And this concession and +exclusive right was again confirmed in the year following in the most +ample terms. Sensible that all this favourable grant from the pope was due +to the admiral, by whose discovery they had become entitled to the +possession of all these parts, their majesties were pleased, on the +twenty-eighth of May, at Barcelona, to ratify, renew, confirm, and explain +the privileges and prerogatives which they had granted him before, by +granting them of new, so as explicitly to define how far the bounds of his +admiralty and viceroyalty extended, being over all which had been granted +to them by his holiness, of which grant the tenor follows: + +_Original Grant to Columbus in 1492, before the Discovery_. + +"FERDINAND and ISABELLA, by the grace of God, King and Queen of Castile, +Leon, Arragon, Sicily, Granada, Toledo, Valencia, Galicia, Majorca, +Minorca, Seville, Sardinia, Jaen, Algarve, Algezira, Gibraltar, and the +Canary islands, Lord and Lady of Biscay and Molina, Duke and Duchess of +Athens and Neopatria, Count and Countess of Boussillon and Cerdagne, +Marquis and Marchioness of Oristan and Gociano, &c." + +"Forasmuch as you CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS are going by our command, and with +some of our ships and men to discover and subdue certain islands and +continents in the ocean, and it is hoped by Gods assistance that some of +those islands and continents will be discovered by your means and conduct, +it is therefore just and reasonable, since you expose yourself to such +dangers in our service, that you be suitably rewarded. And willing to +honour and favour you for the reasons aforesaid, our will is that you +Christopher Columbus, after discovering and conquering the said islands +and continent, in the said ocean, or any of them, shall be our admiral +of all such islands and continent as you shall so discover and conquer, +and that you be our admiral, viceroy, and governor in them: that for the +future you may call and style yourself Don Christopher Columbus; and that +your sons and successors in the said employment may call themselves dons, +admirals, viceroys, and governors, in the same: That you may exercise the +charge of admiral, viceroy, and governor of the said islands and continent +which you or your lieutenants shall conquer, and shall freely decide all +causes, civil and criminal, appertaining to the said employments of +admiral, viceroy, and governor, as you think fit according to justice, and +as the admirals of our kingdom are in use to do: That you shall have power +to punish all offenders: That you and your lieutenants may exercise the +employments of admiral, viceroy, and governor, in all things belonging to +the said offices, or any of them, and that you shall enjoy the perquisites +and salaries belonging to the said employments and to each of them, in the +same manner that the high admiral of our kingdom does at present." + +"By this our letter, or by a copy thereof signed by a public notary, We +command prince John, our dearly beloved son the Infante, dukes, prelates, +marquisses, great masters, and military orders, priors, commanderies, or +councillors, judges, and others our officers of justice whomsoever, +belonging to our household, courts, and chancery, and constables of +castles, commanders of forts and others, and all corporations, mayors, +bailiffs, and magistrates, governors, judges, commanders, and sea officers; +the aldermen, common councillors, officers, and good people, of all +cities, towns, lands, and places in our kingdoms and dominions, and in +those which you shall discover and subdue; and the captains, masters, +mates, and all other officers and sailors, our natural subjects at present, +or who shall so become hereafter, all or any of them, that when you shall +have so discovered the said islands and continent in the ocean, and you or +any that have your commission shall have taken the oaths usual in such +cases, that they shall look upon you for the future so long as you live, +and after you your son and heir, and so on from one heir to another for +ever, as our admiral, viceroy, and governor of the said islands and +continent by you Christopher Columbus to be discovered and conquered; and +that they treat you, and your lieutenants by you appointed for executing +the employments of admiral, viceroy, and governor, as such in all respects; +and shall give you all the perquisites and other things belonging and +appertaining to the said offices; and shall allow and cause to be allowed +you, all honours, graces, concessions, preeminences, prerogatives, +immunities, and other things, or any of them, which are due to you by +virtue of your commands of admiral, viceroy, and governor, all to be +observed completely, so that nothing shall be diminished: That they shall +raise no objection to this or any part of it, nor suffer any such to be +made; forasmuch as we by this our letter bestow on you the employments of +admiral, viceroy and governor forever, and have put you in possession of +the said offices and all of them, with full power to use and exercise them, +and to receive the perquisites and salaries belonging to them, or any of +them, as above said." + +"Concerning all which things if it be requisite and you shall desire it, We +command our chancellors, notaries, and other officers, to pass, seal, and +deliver to you our letter of privilege, in such firm and legal manner as +you shall require and stand in need of. And that none presume to do any +thing to the contrary upon pain of our displeasure, and the forfeiture of +thirty ducats for each offence. And we command him who shall shew them +this our letter, that he shall summon them to appear before us at our +court wherever we shall then be, within fifteen days after such summons +under the foresaid penalty. Under which same penalty we also command any +public notary whomsoever, that he give to him that shews it to him a +certificate under his seal, that we may know how our command is obeyed." + + "Given at Granada on the thirtieth of April in the + year of our Lord 1492." + "_I the King._ _I the Queen._" + + _Confirmation in_ 1493. + +After a preamble, as in the original grant, it proceeds thus: + +"And now, forasmuch as it has pleased GOD that you have discovered several +of the said islands, as we still hope you will proceed by his grace to +discover others, and the continent in the said ocean, and those parts of +the Indies, and seeing that you have desired us to confirm to you our said +grant here recapitulated, and all the contents thereof, to the end that +you and your children, heirs, and successors, one after another, and after +your days, may have and enjoy the said employments of admiral, viceroy, +and governor of the said ocean, islands, and continent, as well of those +you have already found and discovered as of those you shall hereafter find +and discover, with all the powers, preeminence, privileges, and +prerogatives as the admirals, viceroys, and governors in our kingdoms of +Castile and Leon do actually enjoy; and that all the perquisites and +salaries, appertaining and belonging to the said offices, and granted and +allowed to our admirals, viceroys, and governors, may be made good to you, +or that we shall make such provision in this case as in our goodness we +may think fit." + +"And, having regard to the fatigues and dangers which you have exposed +yourself to in our service, in going to discover and find out the said +islands, and that which you now run in attempting to find out the other +islands and continent, wherein we have been and hope to be by you well +served; we, to requite and reward you, do by these presents confirm to you +and your children, heirs, and successors, one after another, now and for +ever, the said employments of admiral of the said ocean, and viceroy and +governor of the said islands and continent, by you discovered and found +out, and of the other islands and continent that shall be by you, or by +your industry found or discovered in those parts of the Indies. And it is +our will, that you, and after you your children, heirs, and successors, +one after the other, enjoy the said employment of admiral of the said +ocean which is ours, and which commences at a line which we have caused +to be drawn from the Azores islands to the islands of Cape Verd, and so +from pole to pole north and south, so that all beyond the said line +westwards is ours and belongs to us. And we accordingly constitute you +our admiral, and your sons and successors one after another, of all that +part for ever. And we appoint you, and your sons, heirs, and successors, +one after another, viceroy and governor of the said islands and continent +discovered, and to be discovered in the said ocean, and in those parts of +the Indies aforesaid; and we grant you the possession of all the said +employments of admiral, viceroy, and governor for ever, with full +commission and authority to use and exercise in the said ocean the office +of admiral in all things, and in the same manner and form, and with the +rights and privileges, perquisites and salaries as our admirals of Castile +and Leon now use, have, and enjoy, or have enjoyed, as well in the said +islands and continent already discovered, as in those which shall +hereafter be discovered in the said ocean, and in the said parts of the +Indies, that the planters or colonists of the same may be the better +governed." + +"And we grant you such power and authority, that you, as our viceroy and +governor, and your lieutenants, commanders, and officers, by you created, +may exercise the civil and criminal jurisdiction, the supreme and mean +authority, and the absolute and mixed command. And in those places you may +remove, turn out, and put in others in their places, as often as you +please, and may find convenient. And they shall have power to hear, judge, +and determine, all suits or causes, civil and criminal, that shall occur +or arise in said islands and continent, and they shall have and receive +the fees and salaries usually annexed and pertaining to those employments +in our kingdoms of Castile and Leon. And you our said viceroy and governor, +may hear and determine all the said causes or any of them, whensoever you +please, upon the first motion, or by way of appeal or complaint, and may +examine, determine, and decide them as our viceroy and governor: and you +and your children may do all that is reasonable in such cases, and in all +other things pertaining to the office of viceroy and governor; and you and +your lieutenants and officers, may take such cognizance and use such +methods as you shall think proper for our service and the due execution of +justice. All which you and they may do, and perform lawfully and +effectually, as they might and ought to do, had the said officers been +appointed by us. And our will and pleasure is, that all such +letters-patent as you shall grant, be drawn and granted in our names with +these words, _Ferdinand and Isabella, by the grace of GOD, king and queen +of Castile and Leon, &c._ and shall be sealed with our seal, which we +shall cause to be given you for the said islands and continent. And we +command all the people and inhabitants, and other persons in the said +islands and continent, to obey you as our viceroy and governor of the same, +and all those who sail on the said seas, to obey you as our admiral of the +said ocean; and that all of them shall execute your letters and orders, +and shall take part with you and your officers for the due execution of +our justice, and shall give and cause to be given you all the aid and +assistance you shall require and stand in need of, upon such penalties as +you shall impose upon them, which by these presents we do impose upon them, +and declare to be imposed; and we grant you authority to execute the same, +upon their persons and goods." + +"And it also is our will, that if you shall find it for our service, and +the due execution of justice to cause any person who shall be in the said +islands and continent to depart therefrom, and not to stay or return +thereto, and that they shall come and appear before us; you may, in our +name command and make them depart accordingly, all whom we by these +presents command, that they presently perform, execute, and put in +practice all that has been enjoined, without looking farther or asking +advice in the same, not expecting any other letter or command from us, and +notwithstanding any appeal or petition which they may make or present to +us against your said order. For all which things, and any other due or +belonging to the said offices of our admiral, viceroy, and governor, we +give you sufficient authority in all incidents, dependencies, and +emergencies, that may occur. Concerning all which, if you shall so desire, +we command our chancellor, notaries, and others, our officers belonging to +our seals, that they give, pass, dispatch, and seal for you, our letters +of privilege, in as strong, firm, and effective manner as you may require +of them and stand in need of, and that none of them do any thing to the +contrary, upon pain of our displeasure, and of _thirty_ ducats to be paid +to our treasury by every one who may be guilty to the contrary hereof." + +"And besides, we command him that shall shew them[1] this our letter to +summon them to appear before us in our court wheresoever we may happen to +be, within fifteen days, under the same penalty. Under which we also +command any public notary, who may be called for such purpose, that he +give to him who shall produce these letters to him a certificate, signed +under his hand, that we may know how our commands are obeyed[2]. + + "Given in our city of Barcelona, this 28th of May, in the + year of our Lord 1493." + "_I the King._ _I the Queen._" + + "By their majesties order, _Ferdinand Alvarez de Toledo_, + secretary to the king and queen." + "_Peter Gutierres_, Chancellor: Without fees for seal or + entry." + "Delivered by _Roderick Doctor_." + "Entered, _Alonzo Perez_." + +Orders having been issued to make all necessary preparations for the +establishment of a permanent colony in the new discovery, the admiral went +from Barcelona to Seville in June 1493, and so diligently solicited the +fitting out of the fleet which their Catholic majesties had directed to be +provided, that in a short time seventeen vessels of various sizes were got +ready, well stored with provisions and with all things deemed necessary +for the intended colonization. Handicrafts of all sorts, with peasants or +farmers to till the ground, and a variety of labourers, were engaged to +accompany the expedition. The fame of the gold and other rarities which +the newly discovered region produced, had induced so many gentlemen and +other persons of respectability to offer themselves, that it became +necessary to limit the numbers who could be permitted to embark, and not +to allow all who were eager to transport themselves to the new world to go +there, until time should make it appear how matters might succeed, and the +colony might be somewhat settled. Yet so eager were the adventurers to +engage in the scheme of this new colony, that 1500 persons of all sorts +went upon the expedition; of whom some carried out horses, asses, and +other kinds of cattle, which were afterwards of most important benefit to +the colony. + +All things being prepared, the admiral weighed anchor from the road of +Cadiz, where the fleet had been prepared, upon Wednesday the 25th of +September 1493, an hour before sun-rising, and stood to the southwards for +the Canary islands, designing to procure some necessary refreshments +there[3]. On the 28th of September, being then 100 leagues from Spain, +great numbers of land birds, among which were turtle-doves, and many small +birds, came aboard the admirals ship, which were supposed to come from the +Azores, and to be on their passage to Africa to pass the winter. Holding +on their course, the fleet came to anchor at Gran Canaria on Wednesday the +2d of October, and sailed again at midnight for Gomera, where it arrived +on the 5th of October. The admiral issued orders for every thing of which +the fleet might stand in need to be provided with all possible dispatch. + +On Monday the 7th of October, the admiral continued his voyage for the +West Indies, having first delivered sealed orders to every ship in the +fleet, with strict injunctions that they were not to be opened unless +separated from him by stress of weather. In these he gave directions for +the course which they were to steer for attaining the town of the Nativity +in Hispaniola, and he did not wish that course should be known by any one +without urgent necessity. Having sailed on with a fair wind until Thursday +the 24th of October, when they were by estimation 400 leagues west from +Gomera, all were astonished at not finding any of the weeds which had been +met with on the former voyage when only 250 leagues advanced into the +Atlantic. On that day and the next a swallow was seen flying about the +fleet. On the night of Saturday the 26th, the body of _St Elmo_, with +seven lighted candles, was seen on the round top, which was followed by +prodigious torrents of rain and frightful thunder and lightning. I mean +those lights were seen which the seamen affirm to be the body of St Elmo, +to whom they sing litanies and prayers upon these occasions, and they +firmly believe that there can be no danger from those storms in which that +phenomenon occurs. According to Pliny, when such lights appeared to the +Roman sailors they were said to be Castor and Pollux, of which Seneca +likewise makes mention in the beginning of his Book of Nature.[4] + +On Saturday the 2d of November, the admiral observed a great alteration in +the appearance of the sky and in the winds, and concluded from these, and +the prevalence of heavy rains, that he was certainly approaching the land, +and therefore ordered most of the sails to be furled, and all the people +to be on the watch, and to keep a strict look out. This precaution was +exceedingly necessary; for next morning, just as day began to dawn, a high +mountainous island was discovered about seven leagues to the west, to +which the admiral gave the name of Dominica, because discovered on Sunday. +Soon afterwards another island was seen to the north-east of Dominica, and +then another, and another after that more to the northwards.[5] On this +joyful occasion, all the crew assembled on the poop, and devoutly sung the +_salve regina_, and other hymns, giving thanks to God that in twenty +days after their departure from Gomera they had safely made the land, +judging the distance between Gomera and Dominica to be between 750 and 800 +leagues. Finding no convenient place for anchoring on the east side of +Dominica, the admiral stood over to another island which he named +Marigalante after his own ship. Landing here, he again confirmed with all +due solemnity, the possession which he had taken in his first voyage of +all the islands and continent of the West Indies for their Catholic +majesties. + +On Monday the 4th of November, the admiral sailed northwards past another +large island, which he named St Mary of _Guadalupe_, partly by reason of +his own especial devotion to the holy Virgin, and because he had made a +promise to the friars of that monastery to name some island after their +house. Before they came to it, and about two leagues distance from its +coast, they discovered a very high rock ending in a point, whence issued a +stream of water as thick as a large barrel, which made so great a noise in +its fall as to be heard on board the ships; yet many affirmed that it was +only a white vein in the rock, the water was so white and frothy by reason +of its rapid fall. Going on shore to view a kind of town, they found no +parson there except some children, all the people having fled into the +woods. To the arms of these children they tied some baubles, to allure +their fathers when they returned. + +In the houses our people found some geese like those of Spain, and +abundance of parrots as large as common cocks, having red, green, blue, +and white feathers. They also found pompions, and a sort of fruit +resembling our green pine apples, but much larger, which were full of a +solid fruit like melons, but much sweeter both in taste and smell, and far +better than those which are brought up by art. This fruit grew on long +stalks, like lilies or aloes, wild about the fields. They also saw other +sorts of fruits and herbs different from ours. In the houses there were +beds or hammocks made of cotton nets, with bows and arrows, and other +articles; but our people took none of these things away, that the Indians +might be the less afraid of the Christians. What they most admired and +wondered at was that they found an iron pan in one of the houses; though I +am disposed to believe that the rocks and fire-stones of the country being +of the colour of bright iron, a person of indifferent judgment may have +taken it for iron without sufficient examination; for there never was any +iron found afterwards among these people, and I find no authority from the +admiral for this incident on his own knowledge, and as he used to write +down daily whatever happened and was reported to him, he may have set down +this among other particulars related by those who had been on shore.[6] +Even if it actually were iron, it may be thus accounted for: The natives +of Guadaloup, being Caribs, were accustomed to make plundering expeditions +as far as Hispaniola, and might have procured that pan from the Christians +or the natives of that island. It is likewise possible that they might +have carried off some of the iron from the wreck of the admirals former +ship; or some of that wreck containing iron might have been drifted by the +winds and currents from Hispaniola. Be this as it may, the people neither +took away the pan nor any thing else. + +Next day the admiral sent two boats on shore, to endeavour to procure some +person who might be able to give him some account of the country, and to +inform him in what direction Hispaniola lay. Each of the boats brought off +a youth, who agreed in saying that they were not of that island, but of +another which they called _Borriquen_, now St John; and that the +inhabitants of Guadaloupe were Caribs or Canibals, and had taken them +prisoners from their own island. Soon afterwards, the boats returned on +shore to bring off some Christians who had been left, and found six women +who had fled to them from the Caribs, and came off willingly to the ships. +To allure the Indians, the admiral would not keep them, but set them on +shore against their wills, giving them some glass beads and bells. This +was not done unadvisedly, for as soon as they landed, the Caribs even in +sight of the Christians, took away all the trinkets which had been given +them. Therefore, either through hatred or fear of the Caribs, when the +boats returned some time afterwards for wood and water, the women got into +them and requested to be carried back to the ships, and gave the seamen to +understand by signs that those people eat men and make slaves of the women, +and therefore they would not remain with them. Yielding to their +entreaties, the seamen brought them back, with two children and a young +man who had escaped from the Caribs; these people thinking themselves +safer in the hands of strangers whom they had never seen or heard of, +than among the cruel and wicked Caribs who had eaten their husbands and +children, but who are said not to eat women, whom they keep as slaves. One +of the women said there were many islands to the south, some inhabited and +others not, which they severally named Giamachi, Cairvaco, Huino, Buriari, +Arubeira, and Sixibei. They said that the continent was very large, and +both they and the inhabitants of Hispaniola named it Zuanta; saying, that +in former times canoes had come from that land to the islands to barter +with abundance of lads, of whom there were two thirds in an island not far +distant[7]. They also said that the king of the island, from which they +fled, was gone with ten large canoes and 300 men to make incursions into +the neighbouring islands to take prisoners to eat. The women likewise gave +information where Hispaniola lay; for though the admiral had inserted it +in his chart, yet he was inclined to hear what the natives of these +islands knew respecting it for his better guidance. + +The admiral now wished to proceed on his voyage, but was told that one +Captain Mark had gone on shore before day with eight men without his leave, +and had not yet returned. He was therefore obliged to send out to look for +him, though in vain, by reason of the thickness of the trees. Therefore, +that they might not be lost or be obliged to leave a ship for them, which +might afterwards miss its way to Hispaniola, the admiral resolved to +remain till next day; and because the country was full of extensive and +thick woods, he ordered them to be carefully sought after, making a great +noise with trumpets and muskets to lead them on the right way. But the +people having searched the whole day ineffectually, returned to the ships +in the evening without finding them, or hearing any thing of them. It was +now Thursday morning, and no news had been heard of them since Tuesday; +and considering that they had gone without leave, the admiral declared his +resolution to continue the voyage, or at least made a shew of doing so to +deter others from doing the like in future; but he allowed himself to be +prevailed on by some of the kindred and friends of the stragglers to stay +a little longer, and gave orders in the meantime for all the ships to +complete their wood and water, and for the people to wash their linens; +and he sent Captain Hojeda with forty men to look out for those who were +amissing, and to examine into the nature of the country. Hojeda found +mastick, aloes, sandal, ginger, frankincense, and some trees resembling +cinnamon in taste and smell, and abundance of cotton. He saw many falcons, +and two of them pursuing the other birds; also kites, herons, daws, +turtles, partridges, geese, and nightingales; and he affirmed, that in +travelling six leagues they had crossed twenty-six rivers, several of +which were very deep; but I am apt to believe, as the country was very +woody and uneven, that they had often crossed the same river. While the +party under Hojeda were admiring the beauties of the country, and other +parties were going about in all directions in search of the stragglers, +they returned to the ship on Friday the 8th of November without having +been met by any of those who looked for them. They excused themselves by +saying that they had lost their way in the woods; but to punish their +presumption, the admiral ordered the captain to be put in irons, and that +the rest should have their allowance of provisions retrenched. The admiral +then landed and went to some of the houses, where he saw all the +particulars which have been already mentioned; likewise abundance of +cotton, both spun and unspun, and looms for weaving, many human skulls +hung up, and baskets full of human bones. The houses in this island were +better, and more plentifully furnished with provisions and other things +used by the Indians, than any which he had seen in his first voyage. + +On Sunday the 10th of November the admiral weighed anchor, standing with +the whole fleet towards the N.W. along the coast of Guadaloupe, and came +to an island which he named Monseratte on account of its height; and was +informed by the Indians on board that the Caribs had entirely dispeopled +it by devouring all the inhabitants. He thence proceeded by St Mary +Redonda, so named on account of its round and upright shape, insomuch, +that there seemed no possibility of getting up to it without ladders. It +was called Ocamaniro by the Indians. He next came to St Maria la Antigua, +which is about twenty-eight leagues in extent. Still holding on his course +to the N.W. there appeared several other islands towards the north, and in +the N.W. and S.E. all very high and woody; at one of these he cast anchor +and named it St Martin. They here took up some pieces of coral sticking to +the flukes of the anchors, which made them hope to find other useful +articles of commerce in these islands. Though the admiral was always +anxious to examine into every place which he discovered, he yet resolved +to hold on his course towards Hispaniola, that he might carry relief to +the people who had been left there. But the weather being bad, he was +obliged to come to anchor at an island on the 14th of November, where he +gave orders to take some of the inhabitants, that he might learn +whereabout he then was. As the boat was returning to the fleet with four +women and three children whom they had taken, it met a canoe in which were +four men and a woman; who perceiving that they could not escape, stood +upon their defence, and hit two of the Spaniards with their arrows, which +they discharged with such force and dexterity that the woman pierced a +target quite through. The Spaniards attempted to board, and the canoe was +overset, so that all the Indians were taken swimming in the water; and one +of them shot several arrows while swimming, as dexterously as if he had +been on dry land. + +These people were found to be castrated; for they had been made prisoners +by the Caribs in some other islands, who had so used them as we do capons, +that they might become fatter and better food. Departing from thence, the +admiral continued his voyage W.N.W. where he fell in with a cluster of +above fifty islands, which he left to the northward of his course. The +largest of these he named the island of St. Ursula, and the others he +called the Eleven Thousand Virgins. He next came to the island called +_Borriquen_ by the Indians, but which he named St John the Baptist, in a +bay on the west side of which the fleet came to anchor, where they caught +several sorts of fish, as skate, olaves, pilchards, and shads. On the land +they saw falcons, and bushes resembling wild vines. More to the eastwards +some Spaniards went to certain houses well built after the Indian fashion, +having a square before them and a broad road down to the sea, with bowers +on each side made of canes, and curiously interwoven with evergreens, such +as are seen in the gardens of Valencia. At the end of the road next the +sea there was a raised stage or balcony, lofty and well built, capable of +containing ten or twelve men. + +On Friday the fifteenth of November the admiral reached the north side of +Hispaniola, and immediately sent on shore at Samana one of the natives of +the island who had been in Spain, and who being converted to our holy +faith, offered to engage all his countrymen to submit to the Christians. +The admiral continued his voyage to the Nativity, and off Cape Angel some +Indians came on board to barter their commodities. Coming to anchor in +the bay of Monte Christo a boat was sent on shore, the people of which +found two dead men lying near a river. One of these seemed to be young and +the other old, having a rope made of a substance like Spanish broom round +his neck, and his arms extended and tied to a piece of wood in the form of +a cross. Having been long dead, it could not be known whether these people +were Christians or Indians, but it was considered an evil omen. The next +day, twenty-sixth November, the admiral sent on shore in several places, +and the Indians came boldly and freely to converse with the Spaniards, +touching their shirts and doublets, and naming these articles in the +Spanish language. This confidence and friendly behaviour relieved the +admiral from the fears which he had conceived on account of the dead men; +believing that if the natives had injured the Christians whom he had left, +they would not have come so boldly on board the ships. But next day, +coming to anchor about midnight near the town of Nauidad or the Nativity, +a canoe came to the fleet and asked for the admiral, and being bid to come +on board, they refused to do so till they should see him. The admiral +therefore went to the ships side to hear what they had to say, and then +two men from the canoe went up with two marks of gold, which they +presented with many compliments to the admiral as from the cacique +Guacanagari. Being asked concerning the Christians who were left at the +Nativity, they answered that some of them had died of distempers, some had +parted from the company and had gone into other parts of the country, and +that all of them had four or five wives. Though it appeared from the way +in which these Indians spoke, that all or most of the colonists were dead, +yet the admiral did not think fit to take much notice of the circumtance +at the time; he therefore dismissed the messengers with some brass +trinkets and other baubles for Guacanagari, and a few to themselves. + +Towards evening on Thursday the twenty-eighth November the admiral came +with all the fleet into the harbour of the Nativity, and found the whole +town burnt, and no person whatever could be seen about the place. Next +morning the admiral landed, and was much concerned to find the fort and +houses entirely destroyed, and nothing left which had belonged to the +Christians, except some tattered garments and other broken articles of no +value. Finding no person at whom he could make inquiries, he went up a +river in the neighbourhood with several boats, leaving orders to clean out +the well which he had dug in the fort, as he had directed the colonists to +throw all the gold they could get into that well, to be prepared against +the worst that might happen; but nothing of the kind could be found. On +his way up the river he could meet with none of the Indians, who all fled +from their houses into the woods on his approach. He therefore returned to +Nauidad, where eight of the Christians had been discovered and three +others in the fields, who were recognized by the remnants of their apparel, +and seemed to have been a month dead. While prosecuting this melancholy +search, a brother of the cacique Guacanagari came, accompanied by some +Indians, to the admiral. These men could speak a few words of Spanish, and +knew the names of all the Christians who had been left there. They said +that those Spaniards had soon fallen out among themselves after the +departure of the admiral, everyone taking for himself as much gold and as +many women as he could procure. That Gutierres and Escovedo killed one +named James, and then went away with nine others and all their women to +the territories of a cacique named Caunabo who was lord of the mines, and +by whom they had all been killed. That many days afterwards Caunabo came +with a great number of men to Nauidad, where only James de Arana remained +with ten men to guard the fort, all the rest of the Spaniards having +dispersed about the island. Caunabo came by night and set fire to the +houses where the Christians resided with their women, all of whom fled to +the sea, where eight of them were drowned, three of them being slain on +shore. That Guacanagari, in fighting against Caunabo in defence of the +Christians, had been wounded and fled. + +This account agreed with that which was received by some Spaniards whom +the admiral had sent up into the country, and had gone to a town in the +interior where the cacique lay ill of his wounds. This he said had +prevented him from waiting upon the admiral and giving him an account of +the catastrophe of the Christians, which he narrated exactly in conformity +with the account given by his brother, and he requested that the admiral +would go to see him as he was unable to be moved. The admiral went +accordingly next day, and with great signs of sorrow the cacique related +all that had happened, and that he and his men had all been wounded in +endeavouring to defend the Christians, as appeared by their wounds, which +had not been inflicted by Christian weapons, but with _aragayas_ or wooden +swords and arrows pointed with fish bones. At the end of his discourse the +cacique presented to the admiral eight strings of small beads made of +white, green, and red stones, a string of gold beads, a royal crown of +gold, and three small calabashes full of gold dust, all of which might be +about four marks weight of gold, the mark being half a pound. In return +for all this the admiral gave him abundance of our baubles, which though +not worth three ryals or eighteen-pence, he yet valued exceedingly. +Although Guacanagari was very ill, he insisted upon going, with the +admiral to see the fleet, where he was courteously entertained, and was +much delighted to see the horses, of which he had received an account from +the Christians. And as some of those who had been killed had given him a +very erroneous account of our holy faith, the admiral used his best +endeavours to instruct him, and prevailed with him to wear an image of the +Virgin Mary suspended from his neck, which he had at first refused to +receive. + +Reflecting on the disaster of the Christians at Nauidad, and his own +misfortune in that neighbourhood by losing his ship, and considering that +there were other places at no great distance more commodious for the +establishment of a colony, he sailed on Saturday the seventh of December +with the whole fleet to the eastwards, and about evening cast anchor not +far from the islands of Monte Christo. And the next day removed to Monte +Christo, among those seven low islands which were mentioned in the account +of the former voyage. These little islands, although destitute of trees, +are yet extremely pleasant; for in that season of winter they found a +profusion of fine flowers, the nests had many of them eggs, and young +birds in others, and all other things resembled the appearance of summer +in Spain. Removing thence, he went to anchor before an Indian town where +he had resolved to plant his colony, and landed all the men, provisions, +utensils, and animals which had been brought on board the fleet. The place +he now chose was a fine plain near a rock on which a fort might be very +conveniently built for its defence; and here he immediately began to build +a town which he named Isabella, in honour of the queen of Castile. The +port of this place, though exposed to the N.W. was large and convenient, +and had a most delicious river only a bow-shot distant, from which canals +of water might be drawn for the use of the town, to run through the +streets. Immediately beyond that river there lay a vast open plain, from +the extremity of which the Indians said the gold mines of Cibao were not +far remote. For all these reasons the admiral was so extremely intent upon +settling the colony, that what with the fatigues which he had endured at +sea and the labour he now encountered, he not only was unable to write +down from day to day the occurrences as had been his usual custom, but he +fell sick, by which causes his journal was interrupted from the eleventh +of December 1493 till the twelfth of March 1494. During all this time +however, he ordered the affairs of the colony to the best advantage, as +far as he was able. In this interval likewise he detached Alonzo de Hojeda +with an escort of fifteen men to explore the mines of Cibao. And +afterwards he sent on the second of February twelve ships of his fleet +back to Spain under the command of Captain Anthony de Torres, who was +brother to the nurse of Don John prince of Spain. Torres was a man of +great judgment and entire honour, in whom their Catholic majesties and the +admiral reposed much confidence. With him the admiral sent a detailed +account in writing of the nature of the country, and of every thing which +was required for the assistance of the infant colony, as well as an ample +account of every occurrence from the time the fleet had departed from +Spain. + +Hojeda returned soon after the departure of the fleet, and gave an account +of his journey. He reported that he halted on the second night of his +journey at the pass of a mountain which was of very difficult access. That +afterwards at many leagues distance, he found Indian villages and caciques +who had been very kind to him; and that at the end of his sixth days +journey he came to the mines of Cibao, were the Indians immediately took +up gold in his presence from the bed of a small river, as they had done in +many other places on his route, where he affirmed that there was plenty of +gold. This news greatly rejoiced the admiral, who was now recovered from +his sickness, and he resolved to go on shore to observe the nature of the +country and the disposition of the inhabitants, that he might be the +better able to judge of what ought to be done. Accordingly, on Wednesday +the twelfth of March 1494, he set out from Isabella to inspect the mines +of Cibao, taking all the people along with him who were in health, part on +foot and part on horseback; leaving a good guard in the two ships and +three caravels that remained of the fleet, and causing all the tackle and +ammunition belonging to the other ships to be removed into his own. + +He took the above mentioned precaution to prevent any from rebelling +during his absence and seizing the ships to return home, as several had +attempted to do during his sickness. Many had embarked in this voyage +under the belief that they might load themselves with gold as soon as they +landed, and so return rich home in a short time. But gold wherever it is +to be found requires time, trouble and labour to gather it; and matters +not turning out according to their sanguine expectations, they became +dissatisfied and offended, and weary of the fatigue attending the building +of Isabella, and of the diseases which the climate and change of diet had +engendered among them. One Bernard de Pisa, who had been an inferior +officer of justice at court, and who had gone the voyage as comptroller +for their Catholic majesties, was the ring-leader and head of these +mutineers; therefore the admiral would not punish him any otherwise than +by securing him on board ship, with the design of sending him home to +Spain, with his process regularly drawn up, as well on account of his +mutinous conduct as for having written a false information against the +admiral, which he had hidden in the ship. + +Having properly ordered all these matters, and having left some persons in +whom he could confide both at sea and on shore, to look to and secure the +fleet under the charge of his brother Don James Columbus, he set out for +Cibao, carrying with him all the necessary tools and implements for +building a fort to keep that district under subjection, and for securing +the Christians who might be left there to gather gold from any evil +designs or attempts of the Indians. And the more to impress the natives +with awe and respect, and to take away all hopes that they might be able +to do now as they had done with Arana and the thirty-eight Christians who +had been left with him at the Nativity, he carried all the men that he +could along with him, that the natives might see and be sensible of the +power of the Christians, and that if any injury should be offered even to +a single individual of our people, there was a sufficient force to ensure +due and severe chastisement. To appear the more formidable to the natives, +when he set out from Isabella, and whenever he passed any of the Indian +towns, he caused his men to march with their arms in rank and file as is +usual in time of war, with trumpets sounding and colours flying. In this +way he marched along the river, which lay about a musket-shot from +Isabella; he crossed a smaller river about a league beyond, and halted for +the night in a plain divided into pleasant fields about three leagues from +Isabella, which reached to a craggy hill about two bow-shots high. To this +place he gave the name of Puerta de los Hidalgos, or the Gentlemens Pass, +because some gentlemen had been sent on before to order a road to be +opened, which was the first road ever made in the Indies. The paths made +by the Indians are only broad enough for one person to pass at a time. + +Beyond this pass he entered upon a large plain over which he marched five +leagues the next day, and halted on the banks of a large river called the +River of Canes, which falls into the sea at Monte Christo, and over which +the people crossed on rafts and in canoes. In the course of the journey +they passed many Indian towns, consisting of round thatched houses, with +such small doors that it requires a person entering to stoop very low. As +soon as the Indians from Isabella who accompanied the march entered any +of those houses they took what they liked best, and yet the owners seemed +not to be at all displeased, as if all things were in common among them. +In like manner the people of the country were disposed to take from the +Christians whatever they thought fit, thinking our things had been in +common like theirs; but they were soon undeceived. In the course of this +journey they passed over mountains most delightfully wooded, where there +were wild vines, aloes, and cinnamon trees[8]; and another sort that +produces a fruit resembling a fig, which were vastly thick at the foot, +but had leaves like those of our apple trees. + +The admiral continued his march from the River of Canes on Friday the 14th +March, and a league and a half beyond it he came to another which he +called the River of Gold, because some grains of gold were gathered in +passing. Having crossed this river with some difficulty, the admiral +proceeded to a large town, whence many of the inhabitants fled to the +mountains; but most of them fortified their houses by barring the doorways +with large canes, as if that had been a sufficient defence to hinder +any body from coming in; for according to their customs, no one dares to +break in at a door that is barred up in this manner, as they have no +wooden doors or any other means of shutting up their houses. From the +river of gold the march was continued to another fine river, which was +named _Rio verde_, or the Green River, at which the party halted for the +night. Continuing the march next day, they passed several considerable +towns, the inhabitants of which had barricadoed their doors with canes and +sticks in the manner already mentioned. The whole party being fatigued +with the march of this day, halted for the night at the foot of a rugged +mountain, to which the admiral gave the name of _Puerto de Cibao_, or the +Pass of Cibao, because the province or district of Cibao begins beyond +that mountain. Betwixt the former ridge named the Hidalgos Pass and this +of Cibao they had travelled directly south for eleven leagues over a fine +level plain. From this place the admiral sent back a party with several +mules to Isabella to bring a supply of bread and wine, as they began to +want provisions; the Spaniards suffered the more on this long journey that +they were not yet accustomed to the food of the country, which is more +easy of digestion and agrees better with the constitution in that country +than what is brought from Europe, according to the experience of those who +now live and travel in these parts, though not so nourishing. + +The people who had been sent for provisions having returned, the admiral +passed over the mountain along a path so narrow, steep, and winding, that +the horses were led over with much difficulty. They now entered the +district of Cibao, which is rough and stoney and full of gravel, yet +plentifully covered with grass, and watered with several rivers in which +gold is found. The farther they went in this country they found it the +rougher and more uncouth, and everywhere encumbered with mountains, on the +summits even of which they found grains of gold, which is washed down from +the tops of these mountains by the great rains and torrents into the beds +of the rivers, and there found in small dust, sand, or grains, +interspersed with some of a larger size. This province is as large as +Portugal, and abounds in mines and brooks producing gold; but for the most +part has few trees, and these are mostly pines and palms of several sorts, +growing on the banks of the rivers. As Ojeda had travelled before into +this country, the Indians had some knowledge of the Christians; and +understanding that they came in search of gold, the natives came to meet +the admiral everywhere during the march with small quantities of gold +which they had gathered, and bringing presents of provisions. Being now 18 +leagues from Isabella[9], and the country he had marched over from the +Pass of Cibao very rugged, the admiral ordered a fort to be constructed in +a strong and very pleasant situation, to command the country about the +mines, and to protect the Christians that might be employed there in +procuring gold, and gave it the name of the castle of St Thomas. He gave +the command of this new fort to Don Pedro Margarite, with a garrison of 56 +men, among whom were workmen of all kinds for building the castle, which +was constructed of clay and timber, as of sufficient strength to resist +the efforts of any number of Indians that might come against it. On +breaking ground for the foundations of the fort, and cutting a rock to +form its ditches, at two fathoms below the surface, they found several +nests made of hay and straw, containing instead of eggs three or four +round stones as large as oranges, as artificially made as if they had been +cannon-balls [10]. In the river that runs at the foot of the hill on which +the castle was built, they found stones of several colours, some of them +large, of pure marble, and others of jasper. + +Leaving orders for finishing the fortifications of fort St Thomas, the +admiral set out on his return for Isabella on Friday the 21st of March. +Near the Green River he met the escort of mules with provisions, which he +sent on to the fort[11]; and was constrained to remain some time at the +green river on account of the excessive rains which then fell. While +afterwards endeavouring to find the fords of the Rio Verde and Rio del Oro, +which is larger than the Ebro, he had to remain for several days among the +towns of the Indians, subsisting his whole party on the Indian bread and +garlick, which the natives parted with for a small price. On Sunday the +29th of March he returned to Isabella, where melons were already grown and +fit for eating, although the seed had only been put into the ground two +months before. Cucumbers came up in twenty days. A wild vine of the +country having been pruned, had produced large and excellent grapes. On +the 30th of March a peasant gathered some ears of wheat which had only +been sown in the latter end of January. There were vetches likewise, but +much larger than the seed they had brought from Spain; these had sprung up +in three days after they were sown, and the produce was fit to eat after +twenty-five days. The stones of fruit set in the ground sprouted in seven +days. Vine branches shot out in the same time, and in twenty-five days +they gathered green grapes. + +Sugar canes budded in seven days. All this wonderful rapidity of +vegetation proceeded from the temperature of the climate, which was not +unlike that of the south of Spain, being rather cool than hot at the +present season of the year. The waters likewise were cold, pure, and +wholesome; so that upon the whole the admiral was well satisfied with the +soil and air, and with the people of the country. + +On Tuesday the 1st of April, intelligence was brought by a messenger from +fort St Thomas, that all the Indians of that country had withdrawn from +the neighbourhood, and that a cacique named Caunabo was making +preparations to attack the fort. Knowing how inconsiderable the people of +that country were, the admiral was very little alarmed by this news, and +was especially confident in the horses which were in that garrison, as he +knew the Indians were particularly afraid of them, and would not enter a +house where a horse stood lest they should be devoured. But, as he +designed to go out from Isabella with the three caravels he had detained +there on purpose to discover the continent, he thought fit to send more +men and provisions to the fort, that every thing might remain quiet and +safe during his absence. Wherefore, on Wednesday the 2d of April he sent +70 men with a supply of provisions and ammunition to fort St Thomas. Of +these, 25 were appointed to strengthen the immediate garrison, and the +others were directed to assist in making a new road between the _puerto_ +and the fort, the present one being very troublesome and difficult, as +well as the fords of the rivers, which were ordered to be cleared. While +the ships were fitting out to go upon the new discovery, the admiral +attended to order all things necessary and useful for the town of Isabella, +which he divided into regular streets, and provided with a convenient +market-place. He likewise endeavoured to bring the river water to the town +along a large canal, because the river being almost a gun-shot distant, +occasioned much trouble to the people in supplying themselves with water; +more especially as most of them were then weak and indisposed, owing to +the sharpness of the air, which did not agree with them. They had now no +other Spanish provisions except bread and wine, owing partly to the bad +management of the captains of the ships, and partly because nothing keeps +so well in that country as in Spain; and though they had abundance of the +provisions of the country, yet not being used to that food it did not +agree with them, and many of them were sick. Taking all these +circumstances into consideration, he resolved to send back part of the +people into Spain, retaining only 300 men in the island, which number he +considered as quite sufficient for keeping the country under subjection. +In the mean time, as biscuit began to grow scarce and they had no flour to +make more, though wheat was in plenty, he resolved to construct some mills, +although there was no fall of water fit for the purpose within less than a +league from the town; in this and all other works he was under the +necessity of constantly superintending the workmen, who all endeavoured +to save themselves from any labour or fatigue. + +To husband the remaining provisions, Hojeda was sent from Isabella on +Wednesday the 29th of April with 400 men, leaving none in the town who +were in health except handicrafts and artificers. These were ordered to +march about the country in various directions to strike terror into the +Indians, to accustom them to subjection, and to enure the Spaniards to the +food of country. Hojeda was ordered to march in the first place to fort St +Thomas, of which he was to take the command as the first discoverer of the +province of Cibao, which in the Indian language means the stony country. +Don Pedro Marguerite was then to take charge of marching with this little +army about the country. While on his outward march, Hojeda apprehended a +cacique who resided on the other side of the Rio del Oro, together with +his brother and nephew, sending them in irons to the admiral, and cut off +the ears of one of his subjects in the great place of his town, for the +following reason: This cacique had sent five Indians along with three +Christians who were travelling from St Thomas to Isabella to carry their +clothes over the river at the ford, and they being come to the middle of +the river returned to the town with the clothes, when the cacique, instead +of punishing the people for the robbery, took the clothes to himself and +refused to restore them. Another cacique who dwelt beyond the river, +relying on the service he had done the Christians, went along with the +prisoners to Isabella to intercede with the admiral for their pardon. The +admiral received him very courteously, but ordered that the prisoners +should be brought out into the market-place with their hands bound, and +sentenced them to die. On seeing this the friendly cacique petitioned for +their lives with many tears, promising that they should never be guilty of +any other offence; at length the admiral relented and discharged them all. +Soon afterwards a person came on horseback from St Thomas, and reported +that he had found five Christian prisoners in the town of the cacique who +had just been pardoned, who had been taken by his subjects while going +from Isabella; that by frightening the Indians with his horse he had +obtained the relief of the prisoners, above 400 of the Indians running +away from him alone, two of whom he wounded in the pursuit; and that when +he crossed the river the Indians turned back upon the Christians to retake +them, but by making as if he would go against them, they all ran away lest +the horse should fly over the river. + +Before proceeding on his intended voyage for discovering the continent, +the admiral appointed a council to govern the island in his absence, of +which he appointed his brother Don James Columbus president: the others +were F. Boyl and Peter Fernandez Coronell regents, together with Alonzo +Sanchez de Caravajal, rector of Bracca, and Juan de Luxan of Madrid, +gentleman to their Catholic majesties. That there might be no want of +flour for supporting the people, he hastened the building of the mills, +notwithstanding the rain and floods which very much obstructed the work. +Owing to these rains, in the admirals opinion, the great fertility of the +island proceeded. So wonderful is this fertility that they eat the fruits +of the trees in the month of November, while at the same time they are +blossoming afresh, by which it is evident that they bear fruit twice every +year. But herbs and seeds grow at all times indiscriminately, and nests +with eggs and young birds are found on the trees throughout the whole year. +As the fruitfulness of the island appeared so extraordinary, so daily +accounts arrived of its abundant wealth, and of the discovery of new mines, +which coincided with the reports of the Indians concerning the great +quantity of gold to be met with in several parts of the island[11a]. But +the admiral could not rest satisfied with these things, and resolved to +prosecute his discoveries by sea, beginning with the coast of Cuba, not +yet knowing whether it was an island or a continent. + +In the afternoon of Thursday the 24th of April 1494 the admiral sailed +with three caravels from Isabella, and came to anchor that evening at +Monte Christo, having shaped his course to the west. On Friday he went to +Guacanagaris port, or the Nativity, thinking to find him there; but he +fled, though his subjects falsely affirmed that he would soon return. Not +caring to stay without sufficient cause, he departed on Saturday the 26th +of April, and went to the island of Tortuga 6 leagues to the westwards. He +lay here all that night in a calm with all his sails loose, the tide +running back against the current. Next day the N.W. wind and a strong +current setting to the west obliged him to go back to anchor in the river +Guadalquiver in the same island, to wait for a wind sufficient to stem the +current, which both then and the year before he found to run strong from +the east. On Tuesday the 29th of April, the wind became fair and he was +able to reach Cape St Nicholas, whence he crossed over to Cuba and run +along its southern coast a league beyond Cape Fuerte, where he put into a +large bay which he named _Puerto Grande_ or the Great Harbour. The mouth +of this port was 150 paces across, and had abundant depth of water. He +cast anchor in this bay, where he procured refreshment of fish and oysters, +which the Indians had in great abundance. On the first of May he continued +his voyage along the coast, where he everywhere found commodious harbours, +fine rivers, and lofty mountains. After leaving Tortuga the sea everywhere +abounded with the same kind of weeds which he saw on the ocean in his +voyages to and from Spain. While sailing along the coast many of the +natives came off in their canoes, and thinking our people came down from +heaven, freely bestowed their country bread and fish without asking any +thing in return; but the admiral ordered them to be paid with beads, bells, +and such like baubles, and sent them away well pleased. + +On Saturday the third of May, having heard that there was much gold in +Jamaica, he stood over for that island, which he discovered on Sunday the +fourth of May. Upon Monday he came to an anchor there, and thought it the +most beautiful of any island he had yet seen in the West Indies, and was +astonished at the multitudes of people who came off to the ships in large +and small canoes. Next day he ran along the coast in search of harbours. +The boats being sent in to examine a harbour which the admiral named +_Puerto Bueno_ or the Good Port, so many canoes came out filled with armed +natives to defend their country, that our people thought proper to return +towards the ships, to avoid any quarrel with these people; but considering +that to shew any signs of fear would make the Indians proud, they returned +again towards the port; and as the Indians came to drive them off they +gave them a flight of arrows from their cross-bows, by which six or seven +of them were wounded, and they all retired. The fight ended upon this, and +afterwards many natives came off to the ships in a peaceable manner to see +our people and to barter provisions and other articles for such trifles as +our people offered. In this bay, which is in the form of a horse shoe, the +admiral repaired his ship which was leaky; and then sailed on the ninth of +May, keeping along shore to the westwards, the Indians following +continually in their canoes to trade or barter with our people. The wind +proving rather contrary, and not being able to make so much way as he +wished, the admiral left the coast of Jamaica and stood over for Cuba, +designing to keep along its coast for five or six hundred leagues, that he +might be satisfied whether it were an island or the continent. That day +while leaving Jamaica, a young Indian came on board desiring to be +carried into Spain, and when several of his kindred and others entreated +him to return he refused to change his resolution, and to avoid the +importunities of his friends, and not to see his sisters cry and sob, he +went where they could not come to him. The admiral admired his resolution, +and gave orders that he should be civilly treated. + +Leaving Jamaica on Wednesday the 15th of May, the admiral came to that +point of Cuba which he named Cabo de Santa Cruz, or Cape Holy Cross. In +running along the coast they encountered a great storm of thunder and +lightning which, combined with numerous flats and strong currents, +occasioned much trouble and great danger, being obliged to struggle at the +same time against two evils which required opposite remedies; for it is +proper during thunder to strike the sails, whereas it is necessary to +spread them to avoid the flats, and had this double calamity lasted for +eight or ten leagues it had been quite insupportable. The worst of all was, +that all over this sea, both northwards, and to the north-east, the farther +they went the greater number of low little islands they met with, in some +of which there were trees, but others were sandy and scarcely appeared +above the surface of the water; some of these were a league in compass, +some more and some less. The nearer they kept to the coast of Cuba the +higher and pleasanter these small islands appeared; and it being difficult +and useless to give names to every one, the admiral called them all in +general _Jardin de la Reyna_, or the Queens Garden. They saw many more +islands next day to the north-east, north-west, and south-west, insomuch +that they counted 160 islands that day, all parted by deep channels, many +of which the ships sailed through. In some of these islands they saw many +cranes resembling those of Spain in shape and size, but of a scarlet +colour[12]. In others they found great numbers of turtles, or sea +tortoises, and immense quantities of their eggs, which are not unlike +those of a hen but with much harder shells. The female turtle deposits her +eggs in holes on the sand, and covering them up leaves them to be hatched +by the heat of the sun, which brings forth the little turtles, which grow +in time to be as large as a buckler or great target. In these islands they +also saw crows and cranes like those of Spain, and sea crows, and infinite +numbers of small birds which sung delightfully, and the very air was sweet, +as if they had been among roses and the finest perfumes; yet the danger +was very great on account of the innumerable channels among the islands, +by which much time was spent in finding the way through. + +In one of these channels they observed a canoe with Indian fishermen, who +very quietly awaited our boat coming towards them, and made signs not to +approach near till they had done fishing. Their manner of fishing was so +strange and new to our people that they willingly complied, and looked on +with astonishment. They had tied certain small fishes which they call +_reves_ by the tail with a long line and let them into the water, where +these _reves_ attached themselves to other fishes, by means of a certain +roughness which they have from the head to the middle of the back, and +stick so fast that the Indians drew both up together. It was a turtle our +men saw taken in this manner, and the _reve_ clung close to its neck, +which place they usually fasten upon because safe from being bitten by the +other fish, and they sometimes fasten upon vast sharks. When the Indians +in the canoe had thus taken the turtle, having already two others, they +came in a very friendly manner to know what our men would have, and went +by their direction on board the admiral who treated them courteously, and +to whom they would have freely given all they had; but he would only allow +their fish to be taken, and refused their nets, hooks, and calabashes +full of water which they had on board to drink, for which he gave them +some trifles with which they went away very well contented. From these +Indians he learnt that there were an infinite multitude of islands in that +sea, and he held on his course. But beginning to want provisions he could +not continue much longer, otherwise he meant to have gone west about +before returning to Hispaniola, although much spent, having never had it +in his power to go to bed, except eight nights, from the time he left +Hispaniola on the 24th of April till now, which was the 19th of May. He +always had much care and anxiety in his voyages, but infinitely greater +this time by reason of the innumerable islands among which he was sailing, +insomuch that on the 20th of May they counted seventy-one, besides a great +many more that were seen about sun-set. These islands are not only +dangerous on account of their numbers, but there rises from them every +night a heavy fog to the eastwards, so dismal to behold as if some great +shower of hail would fall, and it is generally accompanied by violent +thunder and lightning; but when the moon rises it all vanishes, partly +turning to rain and wind. These phenomena are so natural and usual in +these seas that they not only took place all those nights on which the +admiral was there, but I saw the same among those islands in the year 1503 +on my return from the discovery of Veragua; and generally, the wind here +is every night from the north, coming from the island of Cuba, and +afterwards when the sun rises it comes about east, and follows the sun +till it comes to the west. + +The admiral still held on his course westwards among infinite numbers of +islands, and came to one on the 22d of May somewhat larger than the rest, +which he called St Mary. They landed at a town which was seen on shore, +but none of the natives would stay to converse with the Christians, and +nothing was found in their houses save fish upon which they feed, and +several dogs like mastiffs which feed likewise on fish. They sailed thence +to the north-west still among numerous islands, on which they saw many +scarlet cranes or flamingos, parrots, and other birds, and dogs like those +mentioned before, and the sea was covered with large quantities of weeds. +The sailing among so many islands, channels, and shoals, fatigued the +admiral extremely, as sometimes they had to stand west, sometimes north, +and sometimes south, according as the channels would permit; and +notwithstanding his constant care in sounding and keeping men continually +on the look-out from the round top, yet the ship often touched, and there +was no avoiding it, there being no end to the flats on all hands. Sailing +on in this manner, they came at length again to Cuba to take in water, of +which they stood much in need. Though no town could be seen because the +place was entirely overgrown with trees, yet one of the seamen who was on +shore, having gone among the trees to kill some bird or beast with his +cross-bow, saw about thirty people armed after the Indian manner with +spears and a kind of clubs or staves, which they use instead of swords, +and which they call _macanas_. Among these he said that he saw one person +clad in a white coat or vest down to his knees, carried by two others who +had white vestments down to their feet, all three of them as white as +Spaniards; but that he had no intercourse with them, because being afraid +of such a number he called out to his comrades, and the Indians ran away +without looking back[13]. + +Next day, the admiral sent some people on shore to look after these +natives, but they could not travel above half a league from the shore on +account of the thickness of the trees and bushes, and because all that +coast for two leagues up the country, where the hills and mountains begin, +is boggy and marshy, so that they only saw a few footsteps of fishermen on +the shore, and abundance of cranes like those of Spain but larger. Having +sailed about ten leagues farther westwards, they saw some houses on the +shore, whence some canoes came off with water, and such food as the +Indians use, and for which they were well paid. The admiral caused one of +those Indians to be detained, telling him and the rest, by means of an +interpreter, that he would freely permit him to go home as soon as he had +given him an account of the country and some directions for the voyage. +This Indian assured the admiral that Cuba was an island, and that the king +or cacique of the western part of it never spoke to any of his subjects +but by signs, yet that all his orders were immediately obeyed; that all +this coast was very low and full of small islands. This latter information +was found to be too true; as next day, the 11th of June, the admiral was +forced to have the ships towed over a flat where there was not a foot of +water, and its whole breadth did not exceed two ships length[14]. Bearing +up closer to Cuba, they saw turtles of vast bigness, and in such numbers +that they covered the sea. At break of day, they saw such an enormous +flock of sea crows as even darkened the sun, these were going from sea +towards to the island, where they all alighted; besides these abundance of +pigeons and other birds were seen; and the next day such immense swarms of +butterflies, as even to darken the air, which lasted till night, when a +heavy rain carried them all away. + +Perceiving that the coast of Cuba ran far west, and that it was extremely, +difficult to sail in that direction, on account of the infinite multitude +of islands and shoals, and because provisions were very scanty, the +admiral resolved on the 13th of June to return to Isabella. He anchored +therefore at an island which he named _Evangelista_ which is thirty +leagues in circuit, and lies 700 leagues west from Dominica, to take in +wood and water; and thence directed his course southwards, hoping to get +better out in that direction from among the labyrinth of islands in which +he had been so long bewildered. After sailing in the channel which seemed +the clearest for a few leagues, he found it entirely shut up, which +dismayed the people extremely, at seeing themselves apparently hemmed in +on all sides, and destitute of provisions and all hopes of comfort. But +he, who was always wise and courageous, cheered their faint-heartedness, +by saying he was thankful for being forced back so soon, as if they had +been able to continue their voyage in that direction, they might possibly +have got into a situation whence they could hardly have extricated +themselves, when they had neither ships nor provisions to carry them back, +but which was now easily in their power. He therefore returned to +Evangelista, and sailed thence on the 25th of June to the N.W. towards +some small islands about five leagues off. Going on still a little farther, +they found the sea so patched with green and white that it seemed one +entire sand, though there was two fathoms water. Along this singular +looking sea they sailed seven leagues, and then came to another sea as +white as milk and very thick; this was much wondered at, and dazzled the +eyes of all the beholders, who could not conceive that there was water +enough for the ships, and yet it was about three fathoms deep. After +sailing about four leagues on this white sea, they came to another which +was as black as ink, and five fathoms deep[15]. Through this black sea he +held on his course to Cuba, and thence stood to the eastwards[16] with +scanty winds, and through narrow channels among continual shoals. + +While writing his journal on the 30th of June, his ship ran so fast +aground, that neither by means of anchors or any ether invention could she +be got off; but it pleased GOD that she was at length drawn over the shoal +a-head, though with some damage from beating on the sand. He thence +sailed on as the wind and shoal water would permit, always through a white +sea of two fathoms regular depth, unless when he approached a shoal when +the water became shallower. Besides all this anxious fatigue, occasioned +by these perpetual shoals, they were distressed every evening about +sun-set by prodigious rains, which arose from the mountains and marshes of +Cuba, and continued till he came off Cuba towards the east, the way he had +come at first. Thence as he had found before, came off a most refreshing +scent as of fragrant flowers. On the 7th of July, the admiral landed to +hear mass, when there came to him an old cacique, who was very attentive +to the service. When it was ended, by signs, and the best methods which he +could find to express himself, he said it was good to give thanks to GOD, +because the souls of the good would go to Heaven, while the body remained +on earth, whereas wicked souls would go to hell. Among other things, this +cacique said that he had been to Hispaniola, where he knew some of the +chief men; that he had been to Jamaica, and a great way west in the island +of Cuba, and that the cacique of that part was clothed like a priest[17]. + +Sailing thence on the 16th of July, and still attended by terrible rains +and winds, he at length drew near to Cape Santa Cruz in Cuba, where he was +suddenly assailed by so violent a squall of wind and furious rain, which +laid his ship on her broad-side; but it pleased GOD that they immediately +lowered all their sails and dropt their anchors, and the ship soon righted; +yet the ship took in so much water at the deck that the people were not +able to keep the hold clear, they were so much spent for want of +provisions. For some time they had been reduced to a pound of rotten +biscuit daily with half a pint of wine, unless when they happened to catch +fish, which could not be kept from day to day on account of the climate. +This want and short allowance was common to all, and the admiral speaks +thus of it in his journal addressed to their Catholic majesties. "I am +myself at the same allowance, and I pray to GOD that it may be for his +honour and the service of your highnesses, for I shall never again expose +myself to such sufferings and dangers for my own benefit; and there never +passes a day but we are all on the very brink of death." + +In this state of distress and danger, the admiral arrived at Cape Santa +Cruz on the 18th of July, where he was entertained in a very friendly +manner by the Indians, who brought him abundance of their bread made from +grated roots, which they name _cazabi_[18]. They brought likewise a great +deal of fish, and abundance of fruit, and other articles of their ordinary +provisions, which proved a great relief to the exhausted mariners. The +wind being contrary for going to Hispaniola, the admiral stood over to +Jamaica on the 22d of July, and sailed along to the westwards close under +the shore, the country being all along most delightful, and very fruitful, +with excellent harbours at every league distance. All the coast was full +of towns, whence the natives followed the ships in their canoes, bringing +such provisions as they used, which were much better liked by our people +than what they found in any of the other islands. The climate, air, and +weather, was the same as in the other islands, for in this western part of +Jamaica, there gathered every evening a storm of rain which lasted +generally about an hour. This the admiral attributed to the great woods +in these countries, as he knew that this was usual at first in the +Canaries, Azores, and Madeira islands, whereas now that the woods in these +islands are mostly cut down, there are not such great and frequent storms +and heavy rains as formerly[19]. The admiral sailed along the coast of +Jamaica, but was obliged by contrary winds to take shelter every night +under the land, which appeared green, pleasant, fruitful, abounding in +provisions, and so populous that he thought nothing could excel it, +especially near a bay which he named _De las Vacas_, on account of nine +islands close to the land. At this place the land was as high as any he +had ever seen, insomuch that he believed it to reach above the regions in +which the storms are bred. He estimated Jamaica to be 800 miles in +compass; and when it was fully discovered, he computed it to be fifty +leagues long by twenty leagues broad. Being much taken with the beauty of +this island, he was much inclined to have made a longer stay to be fully +informed of its nature; but the great want of provisions under which he +laboured, and the crazy state of his vessels would not permit. Wherefore, +as soon as the weather became a little fair, he sailed away to the +westwards, and on Tuesday the 19th of August, he lost sight of that island, +standing directly for Hispaniola and named the most easterly cape of +Jamaica on the south coast _Cabo del Farol_. + +On Wednesday the 20th of August, the admiral got sight of the south side +of Hispaniola, and called the first point Cape St Michael, which is thirty +leagues distant from the most easterly point of Jamaica; but through the +ignorance of the sailors that Cape is now called _Tiberoun_. From this +cape, on the 23d of August, a cacique came on board, who called the +admiral by his name, and had some other Spanish words, from which +circumstance he was convinced that this was the same land with Hispaniola. +At the end of August, he anchored at an island called _Alto Velo_, and +having lost sight of the other two ships, he caused some men to go on +shore in that little island which was very high, but they were unable to +see either of their consorts. When about to return on board, they killed +eight sea wolves that lay asleep on the sand, and took abundance of +pigeons and other birds; for that island being uninhabited, these animals +were unaccustomed to the sight of men, and allowed themselves to be +knocked down with sticks. They did the same on the two following days +waiting for the ships, which had been missing ever since the 22d of August. +At the end of six days they made their appearance, and all three proceeded +to the island _Beata_, twelve leagues from Alto Velo. Hence they continued +to coast along Hispaniola, in sight of a delightful country, which was a +plain of about a mile broad, before the hills began to ascend, and so +populous, that in one place there seemed to be a continued town for the +length of a league; and in that plain there appeared a lake five leagues +long from east to west. The people of the country having some knowledge of +the Christians, came on board in their canoes, and said that some +Spaniards from Isabella had been among them, and that they were all well, +which news gave the admiral great satisfaction; and to the end that they +too might receive intelligence of his return to the island, he ordered +nine men to cross the island by way of the forts St Thomas and the +Magdalen to Isabella. + +Continuing his voyage eastwards, he sent the boats on shore for water, to +a place where a great town appeared, when the Indians came out with bows +and poisoned arrows, and with ropes in their hands, making signs to the +Spaniards that they would bind them if they came on shore. But as soon as +the boats came close to the beach they laid down their weapons, and +offered to bring bread and water, and every thing they had, asking in +their language for the admiral. Going from hence, they saw a strange fish +in the sea as big as a whale, having a great shell on its neck like a +tortoise, and bearing its head, as big as a hogshead, above the water, the +tail was very long like a tunny fish, and it had two large fins on the +sides. From the appearance of this fish and other signs, the admiral +foresaw an approaching change of weather, and sought for some harbour to +secure himself; and it pleased GOD that on the 15th of September, he +discovered an island near the east part of Hispaniola named _Adamanoi_ by +the Indians, and the weather being very stormy, dropt anchor in the +channel between it and Hispaniola, close to a small island which lies +between both. That night he saw an eclipse of the moon, which he said +varied five hours and twenty-three minutes from its time at Cadiz[20], to +the place where he then was. The bad weather, probably owing to the +eclipse, lasted so long, that he was forced to remain at that anchorage +till the 20th of the month, all the time under great anxiety for the other +ships which were not able to get into the same place of security, but it +pleased GOD to save them. Having rejoined the other caravels, they all +sailed over to the eastern part of Hispaniola, and thence to a little +island called _Mona_ by the Indians, which lies between Hispaniola and St +John de Boriquen. + +The journal of the admiral breaks off at this island, and he does not +inform us of his course from thence to Isabella; but only, that while +going from Mona to St John, the great fatigues he had undergone, together +with his own weakness and the want of proper food, brought on a violent +malady, between a pestilential fever and a lethargy, which presently +deprived him of his senses and memory; whereupon, all the people in the +three caravels resolved to desist from the design he had then in hand of +discovering all the islands in the Caribbean sea, and returned to Isabella, +where they arrived on the 29th of September, five days afterwards[21]. +This heavy sickness lasted during five months, but it pleased GOD to +restore him afterwards to health. His illness was occasioned by the great +sufferings he had gone through in this voyage, during which he had often +not been able to sleep three hours in eight days, owing to the perilous +nature of the navigation among innumerable islands and shoals; a degree +of privation that seems almost impossible, were it not authenticated by +himself and those who accompanied him. + +On his return to Hispaniola, the admiral found there his brother +Bartholomew Columbus whom he had sent, as formerly related, to treat with +the king of England about the discovery of the Indies. On his return to +Spain with the grant of all his demands, he learned at Paris from Charles +king of France, that his brother the admiral had already made the +discovery, and the king supplied him with an hundred crowns to enable him +to prosecute his journey into Spain. He thereupon made all the haste he +could to overtake the admiral in Spain; but on his arrival at Seville, he +found that the admiral had gone out upon his second voyage with seventeen +sail, as already related. Wherefore, to fulfil the orders which his +brother had left for him at the beginning of 1494, he went to the court of +their Catholic majesties at Valadolid, carrying my brother Don James +Columbus and me along with him, as we had been appointed to serve as pages +to Prince John. Immediately upon our arrival, their majesties sent for Don +Bartholomew, and dispatched him with three ships to Hispaniola, where he +served several years, as appears from the following memorandum which I +found among his papers: "I served as captain from the 14th April 1494, +till the 12th of March 1498, when the admiral set out for Spain, and then +I began to act as governor till the 24th of August 1498, when the admiral +returned from the discovery of Paria; after which, I again served as +captain till the 11th of December 1500, when I returned to Spain." On his +return from Cuba, the admiral appointed his brother governor of the +Indies; though controversies afterwards arose on this subject, as their +majesties alleged that they had not given authority to the admiral to +make any such appointment. But to end this difference, their highnesses +granted it a-new, under the title of adelantado, or lieutenant of the +Indies, to my uncle Don Bartholomew. + +Having now the assistance and advice of his brother, the admiral took some +rest, and lived in quiet, although he met with sufficient troubles, both +on account of his sickness, and because he found that almost all the +Indians had revolted through the fault of Don Pedro Marguerite. He, though +obliged to respect and honour the admiral, who had left him the command of +360 foot and 14 horse, with orders to travel all over the island, and to +reduce it to the obedience of their Catholic Majesties and the Christians, +particularly the province of Cibao, whence the chief profit was expected; +yet acted in every thing contrary to his orders and instructions, insomuch, +that when the admiral was gone, he went with all his men to the great +plain called _Vega Real_, or the Royal Plain, ten leagues from Isabella, +where he remained without ever endeavouring to traverse and reduce the +island. Hence there ensued discords and factions at Isabella, as Don Pedro +endeavoured to make the council which the admiral had instituted in that +place, subservient to his own authority, sending them very insolent +letters; and perceiving that he could not succeed in getting the whole +power and authority into his hands, he was afraid to wait the return of +the admiral who would have called him to a severe account for his conduct, +and went therefore on board the first ships that returned to Spain, +without giving any account of himself or any way disposing of the men who +had been left under his command. + +Upon this desertion of Don Pedro, every one went among the Indians as they +thought fit, taking away their women and goods, and committing everywhere +such outrages, that the Indians resolved to revenge themselves on all whom +they should find straggling about the country. The cacique of the Magdalen, +Guatiguana, had killed ten, and had privately caused a house to be fired +in which there were eleven sick Spaniards. But he was severely punished by +the admiral after his return; for though the cacique himself could not +then be taken, yet some of his subjects were sent prisoners into Spain in +four ships that sailed in February 1495 under Antonio de Torres. Six or +seven other Indians who had injured the Christians in other parts of the +island suffered for their conduct. The cacique had killed many, and would +certainly have destroyed many more, if the admiral had not fortunately +come in time to restore order among the Christians, and to curb the +refractory spirit of the Indians. On his arrival from his late voyage to +Cuba and Jamaica, he found that most of the Christians had committed a +thousand insolencies, for which they were mortally hated by the Indians, +who refused to submit to their authority. It was no difficult matter for +them all to agree in casting off the Spanish yoke, as the whole island was +subject to the authority of four principal caciques. These were Caunabo, +Guacanagari, Behechico, and Gaurionex; each of whom commanded over seventy +or eighty inferior lords or caciques. These paid no tribute to the +superior caciques, but were obliged to till the ground when called upon, +and to assist them in their wars; but of these four, Guacanagari, who was +superior lord of that part of the island in which the town of Navidad had +been built, continued always friendly to the Christians. As soon therefore +as he heard of the admirals return to Isabella, he went to wait upon him, +and represented that he had not been any way aiding or advising with the +others, as might appear from the great civility the Christians had always +received in his country, where 100 men had always been well used and +furnished with every thing of which they stood in need. For which reason +the other caciques had become his enemies, as Behechico had killed one of +his women, and Caunabo had taken away another; wherefore he entreated the +admiral to cause her to be restored, and to assist him in revenging his +wrongs. The admiral was disposed to believe that Guacanagari spoke truth, +as he always wept whenever the discourse turned upon the slaughter of the +Christians at the Nativity; and the admiral was the more inclined to take +part with this cacique, as he considered that the discord among the Indian +chiefs, would make it the more easy for him to reduce the country to +subjection, and to punish the other Indians for their revolt, and for +having killed so many of the Christians. + +Having resolved to make war upon the refractory natives, he set out from +Isabella on the 24th of March 1495, taking Guacanagari along with him; yet +the enterprize seemed difficult, as the malcontent Indians had collected +a force of above 100,000 men, whereas the admiral had only about 200 +infantry, 20 horsemen, and about the same number of dogs [22]. Being well +acquainted with the nature and qualities of the Indians, when he was two +days march from Isabella, the admiral divided his small force, giving +half to his brother the lieutenant, that he might attack the multitude +which was scattered over the plain in two places at once, believing that +the terror of the noise in two places would throw them into disorder, and +put them to flight the sooner, as it actually proved in the event. The +battalions of foot fell upon the disordered multitude of the Indians, and +broke them with the first discharge of their cross-bows and muskets; the +cavalry and the dogs next fell upon them in the most furious manner that +they might have no time to rally, and the faint-hearted natives fled on +every side. Our men pursued them, and made such havock, that in a short +time, through GOD'S assistance, many of the enemies were slain, and others +taken prisoners, among whom was Caunabo the principal cacique of the whole, +with his wives and children, and one of his brothers. Caunabo afterwards +confessed that he had killed twenty of the Spaniards who had been left +with Arana at the town of the Nativity on the first voyage, when the +Indies were discovered; and that he had afterwards gone under colour of +friendship to Isabella, that he might observe how best to attack it and do +as he had formerly done at Navidad. The admiral had been fully informed +of all these things by others, and therefore to punish him for that +offence and for this revolt, he sent the whole family prisoners into Spain, +not being inclined to execute so considerable a person without the +knowledge of their Catholic majesties; but he capitally punished several +others of the ringleaders in the revolt. The consequences of this great +victory, and the capture of Caunabo put the affairs of the Christians into +such good order, that although there were then only 630 Spaniards in the +island, many of whom were sick, and others women and children; yet in the +space of a year, which the admiral employed in traversing the island +without being again constrained to use the sword, he reduced it to entire +obedience, and brought the people to engage for the payment of a tribute +every three months to their Catholic majesties. All the inhabitants of +the province of Cibao, in which the gold mines are situated, from fourteen +years of age and upwards; were to pay a large horse bell full of gold dust; +while those in the other districts of the island were rated at twenty-five +pounds of cotton each person[23]. That it might be known who had paid +their quotas of this tribute, a sort of coin made of brass and tin was +stamped, one of which was given to each person that paid, which he was +directed to wear hanging from his neck, that whoever was found without +this token might be known as not having paid, and be punished accordingly. +Doubtless this arrangement would have proved effectual to ensure a +respectable revenue, as after the capture of Caunabo, the country became +so peaceable, that for the future a single Christian went safely all over +the island, and the Indians would even carry the Spaniards about on their +shoulders. But the troubles which happened afterwards among the Christians, +which will be related in the sequel, overturned all this fair fabric of +order. + +The admiral attributed the ease with which he had discomfited so vast a +multitude, with only 200 ill armed and half-sick men, to the interposition +of Providence and the good fortune of their Catholic majesties. And it +pleased the Divine Majesty, not only to enable him to reduce the whole +country under authority, but to end such a scarcity of provisions, and +such violent diseases among the natives, that they were reduced to a third +of the number which they had been when first discovered: Thus making it +evident that such miraculous victories, and the subduing of nations, are +the gift of Providence, and not the effect of our power or good conduct, +or of the want of courage in the natives; for though our men were superior +to them, yet their numbers might have compensated for any advantage we had +over them in arms and discipline [24]. + +The people of the island being reduced to subjection, and conversing more +freely with our men, many particulars and secrets respecting their +religion were discovered, and many circumstances of the nature of the +country: Particularly that it contained mines of copper, azure, and amber, +and that it produced ebony, cedar, frankincense, and other rich gums, and +spice of several kinds, but wild, and which might be brought to perfection +by cultivation; as cinnamon of a good colour but bitter, ginger, long +pepper, abundance of mulberry trees for making silk which bear leaves all +the year, and many other useful trees and plants not known in our parts. I +shall here insert an account of the religion of these people as written by +the admiral, which is followed by a more particular memorial on the same +subject, written at his desire by an Anchorite who understood the language +of the natives. + +"I could discover neither idolatry among those people nor any other sect, +though every one of their kings, who are very numerous both in Hispaniola +and the other islands and continent, has a house apart from the town, in +which there are nothing but some carved wooden images which they call +_cemis_[25], and every thing that is done in these houses is expressly for +the service of these images, the people repairing to these houses to pray +and to perform certain ceremonies, as we do to our churches. In these +houses they have a handsome round table made like a dish, on which there +is some powder which they lay on the head of the _cemi_, with certain +ceremonies; and then by means of a tube which has two branches which they +apply to their nostrils, they snuff up this powder, using certain words +which none of our people understand. This powder puts them beside +themselves as if they were intoxicated. They also give each of these +images a name, which I believe to be derived from the names of their +fathers and grandfathers; for all have more than one image, and some of +them above ten, all in memory of their forefathers. I have heard them +commend one of these images as superior to others, and have observed them +to shew more devotion and respect to one than to another, as we do in our +processions in time of need, and the people and their caciques boast among +one another of having the best _cemis_. When they go to their cemis they +shun the Christians, and will not allow them to go into the houses where +they are kept; and if they suspect any of our people will come, they take +away their cemis into the woods and hide them, for fear we should take +them away; and, what stems most ridiculous, they are in use to steal the +cemis from one another. It happened once that some Christians rushed into +one of these houses, when presently the cemi began to cry out; by which it +appeared to be artificially made hollow, having a tube connected with it +leading into a dark corner of the house, where a man was concealed under a +covering of boughs and leaves, who spoke through the cemi according as he +was ordered by the cacique. The Spaniards, therefore, suspecting how the +trick was performed, kicked down the cemi and discovered the concealed +invention; and the cacique earnestly entreated them not to betray the +secret to his subjects and the other Indians, as he kept them in obedience +by that policy. This may be said to have some resemblance to idolatry, +especially among those who are ignorant of the fraud practised by the +caciques, since they believe that it is the cemi that speaks, and all are +imposed upon by the deceit, except the cacique and the person who combines +with him to abuse their credulity, by which means he draws what tribute he +pleases from his people." + +"Most of the caciques have three stones also, to which they and their +people shew great devotion. One of these they say helps the growth of all +sorts of grain, the second causes women to be delivered without pain, and +the third procures rain or fair weather, according as they stand in need +of either. I sent three of these stones to your highnesses by Antonio de +Torres, and I have three more to carry along with myself. When these +Indians die, their obsequies are performed in several manners, but their +way of burying their caciques is this. They open and dry him at a great +fire, that he may be preserved whole. Of others they preserve only the +head. Others they bury in a grot or den, and lay a calabash of water and +some bread on his head. Others they burn in their houses, having first +strangled them when at the last gasp, and this is done to caciques. Others +are carried out of the house in a hammock, laying bread and water at their +head, and they never return any more to see after them. Some when +dangerously ill are carried to the cacique, who gives orders whether they +are to be strangled or not, and their orders are instantly obeyed. I have +taken pains to inquire whether they know or believe what becomes of them +after death, and I particularly questioned Caunabo, who was the chief +cacique in all Hispaniola, a man well up in years, experienced, and of a +most piercing wit and much knowledge. He and the rest answered, that they +go after death to a certain vale, which every great cacique supposes to be +in his own country, and where they affirm they rejoin their relations and +ancestors, that they eat, have women, and give themselves up to all manner +of pleasures and pastimes. These things will appear more at large in the +following extended account which I ordered to be drawn up by one father +_Roman_, who understood their language, and set down all their ceremonies +and antiquities: But these are so filled with absurdities and fable, that +it is hardly possible to make any thing out of them, except that the +natives have some ideas of the immortality of the soul and of a future +state." + + +[1] This apparently ambiguous expression, probably means all contraveners + in the premises, or all who might in any way obstruct the full + execution of the offices and their privileges here granted to Columbus + and his heirs.--E. + +[2] This is certainly the greatest hereditary grant that ever was conceded + by sovereign to subject. Had it taken effect in its clear extent, the + family of Columbus must long ere now have become prodigiously too + powerful and wealthy to have remained hereditary admirals, viceroys, + and governors of the whole new world. They must either have become + independent sovereigns, or must have sunk under the consequences of + rebellion. If they still exist, they owe their existence, or their + still subjected state, to the at first gross injustice of the court of + Spain, and its subsequent indispensably necessary policy to preserve + the prodigious acquisition acquired for them by the genius of this + great man.--E. + +[3] The author mentions that he and his elder brother, the sons of + Columbus, were present on this occasion, probably to take leave of + their father. It appears afterwards that James the admirals brother, + accompanied him on this second voyage.--E. + +[4] The phenomenon here alluded to is now well known to be electricity, + proceeding from or to pointed projections and in a continued stream, + resembling flame.--E. + +[5] These three additional islands probably were successively, Marigalante, + Petite Terre, and Deseado or Desirade.--E. + +[6] The origin of this may have been one of the people saying he had seen + a pan or vessel of a substance _like iron_, while in the progress of + the story to the admiral the qualifying circumstance of resemblance + was omitted.--E. + +[7] The meaning of this passage is quite inexplicable.--E. + +[8] Those here called cinnamon trees must only have had some distant + resemblance to true cinnamon in flavour; probably what is now called + _Canella alba_, which is only used to give a flavour to nauseous + medicines.--E. + +[9] By the description of the route in the foregoing narrative, the + distances appear to have been, from Isabella to the pass of Hidalgos 3 + leagues; from Hidalgos to the pass of Cibao 11 leagues; and from this + latter pass to the Castle of St Thomas 4 leagues: in all 18 leagues as + in the text.--E. + +[10] This story, like the iron pan in Dominica formerly mentioned, seems + to have gained circumstances in its passage to the author. Such + collections of balls or round stones are not uncommon in mines, and + are termed nests: The hay and straw seem an embellishment.--E. + +[11] In a former passage he was said to have waited for the convoy of + provisions before going to Cibao, which must have been an oversight in + the author.--E. + +[11a] All these mighty promises of mines turned out only torrents and + rivulets, in the beds of which gold dust and grains were found with + infinite labour, and which, after the destruction of the natives, were + all abandoned as unprofitable.--E. + +[12] Flamingos. + +[13] The remarkable whiteness of these three natives might have proceeded + from the use of white pigments, which, as well as red and black, were + used by the natives of the West India islands.--E. + +[14] There must be a gross error here in the original translation, as the + circumstance of towing ships in such shallow water is impossible. The + passage ought probably to be thus understood: "There was not a foot of + water _to spare_, and the wind being foul the channel was too narrow + to turn through, which occasioned the necessity of towing." As + expressed in the text, the boats could not have floated.--E. + +[15] These strong descriptive epithets seem to have been colloquial + exaggerations of the recounter to Don Ferdinand Columbus.--E. + +[16] Columbus seems now to have changed his course, back again the way be + came, though not clearly so expressed in the text.--E. + +[17] Probably alluding to the dress of the Spanish priest who had said + mass, and explanatory of the clothed natives who had been seen in that + place during this voyage.--E. + +[18] This bread, which is called cassada or cassava in the British West + Indies, is made from the roots of Manioca pounded or grated, and + carefully pressed free from its juice, which is alleged to be + poisonous. The process will be found minutely described in other parts + of this collection.--E. + +[19] It is not competent in the bounds of a note to enter upon + philosophical discussions. But it may be shortly mentioned that the + regular evening rains can be easily accounted for upon Dr Huttons + ingenious theory of rain. The heated land air loaded to saturation + with water, by the periodical change of the land and sea breezes, + meets and mixes with the colder sea air, likewise saturated. The + reduced mean temperature of the mixture is no longer able to hold the + same quantity of water in solution, and the superabundant quantity + precipitates in rain. Hence likewise the prodigious rains in all warm + latitudes at the changes of the monsoon. The observation of Columbus + respecting clearing away the woods has been verified in several West + India islands.--E. + +[20] The longitude of Cadiz is 6°18' W. from Greenwich. That of _Saono_, + the modern name of Adamanoi, is 68°30'. The difference between these + is only 62°12', or four hours five minutes. The calculation in the + text therefore is one hour and eighteen minutes erroneous in point of + time, and 12°15' in longitude; and would remove the east end of + Hispaniola, to long 80°45' west from Greenwich, considerably beyond + the west end of Jamaica.--E. + +[21] Our author forgets what he had said a few pages before, that the + admiral had previously resolved to return to Isabella, on account of + wanting provisions to continue the voyage.--E. + +[22] This is probably the first instance of a civilized nation employing + the horrid alliance of ferocious animals to hunt down their brethren + like beasts of chase. Once only were the British arms disgraced by a + demonstration of using this savage mode of warfare, which it is to be + hoped will never be again heard of in our annals.--E. + +[23] The measure of gold dust in the text seems enormous, and I am + disposed to believe that instead of the large _horse_ bell, mentioned + in the text, a large _hawks_ bell ought to be substituted. It is + difficult, perhaps impossible to estimate the population of St Domingo + at this period, and thence to form a conjecture as to the amount of + the tribute. From the preceding account of the number of subordinate + caciques, and the large force opposed to Columbus, perhaps Hispaniola + might then contain 500,000 inhabitants of all ages, half of whom, or + 250,000, might be liable to the tax. Supposing 50,000 of these + employed as gold finders, and to pay one ounce each annually, worth + L. 4 the ounce, this would produce L. 200,000. The remaining 200,000 + paying 100 libs. of cotton each, would give twenty million of pounds; + and this rated at sixpence a pound would produce L. 500,000, making + the whole revenue L. 700,000 a-year, a prodigious sum in those days; + but out of which the expences of government and the admirals share + were to be defrayed. All this can only be considered as an + approximation or mere conjecture.--E. + +[24] It is a singularly perverted devotion that praises the Almighty for + success in murder, rapine, and injustice; and doubtless a devout + Spaniard of those days would sing Te Deum for the comfortable + exhibition of an _auto de fe_, in which those who differed from the + dogmas of the holy Catholic church were burnt for the glory of GOD. + The ways of Providence are inscrutable, and are best viewed by human + ignorance in silent humility and reverential awe.--E. + +[25] It is surely possible that a good Catholic, accustomed to the worship + of images, might not see idolatry in the ceremonies of the + Hispaniolans; but the sentiment seems darkly expressed.--E. + + + + +SECTION VII. + +_Account of the Antiquities, Ceremonies, and Religion of the Natives of +Hispaniola, collected by F. Roman, by order of the Admiral_[1]. + + +I, Father Roman, a poor anchorite of the order of St Jerome, by command of +the most illustrious lord admiral, viceroy and governor-general of the +islands and continent of the Indies, do here relate all that I could hear +and learn concerning the religious opinions and idolatry of the Indians, +and of the ceremonies they employ in the worship of their gods. + +Every one observes some particular superstitious ceremonies in worshipping +their idols, which they name _cemis_. They believe that there is an +immortal being, invisible like Heaven, who had a mother, but no beginning, +whom they call Atabei, Jermaoguacar, Apito, and Zuimaco; which are all +several names of the Deity. They also pretend to know whence they came at +the first, to give an account of the origin of the sun and moon, of the +production of the sea, and what becomes of themselves after death. They +likewise affirm that the dead appear to them upon the roads when any +person goes alone, but that when many are together they do not appear. All +these things they derive from the tradition of their ancestors, for they +can neither write nor read, and are unable to reckon beyond ten. + +1. In a province of the island named Caanan, there is a mountain called +Carita, where there are two caves named Cacibagiagua and Amaiauva, out of +the former of which most of the original inhabitants came. While in those +caverns, they watched by night, and one Marocael having the watch, he came +one day too late to the door and was taken away by the sun, and he was +changed into a stone near the door. Others going to fish were taken away +by the sun and changed into trees called jobi, or mirabolans. + +2. One named Guagugiana ordered another person named Giadruvava to gather +for him the herb digo, wherewith they cleanse their bodies when they wash +themselves. Giadruvava was taken away by the sun and changed to a bird +called giahuba bagiaci, which sings in the morning and resembles a +nightingale. + +3. Guagugiana, angry at the delay, enticed all the women to accompany him, +leaving their husbands and children. + +4. Guagugiana and the women came to Matinino, where he left the women, and +went to another country called Guanin. The children thus deserted by their +mothers, called out ma! ma! and too! too! as if begging food of the earth, +and were transformed into little creatures like dwarfs, called tona; and +thus all the men were left without women. + +5. There went other women to Hispaniola, which the natives call Aiti, but +the other islanders call them Bouchi. When Guagugiana went away with the +women, he carried with him the wives of the cacique, named Anacacugia; and +being followed by a kinsman, he threw him into the sea by a stratagem, and +so kept all the caciques wives to himself. And it is said that ever since +there are only women at Matinino. + +6. Guagugiana being full of these blotches which we call the French pox, +was put by a woman named Guabonito into a guanara, or bye-place, and there +cured. He was afterwards named Biberoci Guahagiona, and the women gave him +abundance of guanine and cibe to wear upon his arms. The cibe or colecibi +are made of a stone like marble, and are worn round the wrists and neck, +but the guanine are worn in their ears, and they sound like fine metal. +They say that Guabonito, Albeboreal, Guahagiona, and the father of +Albeboreal were the first of these Guaninis. Guahagiona remained with the +father called Hiauna; his son from the father took the name of Hia Guaill +Guanin, which signifies the son of Hiauna, and thence the island whether +Guahagiona went is called Guanin to this day. + +7. The men who had been left without women were anxious to procure some, +and one day saw the shape of human beings sliding down the trees, whom +they could not catch. But by employing four men who had rough hands from a +disease like the itch, these four strange beings were caught. + +8. Finding those beings wanted the parts of women, they caught certain +birds named turiri cahuvaial, resembling woodpeckers, and by their means +fashioned them to their purpose. + +9. There was once a man named Giaia, who had a son named Giaiael, which +signifies the son of Giaia; and who, intending to kill his father was +banished and afterwards killed by his father, and his bones hung up in a +calabash. Afterwards going to examine the bones, he found them all changed +into a vast number of great and small fishes. + +10. There were four brothers, the sons of a woman named Itiba Tahuvava, +all born at one birth, for the woman dying in labour they cut her open. +The first they cut out was named Diminan, and was a caracaracol, or +afflicted with a disease like the itch, the others had no names. One day +while Giaia was at his conichi or lands, these brothers came to his house +and took down the calabash to eat the fish; but not hanging it up properly, +there ran out so much water as drowned the whole country, and with it +great quantities of fish: And in this manner they believe the sea had its +original. + +11. After a long story of a live tortoise being cut out from the shoulder +of Diminan Caracaracol, quite away from the purpose, F. Roman proceeds to +say that the sun and moon came out of a grotto called Giovovava, in the +country of a cacique named Maucia Tiuvel. This grotto is much venerated, +and is all painted over with the representation of leaves and other things. +It contained two cemis made of stone, about a quarter of a yard long, +having their hands bound, and which looked as if they sweated. These were +called Boinaiel and Maroio, and were much visited and honoured, especially +when they wanted rain. + +12. They say the dead go to a place called Coaibai, which is in a part of +the island named Soraia; and that one Machetaurie Guaiava, who was lord or +cacique of Coaibi, the dwelling-place of the dead, was the first who went +there. + +13. They say that the dead are shut up during the day, and walk abroad in +the night, when they feed on a certain fruit called guabazza, which is +something else during the day and changes to that fruit at night for the +use of the dead. The dead go about and feast with the living, who +sometimes think they have a woman of Coaibi in their arms who vanishes +suddenly; and they allege that those dead inhabitants of Coaibi may be +known by the want of navels. The souls of the living they name goeiz, +those of the dead opia. + +14. There is a set of men among them called Bohutis, who use many juggling +tricks, pretend to talk with the dead and to know all the actions and +secrets of the living, whom they cure when sick. All their superstitions +and fables are contained in old songs which these Bohutis rehearse, and +which direct them in all things as the Moors are by the Coran. When they +sing these songs they play on an instrument named Maiohaven, like a +calabash with a long neck, made of wood, strong, hollow, and thin, which +makes so loud a noise as to be heard at the distance of a league and a +half. + +15. Almost every person in Hispaniola has abundance of cemis; some have +their fathers, mothers, and predecessors and kindred, some in stone and +others in wood, some that speak, some that eat, some that cause things to +grow, others that bring rain, and others that give winds. When any one is +sick, the Buhuitihu is brought, who must be dieted exactly in the same +manner with the sick man. That is both snuff up a certain powder named +cobaba by the nose, which intoxicates them and makes them speak +incoherently, which they say is talking with the cemis, who tell them the +cause of the sickness. + +16. When the Buhuitihu goes to visit a sick person, he smears his face +with soot or powdered charcoal. He wraps up some small bones and a bit of +flesh, which he conceals in his mouth. The sick man is purged with cohaba. +The doctor sits down in the house, after turning out all children and +others, so that only one or two remain with him and the sick person, who +must all remain silent. After many mumming tricks[2], the Buhuitihu lights +a torch and begins a mystic song. He then turns the sick man twice about, +pinches his thighs and legs, descending by degrees to the feet, and draws +hard as if pulling something away; then going to the door he says, "begone +to the sea or the mountains, or whither thou wilt," and giving a blast as +if he blew something away, turns round clapping his hands together, which +tremble as if with cold, and shuts his mouth. After this he blows on his +hands as if warming them, then draws in his breath as if sucking something, +and sucks the sick mans neck, stomach, shoulders, jaws, breast, belly, and +other parts of his body. This done he coughs and makes wry faces as if he +had swallowed something very bitter, and pulls from his mouth what he had +before concealed there, stone, flesh, bone, or whatever that may have been. +If any thing eatable, he alleges that the sick man had eaten this which +had occasioned his disorder, pretending, it had been put in by the cemi +because he had not been sufficiently devout, and that he must build a +temple to the cemi, or give him some offering. If a stone, he desires it +to be carefully preserved, wrapped up in cotton and deposited in a basket. +On solemn days when they provide much food, whether fish, flesh, or any +other, they put it all first into the house of their cemi, that the idol +may eat. + +17. If the patient die and has many friends or was lord of a territory, so +that the family dare contend with the Buhuitihu, and are disposed to be +revenged for the loss of their friend, they proceed as follows; but mean +people dare not oppose these jugglers. They take the juice of an herb +called gueio or zachon, with which they mix the parings of the dead mans +nails and the hair of his forehead reduced to powder, and pour this +mixture down the dead mans throat or nostrils, asking him whether the +Buhuitihu were the cause of his death, and whether he observed order? +repeating this question several times till he speaks as plain as if he +were alive, so that he gives answers to all they ask, informing them that +the Buhuitihu did not observe due order in his treatment, or that he had +occasioned his death. It is said that the Buhuitihu then asks him whether +he is alive, and how he comes to speak so plain, to which he answers that +he is actually dead. After this strange interrogatory, they restore the +body to the grave. There is another mode of conjuration on similar +occasions. The dead body is thrown into a violent fire, and covered up +with earth like a charcoal furnace, and then questioned as before. In this +case the dead body gives ten distinct answers and no more. When the fire +is uncovered the smoke proceeds into the house of the Buhuitihu, who falls +sick in consequence and is covered all over with sores, so that his entire +skin comes off. This is taken as a sure sign that the deceased had not +been orderly treated, and the kindred conspire to be revenged on the +Buhuitihu[3]. + +18. After this the kindred of the dead man way-lay the Buhuitihu, and +break his legs, arms, and head with repeated blows of heavy clubs till +they leave him for dead. They allege that during the night the poor +battered Buhuitihu is visited by numerous snakes, white, black, green, and +variegated, which lick his face, body, and fractured members till the +bones knit together again, when he gets up and walks to his own house, +pretending that the cemis had restored him. Enraged at the disappointment +of their intended revenge, the kindred again assault him at the first +opportunity, putting out his eyes and emasculating him, without which +previous operation it alleged that a Buhuitihu cannot be lulled by the +bastinado. + +19. The cemis of wood are thus made. A person travelling sees some tree +that seems to move or shake its roots, on which in great alarm he asks who +is there? To this the tree answers that such or such a Buhuitihu knows and +will inform. The astonished traveller applies to the conjurer, who repairs +to the spot, where he takes cogiaba or the intoxicating powder formerly +mentioned, then standing up addresses the tree with many titles as if some +great lord, then asks who it is, what he does there, why he sent for him, +and what he would have him do, whether he desires to be out; whether he +will accompany him, where he will be carried, and if a house is to be +built and endowed for his reception? Having received satisfactory answers, +the tree is cut down and formed into a cemi, for which a house is built +and endowed, and cogiaba or religious ceremonies performed there at +certain stated times. The stone cemis are of several sorts, some being +those stones which the Buhuitihus pretend to take from the bodies of the +sick, as before related. + +When the natives wish to know if they are to be victorious in war, the +great men of the district consult the favourite cemi, no others being +admitted into the house or temple. The principal chief snuffs cogiaba, and +makes a long address to the idol. Then stands a while with his head turned +round resting his arms on his knees, after which looking up to heaven he +relates the vision he has seen, pretending to have conversed with the cemi, +and delivers his favourable or unfavourable responses, according as it may +have struck his imagination during the fit of intoxication produced by the +cogiaba. + +20.--24[4]. The cemis have various names, one was called Baidrama, which +is said to have been a burnt dead body restored to shape by having been +washed in the juice of giuca. Corocose is the name of another, which is +said to have removed itself from a house that was on fire to another +dwelling, and used to cohabit with the women. Opigielguoviran is said to +have had four feet like a dog, and when the Christians came to the island +ran away into a morass and disappeared. Guabancex is said to have been a +female cemi and to raise storms, being accompanied by two inferiors; +Guataniva, who summoned the other cemis to aid in raising the intended +storm, and Coatrischie who gathered the waters of inundations in the +mountains and then let them loose to destroy the country. Faraguvaol is +the name of another that used often to escape from its temple. + +25. Cazziva a former cacique instituted a fast or abstinence of six or +seven days, which the natives still practise. They shut themselves up +during that period, without using any food except the juice of certain +herbs, in which they likewise wash themselves, and become so weak that +they see visions and get revelations. Giocauvaghama, a cemi, is said to +have revealed to Cazziva that whoever survived him would soon be subdued +by a clothed people who were to arrive in the island and would rule over +and kill them. This they first thought was to have been done by the +Canibals or Caribs, but they only plundered and fled; and they now +believed that the prophecy referred to the Christians. + +When I was at the fort Madalena with Arriaga the governor, it pleased God +to give the light of the faith to a whole family of that province of +Maroris, consisting of sixteen persons all relations, five of whom were +brothers. The first of these who was baptised was Guaticaua, named John in +baptism, who suffered a cruel death and in my opinion died a martyr, +crying out Dio aboridacha, I am Gods servant. Another of these brothers +was named Anthony, and died equally a Christian. I afterwards resided with +a cacique named Guarionex nearly two years, who at first seemed much +disposed to become a Christian, desiring to be taught the Paternoster, +Creed, and other Christian prayers, but he fell off by the persuasions of +some of the other principal people. I thence repaired to another cacique +named Mauiatue who evinced a favourable inclination to become a Christian; +and on our way we left some religious pictures in a house for the use of +the catechumens, for them to kneel and pray before. Two days after we were +gone six Indians came to that house of prayer by order of Guarionex, took +away the pictures by force, threw them down, covered them with earth, and +pissed upon them, saying "Now you will see what fruit they will yield." + +26. Don Bartholomew Columbus, then governor for his brother who was gone +to Spain, proceeded against these impious men and burnt them. Some days +afterwards the owner of the field in which the pictures had been buried, +went to dig up his agis, which are roots some like turnips and some like +radishes, and in the very spot found two or three of these roots grown in +the shape of a cross. This was found by the mother of Guarionex, the worst +woman in those parts, who considered the circumstance as a great miracle +shewn by God: God knows to what end! + +The island is much in need of people to punish the caciques, who refuse to +allow their dependants to be instructed in the faith. Some are easily +instructed that there is but One God who made heaven and earth, while with +others force and ingenuity must be used; for some begin well and have a +better end, while others begin well and then fall off, with whom there is +need of force and punishment I know a principal cacique named +Mahuviativire who has continued three years in his good purpose, desiring +to be a Christian, and to have but one wife; whereas many have two or +three, and the principal caciques twenty or thirty. May it please God, if +my endeavours turn to his good service, to enable me to persevere; and if +it must fall out otherwise to deprive me of understanding. + +_Here ends the work of the poor Anchorite, Roman Pane._ + + + + +SECTION VIII. + +_The Admiral returns to Spain, from his Second Voyage._ + + +Having reduced the island to peace and order, and having completed the +town of Isabella, and built three forts in different places to protect the +Christians, the admiral resolved to return into Spain to acquaint their +Catholic majesties with several matters which he considered to be +important: but especially because he had learnt that many malicious and +envious persons had given false information at court respecting the +affairs of the Indies, to the great prejudice and dishonour of him and his +brothers. For these reasons he embarked on Thursday the tenth of March +1496, with 225 Spaniards and thirty Indians in two caravels, the Santa +Cruz and the Nina, and sailed from Isabella about day-break. Holding his +course eastwards along the coast, he lost sight of the eastern point of +Hispaniola on Tuesday the twenty-second of March, keeping an easterly +direction as far as the wind would permit; but the wind for the most part +continuing from the east, and provisions falling short, by which the men +were much discouraged, he deviated southwards towards the Caribbee islands, +and anchored at Marigalante on Saturday the ninth of April. Although it +was not his custom to set sail from any port of a Sunday, yet as his men +muttered, saying that when in want of food it was not necessary to keep so +strictly to the observation of particular days, he therefore set sail next +day. + +He next anchored at the island of Guadaloupe and sent the boats on shore +well armed. These were opposed by a great number of women, who came out of +a wood armed with bows and arrows and decorated with feathers; seeing whom +the people in the boats kept aloof, and sent two women of Hispaniola on +shore by swimming to parley with the natives; who, understanding that the +Christians only desired to have provisions in exchange for such +commodities as they had to barter, desired them to go with their ships to +the north side of the island where their husbands then were, who would +furnish them with what they wanted. The ships did accordingly, and sailing +close to the shore saw abundance of people, who came down to the sea-side +and discharged their arrows in vain against our people, setting up loud +cries, but their weapons all fell short. When our boats well armed and +full of men drew near the shore, the Indians retired into an ambush, +whence they sallied forth to hinder our people from landing; but terrified +by some discharges of cannon from the ships, they fled into the woods, +abandoning their houses and goods, when the Christians took and destroyed +all they found. Being acquainted with the Indian method of making bread, +they fell to work and made enough to supply their want, as they found +abundance of materials[5]. + +Among other things which they found in the Indian houses on this island, +were parrots, honey, wax, and iron, of which last they had hatchets[6]: +and they likewise found looms like those used in Europe for weaving +tapestry[7], in which the natives weave their tents. Their houses, instead +of the ordinary round forms which had been hitherto met with in the West +Indies, were square; and in one of them the Spaniards found the arm of a +man roasting at a fire upon a spit. While the bread was making, the +admiral dispatched forty men into the country to examine into its nature +and productions, who returned next day with ten women and three boys all +the rest of the natives having fled into the woods. One of these women was +the wife of a cacique, who was exceedingly nimble and had been taken with +very great difficulty by a man of the Canaries: She might even have got +from him, but observing him to be alone she thought to have taken him, and +closed with him for that purpose, and even got him down and had almost +stifled him, had not some others of the Christians come to his aid. The +less of these women are swathed with cotton cloth from the ancle to the +knee, which gives them a very thick appearance; and they gird these +ornaments, which they call _Coiro_, and consider as very genteel, so +tightly that the leg appears very thin when they happen to slip off[8]. +The same swaths are used both by men and women in Jamaica upon the smaller +parts of their arms up to the armpits, similar to the old-fashioned +sleeves in Spain. + +The women of this island were excessively fat, insomuch that some were +thicker than a man could grasp round; they all wear their hair long and +loose upon their shoulders, nor do they cover any part of their bodies +except as before mentioned. As soon as their children can use their limbs, +they give them bows and arrows that they may learn to shoot. The woman who +made so much resistance said that the island was only inhabited by women, +and that those who made demonstrations of hindering the landing of our men +were all women, except four men who had come there accidentally from +another island; for at certain times of the year the men come from the +other islands to sport and cohabit with the women of this. The same +customs were followed by the women in another island, called Matrimonio or +the Island of Matrimony, and this woman gave an account of these islanders +similar to what we read concerning the Amazons; and the admiral believed +it because of the strength and courage of these women[9]. It is also said +that these women seemed to have clearer understandings than those of the +other islands; for in the other islands they only reckon the day by the +sun and the nights by the moon, whereas these women reckoned by other +stars, saying that it is time to do such and such things when the great +bear or certain other stars, as it may be, are due north. + +When they had made provision of bread for twenty days besides what they +had on board, the admiral resolved to continue his voyage into Spain. But, +considering that the island of Guadaloupe was an inlet to others, he +thought fit to send all the women on shore, having first made them some +gifts in compensation of the loss they had sustained; except the chief +lady, who chose to go into Spain with her daughter along with the other +Indians from Hispaniola. One of these was Cannabo, the chief cacique of +that island in the late disturbances, who was himself a Carib and not a +native of that island. Having furnished all the vessels with bread, wood, +and water, the admiral set sail on Wednesday the twentieth of April from +Guadaloupe, with the wind very scant, keeping near the latitude of +twenty-two degrees north: as at this time they had not found out the +method of running away north to meet the S.W. winds. + +Having made but little way and the ships being full of people, they began +by the twentieth of May to be much afflicted with scarcity of provisions, +insomuch that they were reduced to an allowance of six ounces of bread and +less than a pint of water for each person daily, and had no other article +of provision besides. Though there were eight or nine pilots in the two +ships, yet none of them knew whereabout they were, but the admiral was +confident that they were then only a little west of the Azores, whereof he +gives the following account in his journal. + +"This morning the Dutch compasses varied as they used to do a whole point, +while those of Genoa, which used to agree with them, varied but a very +little, though afterwards sailing farther east they varied more, which is +a sign that we were 100 leagues west of the Azores or somewhat more; for +when we were just 100 leagues there were only a few scattered weeds to be +seen, the Dutch needles varying a point while those of Genoa pointed due +north; and when we got somewhat farther E.N.E. they altered again." This +idea was verified on the twenty-second of May, when by exact reckoning the +admiral found that he was 100 leagues to the west of the Azores. He was +much astonished at this singular difference between the two kinds of +compasses, which he was disposed to attribute to their having been made by +different kinds of loadstones; for until they had arrived at that +longitude they all varied a point from the true north, and some of them +continued to do so even there, while those constructed at Genoa, now +pointed due north, and the same remarkable discrepancy continued upon the +twenty-fourth of May. + +They thus continued their course, all the pilots going on with blind +confidence, till on Wednseday the 8th of June they came in sight of +Odemira, between Lisbon and Cape St Vincent; but the admiral, confident +that they were near that cape, slackened sail the night before, though +laughed at by many, some affirming that they were in the English channel, +while those who erred least believed themselves on the coast of Galicia. +The scarcity was now become so great that many objected to shortening sail, +alleging that it were better to run the risk of perishing at once by +running on shore than to starve miserably on the sea; and many, like the +canibals, were for eating the Indians who where on board, or at least were +for throwing them overboard, on purpose to make some small saving of the +provisions which remained; and this would certainly have been done if the +admiral had not exerted his whole authority to save them, as human +creatures who ought not to be worse used than the rest. At length it +pleased God to reward him with the sight of land in the morning, according +to his promise the preceding evening; for which he was ever afterwards +considered by the seamen as most expert and almost prophetical in maritime +affairs. + +Having landed in Spain the admiral went to Burgos, where he was very +favourably received by their Catholic majesties, who were then at that +place celebrating the marriage of their son Prince John with Margaret of +Austria, daughter of the Emperor Maximilian. That princess was conducted +into Spain with great splendour, and received by most of the nobility and +by the greatest concourse of persons of quality that ever had been seen +together in Spain. But though I was present on the occasion as page to +prince John, I shall not enter into the particulars of this solemnity, +since it does not belong to the history I have undertaken to write, and +because the royal historiographers will have doubtless taken care to +record this event. + +On his arrival at Burgos, the admiral presented their majesties, with many +curious specimens of the productions of the Indies, as birds, beasts, +trees, plants, instruments, and other things used by the Indians in their +employments and amusements; also girdles, and masks, having ears and eyes +made of gold plates; likewise with much gold dust, small and gross as +produced by nature, some of the grains as big as vetches, some like beans, +and others as large as pigeons eggs. These latter, then so much admired, +were not afterwards so much valued, as in progress of time lumps of gold +have been found which weighed above thirty pounds; but they were then held +in high estimation in prospect of great future hopes, and were received in +good part by their majesties. When the admiral had given them an account +of all that seemed to him necessary for improving and peopling the Indies, +he was very desirous to return thither with all speed, lest some disaster +might happen during his absence, considering that he had left the colony +in great want of necessaries; and though he strongly solicited and pressed +the necessity of speedy succours, such was the tediousness and delay of +business in that court, that ten or twelve months elapsed before he could +procure the equipment of two ships, which were sent out in February 1498, +under the command of Pedro Fernandez Coronel. + +The admiral remained at court to solicit the appointment of such a fleet +as he considered to be necessary for his return to the Indies. But he was +forced to remain above a year at Burgos and Medina del Campo, where in the +year 1497 their majesties granted him many favours, and gave the necessary +orders for expediting his affairs, and for the settlement and government +of the Indies. These I here mention to shew that their Catholic majesties +were, still ready to acknowledge and reward his services and merit; though +they afterwards altered greatly in this respect, through the false +information and scandalous insinuations of malicious and envious persons, +so as to permit gross wrongs to be done him, as will afterwards appear. + +Having at length procured the necessary orders, he proceeded to Seville, +and there the fitting out of his fleet was retarded very unprofitably +through the negligence and ill management of the public officers, +especially Juan de Fonseca, the archdeacon of Seville, who was afterwards +bishop of Burgos, and always was a bitter enemy to the admiral and his +affairs, and became the chief leader among those who afterwards brought +him into disgrace with their Catholic majesties. While engaged at Seville +in superintending the equipment, that my brother and I might not suffer by +the delays, we having both served as pages to Prince John, who was now +dead, he sent us back to court in November 1497 to serve as pages to her +majesty Queen Isabella of glorious memory. + + + + +SECTION IX. + +_Account of the Admirals third Voyage, during which he discovered the +Continent of Paria; with the occurrences to his arrival in Hispaniola._ + + +The admiral forwarded the equipment of this expedition with all possible +care, and set sail from the bay of San Lucar de Barameda on the thirtieth +of May 1498, having six ships loaded with provisions and other necessaries +for the relief of the colonists in Hispaniola, and for the farther +settlement and peopling of that island. On the seventh of June he arrived +at the island of Puerto Santo, where he heard mass, and took in wood and +water and other necessaries, yet he sailed that same night for Madeira, +where he arrived on Sunday the ninth of June, and was courteously received +and entertained at Funchal by the governor of the island. He remained in +this place until Saturday the fifteenth of June, providing all manner of +refreshments, and arrived at Gomera on Wednesday the nineteenth of the +same month. At this place there was a French ship which, had captured +three Spanish vessels; on seeing the admirals squadron, the Frenchman +stood out to sea with two of his prizes: and the admiral supposing them to +be three merchant vessels which mistook his squadron for French, took no +care to pursue till too late, and when informed of what they were, he sent +three of his ships in pursuit but they got clear off. They might have +carried away the third prize likewise, if they had not abandoned her in +the consternation they were in on first noticing our fleet; so that there +being only four Frenchmen on board and six Spaniards belonging to her +original crew, the Spaniards on seeing assistance at hand, clapt the +Frenchmen under the hatches and returned into port, where the vessel was +restored to her former master. The admiral would have executed these +French prisoners as pirates, but that Don Alvaro de Lugo the governor +interceded for them, that they might be given in exchange for six of the +inhabitants who had been carried away. + +The admiral sailed from Gomera for Ferro on Thursday the twenty-first of +June, whence he resolved to send three of his ships direct to Hispaniola, +and going with the rest to the islands of Cabo Verde to sail directly over +from thence to discover the continent. He therefore appointed a captain to +each of the ships which he sent to Hispaniola. One of those was Pedro de +Arana, cousin to that Arana who died in Hispaniola, the second was Alonzo +Sanchez de Caravajal, and the third his own kinsman John Anthony Columbus. +To these captains he gave particular instructions for the conduct of their +voyage, directing that each of them should have the command a week in his +turn. Having dispatched these three ships for Hispaniola, he set out with +the other three for the Cape Verde islands; but the climate he was then +entering upon being unhealthy at that season, he had a terrible fit of the +gout in one leg, and four days afterwards he fell into a violent fever; +but, notwithstanding this sickness he was still himself, and diligently +observed the course made by the ship, the alterations of the weather, and +all other circumstances as in his first voyage. + +On the twenty-fifth June he discovered the island de Sal, one of the Cape +Verdes, and passing it he came to another very improperly named _Bona +vista_, which signifies good prospect, yet the place is dull and wretched. +Here he cast anchor in a channel near a small island in which there are +six or seven houses appointed for persons who are afflicted with the +leprosy, who come there to be cured. And as sailors rejoice when they +discover land, so do these wretches much more when they discover any ship; +wherefore they immediately ran down to the shore to speak with the people +whom the admiral sent on shore to take in water and salt. There are +likewise abundance of goats in that island. Understanding that our people +were Spaniards, the Portuguese who had charge of this island for the owner +went on board to wait upon the admiral, and made offer of every assistance +in his power, for which the admiral thanked him and ordered him to be well +treated, and to have some provisions given him, for by reason of the +barrenness of the island the inhabitants live very miserably. Being +desirous to know what methods were used for curing the leprosy, this man +told the admiral that the excellent temperature of the air was one +principal cause, and the next the diet of the infected; for there came to +this island vast numbers of turtles, on which the sick chiefly feed, and +anoint themselves with the blood of these animals, and are by these means +speedily cured; but that such as are born with the distemper are longer of +being cured. The reason assigned for the great numbers of turtle was, that +the shores of the island being all sandy, these creatures resort thither +from the west coast of Africa in the months of June, July, and August, to +deposit their eggs. They are mostly as large as an ordinary target, and +come every night on shore to sleep and to lay their eggs in the sand. The +people go along the shore at night with lanterns and other lights, seeking +the tracks which the turtle leaves in the sand, which they follow till +they find the animal, which being tired with the exertion, sleeps so +soundly as not to waken on their approach. Having found a turtle it is +turned on its back, and without doing any more harm they go on to seek +more, which are treated in the same manner. Having got as many as they +think fit, they come back in the morning to choose those they like best, +as they cannot possibly recover their feet when once turned over. They +then carry off such as they think fit, turning up the smaller ones upon +their belly and allowing them to go away. The island being very dry and +barren, without either trees or springs, the wretched sick inhabitants +have no other sustenance, and are entirely without employment, and they +are necessitated to drink of the thick and brackish water of certain wells, +there being none else to be found. + +Besides the sick, the only inhabitants of the island consisted of the man +who had the charge and four more, and their only employment was to kill +and salt goats to be sent to Portugal. There were such multitudes of goats +on the island, all derived from eight left there originally, that some +years they killed to the value of three or four thousand ducats. The +proprietor was Roderick Alfonzo, secretary of the customs to the king of +Portugal, by whom the original stock of goats had been carried to this +place. These goat-hunters are often four or five months without bread or +any thing to eat but goats flesh and fish; for which reason this man made +great account of the provisions which the admiral had given him. This man +and his companions, with some of the admirals men, went out to hunt goats +for the use of the ships, but finding that it would require much time to +kill all he had need of, and being anxious to proceed on his voyage, the +admiral would not protract his stay in this place. + +On Saturday the 30th of June, he sailed for Santiago, the principal of the +Cape Verde islands, where he arrived the next evening, and cast anchor near +a church, sending on shore to purchase some bulls and cows, which he +wished to carry alive to Hispaniola. But finding it difficult to procure +them so soon as he wished, and considering how prejudicial delays might +prove to the safety and success of his voyage, he would not remain. He was +the more induced to get away with all expedition on account of the +unhealthiness of the country, lest his men might fall sick; as during all +the time he lay among these islands he never saw the sky or any star, in +consequence of a perpetual thick hot fog; insomuch that three fourths of +the inhabitants were sick, and all of them had a most unhealthy colour. + +On Thursday the 5th of July, the admiral left the island of St Jago, +sailing S.W. with the intention of holding that course till he was under +the equinoctial, and then to steer due west, that he might discover some +other land before proceeding to Hispaniola. But the currents among these +islands set so strongly to the north and north-west, that he was unable to +keep his intended course, and was still in sight of Fogo, one of the Cape +Verde islands, on the 7th of July. This island is very high land on the +south side, and looks at a distance like a great church with a steeple at +the east end, which is an exceedingly high rock, whence there usually +breaks out much fire before the east winds blow, in the same manner as is +seen at Teneriffe, Vesuvius, and Etna. From this last country of the +Christians he held on his course S.W. till he came into only 5° of north +latitude, where he was becalmed, having till then been continually +attended by the before-mentioned fog. The calms lasted eight days, with +such violent heat as almost to burn the ships, and it was impossible +during all that time for any of the people to remain below deck, and had +not the sun been clouded with occasional rains, the admiral thought they +would have been burnt up alive together with their ships. On the first day +of the calm, being fair, nothing could withstand the heat, had not GOD +relieved them with the rain and fog. Having therefore got a little way to +the northwards into seven degrees of latitude, he resolved not to hold any +farther to the south, but to sail due west in that parallel, at least till +he saw how the weather settled, because he had lost many casks in +consequence of the hoops starting with the great heat, and the corn and +all other provisions were scorched up. + +About the middle of July, the admiral observed the latitude with great +care, and found a wonderful difference between the appearances there and +in the parallel of the Azores. For at the Azores, when the constellation +of the great bear was to the right or east, then the north star is lowest, +and from that time began to rise; so that when the great bear was over +head, the north star had risen two degrees and a half, and being passed, +that began again to descend the five degrees it had ascended. This he +observed very carefully, several times when the weather was very fit for +his purpose. But at the place where he now was in the torrid zone these +appearances were quite contrary; for when the great bear was at its +greatest elevation, he found the north star six degrees high; and when in +six hours the bear came to the west the north star was then eleven degrees +high; when the bear was quite depresssed and could not be seen because of +the obliquity of the pole, the north star was six degrees high, so that +the difference was ten degrees, and the north star described a circle +having a diameter of ten degrees; whereas, in other places, it made but +five, and in a different position as to the great bear, for at the Azores +the polar star was lowest when the bear was in the west, and here the +north star was lowest when the bear was at its greatest elevation. The +admiral, not being complete master of this subject, thought this of very +difficult comprehension; and observes that probably when at the +equinoctial, the full orbit of the star is seen; whereas, the nearer one +approaches the pole it seems the less, because the Heavens are more +oblique. As for the variation, I believe the star has the quality of all +the four quarters, like the needle, which if touched to the east +side points to the east, and so of the west, north, and south; wherefore, +he that makes a compass covers the loadstone with a cloth, all but its +north part, or that which has the power to make the needle point to the +north. + +On Tuesday the 31st of July, 1498, having sailed many days west, insomuch +that the admiral believed the Caribbee islands were to the north, he +resolved to discontinue that western course, and to make for Hispaniola, +because he was greatly in want of water, and almost all his provisions had +perished, and because he was afraid lest some mutiny or disorder might +have broken out in the colony during his long absence, which in fact had +been the case as we shall shew hereafter. Therefore, altering his course +from the west, he stood to the north[10], thinking to fall in with the +Caribbee islands to refresh his men, and to take in wood and water, of +which he was in great want. While thus sailing one day about noon, Alonzo +Perez Nirando, a sailor of the town of Gullva, discovered land from the +round top at about fifteen leagues distance, three mountains making their +appearance at once, and soon afterwards the land was observed to stretch +out towards the N.E. as far as the eye could reach, so that it appeared to +have no end. The salve regina and other prayers usual with seamen in times +of joy or distress were immediately rehearsed, and the admiral called the +land now discovered Trinidada or the island of the Trinity; both because +he had before intended to give that name to the first land he might +discover, and because it had pleased God to give him a sight of _three_ +mountains all at one time. He now altered his course to the west that he +might get to a cape which appeared southwards, and making for the south +side of the island, came to an anchor five leagues beyond a point which he +named Punta de la Galera, or Galley Point, on account of a rock which lay +near that point, looking at a distance like a galley under sail. + +Having now only one cask of water remaining for the whole crew, and the +other ships in company being in the same condition, and no water being +found in this place, he continued his course still westwards, and cast +anchor on the Wednesday following at another point which he named Punta de +la Plaga, or Sand Point, because of a fine strand or beach where the +people landed and procured water at a fine brook[11]. In this place they +found no habitations and saw no people, though along the coast, which they +had left behind them, they had seen many houses and towns. They found here, +however, the tokens of fishermen who had fled, leaving behind them some of +their fishing tackle; and they noticed the prints of the feet of beasts, +which they judged might have been goats, and they saw the bones of one, +the head of which had no horns, and which, therefore, they thought might +have been a monkey, or cat-o-mountain, as they afterwards found it to have +been, having found many of these cats in Paria[12]. This same day, being +the 1st of August, while sailing between Cape Galera and la Plaga, they +discovered the continent about twenty-five leagues distant, but thinking +it another island, it was named Isla Santo, or the Holy Island[13]. The +coast of Trinidada between those two points was thirty leagues in length +from E. to W. without any harbour, but all the country appeared pleasantly +covered with trees down to the water side, and had abundance of towns. +They ran this space of thirty leagues in a very short time, because the +current set so violently to the westwards that it looked like a rapid +river both day and night; for although the tide flowed and ebbed along the +shore above forty paces, as it does at San Lucar de Barameda in Spain, yet +the current never ceases to run in the same direction. + +Perceiving that no account could be got of the people of the country at +this cape, that it was excessively laborious to take in a full supply of +water here, and that there was no convenience for careening the ships, or +procuring provisions, the admiral went next day to another point of land +which seemed to be the most westerly in the island, which he named Cabo +del Arenal, and came here to anchor, thinking that the easterly winds +which reign there might not be so troublesome to the boats in going +backwards and forwards from the shore. On the way to this point a canoe +followed the admirals ship, having twenty-five men on board, and stopped +at the distance of a cannon-shot, calling out and speaking very loud. +Nothing could be understood, though it was supposed they inquired who our +men were and whence they came, as had been usual with the other Indians. +As they could not be induced to come on board, either by words or gestures, +or by exhibiting looking glasses, little brass basons, and other baubles +which used to have great influence on the other natives of the Indies, the +admiral ordered some young fellows to dance on the poop to the music of a +pipe and tabor. On seeing this, the Indians snatched up their targets, and +began shooting their arrows at the dancers; who, by the admirals command, +left off dancing and began to shoot with their cross-bows in return, that +the Indians might not go unpunished, or learn to despise the Christians; +whereupon, the Indians were glad to draw off, and made for another caravel +which they immediately went along-side of without any apprehension. The +pilot of that ship went over into the canoe, and gave the Indians some +baubles with which they were much pleased, and said if they were on shore +they would have brought him bread from their houses. The account given of +these people was that they were well shaped and whiter than the other +islanders, wearing their hair long like women, bound up with small strings, +and that they covered their nudities with small clouts. But the people in +the caravel did not detain any of them for fear of giving displeasure to +the admiral. + +As soon as the ships had anchored at Punta del Arenal, the admiral sent +the boats on shore for water, and to endeavour to procure some information +respecting the Indians, but they could do neither, that country being very +low and uninhabited, and having no springs or rivulets. He therefore +ordered them next day to dig trenches or pits on the island in hope of +procuring water by that means; and by good fortune, they found these ready +made to their hands and full of excellent water, it being supposed that +they had been dug by the fishermen. Having taken what water they wanted, +the admiral resolved to proceed to another mouth or channel which appeared +towards the north-west, which he afterwards called _Boca del Drago_, or +the Dragons Mouth, to distinguish it from the one where he then was, to +which he had given the name of _Boca del Sierpe_, or the Serpents Mouth. +These two mouths or channels, like the Dardanelles, are made by the two +most westerly points of the island of Trinidada, and two other points of +the continent, and lie almost north and south of each other. In the midst +of the Serpents Mouth, where the admiral now anchored, there was a rock +which he called El Gallo, or the cock. Through this channel the water ran +continually and furiously to the northwards, as if it had been the mouth +of some great river, which was the occasion of naming it _Boca del Sierpe_, +because of the terror it put our people into; for, as they lay very +securely at anchor, there came a stronger current of the water than usual, +making a hideous noise and running furiously to the northwards; and being +opposed by another current running out from the Gulf of Paria, they met +with a hideous roaring noise, and caused the sea to swell up like a high +mountain, or ridge of hills along the channel. Soon afterwards, this +mountainous wave came towards the ships, to the great terror of all the +men, fearing they should be overset. But it pleased GOD that it passed +underneath, or rather lifted up the ships without doing any harm; yet it +drew the anchor of one of them and carried it away, but by means of their +sails they escaped the danger, not without mortal fear of being lost. That +furious current being past, and considering the danger of remaining there, +the admiral stood for the Dragons Month, which is between the north-west +point of Trinidada and the east point of Paria; but he went not through it +at that time, but sailed along the south coast of Paria westwards, +thinking it to have been an island, and expecting to find a way out +northwards into the Caribbean sea towards Hispaniola; and though there +were many ports along that coast of Paria, he would put into none, all +that inland sea being a harbour locked in by the continent. + +Being at an anchor on Sunday the 5th of August, and it being his custom +never to weigh on a Sunday, he sent the boats on shore, where they found +abundance of fruit, of the same kinds which they had seen on the other +islands; there were great numbers of trees, and marks of people who had +fled for fear of the Christians. Being unwilling to lose time, he sailed +fifteen leagues farther along that coast without going into any harbour, +lest he should not have sufficient wind to bring him out again. While at +anchor, there came out a canoe to the caravel called _El Borreo_ having +three men; and the pilot, knowing how much the admiral wished to receive +some information from these people, pretended to talk with the Indians and +let himself down into the canoe, by which means some Spaniards in the boat +took these men and sent them to the admiral, who made much of them and +sent them on shore with many gifts, at a place where there were a great +number of Indians. These, hearing the good account which the three Indians +gave them of their treatment, came off in their canoes to barter for such +things as they had, which were much the same as had been already seen in +the islands before discovered, only that they had no targets or poisoned +arrows, which are only used by the Canibals or Caribs. Their drink was a +sort of liquor as white as milk, and another somewhat blackish, tasting +like green wine, made from unripe grapes, but they could not learn what +fruit it was made from[14]. + +They wore cotton cloths, well wove and of several colours, about the size +of a handkerchief, some larger and some less, and what they most valued of +our articles was brass, and especially bells. These people seemed more +civilized and tractable than the natives of Hispaniola. The men covered +their nudities with one of these cloths fastened round their middle, and +had another wrapped round their heads, but the women went altogether naked +as in Trinidada. + +They saw nothing of value here except some small plates of gold which the +natives were hanging from their necks; for which reason, and because the +admiral could not stay to dive into the secrets of the country, he ordered +six of these Indians to be taken, and continued his voyage to the +westwards, still believing that land of Paria which he had called the Holy +Island to be no continent. Soon afterwards, an island appeared towards the +south, and another towards the west, both high land, cultivated and well +peopled, and the inhabitants had more plates of gold about their necks +than the others, and abundance of guaninis, which are made of very low +gold. They said that this gold was procured from other islands farther to +the westwards, of which the inhabitants eat men. The women had strings of +beads about their arms, and among these were some very fine large and +small strung pearls, some of which were procured as a sample to send to +their Catholic majesties. Being asked where they got these things, they +made signs to show that in the oyster shells which were taken westwards +from that land of Paria, and beyond it towards the north these pearls were +found. Upon this good discovery, the admiral remained some time to learn +more about it, and sent the boats on shore, where all the people of the +country who had flocked together appeared very tractable and friendly, +and importuned the Christians to accompany them to a house not far off, +where they gave them to eat, and likewise a great deal of their wine. From +that house, which was believed to be the kings palace, they were carried +to another belonging to his son, where the same kindness was shewn. These +people were all in general whiter than any they had yet seen in the Indies, +with better aspects and shapes, having their hair cut short by their ears +after the Spanish fashion. From them they learnt that the country was +named Paria, and that they would gladly be in amity with the Christians. +Thus they departed from them and returned to the ships. + +Holding on his course westwards, the admiral found the depth of the water +gradually to lessen, till passing through five and four fathoms, they at +length had only two and a half at the ebb. The tide differed considerably +in this place from what it had been found at Trinidada; for whereas there +it ebbed and flowed three fathoms, here, at forty-five leagues to the +westward it only rose and fell one fathom. At Trinidada both during ebb +and flow, the current always ran west, whereas here the flood made to the +west, and the ebb returned to the east. At Trinidada the sea water was +brackish, while here it was sweet, almost like river water. Perceiving +this difference, and how little water they had, the admiral durst not +proceed any farther with his own ship, which being of 100 tons burthen, +required three fathoms water; he therefore came to anchor on the coast in +a very safe port, land-locked on all sides and shaped like a horse shoe. +From this place he sent on the little caravel called _El Borreo_, or the +Post, to discover if there were any passage westwards among these supposed +islands. She returned next day, the 11th of August, having gone but a +short distance, and reported, that at the western point of that sea there +was a mouth or opening two leagues over from north to south, and within it +a round bay, having four little bays, one towards each quarter of the +Heavens, into each of which a river flowed, which occasioned the water of +that sea to be so sweet, which was yet much sweeter farther in; and they +added, that all this land which they had considered as separate islands +was one and the same continent. They had everywhere in that interior bay +four or five fathoms water, which so abounded in those weeds they had seen +on the ocean as even to hinder their passage. + +Being now certain that he could get no passage to the westwards, the +admiral stood back that same day to the east, designing to pass the Boca +del Drago, or that strait which he had seen between Trinidada and the land +called Paria by the Indians. In this strait there are four small islands +to the east, next that point of Trindada which he named Cabo de Boca, or +Cape Mouth, because it was blunt; and the western cape upon the continent +he called Cabo de Lapa. The reason why he gave this strait the name of the +Dragons Mouth, was because it was very dangerous, on account of the +prodigious quantity of fresh water which continually struggles to get out +that way into the open sea, and that the strait is divided into three +boisterous channels by intervening islands. While sailing through this +strait the wind failed, and he was in great danger of being drifted by the +raging current against some sand or rock; he gave it this name likewise as +corresponding with that he had before given to the other entrance into the +gulf of Paria, the Boca del Sierpe or Serpents Mouth, where he was in no +less danger. But it pleased God, that what they most dreaded should prove +their greatest safety, for the strength of the current carried them clear +through. On Monday the 17th of August, he began to sail westwards along +the northern coast of Paria, in order to stand over afterwards for +Hispaniola, and gave thanks to God who had delivered from so many troubles +and dangers, still shewing him new countries full of peaceable people, and +abounding in wealth, more especially that which he now certainly concluded +to be the continent, because of the great extent of the gulf of Pearls and +the size of the rivers that run into it, making it all deep water, and all +the Indians of the Caribbean islands had told him there was a vast land to +the southward. Likewise, according to the authority of Esdras, the 8th +chapter of the 4th book, if the world were divided into seven equal parts, +one only is water and the rest land. + +Sailing along to the westwards on the coast of Paria, the admiral fell +gradually off from it towards the N.W. being so drifted by the current +owing to the calmness of the weather, so that on Wednesday the 15th of +August, he left the _Cabo de las Conchas_, or Cape of Shells to the south, +and the island of _Margarita_ to the west, which name, signifying the isle +of Pearls, he gave to it as by divine inspiration, as close to it is the +isle of _Cabagua_ where an infinite quantity of pearls have since been +found; and he afterwards named some mountains in Hispaniola and Jamaica +the _Gold Mountains_, where the greatest quantity and largest pieces of +that metal that were ever carried into Spain were afterwards found. But to +return to his voyage, he held on his way by six islands which he called +_de las Guardas_, or the Guards, and three others more to the north called +_los Testigos_, or the Witnesses. Though they still discovered much land +in Paria to the westwards, yet the admiral says in his journal that he +could not from this time give such an account of it as he wished, because +through much watching his eyes were inflamed, and he was therefore forced +to take most of his observations from the sailors and pilots. This same +night, the sixteenth of August, the compasses, which hitherto had not +varied, did now at least a point and a half, and some of them two points, +and in this there could be no mistake, as several persons had attentively +observed the circumstance. The admiral admired much at this, and was much +grieved that he had not an opportunity of following the coast of the +continent any farther; he therefore held on his course to the N.W. till +on Monday the twentieth of August, he came to an anchor between Isla Beata +or the Blessed Island and Hispaniola, whence he sent a letter overland to +his brother the Adelantado, acquainting him with his safe arrival and his +success in having discovered the continent. The admiral was much surprised +at finding himself so far to the westwards, for although he was aware of +the power of the currents, he did not expect they would have produced so +great an effect. Therefore, that his provisions might not fail, he stood +to the eastwards for San Domingo, into which harbour he sailed on the +thirtieth of August. Here the lieutenant his brother had appointed to +build a city, on the east side of the river where it now stands, and which, +in memory of his father, named Domingo or Dominick, is now named _Santo +Domingo_. + + + + +SECTION X. + +_An account of the Rebellion in Hispaniola, previous to the arrival of the +Admiral._ + + +On his arrival at St Domingo, the admiral was almost blind with +overwatching and fatigue, and hoped there to rest himself and to find +peace among the people of the colony; but he found quite the contrary, for +all the people of the island were in disorder and rebellion. Great numbers +of those whom he had left were dead, and of those who remained above 160 +individuals were ill of the French pox; besides that many were in +rebellion, with Francis Roldan at their head, whom he had left as alcalde +mayor, or chief justice of the island. And to add to the evil, the three +ships that he had dispatched from the Canary islands with supplies had not +yet arrived. Of all these matters it is requisite that we should treat in +an orderly manner, beginning from the time when the admiral had set out +from this island for Spain in March 1496, thirty months before his present +return. + +For some considerable time after his departure, matters went on pretty +quietly in hopes of his speedy return and receiving supplies and relief. +But after the first year, finding their hopes abortive, the Spanish +provisions having utterly failed, and sickness and sufferings increasing, +the people began to be much dissatisfied with their situation, and to +despair of any change for the better. When any discontented persons begin +to utter complaints, they are always sure to find some bold spirit to urge +them on, desirous to become the head of a party: Such on this occasion was +the conduct of Francis Roldan, a native of Torre de Ximena, whom the +admiral had left in great power both among the Christians and Indians, by +making him chief judge of the colony, so that he had almost as much power +and authority as himself. For this reason it is supposed that there was +not that good understanding between him and the admirals lieutenant as +ought to have been for the public good, as appeared actually to have been +the case in the sequel. And, as the admiral neither returned himself nor +sent any supplies, this Roldan began to entertain schemes of usurping the +supreme authority in the island, and designed for this purpose to murder +the admirals brothers as those who were best able to oppose his rebellion, +and actually waited an opportunity of putting this nefarious intention +into execution. It happened that the lieutenant went to a province in the +west called Xaragua, eighty leagues from Isabella, leaving Roldan in the +execution of his employment, but subordinate to Don James the admirals +second brother. Roldan was so much offended at this procedure, that while +the lieutenant was taking order how the caciques should pay their quotas +of the tribute to their Catholic majesties after the rate which had been +settled by the admiral, Roldan began underhand to draw over some of the +malcontents to his party. But that it might not prove fatal to rise too +suddenly and without some colourable pretence, Roldan took hold of the +following circumstance to favour his covert practices. The lieutenant had +caused a caravel to be built at Isabella, to have ready to send to Spain +in case of any urgent necessity, and for want of tackle and other +necessary equipments it still lay upon the bench unlaunched. Roldan +insinuated that the delay in launching this vessel was occasioned by other +reasons, and that it was necessary for the common benefit that it should +be fitted out, that some persons might be sent into Spain to represent +their sufferings and to implore relief. Thus under pretence of the public +good, Roldan pressed that the caravel might be launched, and as Don James +Columbus refused his consent on account of the want of tackle, Roldan +began more boldly to treat with some of the malcontents about launching +the caravel in spite of his refusal; telling those whom he thought would +fall into his measures, that the reason why the lieutenant and his brother +were averse to this measure was, that they were desirous to secure the +dominion of the island to themselves and to keep them in subjection, and +that there might not be any vessel to carry news of their revolt to their +Catholic majesties. And since they were sensible of the cruelty and ill +nature of the lieutenant, and the restless and laborious life he led them, +in continually building towns and forts without necessity, and as there +were now no hopes of the admiral returning with supplies, it was fit they +should seize upon that caravel to procure their own liberty and relief, +and not suffer themselves, under pretence of pay which they never received, +to be kept under the authority of a foreigner, when it was in their power +to live in ease and plenty. That by assuming the authority into their own +hands, they would have it in their power to divide the island equally +amongst them, and would be served by the Indians to their own content; +whereas the lieutenant now hold them under such rigorous authority that +they could not take to wife any Indian woman they pleased, and were forced +to keep the three vows of monachism, chastity, poverty, and abstinence, +and were not wanting in fasts and penances, imprisonments, and other +punishments, which were liberally bestowed for the smallest offences. +Wherefore, since he Roldan held the rod of justice and royal authority, +and could screen them against evil consequences on this account, he +advised them to act as he directed, in doing which they could not be found +guilty. With such pretences and arguments, proceeding from the hatred he +bore to the lieutenant, he drew over so many to his party, that one day, +after the return of the lieutenant from Xaragua to Isabella, some of the +conspirators resolved to stab him, and considered this as so easy a matter +that they had provided a halter to hang him up with after his death. The +circumstance which more immediately incensed them at this particular +period, was the imprisonment of one Barahoria, a friend to the +conspirators; and if God had not put it into the heart of the lieutenant +not to proceed to the execution of justice at this time against that +person, the conspirators had then certainly murdered him. + +When Francis Roldan perceived that he had missed the opportunity of +murdering the lieutenant, and that his conspiracy was discovered, he +resolved to possess himself of the town and fort of the Conception, +thinking that from thence he might be easily able to subdue the island. It +happened conveniently for the execution of this design, that he was then +near that town, having been sent with forty men to reduce that province to +obedience, the Indians having revolted and formed a similar design of +making themselves masters of the Conception and massacring the Christians. +So that Roldan, under pretence of preventing this evil, gathered his men +at the residence of one of the caciques named Marche, intending to put his +enterprise into execution on the first opportunity. But Ballester, who +commanded in that fort, having some jealousy of Roldans intentions, kept +himself well upon his guard, and sent intelligence to the lieutenant of +the danger he was in; and the lieutenant with all speed drew together what +force he was able to muster and threw himself into the fort for its +protection. + +Roldan finding his conspiracy discovered before it was ripe for execution, +came to the Conception under a safe conduct, more to make his observations +how he might best injure the lieutenant, than through any desire of coming +to an accommodation; and with more boldness and impudence than became him, +required the lieutenant to order the caravel to be launched, or else to +give him leave to do it, which he and his friends were able and willing to +do. Incensed at this presumption, the lieutenant answered that neither he +nor his friends were seamen, and know not what was proper to be done in +that case; and though they had known how to launch the caravel, yet they +could not sail in her for want of rigging and other necessaries, and +therefore it would only expose the men and the caravel to certain +destruction to pretend to send her to Spain. Upon this, conscious that +they had no knowledge of sea affairs, and that the lieutenant being a +seaman understood these matters, the conspirators differed in opinion on +this subject. After this quarrelsome discussion, Roldan went away in anger, +refusing to surrender his rod of justice to the lieutenant, or to stand +trial for his disobedient and mutinous conduct; saying that he would do +both when ordered by their Catholic majesties to whom the island belonged, +but that he could not expect to receive an impartial or fair trial from +the lieutenant, who bore him hatred and ill will, and would find means to +put him to a shameful death if he submitted, whether right or wrong. But +in the mean time, not to exceed the bounds of reasonable obedience, he was +willing to go and reside in any place that the lieutenant might point out. +Whereupon the lieutenant commanded him to go to the residence of the +cacique James Columbus[15]; but he refused this under pretence that there +were not sufficient provisions there for his men, and that he would find a +convenient place for himself. + +Roldan went from thence to Isabella, where he gathered a company of +sixty-five adherents; and finding himself unable to launch the caravel, he +and his followers plundered the magazines, taking away what arms, +merchandize, and provisions they thought proper, Don James Columbus who +was there not being able to oppose them, and would even have been in +imminent peril of his life if he had not withdrawn into the fort with some +friends and servants. In the process or examinations which were afterwards +drawn up on this subject, some of the evidences deposed that Roldan +offered to submit to Don James, providing he would take his part against +his own brother: Which he refusing, and Roldan being unable to do him any +farther harm, and also fearing the succours which were coming from the +lieutenant, he and the mutineers left the town, and falling upon the +cattle that grazed in the neighbourhood, they killed such as they wanted +for food, and took away the beasts of burden to serve them on their +journey, as they resolved to go and settle in the province of Xaragua +whence the lieutenant had very lately returned. The reason for preferring +that province was because of its being the pleasantest and most plentiful +part of the island, and its inhabitants were more civilized and wiser than +any of the others, besides that the women there were handsomer and of more +pleasing manners than in any other district. + +Before putting this design into execution, Roldan resolved to make a trial +of his strength, before the lieutenant could have time to increase his +power, and punish the rebels according to their demerits. For which reason +he resolved to attempt to take the town of the Conception by surprize on +the way to Xaragua, and to kill the lieutenant, and if this plan did not +succeed to besiege him there. But the lieutenant got timely notice of the +design of the mutineers, and stood upon his guard, encouraging his men +with good words and the promise of two slaves each and many gifts, if they +persisted in performing their duty. Yet he was led to believe that most of +those who were with him liked the life of insubordination and license +which was led by Roldan and his followers so well, that many of them gave +ear to his messages; and therefore Roldan conceived hopes that many of the +lieutenants people would go over to his side, which encouraged him to +undertake the enterprize upon the Conception, which did not however +succeed according to his wishes and hopes. The lieutenant was a man of +great resolution, and having the best soldiers on his side, resolved to do +that by force of arms which he could not affect by arguments and fair +means. He gathered therefore his men together and marched out of the town +to attack the rebels on the road. + +Perceiving that his expectations were disappointed, and that not one man +deserted to him from the lieutenants party, Roldan was afraid to meet him +in the field, and resolved to retire in time to Xaragua as he had first +designed. Yet he talked contemptuously of the lieutenant, and stirred up +the Indians wherever he went to rebel against him, pretending that he had +deserted him because he was a person of a morose and revengeful +disposition both against the Christians and the Indians, and abominably +covetous, as was seen by the great burthens and tributes he imposed on +them; which if they submitted to he would augment every year, though +contrary to the will of their Catholic majesties, who required nothing of +their subjects but obedience, and wished to maintain them in justice, +peace, and liberty. And he declared that he and his friends and followers +would assist them to assert their rights against the lieutenant, and +declared himself the protector and deliverer of the Indians. After this +Roldan forbade the payment of the tribute which had been imposed by the +admiral, by which means it could not be gathered from those who were at +any distance from the residence of the lieutenant, and he was afraid to +collect it from those in his neighbourhood, lest he might provoke them to +join with the rebels. Notwithstanding of this concession, no sooner had +the lieutenant withdrawn from the Conception than Guarionex, the principal +cacique of that province, resolved to besiege that place with the +assistance of Roldan, and to destroy the Christians who defended it. + +The better to effectuate this scheme, he called together all the caciques +of his party, and privately agreed with them that every one should kill +such of the Christians as resided in his district. For the territories in +Hispaniola were too small for any of them to maintain a great number of +people, and therefore the Christians were under the necessity of dividing +themselves into small parties of eight or ten in each liberty or district. +This gave the Indians hopes that, by surprizing them all at one and the +same time, they might have it in their power to extirpate the whole and +suffer none to escape. But having no other way of counting time or +ordering any thing else which requires counting, except by means of their +fingers, they resolved that every one should be ready to destroy the +Christians at the next full moon. Guarionex having thus concerted with his +caciques, one of the chiefest among them being desirous to acquire +reputation, and looking upon the enterprise as a very easy matter, fell on +before the time appointed, not being astronomer sufficient to know the +exact time of full moon. After a severe conflict, he was forced to fly for +assistance and protection to Guarionex, who put him to death as he +deserved, for having thus laid open the conspiracy and put the Christians +on their guard. + +The rebels were not a little mortified at this miscarriage of the Indian +plot, for it was reported that it had been concerted with their privacy +and consent, and they had therefore waited to see whether Guarionex might +bring affairs to such a pass, that by joining with him they might be able +to destroy the lieutenant. But perceiving that it failed of success, they +considered themselves insecure in the province where they then were, and +therefore went away to Xaragua, still proclaiming themselves the +protectors of the Indians, whereas they were thieves in their actions and +inclinations, having no regard to God or the opinion of the world, but +following their own inordinate appetites. Every one stole or took away +what he could, and their leader Roldan more than any of the rest, +commanding every cacique to entertain him that could; and though he +forbade the Indians from paying any tribute to the lieutenant, he exacted +much more from them under pretence of acting as their defender, insomuch +that from one cacique only, named Monicaotex, he received every three +months a calabash full of pure gold, containing three marks or a pound and +a half, and to make sure of him he detained his son and nephew as hostages. +He who reads this must not wonder that we reduce the marks of gold to the +measure of a calabash, which is here done to shew that the Indians dealt +in all these cases by measure, as they never had any weights. + +The Christians being thus divided, and no supplies coming from Spain, the +lieutenant and his brother were unable to keep the people in quiet who +still remained with them; for most of them were mean persons, and desirous +of leading that life of ease and licentiousness which Roldan offered for +their acceptance, by which they became so insolent that it was impossible +to keep them in order, or to punish the guilty lest they might be utterly +forsaken; neither dared they in these circumstances to attempt reducing +the rebels to order, and were necessitated, to bear patiently with their +audacious contempt of government. But it being the will of God to afford +them some comfort, it pleased him to order that the two ships should +arrive which had been dispatched about a year after the departure of the +admiral from the Indies. He, considering the nature of the country and the +dispositions of the people whom he had left in the colony, and the great +danger which might arise from his long absence, had pressed for and +obtained, not without great solicitation and difficulty that two of the +ships, out of the eight[16] which he had been ordered to fit out, might be +sent on before with supplies. The arrival of these, the supplies which +they brought of men and provisions, and the assurance that the admiral had +safely arrived in Spain, encouraged those who were with the lieutenant to +serve him more faithfully and made those who adhered to Roldan +apprehensive of being punished. + +The rebels being desirous to hear news from home, and to furnish +themselves with many things of which they were in want, resolved to repair +to the harbour of St Domingo where the ships had put in, not without hopes +of being able to draw over some of the men to their party. But as the +lieutenant received notice of their design and was nearer that harbour, he +moved thither with all the force he could muster to hinder their design, +and leaving guards in the passes, he went to the port to visit the ships +and to regulate the affairs of that place. And being anxious that the +admiral might find the island in a peaceable condition and all troubles at +an end upon his return, he again made new overtures to Roldan, who was +then six leagues off with his men. For this purpose he sent Peter +Fernandez Coronel, the commander of the two newly arrived ships, whom he +chose for this employment because he was a man of worth and in authority, +and because he could certify to Roldan and the mutineers of the arival of +the admiral in Spain, the good reception he had found there, and the +willingness their majesties had expressed to support his authority in the +Indies. But the chief men among the rebels would not permit him to speak +in public, being fearful of the impression he might make upon their +deluded followers; they therefore received him on the road in a warlike +posture, and he could only speak some words in private to those who were +appointed to hear him. Thus unable to do any thing, Coronel returned to +the town, and the rebels to their quarters at Xaragua, not without +apprehensions lest Roldan and some of the ringleaders might write to their +friends at Isabella to intercede for them with the admiral on his arrival +to be restored to favour, as all their complaints were against the +lieutenant and not against the admiral himself. + +The three ships which the admiral had dispatched from the Canary islands +with succours to Hispaniola, proceeded on their voyage with fair winds +till they came to those Caribbee islands which sailors first meet with on +their way to the port of St Domingo. The pilots were not then so well +acquainted with that voyage as they have since become, and knew not how to +hit that port, but were carried away by the currents so far to the +westwards that they arrived in the province of Xaragua, then occupied by +the rebels. These, understanding that the ships were out of their way and +knew nothing of the revolt, sent some of their number peaceably on board, +who pretended that they were there by the lieutenants orders, on purpose +to preserve that part of the country under obedience and to be the better +supplied with provisions. But a secret which is diffused among many is +easily divulged, so that Alonzo Sanchez de Caravajal, who was the most +skilful among the captains of these three ships, was soon aware of the +rebellion and discord, and began immediately to make overtures of peace to +Roldan, in hopes of persuading him to submit to the lieutenant. But the +familiar conversation which the rebels had previously been allowed on +board the ships had already produced such effects that his persuasions +were disregarded; Roldan having obtained private assurances from many of +those who had come fresh from Spain that they would adhere to him, and by +this accession of strength he hoped to advance himself to higher power. + +Finding that the negociation was not likely to draw to a speedy +conclusion, Caravajal and the other captains thought it convenient and +proper that the people who had been brought from Spain under wages to work +in the mines and other public employments, should go by land to St Domingo; +because the winds and currents being adverse, the voyage there might +possibly occupy two or three months, during which these people would +consume a great deal of provisions, if they remained on board, and might +fall sick, and much time would be lost which they might otherwise have +devoted to the several employments for which they were sent out. Having +agreed upon this plan, it fell to the lot of John Anthony Columbus to +march with the men by land, who were forty in number; Arana was appointed +to conduct the ships from Xaragua to St. Domingo; and Caravajal remained +to endeavour to bring the rebels to an accommodation. John Anthony +Columbus set out with his people the second day after landing; but those +labourers and vagabonds who had been sent out to work deserted to the +rebels, and left him with only six or seven men who continued in their +duty. Upon this John Anthony went boldly to Roldan, to whom he represented, +that since he pretended to promote the service of their Catholic majesties, +it was not reasonable to suffer those men who had been sent out to people +and cultivate the country and who received wages for following their +callings, to remain and lose their time without performing their +engagements; that by turning them away he would make his words and actions +more conformable, and that his staying in this place evinced that he had +no inclination to forward the public service, but only to foment discord +and division with the lieutenant. But as the desertion of the labourers +was favourable to the views of Roldan and his followers, and they +considered that a crime committed by many is soonest connived at, he +pretended that he could not use violence towards these people, and that +his was a religious order which refused no man. Knowing that it was not +the part of a discreet person to expose himself to danger by pressing this +matter any farther, John Anthony determined to go on board again with +those few who still remained faithful; and that they might not be so +served by those who remained, he and Arana sailed immediately with their +two ships for St Domingo, with the wind as contrary as they feared; for +they spent many days at sea and spoiled all their provisions, and +Caravajals ship was much damaged upon certain sands, where she lost her +rudder and sprung a leak, so that they had much difficulty to bring her +into port. + + +[1] This prolix, diffuse, uninteresting, and confused disquisition, on the + superstitious beliefs and ceremonies of the original natives of Haiti + or Hispaniola, is so inexplicably and inexpressibly unintelligible and + absurd, partly because the original translator was unable to render + the miserable sense or nonsense of the author into English, but + chiefly owing to the innate stupidity and gross ignorance of the poor + anchorite, that the present editor was much inclined to have expunged + the whole as unsatisfactory and uninteresting: But it seemed incumbent + to give the whole of this most important voyage to the public. The + Editor however, has used the freedom to compress the scrambling detail + of the original of this section into a smaller compass; to omit the + uselessly prolix titles of its subdivisions; and, where possible, to + make the intended meaning somewhat intelligible; always carefully + retaining every material circumstance. It was formerly divided into + chapters like a regular treatise, and these are here marked by + corresponding figures. The author repeatedly acknowledges that his + account is very imperfect, which he attributes to the confused and + contradictory reports of the natives, and allows that he may even have + set down the information he collected in wrong order, and may have + omitted many circumstances for want of paper at the time of collecting + materials.--E. + +[2] Some of these are so unintelligibly related, owing to ignorance in the + translator, that it were unnecessary to insert them in this place.--E. + +[3] The poor anchorite relates all these absurdities gravely, as actually + proceeding from sorcery.--E. + +[4] In this paragraph, marked 20--24. the substance of _five_ prolix + chapters by _F. Roman_ is compressed.--E. + +[5] Though not expressed in the text, these were probably the manico root, + of which the cassada bread is made.--E + +[6] It is singular that the author should not have endeavoured to account + for the origin of these iron hatchets; probably procured in the + plundering excursions of these Carib natives of Guadaloupe from + Hispaniola.--E. + +[7] This surely means no more than that their rude looms were upright or + perpendicular.--E. + +[8] The probable use of these swaths may have been to defend the legs in + forcing their way through the thorny brakes of the forests.--E. + +[9] The author seems to have forgotten that he had only a little before + mentioned this very woman as the wife of a caceque. The absurd notion + of these women being Amazons probably proceeded from the Spaniards not + understanding the language of these islanders, who appear to have been + Caribs. The truth seems to have been that during the long absences of + their husbands in piratical and plundering excursions to the other + islands, these Carib women were driven to the necessity of providing + for their own defence.--E. + +[10] There must be some inaccuracy in this place. Columbus had evidently + supposed himself farther west when he altered his course than he + really was, for the Caribbee islands were not upon the north, and + never could be in the latitude of 7°; as he fell in with Trinidada he + must only have altered his course to the N.W. or the north of west. + Had he continued in a west course in 7° N. he would have fallen in + with the continent of Guiana, about the mouth of the Esquivo, or + Isiquibo river: His original course in the parallel of 5° N. would + have led him to Cayenne.--E. + +[11] There is a want of sufficient precision in the dates of the text. It + would appear that Columbus altered his course from W. to the + northwards on Tuesday 31st July, 1498, and discovered Trinidada the + same day; and that the ships anchored at Funta de la Plaga on + Wednesday the 1st of August, or the immediately following day.--E. + +[12] The country here named Paria is now called on our maps Cumana, or the + Spanish Main; but the gulf or large basin between the island of + Trinidada and the main still retains the name of the Gulf of Paria.--E. + +[13] This must have been the low lying Delta of Cumana, lying between the + principal mouth of the Oronoka and the western branch.--E. + +[14] The white liquor was probably the milk of the coco nut, and perhaps + the blackish vinous liquor might be the same fermented.--E. + +[15] This is an obvious error which cannot be corrected, Don James + Columbus being no cacique. It is possible that one of the native + caciques may have embraced Christianity, receiving those names in + baptism, but of this the text gives no intelligence.--E. + +[16] In the original translation, the number of the appointed fleet is + said to have been eighteen; but this must be a typographical error, as + with the six ships he had with himself, and these two previously + dispatched, there were just eight in all.--E. + + + + +SECTION XI. + +_Continuation of the Troubles after the return, of the Admiral to +Hispaniola, to their Adjustment._ + + +When the captains arrived at St Domingo with their ships they found the +admiral there, who had returned from his discovery of the continent. Being +fully informed of the conduct and situation of the rebels, and having +perused the process or examination which the lieutenant had drawn up +against them, by which their crimes were fully substantiated, he thought +proper to draw out a new process for the information of their majesties, +resolving at the same time to use all possible moderation in the affair, +and to use his utmost endeavours to reduce them to submission by fair +means, and without the employment of an armed force. For this reason, and +that neither they nor any others might have reason to complain of him, or +to say that he kept them in Hispaniola by force, he issued a proclamation +on the twelfth of September, granting leave to all who were inclined to +return into Spain, and promising them a free passage and provisions for +the voyage. + +On the other hand the admiral received information that Roldan was coming +towards St Domingo with some of his men; wherefore he ordered Ballester +who commanded at the Conception to look well to the security of his town +and fort, and in case of Roldan coming that way, he desired him to say +that the admiral was much concerned for his sufferings, and was willing to +overlook all that had passed and to grant a general pardon to all the +malcontents; and invited Roldan to come immediately to him without, +apprehension, that by his advice all things might be duly ordered for the +good of the service, and that he would send him a safe conduct in such +form as he might require. Ballester made answer on the fourteenth +_February_[1] 1498, that he had received certain information that Riquelme +had come the day before to the town of Bonao, and that Roldan and Adrian, +the ringleaders of the mutineers, were to be there in seven or eight days, +when he might _apprehend_ them, as he did[2]. Ballaster conferred with +them pursuant to the instructions he had received, but found them +obstinate and unmannerly. Roldan said that they had not come to treat of +an accommodation, as they neither desired nor cared for peace, as he held +the admiral and his authority in his power, either to support or suppress +it at his pleasure: That they must not talk to him of any accommodation +until they had sent him all the Indian prisoners who were taken at the +siege of the Conception. He added other things, by which it plainly +appeared that he would enter into no agreement that was not much to his +advantage: And he demanded that Caravajal should be sent to treat with him, +declaring his resolution to treat with no other person, he being a man of +discretion who would listen to reason, as he had found by experience when +the three ships were at Xaragua. This answer made the admiral suspect the +fidelity of Caravajal, and not without much cause for the following +reasons. + +Before Caravajal was at Xaragua, the rebels had often wrote and sent +messages to their friends who were with the lieutenant, asserting that +they would submit to the admiral on his arrival, and requesting them to +intercede with and appease him. Since they promised this as soon as they +heard that two ships had come to the assistance of the lieutenant, they +had much more cause to perform it when the admiral was actually returned, +had they not been dissuaded during their long conference with Caravajal. +Had he done his duty, he ought to have kept Roldan and the other chiefs of +the rebellion as prisoners in his caravel, as they were two days on board +without any security or safe conduct asked or given. And knowing that they +were in rebellion he ought not to have permitted them to purchase from the +ships 56 swords and 60 cross-bows. As there were strong suspicions that +the men who were to land with John Anthony meant to join the rebels, he +ought not to have allowed them to land, or should have been more earnest +in his endeavours to recover them. Caravajal circulated a report that he +had come to the Indies as coadjutor to the admiral, so that nothing might +be done without him, lest the admiral might commit some offence. Roldan +had written to the admiral that he was drawing near to St Domingo by the +advice of Caravajal, to be nearer him to treat for an accommodation on his +arrival; and now that the admiral was arrived, his actions not suiting +with his letter, it was to be presumed that Caravajal had invited him +thither to the end that, if the admiral had been long of coming, or had +not come at all, he as the admirals associate and Roldan as chief judge +might have usurped the government of the island to the exclusion of the +lieutenant. When the other captains came with the caravels to St Domingo, +Caravajal came there by land under protection of a guard of rebels, the +chief of whom, Gamir, had been two days and two nights on board his ship. +Caravajal wrote to the rebels when they came to Bonao, and sent them +presents and provisions. And besides that the rebels would not treat +through any other person, they had unanimously declared that they would +have taken him for their captain, if there had been any occasion for such +a measure. + +Notwithstanding of all this, considering that Caravajal was a gentleman of +prudence and discretion, who would not be guilty of doing any thing +contrary to his duty; that what had been reported of him might not be true, +and that every one of these arguments against him might admit of being +answered or explained, and the admiral being exceedingly desirous to put +an end to the distractions of the colony, he consulted with all the +principal people about him respecting Roldans letter, and what was best to +be done on this occasion. By their advice he sent Caravajal and Ballester +to treat. Roldan answered that since they had not brought with them the +Indians he had demanded, he would enter into no conference for an +accommodation. Caravajal so discreetly replied and used such convincing +arguments, that he influenced Roldan and three or four of the other +leaders to agree to wait upon the admiral and endeavour to come to an +agreement: But this being disliked by the rest, when Roldan and three +others were getting on horseback to go along with Caravajal to the admiral, +the rabble surrounded them, declaring they would not allow them to go, and +that if any agreement was to be made it should be drawn up in writing, +that all might know what was proposed to be done. + +Some days afterwards Roldan, by consent of his men, wrote on the twentieth +of October to the admiral, laying the whole blame of the separation on the +lieutenant; and saying, as the admiral had not sent them any assurance or +security to come and give an account of themselves, they had resolved to +send him their demands in writing, which claimed a reward for what they +had hitherto done as will appear hereafter. Though their demands were +abundantly extravagant, yet Ballester wrote the next day to the admiral, +highly extolling Caravajals discourse; and saying that since it had failed +to dissuade those people from their wicked designs, nothing less would +prevail than granting them all they demanded, he found them so resolute. +He added that he looked upon it as next to certain that most of the people +who were with the admiral would go over to the rebels, and though he might +rely on the fidelity of the men of honour and his own servants, yet these +would not be able to withstand so great a number. The admiral already knew +this by experience, having made a muster of all who were fit to bear arms +at the time when Roldan was near St Domingo that he might be ready to +oppose the rebels if necessary; and so many of the people feigned +themselves sick or lame that only seventy appeared on the muster, of whom +there were not more than forty in whom he could confide. + +Hearing of this muster and considering it a threat to proceed to +extremities against them, on the seventeenth of October 1498, Roldan and +the other chiefs of the mutineers sent a letter to the admiral subscribed +by them all, saying, That they had withdrawn themselves from the +lieutenant to save their lives, he having a design to destroy them. That +they being his lordships servants, whose coming they had anxiously waited +for, as of one who would look upon what they had done as in compliance +with their duty and as good service; that they had hindered their +adherents from doing any harm to any that belonged to his lordship, as +they might easily have done. That since he was now come and was so far +from thinking as they did, that he insisted upon taking revenge and +punishing them; therefore, that they might be at liberty to carry on their +proceedings and to do with honour what they had undertaken, they now took +leave of him and of his service. Before this letter was delivered to the +admiral, he had transmitted proposals for an accommodation with Roldan. + +In his conference with Roldan, Caravajal represented the confidence which +the admiral had always reposed in him, and the good account which he had +given to their Catholic majesties of the conduct of the chief justice; and +said that the admiral had refrained from writing, lest his letter might +have been seen by some of the common people, and have occasioned prejudice +to the negociation; and therefore, he had sent a person in whom Roldan +knew that the admiral placed much confidence, so that he might regard what +was said by him and Ballester, as equally valid and binding as if under +the hand and seal of the admiral, and therefore, he might consider what +was proper to be done, and he should find him ready to comply with +whatever was reasonable. + +On the 18th of October, the admiral ordered five of his ships to depart +for Spain, and sent a detailed account by them to their majesties of all +the affairs of the colony; saying, that he had detained the ships till +then under the belief that Roldan and his confederates would have gone +home in them, as they had at first given out; and that the other three +ships which he kept, were fitting out to go under the command of his +brother, to prosecute the discovery of the continent of Paria, and to form +an establishment for carrying on the fishery of pearls, a sample of which +he now sent to their majesties by Arogial. + +Having received the admirals letter, Roldan seemed inclining to do all +that was required of him, but his men would not allow him to go to treat +without a safe conduct, he therefore wrote, desiring one to be sent to him +conformably to certain heads which he transmitted; and this communication +was signed by himself and the chief men of his party. The safe conduct was +accordingly sent without delay by the admiral on the 26th of October; and +Roldan soon came, but more with the design of drawing some of the people +about the admiral over to his party, than with the intention of concluding +an agreement, as appeared by the insolent nature of his proposals. He +returned therefore without any thing being concluded, saying, that he +would give his people an account of the state of matters, and should then +write the result of their deliberations; and that there might be some one +along with him having power to treat and sign to whatever might be agreed +upon, the admiral sent Salamanca, his steward, to accompany Roldan to +Bonao. After much talk among themselves, Roldan transmitted certain +articles of agreement for the admiral to sign, telling him that they +contained all that he could persuade his people to concede; and that if +his lordship thought fit to grant these terms, he should send his assent +to the Conception, for they could no longer remain at Bonao for want of +provisions, and they should wait for his answer till the ensuing Monday. +Having read their answer, and the dishonourable articles which they +proposed, and considering them as tending to bring himself, his brothers, +and even justice into contempt, the admiral would not grant them: But that +they might have no cause to complain that he was too stiff and uncomplying, +he caused a general pardon to be proclaimed and posted on the gates for +thirty days, of which the following was the purport: + +"Whereas, during the absence of the admiral in Spain, certain differences +had occurred between the lieutenant with the chief justice Roldan and +others who had fled with him: Yet, notwithstanding any thing that had +happened, they might all in general, and every one in particular, safely +return to the service of their Catholic majesties, as if no differences +had ever been: And that whoever might be inclined to return into Spain +should have his passage and an order to receive his pay as was usual with +others; provided they presented themselves before the admiral within +thirty days after the date of this proclamation, to claim and receive the +benefit of this pardon; but that all who did not appear within the time +limited, should be proceeded against according to the due course of law." + +The admiral sent this pardon signed by himself to Roldan by Caravajal, and +gave him in writing the reasons why he neither could nor ought to grant +the articles which had been proposed by them, and exhorting them to +consider what they were about, if they had any respect to the service of +their majesties. Caravajal went to the rebels at the Conception, who +received the admirals proffered pardon in derision, and haughtily said, +that he would soon have occasion to ask a pardon from them. All this took +place during the space of three weeks; in the course of which time, under +the pretence of wishing to apprehend a person whom Roldan desired to +execute in his character of chief justice, they besieged Ballester in the +fort of the Conception, and cut off his supply of water, thinking to force +him to surrender; but upon the arrival of Caravajal they raised the siege; +and after many alterations of the proposed articles on both sides, the +following were mutually concluded upon: + +_Agreement_ between the Admiral and Roldan_[3]. + +1. The lord admiral shall give two good ships in good order, according to +the judgment of able seamen, to be delivered at the port of Xaragua, where +Roldan and his company shall embark and sail for Spain. + +2. The admiral shall give an order for payment of the salaries due to them +all till that day, with letters of recommendation to their Catholic +majesties to cause them to be paid. + +3. The admiral shall give them slaves for their services and sufferings, +and certify the gift; and some of them having women big with child, these +shall be counted instead of such slaves as they were to have, if carried +with them; and their children were to be free, and they might take them to +Europe. + +4. The admiral to supply all requisite provisions; but not being able to +provide bread, they are to be allowed to make it for themselves in the +country. And, lest the Carib bread might spoil, they are to have thirty +hundred weight of biscuit, or thirty sacks of corn in lieu thereof. + +5. The admiral shall give a safe conduct for such persons as may come to +him to receive the orders for their pay. + +6. The goods of some of those with Roldan having been seized, the admiral +shall order restitution. + +7. Demands an order for payment of the value of 350 swine belonging to +Roldan, which had been seized. + +8. Gives authority to Roldan to sell his goods, or to do with them as he +likes best. + +9. Desiring speedy judgment in a cause respecting a horse. + +10. The just demands of Salamanca to be paid. + +11. Concerning some slaves, not conclusive or explained. + +12. The admiral to grant a safe conduct, and to promise in the name of +their majesties, and upon his own faith and the word of a gentleman, that +neither he nor any other person shall injure them or obstruct their voyage. + +"I Francis Roldan, judge, promise and engage my faith and word, for myself +and all those with me, that the articles here set down shall be faithfully +observed and fulfilled on our part, the lord admiral performing his part +thereof, and of the following articles. + +1. That from this date, till the answer be brought, for which ten days are +allowed; no person, shall be admitted among us from those who are with the +admiral. + +2. That within fifty days after receiving the answer, we will embark and +sail for Spain. + +3. That none of the slaves freely granted to us shall be taken away by +force. + +4. We shall give account to a person deputed by the admiral, of all we +carry on board, and shall deliver to him all we may have belonging to +their majesties. + +In testimony whereof; I, Francis Roldan, engage for myself and company to +observe and perform the same, and have subscribed this writing at the +Conception this 16th of November 1498. + +Having examined this agreement, made by Alonzo Sanchez de Caravajal and +James de Salamanca with Francis Roldan and his company, this day, being +Wednesday the 21st of November 1498; I agree to its being fully observed, +upon condition that said Francis Roldan and his followers shall not +receive into their company any other Christians of the island of any state +or condition whatsoever." + +Matters being thus adjusted, Caravajal and Salamanca repaired to St +Domingo to the admiral, and at their request he subscribed his +ratification of the articles as above, and granted a new safe conduct, or +leave to all who might not incline to go to Spain with Roldan to remain, +promising them pay or the liberty of planters as they liked best, and for +others to come freely to the seat of government to arrange their affairs. +These were delivered to Roldan and his company by the Castellan Ballester +at the Conception on the 24th of November, and they went away towards +Xaragua to prepare for their departure. Though the admiral was sensible of +their villany, and much concerned that the good services which his brother +might have performed in continuing the discovery of the continent of Paria, +and the settlement of a pearl fishery, was obstructed by giving those +ships to the rebels, yet he would not give them occasion to blame him for +the continuance of disturbances by refusing them a passage. He began, +therefore, immediately to fit out the ships according to the agreement, +though the equipment was somewhat retarded by the want of stores and other +necessaries. To remedy this defect, he ordered Caravajal to go overland to +provide and dispose all things for their departure, while the ships went +about to Xaragua, resolving to go soon himself to Isabella to settle +affairs in that place, leaving his brother James in the command at St +Domingo. + +In the end of January 1499, after his departure, the two caravels being +furnished with all necessaries, set out to take up the rebels; but a great +storm arose by the way, and they were forced to put into another port till +the end of March, and because the caravel Nina was in the worst condition +and wanted most repairs, the admiral sent orders to Peter de Arana and +Francis de Garai to repair to Xaragua with the Santa Cruz in her stead, on +board of which Caravajal went by sea instead of going by land as before +intended. He was eleven days by the way, and found the other caravel in +waiting. + +In the meanwhile, the caravels not coming, and most of the rebels having +no mind to embark, they took the delay as a pretence for remaining in the +island, throwing all the blame upon the admiral, as if he had not +dispatched them as soon as it was in his power. Being informed of this, he +wrote to Roldan and Adrian, endeavouring to persuade them in a friendly +manner to perform the agreement and not to relapse into rebellion. Besides +this, Caravajal, who was then at Xaragua, entered a formal protest on the +20th of April, before a notary named Francis de Garai, afterwards governor +of Panuco and Jamaica, requiring them, since the admiral had furnished +them with ships, to embark pursuant to their agreement. And because they +would not, and because the ships bottoms suffered much from the ravages of +the worms, and the men began to be in want of provisions, he ordered them +back to St Domingo on the 25th of April. + +The rebels were no way concerned at this, but rather rejoiced and grew +haughty on seeing that such account was made of them, and were so far from +acknowledging the civility and attention of the admiral, that they laid it +to his charge in writing, that through his fault they were forced to stay; +that he had a mind to be revenged upon them, and had therefore delayed to +send the caravels, which were in such bad condition that it were +impossible they should go in them to Spain; and though they had been never +so good, their provisions were all expended in waiting for them, and they +could not provide more for a long while to come: For all which reasons +they were resolved to remain on the island, and to expect redress of their +grievances from the justice of their Catholic majesties. Caravajal +returned by land with this answer to St Domingo, to whom at the time of +his departure Roldan said he would willingly wait upon the admiral to +endeavour to form such an agreement as might be satisfactory to all +parties, provided he were furnished with a safe conduct. Caravajal sent +word of this to the admiral from St Domingo on the 15th of May, who +answered on the 21st, commending him for the pains he had taken, and +transmitting the required safe conduct. He sent at the same time a short +but forcible letter to Roldan, urging him to peace and submission, and to +co-operate in advancing the service of their majesties. This he afterwards +repeated more at large on the 29th of June from St Domingo; and on the +third of August, six or seven of the chief men about the admiral sent +another safe conduct to Roldan that he might come to treat with the +admiral. But the distance being great, and the admiral wishing to visit +the country, he went with two caravels to the port of Azua west from St +Domingo, to be nearer the province where the rebels were, many of whom +repaired to that port. The admiral went there about the end of August and +conferred with their chiefs, exhorting them to desist from their evil +course, and promising them all possible favour and kindness upon their +returning to obedience. This they engaged to do, provided the admiral +would grant the four following conditions: + +1. That fifteen of their number should be sent into Spain by the first +ships that went there. + +2. That to those who remained he should assign land and houses in +satisfaction of their pay. + +3. That proclamation should be made that the whole disturbances had been +occasioned by the false suggestions of evil disposed men. + +4. That the admiral should renew the appointment of Roldan as chief judge +for life. + +All this being concluded and agreed to, Roldan went on shore from the +admirals caravel and sent the articles to his companions: These were so +much to their mind that they immediately accepted them, saying that if the +admiral failed in any part it would be lawful for them to compel +performance by force or any other means. The admiral was very eager to +conclude this difficult and vexations matter, which had lasted above two +years; and as he considered that his adversaries continued more obstinate +than ever, and that many of those who were with him were much inclined to +join with the mutineers, that they might go off to different parts of the +island as Roldan had done, he was induced to sign these articles, as he +had done those which were before agreed to. On the Tuesday following, +being the fifth of November, Roldan began to exercise his office, and it +being a part of his prerogative, he constituted Peter Riquelme judge of +Bonao, with power to imprison offenders in criminal cases, but that he +should transmit criminals upon life and death to be tried by himself at +the fort of the Conception. + + +[1] This must be an error for September.--E. + +[2] They certainly were not apprehended or made prisoners; the word used + is probably a mistake of the original translator, as a conference was + the only consequence.--E. + +[3] The minute technical forms of this agreement, as altogether + uninteresting, are here abridged.--E. + + + + +SECTION XII. + +_Transactions in Hispaniola subsequent to the settlement of the +disturbances, until the sending of Columbus in irons to +Spain_. + + +Having adjusted matters with Roldan, the admiral appointed a captain with +some men to march about the island to restore it to peace and order, and +to reduce the Indians to pay the fixed tribute; and with orders to be +always in readiness to suppress the first appearance of mutiny among the +Christians, or any rebellion of the Indians. And having taken measures for +this purpose, he intended to go over into Spain taking his brother along +with him, considering that if he were left behind it would be difficult to +forget old quarrels. As he was preparing for this voyage, Alonso de Ojeda +who had been out upon discovery with four ships returned to the island. + +Forasmuch as this sort of men sail about to make their fortunes, Ojeda on +the fifth of September put into the port which the Christians call Brazil +and the Indians Yaquimo, designing to take what he could from the Indians +and to load with wood and slaves. While thus employed he did all the harm +he could, and to shew that he was a limb of the bishop we have +mentioned[1], he endeavoured to stir up another mutiny; giving out that +Isabella was ready to die, and that as soon as she was dead there would be +nobody to support the admiral, and that he as a faithful servant of the +bishop might do what he pleased against the admiral, because of the enmity +which was between them. Upon these grounds he began to write to some who +were not very sound after the late troubles and to hold correspondence +with them. But Roldan being informed of his designs and proceedings, went +against him by the admirals orders with a party of twenty-one men to +prevent him from doing the harm he intended. Roldan came within a league +and a half of him on the twenty-ninth of September, and learnt that he was +at the house of a cacique named Haniquaba with fifteen men, employed in +making bread and biscuit for his crew. Roldan accordingly travelled the +whole of that night that he might surprize him; but Ojeda getting +intelligence of the intention of Roldan, and being too weak for resistance, +resolved to put a bold face on a bad cause and went to meet him, saying +that want of provisions had brought him hither to supply himself in the +dominions of his sovereigns without meaning to do any harm. + +Ojeda gave an account of his voyage to Roldan, saying that he had been +discovering 600 leagues westwards along the coast of Paria, where he found +people who fought the Christians hand to hand, and had wounded twenty of +his men, for which reason he could make no advantage of the wealth of the +country. That he had seen deer and rabbits, the skins and paws of tigers, +and guaninis[2], all of which he shewed to Roldan in his caravels. He +farther said that he should soon repair to St Domingo to give the admiral +a full account of his voyage. + +The admiral was much troubled at this time, as Peter de Arana had +signified to him that Riquelme, judge of Bonao for Roldan, the substitute +being no honester than his master, under pretence of building a house for +his herds, had made choice of a strong rock to build a kind of castle or +strength, that from thence with a few men he might do all the harm he +thought fit. Arana had forbidden this and put a stop to his proceedings; +whereupon Riquelme had instituted a legal process attested by witnesses, +which he sent to the admiral, complaining that Arana had used violence +against him and praying relief. Although the admiral well knew that +Riquelme was of an unquiet and mutinous disposition, bethought fit to +conceal his jealousy on the present occasion, and rather to connive at +this matter which might be guarded against, thinking it quite enough to +provide against the open intrusion of Ojeda. + +Having parted from Roldan, Ojeda went with his ships from the port of +Yaquimo or Brazil, in February 1500, to Xaragua, where a great many of +those who had been in rebellion with Roldan still lived. He there gave out +that their Catholic majesties had appointed him and Caravajal as +councillors to the admiral, that he might not do any thing they thought +prejudicial to the service; and that he had it in command to pay every one +in ready money for their services in the island, and as the admiral was +not just enough to do that, he was ready to go along with them to St +Domingo to compel him to pay them immediately, and to turn him out of the +island dead or alive. He farther urged, that they ought not to rely on the +agreement which had been entered into, or the promises which the admiral +had made, who would keep these no longer than necessity obliged him. Upon +these promises and suggestions, many resolved to join with him in a new +rebellion, and with their assistance, he made an attack one night upon +others who opposed him, and there were some killed and wounded on both +sides. Being satisfied that Roldan, who had returned to his duty and the +admirals service, would not join them, they resolved to surprize and make +him prisoner; but having notice of their designs, he went well attended to +Xaragua to put a stop to the designs of Ojeda, or to punish him if he +found it expedient or practicable. For fear of him Ojeda retired to his +ships, and Roldan and he treated about a conference, each being afraid to +put himself into the power of the other. Perceiving that Ojeda was +unwilling to trust himself on shore, Roldan offered to treat with him on +board, and desired that the boat might be sent for that purpose, which +came accordingly well manned, and Roldan went into it with six or seven of +his followers on whom he could depend. Seizing their opportunity, Roldan +and his people fell unexpectedly on the boats crew with their swords, and +having killed some and wounded others, they made themselves masters of the +boat, and returned with it to the land. Ojeda had now only a small skiff +left, in which he ventured on shore to treat peaceably with Roldan. After +apologizing for his offences, he offered to restore some men whom he had +made prisoners, providing his boat and people were restored; and +represented that the detention of the boat would be the ruin of his ships, +as they had now no other fit for service. Roldan readily granted this +request, that there might be no reason to complain or to allege that the +expedition of Ojeda had suffered prejudice or danger through his means; +but he made him engage and give security for the performance of his +promise, that he should depart from the island by an appointed time; which +Roldan took care to ensure by keeping a strong guard on shore. + +As it is a hard matter to root out cockle so that it may not sprout again, +so it is no less difficult for people who have once been habituated to +evil to forbear relapsing into their crimes. Only a few days after the +departure of Ojeda, one D. Ferdinand de Guevara, who was in disgrace with +the admiral as a seditious person, and who had taken part with Ojeda from +hatred to Roldan, because he would not permit him to take to wife the +daughter of Canua the principal queen of Xaragua, began to gather many +conspirators to secure Roldan, that he might succeed him as leader of the +mutineers. In particular, he drew over to his party one Adrian de Moxica, +a chief man in the late rebellion; and about the middle of May 1499, a +plot was laid for securing or murdering Roldan. But having intelligence of +their design, Roldan stood upon his guard, and managed matters so +dexterously, that he seized D. Ferdinand and Adrian and the other +ringleaders of the party. Roldan immediately sent notice of what he had +done to the admiral, and desired to have his instructions in what manner +he should proceed with the prisoners. The admiral made answer: That since +they had endeavoured without any cause or provocation to excite +insurrection and rebellion, and that if their crimes were overlooked every +thing would go to ruin, he should punish them according to their demerits +and as the law directed. The judge accordingly proceeded legally against +them, hanged Adrian as the chief author of the conspiracy, and banished +others. He kept D. Ferdinand in prison till the 13th of June, when he +delivered him with other prisoners to the charge of Gonsalo Blanco, to +carry them to La Vega or the Plain, where the admiral then was. This +example restored the country to quiet, and the Indians again submitted +themselves to the authority of the Christians. + +Such rich gold mines were now discovered, that every man in the island +left the royal pay and went away to the mines on their own account, +applying themselves to dig for gold at their own expence, paying a third +part of all they found to the royal coffers. This prospered so well, that +a man often gathered five marks, eight ounces each, in one day, and a +single lump of gold has been taken up worth above 196 ducats[3]. The +Indians were perfectly submissive, being afraid to offend the admiral, and +many of them became Christians, merely to oblige him and conciliate his +favour. When any of their chiefs had to appear in his presence, they used +their utmost endeavours to be decently clothed. In consequence of all +these favourable circumstances, the admiral resolved to make a progress +over the island, and set out for that purpose, accompanied by his brother +the lieutenant, on the 20th of February 1499[4], and came to Isabella on +the 19th of March. From thence they set out for the Conception on the 5th +of April, and reached that place on the Tuesday following. The lieutenant +went thence for Xaragua upon Friday the 7th of June; and on the Christmas +day following, in that year 1499, he makes the following memorandum, which +I found among his papers. + +"Being forsaken by all the world, the Indians and rebel Christians fell +upon me, and I was reduced to such distress, that, leaving all behind me +to avoid death, I put to sea in a little caravel. But our Lord presently +relieved me saying: "Thou man of little faith fear not I am with you." And +so he dispersed my enemies, shewing how he could fulfil his promises. +Unhappy sinner that I am, who placed all my hopes on this world[5]." + +From the Conception, the admiral meant to set out on the third of February +1500 for St Domingo, to prepare for returning into Spain to give their +Catholic majesties an account of the affairs of the colony. While these +disorders were going forwards of which mention has been made, many of the +rebels, by letters which they sent from Hispaniola, and by some of their +adherents who returned into Spain, continually conveyed false information +to their majesties and the council against the admiral and his brothers; +alleging that they were cruel and tyrannical and unfit for the government +of the colony, both because they were strangers and aliens, and because +they had not formerly been in a condition to learn by experience how to +govern and command over gentlemen. They affirmed, if their highnesses did +not apply some remedy, those countries would be utterly ruined and +destroyed; or that the admiral would revolt and join in league with some +prince who would support him, for he pretended that the whole belonged to +himself, as having been discovered by his industry and labour: That the +better to compass his designs, the admiral concealed the wealth of the +country, and would not permit that the Indians should serve the Christians, +or that they should be converted to the holy faith; because by +conciliating them he hoped to draw them to his side, that he might fortify +himself against the authority of their highnesses. They proceeded in these +and such like slanders, continually importuning their majesties and +perpetually speaking ill of the admiral, and complaining that there were +several years pay due to the men, which gave occasion to all that were +about the court to rail against the admiral. At one time about fifty of +those shameless wretches brought a load of grapes and sat down in the +court of the castle and palace of the Alhambra at Granada, crying out that +their majesties and the admiral caused them to live in misery by +withholding their pay, and using many other scandalous expressions; and if +the king went out they all flocked round him, calling _pay! pay!_ + +My brother and I were then at Granada as pages to the queen; and when we +chanced to pass by these people they would cry out in a hideous manner, +making the sign of the cross, "There go the sons of the admiral of the +Morescoes; he that has found out false and deceitful countries to be the +ruin and burial place of the Spanish gentry." Adding many more such +insolencies, which made us very cautious of appearing before them. By +continual complaints and constantly importuning the favourites at court, +it was at length determined to send a judge to Hispaniola to inquire into +all these affairs; who was authorized, if he found the admiral guilty of +what had been laid to his charge, to send him home to Spain and to remain +himself as governor of the colony. The person chosen for this purpose was +Francis de Bovadilla, a poor knight of the order of Calatrava, who besides +his full and ample commission was supplied with blank directed letters +subscribed by their majesties, which he was empowered to direct to such +persons as he might think fit in Hispaniola, commanding them to be aiding +and assisting to him in the discharge of his commission. + +Thus furnished with ample powers, Bovadilla arrived at St Domingo in the +latter end of August 1500, at which time the admiral happened to be at the +Conception settling the affairs of that province, in which his brother had +been assaulted by the rebels, and where the Indians were more numerous and +of quicker capacity and more enlarged understandings than in any other +part of the island. + +Finding no person at his arrival who could in any way keep him in awe, +Bovadilla immediately took possession of the admirals palace, and +appropriated every thing he found there to his own use as if it had fallen +to him by inheritance. He gathered together all whom he could find who had +been in rebellion, and many others who hated the admiral and his brothers, +and immediately declared himself governor of the colony; and to secure the +affections of the people, he proclaimed a general freedom for twenty years. +He then summoned the admiral to appear before him without delay, as +necessary for their majesties service; and to justify this measure he sent +on the seventh of September the royal letter, of which the following is +the substance, by F. John de la Sera, to the admiral. + +"_To D. Christopher Columbus, our Admiral of the Ocean_." + +"We have ordered the commander Francis de Bovadilla, the bearer, to +aquaint you with certain things from us; wherefore we command you to give +him entire credit, and to obey him." + +"Given at Madrid, the twenty-first of May 1500. + +"_I the King. I the Queen_." + +"By command of their majesties. _Mich. Perez de Almazan_." + +On seeing the letter of their Catholic majesties, the admiral came +immediately to St Domingo to Bovadilla, at the beginning of October 1500. +And Bovadilla being eager to assume the government, without any delay or +legal information, immediately sent the admiral and his brother James as +prisoners in irons on board ship under a strong guard, forbidding all +persons under severe penalties to hold any intercourse with them by word +or letter. After this, _by Abington law_[6], he drew up examinations +against them, admitting their enemies the rebels as witnesses in the +process, and publickly favouring all who came forwards to speak evil of +them. These gave in such villanous and incoherent depositions, that he +must have been blind indeed who did not plainly perceive their falsehood +and malice. For this reason, their Catholic majesties would not admit of +the truth of the charges, and afterwards cleared the admiral, sore +repenting that they had sent such a man as Bovadilla in that employment. + +He ruined the island and squandered the royal revenues, that all men might +be his friends; saying that their majesties required no more than the +honour of the dominion, and that all the profits should belong to their +subjects. Yet he neglected not his own share, but combining with all the +richest and most powerful men of the colony, he gave them Indians to serve +them on condition of having a share in all the acquisitions which were +made by their means. He sold by auction all the possessions and rights +which the admiral had acquired for the crown; saying that their majesties +were not farmers or labourers, and only kept these for the benefit of +their subjects; and while selling all things under these pretences, he +took care on the other hand that every thing should be purchased by his +own confederates at a third of the value. Besides all this, he made no +other use of his judicial power than to enrich himself and to gain over +the affections of the people; being still afraid that the lieutenant, who +had not yet come from Xaragua, might put a stop to his proceedings, and +might endeavour to set the admiral at liberty by force of arms. But in +this the brothers conducted themselves with the utmost prudence and +propriety; for the admiral sent to the lieutenant, desiring him to come +peaceably to Bovadilla, that the island might not be thrown into confusion +and civil war; as, when they arrived in Spain, they should the more easily +obtain satisfaction for the wrongs that had been done them, and secure the +punishment of Bovadilla for his senseless and injurious conduct. + +Yet did not all this divert Bovadilla from putting the admiral and his +brother in irons; and he allowed the baser people to rail against them in +public, blowing horns in triumph about the harbour where they were shipped, +besides placarding them in many scandalous libels pasted up at the corners +of the streets. When informed that one James Ortir, who was governor of +the hospital, had written a malicious libel against the admiral, which he +read publickly in the market-place, so far from punishing his audacity, he +seemed to be much gratified by it, which encouraged others to do the same +thing. And perhaps from fear lest the admiral should swim on shore, he +gave strict injunctions to Andrew Martin, the commander of the ship to +guard the admiral with the utmost care, and to deliver him in irons to the +bishop D. John de Fonseca, by whose advice and direction it was believed +he had thus proceeded. Yet when at sea, the master being sensible of the +unworthy proceedings of Bovadilla, would have taken off the irons from the +admiral; but this he would not permit, saying, that since their majesties +had commanded him to perform whatsoever Bovadilla might order in their +names, and that he had been put in irons in virtue of their authority and +commission, he would not be freed from them unless by the express command +of their highnesses. He also declared his determination to keep these +fetters as a memorial of the reward he had received for his many services. +I afterwards saw these irons constantly in his chamber, and he gave orders +that they should be buried along with his body. + +Being arrived at Cadiz, the admiral wrote to their majesties on the 20th +of November 1500, acquainting them of his arrival; and they, understanding +the condition in which he was, gave immediate orders that he should be +released, and sent him very gracious letters expressive of their sorrow +for his sufferings and the unworthy behaviour of Bovadilla +towards him. They likewise ordered him up to court, engaging that care +should be taken about his affairs, and that he should be speedily +dispatched with full restitution of his honour. Yet I cannot remove blame +from their Catholic majesties for employing that base and ignorant person; +for had he known the duty of his office, the admiral would have been glad +of his coming, for he had desired in his letters to Spain that some +impartial person might be sent out to take a true information of the +perversity of the colonists, and to take cognizance of their crimes; he +being unwilling to use that severity which another would have done, +because the original of these tumults, and rebellions had been raised +against the lieutenant his brother. But although it might be urged that +their majesties ought not to have sent out Bovadilla with so much power +and so many letters, without limiting his commission; yet it is not to be +wondered at, as the complaints which had been sent against the admiral +were numerous and heavy, though false and malicious. + +As soon as their majesties learnt the arrival of the admiral at Cadiz and +of his being in irons, they sent orders on the 12th of December to set him +at liberty, and wrote for him to repair to Granada, where he was most +favourably received with the most gracious discourse. They assured him +that his imprisonment had not been by their desire or command; that they +were much offended at it, and would take care that full satisfaction +should be given to him, and those who were in fault severely punished. +Having thus graciously received him, they gave orders that his business +should be immediately gone into; and the result was, that a governor +should be sent to Hispaniola, who was to restore all that had been taken +from the admiral and his brother, and to reinstate them in their rights. +And that the admiral should be allowed all the profits and emoluments +belonging to him, according to the articles of agreement which had been +originally granted; and that the rebels should be proceeded against and +punished according to their offences. Nicholas de Obando, commandary of +laws, was the person appointed to this high office. He was a wise and +judicious man; but, as afterwards appeared, extremely partial, crafty in +concealing his passions, giving credit to his own surmises and the false +insinuations of malicious people. He therefore acted cruelly and +revengefully in the conduct of his government, as particularly appears by +the death of the 80 caciques of the island who have been before +mentioned[7]. + +As their majesties were pleased to appoint Obando to the government of +Hispaniola, so they thought it proper to send the admiral upon some voyage +of farther discovery which might redound to his and their advantage, and +might keep him employed till Obando could pacify and reduce the island to +order and subjection; as they did not _then_ incline to keep him long out +of his rights without just cause, the informations transmitted by +Bovadilla now plainly appearing to be full of malice and falsehood, and +containing nothing which could justify the forfeiture of his rights. But +the execution of this design being attended with delay, it being now the +month of October 1500, and evil disposed men still endeavouring to +insinuate that new informations might be expected on the subject, the +admiral applied personally to their majesties, entreating them to defend +him against his enemies, and afterwards repeated the same by letter. When +the admiral was ready to proceed upon his voyage, they promised him their +protection and favour, by letter to the following effect: + +"Be assured that your imprisonment was very displeasing to us, of which +you and all men must have been sensible, seeing that we applied the proper +remedies as soon as we heard of the circumstance. You likewise know with +how much honour and respect we have always commanded you to be treated, +which we now direct shall be contined towards you, and that you receive +all worthy and noble usage. We promise that the privileges and +prerogatives by us granted you shall be preserved in the most ample manner, +which you and your children shall enjoy without contradiction or +disparagement, as is reasonably due. And, if requisite to ratify them of +new, we will order it to be done, and will take care that your son be put +into possession of the whole; for we desire to honour and favour you even +in greater matters. And be assured that we shall take due care of your +sons and brothers after your departure; for the employment shall be given +to your son as has been said. We pray you therefore not to delay your +departure." + +"Given at Valentia de la Torre, 14th March 1502." + +The occasion of this letter was, that the admiral had resolved to trouble +himself no farther with the affairs of the Indies, but to transfer his +employment upon my brother; for he said justly, that if the services he +had already performed were not sufficient to have those villanous people +punished who had rebelled against his lawful authority, all that he could +do for the future would never obtain justice. He had already performed the +grand object of his undertaking before he set out to discover the Indies; +which was to shew that there were islands and a continent to the westwards, +that the way was easy and navigable, the advantages great and manifest, +and the people gentle and unwarlike. As he had verified all this +personally, there only now remained for their highnesses to pursue what +was begun, by sending people to discover the secrets of these countries; +for now the way was opened up and made plain, and any one might follow out +the course, as some had done already who improperly arrogated the title of +discoverers; not considering that they had not discovered any new country, +but that all which they had done or could do in future was merely to +pursue and extend the first discovery, the admiral having already shewn +them the route to the islands and to the province of Paria, which was the +first discovered land of the new continent. Yet, having always a great +desire to serve their majesties, more especially the queen, he consented +to return to his ships and to undertake the proposed voyage to be now +related, for he was convinced that great wealth would be discovered, as he +formerly had written to their majesties in 1499. All of which has since +been verified by the discovery of Mexico and Peru, though at that time, as +generally happens to the conjectures of most men, nobody would give credit +to his assertions. + +Having been well dispatched by their majesties, the admiral set out from +Granada for Seville in the year 1501; and so earnestly solicited the +fitting out of his squadron, that in a short time he rigged and +provisioned four vessels, the largest of 70 tons and the smallest 50, with +a complement of 140 men and boys, of whom I was one. + +[1] Certainly alluding to D. Juan de Fonseca, archdeacon of Castile, and + bishop of Burgos, formerly mentioned as obstructing the equipment of + the admirals ship, and afterwards as the principal mover of the + injurious treatment experienced by the admiral.--E. + +[2] This article is nowhere explained, but was said on a former occasion + to be made of very low or impure gold.--E. + +[3] This reported produce is prodigious, and must have only been temporary + or accidental. Forty ounces of gold a-day, allowing but L.4 the ounce, + as perhaps inferior to standard, amount to L.160. The piece of gold, + mentioned in the text was worth about L.88. These mines, once so rich, + have been long abandoned. The original natives of Hispaniola died out, + and negroes have been found unequal to the hardships of mining. + Hispaniola long remained a mere depot of adventurers, whence the great + conquests of Mexico and Peru were supplied with men and arms.--E. + +[4] The original, or rather the old translation, is most miserably + defective and confused in its dates about this period, bandying 1499 + and 1500 backwards and forwards most ridiculously. This error it has + been anxiously endeavoured to correct in the present version.--E. + +[5] This is a most imperfect account of an insurrection which appears to + have broke out against the lieutenant, who seems to have been very + unfit for his situation.--E. + +[6] This obviously means trial after condemnation, a procedure which has + been long proverbial in Scotland under the name of Jedwarth justice. + Some similar expression relative to Spain must have been used in the + original, which the translator chose to express by an English + proverbial saying of the same import.--E. + +[7] Upon a former occasion, the author had stated that there were four + principal caciques in Hispaniola, each of whom commanded over seventy + or eighty inferior chiefs, so that there may have been 300 caciques + originally. The particulars of the death or massacre of the eighty + caciques here mentioned are nowhere mentioned by our author; who, + confining himself to the actions of his illustrious father, says very + little more about the affairs of Hispaniola.--E. + + + + +SECTION XIII. + +_Account of the Fourth Voyage of Columbus to the West Indies_. + + +We set sail from Cadiz on Monday the 9th of May 1502, and departed from St +Catharines on the 11th of the same month for Arzilla, intending to relieve +the Portuguese in that garrison who were reported to be in great distress; +but when we came there the Moors had raised the siege. The admiral sent on +shore his brother D. Bartholomew and me, along with the other captains of +our ships to visit the governor, who had been wounded by the Moors in an +assault. He returned thanks to the admiral for the visit and his offers of +assistance, sending several gentlemen on board for this purpose, among +whom were some relations of Donna Philippa Moniz, the admirals former +Portuguese wife. We sailed from Arzilla on the same day, and arriving at +Gran Canaria on the 20th of May, casting anchor among the little islands, +and on the 24th went over to Maspalomas in the same island to take in wood +and water for our voyage, and set out next night for the Indies. It +pleased God to give us a fair wind, insomuch that on Wednesday the 15th of +June, without handing our sails the whole way, we arrived at the island of +Matinino. There, according to the custom of those who sail from Spain for +the Indies, the admiral took in a fresh supply of wood and water, and +ordered the men to wash their linens, staying till the 18th, when we stood +to the westwards and came to Dominica ten leagues distant from Matinino[1]. +So continuing our course among the Caribbee islands we came to Santa Cruz, +and on the 24th of June we ran along the south side of the island of St +John[2]; and thence proceeded for St Domingo, where the admiral proposed +to have exchanged one of his ships for another. The vessel he wished to +part with was a bad sailer, and besides could not carry sail without +running its lee gunwale almost under water, and was a great hindrance to +the voyage. His original design was to have gone directly to the coast of +Paria, and to keep along the shore to the westwards till he should +discover the straits, which he concluded must be somewhere about Veragua +or Nombre de Dios. But on account of the fault of that ship he was forced +to repair to St Domingo in hope of exchanging her for a better. + +That the commandary Lores[3], who had been sent out by their majesties to +call Bovadilla to account for his mal-administration, might not be +surprised at our unexpected arrival, the admiral sent on the 29th of June, +being then near the port, Peter de Terreros, captain of one of the ships, +with a message to him signifying the necessity there was for exchanging +one of the ships. For which reason, and because he apprehended the +approach of a great storm, he requested permission to secure his squadron +in the harbour; and he advised him not to allow the fleet then preparing +to sail for Spain to quit the port for eight days to come, as it would +otherwise be in great danger. But the governor would not permit the +admiral to come into the harbour; neither did he delay the sailing of the +fleet which was bound for Spain. That fleet consisted of 18 sail, and was +to carry Bovadilla who had imprisoned the admiral and his brothers, and +Francis Roldan with all those who had been in rebellion and done so much +harm; all of whom it pleased God so to infatuate that they would not +listen to the admirals good advice. I am satisfied that the hand of God +was in this; for had they arrived in Spain they would never have been +punished as their crimes deserved, as they enjoyed the protection of the +bishop Fonseca. This impunity was prevented by their setting out from St +Domingo for Spain, as no sooner were they come to the east point of +Hispaniola than there arose a terrible storm; the admiral of the fleet +went to the bottom, and in her perished Bovadilla with most of the rebels, +and so great was the havock among the rest, that only three or four +vessels escaped of the whole eighteen. + +This event happened on Thursday the 30th of June; when the admiral, who +had foreseen the storm and had been refused admittance into the port, drew +up as close to the land as he could to shelter himself from its effects. +The people on board his vessels were exceedingly dissatisfied at being +denied that shelter which would have been given to strangers, much more to +them who were of the same nation, and they feared they might be so served +if any misfortune should afterwards befal them in the prosecution of their +voyage. The admiral was greatly concerned on the same account, and was yet +more vexed to experience such base ingratitude in a country which he had +given to the honour and benefit of Spain, where he was thus refused +shelter for his life. Yet by his prudence and judgment he secured his +ships for that day. But next night the tempest increasing, and the night +being extremely dark, three of the ships broke from their anchors and +drifted from him. All were in imminent danger, and the people on board of +each concluded that all the others were certainly lost. Those in the Santo +suffered greatly by endeavouring to save their boat, which had been ashore +with their captain Terreros, and now dragged astern where it overset, and +they were obliged to cast it loose to save themselves. The caravel Bermuda +was in infinite danger; for running out to sea it was almost covered and +overwhelmed by the waves, by which it appeared what good reason the +admiral had to endeavour to exchange that vessel, which all men concluded +was saved, under God, by the wisdom and resolution of the admirals brother, +than whom there was not at that time a more expert sailor. After all had +suffered extremely, except the admiral who rode out the gale, it pleased +God that they all met again on Sunday the 3d of July in the port of Azna +on the south side of Hispaniola, where every one gave an account of his +misfortunes. It appeared that Bartholomew Columbus had weathered this +great storm by standing out to sea like an able sailor; while the admiral +had avoided all danger by hugging close to the land like a wise astronomer, +who knew whence the peril was to come. + +His enemies might well blame him, by saying that he had raised this storm +by magic art to be revenged on Bovadilla and the rest of his enemies who +perished with him, since none of his own four ships were lost; whereas of +the eighteen which had set out at the same time with Bovadilla, the +_Ajuga_, or Needle, only held on its course for Spain, where it arrived in +safety though the worst of the whole fleet, the other three that escaped +having returned to St Domingo in a shattered and distressed condition. In +the Ajuga there were 4000 pesos of gold belonging to the admiral, each +peso being worth eight shillings. + +The admiral gave his men a breathing time in the port of Azua, to recover +from the fatigues which they had encountered in the storm; and as it is +one of the usual diversions of seamen to fish when they have nothing else +to do, I shall make mention of two sorts of fish in particular which I +remember to have seen taken at that place, one of which was pleasant, and +the other wonderful. The first was a fish called _Saavina_, as big as half +an ordinary bull, which lay asleep on the surface of the water, and was +struck by a harpoon from the boat of the ship Biscaina; being held fast by +a rope so that it could not break loose, it drew the boat after it with +the swiftness of an arrow in various directions, so that those who were in +the ship, seeing the boat scud about at a strange rate without knowing the +cause, could not imagine how it could do so without the help of oars. At +length it sunk, and being drawn to the ships side was hoisted on deck by +the tackle. The other fish is called Manati by the Indians, and there is +nothing of the kind seen in Europe. It is about as large as an ordinary +calf, nothing differing from it in the colour and taste of the flesh, +except that it is perhaps better and fatter. Those who affirm that there +are all sorts of creatures to be found in the sea, will have it that these +fishes are real calves, since they have nothing within them resembling a +fish, and feed only on the grass which they find along the banks[4]. + +Having refreshed his men and repaired his ships, the admiral went from +Azua to the port of Brazil called Yaquimo by the Indians, to shun another +storm of which he observed the approach. From thence he sailed again on +the 14th of July, and was so becalmed that instead of holding on his +course he was carried away by the current to certain small sandy islands +near Jamaica; not finding any springs in these islands, the people had to +dig pits or wells in the sand whence they procured water; on account of +which circumstance the admiral named them _Islas de los Poros_, or the +Well Islands. Then sailing southwards[5] for the continent, we came to +certain islands, where we went on shore on the biggest only called Guanaia; +whence those who make sea charts took occasion to call all those the +islands of Guanaia, which are almost twelve leagues from that part of the +continent now called the province of Honduras, but which the admiral then +named Cape Casinas. These fabricators of charts often commit vast mistakes +from ignorance; thus these same islands and that part of the continent +nearest them are twice inserted in their charts, as if they were different +countries; and though cape _Garcias a Dios_, and that they call Cape[6] +----. The occasion of this mistake was, that after the admiral had +discovered these countries, one John Diaz de Solis, from whom the Rio de +Plata was named Rio de Solis because he was there killed by the Indians, +and one Vincent Yanez Pinzon, who commanded a ship in the first voyage +when the admiral discovered the Indies, set out together on a voyage of +discovery in the year 1508, designing to sail along that coast which the +admiral discovered in his voyage from Veragua westwards; and following +almost the same track which he had done, they put into the port of Cariari +and passed by Cape Garcias a Dios as far as Cape Casinas, which they +called Cape Honduras, and they named the before mentioned islands the +Guanaias, giving the name of the biggest to them all. Thence they +proceeded farther on without acknowledging that the admiral had been in +those parts, that the discovery might be attributed to them, and that it +might be believed they had found out extensive countries; although Peter +de Ledesma, one of their pilots who had been with the admiral in his +voyage to Veragua, told them that he knew the country, having been there +with the admiral, and from whom I afterwards learnt these circumstances. +But, independent of this authority, the nature of the charts plainly +demonstrates that they have laid the same thing down twice, as the island +is of the same shape and at the same distance; they having brought a true +draught of the country, only saying that it lay beyond that which the +admiral had before discovered. Hence the same country is twice delineated +on the same chart, as time will make apparent when it shall please God +that this coast shall be better known; for they will then find but one +country of that sort. But to return to our voyage; the admiral ordered his +brother Bartholomew to land with two boats on the island of Guanaia, where +he found people like those of the other islands, except that their +foreheads were not so high. They also saw abundance of pine trees, and +found pieces of lapis calaminaris, such as is used for mixing with copper +in the process for making brass; and which some of the seamen mistaking +for gold concealed for a long time. + +While the admirals brother was on shore, using his endeavours to learn the +nature of the country, it so happened that a canoe eight feet wide and as +long as a galley, made all of one piece, and shaped like those which were +common among the islands, put in there. It was loaded with commodities +brought from the westwards, and bound towards New Spain[7]. In the middle +of this canoe there was an awning made of palm-tree leaves, not unlike +those of the Venetian gondolas, which kept all underneath so close, that +neither rain nor sea water could penetrate to wet the goods. Under this +awning were the women and children, and all the commodities; and though +there were twenty-five men in the canoe, they had not the courage to +defend themselves against the people in our boats who pursued them. The +canoe being thus taken without any opposition, was brought along side of +the admiral, who blessed GOD for having given him samples of the +commodities of that country, without exposing his men to any danger. He +therefore ordered such things to be taken as he judged most sightly and +valuable; such as quilts, cotton shirts without sleeves, curiously wrought +and dyed of several colours; some small cloths for covering the nudities, +large sheets, in which the women in the canoe wrapped themselves, as the +Moorish women in Granada used to do, long wooden swords, having a channel +on each side where the edge should be, in which many pieces of sharp-edged +flints were fixed by means of thread and a tenacious bituminous matter; +these swords could cut naked men as well as if they had been made of steel; +hatchets for cutting wood made of good copper, and resembling the stone +hatchets usual among the other islanders, also bells and plates of the +same metal, and crucibles for melting it. For provisions, they had such +roots and grains as they eat in Hispaniola, and a sort of liquor made of +maize like English beer. They likewise had abundance of cacao nuts, which +serve as money in New Spain, and on which they seemed to place great value; +for when these were brought on board along with their other goods, I +observed that when any of them fell, they all anxiously stooped to gather +them up as if they had been of great importance. + +These poor creatures seemed to be in a manner out of their wits, on being +brought on board as prisoners among a people so strange and fierce as our +men seemed to them; but so prevalent is avarice in man, that we ought not +to wonder that it should so prevail over the apprehensions of these +Indians, as to make them so anxious about their cacao-nut money, even in +their present situation[8]. The modesty of their demeanour was admirable; +for in getting them from the canoe into the ship, it happened that some of +their clouts were removed, when they would clap their hands before them to +supply the deficiency; and the women wrapped themselves up like the Moors +of Granada, to avoid observation. The admiral restored their canoe, and +gave them some things in exchange for those of which they had been +deprived. And he only detained one old man named Giumbe, who seemed the +chief, and the most intelligent person among them, that from him something +might be learnt concerning the country, and that he might draw others of +the natives to converse and traffic with the Christians. This he did very +readily and faithfully all the while he sailed with us, where his language +was understood; and as a reward for his service, when we came to where a +different language was spoken, which was before we reached Cape Garcias a +Dios, the admiral gave him some things, and sent him home quite satisfied. + +Though the admiral had heard so much from those in the canoe concerning +the great wealth, politeness, and ingenuity of the people westwards, +towards what is now called New Spain; yet, considering that as these +countries lay to leewards, he could sail thither whenever he might think +fit from Cuba, he would not go that way at this time, but persisted in his +design of endeavouring to discover a strait or passage across the +continent, by which he might clear a way into what we now call the South +Sea, in order to arrive at those countries which produce spice. He +therefore determined to sail eastwards towards Veragua and Nombre de Dios, +where he imagined that strait would be found, _as in effect it was_; yet +was he deceived in this matter, as instead of an isthmus, he expected to +discover a narrow gulf or inlet, communicating between the two seas. This +mistake might proceed from the similarity of the two names; for when the +natives said that the strait which he so anxiously desired to find was +towards Veragua and Nombre de Dios, it might be understood either of land +or water, and he understood it in the most usual sense, and that which he +most earnestly desired[9]. And though that strait is actually land, yet it +is the means of acquiring the dominion of both seas, and by which such +enormous riches have been discovered and conveyed to Spain; for it was +GODS will that this vast concern should be so found out, as from this +canoe the admiral received the first information respecting New Spain. + +There being nothing worthy of notice in the islands of Guanaia, he sailed +thence to a point which he called _Casinas_, in order to find out the +strait before mentioned. It received this name on account of its abounding +in the trees which produce a species of fruit known by the name _casinas_ +to the natives of Hispaniola; which fruit is rough like a spongy bone, and +good to eat, especially when boiled. As there was nothing worthy of notice +in that part of the country, the admiral would not lose time in examining +a large bay which is in that place, but held on his course eastwards, +along that coast which reaches to Cape Garcias a Dios, which is all very +low and open. The people nearest to Cape Casinas, or Honduras, wear those +painted shirts or jackets before mentioned, and clouts before their +nudities; and likewise use certain coats of mail made of cotton, strong +enough to defend them against their native weapons, and even to ward off +the stroke of some of ours. + +The people farther to the eastwards about Cape Garcias a Dios are almost +black, of a fierce aspect, go stark naked, are very savage, and according +to Giumbe eat mans flesh and raw fish. They have their ears bored with +holes, large enough to admit a hens egg, owing to which circumstance the +admiral called this coast _De las Orejas_, or the Land of Ears[10]. On +Sunday the 14th of August, Bartholomew Columbus went ashore in the morning, +with the captains and many of the men to hear mass; and on the Wednesday +following, when the boats went ashore to take formal possession of the +country, above 100 of the natives ran down to the shore loaded with +provisions; and as soon as the lieutenant landed, came before him, and +suddenly drew back without speaking a word. He ordered them to be +presented with horse-bells, beads, and other trinkets, and endeavoured to +make inquiry concerning the country by means of Giumbe; but he having been +only a short time with us, did not understand our language, and by reason +of his distance from Hispaniola, could not comprehend those of our people +who had learnt the language of that island; neither did he understand +those Indians. But they, being much pleased with what had been given them, +above 200 of them came next day to the shore, loaded with various sorts of +provisions; such as poultry much better than ours, geese, roasted fish, +red and white beans like kidney beans, and other things like the +productions of Hispaniola. This country, though low, was verdant and very +beautiful, producing abundance of pines and oaks, palm trees of seven +different kinds, mirabolans, of the kind called hobi in Hispaniola, and +almost all the kinds of provisions produced in that island were found here. +There were likewise abundance of deer, leopards, and other quadrupeds, and +all sorts of fish that are found either at the islands or in Spain. + +The people of this country are much like those of the islands, but their +foreheads are not so high, neither did they appear to have any religion. +There are several languages or dialects among them, and for the most part +they go naked, except the clout before mentioned, though some of them wore +a kind of short jerkin without sleeves, reaching to the navel. Their arms +and bodies have figures wrought upon them with fire, which gave them an +odd appearance; some having lions or deer, and others castles, with towers +or other strange figures painted on their bodies. Instead of caps, the +better sort wore red and white cotton cloths on their heads, and some had +locks of hair hanging from their foreheads. When they mean to be very fine +upon a day of festival, they colour their faces, some black and some red, +and others draw streaks of several colours; some paint their noses, others +black their eyes, and thus adorning, themselves as they think to look +beautiful, they look in truth like devils. + +The admiral sailed along the coast de las Orejas, or the Mosquito shore, +eastwards to Cape Garcias a Dios, or Thanks be to GOD, so called on +account of the difficulty of getting there, having laboured seventy days +to get only sixty leagues to the eastwards of Cape Casinas or Honduras. +This was occasioned by opposing currents and contrary winds, so that we +had continually to tack out to sea and stand in again, sometimes gaining, +and sometimes losing ground, according as the wind happened to be scant or +large when we put about. And had not the coast afforded such good +anchoring we had been much longer upon it; but being free from shoals or +rocks, and having always two fathoms of water at half a league from the +shore, and two more at every league farther distant, we had always the +convenience of anchoring every night when there was little wind. When on +the 14th of September we reached the cape, and found the land turned off +to the southwards, so that we could conveniently continue our voyage with +those _levanters_ or east winds that so continually prevailed, we all gave +thanks to GOD for the happy change, for which reason the admiral gave it +the name of Cape Garcias a Dios. A little beyond that cape we passed by +some dangerous sands, that ran out to sea as far as the eye could reach. + +It being requisite to take in wood and water, the boats were sent on the +16th of September to a river that seemed deep and to have a good entrance, +but the coming out proved disastrous, for the wind freshening from the sea, +and the waves running high against the current of the river, so distressed +the boats, that one of them was lost with all the men in it; for which the +admiral named it _Rio de la Disgratia_, or the River of Disaster. In this +river, and about it, there grew canes as thick as a mans leg. Still +running southwards, we came on Sunday the 25th of September to anchor near +a small island called Quiriviri, and near a town on the continent named +Cariari, where were the best people, country, and situation we had yet +seen, as well because it was high and full of rivers, and thickly wooded +with forests of palms, mirabolans, and other trees. For this reason, the +admiral named this island Hucite. It is a small league from the town named +Cariari by the Indians, which is situated near a large river, whither a +great number of people resorted from the adjacent parts; some with bows +and arrows, others armed with staves of palm tree, as black as coal and as +hard as horn, pointed with fish bone, and others with clubs, and they came +in a body as if they meant to defend their country. The men had their hair +braided, and wound round their heads, and the women wore their hair short +like our men. But perceiving that we had no hostile intentions, they were +very desirous to barter their articles for ours; theirs were arms, cotton +jerkins, and large pieces of cotton cloth like sheets, and guaninis which +are made of pale gold, and worn about their necks like our relics. With +these things they swam to our boats, for none of our people went on shore +that day or the next. The admiral would not allow any of their things to +be taken, lest we might be considered as covetous, but ordered some of our +articles to be given to them. The less we appeared to value the exchange, +the more eager were they to bring it about, and made many signs to that +effect from the shore. At last, perceiving that none of our people would +go on shore, they took all the things which had been given them, without +reserving the smallest article, and tying them up in a bundle, left them +on that part of the beach where our people first landed, and where our +people found them on the Wednesday following when they went on shore. + +Believing that the Christians did not confide in them, the Indians sent an +ancient man of an awful presence, bearing a flag upon a staff, and +accompanied by two girls of about eight and fourteen years of ages and +putting these into the boat as if giving hostages, he made signs for our +people to land. Upon their request, our people went ashore to take in +water, the Indians taking great care to avoid doing any thing which might +have alarmed the Christians; and when they saw our men about to return to +the ships, the Indians made signs to take the girls along with them with +their guaninis about their necks, and at the request of the old man, they +complied and carried them on board. In this conduct these people shewed +themselves of a more friendly disposition than any we had yet met with; +and though the girls evinced uncommon undauntedness in trusting themselves +unconcernedly among strangers, they always behaved themselves with great +modesty and sweetness. The admiral treated them well, clothed and fed them, +and sent them again on shore, where they were received by the old man and +about fifty others, with great signs of satisfaction and content. On the +boats going on shore again the same day, they found the same people with +the girls, who insisted upon restoring all that had been given them by the +admiral. + +Next day, the admirals brother went on shore to endeavour to learn +something of these people, when two of the chiefs came to the boat, and +taking him by the arms made him sit down on the grass between them; and as, +when he was about to ask them questions, he ordered his secretary to write +down the information they might give, the sight of the pen, ink, and paper, +threw them into such consternation that most of them ran away[11]. It was +supposed they did this from dread of being bewitched; for to us they +appeared to be sorcerers and superstitious people, as whenever they came +near the Christians, they used to scatter some powder about them in the +air, and to burn some of the same powder, endeavouring to make the smoke +go towards the Christians; besides their refusing to keep any thing that +belonged to us showed a degree of jealousy like the proverb, which says, +"A knave thinks every man like himself[12]." Having remained here longer +than was convenient, considering the haste we were in, and having repaired +the ships, and provided all we wanted, the admiral sent his brother on +shore with some men on the 2d of October, to view the town, and to +endeavour to learn as much as possible of the manners of the people, and +the nature of the country. The most remarkable thing they saw was a great +wooden building covered with canes, in which were several tombs. In one of +these there lay a dead body dried up and embalmed, in another two bodies +wrapped up in cotton sheets and without any ill scent; and over each there +was a board carved with the figures of beasts, and on one of them the +effigies as was supposed of the person deposited underneath, adorned with +guaninis, beads, and others of their most valued ornaments. These being +the most civilized Indians yet met with, the admiral ordered some to be +taken that he might learn the secrets of the country; seven men were +accordingly seized, and of these two of the chiefest were selected, and +the rest sent away with some gifts and courteous treatment, that the +country might not be left in commotion; and these were told as well as we +could express our meaning, that they were only to serve as guides upon +that coast, and then to be set at liberty. But believing that they were +taken out of covetousness, in order that they might ransom themselves with +their valuable goods, great numbers of the natives came down next day to +the shore, and sent four of their number on board to the admiral to treat +for the ransom of their friends, offering such things as they possessed, +and freely giving three hogs of the country, which, though small, are very +ferocious. Observing, therefore, the uncommon policy of this nation, the +admiral was the more anxious to be acquainted with them; and though he +would not listen to their offers of ransoming their friends, he ordered +some _trifles_ to be given to the messengers that they might not go away +dissatisfied, and that they should be paid for their hogs. + +Among other creatures which that country produces, there is a kind of cats +of a greyish colour, as large as a small greyhound, but with a much longer +tail, which is so strong, that whatever they clasp with it is as if bound +fast with a rope. These animals ran about the trees like squirrels, and +when they leap, they not only hold fast with their claws, but with their +tails also, by which they often hang to the boughs, either to rest +themselves or to sport. It happened that one Ballaster brought one of +these cats out of a wood, having knocked him from a tree, and not daring +to meddle with it when down because of its fierceness, he cut off one of +its fore paws and brought it on board in that mutilated condition. Even in +that maimed state, it terrified a good dog we had on board, but put one of +the Indian hogs into much greater fear. The hog used to run at every +person, and would not allow the dog to remain on deck; but the moment it +saw the cat it ran away with signs of the utmost terror. The admiral +therefore gave orders that the hog and the cat should be placed close +together; the cat immediately wound her tail around the snout of the hog, +and with its remaining fore-leg fastened on the pole of the hog, which +grunted the while most fearfully. From this we concluded that these cats +hunt like the wolves or dogs of Spain. + +On Wednesday the 5th of October, the admiral sailed from Cariari, and came +to the bay of Caravaro, which is six leagues long and two broad; in this +bay there are many small islands, and two or three channels to go out and +in by. Within these channels the ships sailed as it had been in streets or +lanes between the islands, the branches of the trees rubbing against the +shrouds. As soon as we anchored in this bay, the boats went to one of the +islands where there were twenty canoes on the shore, and a number of +people all entirely naked; most of them had a plate of gold hanging from +the neck, and some an ornament of gold resembling an eagle. These people +were perfectly peaceable, and shewed no tokens of being afraid of the +Christians. Assisted by the two Indians from Cariari, who acted as +interpreters, our people bought one of the gold plates which weighed ten +ducats for three horse-bells, and the Indians said that there was great +plenty of that metal to be had farther up the country at no great distance. + +Next day, being the 7th of October, our boats went ashore upon the +continent, where they met ten canoes full of people; and as they refused +to barter away their gold ornaments, two of their chiefs were taken +prisoners, one of whom had a gold plate weighing fourteen ducats, and the +other an eagle of gold which weighed twenty-two. Being examined by the +admiral, with the assistance of our interpreters, they said that there was +great plenty of gold up the country, at places which they named, and which +might be reached in a day or two. Vast quantities of fish were taken in +the bay, and there were abundance of these creatures on shore which were +before seen at Cariari; also great abundance of food, as grain, roots, and +fruit. The men were entirely naked, except a narrow cotton cloth before, +and had their faces and body painted all over with various colours, as red, +white, and black. From this bay of Caravaro, we went to another close by +it called Aburena, which in some measure is like the other. + +On the 17th of October we put to sea to continue our voyage; and came to +Guaiga, a river twelve leagues from Aburena. When our boats were going on +shore here by order of the admiral, they saw above 100 Indians on the +strand, who assaulted them furiously, running into the water up to their +middles, brandishing their spears, blowing horns, and beating a drum in a +warlike manner; they likewise threw the water at the Christians, and +chewing certain herbs, they squirted the juice towards them. Our men lay +upon their oars and endeavoured to pacify them, which they at length +accomplished, and they drew near to exchange their gold plates, some for +two, and others for three horse bells, by which means we procured sixteen +gold plates worth 150 ducats. Next day, being Friday the 19th of October, +the boats went again towards the land, intending to barter; but before +going on shore, they called to some Indians who were under certain bowers +or huts, which they had made during the night to defend their country, +fearing the Christians might land to injure them. Though our people called +long and loud, none of the Indians would approach, nor would the +Christians venture to land till they knew what were the intentions of the +Indians; for it afterwards appeared that the Indians waited to fall upon +our people as soon as they might land. But perceiving that they came not +out of the boats, they blew their horns and beat their drum, and ran into +the water as they had done the day before, till they came almost up to the +boats, brandishing their javelins in a hostile manner. Offended at this +proceeding, and that the Indians might not be so bold and despise them, +the Christians at last wounded one of them in the arm with an arrow, and +fired a cannon to intimidate them, on which they all scampered away to the +land. After this four Spaniards landed and called the Indians to come back, +which they now did very quietly, leaving their arms behind them; and they +bartered three gold plates, saying they had no more with them, as they had +not come prepared for trade but for war. + +The only object of the admiral in this voyage being to discover the +country, and to procure samples of its productions, he proceeded without +farther delay to Catiba, and cast anchor in the mouth of a great river. +The people of the country were seen to gather, calling one another +together with horns and drums, and they afterwards sent two men in a canoe +towards the ships; who, after some conversation with the Indians who had +been taken at Cariari, came on board the admiral without any signs of +apprehension, and by the advice of the Cariari Indians gave the admiral +two gold plates which they wore about their necks, for which he gave them +some baubles in return. When these went on shore, there came another with +three men, wearing gold plates at their necks, who parted with them as the +others had done. Amity being thus settled, our men went on shore, where +they found numbers of people along with their king, who differed in +nothing from the rest, except that he was covered with one large leaf of a +tree to defend him from the rain which then fell in torrents. To give his +subjects a good example, he bartered away his gold plate, and bade them +exchange theirs with our men, so that they got nineteen in all of pure +gold. This was the first place in the Indies where our people had seen any +sign of building, as they here found a great mass of wall or masonry that +seemed to be composed of stone and lime, and the admiral ordered a piece +of it to be brought away as a memorial or specimen. From thence we sailed +eastwards to Cobravo, the people of which place dwell near the rivers of +that coast; and because none of the natives came down to the strand, and +the wind blew fresh, he held on his course to five towns of great trade, +among which was Veragua, where the Indians said the gold was gathered and +the plates manufactured. + +The next day he came to a town called Cubiga, where the Indians of Cariari +said that the trading country ended; this began at Carabora and extended +to Cubiga for 50 leagues along the coast. Without making any stay here, +the admiral proceeded on till he put into Porto Bello, to which he gave +that name because it is large, well peopled, and encompassed by a finely +cultivated country. He entered this place on the 2d of November, passing +between two small islands within which ships may lie close to the shore, +and can turn it out if they have occasion. The country about that harbour +and higher up is by no means rough, but cultivated and full of houses a +stone throw or a bow-shot only from each other, and forms the finest +landscape that can be imagined. We continued there seven days on account +of rain and bad weather, and canoes came constantly to the ships from all +the country round to trade with provisions and bottoms of fine spun cotton, +which they gave in exchange for points and pins and other trifles. + +On Wednesday the ninth of November we sailed from Porto Bello eight +leagues to the eastwards, but were driven back four leagues next day by +stress of weather, and put in among some islands near the continent where +the town of Nombre de Dios now stands; and because all these small islands +were full of grain, the admiral called this place _Puerto de Bastimentos_, +or Port of Provisions. While here one of our boats pursued a canoe, and +the Indians imagining our men would do them some harm, and perceiving the +boat within less than a stones throw of them, they leapt into the sea to +swim away, which they all effected; for though the boat rowed hard it +could not overtake any of them, or if it did come up with one he would +dive like a duck and come up again a bow-shot or two distant. This chase +lasted above half a league, and it was very pleasant to see the boat +labour in vain and come back empty handed. + +We continued here till the 23d of November, refitting the ships and +mending our casks, and sailed that day to a place called Guiga, there +being another of the same name between Veragua and Cerago. The boats went +ashore at this place, where they found above 300 persons ready to trade in +provisions and some small gold ornaments which they wore at their ears and +noses. On Saturday the 24th of November we put into a small port which was +called _Retrete_, or the Retired Place, because it could not contain above +five or six ships together; the mouth of it was not above 15 or 20 paces +over, and on both sides rocks appeared above water as sharp as diamonds. +The channel between was so deep that no bottom could be found, though if +the ships inclined only a little way to either side the men could leap on +shore. This sharpness of the rocks saved the ships in this narrow passage, +and the danger we were now in was owing to the covetousness of the people +who went in the boats to view it, as they were desirous of trafficking +with the Indians, and believed that the ships might be in safety close to +the shore. In this place we were detained nine days by bad weather. At +first the Indians came very familiarly to trade in such articles as they +had to dispose of; but our seamen used to steal privately on shore and +commit a thousand insolencies like covetous dissolute fellows, insomuch +that they provoked the Indians to break the peace, and several skirmishes +happened between them and our people. The Indians at length took courage +to advance to our ships which lay with their sides close to the shore, +intending to do us some harm; but their designs turned out to their own +detriment, although the admiral always endeavoured to gain them by +patience and civility. But perceiving their insolence to increase, he +caused some cannon to be discharged, thinking to frighten them; this they +answered with loud shouts, thrashing the trees with their clubs and staves, +and showed by threatening signs that they did not fear the noise. +Therefore to abate their pride and to surprise them with respect for the +Christians, the admiral ordered a shot to be fired at a company of them +that stood upon a hillock near the shore; and the ball falling among them +made them sensible that our thunder carried a bolt along with it, and in +future they dared not to show themselves even behind the hills. + +The people of this country were the handsomest we had yet seen among the +Indians, being tall and thin, without large bellies, and with agreeable +countenances. The country was all plain, bearing little grass and few +trees. In the harbour there were crocodiles or alligators of a vast size, +which go on shore to sleep, and they scatter a scent as if all the musk in +the world were together: They are fierce and ravenous, so that if they +find a man asleep they drag him to the water and devour him, but they are +fearful and cowardly when attacked. These alligators are found in many +other parts of the continent, and some affirm that they are the same with +the crocodiles of the Nile. + +Finding that the violent winds from the E. and N.E. did not cease, and +that no trade could be had with those people, the admiral resolved to go +back that he might make farther inquiry into the reports of the Indians +concerning the mines of Veragua, and therefore returned on Monday the 5th +of November to Porto Bello ten leagues westwards. Continuing his course +next day, he was encountered by a west wind which was quite contrary to +his new design, though favourable for that which he had been attempting +for three months past, but expecting that this wind would not last long +because the weather was unsettled, he bore up against the wind for some +days; but when the weather would seem a little favourable for going to +Veragua, another wind would start up and drive us back again to Porto +Bello, and when almost in hopes of getting into port we were quite beat +off again. Sometimes there were such incessant flashes of thunder and +lightning that the men durst hardly open their eyes, the ships seemed just +sinking, and the sky appeared as if it would come down upon us. At times +the thunder was so continued, that it was conceived some ship was firing +its guns for assistance. At other times there would fall such incessant +and heavy torrents of rain for two or three days together as if an +universal deluge were going to overwhelm the world. This almost unceasing +war of the elements perplexed the men and reduced them almost to despair, +so that they were continually wet and could not get half an hours rest at +a time, always beating up to windward. In such terrible tempests they +dreaded the _fire_ in flashes of lightning, the _air_ for its fury, _the +water_ for its mountainous waves, and the _earth_ for hidden rocks and +sands; where they expected safety in a near haven, often encountering +danger, and therefore preferring to contend against all the other elements +to avoid the land. In the midst of all these terrors there occurred +another no less wonderful and dangerous, which was a water-spout rising +from the sea on Thursday the 13th of December; which, if they had not +dissolved by reciting the gospel of St John, had certainly sunk whatever +it had fallen upon. This phenomenon draws the water up to the clouds like +a pillar and thicker than a butt, twisting it about like a whirlwind. + +That same night we lost sight of the ship called the Biscaina, but had the +good fortune to see it again after three or four dreadful dark days. It +had lost its boat and had been in great danger, being so near the land as +to be forced to come to anchor, which it likewise lost by being obliged to +cut the cable. It now appeared that the currents on this coast follow the +prevailing wind, running westwards with the east wind, and eastwards with +the west. The ships being now almost shattered to pieces by the tempest, +and the men quite spent with incessant labour, a calm for a day or two +gave them some relief, and brought such multitudes of sharks about the +ships as were dreadful to behold, especially to such as were superstitious. +Ravens are reported to smell out dead bodies from a great distance, and +some think that sharks have the same perceptive faculty. They have two +rows of sharp teeth in the nature of a saw, with which if they lay hold of +a mans leg or arm they cut it off as with a razor. Multitudes of these +sharks were caught by a hook and chain, but being able to destroy no more, +they continued in vast numbers swimming about. They are so greedy that +they not only bite at carrion, but may be taken by means of a red rag upon +the hook. I have seen a tortoise taken out of the stomach of one of these +sharks that lived for some time afterwards aboard the ship; and out of +another was taken the head of one of its own kind, which we had cut off +and thrown into the water as not fit to be eaten, and the shark had +swallowed it, which to us seemed strange and unnatural that one creature +should swallow the head of another as large as its own; this however is +owing to the vast size of their mouth which reaches almost to the belly, +and the head is shaped like an olive. Though some of the people considered +these creatures as foreboding misfortune, and others thought them bad fish, +yet we were all thankful for them on account of the want we were now in: +We had been eight months at sea, so that all the flesh and fish we had +brought from Spain was consumed, and owing to the heat and moisture of the +atmosphere, the biscuit was become so full of maggots that many of the +people waited till night before they could eat the pottage made of it, +that they might not see the maggots; but others were so used to eat them +that they were not curious to throw them away, lest they might lose their +supper. + +Upon Saturday the 17th of December we put into a large bay or port three +leagues to the eastwards of _Pennon_ called _Huiva_ by the Indians, where +we remained three days. We there saw the Indians dwelling upon the tops +of trees, like birds, laying sticks across the boughs upon which they +build a kind of huts. We conceived this might have been for fear of the +_griffins_ which are in that country, or to be out of reach of their +enemies; for all along that coast the little tribes at every league +distant are great enemies to each other and perpetually at war. We sailed +from this port on the 20th with fair weather but not settled, for as soon +as we were got put to sea the tempest rose again and drove us into another +port, whence we departed the third day, the weather being somewhat mended, +but like an enemy that lies in wait for a man, it rushed out again and +drove us to Pennon, but when we hoped to get in there the wind came quite +contrary and drove us again towards Veragua. Being at an anchor in the +river the weather became again very stormy, so that we had reason to be +thankful for having got into that port, where we had been before on the +12th of the same month. We continued here from the 26th of December to the +3d of January 1508; when, having repaired the ship Gallega and taken on +board a good store of Indian wheat, water, and wood, we turned back to +Veragua with bad weather and contrary winds, which changed crossly just as +the admiral altered his course. This continual changing of the wind gave +us so much trouble between Veragua and Porto Bello that the admiral named +this _Costo de Contrasses_, or the Coast of Thwartings. + +Upon Thursday, being the feast of the Epiphany, 6th January, we cast +anchor near a river called _Yebra_ by the Indians, but which the admiral +named Belem or Bethlem, because we came to it on the festival of the three +kings. He caused the mouth of that river and of another to the westwards +to be sounded; in the latter, called _Veragua_ by the Indians, the water +was shoal, but in the river Belem there were four fathoms at high water. +The boats went up this river to the town where we had been informed the +gold mines of Veragua were situated. At first the Indians were so far from +conversing that they assembled with their weapons to hinder the Christians +from landing; and the next day on going up the river of Veragua, the +Indians did the same, not only on shore, but stood upon their guard with +their canoes in the water. But an Indian of that coast who understood them +a little went on shore and persuaded them that we were good people, and +desired nothing from them but what we would pay for; by this they were +pacified and trucked twenty plates of gold, likewise some hollow pieces +like the joints of reeds, and some unmelted grains. On purpose to enhance +the value of their gold they said it was gathered a great way off among +uncouth mountains, and that when they gathered it they did not eat, nor +did they carry their women along with them, a story similar to which was +told by the people of Hispaniola when it was first discovered. + +On Monday the 9th of January the admirals ship and that called Biscaina +went up the river, and the Indians came presently on board to barter away +such things as they had, especially fish, which at certain times of the +year come up these rivers from the sea in such quantities as would seem +incredible to those who had not seen it. They likewise exchanged some gold +for pins, and what they most valued they gave for beads, or hawks-bells. +Next day the other two ships came in, having to wait for the flood, which +does not rise above half a fathom in these parts. As Veragua was famed for +mines and extraordinary wealth, the admirals brother went up the river the +third day after our arrival to the town of _Quibio_, the king or cacique +of this province; who, hearing of the lieutenants coming, came down the +river in his canoes to meet him. Quibio behaved in a very friendly manner, +and interchanged several articles with the lieutenant, and after a long +discourse they parted in peace. Next day Quibio came on board to visit the +admiral, and having discoursed together about an hour, his men trucked +some gold for bells, and he returned to his own place. + +While we lay here as we thought in perfect ease and security, the river of +Belem suddenly swelled on the 24th of January so high, that before we +could get a cable on shore the fury of the water came so impetuously on +the admirals ship that it broke one of her anchors, and drove her with +such force against the Galega as to bring the foremast by the board, and +both ships were carried away foul of each other in the utmost danger of +perishing. Some judged that this sudden and mighty flood had been +occasioned by the heavy rains, which still continued incessantly; but in +that case the river would have swelled gradually and not all of a sudden, +which made us suppose that some extraordinary rain had fallen in the +mountains about 20 leagues up the country, which the admiral called the +mountains of St Christopher. The highest of that range was above the +region of the air in which meteors are bred, as no cloud was ever seen to +rise above, but all floated below its summit; this mountain of St +Christopher looks like a hermitage[13], and lies in the midst of a range +of woody mountains whence we believed that flood came which was so +dangerous to our ships; for had they been carried out to sea they must +have been shattered to pieces, as the wind was then extremely boisterous. +This tempest lasted so long that we had time to refit and caulk the ships; +and the waves broke so furiously on the mouth of the river, that the boats +could not go out to discover along the coast, to learn where the mines lay, +and to seek out for a proper place in which to build a town; for the +admiral had resolved to leave his brother in this place with most of the +men, that they might settle and subdue the country, while he should return +into Spain to send out supplies of men and provisions. With this prospect, +he sent his brother on Monday the 6th of February with 68 men by sea to +the mouth of the Veragua river, a league to the westward of the Belem +river, who went a league and a half up the river to the caciques town, +where he staid a day inquiring the way to the mines. On Wednesday they +travelled four leagues and half, and rested for the night on the side of a +river which they had crossed 44 times in the course of that days march; +next day they travelled a league and a half towards the mines, being +directed in their journey by some Indian guides who were furnished by +Quibio. In about two hours time they came thither, and every man gathered +some gold from about the roots of the trees, which were there very thick +and of prodigious height. This sample was much valued, because none of +those who went upon this expedition had any tools for digging, or had ever +been accustomed to gather gold; and as the design of this expedition was +merely to get information of the situation of the mines, they returned +very much satisfied that same day to Veragua, and the next day to the +ships. It was afterwards learnt that these were not the mines of Veragua +which lay much nearer, but belonged to the town of _Urira_ the people of +which being enemies to those of Veragua, Quibio had ordered the Christians +to be conducted thither to do a displeasure to his foes, and that his own +mines might remain untouched. + +On Thursday the 14th of February, the lieutenant went into the country +with 40 men, a boat following with 14 more. The next day they came to the +river _Urira_ seven leagues west from Belem. The cacique came a league out +of this town to meet him with 20 men, and presented him with such things +as they feed on, and some gold plates were exchanged here. This cacique +and his chief men never ceased putting a dry herb into their mouths, which +they chewed and sometimes they took a sort of powder which they carried +along with that herb, which singular custom astonished our people very +much[14]. Having rested here a while, the Christians and Indians went to +the town, where they were met by great numbers of people, had a large +house appointed for their habitation, and were supplied with plenty of +provisions. Soon after came the cacique of _Dururi_, a neighbouring town, +with a great many Indians, who brought some gold plates to exchange. All +these Indians said that there were caciques farther up the country who had +abundance of gold, and great numbers of men armed as ours were. Next day +the lieutenant ordered part of his men to return to the ships, and with 30 +whom he retained, beheld on his journey to _Zobraba_, where the fields for +six leagues were all full of maize like corn fields. Thence he went to +_Cateba_ another town, and was well entertained at both places with +abundance of provisions, and some gold plates were bartered. These are +like, the pattern of a chalice, some bigger and some less, and weighed +about twelve ducats more or less, and the Indians wear them hanging from +their necks by a string as we do relics. Being now very far from the ships, +without having found any port along the coast, or any river larger than +that of Belem on which to settle his colony, the lieutenant came back on +the 24th of February, bringing with him a considerable value in gold which +he had acquired by barter during his journey. + +Immediately on his return preparations were made for his stay, and eighty +men were appointed to remain with him. These were divided into gangs of +ten men each, and began to build houses on the bank of the Belem river on +the right hand going up, about a cannon-shot from its mouth, and the +infant colony was protected by surrounding it with a trench. The mouth of +this river is marked by a small hill. The houses were all built of timber +and covered with palm leaves, which grew abundantly along the banks of the +river; and besides the ordinary houses for the colony, a large house was +built to serve as a magazine and store-house, into which several pieces of +cannon, powder, provisions, and other necessaries for the use and support +of the planters were put. But the wine, biscuit, oil, vinegar, cheese, and +a considerable supply of grain were left in the ship Gallega as the safest +place; which was to be left with the lieutenant for the service of the +colony, with all its cordage, nets, hooks and other tackle; for, as has +been already said, there is vast abundance of fish in every river of that +coast, several sorts at certain seasons running along the coast in shoals, +on which the people of the country live more than upon flesh, for though +there are some beasts of different sorts, there are by no means enough to +maintain the inhabitants. + +The customs of these Indians are for the most part much the same as those +of Hispaniola and the neighbouring islands; but those people of Veragua +and the country about it, when they talk to one another are constantly +turning their backs and always chewing an herb, which we believed to be +the reson that their teeth were rotten and decayed. Their food is mostly +fish, which they take with nets, and with hooks made of tortoiseshell, +which they cut with a thread as if they were sawing, in the same manner as +is done in the islands. They have another way of catching some very small +fishes, which are called _Titi_ in Hispaniola. At certain times these are +driven towards the shore by the rains, and are so persecuted by the larger +fish that they are forced up to the surface in shoal water, where the +Indians take as many of them as they have a mind by means of little matts +or small meshed nets. They wrap these up singly in certain leaves, and +having dried them in an oven they will keep a great while. They also catch +pilchards in the same manner; for at certain times these fly with such +violence from the pursuit of the large fish, that they will leap out of +the water two or three paces on the dry land, so that they have nothing to +do but take them as they do the _Titi_. These pilchards are taken after +another manner: They raise a partition of palm-tree leaves two yards high +in the middle of a canoe, fore and aft as the seamen call it, or from stem +to stern; then plying about the river they make a great noise, beating the +shores with their paddles, and then the pilchards, to fly from the other +fish, leap into the canoe, where hitting against the partition they fall +in, and by this means they often take vast numbers[15]. Several sorts of +fish pass along the coast in vast shoals, whereof immense quantities are +taken; and these will keep a long time after being roasted or dried in the +way already mentioned. + +These Indians have also abundance of maize, a species of grain which grows +in an ear or hard head like millet, and from which they make a white and +red wine, as beer is made in England, mixing it with their spice as it +suits their palate, having a pleasant taste like sharp brisk wine. They +also make another sort of wine from certain trees like palms which have +prickly trunks like thorns: This wine is made from the pith of these palms, +which resemble squeezed palmitoes, and from which they extract the juice +and boil it up with water and spice. They make another wine from a fruit +which grows likewise in Guadaloup, resembling a large pine-apple. This is +planted in large fields, and the plant is a sprout growing from the top of +the fruit, like that which grows from a cabbage or lettuce. One plant +lasts in bearing for three or four years. They likewise make wines from +other sorts of fruit; particularly from one that grows upon very high +trees, which is as big as a large lemon, and has several stones like nuts, +from two to nine in each, not round but long like chesnuts. The rind of +this fruit is like a pomegranate, and when first taken from the tree it +resembles it exactly, save only that it wants the prickly circle at the +top. The taste of it is like a peach; and of them some are better than +others, as is usual in other fruits. There are some of these in the +islands, where they are named _Mamei_ by the Indians. + +All things being settled for the Christian colony and ten or twelve houses +built and thatched, the admiral wished to have sailed for Spain; but he +was now threatened by even a greater danger from want of water in the +river, than that he had formerly experienced by the inundation. For the +great rains in January being now over, the mouth of the river was so +choked up with sand, that though there were ten feet of water on the bar +when we came in, which was scant enough, there were now only two feet when +we wished to have gone out. We were thus shut up without prospect of +relief, as it was impossible to get over the sand; and even if we had +possessed any engine calculated for this purpose, the sea was so +boisterous that the smallest of the waves which broke upon the shore was +enough to have beat the ships in pieces, more especially as ours were now +all eaten through and through by the worms like a honeycomb. We had +nothing left therefore, but to pray to God for rain, as we had before +prayed for fair weather; as we knew that rain would swell the river and +clear away the sand. + +In the meantime it was discovered by means of our interpreter, an Indian +whom we had taken not far off above three months before, and who willingly +went along with us, that Quibio the cacique of Veragua, intended to set +fire to the houses and destroy the Christians, as all the Indians were +averse to the settlement of our people in their country. It was therefore +thought proper, as a punishment to this cacique and a terror and example +to the other Indians, to take him and all his chief men prisoners into +Spain, that his town and tribe might remain subjected to the Christians. +Accordingly, the lieutenant went with a party of seventy-six men towards +Veragua, on the 30th of March, to execute this project. This town or +village is not built close together, but all the houses are built at +considerable distances as in Biscay. When Quibio understood that the +lieutenant was come near, he sent word for him not to come up to his house; +but the lieutenant, that he might not seem any way afraid of these people, +went up notwithstanding this message, accompanied only by five men; +ordering all the rest to halt at the foot of the hill on which the +caciques house was situated, and desiring them to come after him, two and +two together, at some distance from each other; and that when they should +hear a musket fired, they should all run up, and beset the house that none +of them might escape. + +When the lieutenant came to the house, Quibio sent another message to +desire that he might not come in, for though wounded by an arrow, he would +come out to receive him, and he acted in this manner to prevent his women +from being seen, these Indians being exceedingly jealous on that score. He +came out accordingly and sat down at the door, requesting that the +lieutenant alone might approach; who did so, ordering the rest to fall on +whenever they saw him seize hold of the cacique by the arm. He asked +Quibio some questions concerning his wound, and the affairs of the country, +by means of the before-mentioned interpreter, who was exceedingly fearful, +as he knew the intentions of the cacique to destroy the Christians, which +he thought might easily be done by the great numbers of people in that +province, as he had as yet no experience of the strength of our people or +the power of their weapons. Pretending to look where the cacique had been +wounded; the lieutenant took hold of his arm, and kept so firm a grasp, +though Quibio was a strong man, that he held him fast till the other five +Christians came up to his assistance, one of whom fired off his musket, +upon which all the rest ran out from their ambush and surrounded the house, +in which there were thirty people old and young; most of whom were taken, +and none wounded, for on seeing their king a prisoner they made no +resistance. Among the prisoners there were some wives and children of the +cacique, and some inferior chiefs, who said they had a great treasure +concealed in the adjoining wood, and offered to give the whole of it for +the ransom of their cacique and themselves. But the lieutenant would not +listen to their proposals, and ordered Quibio, with his wives and children, +and the principal people who had been made prisoners, to be immediately +carried on board, before the country took the alarm, and remained with +most of his men to go after the kindred and subjects of the captured +cacique, many of whom had fled. John Sanchez of Cadiz, one of our pilots, +and a man of good reputation, was appointed to take charge of the +prisoners, and more especially of Quibio, who was bound hand and foot, and +on being charged to take particular care that he might not escape, he said +he would give them leave to pull his beard off if he got away. Sanchez and +his prisoners embarked with an escort in the boats to go down the river of +Veragua to the ships; and when within half a league of its mouth, Quibio +complained that his hands were bound too tight, on which Sanchez +compassionately loosened him from the seat of the boat to which he was +tied, and held the rope in his hand. A little after this, observing that +he was not very narrowly watched, Quibio sprung into the water, and +Sanchez let go the rope that he might not be dragged in after him. Night +was coming on, and the people in the boat were in such confusion that they +could not see or hear where he got on shore, for they heard no more of him +than if a stone had fallen into the water and disappeared. That the rest +of the prisoners might not likewise escape, they held on their way to the +ships much ashamed of their carelessness. + +Next day, perceiving that the country was very mountainous and woody, and +that there were no regular towns, the houses being scattered about at +irregular distances, and consequently that it would be very difficult to +pursue the Indians from place to place, the lieutenant returned to the +ships. He presented to the admiral the plunder of Quibios house, worth +about 300 ducats in gold plates, little eagles, small quills which they +string and wear about their arms and legs, and gold twists which they wear +about their heads in the nature of a coronet. After deducting the fifth +part for their Catholic majesties, he divided all the rest among the +people who had been employed in the expedition, giving one of those crowns +or coronets to the lieutenant in token of victory. + +All things being provided for the maintenance of the colony, and the rules +and regulations by which it was to be governed being settled, it pleased +GOD to send so much rain that the river swelled and opened the mouth +sufficiently to float the ships over the bar. Wherefore the admiral +resolved to depart for Hispaniola without delay, that he might forward +supplies for this place. Taking advantage of a calm that the sea might not +beat upon the month of the river, we went out with three of the ships, the +boats towing a-head. Yet though they were lightened as much as possible, +every one of the keels rubbed on the sand which was fortunately loose and +moving; and we then took in with all expedition every thing that was +unloaded for making the ships draw less water. While we lay upon the open +coast, about a league from the mouth of the river, it pleased GOD +miraculously to induce the admiral to send his boat on shore for water, +which proved the cause of preventing the loss of our people who had been +left at Belem. For when Quibio saw that the ships had withdrawn, and could +therefore give no aid to the people who were left, he assaulted the +Christian colony at the very time when our boat went ashore. The approach +of the Indians was not perceived, on account of the thickness of the wood, +and when they came within ten paces of the houses they set up a great +shout, and fell upon our people suddenly and violently, throwing their +javelins at all whom they espied, and even at the houses, which being only +covered with palm-tree leaves, were easily stuck through, and several of +our men were wounded within them. In the first surprize, four or five of +our people were wounded before they could put themselves into a posture of +defence; but the lieutenant being a man of great resolution; went out +against the Indians with a spear, with seven or eight followers, and +attacked the Indians so violently, that he soon made them retire to the +adjoining wood. Thence they returned skirmishing with our people, +advancing to throw their javelins and then retiring, as the Spaniards do +in the sport called _juego de cannas_; but after having experienced the +sharp edges of our swords, and being furiously assailed by a dog belonging +to the Christians, they at length fled, having killed one Christian, and +wounded seven, among whom was the lieutenant, who was wounded in the +breast. + +From the foregoing danger two Christians took care to preserve themselves; +which I shall relate, to show the comicalness of the one who was an +Italian of Lombardy, and the gravity of the other who was a Spaniard. When +the Lombard was running away to hide himself, James Mendez called him to +turn back; let me alone you devil, said Sebastian, for I am going to +secure my person. The Spaniard was Captain James Tristan, whom the admiral +had sent in the boat, who never went out of it with his men though the +affray was close beside the river; and being blamed for not assisting the +Christians, he excused himself by saying that those on shore might run to +the boat for shelter, and so all might perish, for if the boat were lost +the admiral would be in danger at sea, and he would therefore do no more +than he had been commanded, which was to take in water, and to see if +those on shore needed any assistance. He resolved therefore to take in +water immediately, that he might carry an account to the admiral of what +had happened, and went up the river with that view, to where the salt +water did not mix with the fresh, though some advised him not to go for +fear of being attacked by the Indians in their canoes; but he answered +that he feared no danger since he was sent for that purpose by the admiral. +He accordingly went up the river which is very deep within the land, and +so closely beset on both sides with thick trees, that there is scarcely +any possibility to go on shore, except at some fishermens paths where they +hide their canoes. When the Indians perceived that he had got about a +league above the colony, they rushed from the thickets on both sides of +the river in their canoes, and assaulted him boldly on all sides, making +hideous shouts and blowing their horns. They had great odds against our +people, being in great numbers, and their canoes very swift and manageable, +especially the small ones belonging to the fishermen, which hold three or +four men in each, one of whom paddles and can easily turn it about as he +pleases, while the others threw their javelins at our boat. I call them +javelins because of their bigness, though they have no iron heads, but are +only pointed with fish bones. In our boat there were seven or eight men to +row, and three or four more with the captain to fight; and as the rowers +could not defend themselves from the javelins, they were forced to quit +the oars to handle their targets. But the Indians poured upon them in such +multitudes from all sides, advancing and retiring in good order as they +thought fit, that they wounded most of the Christians, especially Captain +Tristan who was hurt in many places; and though he stood unmoved, +encouraging his men, his bravery availed him nothing, for he was beset on +all sides and could not stir or make use of his musket, and at length he +was pierced by a javelin in the eye and fell down dead. All the rest +shared his fate except one man named John da Noia a native of Cadiz; he by +good fortune fell into the water in the height of the combat, and gaining +the shore by diving made his way through the thickest of the woods to the +colony, where he brought the melancholy news of the destruction of all his +companions. + +This intelligence, joined to what had befallen themselves, so terrified +our people, who were likewise afraid that the admiral, being at sea +without a boat, might never reach a place from whence he could send them +assistance, that they determined to abandon the colony, and would +certainly have done so without orders, had not the mouth of the river been +rendered impassable by bad weather and a heavy surf in which no boat could +live, so that they could not even convey advice to the admiral of what had +occurred. The admiral was in no little danger and perplexity, riding in an +open road with no boat, and his complement much diminished. Those on +shore were in great confusion and dismay, seeing those who had been +killed in the boat, floating down the river, followed by the country crows, +and this they looked upon as an evil omen, dreading that the same fate +awaited themselves; and the more so as they perceived the Indians puffed +up by their late success, and gave them not a minutes respite by reason of +the ill chosen situation of the colony. There is no doubt that they would +all have been destroyed if they had not removed to an open strand to the +eastwards, where they constructed a defence of casks and other things, +planting their cannon in convenient situations to defend themselves, the +Indians not daring to come out of the wood because of the mischief that +the bullets did among them. + +While things were in this situation, the admiral waited in the utmost +trouble and anxiety, suspecting what might have happened in consequence of +his boat not returning, and he could not send another to inquire till the +sea at the mouth of the river should become calmer. To add to our +perplexity the kindred and children of Quibio, who were prisoners on board +the Bermuda, found means to escape. They were kept under hatches all night, +and the hatchway being so high that they could not reach it, the watch +forgot one night to fasten it down in the usual manner by a chain, the +more especially as some seamen slept on the top of the grating. That night +the prisoners gathered the stone ballast in the hold into a heap under the +grating, and standing on the stones forced open the grating, tumbling our +people off, and several of the principal Indians leaped out and cast +themselves into the sea. Our seamen took the alarm and fastened the chain, +so that many of the Indians could not get out; but those who remained, in +despair for not being able to get off with their companions, hanged +themselves with such ropes as they could find, and they were all found +dead next morning, with their feet and knees dragging on the bottom of the +hold, the place not being high enough. Though this loss was not material +to the ships, yet it was feared it might be hurtful to our people on shore, +as Quibio would willingly have made peace to get his children restored, +and there being now no hostage left it was reasonable to suspect he would +now make war with the greater fury. + +Being thus afflicted with many troubles, having nothing to trust to but +our anchors and cables, and in great perplexity to get intelligence from +the shore, it was proposed that, since the Indians to recover their +liberty had ventured to leap into the sea a league from shore, some of our +people to save themselves and so many more, might venture to swim on shore, +if carried by the boat which remained as far as where the waves did not +break. Only one boat now remained belonging to the Bermuda, that of the +Biscaina having been lost in the affray, so that we had only one boat +among three ships. Hearing of this bold proposal among the seamen, the +admiral agreed that it should be attempted, and the boat carried them +within a musket-shot of the land, not being able to go any nearer on +account of the heavy waves that broke on it. Here Peter de Ledesma, a +pilot of Seville, threw himself into the water and got on shore. He there +learnt the condition of our people, who had unanimously determined not to +remain in that forlorn condition, and therefore entreated the admiral not +to sail till he had taken them off, as to leave them there was sacrificing +them; more especially as dissensions had already arisen among them, and +they no longer obeyed the lieutenant or the other officers, all their care +being to get on board with the first fair wind; and as this could not be +done conveniently with the only boat which they had, they proposed to +endeavour to seize upon some canoes to assist in their embarkation. Should +the admiral refuse to receive them, they were resolved to attempt saving +their lives in the ship which had been left with them in the river, and +rather trust to fortune than remain at the mercy of the Indians, by whom +they were sure to be massacred. With this answer Ledesema returned by +swimming through the surf to the boat, and thence went to the admiral, to +whom he gave a full report of the state of affairs on shore. + +Being fully informed of the disaster which had befallen the colony, and +the confusion and despair which reigned onshore, the admiral determined to +remain and take off the people, though not without great risk and danger, +as his ships lay in an open road without hopes of escape if the weather +had become boisterous. But it pleased GOD, that in the eight days we +continued here, the weather moderated so much that all the people on shore +got off in safety. This they effected by means of their boat, assisted by +several large canoes bound fast two and two together that they might not +overset; and they used such diligence after the surf disappeared, that in +two days they brought every thing away, leaving nothing but the hull of +the ship, which was become quite unserviceable in consequence of the +ravages of the worms. Rejoiced that we were all again together, we sailed +up that coast to the eastwards; for though all the pilots were of opinion +that we might make St Domingo by standing away to the north, yet the +admiral and his brother only knew that it was quite requisite to run a +considerable way along this coast to the eastwards before they should +attempt to strike across the gulf which intervenes between the continent +and Hispaniola. This was very displeasing to our people, who conceived +that the admiral meant to sail direct for Spain, for which his ships were +utterly unfit, neither had he a stock of provisions for so long a voyage. +He knew best what was fit to be done, and therefore continued the eastern +course till we came to Porto Bello, where we were forced to leave the +Biscaina, as she had become so leaky and worm-eaten that she could be no +longer kept above water. Continuing this course, we passed the port +formerly called the _Retrete_, and a country near which there were many +small islands, which the admiral called _Las Barbas_, but which the +Indians and pilots named the territory of the cacique _Pocorosa_. + +From thence we held on ten leagues farther to the east to the last land +which we saw on the continent, called _Marmora_[16]; and on Monday the 1st +of May 1503, we stood to the northwards, having the wind and current from +the east, which made us lay our course as near the wind as possible. +Though all the pilots said we should be to the east of the Caribbee +islands, yet the admiral feared we should not be able to make Hispaniola, +as it afterwards proved. Upon Wednesday the 10th of May we were in sight +of two very small low islands called Tortugas or the Tortoises, on account +of the prodigious multitudes of these animals which so swarmed about these +islands, and in the sea about them that they resembled rocks. On the +Friday following, we came in sight about evening of that great cluster of +islands on the coast of Cuba, called Jardin de la Reinas or the Queens +Garden, about thirty leagues from the Tortugas. We came here to anchor +about ten leagues from the coast of Cuba, full of trouble and perplexity; +our men had now nothing to eat but biscuit, with some little oil and +vinegar, and our ships were so worm-eaten and leaky, as to keep the people +labouring at the pumps day and night. In this forlorn state a great storm +arose, and the Bermuda dragging her anchors ran foul of us, and broke in +our stem and her own stern. It pleased GOD that we got the ships loosened +again, though with much difficulty, owing to the rough sea and high wind. +Although we let go all our anchors none would hold but the sheet anchor, +and when day returned we discovered that its cable held only by one strand, +so that if the night had continued an hour longer it must have given way, +and the sea being all full of rocks, we could not fail to have been dashed +in pieces upon some of those astern. But it pleased GOD to deliver us here +as he had done before from many dangers. + +Sailing from hence with great toil, we came to an Indian town on the coast +of Cuba named _Mataia_, where we procured some refreshments; and as the +winds and currents set so strong towards the west that we could not +possibly stand for Hispaniola, we now sailed for Jamaica as our only hope +of preserving our lives. The ships were now so worm-eaten and leaky that +we never ceased working day and night at all the three pumps in both ships; +and when any of the pumps gave way, we were forced to supply the +deficiency while it was mending by bailing out the water in buckets and +kettles. Notwithstanding all this labour, on the night before midsummer +eve, the water gained on as and came up almost to our deck. With infinite +labour we held on till day, when we put into a harbour on the north shore +of Jamaica called _Puerto Bueno_, or the Good Harbour; which, though good +to take shelter in against a storm, had no fresh water or any Indian town +in its neighbourhood. Having made the best shift we could, we removed on +the day after the festival of St John, 26th of June, from that harbour to +one farther eastwards called _Santa Gloria_, or Holy Glory, which is +inclosed by rocks. Being got in here, and no longer able to keep the ships +above water, we ran them on shore as far in as we could, stranding them +close together board and board and shoreing them up on both sides to +prevent them from falling over. In this situation they could not budge, +and as the water came up almost to the decks, sheds were erected on the +decks and the poops and forecastles for the men to sleep in, that we might +secure ourselves against any surprise from the Indians, that island being +not then subdued or inhabited by the Christians. + +Having thus fortified ourselves in the ships about a bow-shot from the +land, the Indians, who were a peaceable good-natured people, came in their +canoes to sell provisions and such things as they had for our commodities. +To prevent any disorder among the Christians, that they might not take +more in exchange than was fit, and that the natives might be fairly dealt +with, the admiral appointed two persons to have the charge of buying what +might be brought by the Indians; these men were likewise directed to +divide what was purchased daily among the men, as there was now nothing +left on board for subsistence. Some of our provisions had been spoiled or +lost in the haste and confusion of leaving Belem, and almost all the rest +was spent during the voyage to Jamaica. It was the good providence of God +which directed us to this island, which abounds in provisions, and is +inhabited by a people who are willing enough to trade, and who resorted +from all quarters to barter such commodities as they possessed. For this +reason, and that the Christians might not disperse about the island, the +admiral chose to fortify himself upon the sea, and not to settle a +dwelling on shore; for being naturally mutinous and disobedient, no +punishment would have kept the people from running about the country and +going into the houses of the Indians to take away any thing they pleased, +which would have angered their wives and children, and have given occasion +to quarrels; the taking away their provisions by force would have made +them our enemies, and would have reduced us to great want and distress. +These disorders could not happen now, as the men were all kept on board, +and there was no going on shore without leave. By these precautions the +Indians were kept in good humour, and our market was well supplied. They +sold us two _Huties_, which are little creatures like rabbits, for a piece +of tin, cakes of their bread called _Zabi_ for two or three red or yellow +glass beads, and when they brought a quantity of any thing they were +gratified with a hawks-bell. Sometimes we gave a cacique or great man a +red cap, a small mirror, or a pair of scissars. This good order kept the +men plentifully supplied with provisions, and the Indians were well +pleased with our company. + +As it was necessary to devise some means of returning into Spain, the +admiral frequently consulted with the captains and other officers how we +might best get out from our present situation of confinement, and at least +secure our return to Hispaniola. To stay here in hopes that some vessel +might arrive was altogether out of the question, and to think of building +a vessel was impossible, as we had neither tools nor workmen fit to do any +thing to the purpose; and we should spend a long time, and not be able +after all to construct a vessel calculated to sail against the winds and +currents that prevail among these islands. After many consultations, the +admiral at length resolved to send over to Hispaniola, to give an account +there of his having been cast away on the island of Jamaica, and to desire +that a ship might be sent to his relief with provisions and ammunition. To +effect this purpose, he made choice of two men in whom he could confide to +perform it with fidelity and courage, as it seemed next to an +impossibility to go over from one island to the other in canoes, and yet +there was no other resource. These canoes or boats are hollowed out of one +single trunk, and are so shallow that the gunwale is not a span above +water when they are loaded. Besides they must be tolerably large to +perform that long passage, the small ones being more dangerous, and the +largest too heavy and cumbrous for so long a voyage. + +Two canoes that were deemed fit for the purpose being procured in July +1503, the admiral ordered James Mendez de Segura his chief secretary to go +in one of them, accompanied by six Christians, and having ten Indians to +row or paddle; and in the other he sent Bartholomew Fiesca, a Genoese +gentleman, with a similar crew of Spaniards and Indians. Their orders were, +that as soon as they reached Hispaniola which is 250 leagues from Jamaica, +Mendez was to go on to St Domingo to execute the commission with which he +was entrusted; and Fiesco was to return immediately with intelligence of +the safe arrival of Mendez, that we might not remain in fear lest some +disaster had befallen our messenger. Yet this was much to be dreaded, +considering how unfit a canoe is to live upon a rough sea, especially when +manned by Christians; for if there had only been Indians, the danger would +not have been so great, because they are so dextrous that though a canoe +oversets they can turn it right easily while swimming, and get into it +again. But honour and necessity often lead men to bolder attempts than +this. The two canoes took their way along the coast of Jamaica to its +eastern point named _Aoamaquique_ by the Indians, from a cacique of that +province so called, which is 33 leagues from Maima, where we were. As the +distance between the islands is about 90 leagues, and nothing in the way +but one little island or rock, 8 leagues from Hispaniola, it was necessary +to wait for calm weather in order to cross so great a sea in such +incompetent vessels. This it pleased God soon to give; and every Indian +having taken on board his calabash of water and a supply of _carrabi_ as +their provision, and the Christians armed with swords and targets and +provided with the necessary sustenance, they put to sea. The lieutenant +accompanied them to the eastern point of Jamaica to take care that they +should not be hindered by the Indians, and remained till night came on and +he lost sight of them. He then returned along shore to the ships, +conversing in a friendly manner with the Indians as he went along. + +After the departure of our canoes from Jamaica, the people in the ships +began to fall sick, owing to the hardships they had endured in the voyage, +and the change of diet, as we had now no Spanish provisions remaining and +no wine; neither had we any flesh, except a few of the _huties_ already +mentioned, which were procured by barter from the Indians. Those who still +remained in health thought it very hard to be so long confined, and began +to cabal among themselves. They alleged that the admiral would never +return into Spain, as he had been turned off by their majesties; and would +far less go to Hispaniola, where he had been refused admittance on his +last coming from Spain: That he had sent the canoes to solicit in his own +private affairs in Spain, and not for the purpose of procuring ships or +succours for them; and that he intended, while these his messengers were +soliciting for him with their Catholic majesties, to fulfil the term of +his banishment where he then was: That if it had been otherwise, Fiesco +must have come back by this time, as it was given out he had been so +ordered: Besides, they knew not but that both he and Mendez had been +drowned by the way; and if that were the case they would never be relieved +if they did not take care of themselves, as the admiral appeared to +neglect using any means for their preservation, and was so ill of the gout +as to be scarcely able to stir from his bed, far less to undergo the +fatigue and danger of going over to Hispaniola in a canoe. For all these +reasons it was urged that they ought boldly to fix their resolutions +before they too should fall sick, while it was not in the admirals power +to hinder them; and that they would be so much the better received in +Hispaniola by how much the more danger they left him in, because of the +enmity and hatred which Lores the governor of Hispaniola bore towards him; +and that when they got to Spain they would be sure of the favour and +support of the bishop Fonseca, and of Morales the treasurer, who had as +his mistress the sister of the _Porras_, who were the leaders of this +mutiny, and who did not doubt of being well received by their Catholic +majesties, before whom all the blame would be laid upon the admiral, as +had formerly been in the affair of Roldan: And finally, it was alleged +that their majesties would the rather seize the admiral and all his +property, that they might be freed from the obligation of performing all +the articles of agreement between them. + +By these and such like arguments, and by the persuasions and suggestions +of the Porras, one of whom was captain of the Bermuda and the other +controller of the squadron, they prevailed on 48 men to join in the +conspiracy under the command and direction of Francis de Porras, the +captain of the Bermuda. Being all ready armed on the morning of the 2nd +January 1504, Captain Francis de Porras came upon the quarter-deck of the +admirals ship, and addressed the admiral saying, "My lord, what is the +reason that you will not go to Hispaniola, and keep us all in this place +to perish?" On hearing these unusually insolent words, and suspecting what +might be hatching, the admiral calmly answered that he did not see how +this could be accomplished till those whom he had sent in the canoes +should send a ship; that no one could be more desirous to be gone than he +was himself, as well for his own interest as the good of them all, for +whom he was accountable; but that if Porras had any thing else to propose, +he was ready to call the captains and other principal people together, +that they might consult as had been done several times before. Porras +replied, that it was not now time to talk, and that the admiral must +either embark immediately or stay there by himself; and turning his back +upon the admiral he called out in a loud voice, I am bound for Spain with +those that are willing to follow me. On this all his followers who were +present shouted out, We will go with you! we will go with you! and running +about in great confusion crying, Let them die! let them die! For Spain! +for Spain! while others called on the captain for his orders, they took +possession of the poop, forecastle, and round tops. + +Though the admiral was then so lame of the gout that he could not stand, +he yet endeavoured to rise and come out upon deck on hearing this uproar; +but two or three worthy persons his attendants laid hold upon him and +forcibly laid him again in bed, that the mutineers might not murder him; +they then ran to his brother, who was going out courageously with a +half-pike, and wresting it from his hands, they forced him into the cabin +beside the admiral, desiring Captain Porras to go where he liked, and not +commit a crime for which they might all suffer; that he might be satisfied +in meeting no opposition to his going away, but if he killed the admiral +he must lay his account with being severely punished for what could not +possibly be of the least benefit to his views. When the tumult was +somewhat appeased, the conspirators seized ten canoes that lay along-side, +which the admiral had purchased all about the island, and went aboard of +them as joyfully as if they had been in a Spanish port. Upon this many +more, who had no hand in the plot, in despair to see themselves forsaken, +took what they could lay hold of along with them and joined the +conspirators in the canoes, to the great sorrow and mortification of the +few faithful servants who remained with the admiral, and of all the sick, +who considered themselves as lost for ever and deprived of all hopes of +ever getting away. It is certain that if the people had been all in health, +not above twenty would have remained with the admiral, who went now out to +comfort the remaining men with the best arguments that he could devise in +the present posture of affairs. + +Francis de Porras went away with his mutineers for the eastern point of +the island, whence Mendez and Fiesco had taken their departure for +Hispaniola, and wherever they came they insulted the Indians, taking away +their provisions and every thing else they pleased by force, desiring them +to go to the admiral for payment, or that they might kill him if he +refused, which was the best thing they could do, as he was not only hated +by the Christians but had been the cause of all the mischief which had +befallen the Indians in the other island, and would do the same in this if +he were not prevented by death, for his only reason of remaining was to +subjugate them as he had already enslaved the natives of Hispaniola. + +The mutineers took the advantage of the first calm weather after their +arrival at the easternmost point of Jamaica to set out for Hispaniola, +taking several Indians in every canoe to row or paddle them, as had been +done by Mendez and Fiesco. But before they had been four leagues out to +sea, the weather became unsettled and they resolved to return. Being able +to make but very little way, as the wind came against them, and as the +water flashed in over the gunwales in consequence of their unskilful +management, they threw every thing overboard except their arms and as much +provisions as might enable them to get back to the island. The wind still +freshened and they thought themselves in so much danger that it was +resolved to murder the Indians and throw them into the sea. This was +accordingly done with several, but others who trusted to their swimming +threw themselves into the sea to avoid being murdered, and when weary of +swimming clung to the sides of the canoes to rest themselves; those poor +fellows had their hands cut off and were otherwise wounded; insomuch that +eighteen Indians were slaughtered or drowned, only a very few being spared +for each canoe to assist in steering. Being returned to Jamaica they +differed in opinion as to their future procedure: Some advised to go over +to Cuba in preference to Hispaniola, as they might take the east winds and +currents upon their quarter, and could afterwards go from that island to +Hispaniola, not considering that the distance was seventeen leagues +directly against wind and current: Some said it would be but to return to +the ships and make their peace with the admiral, or to take from him by +force what arms and commodities he had left; while others were for staying +where they were till another calm, when they might again attempt the +passage to Hispaniola. This advice prevailed, and they remained in the +town of Aoamaquique, waiting for fair weather and destroying the country. +When the fair weather came they embarked twice, but were unsuccessful both +times, owing to the winds being contrary. Thus foiled in their endeavours, +they travelled westwards from one town to another much dismayed and +comfortless, leaving their canoes behind; sometimes eating what they were +able to find, and sometimes taking provisions by force, according as they +found themselves sufficiently powerful to cope with the caciques through +whose territories they passed. + +After the rebels were departed, the admiral took every possible care that +the sick should be furnished with all that could conduce towards their +recovery, and that the Indians might be civilly treated, to induce them to +continue to bring provisions in exchange for our commodities. All these +things were so well managed that the Christians soon recovered, and the +Indians continued to supply us plentifully for some time. But they being +an indolent race, who take little pains in sowing, while every one of our +people consumed as much provisions in one day as would have sufficed an +Indian for twenty, and besides having no longer any inclination for our +commodities, they began to listen to the advice of the mutineers, since +they saw so many of our men had revolted, and therefore did not bring such +plenty of provisions as we needed. This brought us into great distress, as +if it had been necessary to take these by force, the greatest part of us +must have gone on shore armed, leaving the admiral on board in great +danger, as he was still very ill of the gout; and if we waited till the +Indians brought provisions of their own accord, we must live in great +misery, or have paid them ten times the price we did at first, as they +were sensible of the advantages our necessities gave them. But God, who +never forsakes those who put their trust in him, inspired the admiral with +a device by which we became amply provided. Knowing that in three days +there was to be an eclipse of the moon in the early part of the night, he +sent an Indian of Hispaniola who was on board, to call the principal +Indians of that province to talk with him upon a matter which he said was +of great importance to them. These Indians came accordingly to wait upon +him on the day before the eclipse was to happen, and he desired the +interpreter to tell them, That we were Christians who believed in the God +of Heaven, who took care of the good and punished the wicked. That God +seeing the rebellion of the Spaniards against his faithful servant, would +not permit them to go over to Hispaniola, as had been done by Mendez and +Fiesco, but had visited them with all those sufferings and dangers which +were manifest to the whole island: And that God was angry with the Indians +for being negligent in bringing provisions for our commodities, and had +determined to punish them with pestilence and famine; and lest they might +not believe his words, had appointed to give them a manifest token of his +wrath that very night, that they might plainly know whence their +punishment was derived. Wherefore the admiral desired them carefully to +observe the moon that night when she arose, and they would see her angry +and of a bloody hue, as a sign of the punishments which were to fall on +them from God. Upon this the Indians were dismissed and sent away, some of +them rather afraid and others looking upon it as an idle threat. But on +observing the moon to rise in part obscured, and the obscurity increasing +as she rose higher, the Indians were so terrified that they hastened from +all parts loaded with provisions, crying and lamenting and imploring the +admiral to intercede for them with God not to make them undergo the weight +of his wrath, and promising to bring him every thing he wanted for the +future. The admiral pretended to be softened by their repentance, and said +that he would speak to God in their favour. He accordingly shut himself up +for some time, till he knew that the eclipse was about to go off, and then +coming out of his cabin, he told the Indians that he had prayed to God for +them, and had promised in their names that they would be good in future, +would use the Christians well, and bring them plenty of provisions and +other necessaries; that God therefore forgave them, of which they would he +convinced when they saw the anger and bloody colour of the moon go off. +And this beginning to take place while he was yet speaking, they gave the +admiral many thanks for his intercession, and praised the mercy of the God +of the Christians. From that time they always took care to provide every +thing which we required; and though they had before seen eclipses, they +believed they had portended evils that had befallen them, but thinking it +impossible for any one to know on earth what was to happen in the heavens, +they certainly concluded that the God of the Christians must have revealed +all this to the admiral. + +Eight months had passed after Mendez and Fiesco went away, without any +intelligence of them, by which the men who remained with the admiral were +much cast down and suspected the worst. Some alleged that they were lost +at sea, some that they had been killed by the Indians of Hispaniola, and +others that they had died with sickness and hardships; for from the point +of that island which is next to Jamaica it is above 100 leagues to St +Domingo where they had to go in quest of succour, the way by land being +over uncouth mountains, and that by sea against the prevailing winds and +currents. To confirm their fears some Indians assured them that they had +seen a canoe overset and driven by the current on the coast of Jamaica; +which report had probably been spread by the mutineers to make those who +were with the admiral despair of getting off. Our people at length +concluded that no relief was ever to be expected, and became exceedingly +dispirited and discontented, and most of them conspired to revolt and join +the mutineers, in which they were principally encouraged by one Bernard an +apothecary from Valencia, and two others named Zamora and Villatoro. But +the Almighty, who knew how dangerous this second mutiny must be to the +admiral, was pleased to put a stop to it by the coming of a vessel sent by +the governor of Hispaniola. This vessel came one morning to anchor near +our grounded ships, and her captain, named James de Escobar, came on board +in his boat, saying that he was sent by the governor of Hispaniola to the +admiral with his commendations, and that as he had it not in his power to +send a ship as yet that could carry off all the men, he had sent to +inquire after his situation. Escobar then presented him with a cask of +wine and two flitches of bacon, and sailed away again that same night +without waiting for any letters. + +Our men were somewhat comforted by the appearance of this vessel, and the +assurance that Mendez and Fiesco had got safe to St Domingo, and dropt +their intended conspiracy and revolt; yet they wondered much that Escobar +should have stolen away so privately and suddenly, suspecting that the +governor of Hispaniola was unwilling that the admiral should go to that +island. As the admiral was aware that the hasty departure of Escobar might +occasion speculations and inquiries among the people, he told them that it +was by his own directions, because that caravel not being large enough to +carry them all away, he would not go himself, as he was unwilling to leave +them liable to the disorders that might be occasioned by the mutineers in +his absence. But the truth is, that the governor was unwilling to aid the +return of the admiral into Spain, lest their Catholic majesties might +restore him to his authority as viceroy, by which he would lose his +government; wherefore he would not provide as he might have done for the +admirals voyage to Hispaniola, and had sent Escobar to Jamaica to espy the +condition he was in, and to know whether he might contrive to destroy him +with safety. He had learnt the situation in which the admiral was placed +from James Mendez, who sent the following account of his proceedings in +writing to the admiral by Escobar. + +Mendez and Fuesco on the day they left Jamaica held on their way till +night, encouraging the Indians to exert themselves with their paddles. The +weather was extremely hot, so that the Indians sometimes leaped overboard +to refresh themselves by swimming and then came fresh again to their +paddles. At night they lost sight of the land, and half the Christians and +Indians took watch and watch alternately to sleep and row, taking great +care that the Indians might not prove treacherous. Advancing in this +manner all night, they were very weary when day appeared; but the +commanders encouraged the men, sometimes rowing themselves to give a good +example; and after eating to recruit their strength, they fell to their +work again, seeing nothing all around but the sky and the sea. Though this +was enough to distress them sufficiently, yet they were besides in the +predicament of Tantalus, who had water within a span of his mouth yet +could not quench his thirst; such was their distress, for, through the +improvidence of the Indians and the prodigious heat of the preceding day +and night, all their water was drank up without any regard to the future. +As heat and labour together are altogether intolerable without drink, and +as the heat and thirst increased the second day the higher the sun +ascended, their strength was entirely exhausted by noon. By good fortune +the captains had reserved two casks of water under their own management, +from which they sparingly relieved the Indians, and kept them up till the +cool of the evening, and encouraged them by the assurance that they would +soon see a small island called _Nabazza_, which lay in their way eight +leagues from Hispaniola. This and their extraordinary thirst quite cast +them down, and made them believe that they had lost their way, for +according to their reckoning they had now run twenty leagues and ought to +have been in sight of Hispaniola; but it was weariness that deceived them, +for a canoe that rows well cannot in a day and night proceed above ten +leagues, and they had been retarded by the currents which were adverse to +their course. + +Night being come on they had to throw one into the sea who had died of +thirst, and others were lying stretched out in the bottom of the canoe +perfectly exhausted, those who were still able to bear up a little being +sunk almost in despair, and so weak and spent that they could hardly make +any way at all. Some took sea water to refresh their thirst, which may be +called a comfort of that kind which was offered to our Saviour when he +complained of thirst upon the cross. In this manner they feebly held on +their way at the commencement of the second night; but it pleased God to +send them succour in their utmost need, for when the moon began to rise, +James Mendez perceived that she got up over some land, as a little island +covered her in the nature of an eclipse, neither could they have seen this +island, it was so small, if it had not been for this circumstance, and +without the timely relief of water which it afforded they must all have +perished of thirst on the following day. Comforting and cheering them with +the joyful tidings and shewing them the land, he so encouraged them, +supplying them at the same time with a little water from the casks, that +the next morning they were very near the small island of Nabazza. They +found this island to be all round one hard rock, about half a league in +circumference, without either spring or tree; but searching about they +found rain water in holes and clefts of the rock, out of which they filled +their calabashes and casks; and though those of knowledge and experience +advised the rest to use moderation in drinking, yet thirst made some of +the Indians exceed all bounds, whereof some died there and others fell +into desperate distempers. + +Having remained all day at this island to refresh themselves, and eating +such things as they found along the shore, for Mendez had all materials +for striking fire, by which they were enabled to cook the shell-fish, they +rejoiced at being now in sight of Hispaniola, and fearful lest bad weather +might arise to impede the prosecution of their voyage, about sun-set they +took their departure from Nabazza for Cape St Michael, the nearest land in +Hispaniola, where they happily arrived next morning. After resting there +two days Fiesco, who was a gentleman that stood much upon his honour, +would have returned to Jamaica in pursuance of the admirals commands and +his own engagements to that effect; but the people, who were all sailors +and Indians, being spent and indisposed by their past labour and by +drinking sea-water, considered themselves like Jonas delivered from the +whales belly, having been like him three days and three nights in +tribulation, none of them would consent to go with him. Mendez, being most +in haste, went up the coast of Hispaniola in his canoe, although suffering +under a quartan ague, occasioned by his great sufferings by sea and land. +After some time, quitting his canoe, he travelled over mountains and by +bad roads till he arrived at Xaragua, in the west of Hispaniola, where the +governor then was, who seemed rejoiced to see him, though he afterwards +was extremely tedious in dispatching him, owing to the reasons already +mentioned. After much importunity Mendez obtained permission to go to St +Domingo, where he bought and fitted out a vessel from the private funds of +the admiral, which was sent to Jamaica at the latter end of May 1504, and +sailed thence for Spain by the admirals direction, to give their Catholic +majesties an account of the incidents of the voyage[17]. + +The admiral and all his company had received much comfort from the +knowledge that Mendez had arrived in Hispaniola, and entertained full +assurance of being relieved through his exertions; he therefore thought +fit to communicate the information to the mutineers, that laying their +jealousies aside they might be induced to return to their duty. For this +purpose he sent two respectable officers to them who had friends among the +mutineers, and suspecting that they might disbelieve, or seem not to +credit the visit of the caravel under the command of Escobar, he sent them +part of the bacon which she had brought. When these two arrived where +Porras and his chief confidant resided, he came out to meet them that he +might prevent them from moving the men to return to their duty by the +offer of a general pardon, which he justly suspected had been sent by the +admiral. Yet it was not in the power of the two Porras to prevent their +adherents from learning the coming of the caravel, the returned health of +those who were with the admiral, and the offers which he sent them. After +several consultations among themselves and with their principal +confederates, the Porras refused to trust themselves to the offered pardon; +but said they would go peaceably to Hispaniola if he would promise to give +them a ship provided two came, or if only one, that he should assign them +the half; and as they had lost their clothes and the commodities which +they had for trade, they demanded that the admiral should share with them +those which he had. The messengers answered that these proposals were +utterly unreasonable and could not be granted. To which the Porras proudly +replied, that since these were refused by fair means they would take them +by force. + +In this manner the ringleaders dismissed the admirals messengers, +misinterpreting his conciliatory offers, and telling their followers that +he was a cruel revengeful man; saying that they had no fears for +themselves, as the admiral would not dare to wrong them because of their +interest at court, yet they had reason to fear he would be revenged of the +rest under colour of just punishment, on which account Roldan and his +friends in Hispaniola had not trusted his offers, and it had succeeded +well with them, as they had found favour at court, whereas the admiral had +been sent home in irons. They even pretended that the arrival of the +caravel with news from Mendez was a mere phantom produced by magic, in +which the admiral was an adept; as it was not likely, had it been in +reality a caravel, that the people belonging to it would have had no +farther discourse with those about the admiral, neither would it have so +soon vanished; and it was more probable, if it had been a real caravel, +that the admiral would have gone on board of it with his son and brother. +By these and other similar persuasions, they confirmed their adherents in +their rebellion, and at length brought them to resolve upon repairing to +the ships to secure the admiral and to take all they found there by force. + +Continuing obstinate in their wickedness, the mutineers came to a town +then named _Maima_, in the neighbourhood of the ships, at which place the +Christians afterwards built a town called Seville. Upon learning this +audacious procedure and their design to attack him, the admiral sent his +brother against them, with orders to endeavour in the first place to +persuade them to submission by fair words, but so attended that he might +be able to oppose them by force if they attempted to attack him. For this +purpose the lieutenant landed with fifty men well armed, and advanced to a +hill about a bow-shot from the town in which the rebels had taken up their +quarters, whence he sent the two messengers who had been with them before, +requiring the captain of the mutineers to enter into a conference for +ending all disputes. But they being equal in numbers to the party under +the lieutenant, and almost all seamen, persuaded themselves that those who +were come out against them were weak men and would not fight, and would +not therefore permit the messengers to talk with them. They brandished +their naked swords and spears calling out tumultuously, Kill! kill! and +fell upon the lieutenants party immediately. Six of them had bound +themselves by oath to stick close by each other, and to direct their +united efforts against the lieutenant alone, being confident of an easy +victory if they succeeded in killing him. But it pleased God that they +were disappointed, for they were so well received that five or six of them +fell at the first charge, most of whom were of the party who had sworn to +slay the lieutenant. He now charged the rebels so manfully and was so well +seconded by his party, that John Sanchez and John Barba were killed, some +others were brought to the ground by severe wounds, and Francis de Porras +their captain was made prisoner. Sanchez was the person from whom Quibio +escaped in the river of Veragua, and Barba was the first man whom I saw +draw his sword at the breaking out of this rebellion. + +Finding themselves thus unexpectedly overpowered, the mutineers turned +their backs and fled as fast as they could. The lieutenant would have +pursued; but some of the principal people about him remonstrated, saying +that it was good to punish, but not to carry severity too far, lest when +he had killed many of the mutineers the Indians might think fit to fall +upon the victors, as they were all in arms waiting the event without +taking either side. This advice being approved of, the lieutenant returned +to the ships with Porras and the other prisoners, where he was joyfully +received by the admiral and those who remained with him, giving God thanks +for the victory in which the guilty had received their just measure of +punishment, while on our side the lieutenant was slightly wounded in the +hand, and one of the gentlemen of the chamber to the admiral had a small +wound in his hip from a spear, of which however he died. + +Peter de Ledisma (that pilot who went with Vincent Yanez to Honduras, and +who so bravely swam on shore at Belem,) in his flight from the lieutenant, +fell down some steep rocks unperceived, where he lay all that day and the +next until evening, unperceived by any except some of the Indians. They +were amazed to see the terrible gashes which he had received in the fight, +having no idea that our swords could cut in such a manner, and opened up +his wounds with little sticks to examine them. One of his wounds was on +the head and the brain was distinctly laid bare; another on his shoulder +so large and deep that his arm hung as it were loose; the calf of one leg +was so deeply cut that the flesh hung down to his ancle, and one foot was +sliced open from the heel to the toe. Yet in this desperate state he would +threaten to rise and destroy the Indians when they disturbed him, and they +were so afraid as to fly away in consternation. His situation being +reported at the ships, he was removed to a hut in the neighbourhood, where +the dampness and the intolerable multitude of gnats were sufficient to +have destroyed him. Yet being properly attended to, although the surgeon +for the first eight days alleged that he discovered new wounds every day, +he at last recovered, and the gentleman of the chamber in whom he +apprehended no danger, died of his slight wound. + +The day after the battle, 20th of May, all the mutineers who had escaped +sent a petition to the admiral, humbly repenting of their disobedience, +begging that he would mercifully pardon their past transgression, and +declaring their readiness to submit to his authority. The admiral granted +their request and passed a general pardon, on condition that their captain +should remain a prisoner lest he might stir up another mutiny. And as he +thought inconvenience might arise if they were admitted on board the ships, +by quarrels among the meaner people, and that it might even be difficult +to maintain the whole in one place, he sent out a person in whom he could +confide to take the command of those who had been in the mutiny, with +directions to go with them about the island and keep them in order till +the ships came, which he daily expected, and supplied them with a +sufficient quantity of commodities to exchange for provisions with the +natives. + +The mutineers having all returned to their duty, the Indians became more +regular in their supply of provisions to us in exchange for our +commodities. We had been some days more than a year at Jamaica when a ship +arrived which had been fitted out at St Domingo by James Mendez from the +admirals private funds, in which we all embarked, enemies as well as +friends, and set sail from Jamaica on the 28th of June. Proceeding on our +voyage with much difficulty on account of the adverse winds and currents, +we arrived in great need of rest and refreshment at St Domingo on the 13th +of August 1504. The admiral was received with great demonstrations of +honour and respect by the governor, who lodged him in the palace, yet he +set Porras who had headed the mutineers at liberty, and even attempted to +punish those who had been instrumental in taking him prisoner, pretending +to arrogate an authority of trying causes and offences which belonged +solely to the jurisdiction of the admiral, who had been appointed by their +Catholic majesties admiral and captain-general of their fleet. +Notwithstanding of all this he fawned upon the admiral, using every +demonstration of kindness in his presence, yet acting treacherously in +undermining his character and authority; and this lasted all the time we +remained at St Domingo. Our own ship being refitted and supplied with all +necessaries for the voyage, and another hired in which the admiral and his +kindred, friends, and servants, embarked, we sailed on the 2d of September, +most of the other people who had been along with us in our late disastrous +voyage remaining at St Domingo. We had scarcely got two leagues from the +port when the mast of one of the ships came by the board, and was +immediately sent back by the admiral to refit, while we held on our way in +the other vessel to Spain. + +Having run about a third part of the way, so terrible a storm arose that +our ships were in imminent danger; and next day, 19th of October, when the +weather was fair and the ship quite steady the mast flew into four pieces; +but by the ingenuity of the admiral who was unable to rise from his bed on +account of the gout, and by the exertions of the lieutenant, a jury-mast +was constructed out of a spare yard, strengthened with some planks taken +from the poop and stern, and firmly bound together with ropes. We lost our +foremast in another storm; and yet it pleased God that we arrived safe at +the port of St Lucar de Barrameda, and thence to Seville; where the +admiral took some rest after the many fatigues he had undergone. + +In May 1505 he went to the court of King Ferdinand, the glorious Queen +Isabella having in the year before exchanged this life for a better. Her +loss was severely felt by the admiral, as she had always favoured and +supported him; whereas the king had proved unkind and adverse to his +honour and interest. This plainly appeared by the reception he met with at +court; for though King Ferdinand received him with the outward appearance +of favour and respect, and pretended to restore him to his full power, he +yet would have stript him of all if shame had not hindered, considering +the engagements which both he and the queen had come under to him when he +went out upon his last voyage. But the wealth and value of the Indies +appearing every day more obvious, and considering how great a share of +their produce would accrue to the admiral in virtue of the articles which +had been granted previous to his discovery, the king was anxious to +acquire the absolute dominion to himself, and to have the disposal of all +the employments in the new world according to his own will and pleasure, +which by the agreement were in the gift of the admiral as hereditary +viceroy, admiral, and governor-general of the Indies. The king therefore +began to propose new terms to the admiral by way of equivalent, which +negociation God did not permit to take effect; for just when Philip the +first came to reign in the kingdom of Castile, at the time when King +Ferdinand went from Valladolid to meet him, the admiral, much broken down +by the gout, and troubled to find himself deprived of his rights, was +attacked by other distempers, and gave up his soul to God upon Ascension +day, the 20th of May, 1506, at the city of Valladolid. Before his death he +devoutly partook of the holy sacraments of the church, and these were his +last words "_Into thy hands O Lord! I commend my Spirit._" And through +his infinite mercy, we do not question but he was received into glory, to +which may God admit us with him. + +His body was conveyed to Seville, where it was magnificently buried in the +cathedral by the order of the Catholic king, and the following epitaph in +Spanish was engraven upon his tomb, in memory of his renowned actions and +the great discovery of the Indies. + + A CASTILIA YA LEON + NUEVO MUNDO DIO COLON. + + _Columbus gave a New World to Castile and Leon._ + +These memorable words are worthy of observation, as nothing similar or any +way equivalent can be found either in the ancients or among the moderns. +It will therefore be ever had in remembrance, that he was the discoverer +of the Indies; though since then Ferdinand Cortes and Francis Pizarro have +found out many other provinces and vast kingdoms on the continent. Cortes +discovered the province of Yucutan and the empire of Mexico now called New +Spain, then possessed by the great emperor _Montezuma_; and Francis +Pizarro found out the kingdom of Peru which is of vast extent and full of +endless wealth, which was then under the dominion of the powerful king +_Atabalipa_. From these countries and kingdoms there come every year to +Spain many ships laden with gold and silver and rich commodities, as +Brazil wood, cochineal, indigo, sugar, and other articles of great value, +besides pearls and other precious stones: owing to which Spain and its +princes at this time flourish and abound in wealth beyond all other +nations. + + +[1] D. Ferdinand is surely mistaken here. Martinico, the island probably + indicated by the name of Matinino, is about ten leagues distant from + Dominca; but the course from the former to the latter is to the north, + with a very alight western tendency.--E. + +[2] Now called Porto Rico.--E. + +[3] He was formerly called Obando; and is named Nicholas de Ovando by + Herrera: Perhaps he had a commandary of the above name.--E. + +[4] The historian of Columbus does not appear to have been at all + conversant in zoology. What the Saavina was cannot be conjectured from + his slight notices, unless a basking shark. The other, no way allied to + fish except by living in the water, is a real mammiferous quadruped, + the Trichechus Manati of naturalists, or the sea cow.--E. + +[5] The author or his original translator, falls into a great error here. + The land first discovered in this voyage was the island of Guanaia off + Cape Casinas or Cape Honduras, therefore W.S.W. from Jamaica, not + south. Guanaia seems to be the island named Bonaea in our maps, about + ten leagues west from the isle of Ratan.--E. + +[6] A blank is left here in the edition of this voyage published by + Churchill.--E. + +[7] This is an obvious error, as New Spain is to the west of Cape Casinas, + off which the admiral now was. If bounds _for_ New Spain, the canoe + must have come from the eastwards; if going with commodities from the + westwards it was bound _from_ New Spain.--E. + +[8] The papal authority for subjugating the Indians to the holy church, + prevented D. Ferdinand from perceiving either avarice or robbery in + the conduct of the Christians.--E. + +[9] It would appear, though not distinctly enunciated, that Columbus had + learnt from some of the natives, perhaps from Giumbe, that a great sea + lay beyond or to the westwards of this newly discovered continent, by + which he imagined he was now in the way to accomplish the original + object of his researches, the route westwards to India.--E. + +[10] Now called the Mosquito shore, inhabited by a bold race of savage + Indians, whom the Spaniards have never been able to subdue.--E. + +[11] It is utterly impossible that these people could have the smallest + idea whatever of the European art of writing. But they might have + heard of the Mexican representations of people and things by a rude + painting, and of their frequent and distant excursions in quest of + human victims to sacrifice upon their savage altars. This may possibly + have been the origin of the terror evinced by the inhabitants of + Cariari at the sight of the materials of writing, conceiving that the + Spaniards were emissaries from the sanguinary Mexicans, and about to + record the measure of the tribute in human blood.--E. + +[12] A more charitable construction might be put on all this. The refusal + to accept presents, perhaps proceeded from manly pride because their + own had been refused. The powder and the smoke might be marks of + honour to the strangers, like the rose water and other honorary + perfumings of the east.--E. + +[13] The similitude is not obvious, but may have been intended to comprae + this mountain with the lofty sharp pinnacle on which the hermitage is + built near St Jago de Compostella in Spain.--E. + +[14] This is probably the first time that Europeans had seen tobacco + chewed and the use of snuff; practices which have now become almost + necessaries of life among many millions of the inhabitants of Europe + and its colonies.--E. + +[15] It is probable that the fish, here called pilchards were of one of + the kinds of flying fish, which is of the same genus with the herring + and pilchard. Voyagers ignorant of natural history are extremely apt + to name new objects after corresponding resemblances in their own + country.--E. + +[16] This appears to have been near Panama, or the western point of the + Gulf of Darien in 78° 40' W. long. The pilots seem to have been + extremely ignorant, and the admiral to have yielded to their + importunity. The harbour of St Domingo being in 69° 50' W. long they + ought to have proceeded about nine degrees, or 180 marine leagues + farther east, to have insured their run across the trade winds and + currents of the Caribbean sea.--E. + +[17] Though not mentioned in the text, this vessel would certainly bring + refreshments of various kinds, but was probably too small to bring off + the people. Mendez appears to have remained at St Domingo in order to + fit out a larger vessel, which he accordingly carried to Jamaica in + June, as will be seen in the sequel.--E. + + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST DISCOVERY OF AMERCIA, BY CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS; FROM +THE HISTORY OF THE WEST INDIES, BY ANTONIO BE HERRERA, HISTORIOGRAPHER TO +THE KING OF SPAIN[1]. + + + + +SECTION I. + +_Of the Knowledge of the Ancients respecting the New World._ + + +With the generality of mankind, so far from imagining that there could be +any such country as the _new world_ or West Indies, the very notion of any +such thing being supposed to exist was considered as extravagant and +absurd, for every one believed that all to the westwards of the Canary +islands was an immense and unnavigable ocean. Yet some of the ancients +have left hints that such western lands existed. In the close of the +second act of his tragedy of Medea, Seneca says, "The time will come, when +the ocean shall become navigable, and a vast land or New World shall be +discovered." St Gregory, in his exposition of the Epistle of St Clement, +says, "There is a new world, or even worlds, beyond the ocean." We are +informed by other authors, that a Carthaginian merchant ship accidentally +discovered in the ocean, many days sail from our ancient continent, an +incredibly fruitful island, full of navigable rivers, having plenty of +wild beasts, but uninhabited by men, and that the discoverers were +desirous of settling there; but, having given an account of this discovery +to the senate of Carthage, they not only absolutely prohibited any one to +sail thither, but put all who had been there to death, the more +effectually to prevent any others from making the attempt. Yet all this is +nothing to the purpose, as there is no authentic memorial of this supposed +voyage, and those who have spoken of it incidentally have given no +cosmographical indications of its situation, by means of which the admiral +Christopher Columbus, who made the first discovery of the West Indies, +could have acquired any information to guide him in that great discovery. +Besides, that there were no wild beasts, either in the windward or leeward +islands which he discovered, those men who would rob Columbus, in part at +least, of the honour of his great discovery, misapply the following +quotation from the _Timaeus_ of Plato: "There is no sailing upon the ocean, +because its entrance is shut up by the Pillars of Hercules. Yet there had +formerly been an island in that ocean, larger than all Europe, Asia, and +Africa in one; and from thence a passage to other islands, for such as +went in search of them, and from these other inlands people might go to +all the opposite continent, near the true ocean." These detractors from +the honour of Columbus, in explaining the words of Plato after their own +manner, evince more wit than truth, when they insist that the shut up +passage is the strait of Gibraltar, the gulf the great ocean, the great +island _Atlantis_, the other islands beyond that the leeward and windward +islands, the continent opposite them the land of Peru, and the true ocean +the great South Sea, so called from its vast extent. It is certain that no +one had any clear knowledge of these matters: and what they now allege +consists merely of notions and guesses, patched together since the actual +discovery; for the ancients concluded there was no possibility of sailing +across the ocean on account of its vast extent. These men, however, labour +to confirm their opinions, by alleging that the ancients possessed much +knowledge of the torrid zone; as they insit that Hano the Carthaginian +coasted round Africa, from the straits of Gibraltar to the Red Sea, and +that Eudoxias navigated in the contrary direction from the Red Sea to the +Mediterranean. They allege farther, that both Ovid and Pliny make mention +of the island of _Trapobano_, now Zumatra[2] which is under the line. + +All this however is nothing to the purpose. The expression of Seneca is +not applicable; for his proposed discovery is towards the north, whereas +ours is to the westwards. The coasting of Africa, as said to have been +performed by the ancients, is widely different from traversing the vast +ocean, as was accomplished by Columbus, and by the Spaniards after his +example. If any notice is due to ancient hints, that only is worthy of +observation which we find in the twenty-eighth chapter of the book of Job, +in which it seems predicted that God would keep this new world concealed +from the knowledge of men, until it should please his inscrutable +providence to bestow its dominion to the Spaniards. No attention is due to +the opinions of those who would endeavour to establish the Ophir of the +Scriptures in Peru, and who even allege that it was called Peru at the +time when the holy text was penned. For, neither is that name of Peru so +ancient, nor does it properly belong to that great country as its +universal appellation. It has been a general practice among discoverers to +apply names to new found ports and lands, just as occasion offered, or +accident or caprice directed; and accordingly, the Spaniards who made the +first discovery of that kingdom, applied to it the name of the river they +first landed at, or that of the cacique who governed the district. Besides, +the similarity of words is too trivial a circumstance on which to +establish a foundation for a superstructure of such importance. The best +informed and most judicious historians affirm, that Ophir was in the East +Indies: For, if it had been in Peru, Solomons fleet must necessarily have +run past the whole of the East Indies and China, and across the immense +Pacific ocean, before it could reach the western shore of the new world; +which is quite impossible. Nothing can be more certain than that the fleet +of Solomon went down the Red Sea; and as the ancients were not acquainted +with those arts of navigation which are now used, they could not launch +out into the ocean to navigate so far from land; neither could those +distant regions be attained to by a land journey. Besides, we are told +that they carried from Ophir peacocks and ivory, articles that are not to +be found in the new world. It is therefore believed that it was the island +of Taprobana, from whence all those valuable commodities were carried to +Jerusalem; and the ancients may have very justly called their discovery +the _new world_, to express its vast extent, because it contained as much +land as was before known, and also because its productions differed so +much from those of our parts of the earth, or the _old world_. This +explanation agrees with the expressions of Seneca and St Jerome. + + +[1] Churchills Collection, V. 591. All that has been attempted in the + present article is to soften the asperity of the language, and to + illustrate the text by a few notes where these seemed necessary.--E. + +[2] Trapobana, or rather Taprobana, is assuredly Ceylon, not Sumatra.--E. + + + + +SECTION II. + +_Of the Motives which led Columbus to believe that there were unknown +Countries_. + + +The admiral Christopher Columbus had many reasons for being of opinion +that there were new lands which might be discovered. Being a great +cosmographer, and well skilled in navigation, he considered that the +heavens were circular, moving round the earth, which in conjunction with +the sea, constitute a globe of two elements, and that all the land that +was then known could not comprise the whole earth, but that a great part +must have still remained undiscovered. The measure of the circumference of +the earth being 360 degrees, or 6300 leagues, allowing 17 leagues to the +degree, must be all inhabited, since God hath not created it to lie waste. +Although many have questioned whether there were land or water about the +poles, still it seemed requisite that the earth should bear the same +proportion to the water towards the antarctic pole, which it was known to +have at the arctic. He concluded likewise that all the five zones of the +earth were inhabited, of which opinion he was the more firmly persuaded +after he had sailed into 75 degrees of north latitude. He also concluded +that, as the Portuguese had sailed to the southwards, the same might be +done to the westwards, where in all reason land ought to be found: And +having collected all the tokens that had been observed by mariners, which +made for his purpose, he became perfectly satisfied that there were many +lands to the westwards of Cabo Verde and the Canaries, and that it was +practicable to sail over the ocean for their discovery; because, since the +world is round, all its parts must necessarily be so likewise. All the +earth is so fixed that it can never fail; and the sea, though shut in by +the land, preserves its rotundity, without ever falling away, being +preserved in its position by attraction towards the centre of gravity. By +the consideration of many natural reasons, and by perceiving that not +above the third part of a great circle of the sphere was discovered, being +the extent eastwards from Cabo Verde to the farthest then known land of +India, he concluded that there remained much room for farther discoveries +by sailing to the westwards, till they should come to meet with those +lands then known, the ends whereof to the eastwards had not been yet +explored. In this opinion he was much confirmed by his friend Martin de +Bohemia[1], a Portuguese and an able cosmographer, a native of the island +of Fayal. + +Many other circumstances concurred to encourage Columbus in the mighty +enterprize of discovery towards the west, by discoursing with those who +used to sail to the westwards, particularly to the islands of the Azores. +In particular, Martin Vincente assured him, that, having been on one +occasion 450 leagues to the westwards of Cape St Vincent, he took up a +piece of wood which was very artificially wrought, and yet was supposed +not to have been fashioned with tools of iron: And, because the wind had +blown many days from the west, he inferred that this piece of wood must +have drifted from some land in that direction. Peter Correa, who had +married the sister of Columbuses wife, likewise assured him, that he had +seen another piece of wood similarly wrought, which had been drifted by +the west winds upon the island of Puerto Santo; and that canes also had +been floated thither, of such a size that every joint could contain a +gallon of liquor. Columbus had farther heard mention made of these canes +by the king of Portugal, who had some of them, which he ordered to be +shewn to the admiral, who concluded that they must have been drifted from +India by the west wind, more especially as there are none such in Europe. +He was the more confirmed in this opinion, as Ptolemy, in the 17th chapter +of the first book of his cosmography, describes such canes as being found +in India. He was likewise informed by some of the inhabitants of the +Azores, that when the wind continued long and violent from the west and +north-west, the sea used to throw pine trees on the coasts of the isles of +Gracioso and Fayal, in which no trees of that sort grew. The sea once cast +two dead bodies on the coast of Flores, having very broad faces, and quite +different features from those of the Christians. Two canoes were seen at +another time, having several articles in them, which might have been +driven out to sea by the force of the wind while passing from one island +to another, and thence to the Azores. Anthony Leme, who had married in +Madeira, declared that he once run a considerable way to the westwards of +that island in his caravel, and fancied that he saw three islands; and +many of the inhabitants of Gomera, Hierro, and the Azores, affirmed that +they every year saw islands to the westwards. These were considered by +Columbus as the same with those mentioned by Pliny in his Natural History, +where he says, "That the sea to the northwards cuts off some pieces of +woods from the land; and the roots being very large, they drift on the +water like floats, and looked at a distance like islands." + +In the year 1484, an inhabitant of the island of Madeira asked permission +from the king of Portugal to go upon the discovery of a country, which he +declared he saw every year exactly in the same position, agreeable to what +had been reported by the people of the Azores. On these accounts, the +ancient sea-charts laid down certain islands in these seas, which they +called _Antilla_, and placed them about 200 leagues west from the Canaries +and Azores; which the Portuguese believed to be the island of the Seven +Cities, the fame of which has occasioned many to commit great folly from +covetousness, by spending much money to no purpose. The story is, that +this island of the Seven Cities was peopled by those who fled from the +persecution of the infidels, when Spain was conquered by the Moors, in the +reign of king Roderick; when seven bishops embarked with a great number of +people, and arrived in that island, where they burnt their ships to +prevent any one from thinking to return, and each of the bishops built a +separate city for his flock. It was reported, that in the days of Prince +Henry of Portugal, one of his ships was driven by a storm upon that island, +where the natives carried the sailors to church, to see whether they were +Christians observing the Roman ceremonies; and, finding them to be so, +desired them to remain till their lord should come; but, fearing they +might burn their ship and detain them, the Portuguese returned well +pleased into Portugal; expecting a considerable reward from the prince. He, +however, reproved them for bringing so imperfect an account, and ordered +them to return; which the master and sailors dared not attempt, but left +the kingdom, and were never more heard of. It is added, that these sailors, +while in the island of the Seven Cities, gathered some sand for their +cookroom, which turned out to be partly gold. Some adventurers from +Portugal, allured by this report, went out for the purpose of prosecuting +this discovery, one of whom was James de Tiene, and the pilot was James +Velasquez of Palos. This man affirmed to Columbus, at the monastery of St +Maria de Rabida, that they took a departure from Fyal, and sailed 150 +leagues to the south-west, and at their return discovered the island of +Flores, following many birds flying in that direction, which they knew +were not water-fowl. He next said, that they sailed so far to the +north-west, that Cape Clare of Ireland bore east of them; where they found +the west wind blowing hard, yet with a smooth sea, which they believed was +occasioned by the nearness of some land sheltering the sea from the +violence of the wind; but that they dared not to proceed on their voyage, +it being then the month of August, and they feared the approach of winter. +This is said to have happened forty years before Columbus discovered the +West Indies. + +A sailor belonging to Port St Mary affirmed, that in a voyage to Ireland +he saw a country to the westward, which he imagined to have been Tartary; +but which has since turned out to be _Bacallaos_, being a part of Canada, +but could not attain the coast by reason of stormy weather[2]. Peter de +Velasco of Galicia declared, that, in a voyage to Ireland, he stood so far +to the northward that he saw land west from that island. Vincent Diaz, a +Portuguese pilot of Tavira, said that one morning, on his return from +Guinea, he thought he saw an island under the parallel of Madeira. Diaz +discovered the secret to a merchant, who procured the leave of the king of +Portugal to fit out a ship for the discovery, and sent advice to his +brother Francis de Cazana to fit out one at Seville, and put it under the +command of Diaz. But Francis Cazana refusing, Diaz returned to Tercera, +where he procured a ship, with the assistance of Luke de Cazana, and went +out two or three times above an hundred leagues to the west, but found +nothing. To these may be added, the attempts made by Caspar and Michael de +Cortereal, sons to him who discovered the island of Tenera; but they were +lost in searching for this land. Yet all these particulars contributed to +encourage Columbus to undertake the enterprise; for, when Providence has +decreed the accomplishment of any thing, it disposes the means, and +provides the proper instruments. + + +[1] This is the person usually called Behain.--E. + +[2] Rather Newfoundland.--E. + + + + +SECTION III. + +_Columbus proposes his Design to the King and Queen of Spain; which, after +many Repulses, is adopted by the Queen_[1]. + + +The reason why Columbus gave the name of Indies to those new found +countries, was on purpose to excite the princes he had to deal with to +fall into his proposals, as he proposed to find gold, silver, and pearls, +and those drugs and spices which are not produced in our countries, and +therefore he concluded, that his discoveries might vie with the East +Indies, give reputation to his design, and add weight to his proposals. +Besides, it was his design to discover the east by way of the west; and as +the East Indies lay in the remotest part of the east, going eastwards, +which he meant to discover in a western course, it might well be called +India. After the actual discovery, and when both New Spain and Peru were +found out, the name was made plural, and the new world was called the West +Indies. These West Indies are the countries comprehended within the limits +assigned to the crown of Castile and Leon, consisting of one hemisphere, +or half the globe, being 180 degrees of longitude. These limits commenced +at a meridian, 30 or 40 degrees westwards from that of the city of Toledo, +and proceeded from thence to the west; so that allowing 17-1/2 leagues to +a degree, this allotment contains 3700 Spanish leagues in breadth, between +east and west[2]. + +Columbus, whom the Spaniards call Colon, to adapt his name to their +language, was born in Genoa, his fathers name being Dominick. As to the +original of his family, some derive it from Placentia, others from Cucureo, +a town on the coast near that city, others from the lords of the castle of +Cucaro, in Montferrat, near Alexandria de la Pagla. In 940, the Emperor +Otho II. confirmed to the brothers and earls, Peter, John, and Alexander +Columbus, the real and feudal estates which they possessed in the +liberties of the cities of Aqui, Savona, Asti, Montferrat, Turin, Vercelli, +Parma, Cremona, and Bergamo, with all the rest they held in Italy. By +other records, it appears that the Columbi of Cucaro, Cucureo, and +Placentia, were the same; and that the before-mentioned emperor granted, +in the same year 940, to the same three brothers, the castles of Cucaro, +Cowzana, Rosignano, and others, with the fourth part of Bistagno, which +belonged to the empire. This sufficiently demonstrates the antiquity and +importance of the family. When very young, Christopher Columbus came into +Spain, or Portugal rather, to seek his fortune like other men. He there +married Donna Philippa Moniz de Perestrello, by whom he had one son, Don +James Columbus; and afterwards, by a second wife, Donna Beatrix Henriquez +of the city of Cordova, he had another son, Don Ferdinand Columbus, a +gentleman excellently qualified and well learned. + +Being entirely convinced that there were new lands to discover, which he +had been long revolving in his mind, he at length determined to attempt +carrying his design into execution; but knowing that such an undertaking +was fit only for some sovereign prince or state, he made the proposal, in +the first place, to the republic of Genoa, where it was looked upon as a +chimera. He then communicated his design to John II. of Portugal, who gave +him a favourable hearing, but was so much occupied with the discoveries +along the western coast of Africa, that he was unwilling to engage in +another enterprize of so much importance. King John, however, referred the +matter to three persons on whom he placed great reliance in matters +relating to cosmography and discovery; one of these was Don James Ortez, +bishop of Ceuta who was a Spaniard, born at Calzadilla in the commandary +of St Jago, and commonly called the Doctor Calzadilla; the other two were +Roderick and Joseph, two Jewish physicians. These persons pretended to +consider the design of Columbus as wild and impracticable; yet, after +hearing his reasonings, and an account of the course he proposed to steer, +they advised the king to send out a caravel upon the discovery, giving out +that it was destined for Cabo Verde. This was done accordingly, and the +vessel went many leagues to the westwards; but, encountering severe storms, +it returned without effecting any discovery, and holding out the notions +of Columbus to ridicule. He, not ignorant of this underhand dealing, was +much offended, and his wife being dead, he took a great aversion to +Portugal, and resolved upon going into Spain to offer his schemes at that +court. Lest he might be treated there as he had been in Portugal, he sent +his brother Bartholomew Columbus into England, where Henry VII. then +reigned. But Bartholomew spent much time by the way, being taken by +pirates; and after his release and arrival in England, he had to stay a +long time before he learnt how to solicit the affair with which he was +entrusted. In the mean time, Don Christopher Columbus departed privately +from Portugal in 1484 for Andalusia, knowing that the king of Portugal was +sensible that his scheme was well grounded, and was satisfied the people +of the caravel had not done their duty, so that he still inclined to +consult farther respecting the enterprize. Columbus landed at Palos de +Moguer, whence he went to the court of Ferdinand and Isabella, or +Elizabeth, king and queen of Spain, then at Cordova, leaving his son James +in the monastery of Rabida, half a league from Palos, under the care of +John Perez de Marchena, the father guardian of that house, who was learned +in humanity, and had some skill in cosmography. + +On his arrival at Cordova, Columbus made known the object of his journey, +and found most encouragement from Alonso de Quintanilla comptroller of +Castile, a wise man and fond of great undertakings, who, finding Columbus +a man of worth and merit, invited him to his table, without which he could +not have subsisted during his tedious solicitation. After some time, their +Catholic majesties, so far listened to the proposal, as to refer it to +Ferdinand de Talavera, prior of Prado, and confessor to the queen, who +afterwards became the first Christian archbishop of Granada. Columbus was +called before an assembly of cosmographers, of whom there were few then in +Spain, and those none of the ablest; and besides the admiral was unwilling +to explain himself too unreservedly, lest he might be served as already in +Portugal; wherefore the result of this consultation was adverse to his +expectations and wishes. Some said, that as there had been so many persons +well skilled in maritime affairs in all ages of the world, who never +dreamt of those lands which Columbus endeavoured to persuade them he +should find, it was not to be imagined that he was wiser than all who had +gone before his time. Others alleged that the world was so large, that it +would require a voyage of three years at least, to reach those farthest +parts of the east to which Columbus proposed to sail; and quoted Seneca in +confirmation of their opinion, who says, "That wise men were divided +whether the ocean might not be of infinite extent, so that it would be +impossible to sail across its bounds; and, even if navigable, it was +questionable if there were any inhabited land beyond, or if there were a +possibility of going to such a distance." They farther alleged that no +other part of our globe was inhabited, except that small parcel which +existed above the water in our hemisphere, all the rest being sea: Yet +they conceded, that, if it were found practicable to go from Spain to the +farthest parts of the world eastwards, it must likewise be granted, the +same might be done by a western course. Others contended, that should +Columbus sail directly westwards, it would be impossible for him ever to +get back to Spain, owing to the rotundity of the globe; for, whoever +should go beyond the hemisphere known to Ptolemy, must necessarily descend +so much that it would be impracticable to return, which in that case would +be like climbing up a steep mountain. Although Columbus answered all their +objections, they could not comprehend his reasonings, and the assembly +declared his project to be vain and impracticable, and unbecoming the +majesty of such mighty princes to be undertaken on such trivial +information. Thus, after much time spent in vain, their Catholic majesties +ordered Columbus to be informed, that, being engaged in several wars, +particularly in the conquest of Granada, they could not then venture upon +other expences; but, when that was over, they would again examine the +matter; and so dismissed him. + +Having received this mortifying answer, Columbus went away to Seville, +much discontented, after having spent five years at court to no purpose. +He then had his project made known to the Duke of Medina Sidonia, and as +some say, to the Duke of Medina Celi likewise; and being rejected by them, +he wrote to the king of France on the subject, and intended, if rejected +by the French court, to have gone over himself into England in search of +his brother, from whom he had not heard of a long while. Having formed +this resolution, he went to the monastery of Rabida, intending to place +his son in Cordova during his absence; and, having discovered the nature +of his designs to Father J. Perez de Marchena, it pleased God that the +father guardian prevailed on him to postpone his journey. Associating with +himself Garcia Hernandez a physician, Perez and he conferred with Columbus +on the matter; and Hernandez being a philosopher, was much pleased at the +proposed discovery. Whereupon Father John Perez, who was known to the +queen as having sometimes heard her confession, wrote to her majesty on +the subject, and received orders to repair to court, then at the new city +of Santa Fe before Granada, and to leave Columbus at Palos, with some hope +of being successful. When John Perez had discoursed with the queen, she +ordered 20,000 _maravedies_[3] to be carried by James Prieto to Columbus +at Palos, to enable him to return to court. + +On his coming back, the prior of Prado, and the others who were joined +with him in commission, were still averse from the undertaking; and +besides, as Columbus demanded high conditions, among which were to have +the titles of admiral and viceroy over all his discoveries, they thought +he required too much in case of success, and that such a grant would seem +dishonourable in case of failure. The treaty was therefore again entirely +broken off, and Columbus resolved to go away to Cordova, in order to +proceed for France, being positive not to go to Portugal on any account. +Alonzo de Quintanilla, and Lewis de Santangel, who was clerk of the green +cloth to the crown of Arragon, were much concerned that this enterprize +should be laid aside, and at their request, and that of John Perez, Don +Pedro Gonzalez de Mendoza heard what Columbus had to say on the subject, +with which he was well pleased, valuing him as a man of worth. But the +adverse party still objected that Columbus ventured nothing of his own on +this discovery, requiring to be made admiral of a fleet by their Catholic +majesties, while it would be no loss to him even if the enterprize should +fail. To this he answered, that he would be at an eighth part of the +expence, provided he were entitled to a proportional share in the profits. +Yet nothing was concluded; whereupon Columbus left the city of Santa Fe in +January 1492, in great perplexity, on his way for Cordova. That same day, +Lewis de Santangel represented to the queen, that he was astonished she, +who had ever shewn much genius for great undertakings, should here fail +where so much might be gained, and so very little could be put to hazard; +and, should the enterprise be undertaken by any other prince, as Columbus +affirmed it would, her majesty might easily see how great an injury this +would prove to her crown, especially as Columbus seemed a person of worth, +and required no reward but what he should find, venturing even his own +person, and part of the charges. He farther urged that the thing was by no +means of an impracticable nature, as represented by the cosmographers, nor +ought the attempt to be considered as indiscreet, even if it should not +succeed. Besides, that Columbus only demanded a million of maravedies[4] +to fit himself out for the expedition; and he therefore earnestly +entreated that so small a sum might not obstruct so great an enterprize. +At the same time, the queen was much importuned by Alonzo de Quintanilla, +who had great credit with her majesty; she thanked them for their advice, +and said she would willingly embrace it, when she had a little recovered +from the expence of the war; or, if they thought it necessary to proceed +immediately, she was willing to have the money raised by pawning some of +her jewels. Quintanilla and Santangel kissed her hand, and expressed their +thanks that her majesty had been pleased to listen to their advice, after +the matter had been refused by the counsel of so many others; and +Santangel offered to lend the sum required out of his own money. All this +being settled, an alguazil or messenger was dispatched after Columbus, +with orders from the queen for his return. The messenger overtook him at +the bridge of Pinos, two leagues from Granada; and, though much concerned +to have been so much slighted, he returned to the city of Santa Fe, where +he was well received, and the secretary, John Coloma, was ordered to +prepare the contract and instructions, after he had spent eight years, +with much vexation and uneasiness, in soliciting to have his project +undertaken. + + +[1] We have here omitted two sections of very uninteresting cosmographical + observations on the antipodes, the torrid zone, the climate of the + Western hemisphere, and the peopling of America.--E. + +[2] The author or translator has here committed a material arithmetical + error; as 180 degrees, multiplied by 17-1/2, only produce 3150 + leagues.--E. + +[3] This sum does not much exceed ten pounds of our present money; yet in + these days was thought a gift worthy of a queen.--Churchill. + + The value of money must then have been much greater than now, perhaps + ten times; in which case this supply may have been equal to about 22 + hundred guineas in effective value.--E. + +[4] This is little above L.520 of our money, according to the present + computation.--Churchill. + + Probably equal in effective value to L.5200 in the present time.--E. + + + + +SECTION IV. + +_Conditions granted to Columbus by the Crown of Castile, and an Account of +his first Voyage, in which he discovered the New World._ + + +Columbus and the Secretary Coloma conferred together upon the conditions, +which he had demanded from the beginning, and they at length agreed to the +following articles, which were signed on the 17th April 1492. + +1. Their Catholic majesties, as sovereigns of the ocean, do from this time +constitute Don Christopher Columbus their admiral, throughout all those +islands or continents, that by his means shall be discovered and conquered +in the said ocean, for the term of his life, and after his death to his +heirs and successors for ever, with all the immunities and prerogatives +belonging to the said office, in the same manner as they have been enjoyed +by their admiral, Don Alonso Enriquez, and his predecessors, within their +liberties. + +2. Their highnesses do constitute and appoint the said D. C. Columbus +their viceroy and governor-general of all the islands or continents, which, +as has been said, he shall discover and conquer in the said seas; and that +he shall nominate three persons for the government of each of them, of +whom their highnesses shall choose one. + +3. Their highnesses grant to the said D. C. Columbus, the tenth part of +all commodities whatsoever, whether pearls, precious stones, gold, silver, +spice, or any other, bought, bartered, found, taken, or otherwise had, +within the limits of the said admiralty, the charges being first deducted; +so that he shall take to himself the said tenth part, to use, enjoy, and +dispose of at his pleasure. + +4. In case any controversies shall arise on account of the commodities he +may bring from the said islands or countries, so conquered or discovered +as aforesaid, or on account of those here taken of other merchants in +exchange for these, in the place where the said trade shall be settled; if +it shall belong of right to the admiral to try such causes, he shall be +allowed to do so by himself or deputy, as was allowed to the admiral Don +Alonso Enriquez, and his predecessors, within their districts. + +5. It shall be lawful for the said D. C. Columbus, whenever any ships are +fitted out for the aforesaid trade, to contribute the eighth part of the +cargo, and accordingly to receive the eighth part of all the produce in +return. + +These articles were signed in the city of Santa Fe, in the plain of +Granada; with which, and with the before-mentioned sum of money, he +departed from that place on the 12th of May, and leaving his sons at +school in Cordova, he went himself to the port of Palos, in order to +expedite the preparations for his voyage, very few of the persons at court +believing that he would perform what he had promised. Their Catholic +majesties having strictly enjoined him not to touch at Guinea, nor to come +within an hundred leagues of the Portuguese conquests, gave him letters +patent to all kings and princes in the world, requiring them to receive, +honour, and relieve him as their admiral. He chose Palos, as a place where +there were many experienced seamen, and because he had friends among them; +as also for the sake of John Perez de Marchena, who greatly assisted him +in this affair, by disposing the minds of the seamen to accompany him, as +they were very unwilling to venture upon an unknown voyage. He had orders +for the town of Palos to furnish him with two caravels, with which that +place was obliged to serve the crown during three months of every year. He +fitted out a third vessel as admiral, which he called the _St Mary_. The +second was named the _Pinta_, commanded by Martin Alonso Pinzon, having +his brother, Francis Martinez Pinzon as master or pilot; and the third, +_La Vinna_, which had latine or triangular sails, was commanded by Vincent +Yanez Pinzon, who was both captain and pilot. This person advanced half a +million of maravedies, for the eighth part of the charges of the +expedition[1], the family of the Pinzons being of the first rank in Palos, +very wealthy, and excellent sailors; the common mariners, through their +example and influence, became willing to engage in the voyage, which at +first they were much averse from. + +The vessels being ready for sea, were supplied with provisions for one +year, and took on board a complement of ninety men, most of whom were +inhabitants of Palos, except some friends of Columbus, and a few servants +of the court. They set sail half an hour before sun-rise on the 3d of +August 1492, going over the bar of the river Saltes, on which Palos is +situated, and directing their course for the Canaries; the whole crews of +all the three vessels, after the example of Columbus, having previously +made confession of their sins, and partaken of the holy sacrament. On the +very next day, the rudder of the caravel Pinta, which Martin Alonso Pinzon +commanded, broke loose; which was suspected to have happened by the +contrivance of Gomez Rascon and Christopher Quintero, her owners, and +serving as seamen on board, because they went on the voyage against their +inclination, and had endeavoured to throw obstacles in its way before +setting out. This obliged the Pinto to lie to, and the admiral made up to +the caravel, though he could not give any aid, on purpose to encourage the +men. Martin Alonso Pinzon being an experienced seaman, soon fastened the +rudder in such a manner with ropes as enabled her to continue the voyage: +But on the Tuesday following, it broke loose again through the violence of +the waves, and the whole of the small squadron was forced to lie to. This +early misfortune might have discouraged a superstitious person, more +especially considering the refractory conduct of M.A. Pinzon afterwards. +The rudder was again made fast as well as they could; and, continuing +their voyage, they discovered the Canaries about day-break of the 11th of +August. After endeavouring for two days to reach Gran Canaria, and always +baffled by contrary winds, Martin Alonso was left with orders to proceed +to land as soon as he could, to endeavour to procure another ship, and the +admiral went with the other two to Gomera with the same view. Not finding +any vessel for his purpose, he returned to Gran Canaria, where he got a +new rudder for the Pinta, and had her sails changed from latine or +triangular, into square, that she might labour less, and be able more +safely to keep up with the others. Leaving Gran Canaria on the afternoon +of the 1st September, he returned to Gomera, where he took in a supply of +flesh, and wood and water, with great haste in the course of four days; as +he had heard of some Portuguese caravels cruising in those parts to +intercept him, the king of Portugal being much concerned to learn that +Columbus had agreed with their Catholic majesties, by which he had missed +the opportunity of aggrandizing his own crown. + +On Thursday the 6th of September, Columbus took his final departure from +Gomera, standing to the westwards in quest of his proposed discovery, and +made but little way for want of wind: Yet they lost sight of land next day, +when many bewailed their state with sighs and tears, believing they were +never more to see land; but Columbus did all in his power to raise their +hopes, by the promise of success, and of acquiring wealth. That day they +ran eighteen leagues, while the admiral gave out they had only advanced +fifteen; thinking it prudent to reckon the voyage short, on purpose to +lessen the apprehensions of the seamen. On the 11th of September, being +150 leagues to the westwards of Ferro, they saw a mast floating on the sea, +that seemed to have been drifted by the current, which a little farther on, +they found setting very rapidly to the northwards. On the 14th September, +being 50 leagues more to the west, the admiral, about night-fall, +perceived the needle to vary a point westwards, and somewhat more early +next morning. This variation had never been observed before, and therefore +astonished the admiral greatly; and still more so, three days after, when +he had advanced 100 leagues farther to the westwards, on finding the +needle to vary two points in the evening, and to point directly north next +morning. On the night of Saturday the 15th September, being then near 300 +leagues west from Ferro, they saw a flame of fire drop into the sea, four +or five leagues S.W. from the ships, the weather being then calm, the sea +smooth, and the current setting to the N.E. The people in the Ninna said +they had seen some water-wagtails on the day before, at which they much +admired, considering that these birds never go above fifteen or twenty +leagues from land. On the next day, they were still more surprised at +seeing some spots of green and yellow weeds on the surface of the sea, +which seemed newly broken off from some island or rock. On Monday the 17th, +they saw much more, and many concluded they were near land, more +especially as a live grasshopper was seen on the weeds. Others of the +companies alleged these weeds might come from banks or rocks under water, +and the people, beginning to be afraid, muttered against the prosecution +of the voyage. They now perceived that the water was not more than half as +salt as usual, and that night they saw many tunny fishes, which followed +so near the ships that a man belonging to the Ninna killed one with a +harpoon. In the morning the air was temperate and delightful, like the +April weather of Andalusia. When about 360 leagues westwards of Ferro, +another water-wagtail was seen; and on Tuesday the 18th September, Martin +Alonso Pinzon, being before in the Pinta which was an excellent sailer, +lay to for the admiral, and reported that he had seen a numerous flock of +birds flying westwards, from which he had hopes of discovering land that +night, at about fifteen leagues to the northwards, and even fancied he had +seen it: But the admiral did not credit this, and would not lose time by +deviating from his course in search of the supposed land, though all the +people were much inclined to have made the attempt. That night the wind +freshened, when they had sailed eleven days always before the wind to the +west, without ever having to handle a sail. During the whole course, the +admiral constantly noted down every circumstance; as the winds, the fishes, +birds, and other tokens of land, and continually kept a good look out, +frequently trying for soundings. + + +[1] This is about L.260.--Churchill + + Equal to about L.2600 of our present money in effective value: But is + difficult to conceive how the eighth part of this small armament + should require so large a sum, which would extend the total amount to + L.2080 of solid money, equal in efficacy to L.20,800 in our times: and, + besides the crown had advanced L.520, equally to L.5200, as its + contribution for seven eighths.--E + + + + +SECTION V. + +_Continuation of the Voyage; the signs of approaching land; the people +mutiny, and the Admiral endeavours to appease them._ + + +Being altogether unacquainted with the voyage, and seeing nothing but sky +and water for so many days, the people began to mutter among themselves, +as thinking their situation desperate, and anxiously looked out for signs +of land, no one having ever been so far out at sea as they then were. On +Wednesday 19th September, a sea gull came on board the admiral, and others +appeared in the evening; which raised their hopes of land, believing these +birds did not fly far out to sea. Throwing the lead with a line of 200 +fathoms, no ground was found, but the current was found setting to the S.W. +On Thursday the 20th two more gulls were seen; some time after they took a +black bird, having a white spot on its crown and feet like a duck; they +killed a small fish, and sailed over large quantities of weeds. From all +which tokens the people began to pluck up fresh courage. Next morning, +three small land birds settled on the rigging of the admiral, where they +continued singing till the sun rose, when they flew away. This +strengthened their hopes of land; as, though the other birds might venture +out to sea, those small birds could not as they thought, go far from land. +Some time after, a gull was seen flying from W.N.W. next afternoon a +water-wagtail and another gull, and more weeds to the northwards, which +encouraged them in the belief that they came from some land not far off. +Yet these very weeds troubled them, as they were sometimes in such thick +spots as to impede the way of the ships, and they therefore avoided them +as much as possible. Next day they saw a whale, and on the 22d September +some birds. During three days the winds were from the S.W. which, though +contrary, the admiral said were a good sign, because the ships having +hitherto sailed always before the wind, the men believed they would never +have a fair wind to return with. Notwithstanding every encouragement that +the admiral could devise, the men grew mutinous and slighted him, railing +against the king for sending them on such a voyage; while he sometimes +endeavoured to sooth them with hopes, and at other times threatened them +with the punishment they might look for from the king, for their cowardice +and disobedience. On the 23d, the wind sprung up at W. N.W. with a rough +sea, which pleased every one; at nine in the morning a turtle-dove flew +athwart the admiral; in the afternoon a gull and other white birds, and +grasshoppers were seen among the weeds. Next day another gull was seen, +and turtle-doves came from the westwards; some small fishes also were seen, +which were killed with harpoons, as they would not take bait. + +All these tokens of land proving vain, the fears of the men increased, and +they now began to mutter openly that the admiral proposed to make himself +great at the expence of their lives; and, having now done their duty by +venturing farther than any men had ever done before, they ought not to +seek their own destruction by sailing onwards to no purpose; for, if they +should expend all their provisions, they would have none to serve them on +the homeward voyage; and the vessels, being already crazy, would never +hold out; so that no one would blame them for returning, and they would be +the more readily believed at home, as the admiral had met with much +opposition at court. Some even went the length of proposing to throw him +overboard, to end all controversy, and to give out that he had fallen +accidentally into the sea while observing the stars. Thus the men inclined +more and more to mutiny from day to day, which greatly perplexed Columbus; +who sometimes soothed them with fair words, and at other times curbed +their insolence with menaces; often enumerating the increasing signs of +land, and assuring them they would soon find a wonderfully rich country, +where all their toils would be amply rewarded. They thus continued so full +of care and trouble that every day seemed a year, till on Tuesday the 29th +September, Vincent Yannez Pinzon, while conversing with Columbus, called +out _Land! Land!_ "Sir, I demand my reward for this news." He then pointed +to the S.W. and shewed something that looked like an island, about 25 +leagues from the ships. Though this was afterwards believed to have been a +concerted matter between the admiral and him, yet it was then so pleasing +to the men that they gave thanks to God; and the admiral pretended to +believe it till night, steering his course in that direction to please the +men. + +Next morning, what seemed land turned out only clouds or a fog bank, which +often looks like land; and with much discontent the course was again +altered due west, and so continued while the wind was favourable. This day, +Wednesday 26th, they saw a gull, a water-wagtail, and other birds. Next +morning another gull flew past from the west towards the east, and they +saw many fishes called _dorados_, or gilt-heads, some of which were struck +with harpoons. Another water-wagtail passed very near the ships; and the +currents were observed not to run in so strong a body as before, but to +change with the tides; and there were fewer weeds. Friday 28th September, +they saw many dorados, and on Saturday a water-wagtail, which is a species +of sea bird that never rests, but perpetually pursues the gulls till they +mute for fear, which the other catches in the air. Of these there are +great numbers about the Cape Verde islands. Soon after many gulls appeared, +and numbers of flying fishes. In the afternoon, many weeds were seen +stretching from north to south, also three gulls and a water-wagtail +pursuing them. The men constantly allowed that the weeds were a sign of +near land, but alleged that it was under water. On Sunday 30th September, +four water-wagtails came near the admiral at once, from which it was +concluded the land could not be far off. Many weeds appeared in a line +from W.N.W. to E.S.E; likewise many of those fishes which are called +emperors, having a hard skin, and not good eating. Though the admiral +carefully noted all these circumstances, he ceased not to observe the +heavens. He perceived that the needles varied two points at night-fall, +and returned due north in the morning, which much perplexed the pilots; +till he told them this proceeded from the north star moving round the pole, +with which gratuitous explanation they were partly satisfied, for this +hitherto unusual variation at such a distance from land, made them fearful +of some unknown danger. + +On Monday the 1st October, at day-break a gull was seen, and some others +before noon resembling bitterns; and the weeds now set from east to west. +Many now feared they might come to some place where the land was so +closely beset with weeds that they might stick fast among them and perish. +This morning the pilot told Columbus that they were 588 leagues to the +west of Ferro; but the admiral answered that they were only 584, though +his reckoning was actually 707. On the Wednesday following, the pilot of +the Ninna reported his westing to be 650 leagues; and he of the Pinta 630; +in all of which they had reckoned short, having sailed right before the +wind, but Columbus refrained from setting them right, lest he might +increase the dismay of the people, by letting them know how far they were +from land. On the 2d October, they killed a tunny and saw many other sorts, +as also a white bird and many grey ones, and the weeds looked withered, as +if almost reduced to powder. No birds appearing next day, they feared +having passed some island unseen, supposing all the birds that appeared to +have been passing from one island to another, and the men were eager to +change their course to one hand or the other; but Columbus did not choose +to lose the advantage of the wind, which served for a due west course, +which he particularly wished, and he thought it would lessen his +reputation to sail up and down in search of land, which he always asserted +he was certain to find. On this the men again mutinied, which was not +wonderful, considering that so many were led by one of whom they had so +little knowledge, and that they had already sailed long on so vast an +ocean, seeing nothing but sky and water, without knowing what might be the +end of all their labours. But it pleased God to show fresh signs of land, +by which they were somewhat appeased; for, in the afternoon of the 4th +October, they saw above forty sparrows and two gulls, which came so close +to the ships that a sailor killed one with a stone; likewise many flying +fishes were seen, some of which fell upon the decks of the ships. Next day, +a gull, a water-wagtail, and many sparrows appeared to the westwards near +the ships. On Sunday the 7th October, some signs of land appeared to the +westwards, yet none durst say so, lest they might forfeit the annuity of +10,000 maravedies, which had been promised to him who first saw land; and +it was provided that whoever should pretend to see the land, if his +discovery were not verified in three days, should be ever after excluded +from the reward, even though he should actually make the discovery in the +sequel. Yet those in the Ninna, which was a-head of the rest, being the +best sailer, were so sure of seeing land that they fired a gun and shewed +their colours as a signal to that effect; but the more they advanced, the +appearances became the less, and at length vanished away. In this +disconsolate condition, it pleased God again to comfort them with the +flights of many birds, and among them some which were certainly land birds, +and which made for the south west. Upon this, concluding he could not now +be far from land, Columbus altered his course from west to south-west; +alleging the difference was not great, and that the Portuguese had +discovered most of their lands by following the flight of birds, and that +those he now followed took the very direction in which he had always +expected to find the land. He added that he had always told them he did +not expect to find the land till he had sailed 750 leagues westward of the +Canaries, where he expected to find the island of Cipango, and must +certainly have been upon it by this time; but knowing it to stretch north +and south, he had not turned southwards lest he might get foul of it; yet +he now believed it to lie among other islands towards the left, in the +direction these birds flew; and since they were so numerous, the land must +needs be near. On Monday the 8th October, about a dozen small birds of +several different colours came to the ship, and hovering a while about it, +afterwards flew away, and many others were seen flying to the south-west. +On the same evening, many large birds were seen, and flocks of small birds, +all coming from the northward, and many tunnies were seen. Next morning a +gull and some ducks, with many small birds were seen, all flying in the +same direction with the former; besides, the air became more fresh and +fragrant, as at Seville in April. But the men were now so anxious for land, +and so vexed at the frequent disappointment of their hopes, that they +regarded none of these tokens; though, on Wednesday the 10th, many birds +were seen both by day and night; yet neither the encouraging promises of +the admiral, nor his upbraiding their cowardice, could allay their fears, +or inspire them with any confidence of ultimate success. + + + + +SECTION VI + +_Admiral Columbus discovers the Island of San Salvador, the Conception, +Ferdinandina, Isabella, and others; with a Description of these islands, +and some account of the Natives_. + + +It pleased God, when Columbus was no longer able to withstand the +discontents and mutinous spirit of his men, that in the afternoon of +Thursday the 11th of October 1492, he was comforted by manifest tokens of +approaching land. A green rush was seen to float past his own ship, and a +green fish of that kind which is known to be usually near rocks. Those of +the Pinta saw a cane and a staff, and took up another curiously carved, +and a piece of board, and many weeds were seen, evidently fresh torn from +the shore. The people on board the Ninna saw similar tokens, and a branch +of thorn with its berries, that seemed to have been recently torn from the +bush. All these were strong indications of being near land; besides which +the lead now found a bottom and brought up sand; and the wind became +unsteady, which was thought to proceed from the nearness of the land. From +all these signs, Columbus concluded that he was now certainly near the +land he was in search of; and when night came, after evening prayer he +made a speech to his men, setting forth the infinite goodness of God, who +had conducted them in safety through so long a voyage. He then gave orders, +that they should lay to and watch all night; since they well knew that the +first article of their sailing instructions was, that, after sailing seven +hundred leagues without finding land, they should not make sail between +midnight and day-break; and he was almost confident they would make the +land that night. On purpose farther to rouse their vigilance, besides +putting them in mind of the promised annuity of 10,000 maravedies from the +king to him who might first see land, he engaged to give from himself a +velvet doublet to the discoverer. + +_About ten o'clock at night of Thursday the 11th October_ 1492, as +Columbus was sitting on the poop of his vessel, he espied a light; on +which he privately called upon Peter Gutierrez, a groom of the kings privy +chamber, and desired him to look at the light, which he said he saw. He +then called Roderigo Sanchez de Segovia, inspector of the fleet, who could +not discern the light; but it was afterwards seen twice, and looked like a +candle which was lifted up and then held down; so that Columbus had no +doubt of it being a real light on land, and it afterwards turned out to +have been a light carried by some people who went from one house to +another. + +About two the next morning, the caravel Pinta, being always foremost, made +a signal of seeing land, which was first descried by a sailor named +Roderick de Triana, and was then about two leagues distant. But the +annuity of 10,000 maravedies, promised in reward to him who should first +discover land, was afterwards decreed by their majesties to belong to the +admiral, and was always paid him from the rents of the shambles of Seville; +because _he saw the light in the midst of darkness_; typical of the +spiritual light they were bringing among those barbarous people: For God +so ordered it, that, as soon as the wars with the Moors of Granada were +ended, after 720 years from their first coming into Spain, this great work +should begin; by which the crown of Castile and Leon might be continually +employed in the good work of bringing infidels to the knowledge of the +Catholic faith. + +When day appeared, on Friday the 12th October, they perceived a flat +island, fifteen leagues in length, covered with wood, abundantly supplied +with good water, having a fresh lake in the middle, and full of people. +The natives stood on the shore in great admiration of the ships, which +they believed to be some monstrous unknown animals, and were as impatient +to be better informed respecting them, as the Spaniards were to go on +shore. The admiral went on shore in his boat well manned, and having the +royal standard displayed, accompanied by the two captains of the other +ships, Martin Alonzo Pinzon, and Vincent Yannez Pinzon, in their own boats +carrying the peculiar colours of the enterprize, being a green cross with +several crowns, and inscribed with the names of their Catholic majesties. +On landing they all fell upon their knees, kissing the ground, and +returned thanks to the Almighty for his merciful guidance and protection. +The admiral then stood up, and named the island _San Salvador_ or St +Saviour; but by the inhabitants it was called _Guanahani_. This first +discovered land in the new world, being one of the islands afterwards +called _Lucayos_ or _Bahamas_, is 950 leagues from the Canary islands[1], +and was discovered after 33 days sail[2]. Columbus took formal possession +of the country for the crown of Castile and Leon, in presence of the +notary Roderick de Escoveda, being surrounded by great numbers of the +natives. All the Spaniards now acknowledged him as admiral and viceroy, +taking an oath to obey him, as representing the sovereign in those parts; +and they did this with all that pleasure and alacrity which may easily be +imagined to have actuated them on this successful occasion, all begging +pardon for the trouble they had given him through their pusillanimous and +irresolute conduct during the voyage. + +Perceiving that the natives, who were called Indians by the Spaniards, +were a simple and peaceable people, who stood gazing with admiration at +the Christians, wondering at their beards, complexion, and cloaths, the +admiral gave them some red caps, glass beads, and other baubles, which +they received eagerly and seemed to prize much; while the Spaniards were +no less surprised to behold the appearance and behaviour of this new +people. The admiral returned on board, followed by many Indians, some by +swimming, and others in boats called _canoes_, made out of one piece of +timber, like troughs or trays. The Indians brought along with them clews +of cotton-yarn, parrots, javelins pointed with fish bones, and some other +things, which they bartered for glass toys, hawks-bells and such trifles, +with which they were highly pleased, and even set a high value on broken +pieces of glazed earthern ware, plates, and poringers. All the natives, +both men and women, were entirely naked like man in the state of innocence, +the greater number being under thirty years of age, though some were old. +They wore their hair down to their ears, some few to their necks, tied +with a string in the nature of tresses. Their countenances and features +were good; yet having extraordinarily broad foreheads, gave some +appearance of deformity to their appearance. They were of a middle stature +and well shaped, having their skins of an olive colour, like the natives +of the Canaries; but some were painted white, some black, and others red; +most of them in different parts of their bodies, but some only on their +faces, round the eyes, or on their noses. They were quite ignorant of our +weapons; for on being shewn swords, they ignorantly laid hold of the edge. +They knew nothing of iron, but used sharp stones for working in wood. +Being asked by signs, how they came by some scars that were observed upon +some of them, they made the Spaniards understand that the people of some +other islands came occasionally to make them prisoners, and that they had +been wounded in defending themselves. They had very voluble tongues, and +appeared of quick apprehension, and easily repeated any words they heard +spoken. The only living creatures that were seen among them were parrots. + +On the next day, being the 13th October, many Indians came off to the +ships in their canoes, most of which carried forty or even fifty men, and +some were so small as only to hold one. Their oars were formed like a +bakers peel, with which they rowed, or paddled rather, as if digging with +a spade. Though easily overset, the Indians were excellent swimmers, and +easily turned their canoes up, again, after which they laded the water out +with calabashes, which they carried with them for that purpose. They +brought much cotton on board to barter with the Spaniards, and some of +them gave as many clews as weighed a quarter of a hundred weight in +exchange for a small brass Portuguese coin called _centis_, worth less +than a farthing. These people were never satisfied with gazing on the +Spaniards, and used to kneel down and hold up their hands, as if praising +God for their arrival, and were continually inviting each other to go and +see the men who had come from heaven. They wore no jewels, nor had they +any other thing of value, except some little gold plates which hung at +their noses. Being asked whence they had this gold, they answered by signs +that they procured it from the southwards, where there was a king, who had +abundance of that metal. The ships were never clear of Indians, who, as +soon as they could procure a bit of any thing, were it only a fragment of +a broken earthen dish, went away well pleased and swam ashore with their +acquisition, offering whatsoever they possessed for the meanest trifle. +Thus the whole day was spent in trading, their generosity in giving being +occasioned by the value they set upon what they received in return, as +they looked upon the Spaniards as people come from heaven, and were +therefore desirous of something to keep in remembrance of them. At night +they all went on shore. On the morning of the 14th the admiral took a +survey of all the coast to the north-west in the boats, the natives +following along the shore, offering provisions, and calling to each other +to come and see these heavenly men; others followed in canoes, and some by +swimming, holding up their hands in admiration, asking by signs if the +Christians did not come from heaven, and inviting them to come on shore to +rest themselves. The admiral gave to all strings of glass beads, pins, or +other toys, being much pleased to see the simple innocence of the natives. +He continued the survey till he came to a ridge of rocks inclosing a +spacious harbour, where a strong fort might have been built, in a place +almost surrounded by water. Near that harbour there was a village of six +houses, surrounded by abundance of trees, which looked like gardens. As +the men were wearied with rowing, and the land did not appear sufficiently +inviting to make any stay, Columbus returned to the ships; and having +heard of other lands, he resolved to go in search of them. + +Taking with him seven natives of Guanahani, that they might learn Spanish +and serve as interpreters, Columbus proceeded to discover the other +islands, of which there were above an hundred, all flat, green, and +inhabited, of which the Indians told him the names. On Monday the 15th of +October, he came to an island, seven leagues from St Salvador or Guanahani, +which he named _Santa Maria de la Conception_[3], which stretches near +fifty leagues in length between north and south; but the admiral ran along +that side of it which is east and west, where the extent is only ten +leagues. He anchored on the west side, and went on shore, when vast +numbers of the natives flocked about him, shewing the utmost wonder and +admiration. Finding this island similar to the former, he thought fit to +proceed farther on. A canoe being on board the caravel Ninna, one of the +seven Indians brought from St Salvador leaped over, and though pursued by +a boat got clear off; and another had made his escape the night before. +While here an Indian came off in a canoe to barter cotton, and the admiral +ordered a red cap to be put on his head, and to have hawks-bells fastened +to his legs and arms, on which he went away well pleased. Next day being +Tuesday 16th October, he proceeded westwards to another island, the coast +of which trended eighteen leagues N.W. and S.E.; but he did not reach it +till next day, on account of calms. On the way, an Indian was met in a +canoe, having a piece of their bread, some water in a calabash or gourd, a +little of the black earth with which they paint themselves, some dry +leaves of a wholesome sweet-scented herb which they prize highly; and, in +a little basket, a string of glass beads, and two vinteins[4], by which +it appeared he came from San Salvador, had passed the Conception, and was +going to this third island, which the admiral now named _Fernandina_, in +honour of the king of Spain. The way being long and the Indian tired with +rowing, he went on board, and the admiral ordered him to be regaled with +bread and honey and some wine; and when he arrived at the island, caused +him to be set on shore with some toys. The good report which this man gave, +brought the people of the island aboard the ships to barter, as in the +other islands. When the boats went ashore for water, the Indians readily +shewed where it was to be had, and even helped to fill the casks; yet they +seemed to have more understanding than the other islanders, as they +bargained harder in exchanging their commodities, and had cotton blankets +in their houses. Some of the women also wore short cotton wrappers, like +petticoats, from the waist half way down their thighs, while others had a +swathe or bandage of cotton cloth, and such as had nothing better, wore +leaves of trees; but the young girls were entirely naked. This island +appeared to have abundance of water, many meadows and groves, and some +pleasant little hills, which the others had not, and an infinite variety +of birds flew about in flocks, and sung sweetly; most of these being quite +different from the birds of Spain. There were many lakes, near one of +which our men saw a creature seven feet long, which he supposed to be an +alligator, and admired its size and strange shape. Having thrown stones at +this creature, it ran into the water, where they killed it with their +spears. Experience taught them afterwards that this animal is excellent +meat, and is much esteemed by the Indians of Hispaniola, who call them +_Yvanes_. In this island there were trees which seemed to have been +grafted, as they bore leaves of four or five kinds; yet they were quite +natural. They saw also fishes of fine colours, but no land animals except +large tame snakes, the before-mentioned alligators, and small rabbits, +almost like rats, called _Unias_; they had also some small dogs which did +not bark. Continuing the survey of this island to the north-west, they +anchored at the mouth of a spacious harbour, having a small island at its +mouth; but did not enter, as it was too shallow. In this place was a town +of some size, all the rest they had seen in these islands having not above +ten or twelve huts like tents, some of them round, and others with +penthouse roofs, sloping both ways, and an open porch in front in the +Flemish fashion. These were covered with leaves of trees, very neatly laid +on, to keep out wind and rain, with vents for the smoke, and the ridges +handsomely ornamented. Their only furniture were beds of net tied to two +posts, like hammocks. One Indian had a little piece of gold hanging from +his nose, with some marks on it resembling characters, which the admiral +was anxious to procure, supposing it to have been some species of coin; +but it afterwards appeared there was no such thing in all the West Indies. + +Nothing being found in Fernandina beyond what had been already seen at St +Salvador and the Conception, the admiral proceeded to the next island, +which he named Isabella, in honour of the queen of Castile, and took +possession of it with the usual formalities. This island and its +inhabitants resembled the rest, having the beautiful appearance of the +south of Spain in the month of April. They here killed an alligator; and, +on going towards a town, the inhabitants fled, carrying sway all their +property; but no harm being done, the natives soon came to the ships to +barter like the others for toys; and being asked for water, they became so +familiar as to bring it on board in gourds. The admiral would not spend +time at Isabella, nor at any of the other small islands, which were very +numerous, but resolved to go in search of a very large island which the +Indians described as being in the south, by them called _Cuba_, of which +they seemed to give a magnificent account, and which he supposed might be +_Sucipango_. He steered his course W.S.W, and made little way on Wednesday +and Thursday, by reason of heavy rain, and changed his course at nine next +morning to S.E., and after running eight leagues, fell in with eight +islands in a north and south direction, which he called _Del Arena_, or +the Sand Isles, because surrounded by shoals. He was told that Cuba was +only a day and halfs sail from these islands, which he left on Saturday +the 27th October, and standing S.S.W., discovered Cuba before night; yet, +as it began to grow late and dark, he lay to all night. + + + + +SECTION VII. + +_Discovery of Cuba and Hispaniola, and Desertion of Martin Alonzo Pinzon._ + + +On Sunday the 28th of October, the admiral drew near the coast of Cuba, +which appeared much finer than any of the islands he had seen hitherto, +there being hills, mountains, plains, and waters, with various sorts of +trees; and he gave it the name of _Juanna_ or _Joanna_, in honour of the +princess of Spain. He anchored in a great river, to which he gave the name +of San Salvador, for a good omen. The wood appeared very thick, and +composed of tall trees, bearing blossoms and fruit quite different from +those of Spain, and frequented by numberless birds. Wanting some +information, the admiral sent to two houses in sight, but the inhabitants +fled away, taking their nets and fishing tackle, and accompanied by a dog +that did not bark. He would not allow any thing to be touched, but went on +to another great river, which he named _De la Luna_, or Moon river; and +thence to another which he called _Mares_, or Sea river, the banks of +which were thickly peopled, but the inhabitants all fled to the mountains, +which were thickly clothed with many kinds of tall trees. The Indians he +had brought with him from Guanahani, said that there were gold and pearls +to be found here; which last he thought likely, as muscles were seen. +These Indians added that the continent was only ten days sail from this +island; but, from a notion he had imbibed from the writings of Paul, a +physician of Florence, and though he was in the right, it was not the land +he imagined[5]. Believing that the Indians would be afraid if many men +were to land, he sent only two Spaniards on shore, along with one of the +Guanahani Indians, and one belonging to Cuba who had come on board in a +canoe. The Spaniards were Roderick de Xeres, a native of Ayamonte, and +Lewis de Torres, who had been a Jew, and spoke Hebrew and Chaldee, and +some Arabic. These people were furnished with toys to barter, and were +restricted to six days, having proper instructions of what they were to +say in the name of their Catholic majesties, and were directed to +penetrate into the country, informing themselves of every thing worth +notice, and not to do any injury to any of the natives. In the mean time, +the admiral refitted the ships, and found all the wood they used for fuel +produced a kind of gum like mastic, the leaf and fruit much resembling the +lentisc, but the tree was much larger. In this river of Mares, the ships +had room to swing, having seven or eight fathoms water at the mouth, and +five within. There were two small hills on the west side of the river, and +a pleasant flat cape running out to the W.N.W. This was afterwards the +port of Barocoa, which the adelantado Velasquez called Assumption. + +On the 5th of November, when the ships were ready to sail, the two +Spaniards returned, accompanied by three natives of the island. They +reported that they had penetrated twenty-two leagues, and found a town of +50 houses, built like those which had been seen already, and containing +about 1000 inhabitants, as a whole race lived in one house. The prince and +chief men came out to meet them, and led them by the arms to lodge in one +of the houses, where they were seated on stools of an entire piece of wood, +shaped like a living creature with short legs, the tail standing upright, +and the head before, with gold eyes and ears. All the Indians sat about +them on the ground, and came in succession to kiss their hands, believing +they came from heaven, and gave them boiled roots to eat, which tasted +like chesnuts. They were entreated to remain, or at least to stay for some +days to rest themselves, as the Indians that went with them had said a +great deal in their praise. The men afterwards went away, and many women +came to see them, who were much amazed, kissed their hands and feet, and +touched them fearfully as if holy, offering them what they had to give. On +their return, many of the natives desired to accompany them; but they +would only permit the lord of the town, with his son and a servant, whom +the admiral treated with much respect. They added, that they met with +several towns, both in going and returning, where they were courteously +entertained; but none of them contained more than five or six houses. On +the way, they met many people carrying lighted fire-brands to make fire +with, to smoke themselves with certain herbs they carried along with them, +and to roast roots, which were their chief food. They could easily light a +fire, by rubbing pieces of a certain wood together, as if boring. They saw +several sorts of trees differing from those on the sea coast, and an +extraordinary variety of birds, quite different from those of Spain; but +among these there were partridges and nightingales; and they found no +quadrupeds, except the dogs formerly mentioned, that could not bark. The +Indians had much land in cultivation, part in those roots before mentioned, +and part sown with a grain named _Maize_, which was well tasted; either +boiled whole, or made into flour. They saw vast quantities of spun cotton, +made up into clews, and thought there was above 12,000 weight of it in one +house. This cotton grows wild in the fields, and opens of itself when ripe, +and there were some heads open and others shut on the same plants; and +this was held in so little estimation by the natives, that they would give +a basket full for a leather thong, a piece of glazed earthen ware, or a +bit of mirror. Being all naked, the only use to which this cotton was +applied, was for net hammocks, in which they slept, and for weaving into +small clouts to cover their nakedness. Being asked for gold and pearls, +they said there was plenty of them at _Bohio_, pointing to the east. The +Spaniards made much inquiry among the natives on board, for gold, and were +told it camp from _Cubanocan_; which some thought meant the country of the +Chan of Cathay, and that it was not far off, as their signs indicated four +days journey. Martin Alonzo Pinzon, thought Cubanocan must be some great +city, only distant four days journey; but it was afterwards found to be a +province in the middle of Cuba, _nocan_ signifying the middle, in which +there are gold mines. + +The admiral was not inclined to lose time in this uncertain inquiry, but +ordered some Indians of several different parts to be seized, to carry +them into Spain, that they might each give an account of their country, +and serve as witnesses of his discovery. Twelve persons, men, women, and +children, were secured; and when about to sail, the husband of one of the +women, who had two children, came and solicited to go along with his wife +and children; and the admiral ordered him to be received and treated +kindly. The wind changing northerly, they were constrained to put into a +port called _Del Principe_, which he only viewed from without, in a +road-stead protected by a great number of islands, about a musket-shot +asunder, and he called this place _Mar de Nuestra Sennora_, or Our Lady's +Sea. The channels between the islands were deep, and the shores +beautifully adorned with trees and green herbage. Some of the trees +resembled mastic, and others lignum aloes, some like palms with smooth +green stems, and many other kinds. Landing on these islands, they found no +inhabitants, but there were the appearances of many fires having been made +in them, by fishers; as the inhabitants of Cuba go there for fish and fowl, +which are got in profusion. The Indians eat several filthy things; as +great spiders, worms bred in rotten wood, fish half raw, from which they +scoop out the eyes as soon as taken, and devour them; besides many other +things quite disgusting to the Spaniards. In this employment of fishing, +the Indians occupy themselves during several seasons of the year; going +sometimes to one island and sometimes to another, as people who tire of +one diet change to another. In one of these islands the Spaniards killed +an animal resembling a wild boar, and among many kinds of fish which they +drew up in their nets, one was like a swine, with a very hard skin, the +tail being the only soft part. They found likewise some mother-of-pearl. +The sea was observed to ebb and flow much more here than in any other part, +which the admiral attributed to the numbers of islands; and low water was +noticed to be when the moon was S.S.W, contrary to what it is in Spain. + +On Sunday the 18th November, the admiral returned to _Puerto del Principe_, +and erected a large wooden cross at its mouth. On Monday the 19th, he +resumed his voyage for the island, afterwards named Hispaniola, which some +of the Indians called _Bohio_, and others _Babeque_; yet it afterwards +appeared that Babeque was not Hispaniola, but the continent, for they +called it Caribana[6]. The Indian word _Bohio_ signifies a house or +habitation; and as that term was applied to the island of Hispaniola, it +seemed to denote that it was full of _Bohios_ or houses. On account of +contrary winds, the admiral spent three or four days cruising about the +island of Isabella, but did not go very near, lest the Indians he had on +board might escape; at this place they found many of the weeds they had +before met with on the ocean, and perceived that they were drifted by the +currents. Martin Alonzo Pinzon, learning from the Indians that there was +much gold at Bohio, and eager to enrich himself, left the admiral on +Wednesday the 21st November, without any stress of weather or other +legitimate cause; his ship being always foremost, as the best sailer, he +slipped off at night unperceived. On the admiral perceiving his absence, +and that he did not return after many signals, he bore away for the island +of Cuba, as the wind was contrary, and put into a large and safe harbour, +to which he gave the name of _Puerto de Santa Catalina_, or St Catherines, +because discovered on the eve of that saint. While taking in wood and +water here, some stones were found which had veins resembling gold; and +there grew fine tall pines on the shore, fit for masts. The Indians still +directing him for Bohio or Hispaniola, as a country abounding in gold, he +sailed along the coast twelve leagues farther, where he found many +spacious harbours, and among these a river which might conveniently admit +a galley, yet the entrance could not be seen till close at hand. Invited +by the convenient appearance of the place, he went up the river in a boat, +finding eight fathom water at the entrance. He proceeded some way up the +river, the banks of which were pleasantly embellished with fine trees +swarming with a variety of birds. At length he came to some houses, where +a boat was found under an arbour, having twelve thwarts, or seats for +rowers, and in one of the houses they found a mass of wax, and a mans head +hanging in a basket. This wax was carried to their majesties, but as no +more was ever found in Cuba, it was afterwards supposed to have been +brought from Yucatan. They found no people in this place, as they had all +fled, but they saw another canoe ninety-five spans long, capable of +holding fifty persons, made all of one piece of wood like the rest, and +hollowed out with tools of flint. + +After sailing 107 leagues eastwards along the coast of Cuba, the admiral +arrived at its eastern end, and departed thence on the 5th December for +Hispaniola, which is only 18 leagues distant; yet he could not reach it +till next day, on account of the currents. On the 6th he came to a harbour +which he called St Nicholas, at the western extremity of Hispaniola, +having discovered it on the day of that Saint. This port is safe, spacious, +and deep, surrounded by thick groves and a mountainous land; the trees, +however, were not large, and resembled those of Spain; among others, there +were found pine and myrtle. A pleasant river discharged itself into this +harbour, and on its banks were many canoes, as large as brigantines, of 25 +benches. Finding no people, he went on to the north-east, to a harbour +which he named Conception, south from a small island called Tortuga, 10 +leagues north of Hispaniola. Observing this island of Bohio to be very +large, that its land and trees resembled Spain, that his people caught, +among other fish, many skates, soles, and other fishes like those in Spain, +and that nightingales and other European birds were heard to sing in the +month of December, at which they much admired; the admiral named this land +_La Espannola_, which we now corruptly write _Hispaniola_. Some thought it +ought to have been named _Castellana_, as the crown of Castile alone was +concerned in this expedition of discovery. As he had received a favourable +account of this island from the Indians, he was desirous of learning +whether it were really so wealthy as they represented; and, as the natives +all fled, communicating the alarm from place to place by fires, he sent +six well armed Spaniards into the interior to explore the country. These +people returned, after having proceeded a considerable way without finding +any inhabitants; but they reported wonders of the deliciousness of the +country. One day three of the seamen having gone into a wood, saw many +naked people, who fled as soon as they saw our men into the thickest parts +of the wood; but the sailors pursued and took a woman, who had a small +plate of gold hanging at her nose. The admiral gave her some hawks-bells +and glass beads, and ordered her to have a shirt, and sent her away with +three Spaniards, and three of the Indian captives, to accompany her to her +dwelling. + + + + +SECTION VIII. + +_Farther Discovery of Hispaniola: Simplicity of the Natives: Kind +reception from the Cacique_ Guacanagari. _The Admiral loses his ship, and +resolves to settle a Colony in the Island._ + + +Next day the admiral sent nine armed Spaniards, with an Indian of St +Salvador to serve as interpreter, to the womans habitation, which was four +leagues to the south-east of where the ships then lay. They here found a +town of 1000 scattered houses; but it was quite deserted, as all the +inhabitants had fled into the woods. The Indian interpreter was sent after +them, and at length persuaded them to return, by saying much in praise of +the Spaniards. They returned accordingly to the town, trembling with fear +and amazement, laying their hands on the heads of the Spaniards, out of +honour and respect, entreating of them to eat, and to remain with them for +the night. Abundance of people now collected; some of them carrying the +woman on their shoulders in triumph to whom the admiral had given a shirt, +and her husband came among them, on purpose to return thanks for the +honourable gift. The Spaniards now returned to the ships, reporting that +the country abounded in provisions, that the natives were whiter and +better-looking than those of the other islands; but that the gold country +lay still more to the eastwards. By their description the men were not of +large size, yet brawny and well set, without beards, having wide nostrils +and broad smooth ungraceful foreheads, which were so shaped at their birth +as a beauty, for which reason, and because they always went bareheaded, +their skulls were hard enough to break a Spanish sword. Here the admiral +observed the length of the day and night, and found that twenty half-hour +glasses run out between sun-rise and sun-set, making the day consequently +ten hours long; but he believed the seamen had been negligent and had made +a mistake, and that the day was somewhat more than eleven hours. Though +the wind was contrary, he resolved to leave this place, and continue his +course to the eastwards through the channel between Tortuga and Hispaniola, +where he found an Indian fishing in a canoe, and wondered his small vessel +was not swallowed up, as the waves rose very high; he accordingly took +both Indian and canoe into the ship, where he treated him well, and sent +him on shore afterwards with some toys. This man commended the Spaniards +so much that many of the natives resorted to the ships; but they had only +some small grains of gold hanging at their noses, which they freely parted +with. Being asked whence that gold came, they made signs that there was +plenty of it farther on. On the admiral inquiring for _Cipango_, which he +still expected to find in these seas, they thought he had meant _Cibao_, +and pointed to the eastwards, as the place in the island which produced +most gold. + +The admiral was now informed that the _cacique_, or lord of that part of +the country was coming to visit him, attended by 200 men. Though young, he +was carried in a kind of chair on mens shoulders, attended by a governor +and counsellors; and it was observed that his subjects paid him wonderful +attention, and that his deportment was exceedingly grave. An Indian, from +the island of Isabella, went ashore and spoke to the chief, telling him +the Spaniards were men who had come from heaven, and saying much in their +praise. The cacique now went on board, and, when he came to the poop, he +made signs for his attendants to remain behind, except two men of riper +years, who seemed his counsellors, and sate down at his feet. Being +offered to eat by order of the admiral, he tasted a little of every thing +that was offered, then handed it to the other two, and from them it was +carried to the rest of his attendants. When offered drink, he only touched +it with his lips. They all observed much gravity, speaking little; but +when he spoke, his counsellors observed his lips with great attention, and +answered him with much respect. The admiral thought these people more +rational and farther advanced in civilization than any he had seen at the +other islands. When it grew late, the cacique and his attendants returned +to the shore. Next day, though the wind was contrary and blew hard, the +sea did not run high, as the anchoring ground was sheltered by the island +of Tortuga. Some of our people were engaged this day in fishing, and the +Indians were much gratified at seeing the Spanish mode, which differed +greatly from their own. Several of the Spaniards went on shore to the +Indian town, where they procured some small plates of gold in barter for +glass beads, which gave great satisfaction to the admiral, as he was now +enabled to convince their Catholic majesties that gold was to be had in +the country he had discovered, and consequently, that the promises he had +made were not vain. In the afternoon, the cacique came down again to the +shore, and about the same time, a canoe, with forty men, came over from +the island of Tortuga on purpose to visit the Spaniards, at which the +cacique appeared to take offence; but all the natives of Hispaniola sat +down on the ground, in token of peace. The people from Tortuga landed from +their canoe; but the cacique stood up and threatened them, on which they +reimbarked and pushed off from the shore. To shew his displeasure, the +cacique threw stones and water after them, and gave a stone to the +_alguazil_ belonging to the admiral, making signs for him to throw it at +the Tortugans, but he smiled and would not throw. Those in the canoe +returned very submissively to Tortuga. This day, in honour of the festival +of the Conception, the admiral ordered the ships to be dressed up with +colours and streamers, arming all the men, and firing the cannon. The +cacique came on board while the admiral was at dinner; and the respect +shewn by these naked people to their chief was very remarkable. On coming +into the cabin, the cacique sat down beside the admiral, without suffering +him to rise. Being invited to eat, he took the meat as he had done on a +former occasion, tasting a little of every thing, and giving the rest to +his more immediate attendants. After dinner, he presented to the admiral a +girdle of gold, somewhat like those used in Spain, but quite differently +wrought, and some small plates of gold, which the natives use as ornaments. +The admiral gave the cacique in return a piece of old tapestry hanging +which had attracted his fancy, some amber beads he happened to have about +his neck, a pair of red shoes, and a bottle of orange flower water, with +all of which he was much pleased. He and his attendants seemed much +concerned that they could not make themselves understood by the Spaniards, +and appeared to offer them whatever the country produced. The admiral +shewed him a piece of Spanish coin, bearing the heads of their Catholic +majesties, which he greatly admired, as also the colours with the crosses +and the royal arms. After having been treated with much respect and +attention by the admiral, the cacique went on shore, and was carried back +to his town on a chair or bier. He was accompanied by a son, and by a +great concourse of people; and all the things which had been given him by +the admiral were carried before him, held singly on high, that they might +be seen and admired by the people. A brother of the cacique came next on +board, whom the admiral treated with much respect; and next day, the +admiral caused a cross to be erected in an open spot of the town, near the +sea, as that where the cacique resided was four leagues off; to this cross +the Indians paid great respect, in imitation of the Spaniards. + +The admiral took every opportunity of discovering the situation of that +place where all the Indians said that much gold was to be procured, and +being desirous of continuing his discovery to the east, he hoisted sail on +Tuesday night, but could not, during the whole of Wednesday the 19th +December, get out of the channel between Hispaniola and Tortuga, nor was +he able to reach a port which was in sight. He saw abundance of woods and +mountains, and a small island, to which he gave the name of St Thomas; and +from all he had seen, he concluded that Hispaniola was a delightful +country, blessed with pleasant weather, and having many capes, and plenty +of safe harbours. On Thursday the 20th, he put into a port between the +little island of St Thomas and a cape. They here saw several towns, and +many fires in the country; for the season being very dry, and the grass +growing to a great height, the natives are accustomed to set it on fire, +both to facilitate their passage from place to place, and for the purpose +of catching the small animals resembling rabbits, formerly mentioned, +which are called _Utias_. The admiral went in the boats to take a view of +the harbour, which he found very good. The Indians were at first shy: but +on being encouraged by their countrymen in the ships, they flocked in such +multitudes about the Spaniards, that the whole shore was covered with men, +women, and children. They brought victuals of various kinds, among which +was good bread made of maize or Indian wheat, and gourds full of water; +nor did they hide their women, as in other places, but all stood in +admiration of the Spaniards, and seemed to praise God. These people were +whiter, better shaped, more good-natured and generous, than any they had +seen, and the admiral took much care that no offence should be given them. +He sent six men to view their town, where they were entertained as persons +who had come from heaven. At this time there came some canoes with Indians, +sent by a cacique to request the admiral would come to his town, where he +waited for him, with many of his people, at a point or cape, not far +distant. He went accordingly with the boats, though the people of the +place where he now was entreated him to stay. On landing, the cacique sent +provisions to the Spaniards; and, on finding these were received, he +dispatched some Indians to fetch more, and some parrots. The admiral gave +them hawks-bells, glass beads, and other toys, and returned to the ships, +the women and children crying out for him to remain. He ordered meat to be +given to some of the Indians that followed him in canoes, and others who +swam half a league to the caravels. Though the whole shore seemed covered +with people, great numbers were seen constantly going to and from the +interior country, across a great plain which was afterwards called _La +Vega Real_, or the Royal Plain. The admiral admired this harbour, to which +he gave the name of Port St Thomas, because discovered on the day of that +saint. + +On Saturday the 22d, the admiral intended to have departed from this place +in search of those islands where the Indians said there was much gold, but +was hindered by the weather, and therefore sent the boat to catch fish. +Soon after there came a man from _Guacanagari_, desiring the admiral would +come to his country, and he would give him all he possessed. This person +was one of the five sovereigns, or superior caciques of the island, and +was lord of most of its northern side, on which the admiral then was. +Guacanagari sent to the admiral, by his messenger, a girdle which he wore +instead of a purse, and a vizor or mask, having the ears, tongue, and nose +all made of beaten gold. The girdle was four fingers broad, all covered +with small fish bones, curiously wrought, and resembled seed pearls. The +admiral was resolved to depart on the 23d; but in the first place, he sent +the notary and six other Spaniards on shore, to gratify the natives; who +treated them well, and bartered some cotton and grains of gold for toys. +About 120 canoes came off to the ships with provisions, and well made +earthen pitchers painted red, filled with good water. They likewise +brought some of their spice, which they called _Axi_; and to shew that it +was wholesome, they mixed some of it in a dish of water, and drank it off. +As the bad weather detained the ships, the admiral sent the notary, +accompanied by two Indians, to a town where Guacanagari resided, to see if +he could procure gold; for, having got some considerable quantity of late, +he believed it might be more plentiful in this part. It was computed that +not less than 1000 men came off to the ships this day, every one of whom +gave something; and those who could not get from their canoes into the +ships, because of the multitude, called out for those on board to take +from them what they had brought. From all that he had seen, the admiral +concluded that the island might be as large as England. The notary was +received by Guacanagari, who came out of his town to meet him, and he +thought that town more regularly built than any he had seen; and all the +natives gazed on the Spaniards with surprise and admiration. The cacique +gave them cotton-cloths, parrots, and some pieces of gold; and the people +parted with any thing they had for the merest trifles, which they kept as +relics. On Monday the 24th, the admiral went on shore to visit Guacanagari, +whose residence was four or five leagues from the port of St Thomas. After +his return to the ships, he went to bed, the weather being quite calm, as +he had not slept during two days and a night. The weather being so fine +the steersman left the helm in charge of a _grummet_, although the admiral +had expressly commanded, whatever should be the weather, that he who was +entrusted with the helm should never leave it to any other person. In +truth, no danger was apprehended from rocks or shoals; as on Sunday, when +the boats attended the notary to the residence of the cacique, they had +sounded all the coast for three leagues to the S.E. from the point, and +had made observation how the ships might pass in safety; and as it was now +a dead calm, all went to sleep; thinking themselves free from all kind of +danger. It so happened that the current carried on the ship +imperceptibly[7], till at last the lad at the helm perceiving the rudder +to strike; gave the alarm. The admiral was the first on deck, after whom +came the master, whose watch it was. He was ordered, as the boat was +afloat, to get an anchor into the boat, that it might be carried out +astern and dropped in deep water; in hopes, by means of the capstern, to +heave the ship from the rock on which it lay. But, instead of executing +these orders, the people in the boat immediately made off towards the +other caravel, which was half a league to windward. In this emergency, +perceiving that the water ebbed perceptibly, and that the vessel was in +danger of oversetting, the admiral ordered the mast to be cut by the board, +and many of the things to be thrown into the sea, to lighten the vessel +and get her off. But nothing would do, as the water ebbed apace, and the +ship every moment stuck the faster; and though the sea was calm, the ship +lay athwart the current, her seams opened, she heeled to one side, sprung +a leak below, and filled with water. Had the wind been boisterous, or the +sea rough, not a man would have escaped; whereas, if the master had +executed the orders of the admiral, the ship might have been saved. Those +in the other caravel, seeing the situation of the admiral, not only +refused to admit the people who had so shamefully deserted him, and +ordered them back, but sent their own boat to give all the help in their +power. But there was no remedy, and orders were given to use every +exertion to save the people. For this purpose, the admiral sent James de +Arena and Peter Gutierrez on shore to inform the cacique that he had lost +his ship a league and a half from his town, while on his way to make him a +visit. Guacanagari shed tears on learning the misfortune, and immediately +sent out his canoes to their assistance; which immediately carried off +every thing on deck to the shore. The cacique himself and his brothers +attended, and took all possible care that nothing should be touched. He +even staid himself by the goods, for their security, and had them all +carried into two houses appointed for the purpose. He sent a message to +the admiral, desiring him not to be concerned for his loss, for he would +give him all he had in the world. The Indians assisted with so much +diligence and good will, that nothing better could have been done on the +occasion, even if they had been on the coast of Spain: They were quite +peaceable and kind; their language was easy to pronounce and learn; though +naked, many of their customs were commendable; the cacique was steady in +all points, and was served in great state. The people were very curious in +asking questions, desiring to have reasons and explanations of everything +they saw; they knelt down at prayers, in imitation of the Spaniards; and +at that time it did not appear that they had any other religion except +worshipping the heavens and the sun and moon. + +On Wednesday the 26th December, Guacanagari went on board the caravel +Ninna to visit the admiral, who was in great affliction for the loss of +his ship, and the cacique endeavoured to comfort him by the offer of every +thing he had to make up his loss. Two Indians from another town brought +some small gold plates to exchange for hawks-bells, which they most valued, +and the admiral was well provided with these toys, knowing from the +Portuguese how much these were prized in Guinea. The seamen said likewise +that others of the Indians brought gold, and gave it in exchange for +ribbons and other trifles. As Guacanagari perceived the admiral valued +gold so highly, he said he would have some brought to him from _Cibao_. +Then going on shore, he invited the admiral to come and eat _axi_ and +_cazabe_, which form the chief articles of their diet, and he gave him +some masks, having their ears, eyes, and noses, made of gold, besides, +other small ornaments which they wore about their necks. Guacanagari +complained much of the _Caribbees_, or inhabitants of the Caribbee islands, +whom we call canibals or man-eaters, because they carried off his subjects. +The admiral shewed him our weapons, and among others a Turkish bow, in the +use of which one of the Spaniards was very expert, and promised to defend +them; but he was most afraid of the cannon, as when they were fired all +the Indians used to fall down as if dead. + +Finding the natives so tractable and well affectioned to the Spaniards, +the country so pleasant and fertile, and such promising indications of +gold; the admiral concluded that God had permitted the loss of the ship on +purpose that a settlement might be made in this place, where the preaching +of his holy word might begin. The Almighty often permits that this should +be done, not solely to his own glory, and advantage of our neighbours, but +likewise for the rewards that men may look for both in this world and the +next: For it is not to be believed that any nation would venture upon so +many hardships and dangers, as had been undergone by the admiral and his +Spaniards, in so doubtful and hazardous an enterprize, were it not in hope +of some reward to encourage them in the holy work. + +The Indians continued to go backwards and forwards bartering gold for +hawks-bells, which was the article they most esteemed, and as soon as they +came near the caravel, they held up their pieces of gold, calling out +_Chuque_, _chuque_, as much as to say _Take and give_. One day, an Indian +on shore came with a piece of gold weighing about half a mark or four +ounces, which he held in his left hand, holding out his right hand to +receive the bell, which he no sooner got hold of than he dropt the gold +and ran away, as if thinking that he had cheated the Spaniard. The admiral, +for the reasons already assigned, resolved to leave some men in this +country to trade with the Indians, to make researches into the inland +parts of the island, and to learn the language; that, on his return from +Spain, he might have some persons able to direct him in planting colonies +and subduing the country; and, on intimating his design, many freely +offered to remain. He gave orders, therefore, for building a tower, or +fort, with the timbers of the ship that was cast away. In the meantime, +advice was brought by some of the natives, that the caravel _Pinta_ was +in a river, towards the east end of Hispaniola, and Guacanagari, at the +admirals request, sent to get certain information respecting this report. +The admiral took much pains to advance the construction of the fort. As +Guacanagari always expressed great dread of the Caribbees, to encourage +him, and at the same time to impress him with a strong idea of the +efficacy of the Spanish arms, the admiral caused one of the cannons to be +fired, in presence of the cacique, against the side of the wrecked ship, +when the ball pierced through and fell into the water beyond. Having thus +shewn him what execution our weapons could do, he told the cacique that +the persons he meant to leave in this place would defend him against his +enemies with these weapons during his absence; as he intended to return +into Spain, on purpose to bring back jewels, and other fine things to +present to him. Of all the toys which the Spaniards gave to the Indians, +they were fondest of hawks-bells; insomuch that some of these people, +fearing there might be none left, used to come to the caravel in the +evening, and request to have one kept for them till next morning. + + + + +SECTION IX. + +_The Admiral builds a Fort in Hispaniola, and prepares for his return to +Spain._ + + +The admiral had sent a Spaniard in a canoe, to endeavour to find out the +caravel Pinta, and to carry a letter to Martin Alonzo Pinzon, whom he +kindly requested to rejoin him, without taking any notice of the fault he +had committed in parting without leave. But the Spaniard returned, saying +that he had gone above twenty leagues along the coast, without being able +to find or hear of the Pinta: but if he had only proceeded five or six +leagues farther he had not lost his labour. Some time afterwards, an +Indian reported that he had seen the missing caravel in a river only two +days before; yet he was not believed, since the others had not seen her. +But it afterwards appeared that this man spoke truth; as be might have +seen her from some high ground, and made haste to come with the news. The +sailor who had gone in the canoe in search of the Pinta reported, that he +had seen a cacique, about twenty leagues to the eastwards, who had two +large plates of gold on his head, as had several of his attendants; but +that, immediately on being spoken to by the Indians of the canoe, he took +them off and concealed them. From this circumstance, the admiral imagined +that Guacanagari had forbidden them to sell any gold to the Spaniards, +wishing to have the whole of that trade to pass through his own hands. The +building of the fort went on expeditiously, as the admiral went on shore +daily to superintend and hasten the works, but always slept on board the +caravel Ninna. As he went one day on shore in the boat, he thought he saw +Guacanagari slip into his house, as if to avoid being seen; but he had +done so apparently for the more state, having concerted to receive the +admiral ceremoniously; for he sent his brother, who received the admiral +with much civility, and led him by the hand into one of the houses +appointed for the accommodation of the Christians, which was the largest +and best in the town. They had here prepared a place for the admiral to +sit in, adorned with large slips of the thin inner bark of palm trees, as +large as a great calfs skin, and much of that shape and appearance; +forming a clean cool alcove, large enough to cover a man, and to defend +him from the rain. These broad slips of palm bark serve the Indians for +many purposes, and are called _Yaguas_ in their language. They here seated +the admiral in a chair, having a low back and very handsome, such as are +used by the Indians, and as black, smooth, and shining as if mode of +polished jet. As soon as he was seated the brother gave notice to the +cacique, who came presently, and hung a large plate of gold about the +admirals neck, apparently with much satisfaction, and stayed with him till +it grew late, when the admiral went on board the caravel as usual to sleep. + +Among the many motives which induced the admiral to settle a colony in +this place, he considered that many might be inclined to go from Spain to +settle in the new discovered country, when it was known that some persons +were already there; he likewise considered that the caravel which remained +could not conveniently accommodate the crews of both vessels, and the +people he meant to leave were perfectly satisfied with their lot, being +much encouraged by the mildness and affability of the natives. Likewise, +though he had resolved to carry over some of the Indians, and such other +things worth notice, as had been found in the country, in testimony of his +discovery and its value; he thought it might add greatly to the reputation +of his discoveries, and be a convincing proof of the excellence of the +country, when it was known that several of his men had settled there with +their own free will. + +The fort was surrounded by a ditch, and though built of wood, was quite +sufficient for the defence of its intended garrison against the natives. +It was finished in ten days, as a great number of men were employed in its +construction. The admiral gave it the name of _La Villa de Navidad_, or +the town of the _Nativity_, because he came to that port on Christmas day. +On the morning of the 29th December, a very young but ingenious lad, who +was nephew to the cacique, came on board the caravel; and as the admiral +was still eager to know whence the Indians had their gold, he used to ask +this question of every one by signs, and now began to understand some +words of the Indian language. He accordingly inquired of this youth about +the mines, and understood that he informed him, "That at the distance of +four days journey to the eastwards there were certain islands, called +Guarionex, Macorix, Mayous, Fumay, Cibao, and Coray, in which there was +abundance of gold." The admiral wrote down these words immediately; but it +was evident he as yet knew little of the language, for it was known +afterwards that these places, instead of separate islands, were provinces +or districts in Hispaniola, subject to so many different lords or caciques. +_Guarionex_ was chief of the vast royal plain, formerly mentioned under +the name of _Vega real_, one of the wonders of nature, and the youth meant +to say that _Cibao_, which abounded in gold, belonged to the dominion of +Guarionex. Macorix was another province, which afforded little gold. The +other names belonged to other provinces, in which the admiral omitted some +letters and added others, not knowing well how to spell them properly: and +it appeared to him, that the kings brother, who was present, reproved the +lad for telling these names. At night the cacique sent on board a large +gold mask to the admiral, desiring in return a basin and pitcher, which +were perhaps of brass or pewter, and were immediately sent to him, it +being believed they were wanted as models by which to make others of gold. + +On Sunday the 30th December, the admiral went on shore to dinner, where he +found five other caciques, all subjects to Guacanagari, who all had gold +crowns on their heads, and appeared in much state. As soon as he landed, +Guacanagari came to receive him, and led him by the arm to the house in +which he had been before, where a place of state was prepared with several +chairs. He made the admiral sit down, with much courtesy and respect, and +taking the crown from his own head, put it on that of the admiral; who, in +return, took a string of curious glass beads of many colours, and very +showy, from his own neck, and put it round the neck of Guacanagari, and +also put on him a loose coat of fine cloth which he then happened to wear. +He also sent for a pair of coloured buskins, which he caused him to draw +on; and put on his finger a large silver ring, such as was worn by some of +the seamen; being informed that the cacique had seen one, and was anxious +to get it, as the Indians put a great value on any white metal, whether +silver or pewter. These gifts pleased Guacanagari highly, and made him +believe himself the richest potentate in the world. Two of the subordinate +caciques attended the admiral to the boat, and each of them gave him a +large plate of gold, which were not cast, but composed of many grains +battered out between two stones, as the Indians are ignorant of the art of +melting and founding. When the admiral went on board the caravel to sleep +as usual, Vincent Yanes Pinzon affirmed that he had seen rhubarb, and knew +its branches and roots. Some persons were accordingly sent on shore for +this supposed rhubarb, of which they brought a basket-full on board as a +sample; but on being brought to Spain, it turned out not to be rhubarb. In +the opinion of the admiral, the substance called _Axi_ by the inhabitants +of Hispaniola was a valuable spice, better even than the pepper or grains +of paradise which is brought from the east; and he concluded that other +kinds of spice would probably be found in the newly discovered islands. + +[Illustration: Chart of South Western Africa] + +Having finished the construction of the fort, and anxious to return into +Spain to give an account of his happy discovery of a well peopled country, +having strong indications of abounding in gold, the admiral prepared for +his departure by taking in a supply of wood and water, and all other +necessaries for the voyage which could be procured in that country. +Guacanagari ordered the Spaniards to be supplied with as much of the +country bread, called _cazaba_, or casada, as they needed, and also with +_axi_, salted fish, and every other production of his country. Although he +wished to have extended his examination of the new discovered coast, which +he believed to run far to the eastwards, the admiral did not think this +advisable in his present situation, having only one caravel, and +complained much of the desertion of Martin Alonzo Pinzon, by which he felt +himself constrained to return to Spain, without prosecuting his +discoveries. He chose thirty-nine men, of those most willing to remain in +the island, and who were strong and healthy, over whom he appointed James +de Arana, a native of Cordova, to be captain of the fort of the Nativity. +In case of his death, Peter Gutierrez, a groom of the privy chamber of +their Catholic majesties, was to succeed to the command, and after him +Roderick de Escovedo, a native of Segovia. He left likewise Master John as +surgeon to the garrison, with a ship carpenter, a cooper, an experienced +gunner, and a tailor; all the rest being able seamen. From the ships +stores, the fort was furnished with as much wine, biscuit, and other +provisions as could be spared, sufficient to last a year; together with +seeds for sowing, commodities for bartering with the natives, all the +cannon belonging to the wrecked ship, and her boat. Every thing being now +in readiness for his own departure, the admiral called together the whole +members of this new colony, to whom he made a speech to the following +effect. He desired them to praise GOD, who had brought them to this newly +discovered country, on purpose to propagate his holy religion, to live +like good Christians, and to pray for a safe voyage, that he might soon +return with a sufficient force. He exhorted them to obey the captain be +had set over them, as indispensably necessary to their own safety. He +charged them to respect the cacique Guacanagari, and to do no wrong to any +of the natives, that they might be confirmed in their idea of the +Spaniards having been sent from heaven. He desired them to survey the +coasts, by means of their boat and the canoes of the natives; to endeavour +to discover the gold mines, and to search for a good harbour, as he was by +no means satisfied with that of the Nativity; to endeavour to procure as +much gold as possible by fair barter; to acquire the language of the +country, and to cultivate a good understanding with the natives. And +finally assured them, that, as they were the first settlers in this new +found empire, he should recommend them to their Catholic majesties, who +would reward their services. At the conclusion of this address, they all +promised faithfully to observe the advices and orders which he had given. + +On Wednesday the 2d of January 1493, the admiral went on shore to take +leave of Guacanagari, and dined with him and his dependant caciques. He +recommended them to be kind to the Christians, who were to remain in the +country to defend them against the Caribs, and promised soon to return +from Spain, whence he should bring them magnificent presents from their +Catholic majesties. Guacanagari made him a courteous answer, expressing +much sorrow for his approaching departure; and one of his attendants said +that several canoes had been sent along the coast to seek for gold. The +admiral was much inclined to have made a circuit of the whole island, +whence he was convinced he might have procured a ton of gold: but, besides +the risk of protracting his voyage with one ship only, he was apprehensive +lest the Pinta might get safe to Spain before him, and that Pinzon might +prejudice their Catholic majesties against him, in excuse for his own +desertion; for which reason he resolved to depart without farther delay. + + + + +SECTION X. + +_Account of the voyage home, from Hispaniola to Lisbon._ + + +On Friday the 4th of January 1493, Columbus took his departure from the +harbour of the Nativity, steering to the eastwards, towards a very lofty +mountain like a pavilion or tent, bare of trees, which they named _Monte +Christo_, or Christ's Mount. This mountain is four leagues from the +Nativity, and eighteen leagues from _Cabo Santo_, or the Holy Cape. That +night he anchored six-leagues beyond Monte Christo. Next day he advanced +to a small island, near which there were good salt pits, which he examined. +He was much delighted with the beauty of the woods and plains in this part +of the island, insomuch that he was disposed to believe it must be +_Cipango_, or Japan; and had he known that he was then near the rich mines +of _Cibao_, he would have been still more confirmed in that opinion. +Leaving this place on Sunday the 6th of January, and continuing his voyage, +he soon descried the caravel _Pinta_ coming towards him in full sail. Both +vessels returned to the anchorage at Monte Christo, where Martin Alonzo +Pinzon endeavoured to excuse himself for having parted company. Though far +from being satisfied, the admiral pretended to be convinced by his excuses; +yet believed that Pinzon had procured a considerable quantity of gold +during his separation, keeping half to himself, and giving the other half +to his crew, to secure their silence. To a considerable river which falls +into the sea near Monte Christo, the admiral gave the name of _Rio de Oro_, +or Golden River, because the sand had the appearance of gold. Wednesday +the 9th, hoisting sail, the admiral came to _Punta Roxa_, or Red Cape, +thirty leagues east from Monte Christo, where they procured tortoises as +large as bucklers, which went there on shore to lay their eggs in the sand. +The admiral affirmed that he saw three mermaids at this place, and that he +had seen others on the coast of Guinea. He described them as having some +resemblance to the human face, but by no means so beautiful as they are +usually represented. From Punta Roxa, he proceeded to Rio de Garcia, or +the river of Grace, where Martin Alonzo Pinzon had been trading, and which +is likewise called by his name. At this place, he set four Indians on +shore who had been taken away by Pinzon. + +On Friday 11th January, he came to a cape called _Belprado_, from the +beauty of the coast, whence they had a view of a mountain covered with +snow, which looked like silver, whence it was named _Monte de Plata_, or +Silver Mountain; and to a harbour in its neighbourhood, in the shape of a +horse shoe, the admiral gave the name of _Puerto de Plata_, or Silver Port. +Running ten leagues farther along the coast, assisted by the current, he +passed several capes or head-lands, which he named _Punta del Angel_, or +Angel Point, _Del Yerro_, or Mistake Point, _El Redondo_, or Round Point, +_El Frances_, or French Point, _Cabo de Buentiempo_, or Cape Fair-weather, +and _El Tajado_, or Upright Cape. Next Saturday he advanced thirty leagues +farther, admiring the beauty and extent of the island, and passing _Cabo +de Padre y Hijo_, or Cape Father and Son, _Puerto Sacro_, or Sacred Port, +and _Cabo de les Enamorados_, or Lovers Cape. Near this last cape an +extraordinarily large bay was discovered, three leagues wide, having a +small island in the middle. He remained for some time at this place, on +purpose to observe an eclipse which was expected to take place on the 17th, +the opposition of Jupiter and the moon, and the conjunction of the sun and +Mercury in opposition to Jupiter. At this place the admiral sent a boat on +shore for water, where some men were found armed with bows and arrows, +from one of whom they bought a bow and some arrows, and persuaded him to +go on board to visit the admiral. When asked for the habitation of the +Caribbees, this person pointed to the eastwards; and when asked where gold +was to be had, he pointed towards the island of _Porto Rico_, saying it +produced much _guania_, or pale gold, which is highly valued by the +Indians. The admiral gave this man two pieces of red and green cloth, and +some glass beads, and then set him on shore. Fifty-five naked Indians lay +in ambush in the wood, but the Indian who had been on board, made them lay +down their arms and come to the boat. These men wore their hair long, like +the Spanish women, having their heads ornamented with large plumes of +feathers. Besides bows and arrows, they were armed with swords made of +hard palm tree wood, and heavy wooden spears or javelins. Two of their +bows were purchased by order of the admiral; but, instead of selling any +more, they endeavoured to seize the Spaniards; for which reason they fell +upon them, giving one a great cut on the buttocks, and felled another by a +blow on the breast, on which they all ran away and were not pursued. This +was the first hostility committed on this island between the Spaniards and +Indians; for which, though the admiral was concerned, he comforted himself +that the Indians might know what the Spaniards could do to them when +attacked. + +On the morning of Monday, 14th, a number of people appeared on the shore, +and the admiral ordered the men in his boat to stand on their guard; but +the natives shewed no signs of hostility, and the cacique of this part of +the country came on board the admiral, attended by the Indian who had been +there before and three other men. The admiral ordered them biscuits and +honey to eat, and gave them red caps, bits of coloured cloth, and beads. +Next day, the cacique sent his gold crown to the admiral and a great +quantity of provisions, the men who brought these things being all armed +with bows and arrows. Among the Indians who came on board the caravel, +Columbus selected four youths who appeared to have good capacities, with +the view of carrying them into Spain. From these he learnt many +circumstances respecting the country. He departed from this bay, which he +named _De los Flechos_, or of Arrows, on Wednesday the 16th of January, +not thinking fit to remain any longer, as the caravels were leaky. Having +sailed sixteen leagues with the wind at N.N.W. the Indians on board +pointed out the island which is now called _San Juan de Puerto Rico_, in +which they said the Caribbees lived, who are cannibals or man-eaters. +Though desirous of exploring these islands, yet to satisfy the men, and +because the wind freshened, he gave orders to steer a course for Spain. + +For some time they sailed on prosperously, seeing many tunnies and gulls, +and fell in with abundance of sea weeds, with which they were now well +acquainted. They killed a tunny and a large shark, on which they made a +comfortable meal, having no other provisions now left except wine and +biscuit. The caravel Pinta could not sail well _upon a bouline_, as her +mizen mast was faulty, and could hardly admit of carrying any sail; on +which account little way was made, as the admiral had to wait for her. At +times, when the weather was calm, the Indians on board used to leap into +the sea and swim about with great dexterity. Having sailed several days on +several tacks, owing to changes in the wind, they compared their +reckonings. Pinzon, and the pilots Sancho Ruyz, Peralonso Ninno, and +Roldan, judged that they were to the eastwards of the Azores, having +allowed considerably more way than they had actually run; and proposed to +bear to the north, by which they would come to Madeira or Porto Santo. But +the admiral, being more skilful in computing the course, reckoned 150 +leagues short of the others. On Tuesday the 12th February, a fierce storm +arose, so that the ships had for some time to drive under bare poles, and +the sea frequently broke over their decks. On Wednesday morning, the wind +slackened a little, and they were able to shew a small bit of canvas; but +towards night the storm again arose, and the waves ran so high that the +ships were hardly able to live. The admiral endeavoured to carry a +close-reefed mainsail, to bear his ship over the surges; but was at length +forced to lay to, and to suffer his ship to drive astern before the wind. +On Thursday the 14th February, the storm increased so that every one +expected to perish, and it was concluded the Pinta had foundered as she +was not to be seen. In this extremity, the admiral wrote an account of his +discovery on a skin of parchment, which he wrapped up in an oil skin, and +put into a close cask which he threw into the sea; in hope, if he should +be lost, that this might reach their Catholic majesties. The crew believed +that this was some act of devotion, and were the more confirmed in this +idea, as the wind soon afterwards slackened. On Friday the 15th of +February, land was seen a-head, to the E.N.E. which some alleged to be +Madeira, while others insisted it was the Rock of Lisbon; but the admiral +assured them it was one of the Azores. They plied backwards and forwards +for three days, endeavouring to get up to this land, during which time the +admiral suffered much with gout in his legs, having been long exposed to +the cold and wet on deck during the storm. At length, with much difficulty, +they came to anchor on Monday the 18th under the north side of the island, +which proved to be St Marys, one of the Azores. + +The caravel was immediately hailed by three men from the shore, for whom +the admiral sent his boat, when they brought off some refreshments of +bread and fowls from Juan de Costenheada, the governor of the island. On +Tuesday the 19th, the admiral ordered half the crew to go on a procession +to a chapel on shore, in discharge of a vow which he had made during the +storm; proposing to do the same himself with the other half after their +return, and he requested the three Portuguese to send them a priest to say +mass. While these men were at prayer in their shirts, the governor come +upon them with all the people of the town, horse and foot, and made them +all prisoners. Owing to their long stay on shore, the admiral began to +suspect that his people were detained, or their boat had been staved on +the rocks. As he could not get sight of the place where they landed, as +the hermitage to which they had gone was covered by a point jutting out +into the sea, he removed the caravel right opposite the hermitage, where +he saw many people on the shore, some of whom went into his boat and put +off towards the caravel. Among these was the governor of the island, who, +when the boat was within speech of the caravel, stood up and demanded +security for coming on board; and though the admiral gave his word that he +should be safe, he would not venture to come on board. The admiral then +asked, why, since there was peace between the crowns of Spain and Portugal, +he had sent him fresh provisions, and a message inviting him on shore, and +yet had basely detained his men? adding, that he was ready to shew his +commission from the king and queen of Castile. The governor answered, that +he knew nothing of these sovereigns, of whom he did not stand in awe, and +whose commission he did not value, and that all he had done was by the +order of his own sovereign. After desiring his own men to bear witness of +these words, the admiral told him, if his boat and men were not +immediately restored, he would carry an hundred Portuguese prisoners into +Spain. + +After this, the admiral brought his ship again to anchor, and as the wind +blew fresh, he caused all the empty casks to be filled with sea water to +ballast the vessel. The wind continued to increase, and as there was no +safe anchorage, he thought it safer to be out at sea, and therefore made +sail for the island of St Michael. During the whole night it blew a heavy +gale; and not being able to make the island of St Michael, the admiral +returned to St Marys. Soon afterwards a boat came off with two priests, a +notary, and five sailors; and, having received assurance of safety, the +notary and priests came on board and examined the admirals commission. +They returned to the shore, and shortly after, the governor sent back the +boat and Spanish seamen; saying he would have given any thing to have +taken the admiral, whom he had been ordered to seize by the king of +Portugal. Having recovered his men, and the wind being now fair for Spain, +the admiral set sail on an easterly course. On Saturday the 2d of March a +new storm arose, so that the ship drove under bare poles till four o'clock +on Monday, without hope of escaping. At that time, it pleased GOD that our +mariners discovered the Cape of Cintra, usually called the Rock of Lisbon; +and to avoid the tempest, the admiral resolved to put into the harbour, +being unable to come to anchor at _Cascaes_. He gave GOD thanks for his +deliverance from danger, and all men wondered how he had escaped, having +never witnessed so violent a tempest. + + +[1] The actual difference of longitude, between Ferro in 17° 45' 50", and + the eastern side of Guanahani in 75° 40', both west, is 57° 54' 11" or + almost 58 degrees; which at 17-1/2 Spanish leagues to the degree, the + computation previously established by our present author, would extend + to 1015 leagues.--E. + +[2] Some error has crept into the text, easily corrected. Columbus took + his departure from Gomera on Thursday the 6th September, and landed on + Guanahani on Friday the 12th October, both 1492. The time, therefore, + which was employed in this first passage across the Atlantic, not + including the 12th, because the land was observed in the night before, + was exactly 36 days. Had Columbus held a direct course west from + Gomera, in latitude 27° 47' N. he would have fallen in with one of the + desert sandy islands on the coast of Florida, near a place now called + Hummock, or might have been wrecked on the _Montanilla_ reef, at the + north end of the Bahama banks: his deflection therefore, to the S.W. + on the 7th October, was fortunate for the success of his great + expedition.--E. + +[3] How infinitely better it had been for Columbus, and his precursors the + Portuguese, to have retained the native names, where these could be + learnt; or, otherwise, to have imposed single significant new names + like the Norwegian navigators of the ninth century, instead of these + clumsy long winded superstitious appellations. This island of St + Mary of the Conception seems to have been what is now called + Long-island, S.S.E. from St Salvador or Guanahani, now Cat-island.--E. + +[4] A small Portuguese coin worth less than twopence.--Churchill. + +[5] This sentence is quite inexplicable, and is assuredly erroneously + translated. It is possible the original meant, that Columbus was + misled by the opinion of Paul, to disregard the indications of the + Indians; and instead of sailing directly west, which would have led + him to the coast of Mexico, induced him to coast eastwards along Cuba, + which brought him to Hispaniola, always searching for Cipango or + Japan.--E. + +[6] The author seems here not clear or well informed, as _Haiti_ was the + real Indian name of the island now called Hispaniola or St Domingo.--E. + +[7] In the original, the current is said to have made "so loud a noise + that it might have been heard a league off." This circumstance is + quite inconsistent with the careless security of the whole crew; as it + must necessarily have indicated their approach to rocks or shoals; and + is therefore omitted in the text.--E. + + + + +SECTION XI. + +_From the arrival of Columbus at Lisbon, till the commencement of his +second voyage to the New World_. + + +The king of Portugal happened then to be at _Valparayso_, to which place +the admiral sent a letter informing the king of his arrival, and that he +had orders from their Catholic majesties to put into any of the Portuguese +harbours in case of need, that he might procure what he was in want of, +and requested permission to wait upon the king, to satisfy him that he had +not come from Guinea, but from the Indies. At this time a galeon well +stored with cannon, lay guard in the Tagus, commanded by _Alvaro Daman_, +who sent his master _Bartholomew Diaz de Lisboa_ in an armed boat to the +admiral, desiring him to come on board the galeon and give an account of +himself to the kings officers. Columbus answered that he was admiral to +their Catholic majesties, and accountable to no man, and would not quit +his ship unless compelled by superior force. Diaz then desired him to send +his master; but this he likewise refused, saying that were as bad as going +himself, and that Spanish admirals were not wont to put themselves or +their men into the hands of others. On this Diaz requested to see his +commission, and having seen it he returned to give an account to his +captain of what had passed. Alvaro Daman, the Portuguese captain, went to +wait upon the admiral in his boat, accompanied by kettle drums, trumpets, +and hautbois, and courteously offered him every assistance in his power. +When it was known in Lisbon that the admiral had come from discovering the +_Indies_, great numbers flocked on board to see him, and the Indians he +had brought from the new discovered countries, and all were filled with +amazement. + +The king of Portugal sent a letter to the admiral, by Don Martin de +Noronha, requesting his presence at court; and, not to shew any distrust, +he immediately complied. On his arrival, he was met by all the gentlemen +of the royal household, who conducted him into the presence, where he was +honourably received by the king, who desired him to be seated and gave him +joy of his success. After inquiring some particulars of his voyage, the +king observed, that according to certain articles agreed upon with their +Catholic majesties, he conceived the discovery now made ought to belong to +Portugal, and not to Spain. The admiral replied, that he had not seen +these articles, and only knew that his sovereigns had directed him not to +go to Guinea or the Mina; which orders had been made public in all the sea +ports of Andalusia before he set out on his voyage. After some discourse, +the king committed him to the care of the prior of Crato, a knight of +Malta, the chief person then at court. Next day, the king told him he +should be supplied with every thing he stood in need of; and asked him +many questions concerning his voyage, the situation of his new discoveries, +the nature of the people, and other circumstances, shewing that he was +much concerned at having let slip the opportunity. Some persons proposed +to murder the admiral, that what he had done might not be known; but to +this infamous proposal the king would not give ear. + +On Monday the 11th of March, the admiral took leave of the king, who +ordered Noronha to conduct him back to Lisbon, and gave orders that he +should be supplied gratis with all that he had need of, for himself or his +caravel. Columbus took the road by Villa Franca, where he waited on the +queen, then staying at the nunnery of St Anthony, and gave her a short +account of his voyage. On his way to Lisbon, he was overtaken by a +messenger from the king, offering horses and all other conveniencies, if +he chose to go by land to Spain. But he preferred going by sea, and sailed +from Lisbon for Seville on Wednesday the 13th of March. On Thursday before +sunrise he came off Cape St Vincent, and arrived on Friday the 15th of +March 1493 at _Saltes_, into which port he entered with the tide about +mid-day. He sailed from that place on Friday the 3d August of the +preceding year, having been six months and a half absent[1]. + +Being informed that their Catholic majesties were then at Barcelona, he +had some intention of proceeding thither in his caravel, but laying aside +that idea, he sent notice to the king and queen of his arrival, with a +brief account of his voyage and success, deferring a more ample recital +till he should have the honour of seeing them. He landed at Palos, where +he was received by a procession, and extraordinary rejoicings were made by +the inhabitants, all men admiring his wonderful exploit, which they never +expected to have ended so successfully. An answer came to Seville from +their majesties, expressing their joy for his return and the success of +his voyage, and promising to honour and reward him for his services. They +likewise commanded him to come without delay to Barcelona, that every +thing might be concerted for prosecuting the discovery so happily +commenced, and desiring him to leave such orders for that purpose as +occurred to him in the meantime, that no time might be lost. This letter +was addressed, _to Don Christopher Columbus, their Catholic Majesties +Admiral of the Ocean, Viceroy and Governor of the islands discovered in +the Indies_. It is impossible to express the high satisfaction entertained +by their majesties and all the court at the fortunate issue of this great +enterprize, which all had despaired of. In answer to their majesties, the +admiral sent a particular enumeration of the ships, men, stores, +ammunition, and provisions, which he considered to be requisite for his +return to the _Indies_; and they gave orders accordingly to _Rodriquez de +Fonseca_, to provide all things without delay for the voyage, pursuant to +his memorial. + +Columbus began his journey for Barcelona, accompanied by seven Indians, +all the rest having died during the voyage. He took with him also several +green and red parrots, and other rare things, such as had never been seen +before in Spain. His fame spread everywhere before him on his journey, and +multitudes flocked from all quarters to see him and the Indians, as he +proceeded on his journey. On his arrival at Barcelona, about the middle of +April, the admiral was received with much honour, the whole court and city +flocking out in such numbers to see and greet him, that the streets could +hardly contain the multitude, who greatly admired the Indians and other +rarities, which were all openly exhibited to their wonder. On purpose to +do him the more honour, their majesties, attended by Prince John, received +him on the throne, which was set out in a public place. When the admiral +came into the presence, their majesties stood up to receive him; and when +he had knelt down and kissed their hands, they commanded him to rise, and +to be seated in a chair which was placed expressly for his reception. He +then gravely, and with much discretion, gave a brief recital of the voyage, +which by the mercy of GOD, and under their royal auspices, he had happily +accomplished, and expressed his firm hope of yet discovering larger and +richer countries than any he had hitherto visited. He then shewed the +Indians in their native habits, and all the curious things which he had +brought from the new world. When he had concluded his speech, the king and +queen rose from the throne, knelt down with their hands held up to Heaven, +and with tears in their eyes gave thanks to GOD for the great discovery. +After which the music of the chapel sung _Te Deum_, with much solemn +devotion. + +As the terms which had been originally agreed upon with the admiral were +only reduced to the form of an ordinary contract, and he had now +successfully performed all that he promised, their majesties now ratified +all that they had promised him at _Santa Fe_, on the 17th of April in the +former year, which was expressed in ample letters patent, passed at +Barcelona on the 30th of April, and signed by their majesties on the 28th +of May 1493. They also gave him the right to add the arms of Castile and +Leon to his paternal coat, with other honourable additions, expressive of +his wonderful discovery; and they bestowed some favours on his brothers, +Don Bartholomew and Don James, though not then at court. The king took the +admiral by his side, when he appeared in public, and shewed him many other +marks of honourable attention: in consequence of which he was invited to +dine with all the grandees and other principal people of the court. Don +Pedro Gonzales de Mendoza, the cardinal of Spain, a virtuous and noble +minded prince, was the first of the grandees who took the admiral home +from court to dinner, in which he was imitated by all the rest. + +Their Catholic majesties thought proper to acquaint the reigning Pope, +Alexander VI. with the new discovery, that he might give thanks to GOD for +the goodness shewn to the church in his day, by which so glorious an +opportunity was presented of propagating the gospel. Their ambassador was +likewise desired to inform his holiness, that the admiral had been +strictly enjoined not to approach within a hundred leagues of Guinea and +the Mina, or any other part belonging to the Portuguese crown, which he +had punctually adhered to, so that his great discovery made no +encroachment on the rights of the king of Portugal. He was farther +instructed to say that the admiral had taken formal possession of these +new discovered lands for the crown of Castile and Leon; and although many +eminent civilians had given their opinion that there was no need of a +papal grant or confirmation of that new world in strict justice, yet their +majesties entreated his holiness to make a deed of gift of the lands +already discovered, or that should be discovered hereafter, to the crown +of Castile and Leon. The pope rejoiced exceedingly at this news, and gave +glory to GOD for the prospect which this discovery opened of converting so +many people from infidelity to become partakers of the blessings of the +gospel, by means of their Catholic majesties, the genius of Columbus, and +the power of the Spanish nation. The pope accordingly granted to the crown +of Castile and Leon in perpetuity, the sovereign dominion and empire of +the _Indies_ and their seas, with supreme and royal jurisdiction, and +imperial authority over all that hemisphere. In confirmation of all which, +by the advice, consent, and approbation of the sacred college of cardinals, +a _bull_ was promulgated on the 2d of May 1493, granting to the crown of +Castile and Leon all the privileges, franchises, and prerogatives in the +_Indies_[2], which had been formerly granted to the crown of Portugal for +_India_[2], Guinea, and the other parts of Africa. By a second bull, dated +on the succeeding day, the pope granted to the crown of Castile and Leon +for ever, the entire property, dominion, navigation, and discovery of all +the _Indies_[2], whether islands or continents, already discovered, or +which should be discovered to the westwards of a line to be drawn from +pole to pole at the distance of one hundred leagues west from the Azores +islands, and those of Cabo Verde, excepting only such part or parts of the +same as should be in possession of any other Christian prince, on or +before Christmas day of that same year; and the entire navigation of this +vast grant was forbidden to all others under severe penalties and +ecclesiastical censures[3]. + +Soon after the arrival of the papal bulls, and a few days before the +departure of the admiral from Barcelona to prepare for his second voyage, +their majesties caused the Indians to be baptised, having previously been +instructed in the Catholic faith, and having themselves desired to be +admitted as members of the Christian church. On this occasion, willing to +offer up to GOD these first fruits of the Gentiles, the king and the +prince his son stood god-fathers. The prince retained one of these Indians +in his service, but he died soon after. For the better conversion of the +Indians, Friar _Boyle_, a monk of the Benedictine order and other friars, +were ordered to go on the voyage with the admiral, having strict charge to +use the Indians well, and to bring them into the pale of the church _by +fair means_[4]. Along with the missionaries, very rich church ornaments of +all kinds were sent for the due and splendid service of GOD. The admiral +was ordered to hasten his departure, to endeavour as soon as possible to +determine whether Cuba, which he had named Juana, was an island or +continent, and to conduct himself with discretion towards the Spaniards +under his authority, encouraging those who behaved well, yet with +authority to punish evil doers. + +On his arrival at Seville, the admiral found that the archdeacon Don +Rodriquez de Fonseca had provided seventeen ships large and small, with +abundance of provisions, ammunition, cannon, and stores of all kinds; +likewise with wheat and other seeds for cultivation; mares, horses, and +cattle, to stock the new colony; tools of various sorts, for agriculture, +and for working the gold mutes; and great store of commodities for barter +or giving away, as the admiral might think proper. The fame of the new +discovery and the prospect of acquiring gold, had drawn together 1500 men +desirous of going on the expedition, among whom were many gentlemen. Of +this large company only twenty went at their own charges, who were all +_horsemen_[5], all the rest being in the royal pay. Many of these were +labourers for working the gold mines, and others were handicrafts of +various sorts. By a separate commission, the admiral was appointed +captain-general of the present expedition, during the voyage, and while it +should remain in the Indies; and _Anthony de Torres_, brother to prince +Johns nurse, a man of ability and prudence, was to have charge of the +fleet on its return. Francis de Pennalosa, and Alonzo de Vallejo, were +appointed to command the land force employed in the expedition. Bernard de +Pisa, an alguazil or sergeant-at-arms of the court, was made controller of +the Indies, and James Marqué, inspector. The most noted persons who went +on this expedition were the commendary Gallegos, and Sebastian de Campo, +both of Galicia; the commendary Arroya, Roderick Abarca, Micer Girao, Juan +de Luxon, Peter Navarro, and Peter Hernandez Coronel, whom the admiral +appointed chief alguazil of Hispaniola; Mozen Peter Margarite, a gentleman +of Catalonia, Alonzo Sanchez de Carvajal, alderman of Baeza, Gorbolan, +Lewis de Arriaga, Alonzo Perez Martel, Francis de Zuniga, Alonso Ortiz, +Francis de Villalobos, Perefan de Ribera, Melchior Maldonado, and Alonso +Malaver. Along with these was Alonso de Ojedo, a servant of the duke of +Medina Celi. Ojeda was a little man, but handsome, well made, strong and +active. At one time, when accompanying Queen Isabella to the top of the +tower belonging to the cathedral at Seville, he got on a beam which +projected twenty feet beyond the tower, of which he measured the length +with his feet as nimbly as if walking along a room. When at the end of the +beam, he shook one leg in the air, turned round, and walked back to the +tower with the utmost composure, all who saw him expecting that he would +fall and be dashed to pieces. These, and all the rest who embarked in the +fleet, took a solemn oath of allegiance to their majesties, promising +obedience to the admiral and the justices, and fidelity to the royal +interests. + +John king of Portugal was so much concerned for having allowed this new +empire to go from himself, that he ordered preparations to be made for +invading the new discoveries, pretending that they belonged of right to +him. At the same time he sent Ruy de Sande as his ambassador to their +Catholic majesties, who was desired to express his satisfaction at the +success of the voyage of discovery, and that the king his master made no +doubt, if Columbus had made the discovery of any countries and islands +which belonged to the crown of Portugal, their majesties would so act +towards him as he would to them on a like occasion: That, being informed +their majesties meant to prosecute discoveries due west from the Canary +islands, without turning to the southwards; the king of Portugal required +their majesties would direct their admiral not to pass these bounds to the +south, and he should enjoin his commanders not to go beyond the same +bounds to the north. Before the arrival of Ruy de Sande, a report had +reached court that the king of Portugal proposed to send a fleet the same +way with the Spaniards, on purpose to take possession of the new +discovered lands. To counteract this hostile indication, Fonseca was +instructed to provide the fleet of Columbus with ample means of offence or +defence, and to hasten its departure. Their majesties likewise sent Lope +de Herrera, a gentleman of their court, as envoy to Lisbon, with +instructions to return their thanks to the king of Portugal for his +courtesy to the admiral, when at Lisbon, and to require him to forbid his +subjects from going to any of the newly discovered islands and continents, +which were their undoubted property. Herrera was instructed to represent +the extraordinary care which their Catholic majesties had taken, in +charging the admiral not to touch at the gold mines of Guinea, or at any +other of the Portuguese discoveries. When Ruy de Sande had delivered his +embassy, as above, he desired leave to export certain articles, needed as +he said, for an expedition which the king of Portugal intended against the +Moors, which he gave out as a cover for the intended voyage of discovery +to the west. He likewise demanded that the Spaniards should be restrained +from fishing off Cape Bojador until it were settled amicably between the +two crowns whether that were lawful. + +As Lope de Herrera had set out for Portugal before Ruy de Sande had +reached the Spanish court; King John, on learning the purport of his +embassy, sent Edward Galvan to give him notice of the commission entrusted +to Sande, respecting the discoveries of Columbus; and, without permitting +Herrera to use his credentials, gave assurance that the king of Portugal +would send no ships on discovery for sixty days[6], as he meant to send an +embassy to their Catholic majesties on that particular subject. While this +dispute was in agitation, the king of Portugal complained to the pope that +their Catholic majesties interfered with his discoveries and privileges, +protesting against the bulls, as trenching upon his limits, and requiring +a different line of demarcation to prevent the troubles which might ensue +between the subjects of the two crowns. The pope answered, that he had +ordered a meridianal line from pole to pole on purpose to mark out what +belonged to each of the sovereigns; and again issued another bull on the +26th of September of the same year, in which he granted to the kings of +Spain all that should be discovered and conquered in the islands to the +_east, west, and south_, not already possessed by any other Christian +prince. This gave much dissatisfaction to the court of Portugal, which +alleged that it was wronged by the pope, and the meridian of separation +ought to be drawn much farther westwards[7]. + +About this time, advice was brought of Martin Alonso Pinzon having arrived +with the caravel Pinta in one of the ports of Galicia, after escaping with +much difficulty from several dreadful storms. He died soon after; and some +say it was of grief, for a reprimand he received from court for his +disobedience to the admiral, and deserting him during the voyage; and +because their majesties refused to see him, unless introduced by Columbus. + +After the sixty days assigned by the king of Portugal were elapsed[8], +their Catholic majesties sent Garcia de Herrera, one of the gentlemen of +their household, to require the court of Portugal to refrain from +encroaching on the limits granted by the Pope to the crown of Castile and +Leon. Their majesties afterwards sent Don Pedro de Ayala and Garcia Lopez +de Carvajal, to say that they were willing to admit all honourable means +of continuing in friendship with the king of Portugal, but they were +satisfied nothing belonged to his crown in the ocean, except Madeira, the +Azores, and the Cape Verde islands, as far as Guinea and the gold mines. +They even offered to submit the difference between the crowns on this +subject to the decision of persons nominated on both sides, with power to +the arbitrators to name an umpire, if they could not agree, or to have the +matter at issue debated at the court of Rome or any other neutral place, +as their majesties had no wish to invade the rights of others, or to +permit the infringement of their own. The Portuguese court proposed to +divide the ocean by a straight line, or parallel drawn west from the +Canaries, leaving all to the north of that line to the crown of Castile +and Leon, and all to the south to belong to Portugal. At length, after +tedious negotiations, a congress took place at Tordesillas, in which, +after long debates, it was agreed on the 7th June 1473[9], that the +meridianal line of division should be established 370 leagues farther west +than that mentioned in the Popes bull from the islands of _Cabo Verde_; +all to the west of which was to belong to Spain, and all eastwards to +Portugal; yet leaving it lawful to the subjects of Spain to sail through +the seas thus allotted to Portugal, following their direct course; but +neither party to trade or barter beyond their own limits. + +Before leaving Barcelona, the admiral placed his sons Don James and Don +Ferdinand as pages in the service of prince John; and having received his +commission of admiral and viceroy, extending as large as the papal grant, +he repaired to Seville to expedite his second voyage to the new world. He +here applied himself to procure able pilots, and to review the men who +were to embark in the expedition, in the presence of the controller +_Soria_. All persons were prohibited from carrying out any goods for +barter, and it was ordered that every thing belonging to their majesties +or to private persons should be entered at the custom-house, both in Spain +and the Indies, under the penalty of confiscation. The admiral had +instructions to muster his men as soon as he arrived at Hispaniola, and to +do the same as often as he thought proper, with power to regulate their +pay. He was likewise authorized to nominate _alcaldes_ and _alguazils_, or +magistrates, in the islands and other parts, with power to try causes both +civil and criminal, from whom appeals might be made to himself. In the +first instance he was allowed the direct nomination of all the aldermen, +common council-men, and other officers, in any town; but in future he was +to nominate three persons to every vacancy, out of whom their majesties +were to appoint one to the office. All proclamations, patents, injunctions, +orders, or other public writings, were to be made in the name of their +majesties, signed by the admiral, and countersigned by the secretary or +clerk by whom they were written, and sealed on the back with the royal +seal. As soon as he landed, a custom-house was to be built, in which all +their majesties stores were to be secured under their officers, over whom +the admiral was to have supreme command; and all trade was to be conducted +by him, or by such persons as he might appoint, with the assistance of the +royal inspector and controller. The admiral was to have the eighth part of +all profit, paying the eighth of all goods carried over for barter; first +deducting the tenth which he was entitled to of all things according to +his contract. And finally, he was authorized to send ships to any other +part, according as he saw proper or convenient. + +While the admiral remained at Seville attending to the equipment of the +expedition, he received a letter from their majesties, directing him to +cause a sea chart to be drawn with all the rhumbs and other particulars +necessary for pointing out the voyage to the _West Indies_. Their +majesties pressed him to hasten his departure, making him great promises +of favour and reward, as the importance of his discovery seemed every day +the greater. This letter was dated from Barcelona on the 5th September, up +to which day nothing had been definitively settled with the king of +Portugal, respecting the proposed limits between the two nations in the +ocean. The admiral continued his exertions to get every thing ready, and +caused many kinds of useful plants to be shipped; likewise wheat, barley, +oats, rye, and all kinds of grain and seeds; cows, bricks, lime, and other +materials for building; and an infinite number of useful articles. + + +[1] Almost seven months and a half; or more precisely thirty-two weeks, + being seven kalendar months and twelve days.--E. + +[2] In this bull, following the vague language of Columbus, the great + discoverer, the New World is called the _Indies_, slightly + distinguished, in grammatical number only, from _India_ in + south-eastern Asia.--E. + +[3] In the bull, as reported by Herrera, all that should be discovered to + the west and _south_ of the meridianal line from pole to pole is + granted to the crown of Castile and Leon. It is hard to say what + portion of the globe was conceived to be _to the south_ of such a + demarcation. But it is obvious that in granting _all to the west_ of + this line to Spain, and _all to the east_ of it to Portugal, the pope + and cardinals granted the _whole circumference_ of the globe + reciprocally to both crowns. The sacred college had not hitherto + adopted the geographical heresy of Galileo, and still entertained + vague notions of the true figure of the earth.--E. + +[4] This probably alludes to the _foul means_ then employed in Spain for + converting the Moors and Jews, by means of the _holy office_ of the + Inquisition.--E. + +[5] Perhaps this expression mean knights, or _fidalgos_; men of family and + substance: yet it probably means nothing more than that twenty + volunteer cavalry formed part of the military force of the + expedition.--E. + +[6] I am apt to suspect the real sense of this passage ought to be, + "requiring the court of Spain not to send off Columbus for sixty + days."--E. + +[7] One hundred leagues, at 17-1/2 to the degree, west from the Azores, + would fix the boundary about Long. 42° W. and would include within the + Portuguese boundary a small portion of Brazil. By compact between the + two crowns, this line was afterwards extended to 370 leagues west from + the islands of Cabo Verde, giving considerably more of Brazil, then + unknown, to Portugal: But the boundaries of that colony have been + several times changed and regulated by treaties between the two crowns, + without any rigid adherence to the papal grant.--E. + +[8] This negociation, which is confusedly interspersed in the original + among the transactions of Columbus, is here thrown together: But, as + very indefinitely narrated, and exceedingly uninteresting, is somewhat + compressed in this place.--E. + +[9] This date is assuredly erroneous, as we afterwards learn that nothing + had been finally settled with Portugal on the fifth of September.--E. + + + + +SECTION XII. + +_Second Voyage of Columbus to the West Indies, and establishment of +Isabella, the first European colony in the New World._ + + +Every thing being in readiness, the stores all shipped, and the men +embarked, the fleet set sail from the bay of Cadiz on Wednesday the 25th +of September 1493 before sunrise. The admiral directed his course to the +south-west for the Canary islands. On Wednesday the 2d October the fleet +came off the island of Gran Canaria, and on Friday the 5th came to anchor +at Gomera, where the admiral remained two days taking in wood and water, +and procuring cattle, sheep, goats, and swine, for the intended colony in +Hispaniola. Among these he purchased eight sows for 70 maravedies each, +from which all those which have since stocked the _Indies_ have multiplied. +He likewise took on board poultry, and other creatures, and garden seeds. +At this place the admiral delivered sealed instructions to all the pilots +of the fleet, directing them how to shape their course for the territory +of Guacanagari in the island of Hispaniola; but these were on no account +to be opened, unless in case of separation from him, as he wished as much +as possible to prevent the course of the voyage from becoming known to the +king of Portugal. + +Columbus departed with his fleet from Gomera on Monday the 7th of October, +and passing _Hierro_, the farthest of the Canaries, steered more to the +southward than he had done in his first voyage. On the 24th of the same +month, having sailed about 450 leagues in his estimation, a swallow was +seen among the ships, and they soon afterwards had heavy showers of rain, +which the admiral supposed were occasioned by some near land, for which +reason he slackened sail at night, and ordered every one to keep a sharp +look-out. On Sunday the 3d November, all the fleet saw land to the great +joy of all on board. This proved to be an island, which Columbus named +_Dominica_, because discovered on Sunday. Presently two other islands were +seen on the starboard, and then many others; and they began to smell the +herbs and flowers, and to see flocks of parrots, which always make a great +noise during their flight. As there seemed no convenient anchorage on the +east coast of Dominica, the admiral continued his course to the second +island, which he named _Marigalante_, that being the name of his own ship. +He landed here with some men, and took formal possession in presence of a +notary and witnesses. Leaving this island, he discovered another next day, +to which he gave the name of _Guadaloupe_, to which he sent some boats on +shore to a small town, which was found deserted by the inhabitants, who +had all fled to the mountains. In searching their houses, a piece of ship +timber which the sailors call a _stern-post_ was found, to the great +surprise of every one, not knowing how it should have come hither, unless +either drifted from the Canaries, or perhaps it might have belonged to the +admirals ship, lost in the first voyage, and might have floated with the +currents from Hispaniola. In this island the Spaniards took the first of +those parrots which are called _Guacamayas_, which are as large as +dunghill cocks. Some men went on shore again on Tuesday the 5th of +November, who took two youths, who made them understand that they belonged +to the island of _Borriquen_, since named _St Juan de Porto Rico_, and +that the inhabitants of Guadaloupe were _Caribbees_, and kept them to eat, +being canibals. The boats returned for some Spaniards who had remained on +shore, and found with them six women who had fled from the Caribbees; but +the admiral gave them some hawks-bells and set them on shore. The +Caribbees took all from them; and when the boats went again on shore, +these women, with a youth and two boys, solicited to be taken on board the +ships. From these people it was learnt that there was a continent not far +distant, and many islands to which they gave names. On being asked for the +island of _Ayti_, which is the Indian name of Hispaniola, they pointed in +the direction where it lay. + +The admiral proposed to continue the voyage, but was told that the +inspector James Marqué had gone on shore with eight soldiers, at which +conduct he was much offended. Parties of men were sent out in different +directions, but could not find him, on account of the thickness of the +woods. Other parties were again sent on shore, who fired muskets and +sounded trumpets, yet all to no purpose, and Columbus was inclined to +leave Marqué to his fate, being much concerned at the delay. Yet lest +these men might perish, he ordered the ships to take in wood and water, +and sent Alonso de Ojeda, who commanded one of the caravels, with forty +men, to view the country, and to search for Marqué and his party. Ojeda +returned without any tidings of the stragglers, and reported that in +travelling six leagues he had waded through twenty-six rivers, many of +which took his men to the middle. In this excursion much cotton was seen, +and a vast variety of birds in the woods. At length, on Friday the 8th +November, the inspector and his men returned, excusing himself that he had +lost his way in the prodigiously thick woods, and was unable to get back +sooner: But the admiral ordered him to be put under arrest for going on +shore without leave. In some of the houses at this island, cotton was +found both raw and spun, and likewise a strange sort of looms in which it +was wove by the natives. The houses were well constructed, and better +stored with provisions than those in the islands which were discovered in +the first voyage: But they found abundance of human heads, hung up in the +houses, and many baskets full of human bones, from which it was concluded +that the natives were canibals, or fed on human flesh. + +On the 10th November he coasted along the island of Guadaloupe, towards +the north-west, steering for Hispaniola, and discovered a very high island, +which he called _Montserrate_, because it resembled the rocks of that +place. He next found a very round island, everywhere perpendicular, so +that it seemed impossible to get upon it without the assistance of ladders, +and which he named _Santa Maria la Redonda_, or the round island of St +Mary. To another island he gave the name of _Santa Maria et Antigua_ or +ancient St Mary, the coast of which extended fifteen or twenty leagues. +Many other islands were seen to the northward, which were very high, and +covered with woods. He anchored at one of these which he named St Martin; +and at another on the 14th November, which he named _Santa Cruz_, or the +Holy Cross. They took four women and two children at this island; and as +the boat was returning from the shore, a canoe was met in which there were +four men and a woman, who stood on their guard. The woman shot arrows as +well as the men, and one of her arrows pierced through a buckler. In +boarding, the canoe was overset, and one of the Indians discharged his bow +very vigorously while swimming. Holding on their course, so many islands +were seen close together that they could not be numbered, or separately +named. The admiral called the largest of these the island of _St Ursula_, +and the rest the _Eleven thousand Virgins_. He came afterwards to another +large island, called _Borriquen_ by the natives, but which he named the +island of _St John the Baptist_. It is now called _San Juan de Puerto +Rico_. In a bay on the west coast of this island, the seamen took several +kinds of fish in great plenty, such as skate, olaves, pilchards, and some +others. On this island many good houses were seen, all of timber and +thatched, each having a square inclosure and a clean well beaten path to +the shore. The walls of these houses were made of canes woven or wattled +together, and they were curiously ornamented with creeping plants or +greens, as is usual at Valencia in Spain. Near the sea there was a sort of +balcony or open gallery of the same kind of structure, capable to hold +twelve persons: But no person was to be seen about the place, all the +inhabitants having fled into the interior. On Friday the 22d of November, +the first land of Hispaniola was seen on the north side, to which they +went straight over from the extreme point of Porto Rico, the two islands +being fifteen leagues distant. At this place, which was in the province or +district of _Samona_, the admiral put one of the Indians on shore who had +been in Spain, desiring him to tell the natives all the wonderful things +he had seen, to induce them to enter into friendship with the Christians. +He readily undertook this commission, but was never more heard of, so that +he was believed to have died. + +The admiral continued to sail along the northern coast of Hispaniola, +where at point _Angel_, some Indians came aboard in canoes with provisions +and other things to barter with the Spaniards. Anchoring afterwards off +_Monte Christo_, one of the boats entered a river, were they found two +dead men, one young and the other old. The latter had a rope about his +neck made of Spanish _esparto_, his arms stretched out and his hands tied +to a stick. It could not be ascertained whether these men were Christians +or Indians, on which account the admiral was much troubled, lest some +calamity had befallen the people he had left on the island. Next day, +being Tuesday the 26th November, the admiral sent several men in different +directions, to endeavour to learn if any news could be got of those whom +he had left at the Nativity. Many of the Indians came up to the Spaniards, +without fear, touching their dress, and saying _tubon camisa_ that is +doublet and shirt, to shew that they knew the Spanish names of these +articles. These circumstances gave great comfort to the admiral, as he +supposed the Indians would have been afraid, if those he had left in the +new town were dead. On Wednesday the 27th, he came to anchor off the +harbour of the Nativity, and about midnight a canoe came to the admirals +ship, calling _almirante_, or admiral. The Indians were desired to come on +board, but they refused till they saw and knew Columbus. They then gave +him two well wrought vizor masks and some gold, which, they had brought as +a present from Guacanagari, the cacique. Being asked concerning the +Christians, they said some had died of sickness, and that others had gone +up the country, along with their wives. The admiral much feared that they +were all dead, yet thought it prudent to conceal his fears, and sent back +the Indians with some brass baubles, on which they place great value, and +with other toys as a present for the cacique. + +Next day the whole fleet entered the port of the Nativity, where they +found the fort burnt, on which it was concluded that all the Christians +were dead, and the more especially as none of the Indians appeared. Some +things which had belonged to the Spaniards were found scattered about the +place, which gave a melancholy indication of what had actually happened. +Columbus caused a well which had been dug in the fort to be cleared out, +but nothing was found there. All the Indians had fled from their houses, +in which some of the clothes were found which had belonged to the +Spaniards. They discovered seven or eight men buried near the fort, whom +they knew to have been Christians by their clothes. While employed in this +distressing search, a brother of Guacanagari and some other Indians made +their appearance, who spoke a little Spanish, and who were able to name +all the men who were left in the fort: From these men, by the help of one +of the Indians who had been in Spain, called James Columbus, they received +an account of the disaster which had befallen the Christians of the +Nativity. They declared, "That, as soon as the admiral departed, the +Spaniards disagreed among themselves, refusing obedience to their +commander, and went about the country in a disorderly manner, seizing +women and gold from the natives. That Peter Gutierrez, and Roderick de +Escovedo, killed one of the Spaniards, named Jacome; after which they went +off with their women and goods to the district of a cacique named +_Caunabo_, the lord of the mines, who killed them all. That soon +afterwards Caunabo came with a great number of men to the fort, in which +there were then only James de Arana, and five others. That Caunabo set the +fort on fire during the night; and those few who were in it, in +endeavouring to escape to the sea were drowned. That all the rest of the +Spaniards had dispersed into different parts of the island. That +Guacanagari went out to fight against Caunabo in defence of the Christians, +and was severely wounded, being still ill of his wounds." All this agreed +with the intelligence brought to the admiral by some of the Spaniards, who +had been sent in search of information, and who had seen Guacanagari at +his place of residence, finding him ill of his wounds, which he urged in +excuse for not waiting on the admiral. + +From all that could be learnt, it appeared there had been divisions among +the Christians, which had originated in the disobedience of the +_biscainers_, and that they would not have miscarried if they had obeyed +the orders left by the admiral. Guacanagari sent a message to the admiral, +requesting a visit from him, as he was unable to go abroad on account of +his wounds. The admiral did so, and the cacique, with a melancholy +countenance, gave him a recital of all that has been already said, shewing +him his wounds and those of many of his men, which plainly appeared to +have been made by the weapons used by the Indians, being darts pointed +with fish bones. When the discourse was ended, the cacique gave the +admiral 800 small stone beads, called _cibas_, on which the Indians set +great value; likewise 100 gold beads, a crown of gold, and three little +gourds or calabashes, called _ybueras_, full of gold in grains; the whole +weighing about 200 pieces of eight. The admiral presented him with several +glass toys, knives, scissars, hawks-bells, pins, needles, and small +mirrors, which the cacique considered as a rich treasure. He attended the +admiral to his quarters, and was astonished at the sight of the Spanish +horses, and at seeing the way in which these animals were rode and managed. +Some officers of the expedition, and even Friar _Boyle_, advised that +Guacanagari should be secured, till he had cleared himself in a more +satisfactory manner from having a concern in the death of the Christians +who had been left in his country. But the admiral was of a different +opinion, conceiving it very improper to use severity, or to go rashly to +war, at his first settling in the country; meaning first to fortify +himself and establish the colony on a permanent footing, examining more +accurately into the matter gradually, and if the cacique were ultimately +found guilty, he could be punished at any time. + +The admiral was full of perplexity how best to give a good beginning to +the great object he had undertaken; and though the province of _Marien_, +in which he had formerly built the Nativity, had good harbours and +excellent water, it was a very low country, in which stone and other +materials for building were scarce. He resolved, therefore, to return +along the coast to the eastwards, to look out for a more convenient +situation in which to build a town. With this design, he sailed with all +the fleet on Saturday the 7th December, and anchored that evening near +some small islands not far from _Monte Christo_, and came next day to +anchor close to that mountain. Imagining that _Monte de Plata_ was nearer +to the province of _Cibao_, in which he had been told the rich gold mines +were situated, which he fancied to be _Cipango_, he was desirous to draw +near that part of the island. But the wind proved so adverse after leaving +_Monte Christo_, that the men and horses became much fatigued, and he was +unable to reach the port of _Garcia_, where Martin Alonso Pinzon had been, +and which is now called the river of Martin Alonso, being five or six +leagues from _Puerta de Plata_. Under these circumstances, he was forced +to turn back three leagues to a place where he had observed a large river +discharging itself into the sea, forming a good harbour, though open to +the north-west. He landed at an Indian town on this river, and found a +delightful plain, some way up the river; at which place the river could +easily be drawn out in trenches or canals, to supply his intended town +with water, and might even be applied for the erection of mills, and all +other conveniencies. He therefore determined to build a town on this spot, +and ordered all the men and horses to be landed. To this place, which was +the first colony established in the _West Indies_, he gave the name of +_Isabella_, in honour of the queen of Castile, for whom he had +extraordinary respect. Finding abundance of stone and lime, and every +thing he could wish, and the land around being exceedingly fertile, he +applied himself diligently to build a church, magazines, and a house for +himself, all of stone, the others being of timber covered with thatch, +every person being allowed to build according to his own fancy and ability; +but the plan was regularly marked out in streets and squares. + +As the people had been long at sea, to which they were unaccustomed, and +were now fatigued with much labour, while they were confined to short +allowance and disliked the country bread, they began to fall sick in great +numbers, though the country itself is very healthy, and many of them died. +They were much afflicted to find themselves reduced to such straits at a +vast distance from their native country, without hope of relief, and +disappointed in the prospect of acquiring that immense abundance of gold +which had induced them to embark in the expedition. The admiral himself +had endured much toil during the voyage, as he had to take charge of the +whole fleet, and was still forced to undergo much fatigue on shore, in +order to dispose all things in good order, that this important affair +which had been confided to his management might succeed according to his +wish. He was at length taken ill and confined to bed; yet he used every +endeavour to advance the building of the town, and that no time might be +spent in vain. On purpose to husband his provisons, he dispatched twelve +of the ships back to Spain, keeping five of the largest, two of them ships +and three caravels. About the same time he sent out Ojedo with fifteen men +to explore the country, and in particular to search out Cipango, about +which he was so much mistaken. Ojedo travelled eight or ten leagues +through an uninhabited country, and having passed a mountain, came to a +beautiful plain full of Indian towns, where he was well received. In five +or six days he reached _Cibao_, which was only 15 or 20 leagues from +Isabella; yet he could not travel any faster, having many rivers, brooks, +and ravines, to pass by the way. The Indian guides who accompanied him, +and the natives of the place, gathered gold in his presence; and he +returned with a sufficient quantity to shew that it was to be had there in +great abundance. This gave great satisfaction to the admiral and the rest +of the colony; and he sent these samples, and what had been before given +him by Guacanagari to their Catholic majesties, by Anthony de Torres, +under whose command he sent home the twelve ships before mentioned. Thus +ended the year 1493. + +Soon after the departure of Torres for Spain, the admiral being recovered +from his sickness, received information of a plot having been formed by +some of the people who repented of having engaged in the expedition, and +who had chosen _Bernal de Pisa_ as their leader, with the intention of +carrying off the remaining five ships, or some of them, in order to return +into Spain. He immediately ordered Bernal de Pisa into custody; and, +having made formal examinations of his mutinous conduct, sent him, and a +copy of the proceedings, into Spain by one of the ships, that their +majesties might direct him to be dealt with according to their pleasure. +He caused some of the other chief conspirators to be punished at Isabella, +though not with the severity their crime deserved, yet his enemies took +occasion from thence to tax him with tyranny and oppression. About the +same time, an information, drawn up in form against the admiral, was found +concealed in the buoy of one of the ships, which he also transmitted to +their majesties. This was the first mutinous attempt against the authority +of the admiral in the West Indies, and became the foundation of all the +opposition which was made against him and his successors in the exercise +and enjoyments of their rights. Having quelled this mutiny, and restored +the colony to order, he chose a party of his best men, with some labourers +and proper tools, in order to visit the province of Cibao, and to dig for +gold. He carried materials likewise along with him for the construction of +a blockhouse, or fortalice, in case he found that precaution requisite. He +accordingly set out on this expedition with colours flying, drums beating, +trumpets sounding, and his troops in martial array, in which manner he +marched through all the towns on his way, to impress the Indians with awe +of his power, who were particularly astonished at the horses in his train. + +He left the new town of Isabella on the 12th of March 1494, leaving his +brother Don James Columbus to command in his absence; a gentleman of a +peaceable disposition, and most orderly behaviour. After marching three +leagues the first day, Columbus halted at the foot of a craggy pass in the +mountains; and, as the Indian paths were exceedingly narrow, he sent on +some pioneers under the direction of several gentlemen to level the road; +from which circumstance this place acquired the name of _El puerto de los +Hidalgos_, the port or pass of the gentlemen. Having reached the top of +the mountain on Thursday, they beheld a great plain beyond of wonderful +beauty, being eighty leagues long, and between twenty and thirty leagues +wide. This appeared one of the finest plains in the world, so green and +delightful that the Spaniards thought it a terrestrial paradise, on which +account the admiral named it _Vega Real_, or the Royal Plain. Coming down +from the mountain, they marched five leagues across this noble plain, +passing through several towns, where they were kindly received. Coming to +a considerable river, called _Yaqui_ by the natives, the admiral gave it +the name of _Rio de los Cannas_, or River of Canes, because of the great +number of these that grew upon its banks, forgetting, or not being aware, +that he had named the same river at its mouth, in his first voyage, _Rio +del Oro_, or golden river, where it falls into the sea near Monte Christo. +The Spanish party halted for the night on the banks of this river, much +pleased with their days march. The Indians whom they had brought along +with them from the country near Isabella, went freely into all the houses +as they marched along, taking whatever they had a mind to, as if all +property were common, and the owners shewed no displeasure at this freedom: +These, in return, went to the quarters of the Christians, taking what they +liked, believing that this had been equally the custom among the Spaniards. +The admiral and the infantry of his party crossed the river next day, by +means of rafts and canoes, and the cavalry crossed at a ford not far off. +A league and half beyond the River of Canes, they came to another river +which they called _Rio del Oro_, or Golden River, having found some grains +of gold in its bed; but it is named Nicayagua by the natives. Into this +river three brooks, or rivulets, discharge their waters; the first of +which, named _Buenicum_ by the Indians, the Spaniards called _Rio Seco_, +or the Dry River; the second is called _Coatenicu_ by the natives, and the +third _Cibu_, all of which were extremely rich in the finest gold. Having +passed this river, the admiral came to a town, whence most of the +inhabitants fled at his approach; yet some remained, who placed a few +canes across their doors, thinking themselves safe from intrusion by that +simple artifice. Seeing their simplicity, the admiral gave orders that no +disturbance or wrong should be done them, on which they took courage and +came out. He continued his march to another river, which, from the +delightful verdure of its banks, was called _Rio Verde_, or Green River; +its bed being covered with round pebbles. On Saturday the 15th of March, +the admiral marched through other towns, where the inhabitants thought it +a sufficient protection to place a few slight canes across their doors. +They next came to a pass in the mountains, on the opposite side of the +Royal Plain, which was named _Puerto de Cibao_, because the province of +Cibao began at the top of this path. + +The party halted at the bottom of this pass, and the pioneers were sent on +to clear the way: And as the people were not yet reconciled to the food +used by the natives, some pack-horses were sent back under an escort to +Isabella to bring provisions. Having gained the top of the pass, they +again enjoyed a delightful prospect of the Royal Plain. From this place +they entered the district or province of Cibao, which is a rugged uncouth +country, full of high rocky mountains, whence it derives its name, _Ciba_, +signifying a stone in the language of the natives. Cibao is everywhere +intersected by rivers and brooks, all of which yield gold; but it has few +trees, and little verdure, the land being very barren, unless in the +bottoms near the rivers. It abounds however in tall spreading pines, which +resemble the olive trees of Axarafe near Seville. This province is very +healthy, having a temperate air, and excellent wholesome water. Small +grains of gold were found in every brook, and sometimes large pieces are +got, but not often. From every town the natives came out, offering +provisions, and when they found the admiral was desirous of gold, they +brought him such grains as they had gathered. He was now eighteen leagues +from Isabella, and discovered several gold mines, besides one of copper, +one of azure, and another of amber; these two last being only in small +quantities. To protect his workmen at the mines, and to keep the province +under subjection, the admiral made choice of a convenient situation for a +redoubt or small fortress, on a hill which was almost encompassed by a +river called Zanique. The ramparts of this fort were constructed of earth +and timber, and these were defended by a trench at the gorge where not +inclosed by the river. He named this _Fort St Thomas_, because of the +incredulity of the Spaniards, who would not believe that the country +produced gold till they saw and touched it. In digging the foundations of +this fort, several nests of straw were found, in each of which three or +four round stones were found, as large as oranges, instead of eggs. + +Having established all things to his mind, the admiral left Don Peter +Margarite, a gentleman of Catalonia, as governor of the fort, with a +garrison of fifty-six men, and returned himself to Isabella, where he +arrived on the 29th of March. He here found matters much worse than at his +departure, only seventeen days before. Many of the colonists were dead, +and great numbers sick, while those who were still in health were quite +disheartened at the prospect of following the fate of their companions. +The provisions which had been brought from Spain were growing extremely +scarce, owing to a great quantity of them being spoiled through the +negligence of the sea captains, while such as had been landed in good +condition would not keep long, on account of the dampness and heat of the +climate. All were therefore on short allowance, and the flour they had +still in store being near spent, it became necessary to construct a mill +for grinding corn: But, as all the labouring people were sick, the better +sort were forced to work, which was extremely grievous to them, especially +as they were in want of food. In this emergency the admiral was under the +necessity to use compulsion for carrying on the public works, that the +people might not perish. This rendered him odious to the leading Spaniards, +and gave occasion to Friar Boyle to charge him with cruelty; though it has +been alleged that the true cause of his aversion to the admiral proceeded +from being refused a larger allowance for himself and his servants than +was given to others. Provisions became at length so scarce, that even the +sick were often reduced to one egg each, and a pot of boiled Spanish pease +among five. The want of proper medicines added greatly to the distress; +for though some had been brought along with the expedition, they did not +agree with all constitutions; and, what was still worse, they had no +medical person to attend upon the sick. Many well-born men, who had never +been accustomed to such hardships, being sick and starving, and without +all hope of relief, sunk under their situation, and died almost of despair. +Afterwards, when the town of Isabella was abandoned, it was currently +reported that dreadful noises were heard in the place, so that for a long +while no one durst venture to go that way. + +To add to his affliction, the admiral received intelligence from Fort St +Thomas, that all the Indians had abandoned their towns, and that _Caunabo_, +the cacique of one of the provinces, was making preparations to reduce the +fort. The admiral sent immediately a reinforcement of seventy of the +healthiest of his men to the fort, escorting some beasts of burden, laden +with arms and provisions. He likewise ordered Alonso de Ojedo to take the +field with as many men as were able to march, leaving only the sick and +the mechanics behind; desiring him to march about the country, +particularly the Royal Plain, where there were many caciques and an +innumerable multitude of Indians; intending to intimidate the natives by a +display of the Spanish force, and to accustom the Spaniards to use the +provisions of the country, as their own were nearly spent. Ojeda left +Isabella with above 400 men on the 9th of April; and as soon as he had +passed Golden River in the Royal Plain, he seized the cacique of one of +the towns, with his brother and nephew, whom he sent prisoners to Isabella, +and caused the ears of an Indian to be cut off in the market place. The +reason of this severity was, because when three Spaniards were going from +Fort St Thomas to Isabella, the cacique gave them five Indians to carry +their baggage across the river, who left the Spaniards and carried the +baggage back to the town, for which the cacique was so far from punishing +them, that he detained the baggage. The cacique of another town, on seeing +these chiefs carried away prisoners, went along with them to Isabella, +believing he might be able to procure their pardon from the admiral, as he +had always been friendly to the Spaniards. "As soon as they arrived, the +admiral ordered their heads to be cut off in the market-place, a crier +proclaiming the offences for which they were to suffer this condign +punishment; but for the sake of the friendly cacique he forgave them[1]." +About this time a horseman came to Isabella from the fort, who reported +that the inhabitants of the town belonging to the cacique who was their +prisoner had beset five Spaniards with intention to put them to death; but +that he and his horse had rescued them from above 400 of the natives, who +all fled before him out of fear for his horse, and that he had wounded +several of them with his lance. + +Having pacified the threatened commotions to all appearance for the +present, the admiral determined to prosecute his maritime discoveries as +he had been directed by their Catholic majesties, and because his +disposition was averse from idleness, and much inclined to explore the +country which he had discovered. For the better government of the colony +during his absence, he appointed a council, of which his brother Don James +Columbus was constituted president; the other members were, Friar Boyle, +Peter Fernandez Coronel, the chief alguazil or judge, Alonso Sanchez de +Carvajal, and John de Luxon. Don Peter Margarite was ordered to continue +marching up and down the country with the military force, being above 400 +men; and the admiral left such instructions for the good management of the +colony in his absence as he deemed convenient and necessary. + + +[1] The words marked with inverted commas, however equivocal in their + meaning, are expressed so in Churchill's Collection, from which this + article is adopted. The meaning of Herrera probably is, "That having + ordered the nature of their crime, and the sentence which it merited + to be proclaimed, he pardoned them at the desire of the friendly + cacique."--E. + + + + +SECTION XIII. + +_Columbus proceeds to explore the Coast of Cuba, discovers the Island of +Jamaica, and returns to Isabella in Hispaniola._ + + +Leaving two vessels in the harbour of Isabella to serve the colony in any +case of emergency, the admiral set sail on Thursday the 24th of April 1494, +with one large ship and two caravels. Taking his course to the westwards, +he proceeded to Monte Christo and the harbour of Nativity, where he +inquired for Guacanagari, who happened to be absent; and although his +people said he would be soon back, the admiral was unwilling to delay his +voyage. He then advanced to the isle of _Tortuga_, but was forced back by +contrary winds, and came to anchor in a river which he named Guadalquivir. +On the 29th of April he reached Port St Nicholas, whence he discovered the +eastern point of the island of Cuba, called _Bayatiquiri_ by the natives, +but which he named Cape _Alpha and Omega_[1]. Crossing the strait between +Hispaniola and Cuba, which is eighteen leagues broad, he began to explore +the southern coast of Cuba, where he discovered a large bay, which he +named _Puerto Grande_[2], or Great Harbour, the mouth of which is an +hundred and fifty paces wide. He came to anchor here, and procured +considerable quantities of fish, brought by the Indians in canoes. On +Sunday the 7th of May he proceeded along the coast, which he found +everywhere provided with excellent harbours, high mountains, and numerous +rivers. As he kept everywhere as close as possible to the shore, infinite +numbers of Indians resorted continually to the ships in their canoes, +supplying the Spaniards freely with provisions, under the idea that they +were come from heaven: on these occasions the admiral always gave them +toys, with which they went away perfectly satisfied. + +He now returned towards the south-east, on purpose to explore another +island named _Jamaica_, which some believe to have been the place so +frequently mentioned by the Indians of _Lucayo_, under the name of +_Babeche_ or _Bohio_. He accordingly reached the coast of Jamaica on +Monday the 14th of May, and thought it the most beautiful of all the +islands he had yet seen, and from it great numbers of canoes came off to +the ships; yet on sending the boats to explore and sound a port, a great +many armed canoes interposed to hinder the Spaniards from landing. The +admiral therefore made sail towards another place, which he named _Puerto +Bueno_, or the Good Harbour, where a similar opposition was made by the +natives. Irritated by this unfriendly reception, the admiral ordered a +flight of arrows to be discharged among the Indians from his cross-bows, +by which six or seven of them were wounded, after which the rest of the +natives came peaceably to the ships. Next Friday, being the 18th May, he +sailed along the coast to the westwards, so near the shore that many +canoes continually followed the ships, bartering such things as they +possessed for any baubles given them by the Spaniards. The wind being +always contrary, the admiral resolved to return to Cuba, that he might +satisfy himself whether it were an island or continent. At this time an +Indian youth came on board, and expressed by signs an anxious desire to go +along with the Christians; and though his parents and friends entreated +him with tears not to leave them, he would not be prevailed on to stay, +but went and hid himself in a private part of the ship, to avoid their +importunity. + +On returning to the coast of Cuba, he discovered a cape or point, which he +called _Cabo de Cruz_, or Cape Cross; and continued to sail along the +coast, accompanied by much rain, and a great deal of thunder and lightning. +In this course he was greatly perplexed by numerous shoals and islands, +which increased in number the farther he went, some of the Islands being +bare sand, while others were covered with trees. The nearer these islands +were to the shore of Cuba, they appeared the higher, greener, and more +beautiful, some of them being a league or two in compass, and others, +three or four. On the first day he saw many, and the next still more; and +considering that they were so numerous that it was impossible to give each +a name, he called the whole group or range _El Jarden de la Reyna_, or the +Queen's Garden. Between these islands there were many channels through +which the ships could pass; and in some of them they found a sort of red +cranes, or _flamingos_, which are only found on the coast of Cuba and +among the small islands, living on the salt water upon some kind of food +which they there find. These birds are often domesticated, and are then +fed on _cazabi_, or casada, which is the Indian bread, and which is given +them in pans of salt water. They saw cranes likewise, resembling those in +Spain; also crows, and many kinds of singing-birds, and abundance of +tortoises or turtles as large as bucklers. + +At this time the Spaniards were much astonished by a new mode of fishing +which they saw practised by some Indians in a canoe, who shewed no +symptoms of dread on the approach of the Christians. These people in the +first place caught some fishes called _reves_, the largest of which are +about the size of a pilchard, and have a certain roughness on their belly, +by which they cling with such force to any thing they have a mind to, that +they may be sooner torn in pieces than forced to quit their hold. Having +caught some of these, the Indian fishermen fastened them by the tail to +one end of a small cord about 200 fathoms long, and allowed the fish to +swim about in the water, holding fast by the other end of the line. When +this fish came to a tortoise, it clung so close to the under shell of the +tortoise, that the men drew up one of an hundred weight or more into their +canoe. In the same manner they take sharks, the fiercest and most ravenous +creatures of the deep, which even devour men. When the Indians had +satisfied themselves with fishing, they came on board the admirals ship, +who ordered them to have a number of toys, and from them it was learnt +that there were many more islands to the west along the coast. The admiral +continued his way to the westwards among the islands, constantly having +much rain with thunder and lightning every evening, which continued till +the moon rose; and though all imaginable care was taken, the ship often +touched and stuck, and was got off with much labour. In one of the islands +of this group, larger than the rest, and which he named _Santa Martha_, he +found a town, in which there was abundance of fish, many dogs which did +not bark, large flocks of flamingos or red cranes, plenty of parrots and +other birds, but the inhabitants all fled. + +Being in want of water, and not finding any in the small islands, the +admiral drew near the coast of Cuba. On account of the thickness of the +trees close down to the waters edge, it was impossible to discover whether +there were any towns or not; but one of the sailors having penetrated some +way into the woods, met thirty men armed with spears, and a kind of wooden +swords, called mazanos by the Indians: he alleged likewise that one of the +natives was clothed with a white garment down to his heels, like a +surplice; but neither his person nor any of the others, could be +afterwards found, as they all fled into the woods. Proceeding about ten +leagues further on, they espied some houses, whence several men came off +in their canoes, bringing provisions and calabashes of water, for which +they were rewarded with toys. The admiral requested them to leave one of +their men with him, to give him some information respecting the country, +to which they reluctantly consented. This person almost satisfied the +admiral that Cuba was an island, and he reported that a cacique who dwelt +farther towards the west, gave all his orders to his people by signs, yet +was obeyed by them. While continuing their way, the ships got aground on a +bank of sand, having only six feet water, and only two ships lengths +across, where they were obliged to force the ships over into deeper water +with much ado, by carrying out anchors and heaving the capstans with all +their might. At this place the whole sea was covered over with large +sea-tortoises or turtle. At one time so great a flight of crows passed +over the ships, going from the sea towards Cuba, that the sun was hid from +sight as by a large cloud, and these were followed by prodigious flights +of pigeons, sea-gulls, and many other kinds of birds. Next day such +multitudes of butterflies came off from the shore, that they hid the light +of the sun; and this continued till night, when they were all carried away +by heavy rains. + +Being informed by the Indian whom he had taken on board, that the numerous +islands continued all along the coast in the direction he was now sailing, +so that the toil and danger they had so long suffered would increase; and +being likewise in want of provisions, the admiral came to the resolution +of returning to Hispaniola; but, wishing to provide a supply of wood and +water, he made for an island about 30 leagues in circumference, which he +called the _Evangelist_, but which is now believed to be that called _Isla +de Pinos_, or Isle of Pines. This island was reckoned 700 leagues distant +from Hispaniola[3]. Had the admiral proceeded 36 leagues farther on, he +would have discovered the extreme west point of Cuba[4]. Thus the admiral +had sailed on this discovery 333 leagues[5]; and computing his voyage by +astronomical rules, from Cadiz to the west, he found that he had sailed 75 +degrees in longitude, which are equal to five hours in the difference of +time[6]. On Friday the 13th of June, the admiral steered to the southward +through what seemed to be a fair channel, but it was found quite +impracticable; finding themselves thus embayed among shoals, and running +short of provisions, the people were much discouraged; but by the +perseverance and resolution of the admiral, he got the ships back to +Evangelist Island. He then steered to the north-east for certain islands +about five leagues off, where they came to a part of the sea that was full +of green and white spots, appearing like shoals, but they never had less +than twelve feet water. Seven leagues from thence they came to a very +white sea, as if it had been congealed; and seven leagues farther on the +sea became as black as ink, and continued so all the way to the coast of +Cuba. The sailors were much amazed at these changes in the colour of the +sea, which is understood to proceed from the colour of the bottom, not of +the water, as is reported by the Portuguese to be the case with the Red +Sea; and similar spots have been observed both in the South and North Sea. +Among the windward islands there are similar white spots, because the +bottom is white, hence we may conclude that these appearances proceed from +the transparency of the water. + +The admiral continued sailing along the southern coast of Cuba towards the +east, always through narrow channels full of shoals, and with a scanty +wind. On the 30th of June the admiral's ship stuck fast on a shoal, and +could not be hauled astern by all their anchors and cables; but at length, +by his ingenuity, she was forced a-head right over the shoal. Proceeding +continually on in no regular course, just as was permitted by the shoals +and islands, passing always through a very white sea, and having great +showers of rain every evening, the admiral came at length to that part of +the island of Cuba towards the east where he had entered among the shoals +and islands of the _Jarden de la Reyna_, where they smelt most fragrant +odours, as of storax, proceeding from the odoriferous wood which is there +burnt by the Indians. On the 7th of July, the admiral went on shore to +hear mass; and while that ceremony was performing an old cacique came to +the place, who observantly noted every thing that was done by the priest, +how reverently the Christians behaved themselves, and the respect which +was paid by every one to the admiral: Supposing him to be the chief over +all the rest, the cacique presented him with some of the fruit of that +country in a platter or basin made of the shell of a gourd or calabash, +called by the natives _ybueras_; and then sat down on his hams, which is +the manner of the Indians when they have not their usual low stools. The +cacique then addressed the admiral as follows: "You, who are of great +power, have come into our country, and have occasioned much terror among +us. According to our belief, there are two places in the other world to +which the souls of men go after death. One of these is dark and dismal, +and is prepared for the souls of the wicked; the other is pleasant and +delightful, and is appointed for the reception of those who promote peace +among mortals. If, therefore, you expect to die, and that men will be +rewarded hereafter according to their deserts in this life, you will not +harm those who do you none. What you have been now engaged in is good, as +I suppose you have been giving thanks to God." This man said, moreover, +that he had been in Hispaniola and Jamaica, and to the farther end of Cuba, +and that the lord of that country was clad like the priest he had seen +officiating. All this was understood by the admiral by means of an +interpreter, and he was amazed at the ingenious discourse of the old +Indian, to whom he made the following answer: "He was much rejoiced to +learn that the natives believed in the immortality of the soul, and in +future rewards and punishments. As for himself, he was sent to take a view +of the countries by a powerful monarch, and to inquire if there were any +who did wrong to others; and hearing that the Caribbees did so, he was +resolved to curb them, that all might live together in peace." The old +cacique shed tears of joy at this intelligence, and declared he would +accompany the admiral into Spain, were it not on account of his wife and +children. Being presented with some toys by the admiral, he knelt down in +great admiration, often asking whether these men were born in heaven or on +the earth. + +Leaving that place, the winds and torrents of rain seem to have conspired +to obstruct his progress; and at one time a water spout fell upon the deck +of his ship, so that it appeared a miraculous interposition of Providence +which enabled them to lower the sails, and let go the anchors. So much +water was shipped at this time, that it required the utmost exertions of +the crew at the pumps to free the ship. In addition to all their +distresses, the people were now reduced to a pound of rotten biscuit, and +half a pint of wine a-day for each man, having no other provisions, unless +when they happened to take some fish. Under all these difficulties, the +admiral arrived on the 18th of July at Cape _Cruz_, where he remained +three days, as the Indians supplied the people liberally with fruit and +provisions. On Tuesday the 22d of July, as the wind was still adverse for +his return to Isabella in the island of Hispaniola, he struck over to the +island of Jamaica, which he named _Sant Jago_. He coasted along this +island to the westwards, admiring its delightful appearance and numerous +harbours. Great numbers of Indians followed the ships along the coast, and +freely parted with such provisions as the country afforded, which the +Spaniards thought better than they had met with in any of the other +islands. But he never failed to have heavy rains every evening, which he +endeavoured to account for by the proximity of such extensive woods. At +one place he saw a very beautiful bay, having seven small islands, one of +which was extraordinary high land. The admiral thought this island very +large and beautiful, and to have an unusual number of towns; but it +afterwards turned out to be Jamaica itself, which is eighty leagues long +and fifty broad[7]. + +The weather becoming more settled, the admiral stood to the eastwards for +Hispaniola, and came to the extreme point of that island stretching +towards Jamaica, which he called _Cabo de Ferol_, or Cape Lighthouse[8]; +and on Wednesday the 20th of August, he got sight of the westernmost point +of Hispaniola, which he named Cape _St Michael_, now called _Tiberoon_; +which is twenty-five or thirty leagues from the easternmost point of +Jamaica[9]. On, Saturday the 23d of August, a cacique came off to the +ships, calling out _Almirante! Almirante!_ from which circumstance he +inferred that he had fallen in with Hispaniola, of which he was not till +then assured. At the end of August, he anchored at a small island which +looks like a sail, which he therefore named _Alto Vela_, being twelve +leagues from _Beata_[10]. The other two ships being out of sight, the +admiral sent some of his men to the top of this island to look out for +them. While on shore the seamen killed five seals which lay asleep on the +sand, and knocked down many birds with their sticks, even catching some +with their hands, for a the island was uninhabited they were not afraid of +men. After six days waiting, the other ships rejoined the admiral; and he +proceeded to _La Beata_, and thence eastwards along the coast of +Hispaniola to a river running through a fine populous plain, now called +_Catalina_, or Catherines Plain, from the name of a lady to whom it once +belonged[11]. Some Indians came off to the ships in their canoes, who said +the Spaniards from the town of Isabella had been there, and were all well. +Going on eastwards from this place, a large town was observed on shore, to +which he sent the boats for water. The Indians came out armed with +poisoned arrows, and threatened to bind the Spaniards with cords; yet as +soon as the boats came near, they laid down their arms, inquired for the +admiral, and brought provisions to the Spaniards. This place is in the +province of Higuay, the natives of which are the most warlike of all the +tribes in Hispaniola, and use poisoned arrows. + +Continuing the course to the eastwards, a large fish was seen resembling a +small whale, having a shell on its neck like that of a tortoise, as large +as a target. Its head, which it held above water, was like a pipe or large +cask; it had two vast fins on the sides, and the tail resembled that of a +tunny fish, but much larger. From the appearance of this fish, and by +other tokens in the sky, the admiral suspected an approaching storm, and +took shelter therefore within an island called _Adamanoy_ by the Indians, +but which the Spaniards name _Saona_, which is about two leagues in length, +having a strait between it and Hispaniola about a league in breadth. He +there anchored, but as the other two ships were unable to get in they ran +great danger. That night, the admiral observed an eclipse of the moon, +from which he calculated the difference of longitude between the island of +Saona and Cadiz to be five hours and twenty-three minutes[12]. The admiral +remained in this place for eight days, and being rejoined by the other +ships, he made sail on the 24th September, and arrived at _Cabo de +Ergario_[13], or Cape Deceit, which he named _San Raphael_. He then +touched at the island of _Mona_, ten leagues from Hispaniola, and eight +from San Joan de Porto Rico. Leaving Mona, where the Spaniards got most +delicious melons as large as a two gallon vessel, the admiral was siezed +by a violent lethargy in which he lost his senses, and every one expected +him to die. In this emergency, the other officers made the best of their +way for Isabella, where all the ships arrived on the 29th of September, +without having been able to ascertain whether or not Cuba was an island, +except from the information of an Indian, as already mentioned. + +On his arrival at Isabella, the admiral had the satisfaction to learn that +his brother Don Bartholomew Columbus was there, but this pleasing +intelligence was much damped by information that the natives of the island +had risen in arms against the Spaniards. Don Bartholomew had gone to +England to offer the proposed discovery of the Indies to King Henry VII. +He was long delayed on his way there, and spent a long time in learning +the language, and in soliciting at court before he could gain admission to +the ministry; insomuch, that seven years had elapsed from his leaving +Spain before his negociations were finished with King Henry, who agreed to +the proposed terms, and entered into articles with him for the employment +of the admiral. He then set out on his return to Spain in search of his +brother, who not having heard of him for so long a time, concluded that he +had died. When at Paris, he learnt that his brother had actually made the +discovery, and was already appointed admiral of the Indies. Charles, _the +headstrong_, who then reigned in France, gave him 100 crowns to assist his +journey into Spain; but his brother was already sailed on his second +voyage before his arrival. He found, however, the instructions which the +admiral had left for him, and went in consequence to court to visit his +nephews, who were pages to Prince John. Their Catholic majesties received +him very graciously, and gave him the command of three ships, to carry out +a supply of provisions to the new colony, where he had arrived in April, +after the admiral had sailed to explore Cuba. Don Bartholomew was a +discreet man, as skilful in sea affairs as his brother, and had many +commendable qualities; he was besides very brave and resolute but of a +blunt manner, and somewhat harsh in his temper, by which he incurred the +hatred of some persons of the colony. As the admiral hoped to derive much +assistance from Don Bartholomew, he gave him the title of _adelantado_, or +lieutenant-governor of the Indies; at which their Catholic majesties were +offended, considering that the admiral had exceeded his powers in giving +this appointment, which ought only to have come from them; yet they +confirmed it some years afterwards. + + +[1] The eastern point of Cuba, in Lat. 20° 22' N. Long. 74° 3' W. is now + named Cape Maize.--E. + +[2] Now called Cumberland Bay.--E. + +[3] At 17-1/2 leagues to the degree, the distance between the Isle of + Pines and Isabella is only 192 leagues: Or even counting twenty to the + degree, only 220 marine leagues.--E. + +[4] We are to suppose Columbus was now at the east end of the Isle of + Pines, from whence Cape St Antonia, the western point of Cuba, is + about 52 Spanish leagues.--E. + +[5] The numbers in the translation of Herrera are inextricably corrupt, + and quite irreconcileable with each other, or with truth.--E. + +[6] Cadiz is in Long. 6° 18' W. from Greenwich, the east end of the Isle + of Pines 82° W. Hence the difference of longitude is 75° 42' W. very + near the same as in the text.--E. + +[7] The text, or its original translation, is here obscure; but Columbus + appears not to have been aware that this island, to which he gave the + name of St Jago was the same which he had before visited as Jamaica. + The extent in the text is exceedingly erroneous, as the length of + Jamaica is only thirty-five Spanish leagues, and its greatest breadth + thirteen leagues.--E. + +[8] From the sequel it would appear that this Cape _Ferol_ belonged to + Jamaica, and is probably that now called North-East Cape--E. + +[9] The distance from Cape North-East in Jamaica, to Cape Tiberoon in + Hispaniola is thirty-three Spanish leagues.--E. + +[10] Beata is the most southern point of Hispaniola, directly to the west + of Juliana Bay; and Alto Vela does not exceed 3-1/2 leagues from that + port.--E. + +[11] Near the eastern end of the south side of Hispaniola, there is a + small island called Santa Catalina, near which a considerable extent + of the main island is called _the Plains_.--E. + +[12] This would give a difference of 80° 45', and would place Saona in 87° + 3' W. But it is only in 68° 30' W. leaving an error in the text of 19° + 30' or an hour and eighteen minutes in time.--E. + +[13] Now called Cape Engano.--E. + + + + +SECTION XIV. + +_Summary of Occurrences in Hispaniola, to the return of Columbus into +Spain from his second Voyage_. + + +During the absence of Columbus from the colony, Don Peter Margarite, whom +he had left with the command of the troops, instead of employing them +prudently to keep the natives in awe, as he had been directed by the +admiral, quartered them among the towns in the Royal Plain, where they +lived at free quarters, to the utter ruin of the Indians, one of them +eating more in a day than would suffice an Indian for a month. They +besides lived in a most disorderly manner, devoid of discipline, and gave +infinite offence to the natives by their licentiousness. The council to +which the admiral had confided the government in his absence, reproved +Margarite for allowing his troops to live in this disorderly manner, and +endeavoured to prevail upon him to march about the island, as he had been +directed by the admiral: But he refused to submit to their authority; and +being afraid of being punished for his misconduct, he and Friar Boyle, and +some other malcontents of the same party, took the advantage of the ships +which brought out Don Bartholomew Columbus, and returned with them to +Spain. On purpose to justify their own misconduct, and the desertion of +their duty, these men represented at the court of Spain that the admiral +had falsely represented the state of the West Indies, which they alleged +did not produce any gold. + +After the departure of their commander, the soldiers threw off all remains +of subordination, and dispersed themselves in small parties about the +island, to the great offence and oppression of the natives, whom they +plundered at their pleasure. While in this state of dispersion, +_Guatiguana_, the cacique of a large town on the banks of the Great river, +killed ten of the Christians who had taken up their quarters in his town, +and sent privately to set fire to a house in which several of the sick +soldiers were quartered. Six more of the Spaniards were put to death by +the Indians in other parts of the island; and the Christians became +universally hated for their oppressive conduct to the natives. Four of the +principal caciques, named _Guarionex_, _Caunabo_, _Behechico_, and +_Higuanama_, with all their allies and subjects, who were prodigiously +numerous, entered into a confederacy to drive the Spaniards out of their +country. _Guacanagari_ alone, of all the native chiefs, who was cacique of +the district named _Marien_, refused to join in this hostile confederacy, +and remained friendly to the Spaniards, about an hundred of whom he +hospitably entertained in his province, supplying their wants as well as +he was able. Some days after the return of the admiral to Isabella, this +friendly chief waited on him, expressing much concern for his +indisposition, and the troubles that existed between the Spaniards and the +natives, declaring that he had taken no part in the disaffection of the +other caciques, but had always remained steadfast in his friendship for +the Spaniards, for which reason all the other chiefs were incensed against +him, particularly those of the Royal Plain, and others who were in arms. +He even wept on calling to mind the massacre of the Spaniards in the +Nativity, because he had not been able to defend them against his +countrymen till the return of the admiral; and on learning that the +admiral meant to take the field to reduce the insurgent caciques, +Guacanagari offered to join him with all his subjects who were able to +carry arms. + +As Columbus was still unable to take the field in person, he sent out +others to make war on _Guatiguana_, that the natives might not grow too +bold by the delay of punishment for having put the Spaniards to death. A +great number of the subjects of that cacique were accordingly slain, and +many more made prisoners, who were sent into Spain; but the cacique made +his escape. _Caunabo_ was at that period the most powerful of all the +native caciques, his province of Maguana being very populous. As it +appeared somewhat difficult to reduce this chief by force, the admiral +employed Alonzo de Ojeda to attempt making him a prisoner by stratagem. + +The Indians at this time put a greater value on brass and other metals +brought from Spain than they did on gold, believing that it came from +heaven; and when the bell of the church of Isabella rang, to summon the +Christians to prayers, they thought that it actually spoke, calling it +_turey_, which in their language signifies _heaven_. The fame of this bell +had spread over the island, and _Caunabo_ had often expressed his desire +of begging it from the admiral. Ojeda took advantage of this fondness of +the Indians for polished metals, and went on horseback into the country of +_Caunabo_, accompanied only by nine mounted Spaniards, under pretence of +carrying him a valuable present from the admiral. On his arrival in the +province of _Maguana_, which was sixty or seventy leagues from Isabella, +the natives were amazed to see him and his attendants on horseback, +believing the man and horse to be one animal. Some of them, by desire of +Ojeda, informed Caunabo that certain Christians were come from the admiral, +whom they named _Guamiquini_, bringing him a magnificent present of +_turey_, at which he was exceedingly glad. On his introduction to the +cacique, Ojeda and his men shewed him every mark of profound respect, and +then gave him a sight of the intended present, which consisted of fetters +and handcuffs so curiously polished as to resemble silver. Ojeda told him +that the kings of Spain wore such ornaments, which came from heaven, and +always appeared in them at _arcitos_ or solemn dances: But he stated that +it was necessary, before _Caunabo_ could put on these splendid ornaments, +that he should go along with the Christians and purify himself by bathing +in the river _Yaqui_, about half a league from his residence, after which +he should put on the _turey_ or heavenly ornaments, and come back to his +subjects on horseback dressed like the king of Spain. _Caunabo_ was +completely imposed upon by this shallow artifice, little imagining that +ten Spaniards would attempt any thing against him in his own country; he +accordingly was prevailed on to accompany Ojeda and his men to the river, +attended only by a small number of his dependants. Having washed and +purified himself, as desired, and being exceedingly anxious to fit on the +ornaments, he allowed himself to be lifted on horseback behind Ojeda, when +the fetters and handcuffs were put on, the Indian attendants keeping at +some distance for fear of the horses, of which they were in great dread. +Ojeda rode gently about with him for a short time, as if shewing the +cacique in his solemn new ornaments to his servants; then suddenly +galloped off accompanied by the Spaniards, and soon carried him out of +sight of the astonished Indians. The Spaniards now drew their swords, and +threatened to put the cacique to death if he attempted to escape. They +then bound him fast with ropes to Ojeda, and making the best of their way +to Isabella, delivered him a prisoner to the admiral, who kept him for +some time in his house always fettered. When the admiral happened to come +into the room where he was kept, _Caunabo_ never shewed him any respect, +but always did so to Ojeda; and being asked his reason for this, he said +the admiral durst not go as Ojeda had done, to seize him in his own +dominions. Sometime afterwards, the admiral sent _Caunabo_ and other +Indians into Spain; but the ship in which they were was cast away in a +storm, and all on board were lost. About this time, finding the ships +which had accompanied him in exploring the islands, and those others which +remained at Isabella, so much injured by worms as to be unfit for service, +he ordered that two new caravels should be built with all speed, that the +colony might not be without shipping; and these were the first ships that +were constructed in the New World. + +The return of Antonio de Torres into Spain with the twelve ships gave much +pleasure to their Catholic majesties, who signified to the admiral by his +brother Don Bartholomew their entire satisfaction with his conduct, giving +him many thanks for all his toils and dangers in their service, expressing +much concern for the affronts which had been offered to his person and +authority, and promising always to support him in the exercise of his +government. They ordered him to send home Bernal de Pisa in the next ships, +and to appoint such person as he and Friar Boyle thought proper, in his +place of head alguazil. To satisfy the admiral, and to promote the +prosperity of the new colony, they ordered Rodriquez de Fonseca +immediately to fit out four ships with such articles as the admiral +desired might be sent to him, and appointed Antonio de Torres to return +with these to the West Indies. He brought letters from their majesties to +Columbus, dated at Segovia the 16th of August, in which they thanked him +for his exertions in their service, promising to shew him all manner of +favour, seeing that he had performed all he had undertaken, as exactly as +if he had known the land which he went to discover. They acknowledged the +receipt of his letters, giving an account of his second voyage; yet wished +him to be more particular in mentioning how many islands he had discovered; +what names they were known by to the natives, and what new names he had +given them; their distances from each other, and their productions; and an +account of the nature of the seasons during the different months. Having +sent him all those things which he desired for the advancement of the +infant colony, they requested him to send them all the falcons he could +meet with, and other kinds of birds. Their majesties approved of all that +he had done hitherto in regard to the government of the colony, directing +him to continue in the same manner, giving every encouragement and +countenance to those who conducted themselves properly, and discouraging +all disorderly persons. They were quite satisfied in respect to the town +he had founded, since he who was on the spot was necessarily the best +judge, and they would have taken his advice if they had been themselves +present. They gave him to understand that the controversy with Portugal +was adjusted, sending him a copy of the articles of agreement; and as the +settlement of the geographical line of partition was a matter of much +importance and considerable difficulty, their majesties wished the admiral +might be present along with the commissioners of the two crowns at fixing +this boundary; but, in case he could not come himself, desired him to send +his brother Don Bartholomew, or some other able persons, furnished with +proper instructions and draughts for the purpose. And they requested this +might be done as soon as possible, not to disappoint the king of Portugal. +Finally, in order to receive frequent intelligence from him, they thought +it advisable that a caravel should sail every month from Spain to the West +Indies, and another return from thence to Spain. + +The imprisonment of _Caunabo_ gave great alarm, and infinite offence to +his three brothers, who were all valiant men, and who now resolved to +carry on war with all the energy in in their power against the Spaniards. +Learning that all the country was in arms and collecting to an appointed +rendezvous, the admiral, instead of waiting to be besieged in Isabella, +determined to meet the Indians in the field. So many of his men were sick +at this time, that he could only muster 200 foot and 20 horse. Yet with +this small force, he marched from Isabella on the 24th of March 1495, +accompanied by his brother Don Bartholomew, the _adelantado_ or +lieutenant-governor. _Guacanagari_, likewise, the constant friend of the +Spaniards, accompanied him with all his forces; and part of the force +employed by Columbus on this occasion, consisted of 20 blood-hounds, which +made great havock among the naked Indians. Columbus marched to the Royal +plain, where they found the Indian army drawn up under the command of +_Manicatex_, appearing to amount to 100,000 men. Don Barthlomew gave the +first charge, and the Spaniards acted with such vigour, _assisted by their +dogs_, that the Indians were soon put to the rout with prodigious loss, +great numbers being slain, and many made prisoners, who were made slaves +of, a considerable number of them being sent to Spain in the four ships +commanded by Antonio de Torres. + +After this great victory, the admiral ranged for nine or ten months about +the island, punishing such as he found most active in the revolt. For some +time he met with considerable opposition from the brothers of Caunabo; but +finding themselves unable to resist, they and _Guarionex_, being the most +powerful caciques in the island, submitted at length to the admiral. On +the complete reduction of the island, Columbus imposed the following +tribute upon its native inhabitants. All the inhabitants from 14 years of +age and upwards of the Royal Plain, the province of Cibao, and of other +districts near the mines, were ordered to pay the fill of a small +hawks-bell of gold dust every three months. Those of the other provinces +were rated at a quarter of an hundred weight of cotton. The cacique +_Manicatex_, who had headed the great insurrection, was condemned to pay +monthly half a gourd, or calabash full of gold, which was worth 150 pieces +of eight. To ascertain the regular payment of this tribute, certain medals +of brass or copper were coined, every time the tribute fell due, and every +tributary Indian received one of these to wear about his neck, that it +might be known who had paid. _Guarionex_, the principal cacique of the +Royal Plain, represented to the admiral that his subjects knew not how to +gather the gold which was exacted from them, and offered to cultivate corn +for the Spaniards all across the island, from the _town_ of Isabella to +where St Domingo was afterwards built, provided he would demand no gold +from him. The distance between these two places is 55 leagues[1], and the +grain produce of this vast territory would have sufficed to maintain the +whole population of Castile. The admiral was conscious that he was +obnoxious to the ministers of their Catholic majesties, being an +unprotected stranger, and that he could not support his interest in Spain, +except by the transmission of treasure, which made him eager to procure +gold from the natives: But the pressure of this tribute was so intolerable +upon the Indians, that many of them abandoned their habitations and roamed +about the island, to avoid the tax which they were unable to pay, seeking +a precarious subsistence in the woods. In the sequel, finding this tribute +could not be paid, its amount was lessened by the admiral. + +The Indians had flattered themselves that the visit of the Spaniards to +their country was only temporary, and used often to ask them when they +meant to return home: But finding that they built stone houses, that they +were much greater eaters than themselves, and were even obliged to bring +part of their provisions out of Spain, many of the towns endeavoured to +contrive to starve the Spaniards, so that they should either perish for +want of food, or be compelled to return into Spain. For this purpose they +discontinued the cultivation of provisions, and withdrew into the woods +and mountains, trusting to wild roots and the vast numbers of an animal +like a rabbit, called _utias_, for their subsistence. Although by this +contrivance the Spaniards suffered greatly from want, and by ranging after +the Indians, were often forced to feed on filthy and unwholesome things so +that many of them died; yet the calamity fell heavily on the Indians +themselves, who wandered about with their families in the utmost distress, +not daring to hunt or fish, or to seek provisions, and skulking on the +damp grounds, along the rivers, or among the mountains. Owing to these +hardships and the want of proper food, a violent distemper broke out among +the natives which carried off vast multitudes; insomuch that, through that +illness and the casualities of the war, a third part of the population of +the island had died by the year 1496. + +Friar Boyle and Don Peter Margarite, who had deserted the island without +leave, as before related, combined together on their return into Spain to +discredit the admiral and his discoveries, because they had not found gold +laid up in chests, or growing on trees, ready to lay hold of. They also +grossly misrepresented the conduct of the admiral in his government of the +colony; and there being other letters sent against him in the four ships +commanded by Antonio de Torres, their Catholic majesties began to listen +to the aspersions of the malcontents. Owing to this, about the same time +that Columbus was taking the field against the insurgents in the Royal +Plain, their majesties sent out _Juan Aguado_, one of the pages of their +bed chamber, with authority to inquire into the actual situation of +affairs in Hispaniola. They sent at the same time four ships under his +command, carrying provisions and other necessaries for the assistance of +the colony. The credentials with which he was furnished were in the +following terms: "Gentlemen, yeomen, and others residing in the Indies, we +send you our page of the bed chamber, Juan Aguado, who will discourse with +you in our name, and to whom we command you to give full credit. Given at +Madrid on the 9th of April." Aguado arrived at Isabella about the month of +October, when the admiral was absent in the province of _Maguana_, +prosecuting the war against the brothers of _Caunabo_. He immediately +began to carry himself with a high hand, intermeddling in the government, +reproving some of the officers of the colony who had been appointed by the +admiral, imprisoning others, and paying no respect to Don Bartholomew +Columbus, who had been left to govern the town of Isabella. He even +resolved to go after the admiral with a military escort of cavalry and +infantry, who gave out on their march that another admiral was come, who +would kill the old one: The natives, being greatly dissatisfied by the war +and the tribute of gold, were much pleased with this news; and several of +the caciques met together privately in the house of a cacique named +_Manicaotex_, whose territories were near the river _Yaqui_, when they +agreed to complain against the admiral, and to demand redress of their +grievances from the new commander. When he received intelligence of Juan +Aguado coming in search of him, the admiral thought proper to return to +the town of Isabella; where he received the letters of their majesties +before all the people, with the sound of trumpets, and all the +demonstrations of profound respect. Aguado, however, did not the less +continue to shew his indiscretion, behaving disrespectfully to the admiral, +and interfering with many things, by which he gave a bad example to others, +and encouraged them to despise the admirals authority; who, on the other +hand, honoured and entertained him generously, and bore his contumelious +behaviour with great modesty. Among other things, Aguado pretended that +the admiral had not received their majesties letters with becoming respect; +and about four months afterwards he sent for the notaries to his house, +requiring them to make out affidavits to that effect. When they desired +him to send the vouchers on which this charge was grounded, he alleged +that he could not trust them in their hands: At length, however, affidavit +was made on this subject; but it was entirely favourable to the character +of the admiral. The conduct and example of Aguado were very prejudicial to +the authority of the admiral, and the inhabitants of Isabella were at the +same time much dissatisfied with their condition; They were mostly sick, +and had no other provisions beyond their allowances from the royal stores. +Each man was allowed a small measure of wheat, which he had to grind for +his own use in a hand-mill, though many used it boiled: Besides which they +had rations of rusty bacon, or rotten cheese, and a few beans or peas, +without any wine. As they were all in the royal pay, the admiral compelled +them to work on the fort, his own house, or the other public structures, +which reduced them almost to despair, and induced them to complain of +their intolerable hardships to Aguado. Such of the colonists as were in +health fared much better, as they were employed in going about the island +keeping the natives in subjection. Having collected as he thought a +sufficient number of complaints against the admiral, Aguado prepared to +return into Spain; but his four ships were wrecked in the port, by one of +these great storms which the Indians call _Hurrancans_, so that he had no +vessel to return in except one of the two caravels belonging to the +admiral. + +Taking into consideration the disrespectful behaviour of Aguado, and being +also informed of all that Friar Boyle and Don Peter Margarite had reported +to his prejudice at court, where he had no other support but his own +virtue, the admiral resolved to appear in person before their majesties, +that he might clear himself of the many calumnies which had been invented +by his enemies, and might acquaint them with the discoveries he had made +respecting Cuba, and give his advice respecting the line of partition of +the ocean between the crowns of Spain and Portugal. Before leaving the +island, he thought fit to place certain forts in good order, which he had +begun to erect for the security of the colony, and to keep the natives +under subjection. Besides the fort of St Thomas, already mentioned, for +protecting the mines of Cibao, there were the fort of St Mary Magdalen, +called likewise the lower Macorix, situated in the district belonging to +_Guanozonel_, one of the caciques in the Royal Plain, three or four +leagues from where the town of _Santiago_ now stands, the command of which +fort was confided to Lewis de Arriaga. Another fort, named _Santa +Catalina_, or St Catherine, was placed under the command of Ferdinand +Navarro, a native of Logronno. Another fort on the banks of the _Yaqui_, +towards _Ciboa_, was named _Esperanza_, or the Hope. Another, in the +district of the cacique _Guarionex_, in the Royal Plain, was called the +_Conception_, which was commanded by Juan de Ayala, who was afterwards +succeeded by Michael Ballester. The caciques, who were much burdened by +the gold tax, informed the admiral that there were good gold mines to the +southward, and advised him to send a party of Christians to explore them. +Being much interested in this matter, as conducive to support his +reputation at court, for which this served very opportunely on his +approaching return to Spain, the admiral sent a party under Francis de +Garay, and Michael Diaz, with some guides furnished by the Indians, to +examine into the truth of this report. From the town of Isabella, this +party went by the forts of Magdalen and the Conception, quite across the +royal plain, and thence through a pass in the mountains, two leagues long, +after which they came in view of a plain belonging to a cacique named +_Bonao_. Having travelled several leagues along the ridges of the +mountains in this district, they came to a considerable river called +_Hayra_, the banks of which are very fertile. In this place they were +informed that much gold was to be found in all the brooks and rivulets, +which they found to be the case. Likewise, by digging in several places, +gold was found in such plenty, that a single labourer was able to get to +the value of three pieces of eight every day. These new mines are now +known by the name of the mines of St Christopher, from a fort of that name +which the admiral left orders to build for their protection; but they were +afterwards called the old mines. About this time, some inhabitants of +Seville were soliciting permission from the court of Spain to fit out +expeditions for new discoveries. + + +[1] Herrera is exceedingly inaccurate in his measures, as the real direct + distance is only 55 Spanish leagues.--E. + + + + +SECTION XV. + +_Conclusion of the Discoveries of Columbus_. + + +Having been very particular in relating the incidents of these two voyages +of Columbus, and of the steps previous to their commencement, to shew by +what means the discovery of America and the West Indies was first made, I +shall only briefly touch upon the remaining particulars of the actions of +that great man. Having left all things in Hispaniola in the best posture +he was able, Columbus returned into Spain, labouring under severe illness +and loaded with heavy accusations: But their Catholic majesties, +considering his great services and extraordinary sufferings, cleared him +in spite of all his enemies, only recommending to him to treat the +Spaniards under his authority with kindness. After receiving from him a +recital of the new discoveries which he had made, and of the immense +wealth to be procured from these countries, they sent him back honourably +to Seville, where eight ships were provided for his third voyage. Two of +these he sent out to his brother Don Bartholomew, who had then begun to +build the city of San Domingo, the capital of Hispaniola, which is +situated on the southern coast of the island at the mouth of the river +Ozama. With the other six ships, Columbus set sail from San Lucar de +Barrameda on the 19th May 1497. In this voyage he held a southerly course +till he came under the line, where he met with long continued calms, +accompanied by such violent heat that the men thought they should all have +perished. At length the wind sprung up and enabled him to proceed to the +westwards; and, on the 1st of August, he discovered the island of _La +Trinidad_, or the Trinity, near that part of the continent of South +America, now called _New Andalusia_[1]. He then continued his voyage +westwards along the coast of the continent, trading with the natives for +gold and pearls, and giving names to noted places. After spending some +time in this new discovery, he sailed back to Trinidad, discovering the +island of Margarite by the way. Thinking his presence might be necessary +in the colony of Hispaniola, he stood across the Caribbean sea from +Trinidad, and arrived at the new city of San Domingo. + +Several private adventurers fitted out ships from Spain, upon voyages of +discovery to the new world, after this third voyage of Columbus. In +particular, Alonso de Ojeda went out in 1499, being accompanied by +_Americas Vespucius_, who gave his own name to the new world, which has +ever since been called _America_. On his arrival in Hispaniola, Columbus +found all the Indians in arms against the Spaniards, who gave them several +defeats under the command of Don Bartholomew Columbus. In this war, Don +Bartholomew took fifteen of the caciques prisoners, among whom was +_Guarionex_, who acted as general of their army: But he set them all at +liberty, on their engagement to become subject to their majesties. After +this several of the Spaniards mutinied against the authority of Columbus +and his brother the lieutenant, and separated themselves from the rest of +the colony, which proved more pernicious than all that the natives were +able to do. The discontented party transmitted complaints to the court of +Spain against the admiral and his brother; on which Francis de Bovadilla, +a knight of the order of Calatrava, was sent out with authority to +investigate the cause of the troubles in the infant colony. Bovadilla +carried matters with a high hand, and on very slight pretences sent +Columbus and his brother in irons to Spain, in separate vessels. +Immediately on their arrival in Spain, their majesties ordered them to be +set at liberty, and to repair to court, which was then at Granada: And, +although they cleared themselves of all that had been laid to their charge, +they were deprived of the government of the West Indies, and put off with +fair promises. Bovadilla was afterwards lost at sea, on his return to +Spain. + +On the 9th of May 1502, Columbus sailed again from Spain with 170 men. He +arrived before San Domingo on the 29th of June, but the new governor +Nicholas de Ovando would not permit him to come into the harbour, for +which reason he was constrained to sail to the westwards. After struggling +with adverse currents and long calms for some time, he had to contend +against an almost continued storm of sixty days, and then discovered the +island of _Guana ja_, to the northward of Cape Honduras, in Lat. 19° N. +He sent his brother on shore at this place, where he met with a canoe +eight feet wide and as long as a Spanish galley. This canoe was covered +with mats, and had men, women, and children on board, who had abundance of +commodities for barter; such as long webs of cotton of several colours; +short cotton shirts or jerkins without sleeves, curiously wrought; small +cotton cloths used by the natives to conceal their nakedness; wooden +swords edged with flints; copper hatchets, and horse-bells of the same +metal; likewise plates of copper, and crucibles, or melting pots; cocoa +nuts; bread made of maize or Indian corn, and a species of drink made from +the same. Columbus exchanged some commodities with these Indians; and +inquiring at them where gold was to be found, they pointed towards the +east, on which he altered his course in that direction. The first land he +came to was Cape Casinas in the province of Honduras, where his brother +landed and took formal possession. The natives of this coast wore short +cotton jackets without sleeves, and clouts before them. They behaved very +peaceably to the Spaniards, whom they supplied with plenty of provisions. +Sailing several days to the eastwards from thence with contrary winds, he +arrived at a great cape or head-land, whence the coast trended to the +southwards, and called this place _Cabo de Garcias a Dios_, or Cape thanks +to God, because the east winds which had hitherto obstructed his voyage +would now serve for navigating that part of the coast. He accordingly +explored that coast, touching at _Porto Bello_, _Nombre de Dios_, _Belen_ +and _Veragua_, trading with the Indians. At _Veragua_ he was informed of +gold mines at no great distance, and sent his brother up the country in +search of them. On his return, Don Bartholomew brought down a considerable +quantity of gold, which he had procured from the natives for toys of +little value. Being encouraged by the prospect of gold, he proposed to +have left his brother in this place with 80 Spaniards to settle a colony, +and even began to build houses for that purpose; but, being opposed by the +Indians, and his own men becoming mutinous, he was obliged to relinquish +his intention. + +From Veragua he stood over towards Hispaniola; but his caravels were so +much worm-eaten and shattered by storms that he could not reach that +island, and was forced to run them on shore in a creek on the coast of +Jamaica, where he shored them upright with spars, and built huts on their +decks for his men, all below being full of water. He remained in this +place almost a year, suffering many hardships. At length he found means to +send a canoe over to Hispaniola with intelligence of his forlorn condition, +and procured a vessel to transport him and his men to that island, whence +he went to Spain. This was his last voyage; after which he spent the +remainder of his life at Valadolid, where he died on the 8th of May 1506, +aged 64 years. His body was carried to Seville, as he had ordered in his +will, and was there honourably interred in the church of the Carthusians, +called _De las Cuevas_, with a Latin epitaph commemorating his great +actions. + + +[1] Trinidad, which is now subject to Britain, is on the coast of Cumana, + or the Spanish main, on the north-eastern shoulder of South America, + between Lat. 10° and 10° 50' N. Long. 61° and nearly 62° W.--E. + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE VOYAGES OF AMERICUS VESPUCIUS TO THE NEW WORLD[1]. + +INTRODUCTION. + + +The relation which is here offered to the public, we believe for the first +time in the English language, is only an abridged account of four voyages +made by Americus Vespucius to the New World, as written by himself, in +which he expresses his intention of publishing a more extensive work, +wherein all the events of these four voyages were to be related at large. +The information he has conveyed in the present article is by no means +satisfactory; yet it constitutes an original document respecting the early +discoveries of the southern continent of the New World, and is therefore +essential to the principles and arrangement of our work. Ample +opportunities will occur in the sequel, for inserting more extended +accounts of the countries which were visited lay this early navigator, +whose singular good fortune has raised him an eternal monument infinitely +beyond his merit, by the adoption of his otherwise obscure name for +designating the grand discovery of the immortal Columbus. + +Various early editions of the voyages of this navigator are mentioned in +the _Bibliotheque Universelle des Voyages_[2], a recent work of much +research, published at Paris in 1808. In the titles of these he is named +_Americo Vespucio_, and _Alberico Vespucio_. In the NOVUS ORBIS of _Simon +Grynaeus_, from which our present article is translated, he is called +_Americus Vesputius_. In another portion of that work, containing some +very slight notices of these four voyages, his name is altered to +_Albericus_[3]. A modern author, we know not on what authority, names him +_Amerigo Vespucci_[4]. In all these publications, the authors or editors +have used their endeavours to deprive the illustrious _Columbus_ of the +well earned glory of being the discoverer of the _New World_, and to +transfer that honour most undeservedly to Americus, whose name has long +been indelibly affixed to this new grand division of our globe. Americus +himself pretended to have made the first discovery of the _continent_ of +the New World, alleging that his great precursor Columbus was only the +discoverer of the large West India islands. It has been already mentioned, +in the introduction to the voyages of Columbus, that in his first voyage +Americus sailed under the command of a Spanish officer named Ojeda or +Hojeda, who had accompanied Columbus in his second voyage: But, though it +sufficiently appears from his own writings that Americus did not command +in chief in any of his four voyages, he anxiously conceals the names of +the commanders under whom he sailed. The actual accomplishment of any of +these voyages by Americus has even been doubted[5]. At all events, there +are strong reasons for believing that all their dates have been +industriously falsified, on purpose to ground a pretension for having +discovered the continent or main-land of Paria, prior to the third voyage +of Columbus, in 1498, when that country and the islands of Trinidada and +Margarita certainly were discovered by Columbus. The same author here +quoted as doubting the reality of the navigations of Americus to the New +World, gives the following account of his pretensions as a discoverer. +"Americus Vespucius, by the interest of Bishop _Fonseca_, the enemy of +Columbus, was made chief pilot of Spain, and to him all the journals of +discovery were communicated, from which he constructed elegant maps, +helping out by his fancy whatever was deficient in his materials, so as to +exhibit things in graceful proportions, and the only thing wanting to his +cosmographic delineation was a strict regard to truth. But they answered +well his purpose; as, besides securing him a good place and competent +salary, they enabled him to impose his own name on the new world, before +he had discovered one foot of its coasts[6]." These are heavy charges; but, +as Harris quotes no authorities, it is utterly impossible to determine on +their justice at this distance of time. In another part of his work, +Harris acknowledges the reality of the first voyage of Americus, under the +command of Alonso Hojeda, and assigns the 20th May 1499 as its +commencement[7]. Americus was probably only pilot of the different +navigations he relates. It will be seen in the first section of this +chapter, that Americus dates his first voyage two years earlier; obviously +to warrant his pretended discovery of the coast of Paria, which Columbus +had actually discovered in July or August 1498. + +It has been alleged, but we have forgot the authority for this assertion, +that the _two_ first voyages of Vespucius, as given in this article, were +in reality one and the same; but thus divided by himself, for giving the +better colour to his assuming a false date to ground his pretended +priority of discovering the continent of Paria. + +Soon after the departure of this expedition under Hojeda. Peter Alonso +Nino and Christopher Guerro of Seville obtained a license from the court +of Spain to sail upon discovery to the New World, on condition that they +were not to anchor or land within fifty leagues of any place that had been +discovered by Columbus. Nino had sailed in the third voyage along with +Columbus, when Trinidada, Paria, and Margarita were discovered, and the +sole object of these interlopers appears to have been the acquisition of +pearls, which were found by Columbus in considerable numbers on this coast. +Accordingly, they do not appear to have extended their researches beyond +the coast which Columbus had already discovered; and in what is called the +Bay of Pearls, which is formed between the Island of Margarita and the +main, they procured great numbers of that precious commodity from the +natives, in barter for hawks-bells, and various baubles made of tin. From +thence they proceeded westwards to Coro and Venezuela, where they +augmented their store of pearls. This last place, the name of which +signifies Little Venice, appears to have been the town built in the water, +which is mentioned in the first voyage of Americus. Farther on, at a place +which they named Curiana, they procured some gold, both wrought and in its +native state, with monkeys and beautiful parrots. In the course of this +voyage, they are said to have procured 150 marks, or 1200 ounces of pearls, +all very beautiful, and of a fine water, some as large as hazel-nuts, but +ill bored, owing to the imperfect tools of the natives. Besides pearls and +gold, they took on board a considerable quantity of Brazil wood, though +contrary to their instructions. They returned eastwards along the coast of +Paria or Cumana to the gulf of Paria, whence they took their departure for +Spain, and arrived in Galicia on the 6th February 1500; where they were +accused by their own crew of concealing the pearls, on purpose to deprive +the crown of the established duty, being a fifth of all importations[8]. + +Vincent Yanez Pinzon, who had accompanied Columbus during his first and +second voyages, sailed on a voyage of discovery about the close of the +year 1499, with four stout vessels fitted out at his own expence. In this +voyage Pinzon appears to have sailed along the east coast of South America, +and to have discovered Cape St Augustine in Brazil, to which he gave the +name of Cape Consolation. On his return to the northwards, he likewise +appears to have discovered the great Maranon, or river of the Amazons, and +the mouth of the Oronoko; which latter he named _Rio Dulce_, or Fresh +River, because he took up fresh water _twenty_ leagues out at sea. He +thence proceeded to the coast of Paria, where he took in a cargo of Brazil +wood, and stood over to the islands between that coast and Hispaniola, +losing two of his ships in a great storm. With the two which remained he +went to Hispaniola to refit, and returned thence into Spain about the end +of September 1500[9]. + +In the immediately subsequent chapter a summary will be found of the +discoveries and settlements of the Spaniards in the West Indies, from the +death of the great Columbus to the commencement of the expedition under +Cortes, by which the rich and populous empire of Mexico was added to the +Spanish dominions in the New World. The present chapter consists of +voyages to the New World which were contemporary with those of the +immortal Columbus, and all surreptitiously intended to abridge the vast +privileges which he had stipulated for and obtained the grant of for his +inestimable services; but which the court of Spain was anxious to procure +pretexts for abrogating or circumscribing. + +Of the other early voyages of discovery to America, very imperfect notices +now remain. England lays claim to have been the next nation in succession, +after the Spaniards and Portuguese, to explore the New World; yet, like +Spain, under the guidance of an Italian. We have already seen that +Columbus, when disappointed in his first views of patronage from the king +of Portugal, and while he went himself to offer his services to the court +of Spain, dispatched his brother Bartholomew into England, to lay his +proposals for discovery before Henry VII. and the circumstances have been +already detailed by which this scheme was disappointed, though Henry is +said to have agreed to the proposals of Columbus _four_ years before that +archnavigator began his career in the service of the crown of Castile. +After the king of England had thus, as it were by accident, missed reaping +the advantage and glory of patronizing the first discovery of the New +World, he is said to have encouraged other seamen of reputation to exert +their talents in his service, by prosecuting the faint light which had +transpired respecting the grand discovery of Columbus. Giovani Gabota, or +John Cabot, a citizen of Venice, who had been long settled in Bristol, was +among those who offered their services to the king of England on this +occasion, and his services appear certainly to have been employed. By +patent, dated 5th of March 1495 at Westminster, John Cabot and his three +sons, Lewis, Sebastian, and Sancio, their heirs and deputies, were +authorised, with five ships of any burthen they thought fit, and as many +mariners as they pleased, to sail under the flag of England to all +countries of the East, West, and North, at their own cost and charges, to +seek out and discover whatever isles, countries, regions, or provinces of +the heathens and unbelievers were hitherto unknown to all Christians; with +power to subdue, occupy, and possess all such towns, cities, castles, and +isles as they were able, leaving the sovereignty to the crown of England, +and bound to bring back to Bristol all fruits, profits, gains, and +commodities procured in their voyages, paying the fifth part of the profit +to the king, all necessary costs and charges first deducted from the +proceeds. And forbidding all the subjects of England from frequenting or +visiting their discoveries, unless by license from the Cabots, their heirs +or deputies, under forfeiture of their ships and goods[10]. + +In pursuance of the authority of this patent, and of a farther licence +dated 13th February 1497, allowing John Cabot to sail from any of the +ports of England with six ships of 200 tons burthen or under, John Cabot +and his son Sebastian sailed from Bristol, and discovered a land which had +never been before seen, on the 24th June 1497, about five in the morning, +to which they gave the name of _Prima Vista_, because that part was first +seen from sea. The island seen opposite, they named the Island of St John, +because discovered on the day of St John the Baptist. The inhabitants of +this island wore the skins of beasts, which they held in as much +estimation as we do our finest garments. In their wars they used bows, +arrows, spears, darts, wooden clubs, and slings. The land is barren and +unfruitful, but has white bears, and stags of unusual size. It abounds in +fish of great size, as seawolves, or seals, salmon, and soles above a yard +long; but chiefly in immense quantities of that kind which is vulgarly +called bacalaos. The hawks of this island are as black as crows, and the +eagles and partridges are likewise black[11]. + +The foregoing account is given by Hakluyt on the authority of a map, +engraved by Clement Adams after the design of Sebastian Cabot, which map +was then to be seen in the private gallery of Queen Elizabeth at +Westminster, and in the houses of many of the merchants of London. From +Ramusio, however, Hakluyt gives rather a different account of this matter. +By this account, it would appear that the father John Cabot had died +previous to the voyage, and that Sebastian went as commander of two +vessels furnished by King Henry. He sailed to the north-west, not +expecting to find any other land than Cathay, or northern China, and from, +thence to proceed for India. But falling in with land, he sailed +northwards along the coast, to see if he could find any gulf that +permitted him to proceed westwards in his intended voyage to India, and +still found firm land to lat 56° N. Finding the coast here turning to the +east, he despaired of finding a passage in that direction: he sailed again +down the coast to the southwards, still looking everywhere for an inlet +that would admit a passage by sea to India, and came to that part of the +continent now called Florida; where, his victuals failing, he took his +departure for England[12]. In the preface to the third volume of his +navigations, Ramusio, as quoted by Hakluyt, says that Sebastian Cabot +sailed as far north in this voyage as 67° 30', where on the 11th June the +sea was still quite open, and he was in full hope of getting in that way +to Cathay, but a mutiny of his people forced him to return to England[13]. +Peter Martyr of Angleria, as likewise quoted by Hakluyt, says that +Sebastian was forced to return to the southwards by the immense quantities +of ice which he encountered in the northern part of his voyage[14]. + +Sebastian Cabot, on his return to England, found matters in a state which +did not promise him any farther advantages as a mariner, on which he went +into Spain, where he was employed by Ferdinand and Isabella, in whose +service he explored the eastern coast of South America, and discovered the +_Rio Plata_, up which he sailed above 360 miles, finding it to flow +through a fine country, everywhere inhabited by great numbers of people, +who flocked from all parts to admire his ships. After making many other +voyages, which are not specified, he settled in Seville, where he employed +himself in making sea charts, and had the appointment of pilot-major, all +pilots for the West Indian Seas having to pass his examination, and to +have his license[15]. He thought fit, however, to return into England, and +was employed by Henry VIII. In the service of that sovereign he made a +voyage to the coast of Brazil in 1516, under the superior command of Sir +Thomas Pert, vice-admiral of England, of which the following imperfect +account is preserved by Haklyut. + +"That learned and industrious writer Richard Eden, in an epistle to the +Duke of Northumberland, prefixed to a work which he translated from +Munster in 1553, called _A treatise of the New India_, makes mention of a +voyage of discovery made from England by Sir Thomas Pert and Sebastian +Cabota, about the eighth year of Henry VIII. The want of courage in Sir +Thomas Pert occasioned this expedition to fail of its intended effect; +otherwise it might have happened that the rich treasury called _Perularia_, +now in Seville, in which the infinite riches which come from the new-found +country of Peru, would long since have been in the Tower of London to the +great honour of the king, and the vast increase of the wealth of this +realm. Gonsalvo de Oviedo, a famous Spanish writer, alludes to this voyage, +in his General and Natural History of the West Indies, as thus quoted by +Ramusio. In the year 1517, an English corsair, under pretence of a voyage +of discovery, came with a great ship to the coast of Brazil, whence he +crossed over to the island of Hispaniola, and arrived near the mouth of +the harbour of St Domingo, where he sent his boat to demand leave of entry +for the purpose of traffic. But Francis de Tapia, the governor of the +castle, caused some ordnance to be fired from the castle at the ship, +which was bearing in for the port; on which the ship put about, and the +people in the boat went again on board. They then sailed to the island of +St John, or Porto Rico, where they went into the harbour of St Germaine, +where they required provisions and other necessaries for their ship, and +complained against the inhabitants of St Domingo, saying that they came +not to do any harm, but to trade for what they wanted, paying in money or +merchandize. In this place they procured provisions, and paid in certain +vessels of wrought tin and other things. They afterwards departed towards +Europe, where it was thought they never arrived, as we never heard any +more news of them[16]." + +From the above hint respecting the riches of Peru finding their way to the +Tower of London, and as combined with the former voyage of Cabot to the +north-west; in search of a passage to India, it may be inferred, that the +object of the present voyage was to discover a passage to India by the +south-west, or by what is now called Cape Horn. The passage to India by +the Cape of Good Hope, had been granted exclusively by the Pope to the +Portuguese; and Henry VIII. then a good catholic, wished to evade this +exclusive privilege by endeavouring to discover a new route. It was well +observed by one of the kings of France, in reference to the Pope having +granted all the East to the Portuguese, and all the West to the Spaniards, +"I wish my brothers of Spain and Portugal would shew me the testament of +our father Adam, by which they claim such ample inheritance." The +supposition that Cabot had perished on his voyage from Porto Rico to +England was unfounded. He was alive there in 1549, in which year Edward VI. +granted a yearly pension for life to him and his assigns, of L.166, 13s. +4d. to be paid quarterly, in consideration of the good and acceptable +service done and to be done by him[17]. + +We have been induced to insert this long digression in this place, because +no journals remain of the voyages to which they relate. The other early +voyages of the English to the New World, were all for the purpose of +discovering a N.W. passage by sea to India, or for colonizing the +provinces of North America, and will fail to be particularly noticed in +other divisions of our work. + + +[1] Novus Orbis, p. 111. + +[2] Vol. I. 262, and Vol. V. 479. + +[3] Nov. Orb. 87. + +[4] Mod. Geogr. III. 8. + +[5] Harris, Col. of Voy. and Trav. II. 167. + +[6] Harris, Coll. of Voy. and Trav. II. 62. + +[7] Id. II. 87. + +[8] Harris, II. 33. + +[9] Harris, II. 38. + +[10] Hakluyt, III. 25. + +[11] Hakluyt, III. 27. + +[12] Hakl. III. 28. + +[13] Id. III. 29. + +[14] Id. ib. + +[15] Id. ib. + +[16] Hakl. III. 591. + +[17] Hakl. III. 31. + + + + +DEDICATION. + +_To the most illustrious Renee, King of Jerusalem and Sicily, Duke +of Lorain and Bar, Americas Vespucius in all humble reverence and due +gratitude, wisheth health and prosperity_. + +Most illustrious sovereign, your majesty may perhaps be surprised at my +presumption in writing this prolix epistle, knowing, as I do, that your +majesty is continually engaged in conducting the arduous affairs of +government. I may deserve blame for presuming to dedicate to your majesty +this work, in which you will take little interest, both because of its +barbarous style, and that it was composed expressly for Ferdinand king of +Spain. But my experience of your royal virtues has given me a confident +hope that the nature of my subject, which has never yet been treated of by +ancient or modern writers, may excuse me to your majesty. The bearer, +_Benvenuto_, a servant of your majesty, and my valued friend, whom I met +with at Lisbon, earnestly entreated me to write this history, that your +majesty might be informed of all those things which I had seen during the +four voyages to different parts of the world, which I had undertaken for +the discovery of unknown countries. Of these four voyages, two were made +through a vast extent of ocean towards the West, at the command of the +illustrious Don Ferdinand king of Spain: The other two were to the south, +in the service of Don Manuel king of Portugal. I have used my utmost +diligence in the composition of this work, in hopes that your majesty +would graciously receive me among the number of your dependants, +considering that we were formerly companions during youth, while studying +grammar under the tuition of my venerable uncle, Fra George Antony +Vespucius. I wish that I were able to imitate that worthy person, as I +should then be quite different from what I am: Yet I am not ashamed of +myself, having always placed my chief delight in the practice of virtue, +and the acquisition of literature. Should these voyages displease you, I +may say, as Pliny said to his patron, "formerly my pleasantries used to +delight you." Although your majesty is always occupied in affairs of state, +you may certainly have as much leisure as will permit you to peruse these +pages; which, however trivial in comparison, may yet please by their +novelty. After the cares of government, your majesty will, I hope, receive +amusement from my labours, as a pleasant desert promotes digestion after a +plentiful repast. But, if I have been too tedious in my narrative, I ask +pardon and take my leave. + +Be it known to your majesty that I first went to these new countries in +search of trade, in which I was occupied for four years, during which I +experienced various reverses of fortune; at one time raised to the summit +of human wishes, and afterwards reduced to the lowest ebb of misery, in so +much that I had resolved to abandon commerce, and to confine my exertions +to more laudable and safer exertions. I disposed myself, therefore, to the +purpose of exploring various parts of the world, that I might see the +wonderful things which it contains. An opportunity soon fortunately +offered for satisfying this desire, as King Ferdinand of Spain fitted out +four ships for the discovery of new countries towards the west, and was +pleased to employ me upon this service. We set sail on the 20th of May +1497 from the port of Cadiz, taking our course through the great gulf of +the ocean, in which voyage we were occupied for eighteen months, +discovering _many continents_, and almost innumerable islands, most of +which were inhabited, all of which were utterly unknown to our +predecessors and the ancients. If I am not mistaken, I have somewhere read +that the ocean is entirely void of countries and inhabitants, as appears +to have been the opinion of our poet Dante, in his _Inferno_. But of the +wonderful things which I have seen there, your majesty will find an +account in the following narrative. + + + + +SECTION I. + +_The first Voyage of Americus Vespucius_. + + +As already mentioned, we set sail with four ships in company from Cadiz on +the 20th May 1497[1], shaping our course with the wind at S.S.W.[2] for +the islands formerly called the _Fortunate_, and now named the Grand +Canaries; which are situated in the western extremity of the then known +habitable world, and in the third climate, the elevation of the pole being +twenty-seven degrees and two thirds. These islands are 280 leagues distant +from Lisbon, where this work was written. After spending about a week +there, taking in wood, water, and other necessaries, commending ourselves +to GOD, we set sail with a fair wind towards the west, one quarter +south-west[3], and made such progress that in about twenty-seven we +arrived at a country which we believed to be a continent, about a thousand +leagues distant from the Great Canaries, in 16° north latitude, and 75° +west longitude from the Canary islands[4]. Our fleet cast anchor at this +place, a league and a half from shore, to which we went in some boats well +armed and full of men. On nearing the beach, we could plainly see great +numbers of naked people going about, at which circumstance we were much +rejoiced. The natives, however, were astonished on seeing us, on account +of the unusual appearance of our dress and manners, so that as we advanced +they all fled to a hill in the neighbourhood, whence at that time we could +not allure them by any signs of peace and friendship. On the approach of +night, considering that the place in which our ships were anchored was +altogether unsafe in the event of any storm arising, we determined to quit +this part of the coast in the morning, for the purpose of seeking out some +harbour where our ships might ride in safety. We accordingly made sail +along the coast, and in sight of the shore, on which we could always see +the natives, and after two days sail we found a convenient anchorage for +the ships at the distance of half a league from the shore. At this place +we saw a great multitude of people, and being anxious to examine them, and +to establish a friendly intercourse, we landed that same day with about +forty of our men in good array. But the natives shewed themselves +extremely averse to any communication with us, and could not be allured to +a conference by any means. At length a small number of them were induced +to come near by presents of bells, small mirrors, glass beads, and similar +toys, and a friendly intercourse was thus established. As night came on, +we left them and returned to the ships. At dawn of the following day, we +saw immense numbers of the natives on shore, men, women, and children:, +and could observe that they had all their household stuff along with them, +of which an account will be given hereafter. On our approach towards the +shore, many of the natives threw themselves into the sea, being most +expert swimmers, and came to meet us with much appearance of kindness, and +joined us in perfect confidence of security, as if we had been old +acquaintances, which gave us much pleasure. + +The whole of these people, men as well as women, went entirely naked. +Though of rather small stature, they are exceedingly well proportioned, +their complexion being reddish brown, like the hair of lion; but if they +were always clothed, they would in my opinion become as white as our +people. They have no hair on any part of their bodies, except on the head, +where it is long and black; especially the women, who wear their long +black hair in a very comely manner. Their faces are by no means handsome, +being broad like the Tartars, and they allow no hair to remain on their +eyebrows or eyelids, nor on any other part of their bodies, as already +mentioned, it being esteemed by them quite beastly to have hair remaining +on their bodies. Both men and women are amazingly agile in walking and +running, as we frequently experienced, the very women being able to run +one or two leagues at a stretch with the utmost ease, and in this exercise +they greatly excelled us Christians. They are likewise wonderfully expert +swimmers, in which the women excel the men and we have seen them swim two +leagues out to sea without any aid whatever. Their arms are bows and +arrows, which are more craftily made than ours; and, being destitute of +iron or any other metal, they arm the points of their arrows with the +teeth of wild beasts or fishes, often hardening their ends in the fire to +make them stronger. They are most expert archers, hitting any thing they +aim at with wonderful precision; the women also, in some places, being +excellent archers. Their other arms are a kind of very sharp lances or +pointed stakes, and clubs, having their heads very nicely carved. They are +chiefly accustomed to make war against their neighbours speaking a +different language; and as they give no quarter, unless to such as are +reserved for the most horrid tortures, they fight with extraordinary fury. +When they go to battle they are accompanied by their wives, not to assist +them in fighting, but on purpose to carry their provisions and other +necessaries; and one of their women will carry a greater weight on her +back for a journey of thirty or forty leagues, than a strong man is able +to lift from the ground, as we have often seen. They have no regular +captains or commanders in their wars; and although any one may assume the +office of leader, they always march onwards without any order whatever. +Their wars do not originate in any desire of extending their power or +territory, neither from any inordinate lust of dominion, but from ancient +enmities, transmitted from one generation to another; and when asked the +cause of these enmities, their only answer is that they are bound to +revenge the death of their ancestors. These people living in perfect +liberty, are not subjected to any kings or rulers, and are chiefly excited +to war when any of their tribe happens to be slain or made prisoner. On +such occasions, the elder relations of the slain person or of the prisoner +go about among the huts and villages, continually crying out, and urging +all the warriors of the tribe to make haste and accompany them to war, +that they may recover their friend from captivity, or revenge his death. +All being moved to compassion and revenge by these incitements, +immediately prepare for war, and march away in haste to the assistance of +their friends. + +These people have no laws, or any idea of distributive justice, neither +are malefactors ever punished among them. Parents even neither teach nor +chastise their children. We have sometimes seen them conferring together +among themselves in a strange manner. They seem very simple in their +discourse, yet are they very cunning and shrewd. In speaking they are +neither loud nor loquacious, using accents similar to ours, but squeezing +as it were most of their words between the teeth and the lips. They have a +great number of dialects, as at every hundred leagues distance we found a +different language, the different tribes not understanding each other. +Their manner of feeding is very barbarous, as they have no fixed periods +for eating, but just as inclination or opportunity offers, whether by day +or night. When taking food they recline on the ground, using neither +table-cloths nor napkins, as they have no linen or any other kind of cloth. +Their food is put into vessels of earthen ware, manufactured by themselves, +or into half gourd shells instead of dishes. They sleep in large net +hammocks made of cotton, suspended at some height; and however +extraordinary or disagreeable this custom may appear, I have found it +exceedingly pleasant, and much preferable to the carpets which we use. +Their bodies are very clean and sleek, owing to their frequent bathing. +When about to ease nature they are at great pains to conceal themselves +from observation, yet are very indecent in discharging their urine, which +they would do at any time, both men and women, while conversing with us. +They observe no law or covenant in regard to marriage, every man having as +many wives as he pleases or can procure, and dismissing them at pleasure, +and this license is common both to men and women. They are little addicted +to jealousy, yet much given to lust, in which the women far exceed the men. +From motives of decency I here omit describing the expedients they put in +practice for satisfying their inordinate desires. The women are very +prolific, and do not shun labour or fatigue while pregnant. Their +deliveries are attended with little pain, so that they are able +immediately afterwards to go about their usual occupations in perfect +health and vigour; going in the first place to wash themselves in the +nearest river. Yet such is their proneness to cruelty and malignant spite, +that if exasperated by their husbands, they take a certain poison in +revenge, which kills the foetus within them, so that they afterwards +miscarry, by which abominable practice vast numbers of their children are +destroyed. Their bodies are so elegant and well proportioned, that hardly +is any the smallest deformity to be seen among them. Though they go +entirely naked among the women, their appearance is tolerably decent[5], +yet are they no more moved by this exposure than we are by shewing our +faces. It is rare among them to see any women with lax breasts or +shrivelled bellies through frequent child-birth, as they are all equally +plump and firm afterwards as formerly. Their women were extremely fond of +our men. + +We could not perceive that this nation had any religion, nor ought they on +that account to be accounted worse than the Jews, or Moors, since these +nations are much more reprehensible than the pagans or idolaters. We could +not discover that they performed any sacrifices or sacred rites of any +kind, neither had they any temples or other places for worship. Their way +of living, which is exceedingly voluptuous, I consider as epicurean[6]. +Their houses, which are common to all, are built in the shape of a bell, +firmly constructed of large pieces of timber, and covered over with palm +leaves, so strong as to be able to resist winds and storms; some of them +so large as to be able to contain six hundred persons. Among these we +found eight that were exceedingly populous, as in them there dwelt ten +thousand souls[7]. Every seven or eight years they change their place of +residence; and when asked the reason of this, they said that through the +heat of the sun, the air would become infected by a longer residence in +the same place, which would occasion various diseases. Their riches +consisted in the various coloured feathers of different birds, in certain +stones resembling those called _pater-nosters_, in plates, or beads made +of fish bones, or of green or white stones, which they hang by way of +ornaments on their cheeks, lips, and ears. They likewise consider as +valuable several other trifling things which we despise. They employ no +medium for sale or barter, being satisfied with those things which are +offered spontaneously by nature. Gold, pearls, and precious stones, and +others of like nature, which are considered in Europe as riches, they hold +in no estimation, or rather despise them as of no use. They are extremely +liberal of every thing they possess, so that they never refuse any thing +that is asked from them; but are equally greedy in their demands, after +they have entered into friendship with any one. As the greatest mark of +friendship, they give their wives and daughters to their friends; and +every parent thinks himself much honoured when any one asks from him his +virgin daughter, which cements the firmest friendships among them. They +use various rites and customs in burying their dead. Some deposit them in +the earth, accompanied with victuals and water at their head, which they +believe are used by the deceased. After this no farther mourning or +ceremonial is customary. In other places, their mode of sepulture is very +barbarous and cruel. When any person is considered to be near his end, his +relations carry him out into a large wood, where they suspend him in a +hammock from two trees; and having danced round him for a whole day, they +place at night as much water and provisions as may suffice him for four +days, and every one returns to his own home. After this, if the sick +person is able to eat and drink, and is so far restored to health as to be +enabled to return to his habitation, he is received back by his relations +with much ceremony. But very few are able to do so, as no one ever visits +the sick person after his suspension. Should any of these leave the +hammock and die in the wood, they get no other burial. They have several +other barbarous customs, which I omit mentioning, to avoid being prolix. + +They use various medicines for curing their diseases, which are so totally +different from those used among us, that it is wonderful any one should +recover by their means. When any one is ill of a fever, they plunge the +patient at its heighth in the coldest water, after which he is forced to +run round a large fire for two hours till he is all over in a violent +perspiration, and is then taken to bed. By this strange remedy we have +seen many restored to health. They will sometimes refrain from food for +three or four days. They draw blood, not from the arms, but from the loins +and the calves of the legs. They excite vomiting by means of certain herbs +which they chew, and keep in their mouths. They use likewise various other +remedies and antidotes, which it were tedious to enumerate. They are +subject to different sanguineous and phlegmatic humours, occasioned by the +nature of their food, which consists of fish, with various roots, fruits, +and herbs. They use no meal of any kind of corns or other seeds; but their +chief food is made from the root of a certain tree, which they bruise down +into a tolerably good kind of meal. This root is called by some _jucha_, +by others _chambi_, and by others _igname_. They scarcely eat of any kind +of flesh except that of men, in the use of which they exceed every thing +that is brutal and savage among mankind; devouring their enemies, whether +slain or taken prisoners, both men and women indiscriminately, in the most +ferocious manner that can be conceived. I have often seen them employed in +this brutal feast, and they expressed surprize that we did not eat our +enemies as they did. All this your majesty may be assured is absolutely +true; and that their customs are so many and barbarous, it were tedious to +describe them all. Having seen many things during my four voyages +exceedingly different from our manners and customs, I have composed a book +in which all these are particularly described, but which I have not yet +published. + +In this beginning of our course along the coast, we did not discover any +thing from which any great profit could be derived, probably because we +did not understand the language of the natives, except that we observed +several indications that gold was to be found in this country, which in +all other repects is most admirably situated. It was therefore agreed upon +to continue our voyage, always keeping as near as possible to the shore, +which occasioned us to make many tacks and circuits, keeping up frequent +intercourse with the natives as we proceeded. After several days sailing, +we arrived at a certain port, where it pleased God to rescue us from very +imminent danger. Immediately on entering this harbour; we descried a town +built in the water, as Venice is, consisting of about twenty large +bell-shaped houses, founded on solid wooden foundations, and having +draw-bridges by which the inhabitants could pass from house to house. As +soon as the inhabitants of this place saw us they drew up their bridges +for security, and retreated into their houses. Soon afterwards we +perceived twelve almadias or canoes, each of them hollowed out of the +trunk of a large tree, which advanced towards us, surrounding us on all +sides at some distance, their crews admiring our dress and appearance. We +likewise continued looking at them, endeavouring by friendly signs to make +them come towards us without fear, which however they declined. We +therefore steered towards them, on which they all hastened to land, giving +us to understand that they would soon return. They went in all haste to a +certain mountain, from whence they brought sixteen girls, whom they took +into their canoes, and brought towards us, putting four of them on board +each of our four ships, to our great surprize. After this they went about +among our ships with their canoes, and conversed with us so peaceably that +we thought them in every respect friendly disposed. About this time +likewise a vast number of people came swimming towards our ships from the +town before-mentioned, and we did not in the least suspect any evil +intention. By and by we beheld several old women at the doors of the +houses, who set up violent outcries, tearing their hair in token of great +distress, by which we began to suspect some evil was intended towards us. +The young women who had been put on board our ships leapt all of a sudden +into the sea, and those in the canoes removing to some distance bent their +bows and plied us briskly with arrows. Those likewise who were swimming +towards the ships were all armed with lances, which they concealed under +water. Being now convinced of their treachery, we stood on the defensive, +and in our turn attacked them so hotly that we destroyed several of their +canoes and killed a considerable number of the natives. The survivors +abandoned the remaining canoes, and made for the shore by swimming, after +twenty of the natives were slain and many wounded. On our side only five +men were wounded, all of whom are restored to health by the blessing of +God. We took two of the before-mentioned young women, and three men, after +which we visited the houses of the natives, where we only found two old +women and a sick man. We returned to the ships, not choosing to burn the +town, and put the five prisoners in fetters; but the two girls and one of +the men made their escape from us next night. + +Leaving this harbour on the day following, we sailed eighty leagues +farther along the coast, when we found another nation quite different from +the former, both in language and behaviour. We agreed to anchor at this +place and to go ashore in our boats, when we saw a crowd of near 4000 +people, who all fled into the woods on our approach, leaving every thing +behind them. On landing we proceeded about a gun-shot along a road leading +into the woods, where we found many tents which the natives had erected +for a fishing station, and in which we found fires on which abundance of +victuals were boiling, and various kinds of wild beasts and fishes +roasting. Among these was a certain strange animal very like a serpent, +without wings, which seemed so wild and brutal that we greatly admired its +terrible fierceness. As we proceeded farther among the tents, we found +many more serpents of this description, having their feet bound, and their +mouths tied to hinder them from biting. They had so hideous and fierce an +aspect that none of us dared to touch them, from fear of being poisoned. +They were equal in size to a wild goat, and about a yard and a half long, +having long and strong feet, armed with strong claws. Their skins were +variegated, with many colours, and their snouts and faces resembled those +of real serpents. From their nostrils to the extremity of their tails, a +line of rough bristles extends along the ridge of the back, insomuch that +we concluded they were actually serpents, yet they are used as food by +this nation[8]. Instead of bread, these Indians boil the fish, which they +catch abundantly in the sea, for a short time, then pounding them together +into a cake, they roast this over a hot fire without flame, which they +preserve for use, and which we found very pleasant food. They have many +other articles of food, which they prepare from various roots and fruits, +but which it would be tedious to describe. Finding that the natives did +not return from the woods to their dwellings, we resolved not to take away +any of their effects, lest they should be afraid of us, and even left many +trifling European articles hung up in their huts, after which we returned +to the ships. + +Going on shore early next morning, we saw a vast number of people +collected on the shore, who were at first very timid on our approach, yet +mingled freely among us, and soon became quite familiar, shewing great +desire to enter into a friendly correspondence. They soon made us +understand that they did not dwell in this place, to which they resorted +merely for the purpose of fishing, and solicited us in a most friendly +manner to go along with them to their villages. Indeed they conceived a +great friendship for us on acccount of the two prisoners whom we had in +custody, who happened to belong to a nation with whom they were at enmity. +In consideration of their great importunity, twenty-three of us agreed to +go along with them well armed, with a fixed resolution to sell our lives +dear if necessity required. Having remained with them for three days, we +arrived after a journey of three leagues inland at a village consisting of +nine houses, where we were received with many barbarous ceremonies not +worth relating, consisting of dances, songs, lamentations, joy, and +gladness, strangely mixed together, and accompanied with plentiful +entertainments. We remained in that place all night, on which occasion the +natives pressed their wives upon us as companions with so much earnestness +that we could hardly resist. By the middle of the following day a +prodigious number of people crowded to see us, shewing no signs of fear, +and we were entreated by their elders to accompany them to their other +villages, farther inland, with which we complied. It is not easy to +describe the multiplied attentions which we received from them during nine +days, in which time we visited a great number of their villages, on which +occasion those who remained at the ships were exceedingly anxious at our +long absence. On our return to the ships we were accompanied by an +incredible number of men and women, who paid us every possible attention. +If any of us were fatigued with walking, they were eager to carry us in +one of their hammocks. As we had to pass a great many rivers, some of +which were large, they contrived to carry us over with perfect safety. +Many of the natives who were in our train carried in hammocks great +quantities of their own commodities which they had given us, such as the +many-coloured feathers which have been already mentioned, many of their +bows and arrows, and great numbers of variegated parrots. Others of them +carried all their household goods and animals. They were so eager to serve +us, that he who happened to carry any of our company over a river, seemed +transported at his good fortune. When we came to the boats which were to +carry us on board our ships, such numbers pressed in to accompany us, that +they might see our ships, that our boats were ready to sink under the load. +We accordingly carried as many of them to the ships as our boats could +possibly accommodate, and vast numbers followed us by swimming, insomuch +that we were somewhat alarmed at their numbers, though naked and unarmed, +more than a thousand of them being on board at once, admiring the +prodigious size of our ships as compared with their own canoes, and +astonished at every part of the tackle and artillery. A ludicrous scene +took place on occasion of firing off some of our guns, for immediately on +hearing the prodigious report, the greatest part of the natives jumped +overboard; just as frogs are apt to do when, sunning themselves on a bank, +they happen to hear any unusual noise. We were a good deal concerned at +this incident, but we soon reconciled the natives and removed their terror, +by explaining to them that we used such weapons for destroying our enemies. +Having entertained the natives on board our ships the whole of that day, +we advised them to go on shore at night, as it was our intention to depart +on the day following, and they all took leave of us with every +demonstration of friendship. While here, we observed many singular customs +among these people, which I do not propose enlarging upon at present, as +your majesty will be afterwards more particularly informed of every thing +worthy of attention, when I shall have completed the geographical relation +of my four voyages, which still requires revision and enlargement. + +This country is exceedingly populous, and abounds everywhere with many +animals of different kinds, few of which resemble ours, and even these +differ in some measure from ours in shape and appearance. They have no +lions, bears, deer, swine, roes, or goats; neither have they any horses, +mules, asses, or dogs; sheep likewise and cows are not to be found among +them. Their woods, however, abound with great numbers of different kinds +of animals, which I cannot easily describe, as they are all in a wild +state, none of them being domesticated by the natives. Their birds are so +numerous, and so different from ours in colours and species, as is quite +surprising to the beholders. The country is extremely pleasant and +fruitful, abounding everywhere with beautiful groves and extensive forests, +consisting of trees which are verdant during the whole year, and never +lose their leaves, producing innumerable fruits entirely different from +ours. This land is situated in the torrid zone, directly under the +parallel described by the tropic of _cancer_, and in the second climate, +where the pole is elevated 23 degrees above the horizon[9]. While there, a +prodigious number of people came to see us, wondering at our colour and +appearance, and inquiring whence we came. We answered, that we had come +down from heaven to visit the earth, and they believed us. We constructed +several fonts in this place, at which a prodigious number of people came +to be baptized, calling themselves _charaibs_, which word in their +language signifies _wise men_. The country is by them named _Parias_. + +Leaving the before-mentioned harbour, we sailed along the coast, which we +kept always in sight for the space of 860[10] leagues, during which we had +to make many tacks and circuitous courses, always holding intercourse with +the numerous nations on the coast. We procured gold in many places, but +not in any considerable quantities, as our principal object was to +discover and explore these regions, and to learn whether they produced any +gold. Having employed thirteen months already in our voyage, and nearly +expended our stores and provisions, and our men being worn out with +continual watching and fatigue, we determined to take measures for +repairing our ships, which let in water on all sides, that we might return +into Spain. For the purpose, therefore, of repairing our ships, we entered +one of the best harbours in the world, where we were received in a most +friendly manner by the natives, who were here very numerous. Having +constructed a raft or lighter from the remains of our old boats and casks, +we carried all our guns and stores ashore. After completely unloading our +ships, we hauled them upon the beach, where we repaired them effectually. +In this laborious employment we were materially assisted by the natives, +who likewise most liberally supplied us with provisions, so that we +consumed very little of our own sea stores during our stay at this place. +This circumstance was of singular importance to us, as our own provisions +were much diminished, and we should hardly have been able to reach Spain +without this assistance, unless upon short allowance. We remained +thirty-seven days at this port, going frequently along with the natives to +their villages, where we were always received with much respect. When +ready to resume our voyage, the natives complained to us of a certain very +savage nation which was in use at certain times of the year to invade +their territories by sea, sometimes falling upon them by surprise, and at +other times by main force, who killed many of their people and devoured +the slain, carrying away others into captivity. They told us that this +nation, against whom they were hardly able to defend themselves, inhabited +a certain island at about an hundred leagues from their country; and as we +sympathised in their distress, we engaged to revenge them upon their cruel +enemies. They greatly rejoiced at this intelligence, and offered to +accompany us in the expedition, which we declined for substantial reasons, +and only agreed to take seven of them along with us by way of guides, who +were to go in one of their own canoes, as we could not engage to bring +them back to their own country; with which arrangement they gratefully +acquiesced, and we parted from them in great friendship. + +Having repaired our ships and taken every thing belonging to them on board, +we put to sea, and sailed seven days with the wind at E.N.E. beating to +windward, after which we fell in with several islands, some of which were +inhabited and others not, near one of which we came to anchor, called +_Ity_[11] by the natives, on which we saw a great crowd of people. Arming +our boats with a good number of picked men and three pieces of ordnance, +we approached the shore at a place where there were at least 400 men and +many women. All of these, as noticed in formerly visited places, went +entirely naked, of strong bodies, and warlike appearance, and were all +armed with bows, arrows, and lances, many of them having round or square +shields for their defence, which did not at all impede them in discharging +their arrows. All of them had their bodies painted of many colours, and +were adorned with the feather's of various birds; and the friendly Indians +who had accompanied us from the continent assured us that their painting +and adornment were sure indications that they were prepared for battle. +Accordingly, when we had reached to within an arrow-flight of the beach, +they all advanced into the sea towards us, and began to let fly a vast +number of arrows, using their utmost efforts to prevent our landing, +insomuch that we were constrained to make several discharges from our +artillery against them. Oh hearing the reports of our guns, and seeing a +good many of their companions slain, all the rest retreated to the shore. +Having called a council of war, it was resolved, that forty-two of us +should land and attack them boldly. We accordingly leaped from the boats +with our arms in our hands, and were so manfully opposed, that the battle +lasted almost two hours, till at length we gained a complete victory, +killing a considerable number of the natives, and taking some prisoners. +The enemy then fled into the woods, several of them being slain in their +flight by our hand-guns[12], but we did not pursue far, as we were already +much fatigued. We returned therefore to our ships, the seven friendly +natives being greatly rejoiced at our victory. + +Next day we saw an immense number of the islanders collecting on the shore, +sounding horns and other instruments used by them in war, all painted and +adorned with feathers, so that it was wonderful to behold them. It was +again determined in council that we should go on shore in force, and +should treat the natives as enemies if they rejected our friendship. We +accordingly landed in a body, unopposed by the islanders, who seemed +afraid of our cannon. Our force consisted on this occasion of four bodies +of fifty-seven men, each under its proper commander, and we had a long and +severe engagement with the natives hand to hand. After many of them were +slain, they at length took to flight, and we pursued them to one of their +villages, where we took twenty-five prisoners, and burned the village; and +we killed and wounded a great many more on our return towards the ships. +On our side one only was slain in this fight, and twenty-two wounded, all +of whom, by the blessing of God, recovered from their wounds. It was now +determined to return into Spain: wherefore the seven men who had +accompanied us from the continent, of whom five were wounded in the battle, +embarked in a canoe which we seized at this place, and returned to their +own country, very joyful for the vengeance we had taken of their cruel +enemies, and full of admiration at our war-like prowess. On this occasion +we gave them seven of our prisoners, three men and four women. Proceeding +from this place in our voyage to Spain, we arrived at Cadiz on the 15th +October 1498, carrying with us 222 prisoners whom we had taken during the +voyage, all of whom we sold. These are all the circumstances worthy of +notice which occurred during our first voyage. + + +[1] It is highly probable that the date is here falsified by error, or + rather purposely to give a pretext for having discovered the continent + of the New World before Columbus; for we are assured by Harris, II. 37, + that the real date of this voyage was 1499. Alonzo Hojeda and Americus + Vespucius were furnished by Fonseca, bishop of Burgos, with charts and + projects of discovery made by Columbus, whose honour and interest the + bishop was eager to destroy by this surreptitious invasion of his + rights as admiral and viceroy of the West Indies.--E. + +[2] In the original, having the wind between south and south-west. It is + often impossible to ascertain, as here, from the equivocal language of + the original, whether the author intends to express the course of the + voyage or the direction of the wind. The course of the voyage from + Cadiz to the Cananaries, whither Americus was now bound, certainly was + towards the direction expressed in the text, and to this course the + wind indicated is adverse. + +[3] In the original, _per Ponentem, sumpta una Lebeccio quarta_. _Ponente_ + is the West in Italian, and _Lebeccio_ the south-west; but it is + difficult to express in English nautical language the precise meaning + of the original, which is literally translated in the text.--E. + +[4] The latitude and longitude of the text would indicate the eastern + coast of Yucutan, near the bay of Honduras; but from other + circumstances, it is probable the coast now visited by Americus was + that of Paria or the Spanish main, between the latitudes of 10° and + 12° N. and perhaps twenty-five degrees less to the west than + expressed in the text. But the geographical notices in this work of + Americus are scanty and uncertain.--E. + +[5] Praeterquam regiuncula illa anterior, quam verecundiore vocabulo + pectusculum imum vocamus. + +[6] The author appears to mean here that they were entirely destitute of + religious belief.--E. + +[7] The expression of the author seems here ambiguous. He probably means + towns or collections of huts as containing such large numbers; and it + is hard to say whether he meant to say that these eight populous + _habitations_ had 10,000 each, or altogether.--E. + +[8] The expression of the original _serpens_, here translated serpent, had + been better expressed, perhaps, by the fabulous term _dragon_. + The animal in question was probably the _lacerto iguana_, or it may + have been a young alligator.--E. + +[9] This is a most singularly mistaken account of the situation of the + coast of Paria, now Cumana or the Spanish main; which, beginning on + the east at the island of Trinidad, about lat. 10° N. joins Carthagena + in the west about the same latitude, and never reaches above 12° N. + Were it not that the author immediately afterwards distinctly names + the coast of Paria, the latitude of the text would lead us to suppose + that he had been exploring the northern coast of Cuba.--E. + +[10] Even supposing Americus to have coasted along the whole northern + shore of South America, from Trinidad to Costa-rica, the distance does + not exceed twenty-three degrees of longitude, and the coast of Paria + or Cumana is scarce 15 degrees. The number of leagues, therefore, in + the text is greatly exaggerated, unless we suppose them only to have + been Italian miles.--E. + +[11] The relation of this voyage is so exceedingly vague that we have no + means of determining any of the places which were touched at. From the + resemblance of the name in the text to Haiti, or Aiti, this island may + possibly have been Hispaniola.--E. + +[12] The author affects classical names for modern fire-arms, naming what + we have translated hand-guns _balistae colubrinae_. Cannon are + sometimes called _tormenta bellica_, and at other times _machina + saxivoma_--E. + + + + +SECTION II. + +_The Second Voyage of Americas Vespucius_. + + +We set sail from Cadiz on our second voyage on the 11th of May 1499, +taking our course past the Cape Verds and Canaries for the island of +_Ignis_, where we took in a supply of wood and water: Whence continuing +our voyage with a south-west wind for nineteen days, we reached a certain +undiscovered land, which we believed to be the continent, over against +that which we had explored in our former voyage, and which is situated in +the torrid zone upon the southern side of the equator, and in 5° of south +latitude[1], being 500 leagues from the before-mentioned islands, to the +south-west. In this country we found the days and nights to be equal on +the 27th of June, when the sun was in the tropic of cancer[2]. We found +this country inundated and pervaded by large rivers, having a very verdant +appearance, with large tall trees, but with no appearance of any +inhabitants. Having anchored our ships, we went to land with some of our +boats, but after a long search we found the whole land so covered with +water that we could not land anywhere, though we saw abundant indications +of a numerous population, after which we returned to the ships. Hoisting +our anchors, we sailed along shore with the wind at S.S.E. for above forty +leagues, frequently endeavouring to penetrate into the land, but in vain, +as the flux of the sea was so rapid from the S.E. to the N.W. that it was +impossible for the vessels to stem the current. In consideration of this +circumstance, we resolved to steer a course to the N.W. in the course of +which we came to a harbour, where we found a beautiful island, and an +excellent creek at the entrance. While sailing with the intention of +entering this harbour, we saw an immense number of people on this island, +which was about four leagues from shore. Having hoisted out our boats on +purpose to land on the island, we perceived a canoe with several natives +coming from seawards, which we endeavoured to surround with our boats, +that we might make them prisoners. After a long chase, finding that we +gained upon them, the whole of the natives in the canoe, to the number of +about twenty, jumped into the sea about two leagues from shore, and +endeavoured to escape by swimming, which they all did except two whom we +secured. In the canoe which they had deserted, we found four young men of +another nation whom they had made prisoners, and whose members had been +quite recently cut off, at which strange circumstance we were greatly +astonished. On taking these unfortunate captives to our ships, they made +us understand by signs that they had been taken away from their own +country to be eaten, as the nation by whom they had been made captives +were savage cannibals. After this, taking the captured canoe along with us, +we brought our ships to anchor within half a league of the shore, where we +observed great numbers of the natives wandering about. We then went on +shore, taking the two prisoners belonging to the canoe along with us; but +immediately on landing, all the natives fled into the woods. Seeing this, +we set free one of our prisoners, to whom we gave several trinkets, as +bells and small mirrors, in token of friendship, assuring him that he and +his countrymen need not be afraid of us, as we were desirous of entering +into friendship with them. This man soon brought back about four hundred +of the natives from the woods, accompanied by many of their women, all of +whom came to us unarmed, and an entire friendship was established between +us to all appearance, on which we set free the other prisoner, and +restored the captured canoe. This vessel, which was hollowed from a single +piece of wood, measured twenty-six paces long, and two yards broad, and +was very artificially constructed. As soon as they had secured their canoe +in another part of the river beyond our reach, the whole of the natives +suddenly deserted us, and never could be brought to renew their +intercourse. + +Being disappointed in our expectation of any friendly connection with +these people, among whom we only saw a small quantity of gold, which they +wore as ornaments in their ears, we sailed about eighty leagues further +along the coast, when we discovered a safe harbour, into which we brought +our ships, and found the country exceedingly populous. We soon established +a friendly intercourse with these people, and even accompanied them to +several of their villages, where we found ourselves in perfect security, +and received the kindest treatment imaginable, and procured from them +about five hundred pearls for one bell and a small quantity of gold. The +natives of this country make a kind of wine, which they express from +fruits and seeds, resembling beer, both red and white. The best is made +from a species of apple[3]. Of these and many other excellent fruits of +fine flavour, we eat abundantly, and found them extremely wholesome. The +inhabitants of this place were more peaceably disposed, more civilized in +their manners and dispositions, and more abundantly supplied with all +kinds of necessaries and household-stuff than any we had seen hitherto. We +remained seventeen days in this harbour with much satisfaction, vast +numbers of the natives coming daily to visit us, admiring our appearance, +the whiteness of our complexions, the fashion of our clothes and arms, and +the magnitude of our ships. From these people we were informed of another +nation more to the west, by whom they were very much annoyed, and who +possessed great quantities of pearls; both because they had these in their +own country, and were accustomed to carry them off from those other tribes +against whom they went to war. They likewise informed us in what manner +the pearls originated, and how they were fished for; all of which we +afterwards found to be true. + +Leaving this harbour, we continued our voyage along the coast, all of +which was numerously inhabited by different nations. Having entered a +certain harbour for the purpose of repairing one of our vessels, we there +found a great number of inhabitants, with whom we were unable to establish +any intercourse, either by force or good-will. When we endeavoured at any +time to land from our boats, they fiercely opposed us; and finding all +their resistance ineffectual, they fled into the woods, and could not be +prevailed on to enter into any intercourse with us. For which reason we +departed from their inhospitable shore. + +Continuing our voyage, we came to a certain island about fifteen leagues +from the coast, which we agreed to visit, that we might see if it were +inhabited; and we accordingly found it possessed by a race of exceedingly +savage people, who were notwithstanding extremely simple and very +courteous. In manners and appearance they are little better that brutes, +and all of them have their mouths constantly filled with a certain green +herb, which they are continually chewing like ruminating cattle, so that +they can hardly speak to be understood[4]. Each individual among them +carries two small gourd shells hung from the neck, one of which contains +the herb which they chew, and the other is filled with a particular kind +of white meal resembling powdered gypsum, which, with a small stick chewed +and moistened, they draw out from this gourd, and sprinkle therewith the +chewed herb, which they again replace in their mouths. Although we +wondered much at this strange custom, we could not for a long while +discover its reason and object. But, as we walked about their country, +trusting to their friendly attentions, and endeavoured to learn from them +where we could procure fresh water, they explained to us by signs that +none was to be had in these parts, and they offered us the herb and powder +which they are in use to chew as a substitute. After accompanying them a +whole day, without food or drink, we learnt that all the water which they +used was gathered during the night, by collecting dew from certain plants +having leaves resembling asses ears, which are filled every night by the +dews of heaven. This nation is likewise destitute of any vegetable food, +and live entirely on fish, which they procure abundantly from the sea. +They even presented us with several turtles, and many other excellent +fish. The women of this nation do not use the herb which is chewed by the +men, but each of them carries a gourd shell filled with water to serve +them for drink. + +This nation has no villages, nor even any huts or cabins, their only +shelter consisting in certain prodigiously large leaves, under which they +are protected from the scorching heat of the sun. When employed in fishing, +each individual carries one of these enormous leaves, which he sticks into +the ground directly between him and the sun, and is thus enabled to +conceal himself entirely under its shade; and although this is not a +sufficient protection against rain, it is wonderful how little rain falls +in this country. This island has many animals of various kinds, all of +which have only very dirty water for drinking. + +Finding no prospect of advantage at this island, we went from it to +another in hope of procuring a supply of water. At our first landing, we +believed this other island to be uninhabited, as we saw no people on its +coast at our arrival; but on walking along the beach, we noticed the +prints of human feet of such uncommon magnitude, that if the rest of the +body were of similar proportions, the natives must be of astonishing size. +We at length noticed a path which led into the country, which nine of us +determined to pursue, that we might explore the island, as we imagined it +was of small size, and could not consequently have many inhabitants. +Having advanced near a league, we observed five cabins in a valley which +we believed to be inhabited; and going into these, we found five women, +two of whom were old, and three of them young, all of whom were of most +unusual stature, so that we were much amazed. On their side, likewise, +they were so much astonished at our appearance, that they were even unable +to run away from us. The old women spoke kindly to us in their language, +and all of them accompanying us into one of their huts, presented us with +plenty of their victuals. All of these women were taller than the tallest +men of our country, being as tall even as _Francisco de Albicio_[5], but +better proportioned than any of us. After consulting together, we agreed +among ourselves to carry off the young women by force, that we might shew +them in Spain as objects of wonder; but, while conversing together on this +project, about thirty-six of their men began to enter the cabin. These men +were much taller than the women, and of such handsome proportions that it +was a pleasure to behold them. They were armed with bows, arrows, spears, +and large clubs, and inspired us with such dread that we anxiously wished +ourselves safe back at the ships. On entering, they began to talk among +themselves, and we suspected that they were deliberating upon making us +prisoners, on which account we consulted together how we should act for +own safety. Some of our party proposed to attack them in the hut, while +others thought it would be safer to do so in the open ground, and the rest +were against proceeding to extremities till we were quite certain of the +intentions of the natives. We accordingly stole out of the cabin, and +resumed the path which led towards the shore. The men followed us at the +distance of a stones-throw, always speaking among themselves, and +apparently as much afraid of us as we were of them,; for when we stopped +they did the same, and only continued to advance as we retreated, always +keeping at a respectful distance. When at length we reached the boats, and +had pushed off from the shore, they all leapt into the sea, and shot a +number of their arrows against us, of which we were not now in much fear. +We fired two shots among them, more for the purpose of intimidation than +of killing them; and scared by the report, they all fled away into the +woods, and we saw no more of them. All of these people went naked, as has +been said of the other natives whom we had seen; and on account of the +prodigious size of these men, we named this place the island of Giants. + +Proceeding on our voyage at no great distance from this last place, we had +frequent encounters with the natives, as they were unwilling to allow of +any thing being taken from their country. On this account, and because our +stock of provisions had become scanty, as we had been near a year at sea, +we resolved on returning to Spain. Since our departure from the Cape Verde +islands, we had been always in the torrid zone, and had twice crossed the +equator, insomuch that the remaining provisions in our ships were much +injured by the heat of the climate. In prosecuting our determination of +returning home, it pleased God to conduct us to a place for repairing our +vessels, where we found a people who received us with much kindness, and +from whom we procured a great number of oriental pearls. During +forty-seven days which we spent among this tribe, we purchased an hundred +and nineteen fine pearls, at an expence not exceeding forty ducats; as we +gave them in return bells, mirrors, and beads of glass and amber of very +little value. For one bell we could obtain as many pearls as we pleased to +take. We also learned where and how they procured their pearls, and they +even gave us many of the oysters in which they are found, several of which +we likewise bought, in some of which we found an hundred and thirty pearls, +but in others considerably fewer. Unless when perfectly ripe, and quite +detached from the shells in which they grow, they are very imperfect, for +they wither and come to nothing, as I have frequently experienced; but +when ripe, they separate from among the flesh, except that they then +merely stick to it, and these, are always the best. + +After a stay of forty-seven days at this place in great friendship with +the natives, we took our departure, and went to the island of _Antilia_[6], +which was discovered a few years ago by Christopher Columbus, where we +remained two months and two days repairing our vessels and procuring +necessaries for the voyage home. During our stay there we suffered many +insults from the Christian inhabitants, the particulars of which are here +omitted to avoid prolixity. Leaving that island on the 22d of July, we +arrived at the port of Cadiz on the eighth of September[7], after a voyage +of six weeks, where we were honourably received; having thus, by the +blessing of God, finished our second voyage. + + +[1] This latitude of 5° S. would lead to Cape St Roquo on the coast of + Brazil; but the indications given by Americus during his several + voyages are exceedingly vague and uncertain.--E. + +[2] The sun on the 27th of June has just passed to the south side of the + equator, and is in the tropic of cancer on the 23d of March.--E. + +[3] Called in the text myrrh-apples, _Poma myrrhae_, perhaps meant to + imply mirabolans.--E. + +[4] This appears to refer to chewing tobacco, and gives a strong picture + of that custom carried to excess.--E. + +[5] This person was probably a noted giant, or remarkably tall man, then + well known in the south of Europe: Or it may refer to a colossal image + of St Francis.--E. + +[6] The island of Hispaniola is certainly here meant, to which Americus + has chosen to give the fabulous or hypothetical name of Antilia, + formerly mentioned; perhaps with the concealed intention of + depreciating the grand discovery of Columbus, by insinuating that the + Antilles were known long before his voyage.--E. + +[7] Though not mentioned in the text, this date must have been of the year + 1500; or at least intended to be so understood by Americus--E. + + + + +SECTION III. + +_The Third Voyage of Americus Vespucius_. + + +While I was at Seville recovering from the fatigues of my late voyages, +and intending again to visit the _Land of Pearls_, it happened that +Emanuel king of Portugal chose, for what reason I know not, to send me a +letter by a messenger, earnestly desiring my immediate presence at Lisbon, +where he engaged to do much for my advantage. I signified by the messenger +that I was entirely disposed to comply with the commands of his majesty, +but was then ill, and should certainly evince my obedience if I recovered. +The king of Portugal afterwards sent Julian Bartholomew Jocundus from +Lisbon, with orders to use his endeavours to bring me with him to the +royal presence; and as all my acquaintances urged me against attempting +another voyage on account of my bad health, I was obliged to comply, and +immediately departed from Spain, where I had been very honourably +entertained, the king even having conceived a good opinion of me, and so +great was the urgency that I set out without taking leave of my host. On +presenting myself to Emanuel, I was graciously received, and strongly +urged to go along with three of his ships which had been fitted out for +discovering new countries; and as the requests of kings are equivalent to +commands, I consented to his desire. + +I accordingly departed from Lisbon with the three ships belonging to his +majesty on the 10th of May 1501. We steered, in the first place, for the +Canaries, after which we proceeded for the western coast of Africa, where +during three days stay we took a prodigious number of certain fishes which +are called _Phargi_. From thence we went to that part of Ethiopia which is +called _Besilica_[1], which is situated in the torrid zone and first +climate, in 14° of north latitude. We here remained for eleven days, +taking in wood and water to enable us to continue our voyage through the +southern Atlantic. Leaving this port with a S.E. wind, we arrived in about +sixty-seven days at a certain island which is 700 leagues to the S.E. of +the before-mentioned port. During this voyage, we suffered prodigiously, +owing to the tempestuous weather which we encountered, especially near the +equator. At that place it was winter in the month of June, the days and +nights were of equal length, and our shadows were always towards the south. +At length it pleased the Almighty to conduct us to a new country on the +17th of August, where we came to anchor about a league and a half from the +shore, to which we went in our boats to see whether it were inhabited. We +accordingly found that it was full of inhabitants, who were worse than +beasts; though at our first landing we could not see any of the natives, +we yet saw by numerous traces on the shore that the country was very +populous. We took possession of this land for the king of Castile[2], +finding it in all appearance fertile and pleasant. This place is five +degrees beyond the equator to the south. After the ceremony of taking +possession, we returned to our ships; and as we required a supply of wood +and water, we went on shore next day for that purpose. While employed on +that service, we saw some natives on the top of a hill at some distance, +who could not be prevailed on to come towards us. They were all naked, and +of a similar colour and appearance with those we had seen in the former +voyages. As we had not been able to have any intercourse with the natives, +we left some bells, looking-glasses, and other trifles for them on the +ground, when we returned to our ships in the evening. When they saw us at +some distance from the shore, they came down from the hill to where we had +been, and shewed many tokens of surprise at the things we had left. + +As we had only provided ourselves with water at this first trip, we +proposed going on shore next day, when we saw numbers of the natives +making several fires and smokes along the shore, as if inviting us to land. +Yet when we actually landed, though great numbers of people collected at +some distance, they could not be induced to join us, yet made signals for +us to go farther into the land along with them. On this account, two of +our men who were prepared for exposing themselves to such dangers[3], on +purpose to learn what kind of people these were, and whether they +possessed any spices or rich commodities, asked permission from the +commander of our ships to go with the natives, and took a number of +trinkets along with them for the purpose of barter. They accordingly set +off, engaging to return to the shore at the end of five days, and we +returned to the ships. Eight days elapsed without seeing any thing of our +men, during all which time many of the natives came down every day to the +beach, but would never enter into any intercourse with us. On the eighth +day we went again on shore, where we found that the natives were +accompanied by great numbers of their women; but as soon as we advanced +towards them the men withdrew, yet sent many of their women to meet us, +who seemed exceedingly shy and much afraid. On this account we sent +forwards a stout active young man, thinking that the women would be less +afraid of one than of many, and we returned to our boats. The women all +flocked about the young man, touching and examining him with eager +curiosity, while another woman came down the mountain, having a large +spear in her hand, with which she pierced the youth, who fell dead +immediately. The women then dragged his dead body by the feet to the +mountain; and the men came down to the shore armed with bows and arrows, +and began to shoot at us to our great alarm, as our boats dragged on the +sand, the water being very shallow, so that we were unable to get quickly +out of their way. For some time we had not presence of mind to take to our +arms, but at length we shot off four pieces against them; and although +none of the natives were hit, they were so astonished at the reports, that +they all fled to the mountain, where they joined the women who had killed +our young man. We could now see them cut his body in pieces, which they +held up to our view, after which they roasted these at a large fire, and +eat them. By signs, likewise, they made us understand that they had killed +and eaten our two men who went among them eight days before. We were sore +grieved at the savage brutality of these people, insomuch that forty of us +resolved to go on shore and attack them in revenge of their ferocious +cruelty; but our commander would on no account permit us, and we were +forced to depart unrevenged and much dissatisfied. + +Leaving this savage country, with the wind at E.S.E. we saw no people for +a long time that would allow of any intercourse with them. We at length +doubled a head-land, which we named Cape St Vincent, which is 150 leagues +from the place where our men were slain towards the east, this new land +stretching out in a S.W. direction. This cape is eight degrees beyond the +equinoctial line towards the south [4]. Continuing our voyage beyond this +cape, we sailed along the coast of a country hitherto unvisited, and one +day saw a vast number of people who seemed greatly to admire both +ourselves and the size of our vessels. Having brought our vessels to +anchor in a safe place, we landed among these natives, whom we found of +much milder dispositions than those we were last among, yet it cost us +much trouble and patience to make them familiar with us, but we at length +succeeded in making them our friends, and remained five days among them, +trafficking for such articles as their country produced: Among these were +sugar-canes, green reeds, great quantities of unripe figs, some of which +we likewise found ripe on the tops of the trees. We agreed to take away +two of the natives from hence, that we might learn their language, and +three of them accompanied us to Portugal of their own accord. + +Leaving this harbour with the wind at S.W. we proceeded along the land, +keeping it always in sight, and keeping up frequent intercourse with the +inhabitants, until we at length went beyond the tropic of Capricorn, so +far south that the south pole became elevated thirty-two degrees above the +horizon[5]. We had already lost sight of the Ursa Minor; the Ursa Major +appeared very low, almost touching the northern horizon; and we had now to +guide our course by the new stars of another hemisphere, which are more +numerous, larger, and brighter than those of our pole. On this account, I +delineated the figures of many of these new constellations, especially of +the largest, and took their declinations on the tracks which they describe +around the south pole, together with the measurement of the diameters and +semidiameters of their tracks, as shall be found in the history of my four +voyages which I am preparing for publication. In this long course, +beginning from Cape St Augustine[6], we had run 700 leagues along the +coast; 100 of these towards the west, and 600 towards the S.W.[7]. Were I +to attempt enumerating every thing we saw in this long and arduous +navigation, my letter would exceed all bounds. We found few things of any +value, except great numbers of _cassia_ trees, and many others which +produce certain nuts, to describe which and many other curious things +would occasion great prolixity. We spent ten months in this voyage, but +finding no precious minerals, we agreed to bend our course to a different +quarter. Accordingly orders were issued to lay in a stock of wood and +water for six months, as our pilots concluded that our vessels were able +to continue so much longer at sea. + +Having provided ourselves for continuing the voyage, we departed with a +south-east wind, and on the 13th of February, when the sun had already +begun to approach the equinoctial on its way to our northern hemisphere, +we had gone so far that the south pole was elevated fifty-two degrees +above the horizon, so that we had now lost sight not only of the Less but +of the Great Bear; and by the 3d of April we had got 500 leagues from the +place of our last departure[8]. On that day, 3d April, so fierce a tempest +arose at S.W. that we had to take in all our sails and scud under bare +poles, the sea running mountains high, and all our people in great fear. +The nights now were very long, as on the 7th April, when the sun is near +the sign of Aries, we found them to last fifteen hours, the winter now +beginning. While driving amid this tempest, we descried land on the 2d of +April[9] at about twenty leagues distance. We found this land altogether +barren, without harbours, and destitute of inhabitants, in my opinion +because the intense cold would render it almost impossible for any one to +live there[10]. + +We had undergone such fatigue and danger from this storm, that all now +agreed to return towards Portugal; yet on the following day we were +assailed by a fresh tempest of such violence that every one expected to be +overwhelmed by its fury. In this extremity, our sailors made many vows of +pilgrimages for their safety, and performed many ceremonies according to +the customs of sea-faring men. We were driven by this terrible storm for +five days without a single rag of sail in which time we proceeded 250 +leagues on the ocean, approaching towards the equator, the temperature of +the sea and air always improving, till at length, by the cessation of the +storm, it pleased God to relieve us from our danger. In this course our +direction was towards the N.N.E. because we wished to attain the coast of +Africa, from which we were 1300 leagues distant across the Atlantic; and +by the blessing of the Almighty, we arrived on the 10th of May at that +province which is named _Sierra Leone_, where we remained fifteen days for +refreshments, and to rest ourselves from the fatigues of our long and +perilous voyage. From thence we steered for the Azores, distant 750 +leagues from Sierra Leone, and arrived there near the end of July, where +likewise we stopped fifteen days for refreshments. We sailed hence for our +port of Lisbon, whence we were now 300 leagues distant to the west, and +arrived there by the aid of the Almighty in 1502[11], with two only of our +ships, having been forced to burn the other at Sierra Leone, as it was +incapable of being navigated any farther. During this third voyage we +were absent about sixteen months, eleven of which we had sailed without +sight of the north Star or of the Greater and Lesser Bears, during which +time we directed our course by the other stars of the southern pole. + + +[1] Assuredly Brasil is here meant, yet the latitude is absurdly + erroneous.--E. + +[2] This must necessarily be an error, as he now sailed in the service of + the king of Portugal.--E. + +[3] Perhaps malefactors, who have been formerly mentioned in the early + Portuguese voyages to India, as employed in such hazardous + commissions.--E. + +[4] Could we trust to the position in the text, lat. 8° S. this voyage + must have been upon the coast of Brazil, and the cape named St Vincent + by Americus ought to be that now called St Augustine: Indeed in a + subsequent passage of this same voyage he gives this cape that + name.--E. + +[5] Lat. 32° S. as in the text, would bring this voyage of Americus all + down the coast of Brazil almost to the mouth of the _Rio Grande_, or + of St Pedro, now the boundary between Portuguese America and the + Spanish viceroyalty of Buenos Ayres.--E. + +[6] Obviously the same cape which was called St Vincent only a little way + before, and which now receives its true name.--E. + +[7] The difference of latitude between Cape St Augustine and the Rio + Grande, is 24 degrees, or 480 leagues, and their difference of + longitude 17 degrees or 340 leagues.--E. + +[8] The circumstances in the text would indicate that Americus had now run + down the eastern coast of South America, almost to the entrance of the + Straits of Magellan.--E. + +[9] The tempest has been already stated as beginning on the 3d of April, + whence we must presume the present date in the text to be a + typographical error, perhaps for the _twenty_-second.--E. + +[10] From the high latitude of 52° S. in which they were at the + commencement of the storm, and the direction of the wind from the S.W. + it seems highly probable that this barren land was what is now called + the Falkland Islands.--E. + +[11] Though not mentioned in the text, we may conclude, from the time + occupied in this voyage, as indicated a little farther on, that + Americus returned to Lisbon in August 1502, the voyage having + commenced in May 1501, and lasted sixteen months.--E. + + + + +SECTION IV. + +_The Fourth Voyage of Americus Vespucius_. + + +It now remains for me to inform your majesty of what things I saw during +my fourth voyage. But, both because I have already satiated your majesty +by long narration, and because this last voyage had an unlucky end, owing +to a great misfortune which befel us in a certain bay of the Atlantic +ocean, I shall be brief in my present account. We sailed from Lisbon with +six ships under the command of an admiral, being bound for a certain +island _towards the horizon_[1], named _Melcha_[2], famous for its riches +and as a station for vessels of all kinds trading between the Gangetic and +Indian seas[3], as Cadiz is the great intermediate harbour for the ships +of all nations sailing between the west of Europe and the Levant. To this +port of Melcha the course is by the famous emporium of Calicut, from which +Melcha is farther to the east and south[4]. + +Departing from Lisbon on the 10th of May 1508, we sailed to the Cape Verd +islands, where we remained twelve days taking in various accessaries for +the voyage, when we set sail with a S.E. wind, the admiral, contrary to +all our opinions, merely that he might presumptuously shew himself to be +commander over us and our six ships, insisting upon going to Sierra Leone, +in southern Ethiopia, which was altogether unnecessary. On arriving in +sight of that place a dreadful storm arose in a direction opposite to our +course, so that during four days, we were not only unable to attain our +destined object, but were forced to retrace our former course. By this +wind at S.S.W.[4] we were driven 300 leagues into the ocean, insomuch that +we got almost three degrees beyond the line, when to our no small joy we +came in sight of land distant twelve leagues[6]. This was a very high +island in the middle of the ocean, rather exceeding two leagues long and +about one league broad, in which no human being had ever been, yet was it +to us most unfortunate, as on it our commander lost his vessel by his own +folly and bad management. This happened on the night of St Lawrence, or +10th of August, when his ship struck upon a rock, and soon after sunk with +every thing on board, the crew only being saved. This ship was of 300 tons +burthen, and in it we lost the main power of all our hopes. While all were +plying about the sinking vessel, and using our endeavours to save her, I +was ordered by the admiral to go in a boat to the island, to see if any +good harbour could be found for the reception of our ships. He would not +allow me, however, to use my own ship[7] on this service, which was manned +by nine of my sailors, because it was required for aiding his own ship, so +that I had to go in another boat with only four or five men, the admiral +engaging to restore my own when I had found a harbour. I made the best of +my way to the island, from which we were now only four leagues, and soon +found an excellent harbour which could have contained our whole fleet. I +remained here eight days, anxiously looking for the arrival of the admiral +and our squadron, whose non-appearance gave me great uneasiness, and so +greatly dismayed the people who were with me that they were reduced almost +to despair. While in this forlorn condition, we espied on the eighth day a +sail on the horizon, and went off immediately in our boat to meet them, +hopeful that they would take us to a better port. On getting up with this +vessel, we were informed that the admirals ship, which we had left in +great danger, had gone to the bottom. This melancholy intelligence gave us +vast uneasiness, as we were 1000 leagues from Lisbon. But putting our +trust in Providence, we returned with the ship to the before-mentioned +island, on purpose to take in wood and water for the voyage. + +This island was wild and uninhabited, but had many pleasant rills of +excellent water, with great abundance of trees, and prodigious numbers +both of land and water-fowl, which were so tame, from being unaccustomed +to man, that they allowed themselves to be caught by hand, so that we +caught as many as filled one of our boats. The only quadrupeds were large +rats, and lizards having forked tails, besides which there were several +serpents. Having taken in such refreshments as the island afforded, we set +sail on a S.S.W. course, the king having ordered us to follow the same +direction we had pursued in our preceding voyage. We at length reached a +port, to which we gave the name of the Bay of all Saints[8], which we +reached in seventeen days sail, being favoured with a fair wind, although +300 leagues distance from the before-mentioned island[9]. Although we +waited here two months and four days, we were not joined by any of the +ships belonging to our squadron. It was therefore agreed upon between the +master and me to proceed farther along this coast, which we did +accordingly for 260 leagues to a certain harbour, where we determined upon +erecting a fort, in which we left twenty-four of our men who had been +saved out of the admirals ship[10]. We remained five months at this +harbour, occupied in building the fort, and in loading our ships with +Brazil-wood; our stay being protracted by the small number of our hands +and the magnitude of our labour, so that we only made slow progress. + +Having finished our labours, we determined on returning to Portugal, for +which we required a wind that would allow us to hold a N.N.E. course. We +left twenty-four of our men in the fort, with twelve cannon, abundance of +other weapons, and provisions for six months, having entered into a treaty +of friendship with the natives. Of these I omit any particular notice, +although we saw vast numbers of them, and had much and frequent +intercourse with them during our long stay; having penetrated about forty +leagues into the interior of the country, accompanied by thirty of the +natives. In that expedition I saw many things worthy of notice, which I do +not here insert, but which will be found in my book describing my four +voyages. The situation of this fort and harbour is in latitude 18° S. and +35° W. longitude from Lisbon. Leaving this place we steered our course +N.N.E. for Lisbon, at which place we arrived in seventy-seven days after +many toils and dangers, on the 28th June 1504. We were there received very +honourably, even beyond our expectations, the whole city believing we had +perished on the ocean, as indeed all the rest of our companions did, +through the presumptuous folly of our commander. I now remain in Lisbon, +unknowing what may be the intentions of his majesty respecting me, though +I am now desirous of resting myself after my great labours. + + +[1] Such is the expression in the original, the _eastern_ horizon being so + named apparently by way of eminence.--E. + +[2] As written by an Italian, Melcha has the sound of Melka, and the place + here indicated is obviously the city of Malacca in the Malayan + peninsula, long a famous emporium for the trade of eastern India and + China.--E. + +[3] The Bay of Bengal and sea of China.--E. + +[4] In the original these positions are thus unaccountably misrepresented, + as literally translated: "Melcha is more to the _west_, and Calicut + more to the _south_; being situated 33° from the Antarctic pole."--E. + + It would appear from some circumstances in the sequel, that this fleet + was directed to visit Brazil on its way to India; and that the + ultimate object of the voyage was frustrated through its early + misfortunes.--E. + +[5] _Per suduestium, qui ventus est inter meridiem et lebeccium:_ Between + the S. and S.W. or S.S.W.--E. + +[6] Perhaps the island of St Matthew, which is nearly in the latitude + indicated in the text, and about the distance mentioned from Sierra + Leone; yet it is difficult to conceive how they could get there with a + storm at S.S.W. as the course is S.S.E. from Sierra Leone.--E. + +[7] Such is the literal meaning of the original, yet I suspect Americus + here means his largest boat.--E. + +[8] In the original, _Omnium Sanctorum Abbatium_, but which must assuredly + be Bahia dos todos los Santos, in lat 13° S. on the coast of + Brazil.--E. + +[9] The distance between the island of St Matthew, and the Bay of All + Saints, is not less than 600 leagues, or thirty degrees; yet that + distance might certainly be run in seventeen days with a fair wind.--E. + +[10] The number of leagues mentioned in the text would lead us to the Bay + of Santos on the coast of Brazil, in latitude twenty-four degrees S. + but in the text this first attempt to colonize Brazil is said to have + been in latitude eighteen degrees S. near which the harbour now named + Abrolhos is situated.--E. + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +SUMMARY OF THE DISCOVERIES AND SETTLEMENTS OF THE SPANIARDS IN THE WEST +INDIES, FROM THE DEATH OF COLUMBUS, TO THE EXPEDITION OF HERNANDO CORTES +AGAINST MEXICO[1]. + +INTRODUCTION[2]. + + +The surprizing success of the Spaniards, in reducing so many fine islands, +and such extensive, rich, and fruitful countries under their dominion in +so short a time, has occasioned many authors to conceive that they must +have conducted their affairs with extraordinary prudence, and with that +steadiness of character for which their nation has always been remarkable. +But only a little reflection on the history of these events, will shew +that they acted with less judgment and good conduct than could have been +expected from a nation so renowned for wisdom. In truth, the whole of +these vast acquisitions were derived from the valour and exertions of +individuals; for few nations can boast of abler politicians or braver and +more expert captains, than the three great men to whom Spain is indebted +for its mighty empire in America. The first or these was the admiral +Columbus, who discovered the islands, and paved the way by his discoveries +for those who found out and subdued the two great continental empires of +America. The next was Cortes, and the third Pizarro, both men of +incredible valour and ability, and worthy therefore of immortal fame. Let +us compare the expedition of Nearchus with that of Columbus; and consider +with how great a fleet and what a number of men and able commanders, the +Grecian admiral accomplished so small a discovery, sailing always in sight +of land, and only from the mouth of the Indus to the head of the Persian +Gulf: Yet how great a figure does his expedition make in the works of the +greatest authors of antiquity, and what mighty rewards were bestowed upon +him for his services. Columbus, with only three vessels, smaller than any +of those of Nearchus, and with scarcely any encouragement or assistance +from those who accompanied him, made the surprising voyage from Spain to +the West Indies, a region before utterly unknown, and paved the way for +wider and more useful conquests than accrued to Alexander by his Indian +expedition. Let us compare the force with which Alexander attacked the +Indians, yet failed to subdue them, with the handfuls of men commanded by +Cortes and Pizarro; and we shall find the latter much greater conquerors +beyond all question, as will be more clearly seen in the accounts of their +respective expeditions. These are only adduced for the present, as proofs +that it was not to the wisdom of the Spanish government, but to the +personal abilities of those individuals who were accidentally employed in +its service, that these events were owing. + +We have seen how ungratefully the court of Spain treated the first and +great discoverer of the New World, and how far it was from enabling him to +exert his great capacity in its service. After his disgrace and death, the +management of the affairs of the West Indies fell almost entirely into the +hands of Fonseca, bishop of Burgos, who of all the statesmen belonging to +the court of Spain was least fit to have been entrusted with affairs of +such importance, and who accordingly misconducted them in a most +surprising manner. Listening on the one hand to the proposals of every +needy adventurer, and slighting all those men on the other hand who were +most likely to have pushed the new discoveries to advantage, by the +knowledge they had acquired of the West Indies, by their wise conduct in +the settlement of the new colonies, and the power they possessed for +prosecuting farther discoveries and establishing new colonies; we +accordingly find that not one of all the bishop's instruments succeeded in +their projects, but uniformly reduced themselves to beggary, by rashly +engaging in enterprises beyond their means and abilities; while all the +successful undertakings were accomplished by persons employed by the +governors of colonies, and consequently the Spanish administration at home +had no right to take any credit to themselves for the successful issue of +any of the expeditions. + +The only favourites of Bishop Fonseca who made any figure in the world, +were two bad men, well furnished with impudence, but very indifferently +provided with talents or abilities. The first of these, Americus Vespucius, +was made chief pilot of Spain by the interest of his patron, and had all +the journals of discoveries communicated to him, from which he constructed +very elegant maps, in which he exerted his fancy to supply any defects in +the information he had received; so that he exhibited things in very +graceful proportions, and the only thing wanting in his draughts being a +strict regard to truth. They answered his purpose, however, admirably; as, +besides securing him an honourable office with a competent salary, they +enabled him to impose his name on the New World, even before he had +visited any part of its shores. The other unworthy favourite of the bishop +was Bernard de Santa Clara, whom he appointed treasurer of Hispaniola +under the government of Obando, another of the bishop's worthy favourites. +The treasurer was but an indifferent steward for the king, but he acquired +a great fortune for himself, of which he was so proud, that he caused four +great salt-sellers to be placed every day on his table full of gold dust. +When this piece of vanity became known in Spain, a commission was granted +to examine into his accounts, by which it was discovered that he had +cheated the crown, or was at least indebted to it, to the amount of 80,000 +pesos, which is near L.25,000 of our money. The governor Obando was +sensible that the sale of every thing belonging to this man would hardly +suffice to discharge his debt to the crown; but fell upon the following +expedient to save the bishop's credit and his own, and to serve the +treasurer. Professing a strict regard to justice, he ordered the effects +of the treasurer to be sold by auction, and encouraged the people to bid +considerably more than they were worth, warranting all the lots to be good +bargains. On purpose to acquire the favour and protection of the governor, +the colonists bid so much upon each other, that the whole effects sold for +96,000 pesos; so that the crown was paid, and the treasurer had a very +pretty fortune with which to begin the world a-new. Such were the arts and +intrigues of those men by whom the admiral Columbus was oppressed, and +such the dirty contrivances by which they supported each other. Yet these +things were done under the administration of King Ferdinand, who was +esteemed one of the wisest monarchs of his time; and matters were even +worse conducted under the emperor Charles V. though certainly the greatest +prince in every respect that ever sat on the throne of Spain. + +The inference I would draw from all this is, that at all events, and under +all administrations, discoveries ought ever to be attempted and encouraged, +because they carry in themselves such incitements for their completion, +that they hardly ever fail to prove beneficial at the end, whatever +mistakes or mismanagements may occur at their commencement. Some ascribe +this to chance, and others, with more sense and decency, to Providence. +However this may be, great occasions are certain to bring forth great +spirits, if they do not produce them; and when once the way is laid open, +and a few instances have shewn that things are practicable that had been +thought impossible for ages, mighty things are performed. Emulation is a +noble principle, and one of the most valuable secrets in government is to +excite this; for every thing that finds favour from the great, or that +meets with popular encouragement, is almost always carried to a great +degree of perfection. When a spirit is once raised, even the most +disastrous reverses are not able to extinguish it. Thus the numbers of +Spaniards who perished in the first attempts to colonize the continent, by +shipwreck, famine, and disease; and the unfortunate catastrophes of Hojeda, +Nicuessa, and Cordova, had no effect to deter others from embarking in +similar enterprises. As all agreed that gold and pearls were to be +acquired in these parts; the thirst of gain in some, and the desire of +glory in others, soon overcame the terrors of such unfortunate examples, +and many attribute the miscarriage of those attempts to the imprudence or +misconduct of the commanders; and as slanders always find an easy belief, +so the imputations on the dead served to encourage the living, and men +were easily led to believe that their own superior abilities or their +better fortune would carry them through, where former adventurers had +failed. + +There were several other concurring circumstances which gave life and +vigour to these enterprises, which we shall briefly enumerate under three +principal heads. In the first place, the marriage of Don Diego Columbus +with Donna Maria de Toledo, induced many young gentlemen and ladies of +good families to go over to Hispaniola, which proved of infinite +importance to the new colony; as the strong tincture of heroism or romance +in the Spanish character, was the fittest that could be conceived for +promoting such exploits. Secondly, The establishment of a sovereign +tribunal at St Domingo, the members of which had large salaries, induced +some considerable persons of more advanced age and experience to go there, +in whose train a number of young people of quality went over in search of +profitable or honourable employments. By the continual struggle for power +between this new tribunal and the young admiral, a jealousy and +competition was excited between the dependents of both parties; which, +whatever trouble and perplexity it might occasion to their superiors, had +very favourable effects on the colony in the main, and greatly promoted +its advancement and success. In the third place, The great dislike which +prevailed in Spain against Charles V. especially at his first coming to +the crown, on account of his partiality for his countrymen the Flemings, +induced the Spanish gentry to prefer advancing their fortunes in the West +Indies, to which none but Spaniards were permitted to go, rather than in +the service of the court, which they believed not willing to discern their +merits, or to reward them as they thought they deserved.--_Harris_. + + +[1] Harris, II. 49. + +[2] Harris, II. 62. This introduction is transposed from Harris, who + places it at the end instead of the beginning of his summary.--E. + + + + +SECTION I. + +_Improvements made in the colony of Hispaniola by Nicholas de Obando, and +the great value of Gold produced in that Island during his Government_. + + +It is natural to begin this chapter with some account of the progress of +the Spaniards in Hispaniola after the settlement of a regular government, +by which the value of the discovery became apparent; as owing to the great +wealth derived from this colony at the first, the Spaniards were excited +to continue their discoveries. This source of wealth has been long dried +up, and we now hear nothing whatever of the gold of Hispaniola; which +yielded more in proportion at its first discovery than even Peru has done +since. The early prosperity of Hispaniola was in a great measure owing to +the care and judicious industry of Nicolas Obando, who, in the first place, +employed a skilful pilot to sail round the whole inland, and describe its +coast and harbors, and afterwards took much pains to examine and survey +all the provinces of the island. A mine of excellent copper was +discovered in his time near the town of _Puerto Real_, but after a great +deal of money had been expended on the adventure, its produce was found +inadequate to the expence. The 300 Spaniards who inhabited the island at +the first coming of Obando, lived in a very disorderly manner, and had +taken to themselves the most beautiful native women of the island, and of +the highest families, whom they kept as mistresses, though the parents of +these women considered them as married. This lewdness gave great offence +to the Franciscan friars, who made representations to the governor to +remedy the evil. Obando accordingly issued an order, by which the +Spaniards were enjoined either to put away their Indian mistresses or to +marry them. Many of the Spaniards were men of quality, and thought this a +hardship; yet rather than lose the dominion they had acquired over the +Indians through these female connections, they consented to marry them. +The lawyers on the island alleged that this conveyed a legal right of +dominion over the Indians; but Obando, lest the Spaniards should become +proud as hereditary lords, took away the Indian vassals from them as soon +as they were married, and made them grants of equal numbers in other parts +of the island, that he might retain them under submission, as holding the +Indians only by gift. This was considered as depriving these would-be +lords of their just rights, but had the best consequences, by +consolidating and securing the authority of government. + +When Nicholas de Obando went to take possession of the government of +Hispaniola in 1500, he carried along with him Roderick de Alcaçar, +goldsmith to their Catholic majesties, as marker of the gold, who was to +receive a fee of one per cent. then thought a very indifferent allowance. +After the distribution of the Indians among the colonists, so much gold +was gathered that it was melted four times every year; twice at the town +of _Buena Ventura_ on the river Hayna, eight leagues from St Domingo, +where the gold brought from the old and new mines was cast into ingots; +and twice a-year at the city of _de la Vega_, or the _Conception_, to +which the gold from _Cibao_ and the neighbouring districts was brought for +the same purpose. At each melting in Buena Ventura, the produce was from +11,000 to 12,000 pesos; and at La Vega between 125,000 and 130,000 pesos, +sometimes 140,000. Hence all the gold of the island amounted to 460,000 +pesos yearly, equal to L.150,000 Sterling; which yielded 4,600 pesos, or +L.150 yearly to Alcaçar, which was then thought a very considerable +revenue, insomuch that the grant was revoked by their Catholic majesties. +It seldom happened that the adventurers at the mines were gainers, +notwithstanding the vast quantities of gold procured, as they always lived +luxuriously and upon credit; so that their whole share of the gold was +often seized at melting times for their debts, and very frequently there +was not enough to satisfy their creditors. + + + + +SECTION II. + +_Settlement of the Island of Porto Rico, under the command of Juan Ponce +de Leon_. + + +A war which took place in a province of Hispaniola, called _Higuey_, added +greatly to the power of the Spaniards, as Obando appointed Juan Ponce de +Leon to keep the Indians of that quarter under subjection. This man was +possessed of good sense and great courage, but was of an imperious and +cruel disposition, and soon formed projects of extending his authority +beyond the narrow bounds which had been assigned him. Learning from the +Indians of his province, that the island of _St Juan de Puerto Rico_, +called _Borriquen_ by the natives, was very rich in gold, he was anxious +to inquire into this circumstance personally. For this purpose, he +communicated the intelligence he had received to Obando, whose leave he +asked to go over to that island, to trade with the natives, to inquire +into the circumstance of its being rich in gold, and to endeavour to make +a settlement. Hitherto nothing more was known of that island than that it +appeared very beautiful and abundantly peopled to those who sailed along +its coasts. Having received authority from Obando, Juan Ponce went over to +Porto Rico in a small caravel, with a small number of Spaniards, and some +Indians who had been there. He landed in the territories of a cacique +named _Aguey Bana_, the most powerful chief of the island, by whom, and +the mother and father-in-law of the chief, he was received and entertained +in the most friendly manner. The cacique even exchanged names with him, by +a ceremony which they call _guaticos_, or sworn-brothers. Ponce named the +mother of the cacique, Agnes, and the father-in-law Francis; and though +they refused to be baptized, they retained these names. These people were +exceedingly good-natured, and the cacique was always counselled by his +mother and father-in-law to keep on friendly terms with the Spaniards. +Ponce very soon applied himself to make inquiries as to the gold mines, +which the natives of Hispaniola alleged to be in this island, and the +cacique conducted him all over the island, shewing him the rivers where +gold was found. Two of these were very rich, one called Manatuabon and the +other Cebuco, from which a great deal of treasure was afterwards drawn. +Ponce procured some samples of the gold, which he carried to Obando in +Hispaniola, leaving some Spaniards in the island, who were well +entertained by the cacique, till others came over to settle in the island. +The greatest part of the island of Porto Rico consists of high mountains, +some of which are clothed with fine grass, like those of Hispaniola. There +are few plains, but many pleasant vales with rivers running through them, +and all very fertile. The western point of the island is only 12 or 15 +leagues from the eastern cape of Hispaniola, so that the one may be seen +from the other in clear weather from the high land of either cape. There +are some harbours, but none of them good, except that called Porto Rico, +where the city of that name is situated, which is likewise an episcopal +see. This island is at least forty leagues long by fifty in breadth, and +measures 120 leagues in circumference. The south coast is in latitude 17°, +and the north coast in 18°, both N. It formerly produced much gold, though +not quite so pure as that of Hispaniola, yet not much inferior. + + + + +SECTION III. + +_Don James Columbus is appointed to the Government of the Spanish +Dominions in the West Indies_. + + +We have already had occasion to notice the mean and scandalous behaviour +of King Ferdinand to Columbus, in depriving him and his family of their +just rights, for services of such high importance, that hardly any rewards +could be a sufficient recompense. After the death of the discoverer of +America, his eldest son and heir, James Columbus, succeeded to his +father's pretensions, along with which he inherited the dislike of King +Ferdinand, and the hatred of Bishop Fonseca. He long endeavoured by +petitions and personal applications at court to obtain his rights, but +could never procure any satisfaction, being always put off with fair words +and empty promises. Being at length wearied with ineffectual applications +for redress, he petitioned the king to allow his demands to be decided +upon by the courts of law; and as that could hardly be denied with any +decency, it was granted. This suit, as may well be supposed, was tedious +and troublesome; yet at length he obtained a clear decision in his favour, +and was re-established by the judges in all those rights which had been +granted to his father; in which he assuredly obtained nothing more than a +judicial recognition of a clear right which ought never to have been +disputed. To strengthen his interest at court, he married _Donna Maria_, +daughter to _Don Ferdinand de Toledo_, brother to the duke of _Alva_, and +cousin to the king; thus allying himself with one of the most illustrious +families in Spain. By the interest of his wifes relations, he at last +obtained the government of Hispaniola, in which he superseded Obando, the +great enemy of his father; but he had only the title of governor, not of +viceroy, which was his just and undoubted right. Don James Columbus went +out to his government of Hispaniola in 1508, two years after the decease +of his father, accompanied by his brother Don Ferdinand, and his uncles +Bartholomew and James, with many young Spanish noblemen. His lady was +likewise attended by several young ladies of good families; so that by +these noble attendants, the lustre of the new colony was restored and +augmented. His power in the government was no way greater than that which +had been confided to his predecessor, and was soon afterwards considerably +circumscribed by the establishment of a new court at St Domingo, under the +title of the _Royal Audience_, to which appeals were allowed from all parts +of the Spanish dominions in the New World. + +While Ponce de Leon was occupied in the discovery of Porto Rico, Don James +Columbus came out to assume the government of Hispaniola in the room of +Obando, bringing with him from Spain a governor for the island of Porto +Rico. But Ponce de Leon, who had made the first settlement on that island, +disputed this new appointment; on which the young admiral set them both +aside, and appointed one Michael Cerron to the government, with Michael +Diaz as his lieutenant. De Leon, however, procured a new commission from +Spain, through the interest of his friend Obando with which he went over +to Porto Rico, and soon found pretext for a quarrel with Cerron and Diaz, +both of whom he sent prisoners to Spain. He now proceeded to make a +conquest of the island, which he found more difficult than he expected, +and had much ado to force the Indians to submit. This he at length +effected, reducing the natives to slavery, and employing them in the mines +till they were quite worn out, since which gold has likewise failed, which +many Spanish writers have considered as a judgment of God for that +barbarous proceeding, more especially as the same has happened in other +parts of their dominions. + + + + +SECTION IV. + +_Settlement of a Pearl-Fishery at the Island of Cubagua_. + + +The court of Spain was at this time very solicitous to turn the +settlements already made in the New World to advantage, and was therefore +easily led into various projects which were formed for promoting the royal +revenue from that quarter. Among other projects, was one which recommended +the colonization of the island of Cabagua, or of Pearls, near Margarita, +on purpose to superintend the pearl-fishery there, and the young admiral +was ordered to carry that into execution. The Spanish inhabitants of +Hispaniola derived great advantage from this establishment, in which they +found the natives of the Lucayo or Bahama islands exceedingly useful, as +they were amazingly expert swimmers and divers, insomuch that slaves of +that nation became very dear, some selling for 150 ducats each. But the +Spaniards both defrauded the crown of the fifth part of the pearls, and +abused and destroyed the Lucayans, so that the fishery fell much off. The +island of Cubagua, which is rather more than 300 leagues from Hispaniola, +nearly in latitude 10° N. is about three leagues in circumference, +entirely flat, and without water, having a dry barren soil impregnated +with saltpetre, and only producing a few guiacum trees and shrubs. The +soil does not even grow grass, and there are no birds to be seen, except +those kinds which frequent the sea. It has no land animals, except a few +rabbits. The few natives which inhabited it, fed on the pearl oysters, and +had to bring their water in canoes from the continent of Cumana, seven +leagues distant, giving seed pearls in payment to those who brought it +over. They had their wood from the isle of Margarita, which almost +surrounds Cubagua from east to north-west, at the distance of a league. To +the south is Cape _Araya_ on the continent, near which there are extensive +_salines_ or salt ponds. Cubagua has a good harbour on the northern shore, +which is sheltered by the opposite island of Margarita. There was at first +such abundance of pearl oysters, that at one time the royal fifth amounted +to 15,000 ducats yearly. The oysters are brought up from the bottom by +divers, who stay under water as long as they can hold in their breath, +pulling the shells from the places to which they stick. Besides this place +there are pearls for above 400 leagues along this coast, all the way from +Cape _de La Vela_ to the gulf of Paria; for Admiral Christopher Columbus, +besides Cubagua, which he named the Island of Pearls, found them all along +the coast of Paria and Cumana, at _Maracapana_, _Puerto Flechado_, and +_Curiana_, which last is near _Venezuela_. + + + + +SECTION V. + +_Alonzo de Hojeda and Diego de Nicuessa are commissioned to make +Discoveries and Settlements in the New World, with an account of the +adventures and misfortunes of Hojeda_. + + +Among the adventurers who petitioned the court of Spain for licenses to +make discoveries, was Alonzo de Hojeda, a brave man, but very poor, who +had spent all he had hitherto gained; but John de la Cosa, who had been +his pilot and had saved money, offered to assist him with his life and +fortune. They got the promise of a grant of all that had been discovered +on the continent; but one Diego Nicuessa interposed, and being a richer +man, with better interest, he stopped their grant and procured half of it +to himself. Hojeda and Cosa got a grant of all the country from Cape _De +la Vela_ to the gulf of _Uraba_, now called the Gulf of Darien, the +country appropriated to them being called _New Andalusia_; while Nicuessa +received the grant of all the country from the before-mentioned gulf to +Cape _Garcias a Dios_, under the name of _Castilla del Oro_, or Golden +Castile. In neither of these grants was any notice taken of the admiral, +to whom, of right, all these countries belonged, as having being +discovered by his father. Nicuessa got likewise a grant of the island of +Jamaica; but the admiral being in the West Indies secured that to himself. +Hojeda fitted out a ship and a brigantine, and Nicuessa two brigantines, +with which vessels they sailed together to St Domingo, where they +quarrelled about their respective rights, and their disputes were adjusted +with much difficulty. These were at length settled, and they both +proceeded for their respective governments, or rather to settle the +colonies of which these were to be composed; but the disputes had occupied +so much time that it was towards the end of 1510 before either of them +left Hispaniola. + +Hojeda, accompanied by Francis Pizarro, departed from the island Beata, +standing to the southward, and arrived in a few days at Carthagena, which +is called Caramari by the Indians. The natives of that place were then in +great confusion, and ready to oppose the Spaniards, because of the +injuries which had been done them by Christopher Guerra and others, who +had carried away many of the natives for slaves not long before. The +natives of this coast were of large stature, the men wearing their hair +down to their ears, while the women wore theirs long, and both sexes were +very expert in the use of bows and arrows. Hojeda and Cosa had some +religious men along with them, their Catholic majesties being very +desirous to have the Indians converted to Christianity; and having some +natives of Hispaniola along with them as interpreters, they tried by their +means to persuade the Indians to peace, leaving off their cruelty, +idolatry, and other vicious practices; but they were much incensed against +the Spaniards, on account of the villanous conduct of Guerra, and would by +no means listen to any peace or intercourse. Having used all possible +methods to allure them to peace and submission, pursuant to his +instructions, he had also orders to declare war and make slaves of them, +in case of their proving obstinate. He had at first endeavoured to procure +gold from these natives in exchange for Spanish toys; but as they were +fierce and refractory, Cosa recommended that they should establish their +colony at the bay of _Uraba_, where the natives were more gentle, after +which they could return to Carthagena better provided to overcome the +resistance of the natives. Hojeda, having been engaged in many quarrels +and encounters, both in Spain and Hispaniola, in all of which he had come +off without hurt, was always too resolute and fool hardy, and would not +listen to the salutary advice of his companion. He therefore immediately +fell upon the natives who were preparing to attack him, killed many, +seized others, and made booty of some gold in their habitations. After +this, taking some of his prisoners as guides, he marched to an Indian town, +four leagues up the country, to which the natives had fled from the +skirmish at the shore, and where he found them on their guard in greater +numbers, armed with targets, swords of an extraordinary hard wood, sharp +poisoned arrows, and a kind of javelins or darts. Shouting their usual war +cry, St Jago, the Spaniards fell furiously upon them, killing or taking +all they met, and forcing the rest to fly into the woods. Eight of the +natives who were not so expeditious as their fellows, took shelter in a +thatched hut, whence they defended themselves for some time, and killed +one of the Spaniards. Hojeda was so much incensed at this, that he ordered +the house to be set on fire, in which all these Indians perished miserably. +Hojeda took sixty prisoners at this town, whom he sent to the ships, and +followed after the Indians who had fled. Coming to a town called _Yarcabo_, +he found it deserted by the Indians, who had withdrawn to the woods and +mountains with their wives, children, and effects, on which the Spaniards +became careless, and dispersed themselves about the country, as if they +had no enemies to fear. Observing the careless security of the Spaniards, +the Indians fell upon them by surprise while they were dispersed in small +parties, and killed and wounded many of them with their poisoned arrows. +Hojeda, with a small party he had drawn together, maintained the fight a +long while, often kneeling that he might the more effectually shelter +himself under his target; but when he saw most of his men slain, he rushed +through the thickest of the enemy, and running with amazing speed into the +woods, he directed his course, as well as he could judge, towards the sea +where his ships lay. John de la Cosa got into a house which had no thatch, +where he defended himself at the door till all the men who were with him +were slain, and himself so sore wounded with poisoned arrows that he could +no longer stand. Looking about him in this extremity, he noticed one man +who still fought with great valour, whom he advised to go immediately to +Hojeda and inform him of what had happened. Hojeda and this man were all +that escaped of the party, seventy Spaniards being slaughtered in this +rash and ill-conducted enterprize. + +In this unfortunate predicament, it happened luckily for the survivors +that Nicuessa appeared with his ships. Being informed of what had happened +to his rival, through his own rashness, he sent for him, and said that in +such a case they ought to forget their disputes, remembering only that +they were gentlemen and Spaniards. He offered at the same time to land +with his men, to assist Hojeda in revenging the death of Cosa and the rest. +Nicuessa accordingly landed with 400 men, which was more than sufficient +to defeat the Indians, whose town was taken and burnt. By this victory the +Spaniards acquired a vast number of slaves, and got so much booty that +each shared seven thousand pieces of gold. Nicuessa and Hojeda now agreed +to separate, that each might pursue the plan of discovery and settlement +which was directed by their respective commissions. + +Understanding that Nicuessa intended to steer for Veragua, Hojeda made all +sail for the river of Darien; but having lost his old pilot, on whose +experience he chiefly depended, he missed the river, and resolved to +establish a settlement on the eastern promontory of the gulf of Uraba, +which he did accordingly, calling his new town St Sebastian; because that +saint is said to have been martyred by the arrows of the infidels, and was +therefore thought a fit patron to defend him against the poisoned arrows +of the Indians. He had scarcely fixed in this place when he found all the +inhabitants of the country to be a race of barbarous savages, from whom he +could only expect all the injury they could possibly do him and his colony. +In this situation, he dispatched one of his ships under Enciso to +Hispaniola, with orders to bring him as large a reinforcement of men as +possible, and immediately set to work in constructing entrenchments to +secure his remaining people against the natives. Provisions growing scarce, +so that his people could not subsist, be found himself soon obliged to +make excursions into the country in order to obtain a supply; but he was +unsuccessful in this measure, and had the misfortune to lose many of his +men by the arrows of the Indians, which were poisoned with the juice of a +stinking tree which grows by the sea side. By these disasters, his new +colony was speedily reduced to a very wretched situation; starved if they +remained within their works, and sure to meet death if they ventured out +into the country. While in this state of absolute despair, they were +surprised one day by seeing a ship entering the port. This was commanded +by Bernard de Talavera, no better than a pirate, who, flying from justice, +had taken shelter in this place, to him unknown. Hojeda was in too great +extremity to be nice in his inquiries into the character of Talavera, but +readily bought his cargo, and treated him so well in other respects, that +Talavera entered into his service. However serviceable this relief, it was +but of short continuance, as all their provisions were soon consumed, and +the savages were even more troublesome than before, if possible. As no +succours appeared from Hispaniola, they were reduced to vast straits, and +Hojeda at length determined upon going to St Domingo in order to procure +supplies. Leaving Francis Pizarro to command the colony in his absence, he +embarked in the vessel belonging to Talavera, but the voyage was +unfortunate from its very commencement. Hojeda not only used too much +severity to the crew, but behaved haughtily to Talavera, who laid him in +irons; but a storm soon arose, and the crew knowing him to be an +experienced seaman, set him at liberty, and it was chiefly through his +skill that they were enabled to save their lives, by running the ship +ashore on the coast of Cuba. Although it was only a short distance from +thence to Hispaniola, Talavera durst not go there, and prevailed on Hojeda +to venture a voyage of an hundred leagues in a canoe to Jamaica, which +they performed in safety. Hojeda had some pretensions by his commission to +the island of Jamiaca, and on hearing formerly that the admiral Don James +Columbus had sent Don Juan de Esquibel to that island, he had threatened +to cut off his head if ever he fell into his hands. He was now, however, +under the necessity of applying to Esquibel for assistance, and was used +by him with kindness. After a short stay in Jamaica, he went over to +Hispaniola, where he learnt that Enciso had sailed to St Sebastian; and +his own credit was now so low that he was hardly able to purchase food, +and died shortly afterwards of want, though he deserved a better fate, +being one of the bravest men that ever sailed from Spain to the West +Indies. Talavera remained so long in Jamaica, that the admiral heard of +his being there, and had him apprehended, tried, and executed for piracy. + + + + +SECTION VI. + +_The History of Fasco Nugnez de Balboa, and the establishment by his means +of the Colony of Darien_. + + +In the meantime Pizarro quitted St Sebastian with a small remnant of the +unfortunate colony, and escaped with much difficulty to Carthagena, where, +by good fortune for him, Enciso had just arrived with two ships and a +considerable reinforcement. He took Pizarro on board, and they returned to +St Sebastian, where they had the misfortune to run their ships aground, +and after getting on shore with much difficulty, they found the place +reduced to ashes by the savages. They restored it as well as they could, +and got on shore all the provisions and stores from their stranded vessels, +but were soon afterwards reduced to the utmost extremity of distress by +war and famine. Hunger frequently forced them out into the country to +endeavour to procure provisions, and the savages as often drove them back +with the loss of some of their number, which they could very ill spare, +having only been 180 men at the first They were relieved from their +present distressed situation, by the dexterity and presence of mind of a +very extraordinary person who happened to be among them. Vasquez Nugnez de +Balboa, the person now alluded to, was a gentleman of good family, great +parts, liberal education, of a fine person, and in the flower of his age, +being then about thirty-five. He had formerly sailed on discovery along +with _Bastidas_, and had afterwards obtained a good settlement in +Hispaniola; but had committed some excesses in that island, for which he +was in danger of being put to death. In this extremity, he procured +himself to be conveyed into the ship commanded by Enciso, concealed in a +bread cask, in which he remained for some days, and at last ventured to +make his appearance, when the ship was 100 leagues from Hispaniola. Enciso +had been strictly enjoined not to carry any offenders from the island, and +now threatened to set Balboa ashore on the first desert island; but the +principal people on board interceded for him with the captain, who at last +relented and granted him protection. This did not efface from his memory +the threats of Enciso, as will be seen hereafter. Observing the state of +despair to which the company was now reduced, Balboa undertook to +encourage them, by asserting that their situation was not so helpless as +they imagined. He told them that he had been upon this coast formerly with +Bastidas, when they sailed to the bottom of the gulf, where they found a +fine large town, in a fruitful soil and salubrious climate, inhabited +indeed by warlike Indians, but who did not use poisoned arrows. He +exhorted them, therefore, to bestir themselves in getting off their +stranded vessels, and to sail to that place. They approved of this advice, +and sailed to the river named Darien by the Indians, where they found +every thing to correspond with the description given by Balboa. On +learning the arrival of the Spaniards, the natives secured their wives and +children, and waited on a little hill under their cacique, named Cemano, +for the attack of the Spaniards. After having performed their devotions, +the Spaniards fell resolutely on the Indians, whom they soon routed; and +then went to the town, which they found full of provisions to their wish. +Next day, they marched up the country among the neighbouring mountains, +where they found many empty houses, all the inhabitants having fled; but +they found the houses well replenished with household goods of various +kinds, such as earthen vessels, cotton garments like short petticoats for +women, a great deal of cotton, both spun and unspun, plates of gold which +the natives wear on their breasts, and many other things, amounting in +all to the value of 10,000 pieces of fine gold. Enciso was greatly +rejoiced at this unexpected good fortune, and immediately sent for the +rest of the men, who had been left on the other side of the bay, because +the brigantines could not carry the whole at once. Balboa gained much +reputation by the success of this enterprize, and was henceforwards held +in high esteem by the people. + +The whole party agreed to establish a colony at this place, which they +named _Santa Maria el Antiqua del Darien_, the first part of the name +being that of a church in Seville, and Darien being the Indian name of the +river. Balboa being now in great credit with the colonists, and brooding +revenge for the former threats of Enciso, secretly plotted to deprive him +of the command, alleging that they were now beyond the limits of Hojedas +government, who had no authority in this place. While this was in +agitation, Enciso thought proper to prohibit all the colonists from +trading with the Indians for gold, under pain of death; but they, +believing that he did this entirely for his own advantage, unanimously +threw off all subjection to his authority, alleging that his command was +void for the reasons already mentioned, and others. They then proceeded to +choose alcaldes and regidores, being the titles of the chief magistrates +in the towns of Old Spain, and Balboa and Zamadio were elected alcaldes, +and Yaldibia regidore. The people, however, were dissatisfied with this +mode of governing, repenting that they had deposed Enciso, and the whole +colony divided into parties. One party alleged that it was not proper to +be without a commander in chief, and that Enciso ought to be restored till +another governor was appointed by the king: A second party said that they +ought to submit to Nicuessa, because the place they were in was within his +grant. The third party, being the friends of Balboa, wished to continue +the present frame of government; but if the majority were for a single +commander, they insisted that Balboa ought to have the command. + +In the midst of these disputes, Roderic Enriquez de Colmenares arrived +with two ships, having on board provisions, military stores, and seventy +men. This captain had met with a great storm at sea, and had put into the +port of Santa Maria, which the Indians call Gayra, 50 or 60 leagues from +Carthagena. On the boats going on shore for water, the cacique came +forwards with twenty of his people, dressed in a kind of cotton cloaks, +though the natives of that part of the coast usually go naked. He advised +them not to take water from the place where they were, saying that it was +not good, and offered to shew them another river of better water. But on +coming to it, they could not get their boats to the place, owing to a +heavy surf, and returned to the first place. While filling their casks, +about seventy armed Indians rushed suddenly upon them, and before the +Spaniards could stand to their defence, forty-five of them were wounded by +poisoned arrows. The wounded men swam off to the ships, as the Indians had +staved their long-boat, and all of them died save one. Seven of the +Spaniards saved themselves in a large hollow tree, intending to swim off +at night; but those on board supposing them all killed, sailed away much +dejected, for Uraba, to inquire after Nicuessa. Finding no person on the +east side of the bay, where they thought to have found either their own +men or those belonging to Hojeda, Colmenares suspected they were all dead, +or had gone to some other place; but he thought fit to fire off some +cannon, that they might hear him if still in the neighbourhood; besides +which he made fires at night, and smokes by day on some of the adjacent +high rocks. The people at Santa Maria el Antiqua del Darien heard his guns, +which resounded through the whole bay to the westwards, and making signals +in return, he came to them about the middle of November 1510. Colmenares +distributed his provisions among the colonists of Darien, by which he +gained the good will of most of those who had opposed the calling of +Nicuessa to the command, whom they now agreed to send for that he might +assume the government. + + + + +SECTION VII. + +_The Adventures, Misfortunes, and Death of Don Diego de Nicuessa, the +founder of the Colony of Nombre de Dios_. + + +After parting from Hojeda, whom he had so generously assisted, Nicuessa +met a few days afterwards with as great misfortunes at sea as Hojeda had +encountered by land; for he was tossed by a dreadful tempest from without, +and betrayed within by _Lopez de Olano_, who, perceiving the squadron +separated by the storm, took one of the largest ships into the river +_Chagre_, and left his patron to shift for himself. After some unlucky +adventures, Olano arrived at Veragna, which was their place of rendezvous, +where he endeavoured to persuade the people to abandon their original +design as impracticable, and to sail for Hispaniola to make the most of +what they had left, alleging that Nicuessa had certainly perished with all +his men. While meditating upon this project, a boat came into the port +with four men, who reported that Nicuessa had been stranded on an unknown +coast, and after marching a great way by land with incredible fatigue, was +now not far off, but that he and his followers were in a very miserable +condition. On hearing this melancholy account, Olano relented, and +immediately sent back the boat with provisions and refreshments, which +came very opportunely to save Nicuessa and his men from starving, which +they certainly must have done without this seasonable relief. Yet this did +not in the least soften his resentment against Olano for deserting him, +whom he would have hanged, if he had not been afraid of irritating the men, +and instead of that he put him in irons, threatening to send him to Spain +in that condition. The authority, however, did not remain long in his +hands; for, endeavouring to establish a settlement on the _Bethlehem_ +river, he was so straitened for provisions, that he was obliged to leave a +part of his men there, and to sail with the rest to Porto Bello; but, not +being allowed by the Indians to land there, he was obliged to proceed four +or five leagues farther to the port which Columbus named _Bastimentos_. +Immediately on entering he exclaimed, _Paremos aqui en el nombre de Dios_, +Let us stay here in the name of God. He immediately landed and began to +erect a fortress, which was named _Nombre de Dios_, from the above +mentioned expression. He had not been long here till he found himself as +much straitened for provisions as at Bethlehem, on which account he sent +one of his ships to St Domingo to request assistance from the governor. +Scarcely was this vessel out of the port, before that with Colmenares +arrived from the river Darien, with the invitation to take the command of +the Spanish colony at that place. Colmenares and his men were so +astonished to see the miserable condition of Nicuessa and seventy of his +people, who were all that remained with him at Nombre de Dios, that they +shed tears. They were lean, ragged, and barefooted, and excited pity by +the recital of the intolerable distresses they had undergone, and the +numbers of their companions who had already died. + +Colmenares did all he could to comfort Nicuessa, telling him that the +people of Darien wished him to come and assume the government of that +colony, which was situated in a fine country abounding in provisions, and +which did not want gold. Nicuessa began to recover his spirits, by the +seasonable supply of provisions, and the comfortable intelligence brought +by Colmenares, and gave thanks to God for this merciful relief. But he +soon forfeited the reputation for prudence which he had formerly enjoyed +among the colonists of Hispaniola; as, forgetting the miserable condition +from which he was so recently relieved, and not considering that the +people of Darien had submitted to his authority of their own free will, he +foolishly declared in public that he would take all their gold from them +on his arrival, and would even punish them for encroaching on his province. +This news soon spread abroad, and heaven had the imprudence to send a +caravel before him to Darien, having a desire to examine some islands +which lay in the way thither. That same night, Olano, who still remained a +prisoner, conversed with some of the people who came from Darien, to +incense them against Nicuessa; and when Nicuessa was embarking, he said to +some of those who were in his confidence, "Nicuessa fancies he will be as +well received by Hojedas men, as by us after his shipwreck at Veragua, but +he will probably find a considerable difference." James Albetes and the +bachelor Corral were in the caravel which went before, and gave notice to +the colonists at Darien of the threats which Nicuessa had made, of taking +away their gold and punishing them; saying that his misfortunes had +rendered him peevish and cruel, abusing all who were under his authority. +From the little islands which he had stopped to explore, Nicuessa sent one +Juan de Cayzedo to acquaint the colony at Darien of his approach; and this +man being privately his enemy, still farther exasperated the people +against him, so that they came to a resolution not to admit him into the +colony. This resolution was principally forwarded by Balboa, who secretly +advised all the principal people to exclude him, yet declared in public +that he was for receiving Nicuessa, and even got the public notary to give +him a certificate to that effect[1]. + +After spending eight days among these islands, where he took a few Indians +for slaves, Nicuessa made sail for Darien. On coming to the landing-place, +he found many of the Spaniards on the shore waiting his arrival; when, to +his great surprise, one of them required him in the name of all the rest, +to return to his own government of Nombre de Dios. Nicuessa landed next +day, when the people of Darien endeavoured to seize him, but he was +extraordinarily swift of foot, and none of them could overtake him. Balboa +prevented the colonists from proceeding to any farther extremities, +fearing they might have put Nicuessa to death, and even persuaded them to +listen to Nicuessa, who entreated them, since they would not receive him +as their governor, that they would admit him among them as a companion; +which they peremptorily refusing, he even requested them to keep him as a +prisoner, for he would rather die than go back to starve at Nombre de Dios. +In spite of every thing he could urge, they forced him to embark in an old +rotten bark, with about seventeen of his men, ordering them to return to +Nombre de Dios, on pain of being sunk if they remained at Darien. Nicuessa +and his people accordingly set sail, but were never seen more, and no one +knew what became of them. There was a story current in the West Indies, +that when the Spaniards came afterwards to settle the island of Cuba, they +found inscribed on the bark of a large tree, "Here the unfortunate +Nicuessa finished his life and miseries." + + +[1] We learn from the history of the conquest of Mexico, by Bernal Diaz + del Castillo, one of the conquerors, that the government of the + province of Tierra Firma, in which Darien and Nombre de Dios were + situated, was afterwards granted by the court of Spain to Pedro Arias + de Avila, in 1514, who gave his daughter in marriage to Vasco Nugnez + de Balboa; yet caused him afterwards to be beheaded; on suspicion that + he intended to revolt.--E. + + + + +SECTION VIII. + +_The Conquest and Settlement of the Island of Cuba by Diego Velasquez_. + + +The admiral Don James Columbus was much blamed for not endeavouring to +give succour to these adventurers, although the grants which they had +received of separate governments were in direct contradiction to his just +rights. His enemies made use of this to his prejudice at the court of +Spain, which was always jealous of him, and listened therefore with much +complacency to every complaint that was proffered against him. He on the +other hand, was very sensible of the disposition of the court, and used +every means he could think of to secure his rights in these countries, +pursuant to the agreement which had been made with his father. In this +view, having learnt that the court was desirous of discovering and +colonizing the great island of Cuba, although there were no accounts of +any rich mines in that country, he resolved to be beforehand with the +court, and sent a body of men there at the beginning of the year 1511, +under a confidential person; that having a lieutenant there of his own, +the court might have no pretence for granting it away to new undertakers, +as they had done that part of the continent which was discovered by his +father, and even the island of Jamaica, which last, however, he had +recovered. For this purpose, he made choice of James Velasquez, who was +the wealthiest and best beloved of all the Spanish inhabitants of +Hispaniola, and was besides a man of experience, and of a mild and affable +temper, who knew well how to maintain his authority. As soon as it was +known in Hispaniola that Velasquez was going to establish a settlement in +Cuba, abundance of people resolved to bear him company, some of them from +attachment to his person, and others because they were involved in debt. +All these rendezvoused at the town of _Salvatierra de la Zavana_, at the +western extremity of Hispaniola, whence they proposed to embark for Cuba. + +Before proceeding with the transactions of Velasquez, it may be proper to +give some description of the island of Cuba, from the Spanish writers. +Cuba is within the tropic of Cancer, from 20° to 21° of N. latitude. It is +230 leagues in length, from Cape _St Antonio_ to Cape _Mayci_. Its breadth +between Cape _Cruze_ and port _Manati_ is forty-five leagues, whence it +narrows to about twelve leagues between _Matamano_ and the _Havanna_. Most +of the island is flat, and full of woods and forests; but from the eastern +point of Mayci, there are exceedingly high mountains for thirty leagues. +Beyond these to the westwards, and in the middle of the island, there are +many hills, but not very high. Many fine rivers run down the sides of +these hills, both to the north and south, which are full of fish, +especially skates and olaves, which ascend the streams a great way from +the sea. On the south of Cuba there are a prodigious number of small +islands, which were named the _Queens Garden_, by the admiral Don +Christopher Columbus. There are other small islands on the north side, +though not so numerous, which Velasquez named the _Kings Garden_. About +the middle of the south side, a considerable river, named _Cauto_ by the +natives, runs into the sea, containing vast numbers of alligators, the +banks of which river are very agreeable. The island is wonderfully well +wooded, insomuch that people may travel almost 230 leagues, or from one +end of the island to the other, always under their shelter. Among these +are sweet-scented red cedars of such astonishing size, that the natives +used to make canoes of one stick hollowed out, large enough to contain +fifty or sixty persons, and such were once very common in Cuba. There are +such numbers of storax trees, that if any one goes up to a height in the +morning, the vapours arising from the earth smell strongly of storax, +coming from the fires made by the natives in the evening, which are now +drawn up from the earth by the rising sun. Another kind of tree produces a +fruit called _xaquas_, which being laid by four or five days, though +gathered unripe, become full of a liquor like honey, and richer than the +finest pears. There are great quantities of wild vines, which climb very +high on the trees; these bear grapes, from which wine has been made, which +is somewhat sharp. Such is their universal abundance all over the island, +that the Spaniards used to say there was a vineyard in Cuba 230 leagues in +length. Some of the trunks of these vines are as thick as a mans body. The +whole island is very pleasant, more temperate and healthy than Hispaniola, +and has safer harbours for ships, made by nature, than any that have been +constructed by art in other countries. On the southern coast is that of +_St Jago_, which is in form of a cross, and _Xaquas_, which is hardly to +be matched in all the world. Its entry is not above a cross-bow shot in +breadth, and the interior part is 10 leagues in circumference, having +three little islands to which ships may be fastened by means of stakes, +where they are safe from every wind that blows, being everywhere shut in +by high mountains as in a house. In this harbour the Indians had pens in +which they shut up the fish. On the north side there are likewise good +harbours, the best of which was formerly called _Carenas_, but now Havanna, +which is so large and safe that few can be compared to it. Twenty leagues +east is the harbour of Matanaos, which is not quite safe. About the middle +of the island there is another good port, called _del Principe_; and +almost at the end is the port of _Baraca_, where good ebony is cut. All +along this coast there are good anchorages, though none so large and +commodious as those already mentioned. + +Cuba produces great numbers of birds, as pigeons, turtle-doves, partridges +like those of Spain but smaller, and cranes. There are none of these two +latter on the other islands, but there are cranes on the continent. There +is another bird, not found on the continent, as large as cranes, which are +white when young, but grow red at their full growth, which are called +_flamences_ or _flamingos_. These would have been much valued in New Spain, +for the curious feather-works which are made by the natives. These +flamingos are found in vast flocks of 500 to 1000 together. They seldom +fly, but stand much in the water. When the Indians kept any of these birds +about their houses, they had to put salt into the water they gave them to +drink. There are infinite numbers of parrots, which are very good eating +when young, about the month of May. They have few land animals, except a +kind of rabbits like those of Hispaniola; but to make amends for this want, +they have vast quantities of fish both in the sea and the rivers: among +these the chiefest is tortoises or turtles, in vast abundance, excellent +of their kind, and very wholesome, which cure the leprosy and the itch, in +such as are content to make them their constant food. It produces maize or +Indian corn in great abundance; and every thing considered, it may be +pronounced the finest and best provided country in that part of the world. +The natives of Cuba were of the same nation with those of the Lucayos +islands, a good sort of people, and very well tempered. They were governed +by caciques, having towns of 200 or 300 houses, in each of which several +families resided, as in Hispaniola. + +They had no religion, having no temples, idols, or sacrifices; but they +had a kind of conjuring priests or jugglers, like those in Hispaniola, who +pretended to have communication with the devil, and to obtain answers from +him to their questions. To obtain this favour, they fasted three or four +months, using only the juice of herbs; and when reduced to extreme +weakness, they were worthy of inspiration, and to be informed whether the +seasons of the year would be favourable or otherwise; what children were +to be born, and whether those born were to live, and such like questions. +These conjurors, who were called _behiques_, were the oracles of the +natives, whom they led into many superstitions and absurdities; pretending +to cure the sick by blowing on them, and other mummeries, muttering some +unintelligible words between their teeth. The natives of Cuba acknowledged +that the heavens and earth, and all things contained in these, had been +created. They are even said to have had traditions concerning the flood, +and the destruction of the world by water, occasioned by three persons who +came three several ways. The old men reported, that a sage who knew the +approaching deluge, built a great ship, into which he went with his family, +and many animals. That he sent out a crow, which remained a long while out, +feeding on the dead bodies, and afterwards returned with a green branch. +They added many other particulars respecting the deluge, even to two of +Noah's sons covering him when drunk, while the third scoffed him; adding +that the Indians were descended from the latter, and therefore had no +clothes, whereas the Spaniards descended from the other sons, and had +therefore clothes and horses. As they lived in towns under the authority +of caciques, it is probable that the will of these chiefs served as law. + +Some time before the expedition of Velasquez to Cuba, a cacique of the +province of _Guatiba_, in Hispaniola, named _Hatuey_, to escape from the +tyranny of the Spaniards, went over to the eastern end of Cuba with as +many of his people as he could induce to accompany him; the distance +between the two islands being only eighteen leagues. He settled with his +followers in the nearest district of Cuba, called _Mayci_, reducing the +inhabitants of that place to subjection, but not to slavery. In fact +slavery does not appear to have been practised in any part of the West +Indies, no difference being made even by the caciques between their people +and their children; except in New Spain and other provinces of the +continent, where they used to sacrifice prisoners of war to their idols. +This cacique Hatuey, always had spies in Hispaniola, to inform him what +was going on there, as he feared the Spaniards would pass over into Cuba. +Having information of the admiral's design, and the intended expedition of +Velasquez, he assembled all the warriors of his tribe, and putting them in +mind of the many sufferings they had endured under the Spaniards, he +informed them of their new intentions. Then taking some gold from a basket +of palm leaves, he addressed them as follows: "The Spaniards have done all +these things which I have told you of for the sake of this, which is the +god whom they serve, and their only object in coming over to this island +is in search of this their lord. Let us therefore make a festival, and +dance to this lord of the Spaniards, that when they come hither, he may +order them not to do us any harm." They accordingly all began to dance and +sing, and continued till they were quite tired, as it is their custom to +dance from nightfall till daybreak, as long as they can stand. Their +dances, as in Hispaniola, are to the music of their songs; and though +50,000 men and women may have assembled at one time, no one differed in +the motions of their hands, feet, and bodies from all the rest. But the +natives of Hispaniola sung much more agreeably than those of Cuba. After +the subjects of Hatuey were quite spent with singing and dancing around +the little basket of gold, the cacique desired them not to keep the lord +of the Christians in any place whatsoever; for even if they were to +conceal him in their bowels, the Christians would rip them up to fetch him +out; wherefore he advised them to cast him into the river, where the +Christians might not be able to find him; and this they did. + +James Velasquez set out from Salvatierra de la Zavana in November 1511, +and landed at a harbour called _Palina_, in the territories of Hatuey, who +stood on his defence, taking advantage of the woods, where the Spaniards +could not use their horses. During two months, the Indians hid themselves +in the thickest parts of the forests, where the Spaniards hunted them out, +carrying all they took to Velasquez, who distributed them among his men as +servants, not as slaves. Hatuey withdrew into the most inaccessible places +of the mountains, where he was at length taken after inexpressible toil, +and brought to Velasquez, who caused him to be burnt. After this example +of severity, the whole province of Mayci submitted, no one daring any +longer to resist. When it was known in Jamaica that Velasquez had gone +with the command to Cuba, many of those who were with Esquibel asked leave +to go and serve under him. Among these was Panfilo de Narvaez, a gentleman +of a graceful person, well behaved, but rather imprudent. He carried with +him a company of thirty cross-bows, and was well received by Velasquez, +who gave him the chief command under himself. When the Indians of the +province of Mayci were reduced under subjection, Velasquez distributed +them among the Spaniards as had formerly been done in Hispaniola by Obando, +taking the inhabitants of five Indian towns to himself. He likewise +founded a town at a harbour on the north side of the island, called +_Barracoa_ by the natives, which was the first Spanish colony in this +island. From this place Velasquez sent Narvaez with thirty men to reduce +the province of Bayamo, about 50 leagues from Barracoa, a fine open +country, very fertile and agreeable. Of this company, Narvaez alone was +mounted, all the rest marching on foot. The natives of the country came +out submissively to meet Narvaez, bringing him provisions, as they had no +gold, and were very much astonished at the sight of the mare on which +Narvaez rode. The Spaniards took up their residence in a town belonging to +the Indians, who, seeing the small number of their invaders, resolved to +rid themselves of them by surprise. Narvaez was by no means sufficiently +watchful, yet had his mare along with him in the house where he lay, and a +guard posted during the night. Near seven thousand Indians had assembled +from all parts of the province, armed with bows and arrows, who had +resolved to fall upon Narvaez and the Spaniards after midnight, though it +was unusual for them to fight during the night. They gave the assault in +two places at once, and found the centinels asleep on their posts; but +being more eager to plunder the Spaniards than to kill them, as they had +always anxiously wished for clothing ever since they saw the Christians, +they did not observe the time previously concerted, but began their +several attacks at different times, and one of the parties, which was the +most forward, even entered the town shouting. Narvaez awoke in great +consternation, and the Spaniards, who were astonished at the noise, knew +not well what to do in their fright. At length, the Indians whom Narvaez +had brought with him from Jamaica, lighted some fire-brands, by which the +Spaniards were enabled to see their danger; and Narvaez, though wounded by +a stone, found means to come at his mare, which he mounted, and rallied +his Spaniards to their defence. At that time part of the horse furniture +used by the Spaniards was hung with bells; and on hearing the sound of +these, and seeing Narvaez coming towards them at a round trot, with his +sword drawn, they lost heart, and not only abandoned the enterprize, but +fled out of the country, some of them to the distance of 50 leagues, +leaving none but their old and decrepid people behind. After this +Velasquez sent a reinforcement to Narvaez, who became absolute master of +the country. + + + + +SECTION IX. + +_The Strange Expedition of Juan Ponce de Leon to Discover the Fountain of +Youth, in which he Discovered Florida and the Bahama Channel_. + + +We have already seen that Juan Ponce de Leon had been restored to the +government of Porto Rico by the interest of his friend Obando, and had +sent his predecessors, Cerron and Diaz, prisoners into Spain. This +circumstance, which he thought a bold stroke in politics, turned much +against himself; for these men presented a petition against him to the +court of Spain, and being strongly supported by the interest of the +admiral, they were sent back to resume their former employments. By this +reverse, De Leon was reduced to a private condition; but he had made good +use of his time, and had acquired a large fortune, which induced him to +attempt recovering his power and credit by means of discoveries. He +accordingly sailed from the port of St German on the 1st of March 1512, +with two stout ships which he had fitted out at his own expence; and +steering through among the Lucayos islands, he discovered land on the 2d +April, in lat. 30° 8' N. till then unknown to the Spaniards. Elated by +this good fortune, he ran along the coast in search of some good harbour, +and anchored at night near the shore in eight fathoms water. Believing +this land to be an island, and because it appeared beautiful, being all +level, with many pleasant groves, he named it the island of _Florida_, +also because discovered at Easter, which the Spaniards call _Pascha de +Flores_. De Leon went on shore at this place to take formal possession of +the country. He sailed thence on the 8th of April, and came to a place on +the 20th, where some Indians were seen on the shore. He here anchored and +went ashore, when the Indians endeavoured to get possession of the boat, +with the oars and arms. This was not at first resented, till one of the +natives knocked down a sailor with a blow on the head, on which the +Spaniards were obliged to fight in their own defence, and had two men +wounded by arrows or darts pointed with sharp bones. The Indians were +repulsed with some difficulty, and received little damage; and at night De +Leon got his men on board and sailed to the mouth of a river, where he +took in wood and water. They were here ineffectually opposed by sixty +natives, one of whom was made prisoner to give them some information of +the country, and to learn Spanish. They called this river _Rio de la Cruz_, +as they left in this place a stone cross with an inscription. On the 8th +of May they doubled Cape Florida, which was named _Cabo de las Corrientes_, +or the Cape of Currents, because they found the currents here stronger +than the winds; and they came to an anchor near a town called _Abacoa_. +All this coast, from Cape _Arracaifes_ to Cape _Corrientes,_ or Cape +Florida, lies north and south, one point east, and is all quite free of +shoals and rocks, with six fathoms water. They found Cape Florida to be in +lat. 18° 15' N. Sailing on to the southward, till in lat. 27°, they met +with two islands, one of which, about a league in circuit, they named +Santa Monta[1]. + +On the 15th of May, they proceeded 10 leagues along a line of small +islands, as far as two white ones, and called the whole group _los +Martyres_, or the Martyrs, because the high rocks at a distance had the +appearance of men upon crosses. This name has been since considered as +prophetic, on account of the great numbers of seamen who have been lost on +these rocks. They held on their course, sometimes north, and sometimes +north-east, and on the 24th were as far to the southwards as some small +islands lying out to sea, yet never perceived that they were going along +the continent. Finding a convenient place for wood and water, they +remained here to the 3d of June, careening one of their ships called the +St Christopher. Here the Indians came out in canoes to see the Christians, +as the Spaniards declined going on shore, though often invited by signs. +One day, being about to weigh an anchor, only to remove it to fresh ground, +the Indians supposing the Christians were going away, came off in their +canoes and laid hold of the cable, meaning to draw the ship away; on which +some men were sent in the long-boat to drive them away, and following the +Indians to the shore, took four women, and destroyed two old canoes. At +times while here, they bartered with the Indians for some skins, and a +small quantity of indifferent gold. On the 4th of June, while waiting for +a wind to go in search of a cacique named Carlos, who was said to have +gold, by some Indians on board, a canoe came off having an Indian on board +who understood Spanish, and was supposed to be a native of Hispaniola, or +some of the islands inhabited by Christians. This man desired them to wait, +as the cacique would send gold to barter. They accordingly waited, and +soon saw twenty canoes coming towards them, some of which were made fast +two and two together. A part of these went to the anchors, and others to +the ships, and began to fight. As those at the anchors were unable to +weigh them, they attempted to cut the cables; but a long-boat was sent out +against them, which obliged them to fly, taking four men and killing +several others. De Leon sent two of his prisoners to the cacique, saying +that although he had killed a Spaniard, he was willing to treat of peace +and friendship. Next day the boats went to sound the harbour, and some of +the men landed. Some Indians brought a message from the cacique, saying +that he would come next day on purpose to trade: But this was merely a +feint to gain time, that they might collect their power; as at eleven +o'clock, eighty canoes full of armed men attacked the nearest ship, and +fought till night without doing the Spaniards any harm, all their arrows +falling short, as they durst not come near, for fear of the cross-bows and +artillery. At night the Indians retired. Having remained here nine days, +they began to think of returning to Hispaniola and Porto Rico, and +discovered some islands by the way, of which they received intelligence +from the Indian prisoners they had on board. They sailed among islands +till the 21st, when they arrived at some small islands which they called +_las Tortugas_, or the Tortoises, as they took 170 of these creatures in a +very short time in one of these islands, and might have had many more if +they would. On the 28th, seeing land, they came to an anchor to overhaul +their sails and tackle, but could not tell whereabout they were. Most of +them thought it was the island of Cuba, because they found canoes and dogs, +with some knives and other tools of iron. On the 25th of July they were +among a parcel of low islands, still ignorant of their situation, till De +Leon sent to examine an island which he believed to be Bahama, in which he +was confirmed by an old woman who was found alone in another island. They +were likewise confirmed in this circumstance by James Miruelo, a pilot, +who happened to be there with a boat from Hispaniola. Having ranged +backwards and forewards to the 23d of September, and refitted their ships, +Juan Ponce de Leon sent one of his ships, commanded by Juan Perez de +Ortubia, with Antonio de Alaminos as pilot, with orders to examine the +island of Bimini, in which the Indians reported there was a spring which +made old people young again. Twenty days afterwards, Juan Ponce returned +to Porto Rico, and not long afterwards the ship returned there which he +had sent to Bimini, but without discovering the famous spring. Ortubia +reported that the island was large, and pleasantly diversified with hills, +plains, and meadows, having many rivers and delightful groves[2]. + +Besides his main design of making discoveries, which all Spaniards then +aspired to, Ponce was eager to find out the spring of Bimini, and a +certain river in Florida, both of which were affirmed by the Indians of +Cuba to have the property of turning old people young by bathing in their +waters. Some time before the arrival of the Spaniards, many Indians were +so thoroughly convinced of the reality of such a river, that they went +over to Florida, where they built a town, and their descendants still +continue there. This report prevailed so universally among the caciques in +these parts, that there was not a brook in all Florida, nay scarcely a +lake or puddle, that they had not bathed in; and some still ignorantly +persist in believing that this virtue resides in the river now called +_Jordan_, at Cape _Santa Helena_, forgetting that the Spaniards first gave +it this name in 1520, when they discovered the country of _Chicora_. + +Though this voyage of Ponce de Leon turned out to no account to him, it +gave him encouragement to go to court to seek a reward for the countries +he had discovered, which he believed to be all islands, and not the +continent, as it afterwards turned out. Yet his voyage was beneficial, on +account of the route soon afterwards found out, by which the ships returned +to Spain through the Bahama channel, which was first accomplished by the +pilot Antonio de Alaminos, formerly mentioned. For the better +understanding this voyage of Juan Ponce, it must be understood that there +are three different groups in the archipelago of the Lucayos. The first is +composed of the _Bahama_ islands, giving name to the channel where the +currents are most impetuous. The second is called _los Organos_; and the +third _los Martyres_, which are next the shore of _los Tortugas_ to the +westwards; which last being all sand, cannot be seen at any distance, +wherefore many ships have perished on them, and all along the coasts of +the Bahama channel and the Tortugas islands. Havanna in the island of Cuba +is to the southwards, and Florida to the northward, and between these are +all the before mentioned islands, of Organos, Bahamas, Martyres, and +Tortugas. Between Havanna and los Martyres, there is a channel with a +violent current, twenty leagues over at the narrowest; and it is fourteen +leagues from los Martyres to Florida. Between certain islands to the +eastwards, and the widest part of this passage to the westwards, is forty +leagues, with many shoals and deep channels; but there is no way in this +direction for ships or brigantines, only for canoes. The passage from the +Havanna, for Spain is along the Bahama channel, between the Havanna the +Martyres, the Lucayos, and Cape Canaveral; and the giving occasion to this +discovery was the great merit of Ponce de Leon, for which he was well +rewarded in Spain. + + +[1] The account of this voyage is often contradictory, and almost always + unintelligible. In this instance, De Leon is made, with a southern + course, to increase his latitude almost nine degrees to the north.--E. + +[2] This account of the island of Bimini is perfectly ridiculous, as its + whole extent does not exceed twenty miles in length, and not exceeding + one mile broad; it is one of the smallest of the Bahama or Lucayo + islands, and the largest of them cannot possibly contain any stream of + water beyond the size of a brook.--E. + + + + +SECTION X. + +_The Martyrdom of two Dominican Friars on the coast of Venezuela, through +the Avarice of the Spaniards_. + + +There happened about this time a very singular and melancholy event, which +I find recorded in many Spanish historians, which shews to what a height +corruption had grown in so short a time among the Spanish settlements in +the West Indies. Reports had reached Spain of the harsh and cruel manner +in which the natives were treated by the Spaniards, being distributed +among the proprietors of land as if they had been cattle. This moved some +religious men of the Dominican order to go over to the new world, to try +what progress they could make in converting the Indians by spiritual means +only. Three of these fathers landed in the island of Porto Rico, where one +of them fell sick and was unable to proceed. The other two procured a +vessel to carry them over to the main, where they were landed at no great +distance from the Indian town which Hojeda and Vespucius had seen in their +first voyage, standing in the water, and which therefore they had named +_Venezuela_ or little Venice. The fathers found the natives at this place +very docile and tractable, and were in a fair way of making them converts +to the Christian religion; when unluckily a Spanish pirate, whose only +employment was to steal Indians to sell them as slaves to the colonists, +anchored on the coast. The poor natives, confident of being well treated +by Christians, went freely on board along with their cacique, and the +pirate immediately weighed anchor, and made all sail for Hispaniola, +carrying them all away into slavery. This naturally raised a great ferment +among the remaining natives, who were on the point of sacrificing the two +Dominicans to their resentment, when another Spanish ship arrived in the +harbour, commanded by a man of honour. He pacified the Indians for the +present as well as he possibly could, and receiving letters from the +Dominicans with a true statement of the transaction, he promised to send +back their cacique and the rest of their countrymen in four months. As he +really intended to perform his promise, he immediately made application to +the supreme tribunal at St Domingo, called the royal audience, setting +forth the particulars of the case, and the imminent danger to which the +two fathers were exposed, unless these Indians were sent back in due time. +But it so happened that these very people had been purchased as slaves by +some of the members of the royal audience, and these members of the +supreme tribunal were not so much in love with justice as to release them. +The consequence of this was, that at the end of the four months, the +Indians murdered the two Dominicans, Francisco de Cordova and Juan Garcias, +in revenge for the loss of their prince and relations. + + + + +SECTION XI. + +_Discoveries on the Continent of America by command of Velasquez, under +the conduct of Francis Hernandez de Cordova_. + + +After James de Velasquez had reduced the greatest part of the island of +Cuba, and had settled colonies of Spaniards in many districts of the +island, he became desirous of shaking off the authority of the Admiral +James Columbus, by whom he was appointed to the command, and setting up +for himself. By this time the admiral had been recalled into Spain, and +opposed this project of Velasquez to the utmost of his power; but his +credit was now so low; that he could not fully succeed; as, though +Velasquez was still ordered to give an account to Columbus of the exercise +of his authority, the admiral was not allowed to recal him from the +government of Cuba, unless with the concurrence of the crown. This so far +answered the purpose of Velasquez, that he resolved to fit out ships for +discovery. This project was no sooner made known, than numbers of rich +Spanish planters embraced the proposal, and offered to contribute large +sums for carrying it into execution. Among those who distinguished +themselves on this occasion, was Francis Hernandez de Cordova, a rich and +brave man who had Indians of his own, and offered to go as captain on this +expedition. Having received a commission from Velasquez, he fitted out two +ships and a brigantine, with all necessary stores, and listed 110 +soldiers[1]. He sailed from St Domingo, in Cuba, to the Havanna, and left +Havanna on the 8th of February 1517. On the 12th, they doubled cape _St. +Antonio_, holding their course to the westwards, as Antony de Alaminos, +their pilot, said that the first admiral always inclined in that way, +having sailed with him when a boy. They encountered a great storm which +lasted two days, during which they expected to have perished. After being +twenty-one days at sea, laying to always at night, they got sight of land, +and could perceive a large town about two leagues from the coast. As they +drew nigh the shore, two canoes full of men came off to the ships, from +which thirty Indians went on board Cordova's ship, having jackets without +sleeves, and pieces of cloth wrapped about them instead of breeches. The +Spaniards gave them meat and wine, and a few strings of beads; and the +Indians before going away, made them understand by signs, having no +interpreter, that they would return next day with more canoes to carry all +the Spaniards on shore. These Indians expressed great admiration at the +Spaniards, their ships, beards, arms, and every thing which they had not +seen before. They returned next day with twelve canoes, and their cacique +continually called out _conez cotoche_, that is Come to my house, for +which reason this place was called Cape _Cotoche_. After the Spaniards had +consulted together, they hoisted out their boats, and went on shore with +their arms, where a prodigious multitude of people waited to see them. The +cacique still pressed them to go to his house, and having received so many +tokens of peace and friendship, they resolved to comply, in order to take +a view of the country. On coming to a wood, the cacique called out to a +great number of armed men who lay in ambush; when there immediately +appeared a great number of men in armour of quilted cotton, with targets, +wooden swords edged with flints, large clubs, spears, bows and arrows, and +slings. These warriors had their faces painted of many colours, and were +all adorned with plumes of feathers. They gave a hideous shout, pouring in +at the same time such a shower of stones and arrows, that they wounded +fifteen Spaniards at the first onset; after which they fell on sword in +hand, and fought with great resolution. The Spaniards had only twenty-five +cross-bows and muskets, which were well plied; but when the Indians felt +the sharpness of the Spanish swords, they soon fled, having seventeen +killed and many wounded. Two youths were taken in this action, who +afterwards became Christians by the names of Julian and Melchior. The +Spaniards returned to their ships, well pleased at having discovered a +more civilized people than any which had been hitherto seen at Darien, or +in any of the islands; more especially as they had houses of stone and +lime, which had not till then been seen in the West Indies. + +They held their course along the coast for fifteen days, always laying to +at night, when they came to a large town with a bay, which they believed +to be a river in which they might find water, of which they were now in +great need. They landed, and hearing the Indians call the place +_Quimpeche_, it ever afterwards was called _Campechy_. Being come to a +well of excellent water, of which the natives used to drink, and having +taken what they needed, they were about to return to the ships, when fifty +Indians clad in jackets and large cotton cloth cloaks came up, asking by +signs what they wanted, whether they came from the east, and finally +invited them to their town. When they had seriously considered this, and +put themselves into a good posture of defence, lest they should be +treacherously used as they had already been at Cotoche, they accompanied +the Indians to certain temples or places of worship, built of stone and +lime, where there were many idols of very ugly shapes, with fresh signs of +blood, and several painted crosses, at which last they were much amazed. +Great numbers of men, women, and children, flocked to look at them, +shewing signs of great amazement, though some of them smiled. Soon +afterwards, two parties of armed men appeared in good order, clothed and +armed like those they had seen at Cotoche. In the next place, ten men in +very long white mantles came from one of the temples, having their long +black hair twisted up in rolls behind. In their hands these men held +little earthen fire-pans, into which they cast gum _anime_, which they +call _copal_, with which they perfumed the Spaniards, ordering them to +depart from the country on pain of death. They then began to beat upon +small kettle drums, and to sound their horns, trumpets, and pipes. The +Spaniards, who were rather weak, as two of the men wounded at Cotoche had +died, and the rest were not yet quite recovered, thought it prudent to +retire to the shore, which they did in good order, followed by the armed +Indians, and embarked without any conflict. After sailing six days longer, +the wind came round to the north, blowing with such violence on the coast +that they thought to have been cast away. When the storm abated, they +endeavoured to approach the shore for water, as the casks had become leaky, +and soon ran out. They landed accordingly in a bay near an Indian town, +and about a league from the town of Pontonchan, and filled their casks at +a well near certain places of worship, which were built of stone and lime +like those they had seen formerly. When ready to return to the ships, they +perceived a party of armed men advancing towards them, who asked whether +they had come from where the sun rises? On being answered in the +affirmative, the Indians drew back to some houses not far off, and the +Spaniards, because night was coming on, resolved to remain on shore. A +great noise was heard soon afterwards among the Indians, and the Spaniards +became divided in opinion; some being clear for getting on board +immediately, while others thought it would be dangerous to retreat in the +dark, as there seemed 300 Indians to every one of their small party. + +When day broke next morning, it appeared that the Indians had been joined +by many others during the night, and they all surrounded the Spaniards, +pouring in a great shower of arrows, stones, and darts, by which eighty of +the Spaniards were wounded at the first onset. After this they closed in +with the Christians, using their swords and spears; and though the +Spaniards were not idle with their fire-arms, cross-bows, and swords, the +Indians distressed them greatly. On experiencing the sharpness of the +Spanish swords, the Indians drew farther off, continuing to ply their +arrows with a good aim, crying out calachani! calachani! which in the +language of Yucutan, signifies cacique or captain, meaning that they +should aim especially at the commander Cordova. In this they succeeded, as +he received twelve arrow wounds, as he exposed himself foremost in every +encounter, when he ought rather to have directed his men than fought +personally. Finding himself sorely wounded, and that the courage of his +men was unable to overcome so great a multitude, which was continually +increasing, he made a furious onset, and broke through the Indians, who +still pursued the Spaniards on their way to the boats. On getting to the +boats, they had nearly sunk them all by the hurry of so many men crowding +to embark; but they at length put off from the shore, the Indians still +plying them with missile weapons, and many of them advancing into the +water to wound the Spaniards with their spears. + +In this unfortunate rencontre, forty-seven Spaniards were killed, and many +wounded, five of whom died on board. The wounded men endured excruciating +pain while in the boats, in consequence of their wounds being wet with sea +water, which caused them to swell much. All the people cursed the pilot +Alaminos for bringing them to this place, who still persisted that this +country was an island. They called this place _Bahia de Mala Prelea_, or +the Bay of Evil Battle, on account of the misfortune they had here +encountered. On arriving at the ships, the Spaniards gave thanks to God +for their deliverance from danger; and being all wounded except one, they +came to the resolution of returning to Cuba, and set fire to one of their +ships which had become leaky, as they had not now able hands enough to +manage the sails of both, and to work the pumps. Being much distressed for +water, as they had been constrained to abandon their casks at Pontonchan, +some of the soundest of the men went on shore at a creek which they called +_De los Logartos_, on account of the numbers of alligators found there. +Finding no water here but what was brackish, Alaminos, and the other +pilots, recommended to stand over to the coast of Florida, where they +arrived in four days. Alaminos went on shore in search of water, with +twenty of the stoutest soldiers, armed with cross-bows and muskets, the +Captain Hernandez begging them to bring him some water as speedily as +possible, as he was perishing of thirst. On landing near a creek, Alaminos +said he knew the place, having been here before with Ponce de Leon, and +advised them to be on their guard against the natives, and they +accordingly posted centinels to give the alarm. They dug pits along an +open shore, where they found good water, with which they quenched their +thirst; and while employed in washing some linen for the wounded men, and +almost ready to reimbark, one of their centinels came running towards them, +calling out to put to sea without delay, as warlike Indians were coming +towards them. Soon after they saw many canoes with Indians coming down the +creek. The Indians were armed with long bows and arrows, and spears and +swords after their manner, and being large men clothed in deer skins, they +had a very formidable appearance. At the first discharge of their arrows, +the Indians wounded six of the Spaniards; but finding the effects of the +Spanish arms, they drew off again to their canoes, and seized the Spanish +boat. On this the Spaniards closed with them, being obliged to wade up to +their middles in the water, but succeeded in rescuing the boat and putting +the Indians to flight, Alaminos being wounded in the throat during the +fight. When the Indians retreated and the Spaniards were all ready to +embark, the centinel who gave the alarm was asked what had become of his +companion? He answered, that he had stepped aside towards the creek by +which the Indians came down, on purpose to cut down a palmito; and that +hearing him soon afterwards cry out, he had run away to give the alarm. A +party was sent in search of him, following the track of the Indians, who +found the palmito he had begun to cut down, and near it the grass was much +trodden down, which made them conclude he had been carried away alive, as +they could not find him after an hours search. That unfortunate soldier +was the only one who had escaped unwounded from Pontonchan. + +The boat now returned to the ship with the water which they had procured; +and many of the people on board were so eager to drink, that one of the +soldiers leaped into the boat immediately on its getting along-side, and +drank so greedily that he swelled and died in two days after. Leaving this +place, they came in two days sail to the Martyres, where the greatest +depth of water is only two fathoms, interspersed with many rocks, on one +of which the ships touched and became very leaky. Yet it pleased God, +after so many sufferings, that they arrived at the port of _Carenas_, now +called the Havanna; whence Hernandez de Cordova sent an account of his +voyage to James Velasquez, the governor of Cuba, and died in ten days +after. Three of his soldiers died also at the Havanna, making fifty-six in +all lost during the expedition out of an hundred and ten men. The rest of +the soldiers dispersed themselves over the island of Cuba, and the ships +returned to the city of St Jago, by which the fame of this voyage spread +over the whole island. + + +[1] We shall afterwards have occasion to give an account of this and other + Spanish Expeditions of Discovery and Conquest, written by Bernal Diaz + del Castillo, who was actually engaged in all those which he + described.--E. + + + + +SECTION XII. + +_Farther Discoveries on the Continent by Juan Grijalva, under the orders +of Velasquez, by which a way is opened to Mexico or New Spain_. + + +However unfortunate Cordova had been in his expedition, yet Velasquez +considered the intelligence he had transmitted concerning his discoveries +as of high importance, and he determined to pursue these discoveries on +the first opportunity, chiefly because the people among whom Hernandez had +been so roughly bandied seemed much more civilized than any Indians +hitherto met with, and consequently were likely to prove proportionally +richer. These sentiments were no sooner made public, than several of the +principal inhabitants of the island offered their assistance, so that he +was soon in a condition to send out a small squadron of three ships and a +brigantine, having 250 men on board. These were commanded by the captains +Alvaredo, Montejo, and de Avila, and under chief command of Juan Grijalva, +who was ordered by Velasquez to make what discoveries he could, but to +form no settlement. They sailed from Cuba on the 8th of May 1518; and +having visited the coast of Florida, they doubled Cape St Anthony, and +discovered the island of _Cozumel_, to which Grijalva gave the name of +Santa Cruz, because discovered on the day of the invention of the Holy +Cross, yet it has always retained its Indian name of Cozumel, by which it +is still known. Grijalva landed with a competent number of soldiers, yet +no person could be found; for the natives had fled on the first appearance +of the ships. While some went to look out for the inhabitants, Grijalva +caused mass to be celebrated on the shore. Two old men were found in a +field of maize, who were brought to Grijalva; and as Julian and Melchior +happened to understand their language, Grijalva made much of them, giving +them some beads and looking-glasses, and sent them away to their chief and +countrymen, in hopes of establishing an intercourse with the natives, but +they never returned. While waiting for them, there came a handsome young +woman, who told them in the language of Jamaica, that the people had all +fled into the woods for fear, but that she had come to them, being +acquainted with ships and Spaniards. Many of the people of the ships +understood her language, and were astonished how she could have come to +that island. She said that she had gone out to fish from the island of +Jamaica about two years before, in a canoe with ten men, and had been +driven by a storm and the currents to that island, where the natives had +sacrificed her husband and all the rest of her countrymen to their idols. +Grijalva, beleaving that this woman would be a faithful messenger, sent +her to persuade the natives to come out of the woods, being afraid if he +sent Julian and Melchior that they might not return. The woman came back +in two days, saying that she had done all she could to prevail on the +natives, but altogether without effect. + +Finding that nothing could be accomplished at this place, Grijalva +embarked his men, taking the Jamaica woman along with him, as she begged +him not to leave her behind. In this island of Cozumel the Spaniards found +many hives of excellent honey; they found likewise considerable quantities +of batatas, and swine having navels on their backs[1], by which articles +of food they were much refreshed. They saw several temples, one of which +was in form of a square tower, wide at bottom, and hollow at the top, +having four large windows and galleries. In the hollow at the top, which +was the chapel, there were several idols, behind which was a sort of +vestry where the things used in the service of the temple were kept. At +the foot of the temple there was an inclosure of stone and lime well +plastered, having battlements; and in the middle of this was a cross of +white lime three yards high. This was held to be the god of rain, which +they affirmed they always procured on praying devoutly to this image. +While sailing along the coast of this island, the Spaniards were greatly +surprised to see large and beautiful buildings of stone, having several +high towers, which had a fine appearance from a distance. No such things +having ever been seen before in the West Indies, and likewise on account +of the cross which they had seen, Grijalva said they had discovered a NEW +SPAIN. Eight days after leaving Cozumel, they came to anchor off the town +of Pontonchan, and landed all the soldiers near some houses. The Indians, +vain of having driven Hernandez and his men from their country, drew up in +martial array to hinder the Spaniards from landing, shouting and making a +great noise with their trumpets and kettle-drums. Though some falconets +which were in the boats put the natives into great terror, having never +experienced any such before, yet they shot their arrows when the boats +came near, and cast darts and stones from their slings, running even into +the water to attack the Spaniards with their spears. But as soon as the +Spaniards landed, they compelled the natives to give way; for, being +taught by experience, the Spaniards now used the same sort of defensive +armour with the Indians, being stuffed with cotton, so that they received +less harm from the arrows than on former occasions; yet three of the +soldiers were killed, and sixty wounded: Grijalva, the commander, was shot +with three arrows, one of which broke several of his teeth. + +On the boats returning from the ships with a reinforcement of soldiers, +the Indians quitted the field, and the Spaniards went to town, where they +dressed their wounded men, buried the dead, and found only three of the +natives. Grijalva used these men kindly, giving them some toys, and sent +them to recal the inhabitants, engaging not to hurt any of them; but they +never returned, and Grijalva did not venture to send Julian or Melchior, +as he suspected they might run away. Grijalva embarked again, and came to +a large wide gulf of fresh water, which resembled a river, which however +it was not. Alaminos the pilot alleged that the land in which this gulf +was situated was an island, and that the water parted it from another +country, on which account it was called _Boca de Terminos_, or the Mouth +of Boundaries. They landed here, and remained three days, and found that +it was no island, but a bay forming a good harbour. There were temples, +having idols of clay and wood, representing men, women, and serpents; but +no town could be seen, and it was conjectured that these served as chapels +for people who went a-hunting. During the three days that the Spaniards +remained here, they took several deer and rabbits by means of a greyhound +bitch they had with them; but they negligently left her at this place. +Going on their voyage from hence, and always laying to or coming to anchor +at night, to avoid falling in with rocks or shoals, they discovered the +mouth of a very large river, which promised to be a good harbour; but, on +sounding it, they found that it had water enough for the two smaller ships +only. The boats went up the river with great caution, as they saw many +armed men in canoes along shore, resembling those of Pontonchan. This +river was named _Tabasco_, from the cacique of a neighbouring town; but +the Spaniards called it Rio de Grijalva, from the name of their commander. +As the boats advanced they heard a noise made by the Indians who were +felling trees, as, having heard of what had happened at Pontonchan, they +concluded the Spaniards meant to make war upon them. + +The Spaniards landed at a grove of palms about half a mile from the town, +and the Indians came towards them with about fifty canoes full of armed +men in a warlike posture, all finely decorated with feathers. When all +were ready on both sides to begin an engagement, Grijalva sent Julian and +Melchior to speak with the natives. These interpreters told them that the +Spaniards were come to treat about some affairs that would please them, +and did not intend to go war, unless forced in their own defence. On this +four canoes drew near, and being shewn certain strings of glass beads, +which they mistook for a sort of stones called _chalcibites_, much valued +among them, they were pacified. Then Grijalva ordered the interpreters to +say, That he and his men were subjects of a great king, to whom mighty +princes were under obedience, and it was both reasonable and for their +advantage that they too should submit themselves to his authority; and +desired them, until these things could be explained more fully, to supply +him and his men with provisions. The Indians answered, That they would +give provisions, but saw no reason why, having a lord of their own, they +should submit to any other. They likewise warned the Spaniards to beware +of making war against them, as they had done at Pontonchan; for they had +provided three _xiquiples_ of armed men against them, each xiquiple being +8,000. That they already knew the Spaniards had killed and wounded above +200 of the people of Pontonchan; but that they were not so few and weak as +the people of that place, and had been deputed to know their intentions, +of which they would make a true report to a numerous assembly of wise men, +who were waiting to determine on peace or war, according to their answer. +Grijalva gave them several strings of beads, looking-glasses, and other +such trifles, and charged them to bring him an answer without delay, as +otherwise he would be obliged to go to their town, but not to do any harm. +He then returned to the ships, and the messengers delivered their message +to all the chief men of the tribe who were wont to be consulted on great +affairs, who determined that peace were better than war. They immediately +sent, therefore, a number of Indians to the ships, loaded with roasted +fish, hens, several sorts of fruit, and the bread of the country, all of +which they placed on mats on the ground in a very orderly manner, laying +beside them a handsome mask of wood, and several pieces of very beautiful +feather-work; and one of the Indians said that the lord of the town would +come next day to visit the Spaniards. + +Next day, accordingly, the cacique went on board Grijalvas ship without +jealousy, attended by many people all unarmed. On perceiving their +approach, Grijalva dressed himself in a loose coat of crimson velvet and a +cap of the same, with suitable ornaments; and being a handsome man of +twenty-eight years of age, made a fine appearance. The cacique was +received on board with much respect, and sitting down with Grijalva, some +discourse took place between them, of which both understood very little, +as it was mostly carried on by signs, and by means of a few words which +Melchior and Julian were able to interpret. After some time, the cacique +ordered one of his attendants to take from a _petaca_, or a kind of trunk, +the presents which he had brought for the Spaniards. The Indian +accordingly took out certain plates of gold, and thin boards covered with +gold, in the nature of armour, which fitted Grijalva as perfectly as if +they had been made on purpose; and the cacique put them on him himself, +changing any that did not fit for others, till at length Grijalva was +fitted with a complete suit of golden armour. The cacique also presented +him with various works of gold and feathers, which are much valued among +these people; and it was wonderful how splendid Grijalva appeared in all +these fine ornaments, for which he made every sign of gratitude to the +cacique. He called for a shirt of fine linen, which with his own hands he +put upon the cacique; then took off his coat of crimson velvet, with which +he clothed him, and put a pair of new shoes on his feet, and gave him some +of the finest strings of beads and looking-glasses, with scissars, knives, +and several articles of tin; and distributed many such among the caciques +attendants. What the cacique had given to Grijalva was computed to be +worth 3000 pieces of eight; among which was a wooden helmet covered with +thin plates of gold, and three or four masks, some of which were studded +with a sort of stones resembling emeralds. The sight of all these things +made the Spaniards eager to settle in a country which produced so much +wealth. Grijalva, after receiving this great present at Tabasco, was +sensible that the Indians were not willing he should prolong his stay; and +on asking for more gold, the Indians answered _Culua_, _culua_. + +He now proceeded farther along the coast, and in two days came to a town +called _Aqualunco_, which the Spaniards called _la Rambla_. The +inhabitants of this place were seen at a distance, armed with targets of +tortoiseshell, which glittered so in the sun that the Spaniards believed +they had been of pale gold. They discovered a bay into which the river +Tonala discharges itself, which they visited on their return, and called +it the river of St Anthony. At some distance farther on they saw the great +river of _Guazacoallo_, which they could not enter on account of bad +weather. After this they had a view of the _Snowy Islands_[2] of New Spain, +which the soldiers named St Martin. Holding on their course, Alvaredo, +having the headmost ship, entered a river called _Papaloava_, but which +the Spaniards named Alvaredos river. Here the natives of a town, called +_Tavotulpale_ brought fish, and the other ships waited till Alvaredo came +out. Beyond this they came to the mouth of another river, which they named +Rio de las Banderas, or Flag-river, because the Indians waved large white +cloths on long poles, like colours, as if inviting the Spaniards to land. +The country, on the coast of which the Spaniards now were, was a province +of the great empire of Mexico, over which Montezuma then reigned, a prince +of great wisdom and penetration, who had heard of the exploits of the +Spaniards, and the pains they took to become acquainted with the sea +coasts of his dominions. He was uneasy on this account, and was anxious to +learn who and what these people were, and wherefore they took so much +pains to examine the state of countries which did not belong to them. For +this purpose, he had given directions to the governors of these maritime +provinces, to take every opportunity of trading with these strangers, and +to send him an account of their motions from time to time, that he might +be able to come to some distinct notion respecting them and their +intentions. Seeing themselves thus invited on shore, Grijalva ordered two +boats to land under the charge of Captain Montejo, having all the +musketeers belonging to the armament and twenty other soldiers; with +orders, in case the Indians appeared in a warlike posture, that he should +give notice by signal, that succours might be sent him. As soon as Montejo +landed, the Indians presented him with fowls, bread, and fruit, and +perfumed him and his men by burning copal in fire-pans. Julian was not +able to understand the language of these people, which was Mexican, and +Montejo sent advice to Grijalva of the friendly behaviour of the Indians, +on which he brought his ships to anchor, and landed himself. He was +received with great respect by the Mexican governor and other men of note, +to whom he presented some glass beads and necklaces of several colours. +The governor ordered the Indians to bring gold to barter with the +Spaniards, and in the course of six days stay at this place, they got to +the value of 15,000 pieces of eight in gold baubles and toys of various +shapes. Hitherto all things had succeeded so as to do great credit to +Grijalva and his companions, yet nothing had been done to satisfy the high +expectation which had been formed in Cuba of this expedition. This +prompted Grijalva to lose as little time as possible in proceeding to +explore the country; and, having presented the cacique with such things as +he had to give, he took formal possession of the country for the king, and +for James Velasquez in the king's name, and embarked to go elsewhere, +because the north winds blew upon the land, and rendered his farther stay +unsafe. Proceeding on the voyage, he found an island near the continent +having whitish sands, which therefore he called _Isla Blancha_, or the +White Island, and not far off another, four leagues from the continent, +which he called _Isla Verde_, or the Green Island. Farther on they came to +another, a league and a half from the land, and there being a good +road-stead opposite, Grijalva brought the ships to anchor, and went on +shore in his boat at a place where some smoke was seen. He there found two +houses well built with stone and lime, having many steps which led up to +altars, on which there were idols; and they perceived that five men had +been sacrificed there that night, their breasts being ripped open, their +legs and thighs cut off, and the walls all bloody. This sight greatly +astonished the Christians, who called this place the Island of Sacrifices. +They landed afterwards on the coast opposite that island, making +themselves huts of boughs covered with sails, to which some natives +resorted to barter gold in small figures; but the natives being shy, and +the gold in small quantity, the Spaniards removed to another island only +half a league from the coast. Landing on the shore, they built barracks on +the highest part of the strand, to avoid the plague of mosquitos or gnats; +and having sounded the harbour, they found sufficient water for the ships, +which were sheltered from the north wind by the small island. Grijalva +went over to the small island with thirty soldiers in two boats, where he +found an idol temple and four priests clad in very long black mantles with +hoods. That very day they had sacrificed two boys, whom they found ripped +open and their hearts taken out, which moved the Spaniards to compassion. +Grijalva asked an Indian who had come with him from the Rio de Banderas, +who seemed a good rational person, what was the reason of this barbarous +practice, to which he answered, that the people of _Ulua_ would have it so. +On this account, and because Grijalvas name was Juan, this island has +always been called since _St Juan de Ulua_, to distinguish it from St Juan +de Puerto Rico. Grijalva staid here seven days, bartering for some small +quantity of gold. At length, the people being quite tired of the trouble +they received from prodigious swarms of gnats, and being quite certain the +country they had visited was the continent, having many large towns, which +justified the name of New Spain which they had given it; the cazibi bread +they had on board becoming mouldy, and the men being too few to settle a +colony in so populous a country, ten having died of their wounds, and many +of the rest being sick; it was judged proper to return to Cuba to give an +account to Velasquez of all their proceedings and discoveries, more +especially as he had expressly prohibited the making of any settlement, +that he might hereafter send a greater number for that purpose if he +judged right. Yet Grijalva was much inclined to remain and build a town, +and made choice of Alvaredo to carry a message to that effect to Velasquez, +sending by him all the gold and other curiosities which had been procured, +and all the sick. + +After the departure of Grijalva from Cuba, Velasquez became very anxious +about his ships, which were navigating upon an unknown coast, and sent +therefore Christopher de Olido, a commander of good character, in a ship +with seventy soldiers, to endeavour to procure intelligence. While Olido +was at anchor on the coast of Yucutan, there arose so violent a storm that +he was forced to cut his cables, and run back to St Jago. Much about this +time Alvaredo arrived with the gold, cotton cloth, and other things from +Grijalva, and a relation of all that had been done during the expedition. +This was very satisfactory to Velasquez, who conceived great hopes of +brilliant consequences from the discoveries, and the news spread about the +island of Cuba, to the great astonishment and admiration of all men. +Velasquez was a severe master to those who served him, over credulous, and +easily provoked by misrepresentations. And Alvaredo having been of opinion +for settling a colony in New Spain, represented the affair to him in any +way he thought proper, and gave him very bad impressions of the man who +had served him so very successfully and faithfully, with such strict +regard to the orders he had given. Leaving this for the present, we +proceed to give an account of the farther operations of Grijalva in +obtaining a clear account of this part of the continent he was sent to +discover. + +Soon after Alvaredo set out for Cuba, by the advice of his captains and +pilots, Grijalva continued his exploration of the coast, which he sailed +along in sight of the mountains of _Tuspa_, so named from a town in that +neighbourhood. Proceeding onwards to the province of Panuco, they saw +several towns on the shore, and a river which they named _Decancas_. While +they lay here at anchor rather off their guard, ten canoes full of armed +men came towards the ship commanded by Alonzo de Avila, and poured in a +flight of arrows, by which five men were wounded, and then attempted to +cut the cables, that they might carry off the ship, and even succeeded so +far as to cut one of the cables. The men on board de Avilas ship behaved +themselves well, and overset two of the canoes, yet required the aid of +fire-arms from the other ships before they could drive away the Indians. +At last, many of the Indians being wounded, they desisted from their rash +enterprise, and made for the land. From this place the Spaniards sailed +along the coast till they came to a large point of land which they found +very difficult to double, and the pilot Alaminos represented that it was +very inconvenient to proceed any farther in that direction. The captains +and pilots now consulted as to what was best to be done, some of whom were +for returning along the coast in search of a proper place in which to +settle a colony. Montejo and Avila differed from this opinion, +representing that winter was approaching, that provisions were growing +scarce, and one of the ships very leaky; for all which reasons it was +advisable to return to Cuba; the more especially because the natives of +this coast were numerous and warlike, and the Spaniards were so much +fatigued by having been so long at sea, that they were not able to +maintain their ground. Added to this, Grijalva considered that his +instructions were positive not to attempt any settlement; and this being +backed by the opinion of his captains, Montejo and Avila, he determined to +return. Tacking about, therefore, he came back to the great river of +_Guazacoallo_, but could not enter it on account of bad weather. They +proceeded thence to the river of Tonala, which they had named St Anthony, +where they careened their leaky ship. While here, many Indians came to +them from the town, which was a league off, bringing fowls, bread, and +other provisions, which they bartered for Spanish toys; and the news +having spread over the country, others came from Guazacoallo, and other +neighbouring towns, bringing provisions, small gold plates, and very +bright copper axes with painted handles. Thinking these axes had been pale +gold, the Spaniards purchased six hundred of them, and the natives would +willingly have sold them more. + +While at this place, one Bartholomew Prado went to a temple which stood in +the fields, whence he brought some of the perfume used by the Indians, +named _copal_, or, as some call it, _gum anime_. He also brought away the +knives of flint, with which the priests sacrifice men to their false gods, +by ripping them open, and some idols. He delivered all these things to +Grijalva, having first taken off the ear-rings, pendants, plates, and +crowns of gold with which the idols were adorned, worth about ninety +pieces of eight, which he endeavoured to conceal; but not being able to +dissemble his joy for the booty he had obtained, Grijalva had notice of it; +yet, being of a generous temper, he restored all to Prado, reserving only +the fifth for the king. When they had refitted their ship, they sailed in +forty-five days to Cuba, with gold to the value of 4000 pieces of eight, +besides what Alvaredo had carried. When they came to pay the fifth for the +copper axes, which they had bought for gold, they were much confused on +finding them rusty. They put into the harbour of Matancas, where Grijalva +found a letter from Velasquez, ordering him to tell the soldiers that +another fleet was fitting out for returning to make a settlement in New +Spain, and that those who chose to go back should remain at some farms +belonging to the governor in that neighbourhood. Grijalva himself was +ordered to come with all speed with the ships to Santiago, where the new +fleet was fitting out. On appearing before Velasquez, he had no thanks for +all the trouble he had been at, and was even abused for not having made a +settlement, though he had acted exactly according to his instructions. +This was a capital blunder in Velasquez, as he seemed resolved to find a +person fitted both for making discoveries and of betraying him by setting +up for himself. One would have imagined that a man of so much good sense +as Velasquez certainly had, would have had the judgment to retain in his +employment a person so fit for his purpose as Grijalva had proved; and the +very thing for which he disgraced him ought assuredly to have preserved +him from that fate, since only by a scrupulous regard to his instructions +had he refrained, after such valuable discoveries, from pursuing that line +of conduct by which he was most likely to have established his fortune and +independence. But Velasquez, like many other men of excellent abilities, +often preferred the opinions of others to his own, thereby losing the +opportunities which his superior talents afforded. Yet it is highly +probable that this very error contributed more to the important conquests +which were afterwards made by the Spaniards, than the wisest measures he +could have taken. + + +[1] The Sue Tajassu of Naturalists, or the Pecary. This singular species + of the hog tribe, has an open glandular orifice in the hinder part of + the back, which discharges an unctuous foetid liquor, which must be + cut out immediately after the death of the animal, otherwise the whole + carcase is soon tainted with an intolerable odour.--E. + +[2] This is probably an error for the _Sierra Nevada_, or Snowy + Mountains.--E. + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY AND CONQUEST OF MEXICO, WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1568, +BY CAPTAIN BERNAL DIAZ DEL CASTILLO, ONE OF THE CONQUERORS. + +INTRODUCTION. + + +Although the present chapter may not, at first sight, appear +strictly conformable to the plan of this work, which professes to be a +Collection of Voyages and Travels, it is, notwithstanding, very intimately +connected with our plan, as every step of the conquerors, from their first +landing on the coast of the Mexican empire, to the final completion of the +conquest and reduction of the numerous dependent provinces, must be +considered as discoveries of kingdoms, provinces, and people before +utterly unknown. In our endeavours to convey a clear view of this +important event to our readers, we have preferred the original narrative +of Bernal Diaz, one of the companions of Cortes, who accompanied him +during the whole of his memorable and arduous enterprise, _an eye-witness +of every thing which he relates, and whose history, notwithstanding the +coarseness of its style, has been always much esteemed for the simplicity_ +and sincerity of the author, everywhere discoverable_[1]. Those who are +desirous of critically investigating the subject, as a matter of history, +will find abundant information in the History of Mexico by Clavigero, and +in Robertson's History of America. In our edition of the present article +we have largely availed ourselves of _The true History of the Conquest of +Mexico by Bernal Diaz_, translated by Maurice Keating, Esq. and published +in 1800; but which we have not servilely copied on the present occasion. +This history is often rather minute on trivial circumstances, and somewhat +tedious in its reprehensions of a work on the same subject by Francisco +Lopez de Gomara; but as an original document, very little freedom has been +assumed in lopping these redundancies. The whole has been carefully +collated with the history of the same subject by Clavigero, and with the +recent interesting work of Humbolt, so as to ascertain the proper +orthography of the Mexican names of persons, places, and things, and to +illustrate or correct circumstances and accounts of events, wherever that +seemed necessary. Diaz commences his work with his own embarkation from +Spain in 1514, and gives an account of the two previous expeditions of +Hernandez de Cordova, and Juan de Grijalva, to the coast of New Spain, +both already given in the preceding chapter, but which it would have been +improper to have expunged in this edition of the original work of Diaz. + +[Illustration: Sketch of Mexico and its Environs] + + +[1] Clavigero, History of Mexico, translated by C. Cullen, I. xiii. + + + + +PREFACE BY THE AUTHOR. + + +I, BERNAL DIAZ DEL CASTILLO, regidor of the loyal city of Guatemala, +while composing this most true history of the conquest of Mexico, happened +to see a work by Francisco Lopez de Gomara on the same subject, the +elegance of which made me ashamed of the vulgarity of my own, and caused +me to throw away my pen in despair. After having read it, however, I found +it full of misrepresentations of the events, having exaggerated the number +of natives which we killed in the different battles, in a manner so +extraordinary as to be altogether unworthy of credit. Our force seldom +much exceeded four hundred men, and even if we had found the multitudes he +speaks of bound hand and foot, we had not been able to put so many to +death. In fact we were often greatly at a loss to protect ourselves, and +were daily reduced to pray to God for deliverance from the many perils +which environed us on every side. Alaric and Atilla, those great +conquerors, did not slay such numbers of their enemies as Gomara pretends +we did in New Spain. He alleges that we burned many cities and temples, +forgetting that any of us, the true conquerors, were still alive to +contradict his assertions. He often magnifies the merit of one officer at +the expence of another, and even speaks of the exploits of some captains +who were not engaged in the expedition. He pretends that Cortes gave +secret orders for the destruction of our ships; whereas this was done by +the common consent of us all, that we might add the seamen to our small +military force. He most unjustly depreciates the character of Juan de +Grijalva, who was a very valiant commander. He omits the discovery of +Yucutan by Hernandez de Cordova. He erroneously supposes Garay to have +been actually in the expedition which he fitted out. His account of the +defeat of Narvaez is sufficiently accurate; but that which he gives of the +war of Tlascala is exceedingly erroneous. He treats the war in Mexico as a +matter of little importance, though we there lost above 870 of our +soldiers. He makes no mention of our loss during the memorable siege of +that city, but treats of it as of a festival or a marriage pageant. + +It is needless to enlarge on his numerous errors in this place. I shall +therefore proceed to my own narrative, ever mindful that the beauty of +historical composition is _truth_, and shall carefully relate the conquest +of New Spain, recording the heroic services of us the true conquerors; who, +though few in number, gained this rich country to his majesty through many +dangers and infinite hardships, under the guidance of the brave and +adventurous captain, HERNANDO CORTES; using in my work such ornament and +embellishment of language as may seem proper to the occasion. For these +great services, his majesty has often issued orders that we should be +amply rewarded, but his orders have not hitherto been obeyed. My narrative +will afford sufficient materials for future historians to celebrate the +fame of our general, Cortes, and the merits of those brave conquerors by +whom this great and holy enterprise was achieved. This is not a history of +ancient nations, made up of vain reveries, and idle hearsays, but contains +a true relation of events of which I was an actor and an eye-witness. +Gomara received and wrote such accounts of these events as tended to +enhance the fame and merit of Cortes exclusively, neglecting to make +mention of our valiant captains and brave soldiers; and the whole tenor of +his work shews his partiality to that family, by which he is patronized. +By him also the doctor Illescas, and the bishop Paulus Jovius have been +misled in the works which they have published. But in the course of this +history, as a vigilant pilot proceeds cautiously among shoals and +quicksands by the help of the line, so I, in my progress to the haven of +truth, shall expose the errors and misrepresentations of Gomara: Yet if I +were to point out every error he has committed, the chaff would much +exceed the grain. + +I have brought this history to a conclusion, in the loyal city of +Guatimala, the residence of the royal audience, this 26th of February 1572. + + + + +SECTION I. + +_Expedition of Hernandez de Cordova, in 1517_. + + +I left Castille in the year 1514, along with Pedro Arias de Avila, then +appointed to the government of Tierra Firma, and arrived with him at +Nombre de Dios. A pestilence raged in the colony at our arrival, of which +many of the soldiers died, and most of the survivors were invalids. De +Avila gave his daughter in marriage to a gentleman named Vasco Nunez de +Balboa, who had conquered that province; but becoming afterwards +suspicious that Balboa intended to revolt, he caused him to be beheaded. +As troubles were likely to take place in this colony, several of us who +were men of good families, asked permission from Avila to go over to Cuba, +which had been lately settled under the government of Diego Velasquez. He +readily granted this request, as he had brought more soldiers from Spain +than were needed in his province, which was already subdued. We went +accordingly to Cuba, where we were kindly received by Velasquez, who +promised to give us the first lands that fell vacant; but, after waiting +three years, reckoning from the time of leaving Spain, and no settlements +offering, an hundred and ten of us chose Francisco Hernandez de Cordova +for our captain, a wealthy gentleman of Cuba, and determined to go on a +voyage of discovery under his command. For this purpose, we bought two +vessels of considerable burthen, and procured a bark on credit from +Velasquez, who proposed as a condition, that we should make a descent on +the islands called _Los Guanages_, between Cuba and Honduras, to seize a +number of the inhabitants as slaves, in order by their sale to repay the +expence of the bark: But when this proposal was made known to the soldiers, +we unanimously refused, as it was unjust, and neither permitted by God nor +the king to make slaves of freemen. Velasquez assented to the justice of +our objections, and gave us all the assistance in his power in regard to +provisions. We accordingly laid in a store of hogs at three crowns each, +there being no oxen or sheep at that time in Cuba, and a quantity of +_cassava_ bread, as flour was not to be had for biscuits. With these sorry +provisions, and some trifling toys and ornaments to barter with the +Indians, we assembled at a port named _Agaruco_, on the north side of Cuba, +eight leagues from the town of St Christopher, the inhabitants of which +removed two years afterwards to the Havanna. Our chief pilot was Antonio +de Alaminos of Palos, and two others named Comacho de Triana, and Juan +Alvarez. We got also a priest, named Alonso Gonzales to go with the +expedition; and appointed a soldier named Bernardino Iniguez as _veedor_, +to take care of his majesties rights in case of procuring any gold during +the voyage. + +Having provided ourselves in necessaries as well as we could, and +recommended ourselves to God and the Holy Virgin, we sailed from the port +of Agaruco on the 8th of February 1517. In twelve days we passed Cape St +Antonio in the land of a tribe of savages called _Guanatareyes_, after +which we sailed to the westwards at random, being entirely ignorant of the +shallows, currents, or prevailing, winds in these seas. We were in most +imminent danger during our voyage for two days and two nights in a violent +storm; but the wind subsided, and in twenty-one days after leaving Cuba, +we came to a coast which had never been before discovered. On nearing the +shore, we saw a large town about two leagues inland, which we named Grand +Cairo, as it exceeded any of the towns in Cuba. Our bark was sent forwards +to examine the coast. Five canoes came off to us on the morning of the 4th +March. These boats of the Indians resemble troughs, being hollowed out of +a single trunk of a tree, and many of them are large enough to contain +fifty men. We invited the people by signs to come on board, and above +thirty of them came aboard Cordovas ship without shewing the smallest +apprehension, where they were treated with such provisions as we had, and +each of them received a string of green glass beads. Having examined the +vessels with much admiration, they went to the shore, promising by signs +to return next day with a greater number of canoes, in order to bring us +all on shore. All these Indians had close cotton dresses, having a narrow +cloth round their waists, being more decent than the natives of Cuba, +where the women only use this piece of dress. Next day the same chief came +off with twelve large canoes, inviting our captain to go on shore, +repeating frequently _con-escotoch, con-escotoch_, which we understood to +mean, _come to our town_, and from this circumstance we named the place +_Punta de Cotoche_. We resolved to accept the invitation, but using the +precaution to go in a body at one embarkation, as we saw many Indians on +shore. We therefore hoisted out our own boats, and in them and the canoes +and our own small bark, we proceeded to the land. After landing, we halted +to consider what we should do, and as the cacique still urged us by signs +to accompany him, we marched on in good order, fifteen of our men being +armed with cross-bows and ten with muskets. As we were passing some thick +woods, the cacique suddenly called aloud to a body of Indians which he had +posted there in ambush, who immediately sallied out, pouring in a flight +of arrows, by which fifteen of our soldiers were wounded. These Indians +wore thick coats of quilted cotton, and besides their bows and arrows, +were armed with lances, shields, and slings, and had their heads +ornamented with feathers. After discharging their arrows they advanced to +attack us with their lances; but our sharp swords, and the repeated +discharges of our muskets and cross-bows, soon drove them to a distance, +leaving fifteen of their men dead on the field. We took likewise two +prisoners, who were afterwards baptized by the names of Julian and +Melchior, and became useful as interpreters. On our return to the shore, +we had the pleasure to find that Gonzales had taken care of the chests we +had brought to land with articles for barter, as he had taken them off to +the ships, with the assistance of two natives of Cuba. Near the place of +the engagement, there were three buildings of stone and lime, in which +were several idols of clay in strange unnatural postures, with diabolical +countenances, and several wooden chests containing smaller idols, some +vessels, three diadems, and several figures of birds and fish, all of +inferior gold. + +Having reimbarked, we proceeded along shore as formerly, coasting to the +west. After fifteen days sailing with great caution along an unknown coast, +we got sight of a large town near an inlet or creek, which had the +appearance of being the mouth of a river. We named this place St Lazarus, +because discovered on the Sunday of that saint; and we determined to +attempt procuring water at this place, being in much want, as our casks +were bad, not having sufficient means to purchase proper vessels at Cuba. +As the ebb-tide left an extensive shallow, we left our two large ships a +league from shore, and went well armed in our bark and the boats, to a +place from which the town was supplied with water; as so far as we could +discover this country has no running streams. Just as we had filled our +casks, about fifty Indians, dressed in cotton mantles, came towards us, +who all appeared to be chiefs. They inquired by signs what we wanted; and +we answered in the same manner, that we came for water, and were now +returning to our ships. They then pointed to the eastwards, as if asking +if we came from thence, frequently repeating the word _Castillano_. After +this, they invited us to their town, to which we accordingly went, and +came to some large and well-constructed temples, built of stone and lime, +having the figures of idols and serpents painted on the walls. On entering +one of these temples, we could plainly perceive the traces of fresh spilt +blood on one of the altars. We saw likewise several strange idolatrous +figures and symbolical paintings, altogether impressing us with horror and +astonishment. All this while the natives behaved peaceably, but collected +in great numbers, apparently from curiosity, yet we stood upon our guard, +remembering how we had been treated at the former place. A body of the +natives made their appearance, in very ragged dresses, each of whom +carried a bundle of dry reeds, which they laid in a heap, and then retired. +Soon afterwards came two bodies of warriors, dressed and armed like those +at the former place, each headed by a chief or captain, who drew up at +some distance from us. Immediately after this, ten priests rushed out from +a neighbouring temple. These men wore loose robes of white cotton, having +their long hair clotted with blood, and all matted and twisted together. +They bore vessels in their hands containing fire and aromatics, with which +they fumigated us, and made us to understand by signs, that they would put +us to death if we did not quit their country before the fuel lying by us +was consumed, which they now kindled and retired. The warriors who were +drawn up opposite us, began to make a noise, beating their drums, sounding +their horns, and whistling with great violence. Seeing these threatening +preparations, we deemed it prudent to retreat to our boats, on board of +which our water-casks had been already embarked, and returning to our +ships we proceeded on our voyage. + +We coasted along for six days, during which time we had a violent storm +from the north, by which we were in great danger of being driven on shore. +We suffered much also from want of water, owing to the insufficiency of +our casks, and were often obliged to go on shore to sink wells for our +daily supply. At the end of six days, we came opposite a town about a +league from the shore, to which we determined to go, and came to anchor +therefore as near as we could. The name of this town was _Pontonchon_, in +which we could see several buildings of stone and lime, and it appeared to +be surrounded with fields of maize. We landed, and having found a spring +of water, we immediately began to fill our casks. While busied in this +necessary employment, several large bodies of warriors approached us in +silence. These men had their bodies covered to their knees with defensive +armour of cotton; their faces were painted black, white, and red, and +their heads were ornamented with plumes of feathers. Besides bows, arrows, +and slings, they had shields and two-handed swords. These people addressed +us in the same manner with those of Campechy, pointing to the east, and +repeating _Castillano_, _Castillano_; to which we replied by signs that we +came from the east, yet were much at a loss to know the intention of this +inquiry, and whether to understand it favourable or otherwise. Meaning to +remain on shore for the night, we formed ourselves in a compact body, with +sentinels on every side, and consulted together as to our farther +proceedings. We heard at this time a great noise among the Indians, which +we suspected to threaten us with evil; and some of us proposed to embark, +which was considered as too dangerous in the face of the enemy, while +others were for making an immediate attack, on the old principle, that the +assailant usually conquers; but the odds against us was at least 300 to +one, and this council was rejected as too rash. Day at length broke, and +gave us a view of our danger. Great bodies of warriors were seen advancing +with their standards displayed to join those who had assembled on the +preceding evening, and we soon found that we must exert our utmost efforts +for our defence, putting our trust in the mercy of GOD to relieve us from +our dangerous situation. The Indians surrounding us on every side, +immediately attacked us hand to hand, and soon wounded ten of our men; but +the execution made by our swords and fire-arms made them draw off to some +distance, whence they plied their arrows to good effect. They continually +called out, _al calachioni_, _al calachioni_, which we understood to mean, +Aim at the captain, who was wounded by arrows in twelve different places. +I also had three wounds, one of which in my left side, was very dangerous, +and two of our men were carried off alive. Seeing all our exertions +ineffectual, as the enemy continually received reinforcements, and above +fifty of our number were already slain, Cordova gave orders to force our +way through the enemy, which we effected in a compact body, the enemy +keeping up a close pursuit, continually pouring in their arrows, and even +attacking us with their spears. We at last reached our boats, which sunk +in the hurry and pressure of our embarkation, and many of us had to +endeavour to reach the bark, which came as near as possible to receive us, +half wading and half swimming. In this last effort many of our soldiers +were wounded, and it was with the utmost difficulty that any of us escaped. +This disastrous action lasted half an hour, and on mustering our force +after we got back to the ships, we found we had lost fifty-seven men. Our +wounds soon became very painful, owing to the cold and the sea water, and +we cursed Alaminos and his discoveries, who still persisted that this land +was an island. We gave this bay the name of _de Mala Prelea_, or of the +unlucky fight. One soldier only of those who escaped was unwounded, most +of us having three or four wounds, and our captain twelve. Many of the +sailors likewise were disabled; for which reason we set the smallest +vessel on fire, distributing her crew to the others. Our greatest +misfortune was that we had been forced to leave our casks behind, so that +during the rest of the time we remained at sea we were reduced to +inexpressible distress for want of water, our lips and tongues becoming +full of cracks from intolerable thirst. Such are the cruel hardships +attendant on voyages of discovery. + +After three days sail, observing a creek which we hoped might lead to +fresh water, fifteen sailors and three soldiers went on shore to examine +it; but the only water they could find was salt, and some which they got +from pits which they sunk on the shore was not drinkable even in our +distressed situation. This was called _Alligators Creek_, as it contained +a great number of these animals. The prevailing winds at this time were +from the north and north-east, which increased to a storm, in which we +were near perishing. When it subsided, we determined on returning to the +Havanna; but, by the advice of Alaminos, we made in the first place for +the coast of Florida, which by his charts, and the observations he had +made of our voyage, was 70 leagues distant. He was well acquainted with +this navigation, as he had been there ten or twelve years before[1] with +Juan Ponce de Leon, and steering across the gulf, we came to that country +in four days sail. Our first object was to obtain a supply of water; for +our captain was sinking daily under the distress of his wounds and +intolerable thirst, and we were all in much need of that indispensable +necessary of life. Twenty of us, among whom I was one, went on shore with +the casks as soon as possible, being warned by Alaminos to be on our guard +against a sudden attack from the natives, who had fallen upon him by +surprise when formerly on that coast. We accordingly posted a guard in an +open place near the shore, and set about digging some pits, in which we +had the satisfaction to find excellent water. We remained about an hour +washing our linens and bathing our wounds, which delay enabled the Indians +to attack us, one of our centinels giving us the alarm only a few moments +before they appeared. The Indians, who were tall, athletic men, dressed in +the skins of beasts, immediately let fly a shower of arrows, by which six +of us were wounded, and myself among the rest. We soon beat them off, +however, when they went to the assistance of another party who had come +round in some canoes, and were dragging away our boat, after wounding +Alaminos and four sailors. We followed them as quickly as possible, wading +up to our middles in the sea, and rescued the boat, after killing +twenty-two of the Indians, and making prisoners of three who were only +slightly wounded, yet died afterwards during our voyage to Cuba. + +After the natives were driven away, we inquired of the soldier who gave us +the alarm of the enemy, what had become of his comrade? He reported, that +a short time before he came to us, his companion went to the water side to +cut down a palmito, and soon afterwards, hearing him cry out, being as he +supposed in the hands of the enemy, he ran towards us and gave the alarm. +The soldier thus amissing, named Berrio, was the only person who escaped +from Pontonchan unwounded. We went to seek for him, and found the palmito +he had begun to cut, around which the ground was much trodden, but no +trace of blood, from which we concluded he had been carried away alive. +Having sought him in vain for an hour, we returned on board with the water, +to the infinite joy of our companions, who were quite beside themselves on +its arrival. One man leapt into the boat immediately on its getting +along-side, and never ceased drinking till he died. We next proceeded to a +certain low island called _los Baxos de los Martyres_, where our +commanders ship struck on a sunken rock, and took in so much water that +she was near sinking; indeed we greatly feared that our utmost exertions +at the pump could not bring her into port. When two of our sailors, who +were from the Levant, were called upon to aid in pumping, they calmly +replied _facetelo vos_, or Do it yourselves, when we were almost exhausted +by fatigue, and the ship on the very point of going down. We compelled +them, however, to fall to, and by the blessing of GOD we got safe to the +harbour then called _Puerto de Carenas_, where the city of Havanna has +been since built. Our captain went immediately to his estate near _Spiritu +Santo_, where he died in ten days, and three soldiers died of their wounds +at the Havanna, and the rest dispersed to their different homes or +avocations. + +Immediately after our arrival, an express was sent to Velasquez the +governor of Cuba, informing him that we had discovered a country having +houses of stone and lime, where the inhabitants were decently clothed, +cultivating maize, and possessing gold; and the fame of our discovery was +soon spread through the island, by the soldiers and mariners who had +returned from the expedition. On producing the figures and idols which we +had brought over, it was believed that they had been brought to that +country by a _Jewish_ colony, flying after the destruction of Jerusalem by +Titus and Vespasian[2]. The name of _Yucutan_, which that country we +discovered acquired at this time, was occasioned by the following mistake. +_Yuca_ in the language of the country is the name of the plant used in the +islands for bread, there named _cazabi_, and _tale_ in the same language +signifies the heap of earth on which it is planted. When the two prisoners +whom we brought from thence were shewn this plant in Cuba, they +immediately recognized it, saying _Yucu-tal_, which was supposed to +signify their country, and has ever since been applied by the Spaniards to +that part of America, but pronounced _Yucutan_. They alleged likewise that +their country produced gold, or at least they were so understood, but this +has since been found not to be the case. All that we soldiers got by this +discovery, was to come back poor and wounded, and thankful that we had +saved our lives, having lost seventy out of our small number during the +expedition. Diego Velasquez wrote an account to his patron, the bishop of +Burgos, of all the particulars of this discovery, and the expences he had +incurred, by which he obtained fame and credit from his majesty; but +nothing was said in favour of us poor soldiers, who had expended our +property, and risked our lives in the expedition. + +As soon as our wounds were healed, I and two other soldiers, desiring to +go to the town of Trinidad, agreed for our passage with an inhabitant of +the Havanna, who was going there in a canoe to sell a cargo of cotton, for +which he was to be paid ten crowns in gold. We accordingly embarked with +him, and after coasting along for eleven days, we were driven on shore in +a violent gale of wind, near an Indian town named _Canarreon_, the canoe +being dashed to pieces, while we reached the shore with much difficulty +naked, bruised, and wounded. We were forced to adopt the clothing of our +first parents, and tied sandals to our feet made of bark which we cut from +the trees with sharp stones, fixing them on by means of the tough flexible +roots of a plant called _bejucos_. Travelling in this sorry plight, we +came in two days to the village of _Yaguarrama_, where _Fray Bartholome de +las Casas_ was then parish priest, who was afterwards bishop of _Chiapa_. +I went next day to the town of _Chipiona_, belonging to Alonso de Avila, +where I got myself decently clothed at the house of a friend named +Antonio de Medina. I then continued my journey to St Jago, where the +governor, Velasquez, was preparing to fit out another expedition of +discovery. Being my relation, as well as governor, I went to wait upon him, +when he asked if I was willing to undertake another expedition to Yucutan. +I answered, that it ought rather to be called the land of wounds and +disasters. He replied, he knew that we suffered much in the last voyage, +but such was often the fate of those who sought fame and honour by new +discoveries, and that he would take care to inform the king of our +services, that we might be rewarded according to our merits. "And now," +said he, "my son, if you will try your fortune once more, I will place you +in a station where you may reap honour." + + +[1] The present voyage of Cordova was in 1517: that of Ponce de Leon in + 1512, only five years before.--E. + +[2] Nothing can be more ridiculous than this fancy of the Americans being + descended from the Jews: Without stopping to controvert this absurd + opinion, it need only be noticed that the Jews, at least after their + return from captivity, have uniformly rejected the use of images, even + under the severest persecutions; except perhaps in Spain, where the + modern Jews are said to worship the Catholic idols with much apparent + devotion, to avoid the terrors of the Inquisition.--E. + + + + +SECTION II. + +_Expedition of Juan de Grijalva in 1518_. + + +Encouraged by the accounts of the new discoveries which had been made in +the last expedition, Velasquez fitted out a new armament of four ships; +two of which had been on the former voyage, and the other two he now +purchased. This expedition was to be commanded in chief by his relation +Juan de Grijalva, under whom Pedro de Alvarado, Francisco de Montejo, and +Alonso de Avila were captains, all persons of known bravery, and +proprietors of estates in these islands. For this equipment, each captain +provided sailors and provisions, and the governor furnished ships, arms, +and other necessaries. The accounts which had been circulated of the +riches of the country, especially from the information of Melchior the +native, soon collected a number of unprovided adventurers from the +different islands, so that 240 _companions_ speedily engaged for the +expedition, among whom I resolved to try my fortune once more. We each +deposited a certain stipulated sum, to provide various necessary articles +for the voyage, and for our use when in the field. The orders given on the +occasion by Velasquez to Grijalva were, to bring back as much gold and +silver as he could procure, and in regard to colonization or settlements, +he left him to act according to circumstances as he might think best. We +had the same pilots as on the former voyage, with a fourth, whose name I +do not remember; Penalosa was our _veedor_, and Juan Diaz our chaplain. +The port of Matanzas was chosen as the most convenient rendezvous, as the +colonists had many plantations and flocks of swine in that neighbourhood. + +All our preparations being made, we set sail on the 5th of April 1518, +after hearing mass with great devotion, and in ten days doubled the point +of _Guaniguanico_, which the pilots call Cape St Antonio. In eight days +more we came in sight of the island of _Cozumel_, the currents forcing us +farther down than we had been in our former voyage. On sight of our ships, +the natives fled from a town on the island, but our people found two old +men concealed in a field of maize who were unable to follow the rest. Our +interpreters, Julianillo and Melchiorejo, whom we had made prisoners in +the former voyage, understood the language of these people, as the island +of Cozumel is only four leagues from their country. Grijalva treated these +people well, after which he gave them some presents and dismissed them, +being in hopes to induce the natives of the town to return. Some time +afterwards, an Indian woman of a good person and handsome countenance +joined us, who spoke the language of Jamaica, which is the same with that +spoken in Cuba. She told us that she had left Jamaica two years before in +a canoe, with her husband and nine other men, intending to fish at certain +islands; but the currents had driven them to this place, where the natives +sacrificed her husband and all her other companions. Expecting that this +woman might prevail on the natives to return to the town, Grijalva sent +her away for that purpose, allowing two days for her return, but she came +back next day, saying that none of them could be prevailed upon to come. +At this place, named _Santa Cruz_, we found a great deal of honey in hives, +several kinds of vegetables, such as boniatos and potatoes, and many hogs +of the country, having their navel on their backs. There are two smaller +towns on this island, which we did not visit, being unwilling to lose time. +Following the course of Cordova, we arrived in eight days at +_Champoton_[1], where we cast anchor a league from the shore, on account +of the water being very shoal at low ebbs. We disembarked with half of our +soldiers close to the town, and the natives remembering their former +success against us, attacked us immediately with much military parade. +From our former experience, we took care to be well prepared on this +occasion, and accordingly had our boats armed with falconets[2]. Half of +our men were wounded before we could reach the shore: But having formed on +the beach, and being reinforced by a second disembarkation, we soon +defeated them, on which they fled to the marshes; yet we lost three of our +men, our captain receiving three arrows, and having two of his teeth +knocked out. On entering the town after the defeat of the natives, we +found it entirely deserted, the inhabitants having likewise removed all +their effects. We took three prisoners, whom we endeavoured to reconcile +by kind usage, and sent them with a message to bring back their countrymen; +but they never returned, and we suspected our interpreters of dealing +treacherously so as to counteract our wishes. The field in which we fought +with these Indians was very stony, and swarmed prodigiously with locusts, +and these animals sprung up in such numbers during the action, striking us +in the face, that we hardly knew when to raise our shields in our defence, +or whether it was locusts or arrows which flew about us, they were so +mixed together. + +After staying four days in _Champoton_, we pursued our voyage to what +appeared the entrance of a large river; but Alaminos insisted that it was +the termination of a large island, on which account this inlet was called +_Boca de Terminos_. Grijalva went on shore with several officers and a +party of soldiers, to examine the bay and the adjacent country, where they +found several temples containing idols of clay and wood, some like women, +and others like serpents. As the country was quite uninhabited, and we +found many horns of deer at the temples, it was concluded they had been +built for the accommodation of hunters, when they frequented this part of +the country, which abounded in deer and rabbits. We killed ten of the +former, and many rabbits, by means of a dog we had with us, which we left +behind us by accident when we reimbarked; but we found him afterwards on +the shore, fat and sleek, when we returned on the expedition with Cortes. +Continuing along the coast to the westwards from _Boca de Terminos_, we +arrived in three days at another inlet called the river of _Tabasco_, from +a cacique in the neighbourhood, but which we named Rio de Grijalva, in +honour of our captain. Finding this inlet shallow, we entered with the +vessels of lightest draught of water, in which and our boats we embarked +our whole force; as from seeing numbers of armed Indians in canoes, we +concluded there was a populous town or district hard by, especially as we +found nets with fish in the track by which we entered. On approaching the +shore, we heard the noise of felling trees, which we concluded to be +preparations for defence, and we learnt afterwards that the natives were +acquainted with our transactions at Pontonchan. We landed at a point about +half a league from the town, close by a grove of palm trees, to which +place the natives advanced against us in martial order in about fifty +canoes, all painted and prepared for battle. We fortunately addressed them +by means of our interpreters, declaring that our intentions were pacific, +and invited their chiefs to a conference. On this about thirty Indians +landed, who were presented with beads of coloured glass, and our captain +made the interpreters explain to them, that we came from a distant country, +being the servants of a great prince, to whom he advised them to become +subjects, and besides, that he expected they would give us a supply of +provisions in return for our beads. Two these men, one a priest and +another a chief, made answer that they would willingly barter with us and +give us provisions, but that they had a sovereign of their own, and +advised us not to repeat the unseasonable demand of submission to our +prince, lest they should attack us as had been done at Pontonchan, having +two _xiquipils_ of warriors of 8000 men each: Yet, though confident in +their superior force, they had come to treat with us amicably, and would +report our proposal to their chiefs, after which they would bring their +decision, and inform us whether it was to be peace or war between us. +Grijalva embraced them in token of peace, and gave them several strings of +beads, requesting them to bring a speedy answer, which they promised, and +soon did, assuring us in name of their chiefs, of peace and concord; in +token of which thirty Indians came soon afterwards, loaded with broiled +fish, fowls, fruit, bread made of maize, and vessels with lighted coals to +fumigate us with certain perfumes. They then spread a mat on the ground, +which they covered with a mantle, on which they laid some golden toys made +in form of birds and lizards, and three strings of gold beads, desiring us +to accept these presents in a friendly manner, being all the gold they +could collect, which did not exceed the value of 200 crowns. They added +that there was abundance of gold to be had farther west, repeating several +times _Mexico_ and _Culua_, words which we did not then understand. We +were well satisfied with this proof that the country produced gold; and we +hastened to quit our present anchorage, as a gale from the north was +likely to happen, and might have proved fatal to the expedition. + +Two days sail from Tabasco, we arrived opposite to a town called +_Aguayaluco_, which we named _la Rambla_, where we observed many of the +inhabitants armed with shields of tortoise-shell, which the soldiers +believed to have been gold, from being polished and shining in the sun. We +came next to the mouth of the river Farole, which we named St Antonio. +Whence we continued our course by the mouth of the great river +_Coatzacualco_, observing a distant range of high mountains covered with +perpetual snow, and others nearer the sea, which we named the ridge of St +Martin, as being first noticed by a soldier of that name. At this time +Alvarado discovered a river called _Papaloapan_ by the natives, which was +afterwards called the river of Alvarado, into which he entered, and +procured some fish from the inhabitants of a town named _Tlacotalpan_. +Grijalva was much offended by the conduct of Alvarado on this occasion, as +we had to wait three days for his return; and gave pointed orders that no +ship should separate in future from the squadron without orders, lest any +unforeseen misfortune should happen that could not be remedied by +assistance from the rest. From thence, after the return of Alvarado, we +proceeded to a river which we named _Vanderas_, because some white banners +were waved by a number of Indians on the shore, as a signal of invitation +for us to land. + +It is now universally known that the city of Mexico is as large as Venice, +and is built in like manner in the water, and also that it is the capital +of a large empire, containing many extensive provinces, then ruled over by +a powerful monarch named Montezuma[3], whose thirst for conquest led him +to extend the boundaries of the empire in every direction. Having received +intelligence of our first appearance on this coast under Cordova, and of +the battle at _Champoton_; that our force was very small, and that our +object was to procure gold in exchange for articles which we had along +with us, all of which circumstances had been faithfully communicated to +him by means of paintings transmitted to his residence by expresses; he +issued orders, on receiving notice of our second arrival on his coast, to +procure our green glass beads in exchange for gold, as they set great +value on these baubles, not knowing they were artificial; and he likewise +directed his officers to make minute inquiries as to our persons and +intentions. We have likewise been told that he was greatly influenced in +regard to us, by an old tradition or prophesy, by which it was said that +men were to come from the rising sun who were to acquire the dominion of +his country. It was in compliance with these orders, that the officers of +Montezuma were now on the coast, and had made signs inviting us to come on +shore. Induced by the signals, Grijalva sent a party to land, under the +charge of Montejo, the weather being unusually favourable for the purpose. +On landing, we found the governor of the province attended by many natives, +having with them a quantity of provisions, such as fowls, bread, pines, +sapotes, and other fruit. They were reclining on mats under the shade of +some trees, and made signs for us to sit down by them, and as on former +occasions, perfumed us with fragrant gums. On this occasion our whole +intercourse was by signs, as our interpreters from _Cotoche_ in Yucutan, +did not understand the Mexican language. Our friendly reception being +reported to Grijalva, he immediately landed with all the rest of the +soldiers, and on his rank being made known to the Indians, he was treated +with extraordinary respect, which he returned with much politeness, +ordering beads and cut glass to be distributed among them, and expressing +a desire to obtain gold in return. On this occasion he procured gold in +various articles of workmanship, to the value of 15,000 crowns. On this +occasion, also, he made a formal act of possession of these territories +for his majesty, under the governor of Cuba; and, having distributed some +European shirts among the principal natives, we all returned on board. We +were accompanied by one of the natives, who was baptized by the name of +Francisco, whom I saw settled and married at the town of Santa Fe, after +the conquest of Mexico. + +After remaining six days at this place, we proceeded along the coast, +passing a low island about three leagues from the main which we named +_Isla blanca_, or the White Island. About a league and a half farther on, +we came to a larger island, where Grijalva landed with a party of soldiers. +On this island there were two well constructed buildings of stone and lime, +having each steps to ascend to the top, on each of which there was an +altar placed before certain hideous idols, where were also the bodies of +five miserable persons who had been sacrificed the night before, having +their hearts cut out, their limbs separated from their bodies, and their +blood sprinkled on the walls and altars. We named this _Isla de los +Sacrificios_, or Sacrifice Island. We landed on the coast opposite to this +island, where we built huts for ourselves and remained for some days, +expecting the natives to trade with us for gold. Many of them came to +visit us, but they brought very little of that metal, and seemed very shy +and timid, on which account we reimbarked and continued our voyage. + +When we arrived at that part of the coast which is opposite the island of +_St Juan de Ulua_, where _Vera Cruz_ now stands, we lodged ourselves in +huts on the sand hills, having discovered good anchorage at this place, +defended from the north winds. Grijalva, with about thirty of us, went +over to examine the island, where we found a temple containing a large and +hideous image of a god called _Tezcatepuca_[4]. We found at this place +four Indian priests in long black mantles, like Dominicans, who had that +day sacrificed two boys, offering up their hearts to that accursed idol. +They offered to perfume us with their incense pots, but we were completely +disgusted at the horrible cruelty of their sacrifices, and rejected their +proferred compliment with horror. Our interpreter, who seemed a person of +intelligence, being questioned as to the reason of immolating these human +victims, said that it was done by order of the Indians of _Culva_ or +_Culchua_[5], by which he meant the Mexicans. As he pronounced the word +_Ulua_, we named the island _St Juan de Ulua_, which it still bears; +partly in compliment to Juan de Grijalva, and partly because this happened +to be St John's Day. We remained seven days at this place, terribly +distressed by mosquitos, during which time we procured an inconsiderable +quantity of gold from the natives. Being now quite satisfied that the land +we were on was part of the continent, our wounded men declining in their +health, our number being too small for attempting to establish a colony, +and our bread growing bad; it was determined to send Alvarado to Cuba for +a reinforcement, as Grijalva was exceedingly desirous of making a +settlement on the coast, always shewing himself a most valiant officer, +quite contrary to what might be supposed from the aspersions thrown upon +his character and conduct by Gomara. In consequence of this determination, +Alvarado was sent to Cuba with an account of all our proceedings, and in +the mean time we determined to extend our discoveries as far as possible. + +From the time that our expedition left Cuba, Velasquez was always +exceeding anxious about our success, and at length became so uneasy that +he sent a vessel in search of us, commanded by a gallant officer named +Christopher de Oli; who, after sailing for some time in our track, had his +ship so much injured in a storm, that he was under the necessity of +returning to Cuba without being able to procure any intelligence +respecting us. This disappointment added greatly to the anxiety of +Velasquez, from which he was relieved by the arrival of Alvarado. The +display of gold which he produced astonished the governor and all who saw +it; and Alvarado was feasted and honoured above measure, as the bearer of +such agreeable tidings. The fame of the new and wealthy country which we +had discovered was soon spread abroad and blazoned among the islands, and +even reached to Castile. + +After the departure of Alvarado, we continued our progress of discovery +along the coast, and passing the mountains of Tusta and Tuspa, we +approached the province of Panuco, which is full of populous towns three +or four leagues from the coast. Farther on, we arrived at the River of +Canoes, so named from the following incident. While at anchor off its +mouth, ten canoes full of Indians made a sudden attack on our smallest +ship, which Alonzo de Avila commanded, and cut her cable for the purpose +of carrying her off, although the people in that ship made a very gallant +defence. But on receiving assistance from the other ships, the enemy was +beat off with considerable loss. Proceeding farther along the coast, we +came to a very bold cape, which our pilot believed we were unable to +weather, on account of a violent adverse current. It was then determined +in a council of the officers to return to the island of Cuba, though +Grijalva earnestly wished to have established a colony in some eligible +situation of the coast which we had explored. But in this proposal he was +opposed by the majority, on account of the lateness of the season, the +scarcity of provisions, and the hardships we had already undergone. We +therefore began our voyage back to Cuba, in which we made rapid progress, +as we were much assisted by the current; but had to stop at the river +_Tonala_, on purpose to repair one of our ships, which struck the ground +three times in going over the bar at the mouth of that river. While we +remained here, the natives came to us in a very friendly manner, bringing +bread, fish, and fruit, for which we gave them beads and cut glass. On our +desire of procuring gold being made known in the neighbouring country, the +inhabitants of _Guacacualco_ and other places brought us all they had. + +The Indians in this part of the country were all in use to carry small +hatchets of very bright copper, with highly painted handles, intended both +for ornament and defence. These were mistaken by us for gold, and we were +consequently eager to purchase them, so that in the course of three days +we procured about six hundred of them in exchange for green beads. One of +our seamen having procured seven of these, thought he had made his fortune. +While at this place, a soldier named Bartholomew Pardo, happened to go +into a temple on the top of a hill, where he found in a chest some +coronets and collars of gold, along with two idols. He secreted the gold +for his own use, but gave the idols to Grijalva; who afterwards learnt the +circumstances of the gold, which he ordered Pardo to surrender, but gave +it back to the poor man, only reserving the fifth for the king, the whole +not exceeding the value of eighty crowns. Being much infested with +mosquitos, I used to sleep while here in a temple to avoid these +intolerable insects, near which I sowed seven or eight seeds of oranges +which I had brought from Cuba. These happened to grow, and being noticed +as uncommon plants by the priests of this temple, they took care of them, +being the first that ever grew in New Spain. As after the conquest, this +province was understood to offer great advantages for settlements, many of +the principal conquerors chose it for their residence. I was one of the +number; and on my arrival, I went in search of the produce of my seeds, +and finding the young orange trees in a flourishing state, I had them +transplanted, and they throve amazingly well. After our ship was repaired, +we set sail for Cuba, leaving the natives very well satisfied with our +behaviour, and arrived safe in forty-five days. Velasquez was much pleased +with the gold, which amounted to the value of 20,000 crowns; but we were +much laughed at on producing our six hundred copper axes to be assayed. On +the whole, Velasquez was well satisfied with the conduct of this +expedition; though he appeared at first displeased with Grijalva, owing to +the unjust aspersions which were thrown upon him by Avila and Montejo. + +After receiving a full account of our voyage, Velasquez sent over his +chaplain, Benito Martinez, to make a report of these discoveries to the +court of Spain, with letters for Fonseca bishop of Burgos his patron, and +to the licentiate Juan Zapata, and the secretary Lope Conchillos, both of +whom were employed in conducting the affairs of the West Indies. Velasquez +had secured a powerful interest with all these three, by assigning them +rich districts in the island of Cuba, thus forwarding his own advantage at +the expence of the crown. Martinez was instructed to solicit a commission, +authorizing Velasquez to procure gold from the new discovered country, or +to make conquests and settlements, as he might see fit; and in this he so +effectually succeeded, that he brought back a commission for Velasquez as +_adelantado_ of the island of Cuba, so well pleased was the court with his +conduct in regard to the discoveries, and the proofs which he had +transmitted of the wealth of those countries which he had discovered. + + +[1] This seems the place named Pontonchan in the former voyage.--E. + +[2] These were probably swivel guns mounted on the bows of their boats.--E. + +[3] According to Clavigero, I. 240, the proper name of this Mexican + sovereign was Moteuczoma.--E. + +[4] Named Tezcatlipoca by Clavigero, and said to be the god of providence, + the soul of the world, and the creator of all things.--E. + +[5] By Clavigero called _Acolhua_, the name given by all the distant + inhabitants of the empire to the people of the Vale of Mexico, or + Anahuac.--E. + + + + +SECTION III. + +_Commencement of the Expedition of Hernando Cortes for the Conquest of +Mexico, in 1518_. + + +Anxious to prosecute the advantages derivable from the discoveries made by +Grijalva, Velasquez used the utmost efforts in providing a new and more +powerful armament. For this purpose, he collected ten ships at the port of +St Jago, four of which had been on the former expedition, and supplied +them with such provisions as could be procured in that place, intending to +complete their equipment at the Havanna. Velasquez was greatly at a loss +in his choice of a commander for the new expedition, and several were +recommended to him for this purpose. Among these was Vasco Procalla, a +gentleman of high rank, and related to the Conde de Feria; but the +governor was afraid to trust a person of his bold character, lest he might +revolt, as had been already done by several dependent leaders of +expeditions. In this state of uncertainty, several relations of the +governor were talked of as candidates for the office, such as Augustin +Vermudez, Antonio Velasquez Borrego, and Bernardino Velasquez, but of +their chances, or the reasons of their rejection, we were not informed. +All the soldiers, however, were disposed to have Grijalva for their chief. +While matters were in this state of uncertainty, Andres de Duero, who was +secretary to the governor, and Amador de Lares, the royal _contador_ in +Cuba, entered into a private agreement with Hernando Cortes to recommend +him to Velasquez for the command of the intended expedition. Cortes was a +respectable gentleman of good birth, a native of Medelin in Estremadura, +the son of Martin Cortes de Monroy, by Catalina Pizarro de Altamirano, who +were both _hidalgos_ of the best families in the province, though poor, +and had acquired a considerable property in the island of Cuba, where he +had been twice raised to the office of alcalde. He had lately married +Donna Catalina Suarez de Pacheco, the daughter of Diego Suares de Pacheco +of Merida, by Maria de Mercaida of Biscay; through which marriage he had +experienced much trouble, having been frequently confined by order of +Velasquez. The two officers before mentioned, who enjoyed the intimate +confidence of the governor, made an agreement with Cortes to procure the +appointment for him, for which they were to receive an equal division of +the treasure procured from the expedition out of his share, as the +commission was intended to extend no farther than the procurement of gold +by barter, without any power of settlement or colonization. For this +purpose they took every opportunity of praising Cortes to Velasquez, and +vouching for his fidelity, so that they at length succeeded in procuring +the appointment for him; and as it belonged to the secretary to draw it +out in due form, we may be sure that its conditions were sufficiently +favourable. + +On this appointment being communicated to the public, it gave satisfaction +to some, but greatly displeased others, who used every endeavour to +communicate their dissatisfaction to the governor, particularly by the +following device: When the governor was going on a Sunday to mass, +accompanied by the most respectable people of the town and neighbourhood, +he placed Cortes on his right hand, on purpose to shew respect to the +person he had chosen for an expedition of such high importance. There was +at this time one Cervantes at St Jago, a kind of buffoon, generally called +mad Cervantes, who used to assume great liberty of speech under pretence +of idiocy. This man ran before the governor all the road to church, +shouting out many absurdities, saying among others, "Huzza for my master +Don Diego, who will soon lose his fleet, and huzza for his new captain;" +besides many similar expressions, all having a tendency to awaken +suspicion in Velasquez. Andrew de Duero, who was present, beat him and +ordered him to be silent, but he persisted so much the more, saying, "I +will dismiss my old master, and follow the fortune of Cortes." This man +was certainly hired by the relations of Velasquez, who wished the +appointment for some of themselves, that they might instil jealousy into +the mind of the governor, but all to no purpose; yet all that was now +uttered under the semblance of folly, turned out true in the end. + +Immediately on receiving his commission, Cortes used the utmost activity +in preparing for the expedition; and though already much embarrassed with +debts, through his own extravagance and the expensive dress and +establishment of his wife, he procured the advance of 4000 crowns in money +and as much in goods, on the security of his estate, from Jeronymo Tria +and Pedro de Xeres, two merchants, who considered him as rising in the +world, and a favourite of fortune. He now dressed and appeared in greater +state than formerly, wearing a plume of feathers and a gold medal in his +cap, and erected a standard of velvet embroidered with gold before his +house, embellished with the royal arms and a cross, and with a Latin motto +to this effect: "_Brothers, follow the cross in faith; for under its +guidance we shall conquer_." + +Though Benito Martinez had not yet returned from Castile with the royal +commission, it was proclaimed by sound of trumpet and beat of drum, that +all who entered for the present expedition should have their share in what +gold might be procured, and should have ample grants of land as soon as +the intended conquest was effected. In consequence of these promises, and +by the influence of Cortes, volunteers quickly offered themselves from +every quarter. So great was the enthusiasm to engage in the expedition, +that people were everywhere eager to sell their lands to enable them to +purchase horses and arms. In every quarter people were seen busy in +preparing quilted-cotton armour, making bread, and salting pork for sea +stores. Above 300 volunteers assembled at St Jago, among whom I was, and +several of the principal persons belonging to the family of the governor +entered into our fraternity; among these were Diego de Ordas, his first +major domo, who was employed as a spy on the actions of Cortes, of whom +Velasquez already entertained jealousy. The other companions of our +expedition from the household of the governor were F. de Morla, Escobar, +Heredia, Ruano, Escudero, and Ramos de Lares, besides many other adherents +of the governor. + +Knowing that Cortes was much dissatisfied with Velasquez on account of +certain circumstances respecting his marriage, and greatly envying his +good fortune in being chosen to command the expedition, the relations of +Velasquez continued to exert their utmost efforts to get the commission +revoked. But Cortes, who was well aware of all their practices, continued +carefully to make his court to the governor, appearing entirely devoted to +his service. He was likewise informed by Duero that the governor began to +hesitate respecting his appointment, owing to the importunate +representations of his relations, and was advised to exert every possible +exertion in completing his preparations. He left in charge therefore, the +care of providing many things that were necessary for the expedition, to +his lady, with directions to have them forwarded; and having summoned all +the captains, masters, pilots, and soldiers to embark, he went to take his +leave of the governor, accompanied by his friends Duero and Lares. After a +long confidential conference, the governor and general parted with much +politeness, and the strongest assurances of mutual friendship. Next +morning the governor accompanied him to his ship, and we set sail +immediately for Trinidad, where we arrived in a few days. This place was +at that time inhabited by several opulent and respectable gentlemen, who +received us all with much hospitality, but were particularly attentive to +our general. He planted the royal standard in front of his quarters at +this town, and made a proclamation, inviting volunteers to join the +expedition, in consequence of which, several wealthy persons of +respectable families now joined, among whom were the Alvarados and Alonzo +de Avila. We were here joined also by Alonzo Hernandez de Portocarrero, +cousin to the Conde de Medelin, Juan Velasquez de Leon, a relation to the +governor, Rodrigo Rangel, Gonzalo Lopez de Ximena, and his brother Juan +Lopez. These gentlemen joined us in a body, and were received by a +discharge of artillery, and every mark of joy and respect, as due to their +rank and respectability. We procured a supply of provisions from the +estates of these volunteers, and the number of our companions increased +daily, but horses were scarce and dear. Cortes sold some of his golden +ornaments to enable him to buy a horse for his friend Portocarrero, who +had not the means of procuring one for himself. About this time likewise +Juan Sedeno arrived from Santi Spiritus with a cargo of provisions, and +Cortes bought both ship and cargo upon credit, the owner enrolling himself +for the expedition. + +The relations of Velasquez still continued to use their influence to make +him jealous of Cortes, and to supersede him in the command, even employing +one Juan Millan, an astrologer who was reputed mad, to represent that +Cortes would assuredly endeavour to be revenged for having been imprisoned +by the governor. They represented his sudden departure from St Jago, as an +indication of evil designs, and even began to suspect the secret +association with the secretary and contador. Velasquez was at last won +over by these repeated importunities, and sent two confidential persons to +his brother-in-law, Francisco Verdugo, who was alcalde major of Trinidad, +directing him to deprive Cortes of the command of the fleet and army, as +Vasco Porcallo was appointed in his place; and he sent orders to the same +purpose to Diego de Ordas, Francisco de Morla, and his other relations and +confidents. But Cortes, who was secretly informed of all these proceedings +by his friends Duero and Lares, exerted himself so effectually by promises +and otherwise, as to bring over all on whom Velasquez relied to his own +interest, and Diego de Ordas especially, who used every argument with +Verdugo to disobey the orders of the governor, representing the danger +which would arise from using violence, as Cortes possessed the entire +confidence of the troops. Cortes had such talents for gaining friends, +that he even prevailed on Pedro Lasso to enrol himself under his command, +though one of the messengers who carried the orders of Velasquez. Cortes +wrote to the governor by the other messenger, giving the strongest +assurances, of his fidelity and attachment, and earnestly entreating him +not to listen to the calumnies of his enemies, or the ridiculous +predictions of the old fool Millan the astrologer. During twelve days that +we remained at Trinidad, every exertion was made in preparing for our +departure; and among others, all the smiths in the place were employed in +making arrow-heads for our cross-bows, and Cortes engaged them all to +accompany the expedition. Leaving Trinidad, the fleet was ordered to sail +for the Havanna by the south course, except one ship under Juan de +Escalente, which was sent by the northern course. Such of the companions +as chose, were allowed to march by land for the Havanna, under the command +of Alvarado, of which permission I and fifty more availed ourselves, +having to pick up several volunteers who were expected to join from +different settlements that lay on our route. All the ships arrived safe at +the Havanna, except that in which Cortes was embarked, and we who marched +by land were there seven days before we could learn what had become of our +commander. We were afraid his ship had been lost among the shoals of _Los +Jardines_, and it was proposed to send three ships in search of him: But +there was no one to command, and factious disputes arose about the choice +of a lieutenant or substitute during his absence, in which intrigues Diego +de Ordas was particularly busy. At length Cortes arrived, his ship having +grounded on a shoal, but fortunately near the shore, so that they got her +off by lightening her of part of her cargo. + +Cortes took his quarters at the Havanna in the house of Pedro Barba, who +commanded there for Velasquez, erecting his standard, and beating up for +volunteers. He was here joined by Francisco de Montejo, Diego de Soto, +Angula, Garci Caro, Sebastian Rodriquez, Gutierrez, Rojas, not he commonly +called the wealthy, a lad named Santa Clara, two brothers named Los +Martinez de Frexenal, and Juan, de Najara, not the deaf man of the tennis +court in Mexico. These were all men of quality, besides whom there were +many others whose names I do not now remember. Diego de Ordas was sent to +the governors estate at Guaniguanico, to procure a farther supply of bread +and bacon, and to wait there till he received farther orders, on purpose +to keep him out of the way, as Cortes knew he had shewn himself adverse to +his interest while he was absent. The artillery, consisting of ten brass +field-pieces and four falconets, were brought on shore to inspect and +complete its equipment, and placed under the charge of four gunners, named +Meza, Arbenga, Catalan, and Usagre. The cross-bows were ordered to be +inspected, all their cords, nuts, and arrows to be put in complete order, +and the range of each to be ascertained by shooting at a match. As cotton +was to be had in plenty at this place, the soldiers provided themselves +with good quilted jackets. Cortes now assumed great state in his +deportment and the establishment of his household, appointing a steward, +chamberlain, and major-domo. He ordered stalls and mangers to be fitted up +in the ships for the horses, and stores of maize and hay to be taken on +board for their use. Horses were at that time scarce and dear in Cuba, and +our whole stock amounted to fifteen, besides the horse belonging to the +general, which died at St Juan de Ulua[1]. + +Velasquez was exceedingly angry with Verdugo for neglecting to obey the +orders he had sent him, and reproached the secretary and contador with +having imposed upon him in regard to the character of the general. He now +renewed his endeavours to deprive Cortes of the command, sending orders by +one Garnica to Pedro Barba, to prevent the fleet from sailing, and to +arrest Cortes. Garnica likewise brought letters from the governor for +Ordas and Velasquez de Leon, ordering and entreating them to concur with +Barba in these measures; but Ordas had been judiciously sent out of the +way, and de Leon was now gained over by Cortes. All the rest of us, even +Barba the lieutenant-governor of the Havanna, were entirely devoted to the +interest of our general, who was fully aware of all that was intended +against him, as Garnica brought letters from a friar who resided with the +governor, to our chaplain de Olmedo, by which Duero and Lares sent +intelligence of all the schemes of Velasquez. Barba wrote back to the +governor, that Cortes was so beloved by the troops, that he durst not +execute the orders he had received; being assured that any such attempt +would occasion the destruction of the town, and that all the inhabitants +would go along with Cortes. The general wrote likewise to Velasquez, +repeating his assurance of perfect devotion to his service, and intimated +that he meant to sail the next day. + +The fleet sailed from the Havanna on the 10th February 1519, for the +island of Cozumel[2]. The ship in which I was, commanded by Alvarado, was +directed to proceed by the north, with orders to wait for the fleet at +Cape St Antonio, and Diego de Ordas had similar directions; but our pilot +neglected these instructions, and proceeded directly for Cozumel, where we +accordingly arrived two days before the rest. As soon as we came to anchor, +our whole party landed and went to the town of Cozumel, which was deserted +by all its inhabitants. We then went to another place, whence likewise the +inhabitants fled on our approach, but we found a quantity of fowls, and +some idols, with toys and ornaments of much alloyed gold in a temple near +the town, with which booty we returned to the town of Cozumel. By this +time Cortes and his whole fleet were arrived, and he immediately put our +pilot, Comacho, in irons for disobeying his orders. He likewise +reprimanded Alvarado for taking the property of the natives, which he said +was a bad way of proceeding, as the people ought on no account to be ill +used, and immediately ordered two men and a woman whom we had made +prisoners to be brought before him. By means of our interpreter Melchorejo, +he desired these people to recal the natives to their habitations, with +assurance of perfect safety, ordering all the articles taken away to be +returned, and paid them in beads and trinkets for the fowls which we had +eaten. Giving each of the people a shirt, he dismissed them; and so well +satisfied were the inhabitants with this conciliatory behaviour, that the +chief and all the inhabitants of the place returned next day, and mixed +among us with perfect familiarity. During the three days which we remained +at this place, Cortes made a review of his troops, which amounted to 508, +besides the seamen. We had sixteen horsemen, eleven ships large and small, +including a brigantine belonging to one Nortes, thirteen musketeers, +thirty-two cross-bows, ten brass field-pieces, four falconets, and plenty +of ammunition. On this occasion, he appointed Francisco de Orocza, an +experienced soldier who had served in Italy, captain of the artillery, and +strictly enjoined him and the gunners to keep their guns always in +excellent order. From this time our general took the command in good +earnest, and always used the utmost vigilance in every thing relative to +the service on which we were engaged; and the grace of God enabled him to +succeed in all his undertakings. + +Cortes sent at this time for me and one Martin Ramos, who had been on the +former voyages, inquiring our opinion respecting the word _Castillano_, +which was so often repeated by the Indians of Cotoche when we accompanied +Cordova, saying he was convinced it had allusion to some Spaniards who +were in that country. The native chiefs, and some Indian merchants who +were then in Cozumel, confirmed this opinion, assuring us that they had +seen and spoken to them only a few days before. Being anxious to relieve +these men, and being informed what ransom was expected, he amply provided +these native merchants for the purpose, and sent them with letters for +these Spanish captives. He likewise sent two of our smallest vessels, +under the command of Diego de Ordas, with twenty musketeers and cross-bows; +directing one of these ships to remain eight days at Cape Cotoche, waiting +the return of the messengers, while the other was to return with a report +of the proceedings. The place where the Spaniards were said to live at was +only about four leagues from Cape Cotoche, and Cortes sent a letter by the +Indian messengers, requesting these captive Christians to join him. The +ships with the Indian merchants crossed the gulf to Cotoche, and the +letters were delivered two days afterwards to one of these Spaniards, +Jeronimo de Aguilar, together with beads for his ransom. Jeronimo +immediately procured his liberty, and then went to his companion in +captivity, Alonso Guerrero, whom he solicited to go along with him; but he, +having a wife and children, could not be prevailed upon to desert them; +and so much time had been lost in this fruitless attempt, that when +Jeronimo came with the Indian messengers to the coast, the ships had +already sailed, having waited one day beyond the eight, so that Aguilar +was forced to return to his master. + +There was a temple in the island of Cozumel containing some hideous idols, +to which the Indians used often to repair in solemn procession. Observing +the courts of this temple to be filled with Indians one morning, many of +us were excited by curiosity to go among them to observe their ceremonies. +We found them burning odoriferous resins, as we do incense; after which an +old priest, clad in a large loose gown or mantle, went up to the highest +part of the temple, whence he made a long discourse to the people. Cortes +was present on this occasion, and questioned Melchorejo respecting the +purport of the old mans harangue: After which he convened the native +chiefs, and explained to them as well as he could, partly by signs and +partly by means of his interpreter, that they worshipped devils which +would draw their souls to hell; and that, if they wished to preserve our +friendship, they must destroy their accursed idols, and plant the holy +cross of the Lord, through which they would procure good harvests and the +salvation of their souls. The priests and chiefs answered, that they +worshipped the gods of their forefathers, and if we attempted to injure +them, their gods would destroy us in the sea. But Cortes desired us to +throw the idols down the steps of the temple, and sending for lime, of +which there was plenty in the island, the Indian masons built by our +direction a very handsome altar, on which an image of the Holy Virgin was +placed, and a crucifix was erected in a small chapel or oratory close to +the altar. After these preparations were completed, the mass was +celebrated in great order by the reverend Father Juan Diaz[3], to which +ceremony the chiefs, priests, and natives all listened with great +attention. + +Cortes now regulated the order of our fleet, appointing captains for all +the ships, of which the following is a list. The admirals ship was +commanded in person by Cortes, and the others as follow: Alvarado, +Puertocarrero, Montejo, de Oli[4], Ordas, Velasquez de Leon, Escalente, de +Morla, Escobar, and Nortes. Pilots were appointed for all the ships, night +signals were agreed upon, and every captain received a copy of the sailing +orders and instructions. All things being properly regulated, and having +taken a friendly leave of the natives, who promised to take great care of +the altar and crucifix, and presented Cortes with some fowls and honey, we +set sail from the island of Cozumel, in the beginning of March 1519. When +we had only proceeded a few hours on our voyage, we learned by a +signal-gun that the ship of Juan de Escalente, in which the bread of the +whole fleet was embarked, was in imminent danger, having sprung a leak. +This forced us to return to Cozumel, where the Indians gave us every +assistance, bringing their canoes to take out the lading of the vessel; +and we had the satisfaction to find, that so far from injuring our altar +and crucifix, they had placed incense before them. + +On hearing of our return to Cozumel, the Indian messengers and Aguilar +hired a canoe in which they crossed the gulf and joined us. Aguilar on his +arrival was hardly to be distinguished from one of the natives, his colour +was so dark, and he was even marked like them, being dressed in some old +rags on his shoulders and round his waist, carrying an oar or paddle in +his hand, and the remnant of an old prayer-book tied in a bundle on his +back. He had almost forgot the use of his native tongue, and in coming +into the presence of the general, he squatted down on his hams like his +companions, so that no one knew which was the Spaniard. At length +announcing himself, he was provided with proper clothes, and gave the +following account of himself. He was a native of Ecija, and had been +ordained for the church; but had been wrecked eight years before, while on +a voyage from Darien to Hispaniola. He and his companions endeavoured to +reach Cuba or Jamaica in their boat, but were drifted by the current on +the coast, where the chiefs of the country had reduced them to slavery. +Many had been sacrificed, others had died of disease, and two women who +were with them had soon sunk under hard labour. Aguilar had at one time +been doomed to be sacrificed, but had made his escape to a cacique with +whom he had remained ever since, and of the whole who had escaped from the +wreck, he and Guerrero were only now alive. He knew little of the country, +having never been farther than four leagues from the coast, being employed +in procuring wood and water, and digging in the maize fields. He said that +Guerrero exactly resembled the Indians, by whom he was considered as a +brave man; and that, about a year before[5], when three ships were on the +coast, he had planned the attack on the Spaniards, and even led the Indian +warriors in person; on which account Cortes regretted much that he had not +been able to get hold of him. Aguilar was well used by the inhabitants of +Cozumel, who gave him plenty of provisions; in return for which he +exhorted them to continue in our holy faith, and advised them to get +letters of protection from Cortes, in case of any Spanish ship arriving on +their coast, which was granted, and became afterwards of great use. + +The fleet, put to sea again on the 4th of March, and was separated by a +storm that same night; but they all joined again next day, except that +which was commanded by Velasquez de Leon, on which Cortes made for a +certain bay, where as the pilot expected, that ship had taken shelter from +the storm. At this place several of our company landed, and found four +temples in a neighbouring town, containing many female idols, on which +account the place was named _Punta de Las Mugeres_, or Cape Women. Aguilar +informed the general that he had been once sent to this place with some +goods, the place where he resided being only about four leagues distant, +and that the residence of Guerrero was not far off. He added that this +country produced a small quantity of gold, and that he was willing to +serve as a guide if our general thought proper to send a party on shore. +But Cortes said that his object was not in search of trifles, but to serve +God and the king in an effectual manner. Our general here ordered Escobar +to examine the _Boca de Terminos_, and, as the fleet was at this time +separated, to leave beacons or directions on the coast for the direction +of the other ships, or to cruize off that inlet till the missing ships +should arrive; for he was led to believe this a favourable place for the +settlement of a colony, from the description of the harbour, and the +abundance of game which was reported to be in its neighbourhood. On +Escobar landing at this place, he found the greyhound left by Grijalva on +the shore, which was accordingly taken on board; but when the rest of the +fleet arrived, as Escobars ship had been forced out to sea by a strong +gale from the south, she was not to be found. We found, however, a letter +on shore, in which Escobar gave a minute account of the state of this +harbour, representing the country in a favourable point of view; and we +had the good fortune to rejoin his ship next day. We were now off the +point of _Pontonchan_, the natives of which place Cortes and many of us +were much inclined to punish for their conduct in the two former +expeditions. But this was strongly objected to by the pilots, because the +coast was extremely shallow, insomuch that our vessels could not come +nearer the land than two leagues, on which account we continued our voyage +to the river of Grijalva, or Tabasco[6], where we arrived on the 13th of +March 1519. Being aware that the mouth of this river was too shallow for +ships of large burthen, those of light draught were selected, in which, +and the boats, our troops proceeded towards the shore, and were landed at +Point _Palmares_, about half a league from the Indian town of Tabasco. + +The sides of this river were covered with mangrove trees, among which were +many canoes filled with armed Indians, above 12,000 warriors being +assembled in the town of Tabasco, which at that time enjoyed an extensive +dominion over the neighbouring country. We who had been formerly received +at this place in a friendly manner, were astonished at the present +appearance of hostilities; but we learned afterwards, that the +neighbouring nations of Pontonchan and Lazarus, as we called it, had +reproached the timidity of the Tabascans for receiving us amicably, +instead of falling upon us as they had done, and they had resolved, +therefore, to take the present opportunity of regaining their character. +On perceiving these demonstrations of hostility, Cortes desired Aguilar to +inquire the reason from some native chiefs who were passing near us in a +canoe, and to inform them that they would have sore cause to repent any +hostilities they might attempt against us. In reply, they threatened to +put us all to death if we dared to come near their town, which was +fortified with parapets and palisades. Aguilar then desired an interview +between their chiefs and our general, saying that he had matters of high +importance, and of a holy nature to inform them of, and requested +permission to supply our fleet with wood and water: But they only repeated +their former threats. Seeing no other alternative but retreat or war, +Cortes ordered three guns to be placed in each vessel, and divided the +musketeers and cross-bows among them. We who had been here before +recollected a narrow path which led from the point of Palmares, through +some marshes and across several brooks to the town of Tabasco, of which we +informed Cortes; who accordingly detached early next morning 100 soldiers +under Alonzo de Avila, with orders to march into the rear of the town by +that path; and, as soon as he heard the discharge of artillery, he was to +attack the town on that side, while the main body did the same on the +other side. Cortes then proceeded up the river with the vessels, intending +to disembark as near as possible to the town; and as soon as the enemy saw +us approaching, they sallied out in their canoes from among the mangroves, +and a vast multitude collected against us at the place where we meant to +land, making a prodigious noise of trumpets, horns, and drums. Before +commencing the attack, Cortes ordered Diego de Godoy, a royal notary, to +make a formal demand of liberty to supply ourselves with wood and water, +and to listen to what we had to communicate in the service of GOD and our +king, protesting that in case of violence, they should be held responsible +for all the mischief that might follow. But, after all this was explained +to them, they remained inflexibly determined to oppose us. They made the +signal with their drums to commence a general attack, and immediately +assailed us with a flight of arrows. They then closed round us in their +canoes, fighting with lances and bows and arrows, and we had great +difficulty to force our way to the shore, fighting up to our middles in +the water, and struggling to extricate ourselves from deep mud, in which +Cortes lost one of his buskins, and had to land barefooted. As soon as we +got on dry ground, Cortes placed himself at our head, calling out _St +Jago_, and we fell upon the enemy with great violence, whom we forced to +retreat within some circular entrenchments which they had constructed of +large timber. We soon drove them from these works, and made our way into +the town by certain small gateways, forcing them before us up the main +street to a second barricade, where they withstood us manfully, calling +out _al calachioni_, or _kill the captain_. While engaged at this +barricade, de Avila and the party which had marched from Point Palmares, +came up very opportunely to our assistance. He had been much retarded in +his march, as he had to break down several barricades in the path through +the marsh, so that he now arrived at the critical moment, for we too had +been detained a considerable time in making the formal summons by the +notary. We now drove the enemy before us, fighting manfully and never +turning their backs, to a large enclosed court, in which were three +idol-houses and several large halls. They had here collected all their +most valuable effects, and made a brave resistance at this last post, but +were at last obliged to evacuate it also. + +Cortes now ordered the troops to halt, not thinking it prudent to pursue +the natives. Having called us together in the area of this enclosure, he +took formal possession of the country for his majesty, and giving three +cuts with his sword into a great _ceiba_ tree which grew beside him, he +declared himself ready to defend and maintain his majesty's right of +sovereignty against all gainsayers. This step was generally approved of +among us, yet it gave cause of secret murmurs among those who were +attached to Velasquez, as his name was not mentioned in the act of +possession, which was formally recorded and witnessed by a royal notary. +In the course of this action, fourteen of our soldiers were wounded, among +whom I had a slight wound. Of the enemy eighteen were found dead. Having +posted strong guards, we took up our quarters here for the night. Next day, +Alvarado was detached with 100 men to reconnoitre the country for two +leagues round our post; and on seeking Melchorejo to attend as interpreter, +he was discovered to have deserted during the night, leaving his clothes +behind. A second detachment of equal strength was sent in a different +direction under Francisco de Lugo, who had not gone far when he was +attacked by several large bodies of the enemy so furiously that he was +obliged to fall back, which he did in perfect order, sending a +swift-running Indian of Cuba to quarters to procure succour. Alvarado, who +had advanced about a league from the town, was obliged to change the +direction of his march by a river or creek, by which means he came within +hearing of the musketry, and of the instruments and shouts of the Indians +who were engaged with Lugo, and immediately hastened to his relief. These +two united were able to repulse the enemy, and made good their retreat to +the town; where we too were attacked by large bodies of the Indians, whom +we soon obliged to retreat by means of our muskets and cross-bows, and the +superiority of our good swords. Receiving intelligence that his +detachments were hard pressed by the enemy, Cortes now sallied out with +all of us who could carry arms, and met our companions on their retreat +about half a league from the town. Two soldiers of the detachment +belonging to Lugo were slain in this battle, and eleven were wounded. We +brought in three prisoners, one of whom appeared to be a chief, by whom we +were informed that Melchorejo had advised them to harrass us by continual +attacks, day and night, as our numbers were few, and they would be sure to +destroy us in the end. The native who gave us this information was sent +off with an amicable message to his countrymen, but he never returned; and +Aguilar was informed by the other natives, that the whole warriors of the +country were collecting to attack us. + +Understanding the formidable preparations which were making to attack us, +Cortes ordered all the wounded men who were able to march to stand to +their arms, and brought the horses on shore, which were very dull and +spiritless at first, but recovered themselves in the course of the day. +Several of our ablest young men were at this time taken ill with a +weakness in their loins, by which they were unable to stand, owing, it was +supposed to the sudden change in their way of living, and to the weight of +their arms in very hot weather. These were sent on board ship. The horses +were distributed among the best riders, and each horse was provided with a +breast-plate hung with bells. He likewise directed his small body of +cavalry, while engaged with the enemy, to point their lances at the faces +of the natives, and on no account to stop for the purpose of making +thrusts, but always to ride straight onwards, bearing down all before them. +Of this body he took the command in person for the approaching battle, +being twelve in all besides himself. The infantry were placed under the +chief command of Diego de Ordas, the artillery under the charge of Mesa, +and the colours were carried by Antonio de Villareal. The army thus +arranged, marched out early in the morning of Lady-day, 25th March, after +hearing mass, and proceeded to the plain of _Cintia_[7], where the enemy +awaited us, our cavalry making a detour to avoid some marshy ground, and +on purpose to gain the rear of the enemy. After marching about a league, +we saw the enemy advancing towards us in the plain, making a vast noise of +trumpets, horns, and drums. They wore plumes of feathers on their heads, +having their faces painted black, red, and white, all wearing defensive +armour of quilted cotton with large shields, and bearing lances, +two-handed swords or maces, darts, large bows and arrows, and slings. +Their numbers covered the whole plain, and they immediately rushed +forwards to the attack, wounding above seventy of our soldiers at the +first discharge of their arrows, and one man named Saldana, was slain +outright by an arrow which pierced him under the ear. They closed upon us +with great bravery, fighting us hand to hand, while we maintained our +ground with firmness, using our cannon, muskets, cross-bows, and swords +as well as we could. After some time, they drew off a little, but in this +they had rather the advantage by means of their bows and arrows, though +our cannon made vast havock among their crowded bodies, which were at such +a distance as enabled our gunners to fire among them to the greatest +possible advantage. At every discharge of the cannon, they shouted, +whistled, and sounded all their warlike instruments, calling out _lala! +lala_! and throwing straw and dust in the air, as if to prevent our seeing +the destruction produced among them by our artillery. I advised de Ordas +to close with the enemy, which he objected to, saying that they +outnumbered us thirty for one; yet we did advance, and as they wished to +avoid encountering our sharp swords, they inclined towards a marsh. We +were all this time exceedingly anxious for the arrival of Cortes and the +cavalry, being afraid that he had met with some disaster; and were at +length rejoiced when we saw him approaching to our relief on the rear of +the Indians, who were so entirely occupied in their attack on us that they +did not perceive him till he came dashing among them. The ground was quite +level and open, most of the horses strong and active, and the riders brave +and expert; so that they charged through among the crowded Indians in +every direction, and we renewed our efforts to make them give way, +encouraged by this seasonable assistance. The Indians were astonished +beyond measure at this novel and unexpected attack, believing the horse +and rider to be one strange ferocious animal, and instantly fled into the +adjacent woods and marshes, leaving the field of battle to us. + +Cortes informed us after the battle, that his march had been much retarded +by bad ground, and by the attacks of some detached bodies of the enemy, +who had wounded five of his men and eight horses. Being thus victorious, +the cavalry dismounted, and we assembled under a grove of trees, where we +gave thanks to GOD and his blessed mother for our victory. A town was +afterwards founded on the field of battle, named _Santa Maria della +Vittoria_[8], in memory of this victory. After binding up our wounds and +those of the horses, which we dressed with _the fat of dead Indians_, we +examined the field of battle, where we found upwards of 800 of the enemy +dead or dying of their wounds, the slain being particularly numerous where +the cavalry had charged. After burying two of our soldiers, one of whom +was killed by a wound in the ear, and the other by one in the throat, we +retired to our quarters at Tabasco towards evening, where we eat our +suppers, and having placed sufficient guards, we went to sleep. + +Gomara relates that in this battle, previous to the arrival of Cortes with +the cavalry, one of the holy apostles, either St Jago or Peter, appeared +on a dapple-grey horse under the semblance of Francisco de Morla. All our +victories were assuredly guided by the hand of the Lord Jesus Christ; but +if this were the case, I, a poor sinner, was not worthy to be permitted to +see it, neither was it seen by any of our army, above 400 in number. I +certainly saw Francisco de Morla along with Cortes, but he rode a chesnut +horse that day. We certainly were bad Christians indeed, if, according to +the account of Gomara, GOD sent one of his holy apostles to fight at our +head, and we ungratefully neglected to give thanks for so great a mercy: +But, till I read the chronicle of Gomara, I never heard of this miracle, +neither was it ever mentioned by any of the conquerors who were present in +the battle. + +In the battle we took only five prisoners, two of whom appeared to be +chiefs. These were kindly treated by Cortes, who exhorted them by means of +Aguilar to induce their countrymen to enter into terms of peace and +friendship with us; and having given them a number of beads and artificial +diamonds, he set them at liberty. These Indians faithfully executed the +commission with which they were entrusted; insomuch that the chiefs +immediately sent fifteen Indians, in wretched habits, and with their faces +blackened in token of contrition, and bearing a present of fowls, roasted +fish, and maize, Cortes received them with kindness; but Aguilar spoke to +them sharply, saying that we were disposed to treat with the chiefs, and +not with slaves. Next day thirty natives of rank came in good dresses with +another present, and begged permission to bury their dead, that they might +not be eaten by lions and tigers[9]. This was immediately granted, and +they proceeded to bury and inter the slain. On the following day, ten +chiefs arrived in great ceremony in rich dresses, who respectfully saluted +Cortes and the rest of us, fumigating us with fragrant gums; after which +they asked pardon for their hostilities, and promised to behave well for +the future. Cortes told them with a severe countenance, that they deserved +death for having rejected our former offers of peace; but that Don Carlos, +our great sovereign, had ordered us to favour them in all things if they +would now deserve it by peace and submission, and they might be sure to +feel the effects of our vengeance if they again revolted. He then ordered +a cannon to be fired off, the noise of which, and the effects of its ball +among the adjoining woods, filled them with terror, as they believed it to +be some terrible living creature. The most spirited of our horses was then +brought before them, so managed as to display his fierceness and action to +the best advantage, which impressed the natives with astonishment and awe. +Shortly after twenty Indians arrived, who were loaded with provisions for +our use; and after a long conference, the chiefs took leave of Cortes and +withdrew, much satisfied with their visit. We were visited on the +following day by many chiefs of the neighbouring districts, who brought +with them presents of golden toys in various shapes; some like human faces, +and others in the shape of various animals, as lizards, dogs, and ducks. +They presented at the same time three diadems or coronets, and two pieces +of gold resembling the sole of a shoe or sandal, with some other articles +of small value, as also some very large mantles. But the present which we +considered as most valuable, was twenty women; among whom was the +excellent _Donna Marina_, so called after her baptism. Cortes thanked the +chiefs for the presents, but told them that the most certain sign of peace +would be the return of the inhabitants to the town, which he desired might +be in two days; and this was done accordingly. He likewise exhorted them +to renounce their idolatry, explaining the mysteries of our holy faith, +especially those parts of it which are represented by the cross, and the +image of the holy virgin. They gave a ready assent to this, the caciques +declaring their admiration of the _Tecleciquata_, which signifies _the +great princess_ in their language. + +The chiefs excused their late hostilities, alleging that they had been +instigated to attack us by the cacique of Champoton, and by our +interpreter Melchoreja who had deserted. Cortes was anxious to have this +man delivered up to him, but was told that he had fled; we learned +afterwards that he had been sacrificed. On being questioned whence they +procured their gold, they answered that it came from the west, frequently +repeating _Culchua_ and _Mexico_, words we did not then understand; but an +interpreter, named Franciso, who had been along with Grijalva, though he +did not understand the language of Tabasco, said that he knew Culchua, +which he alleged lay far inland. On the day following, having erected a +crucifix and built an altar, the name of Tabasco was changed to that of +_Santa Maria de la Vittoria_; and on this occasion, the twenty Indian +women who had been presented to Cortes by the chiefs were baptized by our +chaplain, Olmedo, who preached to them many good things of our holy faith, +Aguilar serving as interpreter. Cortes gave one of these women to each of +his captains. These were the first Christian women in New Spain. + +The young native who was baptised by the name of Donna Marina was a woman +of high rank, which she shewed in her and appearance, of a beautiful +person and countenance, a quick genius and high spirit, and rendered very +essential services in the sequel of our expedition. She was a native of +the village of _Painalla_, in the province of _Guacacualca_, or +_Coatzacualco_[10]. Her father was prince or cacique of Painalla and +several other districts, under subjection to the empire of Mexico; but +dying while she was an infant, her mother married another cacique, by whom +she had a son, to whom they wished to give the succession which ought to +have belonged to Marina. For this purpose they gave her away privately to +some merchants of _Xicallanco_, a place on the borders of Tabasco in +Yucutan, giving out that she was dead, and going into mourning for the +daughter of one of their slaves who died at this time, and was much of the +same age. These merchants sold her to some chief in Tabasco, by whom she +was afterwards presented to Cortes, who presented her to Puertocarrero; +and when that cavalier returned to Spain, Cortes took her to himself, and +had a son by her, named Don Martin Cortes, who became a knight of St Jago. +She afterwards married, during our expedition to Higueras, a cavalier +named Juan Xaramillo. During the expedition to Higueras in Honduras, in +the year 1524, in which she accompanied Cortes, she had occasion to see +her mother and brother; as Cortes summoned all the neighbouring caciques +to meet him at Coatzacualco, among whom they came, as they now governed +their territory conjunctly, the second husband being dead. On seeing Donna +Marina, the old lady and her son cried bitterly, being afraid of being put +to death; but Marina assured them of her forgiveness, saying that she +thanked GOD their intended injury had been the means of drawing her from +the worship of idols to the true faith, and was happier in having a son by +her lord and master Cortes, and in the husband she then possessed, than if +she had been sovereign of all New Spain, and gave them at parting a +handsome present of gold. I was personally acquainted with her mother and +half brother, who were both afterwards baptized, the mother by the name of +Martha, and the brother by that of Lazarus. Donna Marina perfectly +understood her native language of Coatzacualco, which is the same with +that of Mexico; and as she could likewise converse with Aguilar in the +_Maja_ language, which is spoken in Yucutan and Tabasco, we thus acquired +a medium of intercourse with the Mexicans, Tlascalans, and other nations +of Anahuac or New Spain, which was of infinite importance to us in the +sequel. In a little time she learnt the Spanish, by which the circuitous +means of double interpretation was avoided. She was always faithful to the +Spaniards, to whom her services were of the very highest importance; as +she not only was the instrument of their negotiations with the various +nations of Anahuac, but often saved their lives by giving them notice of +dangers, and suggesting the means of avoiding them. Don Martin Cortes, her +son, was afterwards most unjustly put to the torture at Mexico in 1568, on +some unfounded suspicion of intended rebellion, his iniquitous and +barbarous judges, paying no regard to the memory of the unequalled +services rendered by his parents to the Catholic king and the Spanish +nation. + +We remained five days longer in Tabasco, taking care of our sick and +wounded, during, which time Cortes used his endeavours to conciliate the +natives, whom he enjoined to preserve their allegiance to his Catholic +majesty, by which they would secure his protection. They promised +faithfully to perform all that he had enjoined, and thus became the first +native vassals of the Spanish monarchy in New Spain. On Palm Sunday, with +the assistance of the natives, we erected a cross made of a large _cieba_ +tree, on the field where the late battle was fought, as a lasting memorial +of our victory, as this tree has the power of reproducing its bark. The +natives attended us in our procession to adore the holy image of the cross, +and they likewise assisted us in our preparations to reimbark, our pilots +wishing to get away from this part of the coast, the anchorage being +unsafe for the ships, as the wind blew strongly on the shore. Every thing +being in readiness, and Cortes having taken leave of the natives, we all +embarked on the evening of Palm Sunday, and set sail next morning for St +Juan de Ulua. While we proceeded along the coast, such of us as had been +there before along with Grijalva, pointed out to Cortes the different +places which we recollected; saying here is _la Rambla_, there _Tonala_, +or St Antonio, there the river of _Coatzacualco_, the _Sierra Nevada_, or +Snowy Mountains, and those of St Martin, the _Roca Partida_, or Pierced +Rock, the rivers of Alvarado, and the Vanderas, _Isla Blanca_, +_Isla Verda_, _Isla de los Sacrificios_, and early in the evening of Holy +Thursday, 21st April, we arrived at the harbour of St Juan de Ulua. While +we were pointing out these places to the general, Puertocarrero came up to +him, saying: "These gentlemen seem to make an exhibition, as who should +say, here you have the Montesinos of France, here you see the great and +flourishing city of Paris, and so forth: But I say, here you have the land +of riches, and look well to your measures." Cortes perfectly understood +the meaning of his words, to which he answered: "GOD grant us good fortune +in arms like the paladin Orlando; for having such gentlemen as you under +my command, I shall know well how to bring our enterprize to a happy +conclusion." + + + +[1] Diaz minutely enumerates and describes all the horses, mentioning who + they all belonged to.--E. + +[2] According to Clavigero, II. 7. this armament, by which a great and + populous empire was subverted, consisted of eleven vessels, carrying + 1O9 mariners, 508 soldiers, divided into eleven companies, ten + field-pieces, four falconets, and sixteen horses. Alaminos, who had + been pilot to Cordavo and Grijalva, was chief pilot of this + expedition.--E. + +[3] On a former occasion, the chaplain of the expedition was named + Bartholome de Olmedo, but this other clergyman appears likewise to + have attended the expedition.--E. + +[4] In Clavigero and other Spanish authors, this person is named de Olid, + but Diaz uniformly gives him the name in the text.--E. + +[5] Diaz says that this was the expedition of Cordova; but that was in + 1517, two years before. According to Clavigero, Aguilar had learnt the + Maja language, which was spoken by the inhabitants of Yucutan and + Cozumel, and became very useful to Cortes as his interpreter.--E. + +[6] This river is called Chiapa by Clavigero.--E. + +[7] Clavigero calls the field of battle the plain of _Ceutla_, where he + says there was another Indian town not far distant from Tabasco.--E. + +[8] According to Clavigero, this place was named _Madona della Vittoria_, + which was destroyed by the English about the middle of the seventeenth + century, the inhabitants removing to _Villahermosa_, at a greater + distance from the coast.--E. + +[9] There are no lions or tigers in America, but Europeans have loosely + given these names to other species of the same genus, such as the + felis onca, or jaguar; F. discolor or jaguarate; and F. concolor, or + puma; which last is often called the American lion, and the jaguar is + the Mexican tiger.--E. + +[10] In this account of Donna Marina, the information given by Clavigero, + II. 9. is here combined with that of Bernal Diaz, and the orthography + of the Mexican names of places has been corrected throughout from the + former writer, a native of New Spain, and intimately acquainted with + its language. As the Mexicans do not pronounce the letter _r_, they + used to call her _Malintzin_, tzin being an affix of dignity; from + which she is still remembered in Mexico by the name of _Malinchi_.--E. + + + + +SECTION IV. + +_Arrival of the Armament at St Juan de Ulua, and account of Occurrences at +that Place_. + + +As already mentioned, we arrived at the port of St Juan de Ulua on the +evening of Holy Thursday, the 21st April 1519, where we came to anchor, +Cortes hoisting the royal standard of Spain. In about half an hour after +our arrival, two large canoes or _piraguas_ full of Mexicans were seen +coming off from the shore towards the flag-ship[1]. On coming aboard, they +inquired for the _Tlatoan_, or general, who was pointed out to them by +Donna Marina, who acted as interpreter on the occasion with the aid of +Aguilar. She translated the speech of the Mexicans to Aguilar in the Maja +language of Yucatan, who again translated that to Cortes in Spanish. The +reply of Cortes was translated by Aguilar to Marina in Maja, which she +again retranslated to the Mexicans in their language. The Mexicans, +approaching Cortes with much respect, said that they were sent to wait +upon him by a servant of their sovereign _Montezuma_, to inquire who we +were, and what was our business; and that, if we were in want of any thing, +they had orders to supply us. Cortes thanked them for their attention, +making them a present of some cut glass and other toys, and invited them +to partake of some refreshments, stating that he had come to trade with +them, and to confer with their king on affairs of the highest importance, +assuring them that no one should receive any injury, but that all should +have reason to be satisfied with his visit to their country. + +Next day being Good Friday, we disembarked the cavalry, artillery, and +infantry, on the sand hills where the city of New Vera Cruz now stands, +where we constructed huts for the troops, posting the artillery for the +protection of our cantonment, and erected an altar for public performance +of our devotions. Many of the natives came to visit us next day, bringing +hatchets with them, and assisted us in making our huts more comfortable, +more especially that of our general; they also brought a present of many +large cloths or mantles to protect us from the sun, and made us a +considerable present of fowls, bread, and plumbs, and some gold. The +bearers of this present informed Cortes that the governor of the province +intended to wait upon him on the second day after, being Easter Sunday, +the 24th of April. Accordingly _Teuchtlile_, the governor, came at the +time specified, accompanied by a chief named _Quitlatpitoc_[2], who was +afterwards named Ovandillo, with a great retinue bearing various articles +of provisions with much ceremony and respect. These men advanced, making +three profound reverences to Cortes and the soldiers who were with him; +and, after exchanging civilities, Cortes ordered mass to be performed in +their presence, after which he and the two Mexican lords with several +Spanish officers, sat down to dinner. When this was over, he informed the +Mexican chiefs, that he was the servant of the greatest king in the world, +who had sent him to visit their sovereign, whose fame had reached him, and +who had ordered him to communicate some affairs of the greatest importance. +To this Teuchtlile answered somewhat haughtily: "You are only just arrived +in this land, and yet speak already of seeing our king: receive in the +meantime this present which he has sent you, and we shall speak of other +things hereafter." He then took from a _petlacalli_, or basket of reeds, +many admirably wrought toys of gold, with various artificial works in +coloured feathers, which he presented to Cortes, together with ten loads +of fine garments of white cotton, and an abundant supply of provisions, +such as fowls, fruit, and roasted fish. There were many other articles in +the present made on this occasion which I do not now remember the +particulars of, as it is long ago. Cortes presented them in return with +artificial diamonds, and requested they would encourage the natives to +barter with us, which they engaged to do. We afterwards learnt that these +Mexican chiefs were the governors _Cuetlachtlan_, _Tustepeque_, +_Cuetzpaltepec_, _Tlacatlalpan_, and other districts, which had been +lately reduced under the Mexican empire. Cortes then produced a richly +carved and painted arm-chair, some artificial jewels called _margajitas_[3] +enveloped in perfumed cotton, a string of artificial diamonds, and a +crimson velvet montero cap ornamented with a gold medal of St George +killing the dragon; which he requested _Teuchtlile_ to convey to Montezuma +as a present from the king of Spain, and to signify his request to be +permitted to wait upon him. The chief made answer, that his sovereign +would assuredly be happy to hold intercourse with ours, and that he should +convey a true report of this request to Montezuma, who would instruct him +what answer he should make. + +Some able Mexican painters accompanied the two chiefs on this occasion, +who drew accurate representations of Cortes and the other Spanish officers +and soldiers, of Donna Marina, Aguilar, and every circumstance that seemed +worthy of remark, even our dogs, guns, and balls, in order to convey exact +information to Montezuma. On perceiving this, Cortes ordered the cannon to +be loaded, and ordered the cavalry to be exercised in their presence under +Alvarado. He drew off the attention of the chiefs as if by accident, and +had the cannon discharged without any previous notice. The prodigious +noise of the explosion, and the strange effects of the balls among the +trees, impressed the natives with terror and amazement, yet their painters +endeavoured to represent even this for the information of their king. +Teuchtlile happened to notice a partly gilt helmet[4] on one of our +soldiers, which he said resembled one which had belonged to their +ancestors, and which was now placed on the head of _Huitzilopochtli_, +their god of war, and which he wished to carry along with them to +Montezuma. Cortes immediately complied with his request, saying that it +would be proper to return it full of grains of gold, as a fit present for +our emperor, in order to see whether the gold of Mexico was the same with +that of Spain. Teuchtlile now took leave of Cortes, assuring him that he +would very soon return with an answer from Montezuma. Our presents, and +intelligence of all that had passed at this interview, were conveyed with +amazing rapidity to Montezuma by this officer, who was as much +distinguished for swiftness of foot as for his high rank. Montezuma was +particularly struck with the appearance of the helmet, as it impressed him +strongly with the opinion that we were destined by heaven to acquire the +rule over his empire[5]. On the departure of Teuchtlile, the other chief, +Cuitlalpitoc, took up his residence in a temporary building near the camp, +whence his people supplied the table of Cortes with provisions, and our +soldiers procured subsistence by means of barter with the natives. + +At the end of six or seven days, Teuchtlile returned to the camp, +accompanied by more than an hundred men bearing presents from Montezuma. +He had another Mexican chief along with him, named _Quintalbor_[6], who +had so strong a resemblance to our general, that the soldiers always +called him _the other_ Cortes. On coming into the presence of Cortes, the +ambassadors touched the ground with their hands, which they kissed in +token of respect, and then fumigated him and the rest of the Spaniards +with incense. After some conversation, the presents were displayed on mats +and mantles spread out on the ground. The first was a plate of gold, as +large as a coach wheel, most admirably wrought, and representing the +sun[7], said to exceed the value of 20,000 crowns. The next was an equally +well wrought plate of silver, but larger, representing the moon. The +helmet was returned as desired, full of native grains of gold to the value +of 3000 crowns; but the information with this circumstance conveyed to us +of the richness of the mines of this country was inestimable. There were +then displayed a number of toys or ornaments of gold, remarkably well +executed, resembling various animals, as deers, dogs, lions, tigers, apes, +ducks, &c. twelve arrows, a bow with its cord, two rods like those used by +officers of justice, five palms long, ten collars, and many other +ornaments, all cast or moulded in fine gold. There were likewise several +representations of plumes of feathers in fillagree work, some of gold and +others of silver, with several fans of the same materials, and some +beautiful plumes of green feathers. There were likewise thirty loads of +the finest cotton cloth, and many other articles which I do not now +remember. The ambassadors then made a speech, in which they desired Cortes +to accept this present in the same spirit of good will in which it was +sent by their sovereign, and to divide it among the _teules_[8] who +accompanied him. They also delivered the following message from Montezuma: +"He rejoiced to hear of the arrival of so many valiant men in his empire; +should be happy to see our sovereign and to interchange presents with him, +and would render us every service in his power; but that a visit to his +court would be attended with numerous difficulties, as the way to it is +through barren deserts and the countries of inimical nations, and he could +not therefore wish us to attempt the journey." Cortes received this +message with the appearance of much good humour, and presented the +ambassadors with fine Holland shirts and other articles of small value; +but made them the following reply: "That, after having passed so great an +extent of sea, he could not possibly return without executing the orders +of his sovereign, which were to wait upon the great Montezuma in person, +and to communicate to him matters of great importance which he was +commanded to deliver." The ambassadors replied, that they would convey his +message to their sovereign, but gave no hopes of bringing back a +favourable answer. Cortes made up a second present for Montezuma out of +our small means, consisting of a Venice drinking glass, curiously gilt and +ornamented with figures, three fine shirts, and some other articles of +European manufacture, with which the ambassadors returned to Mexico, +leaving Quitlalpitoc, as formerly, to supply our camp with provisions. + +As the uninhabited sand banks on which we were encamped were much infested +with mosquitos, and seemed unfit for a settlement, Cortes sent Francisco +de Montejo with two small ships, to examine the coast in search of a port +in a better situation for a colony. He accordingly proceeded along the +coast as far as the river of Panuco, which the currents prevented him from +passing, and on his return he reported that the only place he could find +for the purpose, was a town or fortress called _Quiabuistlan_[9], twelve +leagues from St Juan de Ulua, near which there was a harbour which his +pilot said was sheltered from the north wind. This place was afterwards +called Puerto del Nombre Feo, from its resemblance to a harbour of that +name in Spain. Montejo employed ten or twelve days in this expedition, in +which time Quitlalpitoc became exceedingly remiss in supplying our wants, +so that we began to be in great distress for provisions. The bread and +bacon we had brought from Cuba became rotten, and we must have starved but +for our success in fishing, as the few natives who occasionally brought +fowls for sale valued them much higher than they had done at the first. +After waiting a long time with much impatience, Teuchtlile returned to the +camp alone, the other ambassador having fallen ill by the way. He +delivered a present of ten loads of the finest cotton garments, four +jewels resembling emeralds, called _calchihuis_, so highly valued by the +Mexicans, that he said each was worth more than a load of gold, and +besides these, some gold ornaments to the value of 3000 crowns, and some +ornamental work in feathers. After delivering this present, Teuhtlile +said, that Montezuma desired to have no more messages, and that henceforth +all farther intercourse between the Spaniards and Mexico must cease. +Though much mortified at this refusal, Cortes made a polite answer; after +which, turning to some of us who were present, he said, "Assuredly this is +a great and rich king; and, with the permission of God, we must see him." +To which we all answered that we were ready to march at his command. At +this moment the bell tolled for the _Ave Maria_, and we all fell on our +knees before the holy cross. The Mexican chiefs were curious to know the +meaning of all this, and asked why we adored that piece of wood. On this, +at the suggestion of Cortes, Father Olmedo explained the mystery of the +cross, by virtue of which the evil spirits were chased away, and +endeavoured to instruct them in the principles of Christianity, +representing the abomination of their idolatry, and the barbarity of their +human sacrifices, the putting a stop to which was the principal object of +our voyage to their country. He then shewed them an image of the Holy +Virgin with the child Jesus in her arms, desiring them to take it with +them and adore it, and to plant similar crosses to that they now saw in +their temples instead of their accursed images. Teuhtlile promised that he +would relate every thing he had seen and heard to his sovereign, and went +his way. + +At this time considerable quantities of gold were brought by the natives +to barter with the soldiers for toys, but very few provisions, so that we +were forced to pay away this gold again to our mariners for fish, as +otherwise we should have been reduced to absolute want. Cortes was +perfectly aware of this private traffic, which however he considered as +tending to advance his own schemes, although he carefully concealed his +opinions on the subject; but the adherents of Velasquez began to express +much displeasure at the practice, and demanded of Cortes to take such +measures as might bring all the gold into a public stock under the charge +of a common treasurer, for the benefit of all concerned. Cortes +immediately complied with their requisition, and appointed Gonzalo Mexia +to this office; but said angrily to those who had insisted on this +regulation, "Our brave companions are suffering under a scarcity of +provisions, and I connived therefore at the trifling traffic in gold which +they have been carrying on, because we have great prospects before as of +acquiring much wealth. I have now proclaimed the regulations which you +have demanded; and we shall see in future how the soldiers will be able to +procure food." Soon afterwards we found that all the Mexicans had quitted +our neighbourhood without taking leave, which we learned in the sequel had +been done by orders from Montezuma, who had resolved to allow of no +farther intercourse between us and his empire. This sovereign was +extremely bigotted to the idolatrous worship, established in his dominions, +sacrificing boys every day to his false gods, that they might direct his +proceedings. The priests accordingly pretended, that the gods had +prohibited the reception of the cross into Mexico, and had forbidden any +farther intercourse with the Spaniards. This gave occasion to the removal +of Quitlalpitoc and his attendants, on which we deemed it necessary to +prepare against approaching hostilities, all our remaining provisions +being removed to the ships for security, and the utmost vigilance enjoined +in the camp in case of any sudden attack. + +While in this state of uncertainty and alarm, I and another soldier +happened one day to be standing on guard on the sands at some distance +from the camp, when we observed five natives approaching towards us. As +they were so few, we did not choose to occasion any unnecessary alarm, and +allowed them to draw near. They saluted us in a friendly manner, and +desired by signs to be conducted to our general. Leaving my comrade at the +outpost, I attended them to the camp, being then young and active, though +now old and worn down with fatigues. These Indians were very different in +their appearance from the Mexicans, and spoke a different language called +the Totanaquean. They wore large rings of stone painted blue in their ears, +and had some fine leaves of gold depending from their lips. When I +presented them before Cortes, they saluted him with great reverence, +giving the title of _Lopelucio_, which signifies lord in their language. +But as their language was not understood by any of our interpreters, Donna +Marina asked in Mexican if any of them could speak that tongue, on which +two of them said they did. They now delivered their message in the Mexican +language, saying, That their lord, who was chief of the city of +_Chempoalla_, had sent them to congratulate us on our arrival, and would +be proud to serve such valiant men as he was told we were, and would have +waited upon us sooner, but had not dared to approach the camp from dread +of the people of _Culchua_, who were with us. Cortes was much pleased to +discover by this embassy, that Montezuma had enemies in the country, who +bore his yoke with impatience; he treated these people therefore with much +kindness, and dismissed them with presents, desiring them to return thanks +to their chief for his courtesy, and that he would pay him an amicable +visit as soon as possible. + +The sands on which we had so long encamped were much infested by the small +mosquito or sand-fly, which is the most troublesome of all, and would +hardly ever allow us to sleep; our bread was all spoiled, and our bacon +became rotten, and we had hardly now any thing to eat. The faction of +Velasquez, and those who had left comfortable plantations in the island of +Cuba, became very impatient of our present situation, which certainly +required a speedy change, and Cortes therefore proposed to take possession +of the fortified town of _Chiahuitztla_, near the new harbour which +Montejo had discovered. The persons already mentioned were much +dissatisfied with this intended movement, complaining that our force was +inadequate to encounter the natives of this vast country, having already +lost more than thirty-five of our number; and that the proper proceeding +under the existing circumstances, was to return to Cuba, and report to +Velasquez all that had been done hitherto. Cortes replied to these +remonstrances, That we had no cause as yet to complain of fortune, the +deaths that had happened being the ordinary fate of war; that it was our +own fault if we wanted provisions in a land of plenty; and that it would +be disgraceful to quit the country without seeing more of it, which, with +the blessing of God, he was resolved to attempt. This reply somewhat +calmed the remonstrants, but by no means extinguished the spirit of the +malcontent party. Cortes had obtained the concurrence of many of the +officers and companions in a scheme for appointing him to the independent +command of the expedition, among whom were Puertocarrero, the Alvarados, +De Oli, Escalente, De Lugo, and myself; but this was suspected by Montejo, +who closely watched all our proceedings. One night, Puertocarrero, +Escalente, and De Lugo, who was my distant relation, came very late to my +hut, desiring me to take my arms and join Cortes who was going his rounds. +On leaving the hut, these gentlemen informed me they wished to have some +conversation with me out of hearing of my comrades, who belonged to the +party of Velasquez, saying, "Senior del Castillo, you have now visited +this country a third time to your great loss. Cortes has deceived us, +having represented in Cuba that he was authorised to establish a colony; +whereas it now appears he has only powers to trade, and means to return to +Cuba, when all the wealth we have acquired will be given up to Velasquez. +Many of us have resolved to take possession of this country under Cortes +for his majesty, electing Cortes for our general until the royal pleasure +is made known, and we expect your vote on this occasion." I concurred with +them heartily in this plan; and we went through all the huts of the camp, +canvassing votes for Cortes. + +This affair became soon known to the party of Velasquez, which was more +numerous than ours, and its leaders haughtily demanded of Cortes to desist +from these underhand dealings, as it was his duty to return to Velasquez, +because we were not provided for the establishment of a colony. Cortes +answered mildly, that he would return immediately; but we of the other +party exclaimed against this resolution; saying that he had deceived us by +pretending to have a commission to colonize, when it now appeared he only +meant to trade, and we now demanded him to fulfil his original engagement +with us, as most conducive to the service of God and the king. We asserted +that more soldiers would soon join us, if we were once established; and +that he and Velasquez had drawn us to our ruin, by giving us hopes of a +settlement, which was now denied; and we insisted on Cortes accepting the +command of us, who were determined to try our fortunes in this new country, +while such as chose to return to Cuba were welcome to depart. Cortes, +after affecting for some time to refuse our offer, at length complied, and +was appointed by us captain-general and supreme magistrate, in the name of +the king, and without dependence on Velasquez. The worst part of the +business was, that we assigned him a fifth part at all the gold which +might be acquired, after deducting the share belonging to the king. Being +now formally invested by us with the supreme authority, of which a formal +instrument was drawn up by Diego de Godoy, the royal notary, Cortes +proceeded immediately to the settlement of a town, which was denominated +_Villa Rica, de la Vera Cruz_. It was called _Villa Rica_, because of the +words of Puertocarrero formerly mentioned, "behold the rich lands;" and +_de la Vera Cruz_, because he arrived at this place on Holy Thursday and +disembarked on Good Friday. On this occasion we elected civil magistrates +of the new colony; Puertocarrero and Montejo being the two first alcaldes, +Pedro de Alvarado captain of the expeditions, Christoval de Oli maestré de +campo, Juan de Escalente alguazil major, Gonzalo Mexia treasurer, Alonzo +de Avila contador, Corral standard-bearer, Ochoa Viscanio and Alonzo +Romero military alguazils. + +These steps gave great offence to the faction of Velasquez, insomuch that +they used many mutinous expressions, and were almost ready to proceed to +acts of violence. They declared that they would not submit to the usurped +authority of Cortes, being resolved to return to Cuba, according to the +orders and instructions of Velasquez. Cortes declared that he had no +desire to detain any against their inclinations, even if he should remain +alone. This pacified many of the malcontents; but Juan Velasquez de Leon, +Diego de Ordas, Escobar, Escudero, and some others were so violent in +their opposition, that Cortes was obliged to have them arrested, and they +were detained for some time in irons. By a private concert with Cortes, +Juan de Escalente demanded by our authority, that the instructions from +Velasquez should be produced, that we might be enabled to lay a detailed +account of the whole proceedings before the king for our justification. +The tenor of these was, "To return as soon as we had procured all the gold +which could be had." This appeared afterwards to have been a very +necessary precaution, from the steps which were taken against us by Don +Juan Rodriguez de Fonseca, bishop of Burgos and archbishop of Rossano. + + + +[1] Clavigero denominates this part of the Mexican empire by the + incommunicable name of Chalchiuhcuecan.--E. + +[2] In the work of Bernal Diaz, the names of these two Mexican chiefs are + Tendile and Pitaipitoque. We have here adopted the orthography of + Clavigero in preference, because he appears to have perfectly + understood the Mexican language; and shall continue to do so in the + sequel without farther notice, as often as his work enables us to do + it with certainty--E. + +[3] Perhaps mock-pearls, or the word may possibly be the same with what we + term marcasites.--E. + +[4] Clavigero calls this a gilt mask or vizor.--E. + +[5] According to Clavigero, there was an ancient tradition current among + the Mexicans, that _Quetzalcoatl_, their god of the air, had + disappeared long ago, promising to return after a certain period, and + to govern them in peace and happiness; and on the first appearance of + the Spaniards on their coast, observing certain marks of resemblance + between them and their mythological notions of this god, they believed + their god of the air had returned, and was about to resume the + government.--E. + +[6] Clavigero alleges that this name neither is nor can be Mexican, but + does not correct the orthography.--E. + +[7] According to Clavigero, this plate was thirty palms of Toledo in + circumference and was worth 10,000 sequins, representing what he calls + the _Mexican centary_, or rather _cycle_ of fifty-two years, and + having the sun in the centre.--E. + +[8] By Clavigero this expression is made _Teuctin_, which he says + signifies lords or gentlemen as applied to all the Spaniards; and that + this word having some resemblance to Teteo, the Mexican term for gods, + made them believe that they were considered as gods by the + Mexicans.--E. + +[9] Chiahuitztla, near which Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz, the first Spanish + settlement in Mexico was built; but which was afterwards removed to + the dry sands at St Juan de Ulua, where Vera Cruz, the port of Mexico, + now stands.--E. + + + + +SECTION V. + +_The Spanish Army advances into the Country, and an account of their +Proceedings before commencing the March to Mexico_. + + +The hardships we now endured for want of provisions required immediate +relief, and Alvarado was detached with a party of an hundred soldiers, to +search the country for maize and other provisions. These now sent were +mostly of the party of Velasquez, as it was thought prudent that the +adherents of Cortes should remain with him in a body. Alvarado marched to +several small villages belonging to the district of _Costitlan_, which he +found deserted by the inhabitants, who had retired on his approach. In the +temples he found several bodies of men and boys recently sacrificed, and +the stone knives yet smoking with which the horrible ceremony had been +performed. The limbs had been severed from the bodies, and taken away to +be eaten, as our people were informed. Our soldiers were exceedingly +shocked at these abominable scenes; but such were seen by us everywhere in +our after-progress through the country. In these villages, abundance of +provisions were procured, which were brought to the camp; but nothing else +was brought away, as Cortes had strictly forbidden them to touch any thing +else. They returned with the provisions and two prisoners to the camp, +where we were all rejoiced in the novelty of good fare. Cortes, by his +address and good management, soon drew over many of the adherents of +Velasquez to his interest, gaining some by the unfailing influence of gold, +and others by promises. By these means, having brought the prisoners from +the ships, in which they had been hitherto confined, he attached most of +them sincerely to his party, and in a few days set them all at liberty. We +now proceeded towards the fortress of Chiahuitztla, and passed, during the +march, a large fish which had been cast ashore. We arrived at a river +where the town of Vera Cruz now stands, and crossed to a village on the +opposite side in the district dependent on the town of Chempoalla. In some +temples belonging to this village, we found the instruments and remains of +human sacrifices, large quantities of parrots feathers, and certain books +made of a kind of paper, folded up like Spanish cloth. From this village +we altered our line of march, which had been hitherto along the coast, and +advanced inland towards the west, when we came into an extensive plain +without any beaten track, where we saw several herds of deer. Alvarado, on +his swift chesnut mare, gave chace to one of the deer, which he wounded +with his lance, but it escaped from him into the woods. Having advanced +some way into the plain, we were met by twelve Indians bringing a present +of provisions, who had been sent by the chief of a town a days journey +from us, inviting us to come to his residence. Cortes returned thanks for +the provisions, and we proceeded to a village where we halted for the +night, finding as usual the remains of human victims, both male and female; +but as this was universal, I shall not disgust my readers by repeating the +horrid details. + +Early next morning we resumed our march, guided by the friendly Indians +who had joined us the preceding day, and sent forwards some of them to +apprize the chief of Chempoalla of our approach. When about a league from +that place, we were met by twenty principal inhabitants, who presented +Cortes and the cavalry with bouquets of very odoriferous flowers, +apologizing for the absence of the cacique, as he was too fat and unwieldy +to be able to come so far in person. Continuing our march, we arrived at +the town of Chempoalla, viewing with admiration the beauty of its +situation and buildings, and the elegant plantations of trees in its +neighbourhood. Our advanced guard preceded us to the great square, which +had been recently plastered and white-washed, and one of our horsemen was +so amazed at its splendid appearance, that he rode back at full speed to +inform Cortes that the walls of the houses were all of silver. We used +afterwards to laugh at this man, saying that every thing white was silver +in his eyes. The buildings in this square were appointed for our quarters, +where we were all well lodged in spacious apartments, and where the +natives had provided a plentiful entertainment for us, with baskets of +plumbs and bread made of maize. We were much pleased with the place and +our reception; some of the soldiers calling it Seville, and others Villa +Viciosa, on account of its pleasantness[1]. When the fat cacique of +Chempoalla understood that we had finished our repast, he caused Cortes to +be informed that he intended paying him a visit, and came accordingly, +attended by many principal natives of the town, dressed in their richest +mantles, and ornamented with gold. Cortes received him with great ceremony, +embracing him in sign of respect, and they sat down together. The cacique +ordered a present to be laid before Cortes, consisting of mantles and some +gold, but of small value, making an apology for its worthlessness, because +he had lately been forced to submit to the dominion of Montezuma, who had +stripped him of all his gold, and now held him completely enthralled. +Cortes promised to repay his present with good services, and would soon +take measures to free him of the thraldom of which he complained, having +been sent hither by a great emperor to redress wrongs, to punish the +wicked, and to put a stop to human sacrifices, adding many things +concerning our holy religion. The cacique then made a polite answer, and +took his leave. + +We resumed our march next morning, attended by above 400 natives who were +appointed to carry our baggage. These Indian porters are called _tamenes_ +in the language of the country, who carry a burthen of about fifty pounds +weight, being relieved at the end of every five leagues; and we were +informed that every cacique is bound to provide such men on demand, for +the service of every respectable person who passes through their +territories. We arrived at night in a village near the town of +Chiahuitztla, where we found an abundant supply of provisions, provided +for our use by order from the cacique of Chempoalla. At ten o'clock of the +following morning, we entered the fortified town of Chiahuitztla, which is +situated upon a high rock of very difficult ascent, marching in close +order with our artillery in front. At this time, one Villanueva happened +to quit his rank, on which his captain Alonso de Avilla, a harsh tempered +officer, gave him a thrust of his lance in the arm, which lamed him ever +after. We advanced to the middle of this city, not only without any +resistance, but even without meeting a single individual; but on +approaching the temples in the great square, fifteen persons in rich +dresses came to meet Cortes, carrying pans of incense, who excused the +absence of the people from fear, requesting us to stop and refresh +ourselves in their city, and promising that the inhabitants should return +before night. Cortes gave a similar account of the object of our mission, +with that already given to the cacique of Chempoalla, and made them a +present of some trifles, desiring them to supply us with provisions, which +was immediately complied with. Soon after our arrival, Cortes received +notice of the approach of the fat cacique of Chempoalla in a litter, in +which he was carried by his principal nobles. On his arrival, he and the +chiefs of Chiahuitztla, made bitter complaints of the tyranny of Montezuma +over the whole district of the Totonacas, which contained above thirty +towns, having engrossed all the gold, and oppressed them by heavy tributes, +but particularly by taking away their sons for sacrifices to the idols, +and their daughters as slaves. Cortes consoled them as well as he could, +promising the redress of all their grievances; and while they were thus +conferring, notice was brought that five Mexican collectors of the tribute +had just arrived. This intelligence greatly alarmed the natives, who went +away trembling to receive them, leaving Cortes quite alone. + +As the Mexican officers went to their apartments, they passed us in great +state, without deigning even to look towards Cortes. They were dressed in +finely wrought mantles and trowsers, having their shining black hair tied +up on the top of their heads, each carrying a bunch of roses in their +hands; and they were attended by many servants, who fanned them, every one +of whom carried a cord and a hooked stick. On coming to their apartments, +where chocolate had been made ready for their refreshment, they were +attended by a numerous company of the principal people of the place; and, +having taken their chocolate, they sent for the fat cacique of Chempoalla +and the chiefs of Chiahuitztla, whom they severely reprimanded for having +received and entertained us, contrary to the orders of Montezuma; and +after threatening severe punishments, they made a demand of twenty men and +women, to be offered as sacrifices to the Mexican idols, to expiate this +heavy offence. On Cortes being informed of their barbarous exaction, he +proposed to the chiefs to seize these officers, till Montezuma might be +informed of their tyrannical conduct to his subjects; but they were +terrified at the proposal, and refused their concurrence. But Cortes made +them be seized, and ordered them to be fastened by the neck to some large +staves and collars, like a pillory, so that they were unable to move, even +ordering one of them to be soundly beaten, who proved refractory. Cortes +then caused a proclamation to be made, that no tribute or obedience was in +future to be paid to Montezuma, and that every one of his officers who +entered the district should be imprisoned. This intelligence soon spread +over the country; and the natives said that such measures could only be +attempted by _teules_, or superior beings, by which name they +distinguished their idols, but ever afterwards applied to the Spaniards. +The native chiefs were now bent upon sacrificing to their idols those +officers whom before they dared hardly look at, meaning thereby to prevent +them from carrying intelligence to Mexico of what had been done; but +Cortes prevented this by placing them under a guard of our soldiers. He +made two of them be brought before him at midnight, whom he caused to be +unbound; and, pretending ignorance of what had happened, he asked who they +were and why they had been made prisoners. They answered that they were +Mexican officers, who had been made prisoners by the chiefs of that town +by his encouragement. He pretended to know nothing of the matter, and +expressed sorrow for what had befallen them. Then ordering food to be +given them, he treated them kindly, and desired them to inform Montezuma, +that he was exceedingly desirous of becoming his friend and servant, and +that he was much displeased with the Totonacas for having used them ill. +He promised likewise to set their companions free, and to reprimand the +caciques for their conduct. He then desired them to go their ways as +quickly as possible; but they said they would assuredly be destroyed in +attempting to pass through the country of the Totonacas; on which he sent +them in a boat with six sailors, who were ordered to land them beyond the +territory of Chempoalla. + +When the caciques discovered next morning that two of their prisoners had +escaped, they were anxious to sacrifice the others immediately: But Cortes, +pretending to be angry at the escape of the two whom he had released, +ordered the others to be sent in chains on board one of the ships, to get +them out of the power of the Totonacas, directing them to be freed from +their chains immediately on getting aboard, with assurance of being soon +allowed to return to Mexico. The caciques now consulted with Cortes in +what manner to defend themselves from the resentment of Montezuma, who +must soon learn the evil treatment of his officers, and would speedily +overwhelm them under the force of his innumerable armies. With a cheerful +countenance, Cortes assured them that he and his valiant companions would +defend them from all attacks of the Mexicans; and the caciques, in return, +engaged to support us with all their forces. They likewise at this time +entered into promise of allegiance to the king of Spain, of which a formal +instrument was drawn up before the royal notary, Godoy, and proclamation +of this change of dominion was made through the province, to the great joy +of the natives for being relieved from the vexatious exactions of the +Mexican officers. + +No time was lost in taking advantage of this important alliance, and we +immediately proceeded to lay the foundations of a colony in a plain about +half a league from Chiahuitztla, where we now were. The foundations of a +church, square, fort, and arsenal were traced out, and all the buildings +were raised to the first story, as also the walls and parapets of the fort, +which were provided with loop-holes and barbicans. Cortes gave an example +of industry, in carrying earth and stones for the buildings, and in +digging out the foundations, and was imitated by all the officers and +soldiers; some in digging, others in constructing the walls of clay, some +in carrying water, or in making bricks and tiles, while others prepared +the timber, and the smiths were busy in making ready the iron work. By +these means, and by the aid of the natives, we soon nearly completed the +fort, with the church and houses. + +In the meantime, on receiving information of the rebellion of the +Totonacas, and the usage his officers had received, Montezuma was enraged +against Cortes, and ordered two armies to march, one for the punishment of +the rebels, and the other against us. But when they were ready to march, +the two officers arrived who had been liberated by Cortes, and gave a +favourable report of the treatment they had received while in our hands. +This lessened his anger, and induced him to send us an amicable message, +which was brought by two of his nephews, under the care of four old nobles +of the highest rank belonging to his court. These brought a present of +gold and mantles, worth about 2000 crowns, and delivered a complimentary +message to Cortes, thanking him for liberating the officers, yet +complaining of him for instigating the Totonacas to rebel whom he would +severely punish hereafter, yet refrained from doing so while we were among +them, since he believed we were of the same ancestors with himself, and +were the people of whom their ancient prophesies had made mention. Cortes +desired the ambassadors to believe that he and all his people were +entirely devoted to the service of the great Montezuma, on whose account +he had protected the officers; and causing the other three who were on +board ship to be brought, he delivered them to the ambassadors. He then +complained of the unkindness of Montezuma, in ordering Cuitlalpitoc and +the natives to desert us, by which incivility we had been deprived of +provisions, and had been under the necessity of coming into the country of +the Totonacas, who had received us with much kindness. He farther trusted +that Montezuma would pardon what had happened, who could not now look for +tribute from that province, the inhabitants of which had become vassals to +the king of Spain. He desired them likewise to say, that he hoped soon to +have it in his power to pay his respects in person to the great Montezuma, +when he had no doubt of settling everything to his entire satisfaction. He +then presented glass diamonds and coloured beads to the young princes, and +ordered out the cavalry to perform their evolutions in his presence, at +which they were extraordinarily astonished and much pleased. After all +this, the ambassadors returned to Mexico, much satisfied with their +reception. This embassy had a great effect on the natives of the country +in our favour, as they concluded we must certainly be very formidable +indeed, since even the great Montezuma seemed afraid of us. + +At this time the fat cacique of Chempoalla complained to Cortes of certain +outrages committed by the soldiers of a Mexican garrison in a town called +Cincapacinga, nine leagues off Chiahuitztla, where we were then quartered, +and requested his assistance. Turning to some of the Spaniards who were +about him, Cortes said jocularly: "You see that these people esteem us as +superior beings; let us encourage their prejudice, and make them believe +that one of us can drive an army of the natives before him. I will send +old Heredia the musketeer, whose fierce scarred countenance, great beard, +one eye, and lame leg, will terrify them." Heredia had served in the wars +of Italy, and was ordered by Cortes to proceed only to the river, where he +was to fire a musket as a signal, meaning only to try how far the +credulity of the Indians would carry them. As Heredia was present, Cortes +pointed him out to the Indians, and desired him to go with his _teule_, +who would kill or make prisoners of all their enemies. The caciques set +out accordingly with their warriors, headed by Heredia, who went firing +his musket before them. As soon as they reached the river, the old soldier +made the appointed signal, and Cortes sent to recal them, having +sufficiently tried their faith, and informed them that he would march +against their enemies with all his troops. When the soldiers were ordered +to prepare for this duty, those who were of the party of Velasquez refused +to obey, and insisted on returning to Cuba. The mutineers who avowed +themselves on this occasion were only seven in number; and on being +reprimanded by Cortes, they insolently replied, that they wondered at his +temerity, in attempting to establish a colony among such prodigious +multitudes of natives with so small a force; that they were already tired +of being so dragged about, and were resolved to go back to their +plantations in Cuba. Though he disapproved their conduct, Cortes declared +he would not oppose them; on which they embarked, taking on board their +provision of bread, vegetables, and oil for the voyage, and one of them +named Moron sold a good horse to Juan Ruano, receiving its price in an +assignment over some property in Cuba. When the vessel was about to sail, +we all waited on Cortes, having the civil officers of the colony at our +head, and requested that no one should be allowed to quit their colours, +for which these men rather deserved to die, than to be thus permitted to +depart. Cortes appeared at first unwilling to recal his permission, but at +last acceded to our wishes, and the seven deserters were obliged to return, +under the ridicule of us all. Moron in particular was most laughed at, as +having lost his horse, which Ruano refused to return, referring to the +assignment in Cuba for the agreed payment. + +The discontents being for the present appeased, Cortes set out against +Cincapacinga with 400 soldiers, and was joined at Chempoalla by 1000 of +our allied natives, divided into four companies. We marched five leagues +the first day, and reached the outskirts of Cincapacinga next day, which +we found situated among steep rocks of difficult access. Eight of the +principal inhabitants of the place waited on Cortes, whom they asked with +tears in their eyes what misconduct of theirs had induced him to destroy +them; adding, that the ill will of our allies of Chempoalla proceeded from +an ancient dispute about boundaries, and they now took the advantage of +our assistance to rob and murder them unjustly. They acknowledged that a +Mexican garrison had been in their town, but assured him that it had +retired when the officers of Montezuma were arrested at Chiahuitztla, and +earnestly entreated to be admitted into favour. Cortes gave immediate +orders, forbidding the allies to advance; but they were already engaged in +plundering the suburbs, at which Cortes was very angry, and ordering the +Chempoallan captains into his presence, he reproached them for their +misrepresentations, when their obvious purpose was to employ us, who were +bound to prevent and redress injustice, to aid them in plundering their +neighbours. He commanded them therefore, on pain of death, instantly to +liberate all their prisoners, to restore their plunder, and to withdraw +for the night with all their men from the town; with all which orders they +immediately complied. By this just conduct, Cortes won the hearts of the +people in this district to our cause, and the chiefs and priests listened +attentively to his exhortations to abandon their abominable idolatry and +barbarous human sacrifices, coming under engagements of allegiance to our +king, and making heavy complaints against the tyranny of the Mexican +government. Next morning, Cortes brought the chiefs of Chempoalla and +Cincapacinga together, and effectuated a complete reconciliation between +the two districts. We then set out on our return, taking a different route +from that by which we advanced, and halted after a fatiguing march, in a +village belonging to the district of Cincapacinga. While here, one of our +soldiers took two fowls from one of the inhabitants, and Cortes got notice +of the transaction, who was so highly incensed at the commission of such +an outrage in a peaceable district, that he immediately ordered the +soldier to be hanged; but captain Alvarado cut the rope with his sword in +time to save his life. We proceeded from that village to another in the +district of our first allies, where the cacique of Chempoalla waited for +us with a supply of provisions, and next day marched back to our quarters +at Chiahuitztla, into which we were escorted by all the chiefs. Our +conduct on this expedition raised us higher than ever in the esteem of the +natives, who could distinguish the excellence of justice, though untaught, +and saw that the behaviour of Cortes corresponded with his professions of +having come into their country to redress injuries, and to put an end to +tyranny. + +The natives were now under great terror of the power and vengeance of +Montezuma for revolting from his authority. They proposed therefore to fix +our abode in their country by inducing us to marry their women; and for +this purpose, eight young women of the principal families of the district +were introduced, all richly dressed and decorated with gold collars and +ear-rings, attended by many female slaves. The fat cacique then made a +speech to our general, in which he said that seven of these women were +intended for the captains of our army, and the eighth, who was his own +niece and proprietor of several villages and many vassals, was meant for +himself. Cortes received this offer with thanks; but observed, that in +order to establish an entire friendship between them and us, they must +first renounce their gross idolatry, the shameful custom of male youths +appearing in female attire, and their barbarous human sacrifices; as we +were daily shocked by seeing four or five horrid murders, the miserable +victims being cut up and exposed as beef is in our public markets. The +chiefs and priests replied that they could not consent to renounce the +accustomed worship of their gods, but were willing to abolish the other +evil customs of which he complained. We were by no means satisfied with +this answer, and having made sure of our hearty co-operation, Cortes +ordered us all under arms, and informed the chiefs that we were determined +upon suppressing their idolatrous worship by force at the hazard even of +our lives. On hearing this resolution, the fat cacique ordered all his +people to arm for the defence of the temple; and when we were about to +ascend the great flight of steps, he expostulated with Cortes for +attempting a measure which would ensure the destruction both of them and +us, by incensing their gods. Cortes replied that their remonstrances were +all in vain, as he was determined to hurl their pretended gods down the +steps of the temple. Then fifty of us went up to the summit of the temple, +whence we threw down and dashed in pieces all the abominable idols we +could find, some like dragons, others having half human figures, and +others again like dogs. At this sight, the chiefs and priests wept and +prayed us to desist, but the warriors seemed ready to attack us; on which +we immediately seized the fat cacique and six other chiefs and priests, +exclaiming that we would put them all instantly to death, if any +resistance or outrage was attempted. The cacique then ordered his warriors +to desist, and the tumult being appeased, Cortes made them a long harangue +on the subject of religion. He then gave orders that the fragments of the +broken idols should be burnt; on which eight priests, who were accustomed +to take care of them, brought all their fragments into the temple, where +they were consumed to ashes. These priests were dressed in long black +mantles like sheets, hanging down to the ground, with hoods hanging on +their shoulders like our cannons, and other smaller hoods resembling those +of our Dominican friars. Their long hair was matted together with clotted +blood, some of them having it so long as to hang down to their feet, and +others only to the waist. Their ears were all torn and cut, and they smelt +horribly of putrid flesh. These priests were said to be all of noble +families. + +When all this was ended, Cortes made a harangue to the people, saying, +That we were now really brothers, and that Montezuma should not oppress +them any more, for he would place them under the protection of the Mother +of God, whom we adored; and he added many good and holy arguments +exceedingly well expressed, to all of which the people listened most +attentively. He then had the walls of the temple cleared of blood and new +plastered, employing a number of Indian masons for this purpose, using +lime which the place afforded in plenty. After having thus cleaned and +purified the temple, he ordered a new altar to be erected, which he hung +all round with rich mantles, and adorned it with wreaths of odoriferous +flowers; and ordering four native priests to cut off their hair and to put +on white garments, he committed the altar to their care, on which he +planted the holy cross, before which our chaplain Olmedo celebrated the +mass. He also instructed the natives to make wax candles, and enjoined the +four priests to keep some of these always burning before the altar. All +these things being arranged, he placed a lame old soldier named Juan de +Torres, to reside in the temple as a hermit, and to keep the native +priests to their new duty. In this first Christian church of New Spain, +the principal persons of the surrounding districts attended divine service, +and the eight native ladies, already mentioned, having been previously +instucted in our holy faith, were solemnly baptized. The niece of the fat +cacique of Chempoalla, who was as ugly as possible, was named Donna +Catalina; yet the general took her by the hand very affectionately. +Puertocarrero was more fortunate, as his lady, who was called Donna +Francisco, was very handsome for an Indian, and her father, named Cuesco, +was a cacique of considerable power. Having thus cemented a firm +friendship with the Totonacas, we returned to our new settlement of Villa +rica. We found there a vessel newly arrived from Cuba, under the command +of Francisco Sauceda, called _el pulido_ or the beau, from his affectation +of finery and high manners. In this vessel there had arrived an able +officer named Luis Marin, accompanied by ten soldiers and two horses. He +brought intelligence that Velasquez had received the appointment of +_adelantado_ of Cuba, with authority to barter and colonize in New Spain. +This news gave much satisfaction to the friends of Velasquez in our army, +but made no change in the plans of Cortes. + +As the works of Villa Rica were nearly completed, many of us became eager +for the proposed visit to Montezuma, and expressed our wishes to Cortes +that we might try our fortune in that expedition. It was resolved in the +first place in a grand consultation, to send a deputation to Old Spain, to +give an account to his majesty of all our proceedings, together with all +the gold and other articles of value which we had hitherto obtained. For +this purpose Ordas and Montejo went through among all the officers and +soldiers, and persuaded them to allow of the whole treasure being sent to +the king, as it was for the general interest to renounce our claim for a +partition. Puertocarrera and Montejo were appointed agents for Cortes and +the army, our general having gained Montejo to his party by a present of +2000 crowns. By these gentlemen Cortes sent a letter to his majesty, the +contents of which we were not made acquainted with. The cabilda or council +of the new settlement wrote also a letter to the king, in conjunction with +those soldiers who were most solicitous for the settlement of the colony, +and had voted in the election of Cortes as captain-general. Nothing was +omitted in this letter which seemed calculated to establish our cause at +court, and my name was signed to it along with the rest. + +Beginning with expressions of our most profound respect, we related all +the events which had occurred from our setting out on the expedition, down +to the election of Cortes as our captain-general, till the pleasure of his +majesty might be made known on the subject, together with our engagement +to allow Cortes a fifth part of the treasure, after deducting the kings +part. We gave an account of our having discovered two Spaniards in the +country; of our having procured two excellent interpreters; of our war in +Tabasco; of the interviews with the messengers of Montezuma; our march +into the country, and our alliance with the natives, who had renounced +their allegiance to Montezuma and submitted themselves and their country +to his majesty; of our expedition to Cincapacinga; the abolition of +idolatry at Chiahuitztla, and the establishment of Christianity; the +construction of our fortress of Villa Rica; and of our present +determination to march to the court of Montezuma, the great sovereign of +Mexico. We gave likewise a succinct account of the military establishment +and religious observances of the natives, an enumeration of the articles +of treasure we had transmitted to his majesty by our agents, and that we +had sent over four natives, whom we had rescued from the cages at +Chempoalla, where they were fattening for victims to the false gods of the +country. We then stated that we were only 450 soldiers, surrounded by +innumerable multitudes of enemies, yet ready to sacrifice our lives for +the glory of God and the service of his majesty; and we earnestly +entreated that he would be graciously pleased not to bestow the government +of this great and rich country upon an unworthy person, expressing our +fears of what Velasquez might attempt to our prejudice, by means of his +patron the bishop of Burgos, whom he had secured in his interest by +grants of valuable estates in Cuba which ought to have belonged to his +majesty. In conclusion, we awaited the return of his gracious answer with +the most profound reverence; yet humbly assured his majesty, if the bishop +of Burgos sent over any person to assume the command, we were resolved to +suspend our obedience till his majesty's pleasure were clearly made known +to us, remaining in the mean time, as now, under the command of his +majesties most faithful servant and our general Hernando Cortes, whose +merits we painted in glowing colours. When this was extended in due form, +Cortes asked permission to read it, and expressed his perfect satisfaction +with the whole, excepting two articles, the mention of his share of the +treasure, and the names of Cordova and Grijalva as having previously +discovered this country; as he assumed the whole merit to himself in his +private letter. He wished therefore to have these passages expunged, but +some of us roundly told him, that his majesty must not only be informed of +the truth, but of the whole truth. + +When this important affair was completed, our agents set sail from Villa +Rica on the 26th July 1519[2], with strict injunctions not to touch at the +Havanna or the port of _el Marien_, as we wished to keep the whole from +being known to Velasquez. Yet they went directly to the Havanna, the pilot +Alaminos being over-persuaded into this measure, under pretence of +Puertocarrero being sick, and that Montejo wanted to procure provisions +from his estate of El Marien. As soon as the ship came to anchor, Montejo +sent letters on shore to Velasquez, giving an account of all that had +taken place during the expedition; and as the messenger went through the +island, he everywhere communicated the news of all that had occurred to +our army. On receiving this intelligence from Montejo, Velasquez was +highly enraged against Cortes, and heartily cursed his secretary and +contador, who had persuaded him to confide the expedition to his guidance. +He immediately dispatched two armed vessels to detain our ship, but soon +got the unwelcome news that she was considerably advanced on her voyage to +Europe. Besides writing to his patron the bishop of Burgos, he lodged a +complaint against Cortes before the royal audience at St Domingo; but the +members sent him an answer highly favourable to us, with whose good +services they were already acquainted. All these untoward circumstances +gave the adelantado infinite vexation, insomuch that from being very fat, +he became quite lean. But he used every exertion to collect a powerful +armament on purpose to overwhelm us as rebels against his legitimate +authority, going about the whole island in person to incite the settlers +to take up arms in his cause, and prepared a fleet of eighteen sail of +vessels for the expedition against us, which was confided to the command +of Pamphilo de Narvaez, of which we shall give an account hereafter. + +Our agents passed through the Bahama channel, under the direction of the +pilot Alaminos, being the first ship which took that passage from the West +Indies for Europe. After touching at the island of Tercera for +refreshments, they proceeded for Seville, and arrived a few days +afterwards at Valladolid, where the court was then held. Our agents +immediately waited on the bishop of Burgos, who was president of the +council of the Indies, expecting a favourable reception, and requested him +to transmit our letters and present them with all speed to the emperor, +who was then in Flanders. The bishop gave them a haughty and repulsive +answer, saying, That he would make a proper representation of our conduct, +for having thrown off our obedience to Velasquez. The arrival of Benito +Martinez, chaplain to the governor of Cuba, contributed to place our +affairs in an unfavourable light; and as Puertocarrero made a remonstrance +to the bishop, he caused him to be thrown into prison, on a frivolous +charge of having taken away with him a woman from Medellin to the Indies. +The bishop made a represention of our affairs to his majesty, stating +every thing in the most favourable light for Velasquez, and as much as he +possibly could against us, suppressing all mention of our letters and +present, and even appropriated a great part of the latter to his own use. +But our agents concerted matters with Martin Cortes, our generals father, +and the licentiate Nunez, his near relation, who had an office in the +royal council, and by means of some noblemen who were jealous of the +bishop and disgusted with his haughty demeanour, they procured duplicates +of all our letters to be transmitted to his majesty, together with +complaints of the partiality of the bishop. These letters got safe to his +majesty, with which he was well pleased; and for a long time his court was +full of the praises of Cortes and of us his soldiers. The emperor +conceived much displeasure against the bishop of Burgos for his conduct on +this occasion; who became quite furious against Cortes and the rest of us, +when he heard of the light in which our affairs had been seen at the court; +but about two years afterwards the bishop became quite crest-fallen, as he +was censured by the emperor, while we continued to be esteemed as loyal +subjects. On receiving these duplicates of our letters, the emperor was +pleased to say, That he would soon return to Spain, when he would attend +to our memorials, and would reward our faithful services. + +Four days after the departure of our agents, a plot was discovered which +had been concerted among the enemies of Cortes, for seizing a vessel to +carry over intelligence to Velasquez of the departure of our agents, and +of the measures which had been taken by us against the authority of the +adelantado. Among the conspirators were, Escudero, Cermeno, Umbria a +pilot, Bernardino de Coria, a clergyman named Juan Diaz, and some sailors +who had been whipped at the island of Cozumel; but the plan had been +suggested by some persons of consequence, who were enraged at Cortes for +preventing their return to Cuba, and for having been deprived of their +shares of the treasure which was sent to the emperor. This plot was +revealed only a few hours before the vessel was to have sailed, by the +repentance of de Coria. All the before-mentioned conspirators were +immediately seized, and having confessed the whole plot, they were all +condemned to die except the priest, who was in a terrible fright. Escudero +and Cermeno were hanged; Umbria had his feet cut off, and each of the +sailors received 200 lashes. When Cortes signed the ratification of this +sentence, he exclaimed with a sigh: "Happy is he who cannot write, that he +may not have occasion to sign the death-warrants of other men." In my +opinion, this sentiment is often affected by judges, in imitation of Nero, +at the time he counterfeited the appearance of clemency. As soon as the +sentence was put in execution, Cortes set off full speed for Chempoalla, +ordering 200 soldiers and all the cavalry to follow him to that place, +where likewise he sent orders for a detachment that was then out under +Alvarado to march. + +In a consultation respecting our intended expedition to Mexico, Cortes was +advised by his friends to destroy the fleet, in order to prevent all +possibility of the adherents of Velasquez deserting to Cuba, and likewise +to procure a considerable augmentation to our force, as there were above +an hundred sailors. In my opinion, Cortes had already determined on this +measure, but wished the proposal to originate with us, that we might all +become equally responsible for the loss. This being resolved upon, Cortes +ordered his friend Escalente to dismantle all the ships and then sink them, +preserving only the boats for the purpose of fishing. Escalente bore +inveterate enmity against Velasquez, who had refused him a good district +in Cuba, and went immediately to Villa Rica where he executed this service +effectually. All the sails, cordage, and every thing else that could be +useful were brought on shore, and the whole of the ships sunk. Escalente +then came back to Chempoalla with a company formed of the mariners, many +of whom became excellent soldiers. Cortes now summoned all the chiefs who +had renounced their allegiance to Montezuma into his presence, whom he +exhorted to give every service in their power to the detachment he meant +to leave in Villa Rica, and to assist them in completing the town: Then +taking Escalente by the hand, whom he had appointed to command there in +his absence, he presented him to the caciques as his brother, desiring +them to obey him in every thing, and assuring them that he would protect +them against their enemies. The chiefs all engaged to perform every thing, +he had enjoined. Escalente was left in charge of this port as a person in +whom Cortes could entirely confide, to repel any attempts that might be +made against him by Velasquez, while absent on the expedition to Mexico. +Soon after the destruction of the vessels, Cortes assembled us one morning +after mass; and, after some discourse on military affairs, he said, That +we now knew the business in which we were engaged, wherein we had no other +alternative but conquest or death; for in case of defeat we had no means +of escape, and must depend entirely, under GOD, on our own valour; +afterwards adding many comparisons of our present situation with incidents +drawn from the Roman history. We unanimously answered, That we were +prepared to obey and follow him wherever he chose to lead, the lot being +now cast, as Caesar said on passing the Rubicon, and we devoted ourselves +to the service of God and our emperor. He then addressed us in an eloquent +speech; after which he called for the fat cacique, whom he informed of our +intended march to Mexico, and gave him strict injunctions to take great +care of the holy cross and the church we had established. + +When we were ready to depart on our expedition to Mexico, a letter was +brought from Escalente, informing Cortes that a strange ship had come to +anchor in a river about three leagues from Villa Rica, from which he could +get no answer to his signals. Cortes left the command of the army during +his absence to Alvarado and Sandoval, and set out with four horsemen for +Villa Rica, leaving orders for thirty of the lightest armed infantry to +follow, who accordingly arrived that night. Escalente offered to go with +twenty men to the vessel, lest she might escape; but Cortes set out along +the coast without delay, and fell in with four Spaniards on the road, who +had been sent on shore by Alonzo Alvarez de Pineda, the captain of the +vessel, to take formal possession of the country. One of these was a +notary, named Guillen de la Loa, and the rest attended him to witness the +act. From these men Cortes was informed that Francisco de Garay, governor +of Jamaica, had procured a commission from the court as adelantado of such +districts as he might discover on this coast to the north of the river of +St Peter and St Paul, and had sent three ships with 270 soldiers under +Pineda, who was then in the river of Panuco. Cortes wished to have got +possession of the ship, but no signals could induce the people to land, as +we were informed by de la Loa that their captain was aware of our being on +the coast. As a stratagem to decoy them on shore, Cortes dressed four of +his soldiers in the clothes of the Spaniards he had taken, and left them +on the spot, returning along-shore towards Villa Rica, that he might be +noticed from the ship; but after we had got out of sight, we made a secret +detour through the woods, and got back about midnight to the rivulet where +we had left our disguised companions, where we carefully concealed +ourselves. Early in the morning, our disguised men went down to the shore, +making signals to the people of the ship, in consequence of which a boat +put off with six sailors, two of whom landed with casks to take in water. +Our men held down their faces to avoid being noticed, pretending to wash +their hands; but on being spoken to by the men in the boat, one of them +desired them to come on shore; when alarmed by the strange voice, they put +off. We were going to fire upon them, but Cortes would not permit, and +they escaped. We thus missed our object, and returned to Villa Rica, +having procured six men as a reinforcement to our small force. + +[1] Chempoalla appears to have been a place of considerable size, both + from the testimony of eye-witnesses and the extent of its ruins. + Torquimada in one place says its inhabitants amounted to twenty or + thirty thousand; in another place he extends their number to 50,111, + and in his index to 150,000. Like many others of the Indian cities in + New Spain, it dwindled down, by the diseases and vexations of the + sixteenth century, and at length became entirely + depopulated.--Clavigero, II. 21. + +[2] Bernal Diaz has given no dates of the transactions of Cortes in Mexico, + from the 21st of April till now, the 26th of July, a period of 3 + months and 5 days.--E. + + +END OF VOLUME THIRD + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A General History and Collection of +Voyages and Travels, Vol. III., by Robert Kerr + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGES AND TRAVELS, VOL. III *** + +***** This file should be named 12325-8.txt or 12325-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/3/2/12325/ + +Produced by Robert Connal, Allen Siddle and PG Distributed +Proofreaders. 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