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-.-? fill 8?HTER WATCH M AK, KstablUhed April, 1850. Consolidated Ans. 2. 1881-1 lBe Just and Fear not-Let all tie End? tnou Aims't at, ba thy Country's, thy Pod's and Truth's THE TRUE SKTCTHJCOTI, Setofrttrintf /rae, Ic6* SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1891 New Series-Toi. XL No. 20. Published awry Wednesday, ? , . I - , .. sr v j HJ GK OSTEEN, SUMTER, S. C. TERMS : Two Dollars per annum-in advance. ADTIRTI81MBHTS. Ona. Square, first insertion................ ..$1 00 ?^ery subsequent insertion. 50 . - .1: Contracts for three months, or longer will bu tnade at reduced raira. JX* ?Ul-coinraanications wb?ch subserve private interests will be ?barged for as advertisements. Obituaries and tributes' of respect will be charged for. PMOTHERSI lakes Child Birth Easy, i \ ? Shortens Labor, | Jessens Pasa, . * {' ?ndoKed ly the Leading Physicians. . < Book to ^Mothers" mailed J J BRADFIELD RECULATOR CO. J \ ? ATLANTA, GA. t - Ic. 'ly 0pU> BY ALL DRUGGISTS. ? Axe You Interested ? 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Paid np Capital . . . . . $75,000 00 Surplus Fund. 10,000 00 Transacts a General Banking; Business. -Oareral attention given to collections. \MAy?nen DEPARTMENT.: Tteposits of $land upwards received. In? terest allowed ?t the Tate of 4 percent, per an dum. Payable quarterly, on first days of January, April, July and October. R. M. WALLACE, Vice President. L. S. CAB305, Aug. 7 Cashier. s ?. QHT AND COD?T?. DEPOSITORY. Transacts a general Banking business. Also bes' A Savings Bank Department Deposits of $1.00 and upwards received. Interest calculated at the rate of 4 per cent, sar snasm, payable quarterly. . ?% P. *? B. B?YNSWORTH, A. WHITS, JB., President. Cashier. , ? Aug 21._ W. ALSTON PRINGf.K, Js. J. CHARLTON RtVSBS. NICKEL SAVING BANK, -r-CHARLESTON, S. C. x Deposits of .05 and upwards received. In? terest allowed at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum. Payable quarterly on first days of j January, April, July and October. Cartful Attention Given to CoUectic ~>?. -PRINGLE & RIVERS, - m ,r-AGENTS. * g Oct 28. _ L D. JOHNSTON, m ^SUMTER, S C., Practical, Carpeni er, Coa traci or AND BUILDER, WOULD RESPECTFULLY inform the citizens of Sumter and surrounding ? coon try that be is prepared to furnish plans, and estimates on brick and wooden buildings. . AU work entrusted to him will bc done first class. v SATISFACTION GUARANTEED. Aug 19_ _o ii L ALTA DENTIST. Office ' OVER BROWNS & PURDY'S STORE. Entrance on Main Street, Between Browns & Purdy and Durant & Son. OFFICE HOURS: 9 to 1.30; 2 to 5 o'clock. Sumter, S. O, April 29._' G. W. DICK, D. D. S. Office over Bogie's New Store, urrfiAScs ON -us? STRICT SUMTER, S. C. Office Honrs.-9 to 1:30 ; 2:30 to 5. Dr. T. W. BOOKHART, DENTAL SURGEON. O ?ce over Bultman & Bro.'s Shoe Store. ENTRANCE ON MAIN STRKJBT. SUMTER, S. C. Office Hours-9 to 1:30 ; 2:30 to 5. April 17-o_? .._ 'GLENN' SPRINGS MINERAL WATER A Safe, Pleasan and Effective Remedy for al diseases of the *T ACTS ON THE BOWELS. CLEANSES THE SYSTEM, AND REGULATES THE LIVER, And is a specific for mot FEMALE DISORDERS. SIMPSON & SIMPSON, Proprietors, Glenn Springs, S. C. For sale by all leading Druggists. * mm TO LEND ON IMPROVED FARMING LANDS at 8 per cent, interest and a Con>c?i3.<>ion. LEE * MOISE. Sept. 16 x. IRVING'S COLUMBUS. The Great Discoverer's First Voyage to America. A Far More Wonderful Story Than (he Most Brilliant Imagination Has Yet Conjured. Told in the Words of One of the Masters of Litera? ture. IcoxniruEixJ The thoughts and feelings of Colum? bus in this little space of time must haye been tumultuous and intense. At length, in spite of every difficulty and danger, he had accomplished his object. The great mystery of the oc?an was revealed; his theory, which had been the scoff of sages, was triumphantly established; he had secured to himself a glory dura? ble as the world itself. It is difficult to conceive the feelings of such a man at such a moment, or the conjectures which must have thronged upon his mind as to the land before him, covered with darkness. That it was fruitful was evident from the vegetables which floated from its shores. He thought too that he perceived the fra? grance of aromatic groves. The moving light he had beheld proved it the resi? dence of man. But what were its in? habitants? Were they like those of the other parts of the globe, or were they some strange and monstrous race, such as the imagination was prone in those times to give to all remote and unknown regions? Had he come upon some wild island far in the Indian sea, or was this the famed Cipango itself, the object of his golden fancies? A thousand specu? lations of the kind must have swarmed upon him, as, with his anxious crews, he waited for the night to pass away; won? dering whether the morning light would reveal a savage wilderness or dawn upon spicy groves, and glittering fanes, and gilded cities, and all the splendor of oriental civilization. CHAPTER V. FIRST LANDING OP COLUMBUS IN THE NEW WORLD. PAST OF TERRESTRIAL GLOBS, MADE AT NUREMBERG, 1492. It was on Friday morning, the 12th of October, that Columbus first beheld the New World. As the day dawned he saw before him a level island, several leagues in extent, and covered with trees like a continual orchard. Though apparently uncultivated, it was populous, for the inhabitants were seen issuing from all parts of the woods and running to the shore. They were perfectly naked, and, as they stood gazing at the ships, ap? peared by their attitudes and gestures to be lost in astonishment. Columbus made signal for the ships to cast anchor and the boats to be manned and armed. He entered his own boat, richly attired in scarlet, and holding the royal standard, while Martin Alonzo Pinz?n and Vin? cent Janez, his brother, put off in com? pany in their boats, each with a banner of the enterprise emblazoned with a green cross, having on either side the letters F. and Y., the initials of the Cas? tillan monarchs Fernando and Ysabel surmounted by crowns. As he approached the shore, Columbus, who was disposed for all kinds of agree? able impressions, was delighted with the purity and suavity of the atmosphere, the crystal transparency of the sea and the extraordinary beauty of the vegeta? tion. He beheld, also, fruits of- an un? known kind upon the trees which over? hung the shores. On landing he threw himself on his knees, kissed the earth, and returned thanks to God with tears of joy. His example was followed by the rest, whose hearts indeed overflowed with the same feelings of gratitude. Columbus then rising drew his sword, displayed the royal standard, and as? sembling around him the two captains, with Rodrigo de Escobedo, notary of the armament, Rodrigo Sanchez and the rest who had landed, he took solemn possession in the name of the CastUian sovereigns, giving the island the name of San Salvador. Having complied with the requisite forms and ceremonies he called upon all present to take the oath of obedienca to him, as admiral and viceroy, representing the persons of the sovereigns. The feelings of the crew now burst forth in the most extravagant trans? ports. They had recently considered themselves devoted men, hurrying for? ward to destruction; they now looked upon themselves as favorites of fortune, and gave themselves np to the most un? bounded joy. They thronged around the admiral with overflowing zeal, some embracing him, others kissing his hands. Those who had been most mutinous and turbulent during the voyage were now most devoted and enthusiastic. Some begged favors of him, as if he had al? ready wealth and honors in his gift Many abject spirits, who had outraged him by their insolence, now crouched at his feet, begging pardon for all the trou? ble they had caused Mm, and promising the blindest obedience tor the future. The natives of the island, when at the dawn of day they had beheld the ships hovering on their coast, had supposed them monsters which had issued from the deep during the night They had crowded to the beach and watched their movements with awful anxiety. Their veering about, apparently without ef? fort, and the shifting and furling of j their sails, resembling huge wings, filied them with astonishment When they j beheld their boats approach tue shore, and a number of strange beings clad in glittering steel or raiment of various colors landing upon the beach, they fled in affright to the woods. Finding, how? ever, that there was no attempt to pur? sue or molest them, they gradually re? covered from their terror and ap? proached the Spaniards with great awe, frequently prostrating themselves on the earth and making signs of adoration. During the ceremonies of taking posses? sion they remained gazing in timid ad miration at the complexion, the bea the sliming armor and splendid dres the Spaniards. The admiral particularly attra< their attention from his commane height, his air of authority, his dre? scarlet and the deference which paid him by his companions, all wi pointed him out to be the command When they had still further recove from their fears they approached Spaniards, touched their beards and amined their hands and faces, admii their whiteness. Columbus was plea with their gentleness and confiding s plicity, and suffered their scrutiny v perfect acquiescence, winning them his benignity. They now supposed t the ships had sailed out of the cry; firmament which bounded their horiz or had descended from above on tl ample wings, and that these marvel beings were inhabitants of the skies. The natives of the island were no 1 objects of curiosity to the Spaniards, < fering. as they did, from any race of n they had ever seen. Their appeara: gave no promise of either wealth or c ilization, for they were entirely nak and painted with a variety of cole With some it was confined merely t< part of the face, the nose or around I eyes: with others it extended to 1 rrhphi body, and gave them a wild a fantastic appearance. Their complex: was of a tawny or copper hue, and tl were entirely destitute of beards. Th hair was not crisped, like the recen discovered tribes of the African coa under the same latitude, but strak and coarse, partly cut short above 1 ears, but some locks were left long behi and falling upon their shoulders. Tb features, though obscured and disfigui by paint, were agreeable; they had lol foreheads and remarkably fine ey They were of moderate stature and w formed; most of them appeared to under thirty years of age: there was b one female with them, quite your naked like her companions, and beau fully formed. As Columbus supposed himself to ha landed on an i&land at the extremi of India, he called the natives by t general appellation of Indiana, whi was universally adopted before the tr nature of his discovery was known, ai has since been extended to all the abori inals of the New World. The islanders were friendly and ge tia Their only arms were lances, har ened at the end by fire, or pointed wi a flint, or the teeth or bone of a fis There was no iron to be seen, nor d they appear acquainted with its prone ties; for, when a drawn sword was pi sented to them, they unguardedly tex it by the edge. Columbus distributed among the: colored caps, glass beads, hawks' bel and other trifles, such as the Portugue were accustomed to trade with amoi the nations of the gold coast of Afric They received them eagerly, hung tl beads round their necks, and were wo: derfully pleased with their finery ar with the sound of the bells. The Spai iards remained all day on shore refres] ing themselves after their anxious vo; age amid the beautiful groves of tl island, and returned on board late in tl evening delighted with all they had seei On the following morning, at break < day, the shore was thronged with tl natives; some swam off. to the ship others came in light barks which the called canoes, formed of a single tra hollowed, and capable of holding froi one man to the number of fort}* or fift] These they managed dexterously wit paddles, and, if overturned, swam aboi in the water with perfect unconcern, f if in their natural element, righting thei canoes with great facility, and bailin them with calabashes. They were eager to procure more toj and trinkets, not apparently from an idea of their intrinsic value, but becaus everything from the hands of the strat gers possessed a supernatural virtue i their eyes, as having been brought fror heaven; they even picked up fragment of glass and earthenware as valuabl prizes. They had but few objects t offer in return, except parrots, of whic? great numbers were domesticated arnon; them, and cotton yam, of which the; had abundance, and would exchang large balls of five and twenty pound* weight for the merest trifle. They brought also cakes of a bind o bread called cassava, which constitute a principal part of their food, and wa afterward an important article of pro visions with the Spaniards, it wa formed from a great root called yuca which they cultivated in fields. Thi they cut into small morsels, which the] grated or scraped, and strained in i press, making a broad, thin cake, whicl was afterward dried hard and wonlc keep for a long time, being steeped ii water when eaten, ft was insipid, bm nourishing, though the water strainee from it in the preparation was a deadlj poison. There was another kind of yucf destitute of this poisonous quality, which was eaten in the root, either boiled 01 roasted. The avarice of the discoverers was quickly excited by the sight of small or? naments of gold worn by some of the natives in their noses. These the lattei gladly exchanged for glass beads and hawks' bells, and both parties exulted in the bargain, no doubt admiring each other's simplicity. As gold, however, was an object of royal monopoly in all enterprises of discover}-, Columbus for? bade any traffic in it without his express sanction; and he put the same prohibi? tion on the trafile for cotton, reserving to the crown all trade for it, wherever it should be found in any quantity. He inquired of the natives where this gold was procured. They answered him by signs, pointing to the south, where, he understood them, dwelt a king of such wealth that he was served in vessels of wrought gold. He understood also that there was land to the south, the southwest and tho northwest, and that the people from the last mentioned quar? ter frequently proceeded to the south? west in quest of gold and precious stones, making in their way descents upon the islands and carrying off the inhabitants. Several of the natives showed him scars of wounds received in battles with these invaders. It is evident that a great part of his fancied intelligence was self de? lusion on the part of Columbus, for he was under a spell of the imagination, which gave its own shapes and colors to every object. He was persuaded that he had arrived among the islands described by Maroo Polo as lying opposite Cathay, in the Chinese sea, and he construed ?very thing to accord with the account given of those opulent regions. Thus the enemies which the natives spoke of as coming from the northwest he concluded to be the people of the mainland of Asia, the subjects of the great khan of Tar? tary, who were represented by the Vene? tian traveler ns accustomed to make war upon the islands and to enslave their in? habitants. The country to the south, abounding in gold, could be none other than the famous island of Cipango; and the king who was served out of vessels of gold trittst be the monarch whose mag? nificent city and gorgeous palace, cov? ered with plates of gold, had been ex? tolled in such splendid terms by Marco Polo. The island where Columbus had thus for the first time set his foot upon the New World was called by the natives Gruauahane. It still retains the name of San Salvador, which he gave to it, though called by the English Cat island. The light which he had seen the evening previous to his ruakirg land may nave been on Watling's island, which lies a few leagues to the east San Salvador is one of the great cluster of the Lueayos or Bahama islands, which stretch south? east and northwest from the coast of Florida to Hispaniola, covering the northern cost of Cuba. On the morning of the 14th of October the admiral set off at daybreak with the boat? of tV* ships to reconnoiter the island, directing his course to the north? east. The coast was surrounded by a reef of rocks, within which there was depth of water and sufficient harbor to receive all the ships in Christendom The entrauce wa*? very narrow. Within there were many sand banks, but the water was as still as in a pool. The island appeared throughout to be well wooded, with streams of water and a large lake in the center. As the boats proceeded the}* passed two or three vil? lage, the inhabitants of which, men as well tvs women, ran to the shores, throw? ing themselves on the ground, lifting up their hands and eyes, either giving thanks to heaven, or worshiping the Spaniards as supernatural beings. They ran along parallel to the lx>ats, calling after the Spaniards and inviting them by signs to land, offering them various fruits and vessels of water. Finding, however, that the boats continued on their course, many threw themselves into the sea arid swam after them, and others followed in canoes. The admiral received them all with kindness, giving them gh;ss beads and other trifles, which were received with transport as celestial presente, for the invariable idea of the savages was that the white men had come from the skies. In this way they pursued their course until they came to a small peninsula which with two or three days' labor might be separated from the mainland and surrounded with water, and was therefore specified by Columbas as an excellent situation for a fortress. On this were six Indian cabins, surrounded by groves and gardens as beautiful as those of Castile. The sailors being wearied with rowing and the island not appearing to the admiral of sufficient importance to induce colonization, he re? turned to the ships, taking seven of the natives with him, that they might ac? quire the Spanish language and serve as interpreters. Having taken in a supply of wood and water, they left the island of San Salva? dor the same evening, the admiral being impatient to arrive at the wealthy coun? try to the south, which he flattered him? self would prove the famous island of j Cipango. CHAPTER VL CRUSE AMONG THE BAHAMA ISLANDS. SKETCH BY COLUMBUS. On leaving San Salvador Columbus was at a loss which way to direct his coursa A great number of islands, green and level and fertile, invited him in different directions. The Indian? on board of his vessel intimated by signs that they were innumerable, well peo? pled and at war with one another. They mentioned the names of above a hun? dred. Columbus now had no longer a doubt that he was amoug the islands described by Marco Polo as studding the vast sea of Chin or China, and lying at a great distance from the mainland. These, according to the Venetian, amounted to between seven and eight thousand and abounded with drugs and spices and odoriferous trees, together with gold and silver and many other precious objects of commerce. Animated by the idea of exploring this opulent archipelago, he selected the largest island in sight for his next visit, lt appeared to be about five leagues' dis? tance, and he understood from his In? dians that the natives were richer than those of San Salvador, wearing bracelets and anklets and other ornaments of mas? sive gold. The night coming on. Columbus or? dered that the ships should lie to, as the navigation was difficult and dangerous among these unknown islands, and he feared to venture upon a strange coast in the dark. In the morning they again made sail, but meeting with counter currents it was not until sunset that they anchored at the island. The next morning (16th) they went on shore, and Columbus took solemn possession, giv? ing the island the name of Santa Maria de la Concepci?n. The same scene oc? curred with the inhabitants as with those of San Sal vador. They manif ested the same astonishment and awe; the same gentleness and simplicity, and the same nakedness and absence of wealth. Columbus looked in vain for bracelets and anklets of gold, or for any other precious articles; they had been either fictions of his Indian guides or his own misinterpretations. Returning on board, he prepared to make sail, when one of the Indians of San Salvador, who was on board of the Nina, plunged into the sea and swam to a large canoe filled with natives. The boat of the caravel put off in pursuit, brit the Indians managed in their light }KLT\< with too much velocity to be over? taken, and, reaching the land, fled to tho woods. The sailors took he canoe os a prize, find returned on board the csraveL Shortly afterward a small canoe ap proached one of tho ships, from a dif? ferent part of the island, with a single indian on board, who came to oiler a ball of cotton in exchange for hawks' bells. As lu- paused when close to tb? vessel, and feared to enter, several sail? ors threw themselves into the sea and \<juk him prisoner. Columbus having ?een all that pas from hi? station on the high poop of vessel, ordered tht? captive to l>e bron to him. He came trembling with f and humbly offered his ball of cotton a gift The admiral received him \v the utmost benignity, and declining offering pnt a colored cap npon bis he strings of green beads around his an and hawks' bells in his ears, then ord ing him and his ball of cotton to be placed in the canoe, dismissed him, toui8hed and overjoyed. He orde; that the canoe, also, which had tx seized and was fastened to the Ni shonld be cast loose, to be regained its proprietors. When the Indian read the shore, his conntrj-men throm aronnd him, examining and admiring finery, and listening to his acconnt the kind treatment he experienced. Snch were the gentle and sage precj tions continnally taken by Columbas impress the natives favorably. Anotl instance of the kind occurred after les lng the Island of Conception, when I caravels rtood for the larger island. s< eral leagues to the west Midway ' tween the two islands they overtoo! single Indian in a canoe. He had a mi morsel of cassava bread and a calata of water for sea stores, and a little t paint, like dragon's blood, for persoi decoration when he shonld land, string of glass beads, snch a? had be given to the natives of San Salvad showed that he had come thence, a was probably passing from island island, to give notice of the ships. C Inmbtts admired the hardihood of tl simple navigator, making snch an ext? give voyage in so. frail a bark. As t island was still distant, he ordered th both the Indian and his canoe shonld taken on board, where he treated hi with the greatest kindness, giving hi bread and honey to eat and wine drink. The weather being very cab they did not reach the island nntil t dark to anchor, throngh fear of cnttii their cables with rocks. The sea abo these islands was so transparent that the daytime they conld see the botte and choose their ground, and so de that at two gnnshot distance there w no anchorage. Hoisting ont the can of their Indian voyager, therefore, ai restoring to him all his effects, they se him joyfully ashore, to prepare the n rives for their arrival, while the shi lay to nntil morning. This kindness had the desired effec The natives surrounded the ships their canoes during the night, bringii fruits and roots and the pure water < their springs. Colnmbns distribu? trifling presents among them, and * those who came on board he gave sugj and honey. Landing the next morning he gave 1 this island the name of Fernandina, i honor of the king; it is the same i present called Exnma. The inhabitau were similar in every respect to those < the preceding islands, excepting tha they appeared more ing?nions and ii telligent Some of the women wo] mantles and aprons of cotton, bnt for tl most part they were entirely nakex Their habitations were constructed i the form of a pavilion or high circula tent, of branches of trees, of reeds an palm leaves. They were kept ver clean and neat and sheltered nude spreading trees. For beds they had ne) of cotton extended from two pos? which they called hamacs, a name sine in universal rise among seamen. In endeavoring to circumnavigate th island, Colnmbns found, within tw leagues of the northwest cape, a nobl harbor, sufficient to hold a hundred ship? with two entrances formed by an islan which lay in the month of it Hen while the men landed with the casks i search of water, he reposed under tb shade of the groves, which he says wer more bean ti f ul than any he had ever bc held: "the conntry waa as fresh an? green as in the month of May in Ands lnsia; the tr<xes, the fmits, the herbs, th flowers, tl?? very stones for the mos part, KS different from those of Spain a night from day." The inhabitants gav the same proofs as the other islanders of being totally unaccustomed to th sight of civilized man. They regarde< the Spaniards with awe and admiration approached them with propitiator)* offer ings of whatever their poverty, o: rather their simple and natura mode of lifo, afforded; the fruit of their fields and groves, the cotton which was their article of greates' value, and their domesticated parrots They took those who were in search ol wnter to the coolest springs, the ewceteel and freshest runs, filling their casks anc rolling them to the boals, thu* seekinj in every way to gratify their celestia! visitors. However pleasing this state of pri? meval poverty might be to the imagina? tion of the poet, it was a source of con tinned disappointment to the Spaniards, whose avarice had been whetted to thc quick by scanty specimens of gold and by the information of golden islands con? tinually given by the Indians. Leaving Fernandina on the 19th day of October they steered to the southeast in quest of an island called Saometo. where Columbus understood from the signs of the guides there was a mine of gold and a king, the sovereign of all the sur? rounding islands, who dwelt in a large city and possessed great treasures, wear? ing rich clothing and jewels of gold. They found the island, but neither the monarch nor the mine; either Columbus had misunderstood the natives or they, measuring things by their own poverty, had exaggerated the paltry state and trivial ornaments of some savage chief? tain. Delightful as the other islands had appeared. Columbus declared that this surpassed them alL Like those, it was covered with trees and shrubs and herbs of unknown kind. The climate had the same soft temperature; the air was delicate and balmy: the land -y.is higher, with a fine verdant hill; the coast of a fine sand, gently laved by transparent billows. At the southwest end of the island he found fine lakes of fresh water, overhung with groves and surrounded by banks covered with herbage. Here he ordered all the casks of the ships to be filled. "Here are large lakes," says he in his journal, "and the groves about them are marvelous, and here and in all the island everything is green, as in April in Anda? lusia. The pinging of the birds is such that it seems as if one would never desire to depart hence. There are flocks of parrots which obscure the snn, and other birds, large and small, of so many kinds all different from ours that it is wonder? ful; and besides, there are trees of a thou? sand species, each having its particular fruit and all of marvelous flavor, so that I am in the greatest trouble in the world not to know them, for I am very certain that they are each of great val ne. I shall bring home some of them as speci? mens, and also some of the herbs." To this beautiful island he gave the name of his royal patroness, Isabella; it is the same at present called Isla Larga and Exumeta. Columbus was intent on dis- j covering the dings and spicer* of the east, and on approaching this island had fancied he perceived in the air the spicy odors said to be wafted from the island? of the Indian seas. "As 1 arrived at this cape," says he, "there came thence a fragrance so good and* soft of the flow? ers or trees of the land that it was the sweetest thing in the world. I believe there are here many herbs and trees which wonld be of great price in Spain for tinctures, medicines and spices, bnt I know nothing of them, which gives me great concern." The fish which abounded in these seas partook of the novelty which character? ized most of the objects in this New World. They rivaled the birds in trop? ical brilliancy of color, the scales of some of them glancing back the rays of light like precious stones; as they sported about the ships they flashed gleams of gold and silver through the clear waves: and the dolphins, taken out of their ele? ment, delighted the eye with the changes of colors ascribed in fable to the chameleon. No animals were seen in these islands, excepting a species of dog which never barked, a kind of cony or rabbit called ?*utia** by the natives, together with nu? merous lizards and guanas. The last were regarded with disgust and horror by the Spaniards, supposing them to be fierce and noxious serpents; but they were found afterward to be perfectly harmless, and their flesh to be esteemed a great delicacy by the Indians. For several days Columbus hovered about this island, seeking in vain to find ita imaginary monarch, or to establish a communication with him, until at length he reluctantly became convinced of his error. No sooner, however, did one de? lusion fade away than another succeeded. In reply to the continual inquiries made by the Spaniards after the source whence they procnred their gold, the natives uni? formly pointed to the south. Columbus now began to hear of an island in that direction called Cuba, but all that he could collect concerning it from the signs of the natives was colored by his imagination. He understood it to be of great extent, abounding in gold and pearls and spices, and carrying on an ex? tensive commerce in those precious arti? cles, and that large merchant ships came to trade with its inhabitants. Comparing these misinterpreted ac? counts with the coast of Asia as laid' down on his map, after the descriptions of Marco Polo, he concluded that this island must be Cipango, and the mer? chant ships mentioned must be those of the grand khan, who maintained an ex? tensive commerce in these seas. He formed his plan accordingly, determin? ing to sail immediately for this island and make himself acquainted with its ports, cities and productions for the pur? pose of establishing relations of traffic. He would then seek another great island called Boh?o, of which the natives gave likewise marvelous accounts. His so? journ in those islands would depend upon the quantities of gold, spices, pre? cious stones and other objects of oriental trade which he should find there. After this he would proceed to the mainland of India, which must be within ten days* sail, seek the city Quinsai,which, accord? ing to Marco Polo, was one of the most magnificent capitals in the world; he would there deliver in person the letters of the Castilian sovereigns to the grand khan, and when he received his reply return triumphantly to Spain with this document to prove that he had accom? plished the great object of his voyage. Such was the splendid scheme with which Columbus fed his imagination when about to leave the Bahamas in quest of the island of Cuba. CHAPTER VIL DISCOVERY AND COASTING OF CUBA. THE LANDING OF COLUMBUS. For several days the departure of Co? lumbus was delayed by contrary winds and calms, attended by heavy showers, which last had prevailed more or less since his arrival among the islands. It was the season of the autumnal rains, which in those torrid climates succeed the parching heats of summer-commenc? ing about the decrease of the August moon and lasting until the month of No? vember. At length at midnight, Oct. 24, he sot sail from the island of Isabella, but was nearly becalmed until midday; a gentle wind then sprang up, and, as he observes, began to blow most amorously. Every sail was spread, and ho 6tood toward the weat-sonthwest, the direction in which he was told the land of Cuba lay from Isabella. After three days' navigation, in the course of which he touched at a group of seven or eight small islands, which he called Isias de Arena-supposed to be the present Mucaras islands-and havirg crossed tho Bahama bank and channel, he arrived on the morning of the 28th of October in sight of Cuba. The part which he first discovered is supposed to be the coast to the west of Nuevitas del Principe. As he approached this noble island he was struck with its magnitude and the grandeur of its features: ita high and airy mountains, which reminded him of those of Sicily: its fertile valleys and long sweeping plains, watered by noble rivers; its stately forests; its bold pro? montories and stretching headlands, which melted away into the remotest distance. He anchored in a beautiful river of transparent clearness, free from rocks and shoals, its banks overhung with trees. Here landing, and taking possession of the island, he gave it the name of Juana, in honor of Prince Juan, and to the river the name of San Salvador. On the arrival of tho ships two canoes put off from the shore, but fled on see? ing the boat approach to sound the river for anchorage. The admiral visited two cabins, abandoned by their inhabitants. They contained but a few nets made of the fibers of the palm tree, hooks and harpoons of bone, and some other fish? ing implements, and one of the kind of dogs lie had met with on the smaller islands, which never bark. He ordered that nothing should be taken away or deranged. Returning to his boat he proceeded for some distance up the river, more and more enchanted with the beauty of the country. The banks were covered with high and widespread:tig trees; some bearing fruits, others flowers, while in sotne l)Oth fruit and flower were min? gled, bespeaking a perpetual round of fertility; among them were many pa bnt different from those of Spain Africa. With the great leaves of t the natives thatched their cabins. The continual eulogies made bj luinbus on the beauty of the cou were warranted by tho kind of scei he was beholding. There is a wende splendor, variety and luxuriance ir vegetation of those quick and ar climates. The verdure of the gre and the colors of the flowers and 1 .soins, derive a vividness from the tr parent purity of the air and the dee] renity of the azure heavens. The ests, too, are full of life, swarming y birds of brilliant plumage. Painted rieties of parrots and woodpeckers cr a glitter amid the verdure of the gr and humming birds rove from flowc flower, resembling, as has well been G animated particles of a rainbow, scarlet flamingoes, too, seen somer5 through an opening of a forest in a tant savanna, have the appearance soldiers drawn np in battalion, with advanced scoot ern the alert to give tice of approaching danger. Kor is least beautiful part of animated n>l the various tribes of insects peop! every plant and displaying brill; coats of mail, which sparkle like cious gems. Such is the splendor of animal vegetable creation in these tropical mates, where an ardent sun imparte own luster to every object and quiet nature into exuberant fecundity. 1 birds in general are not remarkable their notes, for it has been observed t in the feathered race sweetness of s rarely accompanies brilliancy of ] mage. Columbus remarks, howe that there were various kinds wi sang sweetly among the trees, and frequently deceived himself in fancy that he heard the voice of the nigh gale, a bird nnknown in these countr He was, in fact, in a mood to see evt thing through a favoring medium, heart was full to overflowing, for was enjoying the fulfillment of hopes and the hard earned but glori reward of his toils and perils. Eve thing around him was beheld with enamored and exulting eye of a disc erer, where triumph mingles with miration, and it is difficult to conce the rapturous state of his feelings wi thus exploring the charms of a vir world, won by his enterprise and vale From his continual remarks on beauty of scenery and from his evid< delight iu rural sounds and objects, appears to have been extremely open those happy influences exercised o' some spirits by tho graces and wond of nature. He gives utterance to th feelings with characteristic enthusias and at the same time with the artie ness and simplicity of diction of a chi When speaking of some lovely see among groves, or along the flowe shores of theT* favored islands, he sa; "one could liv?? there forever.n Cu broke npon him like an elysium. "It the most beautiful island," he says, "tl eyes ever beheld, full of excellent po. and profound rivers." The climate w mor e temperate here than in the ott islands, the nights being neither hot n cold, while the birds and crickets sai all night long. Indeed there is a bean in a tropical night, in the depth of t dark blue sky, the lambent parity of t stars, and the resplendent clearness the moon that spreads over the rich lan scape and the balmy groves, a char more captivating than the splendor the day. In the sweet smell of the woods ai the odor of the flowers Columbus fa cied he perceived the fragrance of OJ en tal spices, and along the shores ho fonz shells of the kind of oyster which pr daces pearl. From the grass growing the very edge of the water he inferrt the peacefulness of the ocean whi< bathes these Islands, never lashing tl shores with angry surges. Ever shu his arrival among these Antilles he hs experienced nothing but soft and gent weather, and he concluded that a pe petual serenity reigned over these napp seas. He was little suspicious of the o casional bursts of fury to which they ?1 liable. Charlevoix, speaking from actrn observation, remarks: "The sea of th? islands is commonly more tranquil tha ours; but., like certain people who are e: j cited with difficulty, and whose tran ports of passion are as violent as the are rare, so when the sea becomes i cr tated, it is terrible. It breaks all bound overflows the country, sweeps away a I things that oppose it, and leaves frigfa i ful ravages behind to mark the extent < I its inundations. It is after tneee ten pests, known by the came of hurricane I that the shores are covered with marin shells, which greatly surpass in Inste and beauty those of the European seas. It is a singular fact, however, that th hurricanes, which almost annually dei astate the Bahamas and other island in the immediate vicinity of Cuba, hav been seldom known to extend their ir fluence to this favored land. It woul seem ?ts if the very elements wer charmed into gentleness as they ar, proached it. In a kind of riot of the imagination Columbus finds at every step something to corroborate the information he ha? received, or fancied he had received from the natives. He had conclusive proofs, as he thought, that Cuba pos sessed mines of gold and groves o spices, and that its shores abounded wit! pearls. He no longer doubted that i was the island of Cipango, and weighing anchor coasted along westward, in whicl direction, according to the signs of bi interpreters, the magnificent city of ita king was situated*, in the course of hi voyage he landed occasionally, and visit ed several villages, particularly on? or the banks of a large river, to which he gave the name of Ri? de los Mares. The houses were neatly built ol branches of palm trees in the shape ol pavilions, not laid out in regular street* but scattered here and there among the groves and under the shade of broad spreading trees, like tents in a camp-af is still the case in many of the Spanish settlements, and in the vi liages in the interior of Cuba. The inhabitants fled to the mountains or hid themselves in the woods. Columbus carefully noted the archi? tecture and fnrniture of their dwellings. The houses were better built than those he had hitherto seen, and were kept ex? tremely clean. He found in them rude statues and wooden masks carved with considerable ingenuity. All these were indications of more art and civilization than he had observ ed tn the smaller is? lands, and he supposed they wonld go on increasing as he approached terra firma. Finding in all the cabins implements for fishing, ho concluded that these coasts were inhabited merely by fishermen, who carried their fish to the cities in the interior. He thought also he had found the skulls of cows, which proved that there were cattle in the island; though these are supposed to have been skulls of the manat? or seacalf found on this const. After standing to the northwest for sonic distance, Columbus came in sight of a great headland, to wh??n, irosa the grove? with winch it was covered, he gave the name of the Cape of Palms, and which forms the eastern entrance to what is now known as Laguna de Moron, Here three Indian- natives of the island of (iuanahani, who were on board of the Pinta, informed the commander, Mar? tin Alonzo Pinz?n, that behind the cape there was a river, whence it was but four days' journey to Cubanacan, a place abounding in gold. By this they desig? nated a province situated in the center of Cuba-nacan, in their language, sig? nifying the midst Pinz?n, however, had studied intently the map of Tosca nelli, and had imbibed from Columbus all his ideas respecting the coast of Asia. He concluded, therefore, that the indians were talking of Cublai Klran, the Tartar sovereign, and of certain parts of hfc dominions described by Marco Polo. He understood fronWhem that Cuba w?s not an island, bafr^rra firma, extending: a vast distance to the north, and that the king who reigned in this vicinity was at war with the great khan. This tissue of errors and misconcep? tions he immediately communicated to Columbus. It put an end to the delusion in which the admiral had hitherto in? dulged, that this was the island of (3 pango; but it substituted another no les? agreeable. He concluded that he must have reached the mainland of Asia, ory as be termed it, India, and if so, he could not be at any great distance from Mangi and Cathay, the ultimate destination of his voyage. The prince in question, who reigned over this neighboring country, must be rome oriental potentate of con? sequence; he resolved, therefore, to seek the river beyond the Cape of Palms and dispatch a present to the monarch with one of the letters of recommendation from the Castilian sovereigns, and after visiting his dominions he would proceed to the capital of Cathay, the residence of the grand khan. Every attempt to reach the river itt question, however, proved ineffectual. Cape stretched beyond cape; there was no good anchorage; the wind became contrary, and the appearance of the heavens threatening rough weather, he put back to the Rio de los Mares. On the 1st of November, at sunrise, he sent the boats on shore to visit several houses, but the inhabitants fled to the woods. He supposed they must nave mistaken his armament for one of the scouring expeditions sent by the grand khan to make prisoners and slaves. He sent the boat on shore again in the after? noon with an Indian interpreter, who was instructed to assure the people of the peaceable and beneficent intentions of the Spaniards, and that they had no connection with the grand khan. After the Indian had proclaimed this from the boat to the savages on the beach, part of itj no doubt, to their great perplexity, be threw himself into the water and swam to shore. He was well received by the natives, and succeeded so effectually in calming their fears that before evening there were more than sixteen canoes about the ships, bringing cotton yarn and other simple articles of traffic. Columbus for? bade all trading for anything but gold, that the natives might be tempted to produce the real riches of their country. They had none to offer; all were desti? tute of ornaments of the precious metals, excepting one, who wore in his nose & piece of wrought silver. Columbus understood this man to say that the king lived about the distance of four days* journey In tho interior, that many messengers had been dispatched to give him tidings of tue arrival of tho strangers upon the coast, and that in less than three days' time messengers might be expected from him in return, and many merchants from the interior to trade with the ships. It is curious to observe how ingeniously the imagina? tion of Columbus deceived him at every . step, and how he wove everything into uniform web of false conclusions. Poring over the map of Toscanelli, re? ferring to the reckonings of his voyage, and musing on the misinterpreted words of the Indians, he imagined that he must be on the borders of Cathay and about 100 leagues from the capital of tho grand khan. Anxious to arrive there, and to delay as little as possible in tho territories of an .inferior prince, he de? termined not to await the arrival of messengers and merchants, but to dis? patch two envoys to seek the neigte boring monarch at his residence. Por this mission he chose Jtwo 3par> lards--Rodrigo de Jerez and Luis de T??? res-the latter a converted Jew, wno knew Hebrew and ?haldaic, and eVe?* something of Arabic, one or other ot which Columbas supposed might bo known to this oriental prince. Two Indi? ans were sent with them as guides-one & native of Guanahani and the other an in> habitant of the hamlet on the bank of the river. The embassadors were fur? nished with strings of beads and other trinkets for traveling expenses. Instruc* tions were given them to inform the king that Columbus had been sent by the Cas? tilian sovereigns a bearer of letters and o pr?sent, which he was to deliver person? ally, for the purpose of establishing an amicable intercourse between the powers, They were likewise to inform themselves accurately about the situation and dis? tances of certain provinces, ports and rivers, which the admiral specified by name from the descriptions which he had of the coast of Asia. They were more? over providto. with specimens of spices and drugs for the purpose of ascertaining whether any articles of the kind abound? ed in the country. With these provisions and instructions the embassadors depart ed, six days being allowed them to go and return. 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