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IRVING S COLUMBUS.
The Great Discoverer's First
Voyage to America.
A Far More Wonderful Story Than
the Most Brilliant Imagination Has
Yet Conjured, Told in the Words
of One of the Masters of Litera?
ture.
rcONTTNTTED.3
CHAPTER VIII.
FURTHER COASTING OF CUBA.
While awaiting the return of his em
bassadors the admiral ordered the ships
to be careened and repaired, and employ?
ed himself in collecting information con
cerning the country. On the day after
their departure he ascended the river in
boats for the distance of two leagues un?
til he came to fresh water. Here land?
ing, he climbed a hill to obtain a view of
the interior. His view, however, was
shut in by thick and lofty forests of wild
but beautiful luxuriance. Among the
trees were some which he considered
lin?loes; many were odoriferous, and
he doubted not possessed valuable aro?
matic qualities. There was a general
eagerness among the voyagers to ,find
the precious articles of commerce which
grow in the favored climes of the east,
and their imaginations were continually
deceived by their hopes.
For two or three days the admiral was
excited by reports-of cinnamon trees and
nutmegs and rhubarb: but on examina?
tion they all proved fallacious. He
showed the natives specimens of those
and various other spices and drugs, and
understood from them that those arti?
cles abounded to the southeast. He
showed them gold and pearls, also, and
several old Indians spoke of a country
where the natives wore ornaments of
them round their necks, arms andx an?
kles. They repeatedly mentioned the
word Bohio, which Columbus supposed
to be the name of the place in question,
and that it was some rich district or
island. They mingled, however, great
extravagancies with their imperfect ac?
counts, describing nations at a distance
who had but one eye; others who had
the heads of dogs and who were canni?
bals-cutting the throats of their, prison?
ers and sucking their blood.
All these reports of gold and pearls
and spices, many of which were prob?
ably fabrication., to please the admiral,
feuded to keep up the persuasion that he
. vas among the valuable coasts and is?
lands of the east. On making a fire to
heat the tar for careening the ships the
seamen found that the wood they burned
sent forth a powerful odor, and, on ex?
amining it, declared that it was mastic.
The wood abounded in the neighboring
forests, insomuch that Columbus natter?
ed himself a thousand quintals of this
precious gum might be collected every
year, and a more abundant supply pro?
cured than that furnished by Scios and
other islands of the Archipelago. In the
course of their researches in the vegetable
kingdom in quest of the luxuries of com?
merce, they met with the potato, a hum?
ble root, little valued at the time, but a
more precious acquisition to man than
all the spices of the east.
On the 6th of November the two am?
bassadors returned, and every one
crowded to hear tidings of the interior
of the country, and of the prince to
whose capital they had been sent. After
penetrating twelve leagues they had
come to a village of fifty houses, built
similarly to those of the coast, but
larger, the whole village containing at
lease a thousand inhabitants. The na?
tives received them with great solem?
nity, conducted them to the best house
and placed them in what appeared to be
intended for chairs of state, being
wrought out of single pieces of wood,
into forms of quadrupeds. They then
offered them fruits and vegetables.
Having complied with the laws of sav?
age courtesy and hospitality, they seated
themselves on the ground around.their
visitors, and waited to hear what they
had to communicate.
The Israelite, Luis de Torres, found
bia Hebrew, Chaldaic and Arabic of no"
&v*i?, atd the Lucayen interpreter l%ad
to be the orator. He made a regular
speech after the Indian manner, in which
he extolled the power, the wealth and
munificence of the white man. When
he had finished, the Indians crowded
round these wonderful beings, whom, as
usual, they considered more than human.
Some touched them4 examining their
skin and raiment, others kissed their
hands and feet in token of submission or
adoratiou In a little while che men
withdrew and were succeeded by the
women, and the same ceremonies were
repeated. Some of the women had a
slight covering of netted cotton around
the middle, but in general both sexes
were entirely naked. There seemed to
be ranks and orders of society among
them, and a chieftain of some authority,
whereas among all the natives they had
previously met with a complete equality
seemed to prevail.
There was no appearance of gold or
other precious articles, and when they
shooed specimens of cinnamon, pepper
and other spices, the inhabitants told
them they were not to be found in that
neighborhood, but far off to the south?
west
The envoys determined, therefore, to
return to tn? snips. Tne nat'ives would
fain have induced them to remain for
several days; but seeing them bent on
departing a great number were anxious
to accompany them, imagining they
were about to return to the skies. They
took with them, however, only one of the
principal men, with his son, who were
attended by a domestic.
On their way back they for the first
cime witnessed the use of a weed, which
the ingenious caprice of man has since
converted into a universal luxury in
defiance of the opposition of the senses.
They beheld several of the natives going
about with firebrands in their hands and
certain dried herbs which they rolled up
in a leaf, and lighting one end put the
other in their mouths and continued ex?
haling and puffing out the smoke. A
roll of this kind they called a tobacco, a 1
name since transferred to the plant of !
which the rolls were made. The Span
iards, although prepared to meet with 1
wonders, were struck with astonishment 5
at this singular and apparently nauseous '
indulgence. <
On their return to the ships they (
gave favorable accounts of the beauty
and fertility of the country. They bad
met with many hamlets of four or five 1
booses, well peopled, embowered among 5
trees laden with unknown fruits of ']
tempting hue f*nd delightful flavor. \
Around them were fields cultivated with 1
the agi or sweet pepper, potatoes, maize '
or Indian corn, a species of lupin or pulse,
and yuca, whereof they made their eas- j
Bara bread. These, with the fruits of
the groves, formed their principal food. ?
There were vast quantities of* cotton,
some just sown, some in full growth.
There was great store of it also in their
houses, some wrought into yarn, or into
nets, of which they made their ham?
mocks. They had seen many birds of
rare plumage but unknown species;
many ducks: several small partridges;
and they heard the song of a bird which
they had mistaken for the nightingale.
All that they had seen, however, betok?
ened a primitive and simple state of so?
ciety. The wonder with which they
had been regarded showed clearly that
the people were strangers to civilized
man, nor could they hear of any inland
city superior to the one they had visited.
The report of the envoys put an end to
many splendid fancies of Columbus
about the barbaric prince and his capital.
He was cruising, however, in a region of
enchantment, in which pleasing chimeras
started tip at every step, exercising by
turns a power over his imagination.
During the absence of the emissaries the
Indians had informed him, by signs, of a
place to the eastward, where the people
collected gold along the river banks by
torchlight and afterward wrought it
into bars with hammers. In speaking of
this place they again used the words Ba
beque ard Bohio, which he, as usual,
supposed to be the proper names of is?
lands or countries. The true meaning of
these words has been variously explained.
It is said that they were applied by the
Indians to the coast of terra firma, called
also by them Cantaba, lt is also said
that Bohio means a house, and was often
used by the Indians to signify the popu- j
Iousness of an island. Hence it was fre?
quently applied to Hispaniola, as well as
the more general name of Hayti, which j
means high land, and occasionally Quis- j
queya, i. e., the whole, on account of its I
extent
The misapprehension of these and
other words was a source of perpetual
error to Columbus. Sometimes he sup?
posed Babeque and Bohio to signify the
same island: sometimes to be different
places or islands; and Quisqueya he sup?
posed to mean Quisai or Quinsai, i. e..
the celestial city, mentioned by Marco
Polo.
His great object was to arrive at some
opulent and civilized country of the
east, with which he might establish
commercial relations, and whence he
might carry home a quantity of oriental
merchandise as a rich trophy of his dis?
covery. The season was advancing; the
cool nights gave hints of approaching
winter; he resolved, therefore, not to
proceed farther to the north, nor to lin?
ger about uncivilized places, which, at
present, he had not the means of colo?
nizing, but to return to the east-south?
east in quest of Babeque, which he trust?
ed might prove some rich and civilized
island on the coast of Asia
Before leaving the river, to which he
had given the name of Rio de Mares, he
took several of the natives to carry with
him to Spain, for the purpose of teach?
ing them the language, that in future
voyages tl ey might serve as interpre?
ters. He took them of both sexes, hav?
ing learned from the Portuguese discov?
erers that the men were always more
contented on the voyage and service?
able on their return when accompanied
by females. With the religious feeling
pf the daj\ he anticipated great tri?
umphs to the faith and glory to the
crown from the conversion of these
savage nations, through the means of
the natives thus "instructed. He im
ugifccG that the Indians had no system
of religion, but a disposition to receiv
its impressions, as they regarded wit
[Treat reverence and attention the rc
ligious ceremonies of the Spaniards, soo;
repeating by rote any prayer taugb-'
them, and making the sign of the eros
with the most edifying devotion. They
had an idea of a future state, but lim?
ited and confused. "They confess the
soul to be immortal," says Peter Mar?
tyr, .*and having put off the bodily
clothing, they imagine it goes forth to
the woods and the mountains, and that
it liveth there perpetually in caves; nor
do they exempt it from eating and drink?
ing, but that it should be feil there. The
answering voices heard from caves and
hollows, which the Latines call echoes,
they suppose to be the souls of the de?
parted, wandering through those places."
From the natural tendency to devotion
which Columbus thought he discovered
among them, from their gentle natures
and their ignorance of all warlike arts,
he pronounces it an easy matter to make
them devout members of the church
and loyal subjects of the crown. He
concludes his speculations upon the ad?
vantages to be derived from the coloniza?
tion of these parts by anticipating a
great trade for gold, which must abound ;
In the interior; for pearls and precious
stones, of which, though he had seen
none, he hail received frequent accounts;
for gums and spices, of which he thought
he had found indubitable traces, and for
the cotton, which grew wild in vast
quantities. Many of these articles, he
observes, would probably find a nearer
market than Spain, in the ports and
cities of the great khan, at which he had .
no doubt of soon arriving.
CHAPTER IX.
SEARCT? AFTER THE SUPPOSED ISLAND OF
BABEQUE.
On the 12th of November Columbus
turned his course to the east-southeast
to follow brxk the direction of the coast.
This may be considered another critical
change in his voyage, which had a great
effect upon his subsequent discoveries.
He had proceeded far within what is
called the old channel, between Cuba
and the Bahamas. In two or three days
more he would have discovered his mis?
take in supposing Cuba a part of terra
(inna-au error in which he continued
to the day cf his death. He might have
had intimation also of the vicinity of the
continent, and have st<x>d for the coast
of Florida, or have been carried thither
by the Gulf stream, or, continuing along
Cuba where it bends to the southwest,
might have struck over to the opposite
coast of Yucatan and have realized his
most sanguine anticipations in becoming
the discoverer of Mexico. It was suffi?
cient glory for Columbus, however, to
have discovered a new world. Its more
?rolden regions were reserved to give
splendor to succeeding enterprises.
He now ran along the coast for two or !
three days without stopping to explore it. j
is no populous towns or cities were to be
seen. Passing by a great cape, to which !
be gave the name of Cape Cuba, he
?truck eastward in search of Babeque, !
but on the 14th a head wind and hoister- ?
yus sea obliged him to put bael: and an- ?
?ior in a deep and secure harbor, to I
which he gave the name of Puerto del
Principe. Here he erected a cross on a
neighboring height in token of posses?
sion. A few days were passed in explor?
ing with his boats un archipelago of
small but beautiful islands in the vicin?
ity, since known as El .Jardin del Rey.
:>r the king's garden. The gulf studded
with these islands lie named the sea of ;
Nuestra SeiiDra: in modern days it has
been a lurking place for pirates, who
lave found secure shelter and conceal-'
meut among the channels and solitary
harbors of this archipelago. These
islands were covered with noble trees,
among which the Spaniards thought they
discovered mastic and aloes.
Un the 19th Columbus again put to
sea, and for two days made ineffectual
attempts against head winds to reach an
island directly east, about sixty miles
distant, which he supposed to be Ba
beque. The wind continuing obstinately
adverse and the sea rough, he put his
ship abont toward evening of the 20th,
making signals for the other vessels
to follow him. His signals were unat?
tended to by the Pinta, which was con?
siderably to the eastward. Columbus
repeated the signals, but they were still
unattended to. Night coming on, he
shortened sail and hoisted signal lights
to the mast head, thinking Pinz?n would
yet join him, which he could easily do,
having the wind astern; but when the
morning dawned the Pinta was no lon?
ger to be seen.
Columbus was disquieted by this cir?
cumstance. Pinz?n was a veteran navi?
gate, accustomed to hold a high rank
among his nautical associates. The
squadron had in a great measure been
! manned and fitted cut through his in
? fluence and exertions;, he could ill brook
j subordination therefore to Columbus,
i whom he perhaps did not consider his
I superior in skill and knowledge, and
' who had been benefited by his purse.
: Several misunderstandings and disputes
had accordingly occurred between them
j in the course of the voyage, and when
j Columbus saw Pinz?n t hus parting com?
pany without any appointed rendezvous,
; he suspected either that he intended to
I take upon himself a separate command
and prosecute the enterprise in his own
natue, or hasten back to Spain and bear
off the glory of the discovery. To tit
tempt to seek him, howerer, was fruit?
less; he was far ont of sight; his vessel
was a superior sailer, and it was impos?
sible to say what course he had steered.
Columbus stood back, therefore, for
Cuba, to finish the exploring of its
coast: but he no longer possessed his
usual serenity of mind and unity of pur?
pose, aud was embarrassed in the prose?
cution of his discoveries by doubts of
the designs of Pinz?n.
Ou the 24th of November he regained
Point Cuba and anchored in a fine harbor
formed by the mouth of a river, to which
he gave the name, of St. Catherine. It
was bordered by rich meadows: the
neighboring mountains were well wood?
ed, having ?unes tall enough to make
masts for the finest ships.'and noble oaks.
In the bed of the river were found stones
vriued with gold.
Rumbus continued for several dnvs
coasting the residue of Cuba, extolling
the magnificence, freshness and verdure
of the scenery, the purity of the rivers
and the number and commodiousness of
the harbors. Speaking in his letters to
the sovereigns of one place to which he
gave the mime of Puerto Santo, h9 says,
in his artless but enthusiastic language:
"The amenity of this river, and the
clearness of the water, through which
the sand at the bottom may be seen; the
multitude of palm trees of various forms,
the highest and most beautiful that I
have met with, and an infinity of other
great and green trees; the birds in rich
plumage and the verdure of the fields,
render this country, most serene princes,
of such marvelous beauty, that it sur?
passes all others in charms and graces,
as the day doth the night in luster. For
which reason I often say to my people,
that much as 1 endeavor to give a com?
plete account of it to your majesties, my
tongue cannot express the whole truth,
nor can my pen describe it, and 1 have
been so overwhelmed at the sight of so
much beauty that I have not known
how to relate it."
The transparency of the water, which
Columbus attributed to the purity of the
rivers, is the property of the ocean in
these latitudes. So clear is the sea in
the neighborhood of some of these is?
lands that in still weather the bottom
may be seen, as in a crystal fountain,
and the inhabitants dive down four or
five fathoms in search of conchs and
other shellfish, which are visible from
the surface. The delicate air and pure
waters of these islands are among their
greatest charms.
As a proof of the gigantic vegetation,
Columbus mentions the enormous size
of the canoes formed from single trunks
of trees. Une that he saw was capable
of containing 150 persons. Among other
articles found in the Indian dwellings
was a cake of wax. which he took to
present to the Castilian sovereigns. "For
where is wax," said he, "there must bea
thousand other good things." It is since
supposed to have been brought from
Yucatan, a3 the inhabitants of Cuba
were not accustomed to gather wax.
On the 5th of December he reached the
eastern end of Cuba, which he supposed
to be the eastern extremity of Asia. He
gave it, therefore, the name of Alpha and
Omega-the beginning and the end He
was now greatly perplexed what course
to take. If he kept along the coast as it
bent to the southwest it might bring him
to the more civilized and opulent parts
of india; but if he took this course he
must abandon all hope of finding the is?
land of Babeque, which the Indians now
said lay to the northeast, and of which
they still continued to give the most
marvelous accounts. It was a state of
embarrassment characteristic of this ex?
traordinary voyage to have a new and
unknown world thus spread out to the
choice of the explorer, where wonders
and beauties invited him on every side,
but v";ere, whichever way he turned, he
might leave the true region of profit and
delight behind
CHAPTER X.
DISCOVERY OF HISPANIOLA.
While Columbus was steering at large
beyond the eastern extremity of Cuba,
undetermined what course to take, he
descried land to the southeast gradually
increasing upon the view, its high moun?
tains towering above the clear horizon
and giving evidence of an island of great
extent. The Indians, on beholding it,
exclaimed Bohio, the name by which ,
Columbus understood them to designate
some country which abounded in gold.
When they saw him standing in that di- ?
rection they showed great signs of ter?
ror, imploring him not to visit it, assur?
ing him by signs that the inhabitants
were fierce and cruel, that they had but ;
one eye and were cannibals. The wind ?
being unfavorable and the nights long, i
during which they did not dare to make j
sail in these unknown seas, they were a ?
great part of two days working up to the |
island. ?
In the transparent atmosphere of the l
tropics objects are descried at a great ?
distance, and the purity of the air and <
serenity of the deep blue sky give a <
magical eifert to the scenery. Under <
these advantages the beautiful island of <
Hay ti revealed itself to the eye as they (
approached. Its mountains were higher i
and more rocky than those of the other ( ;
islands, but the rocks rose from among j t
rici) forests. The mountains swept down p
into luxuriant plains and green savannas,
while the ap?>earanee of cultivated fields
of numerous fires at night and col mum
of smoke by day, showed it to be popu?
lous. It rose before them in all th?
splendor of tropical vegetation, one ol
the most beautiful islands in the world,
and doomed to be one of the most un?
fortunate.
lu the evening of the 6th of Decembei
Columbus entered a harbor at the west?
ern end of the island, to which he gave
the name of St Nicholas, by which it ii
called at the present day. The harboi
was spacious and deep, surrounded witt
large trees, many of them loaded with
fruit, while a beautiful plain extended
in front of the port, traversed by a fine
stream of water. From the number ol
canoes seen in various parts there were
evidently large villages in the neighbor?
hood, but the natives had fled with terror
at sight of the ships.
Leaving the harbor of St. Nicholas on
the 7th, they coasted along the northern
side of the island. It was lofty and
mountainous, but with green savannas
and long sweeping plains. At one place
they caught a view up a rich and
smiling valley that ran far into the in?
terior, between two mountains, and ap?
peared to be in a high state of cultiva
tion.
For several days they were detained
in a harbor which they called Port Con?
ception; a small river emptied into it
after winding through a delightful coun?
try. The coast abounded with fish, some
of which even leaped into their boats.
They cast their nets, therefore, and
caught great quantities, and among
them several kinds similar to those of
Spain-the first fish they had met with
resembling those of their own country.
The notes of the bird which they mis?
took for the nightingale, and of several
others to which they were accustomed,
reminded them strongly of the groves of
their distant Andalusia They fancied
the features of the surrounding country
resembled those of the more beautiful
provinces of Spain, and in consequence
the admiral named the island Hispan?
iola.
Desirous of establishing some inter?
course with tho natives, who had aban?
doned the coast on his arrival, he dis?
patched six men, well armed, into the
interior. They found several cultivated
fields and traces of roads and places
where fires h?:d been made, but the in?
habitants had fled with terror to the
mountains.
Though the whole country was soli?
tary and deserted. Columbus consoled
himself with the idea that there must be
populous towns in the interior, where
the people had taken refuge, and that
the fires he had beheld had been signal
fires, like those lighted up on the moun?
tains of Spain in the times of Moorish
war, to give the alarm when there was
any invasion of the seaboard.
On the 12th of December Columbus,
with great solemnity, erected a cross on
a commanding eminence at the entrance
of the harbor in sign of having taken pos?
session. As three sailors were rambling
about the vicinity they beheld a large
number of the natives, who immediately
iook flight, but the sailors pursued them
and captured a young female, whom
they brought to the ships. She was per?
fectly naked-a bad omen as to the civ
ilization of the island-but an ornament
of gold in the nose gave hope of the pre?
cious metal. The admiral soon soothed
her terror by his kindness, and by pres?
ents of beads, brass rings, hawks' bells
and other trinkets, and having had her
clothed, sent her on shore, accompanied
by several of the crew and three of the
Indian interpreters. So well pleased
was she with her finery and with the
kind treatment she had experienced that
she would gladly have remained with
the Indian women whom she found on
board. The party sent with her returned
on board late iu the night without ven?
turing to her village, which was far in?
land. Confident of the favorable im?
pression which the report given by the
woman must produce, the admiral on
the following day dispatched nine stout
hearted, well armed men to seek the
village, accompanied by a native of
Cuba as an interpreter. They found it
alx>ut four and a half leagues to the
southeast, in a fine valley, on the banks
of a beautiful river. It contained 1,000
houses, but the inhabitants fled as they
approached.
The interpreter overtook them and as?
sured them of the goodness of these
strangers who had descended from the
skies and went about the world making
precious and beautiful presents. Thus
assured, the natives ventured back to
the number of 2,000. They ap?
proached the Spaniards with slow and
trembling steps, often pausing and
putting their hands upon their heads,
in token of profound reverence and
submission. They were a well formed
race, fairer and handsomer than the
natives of the other islands. While
the Spaniards were conversing with
them by means of their interpreter, an?
other multitude approached, headed by
the husband of the female canti ire.
They brought her in triumph on their
shoulders, and the husband was profuse
in his gratitude for the kindness with
which she had been treated, and the
magnificent presents which had been be?
stowed upon her.
The Indians now conducted the Span?
iards to their houses, and set before
them cassava bread, fish, roots and fruits
Df various kinds. They brought also
?reat numbers of domesticated parrots,
find indeed offered freely whatever they
possessed. The great river flowing
through this valley was bordered with
noble forests, among which were palms,
hanan;'s, and many trees covered with
fruit and flowers. The air was mild as
in April; the birds sang all day long,
ind some were even heard in the night.
The Spaniards had not learned as yet to
iccount for the difference of seasons in
this opposite part of the globe; they
were astonished to hear tho voice of this
supposed nightingale singing in the
midst of December, and considered it a
[>roof that there was no winter in this
iiappy climate. They returned to the
ships enraptured with the beauty of the
country, surpassing, as they said, even
the luxuriant plains of Cordova. All
:hat they complained of was that they
saw no signs of riches among the natives.
And here it is impossible to refrain
from dwelling on the picture given by
;he first discoverers of the state of man?
iera in this eventful island before the
irrival of the white men. According to
;heir accounts the people of Hayti ex
sted in that state of primitive and sav
?ge simplicity which some philosophers
lave foudly pictured as the most envi
ible on earth, surrounded by natural
blessings, without even a knowledge of
irtificial wants. The fertile earth pio
luced the chief part of their food almost
?vithout culture; their rivers and sea?
coast abounded with fish, and they
caught the utia, the guana, and a van?
ity of birds. This, to beings of their
rugal and temperate habits, was great
i bun dan ce, and what nature furnished
bus spontaneously they willingly shared
vi tb all the world.
Hospitality, we are told, was with
them a law of nature universally ob?
served; there was nO need of being
known to receive its succors; every
house was as open to the ? 'anger as his
own. Columbus, too, in i .otter to Luis
de St Angel, observes: "True it is that
after they felt confidence and lost their
fear of us, they were so liberal with
what they possessed that it would not
be believed by those who had not seen
it. If anything was asked of them they
never said no, but rather gave it cheer?
fully, and showed as much amity as if
they gave their very hearts; and whether
the thing were of value or of little price
they were content with whatever was
given in return. In all these islands it
appears to me that the men are all con?
tent with one wife, but they give twenty
to their chieftain or king. The women
seem to work more than the men, and 1
have not been able to understand wheth?
er they possess individual property, but
rather think that whatever one has all
the rest share, especially in all articles
of provisions."
One of the most pleasing descriptions
of the inhabitants of this island is given
by old Peter Martyr, who gathered it, as
he says, from the conversations of the
admiral himself. "It is certain," says
he, "that the land amoug these people is
as common as the sun and water, and
that 'mine and thine,* the seeds of all
mischief, have no place with them.
They are content with so little that in so
large a country they have rather super?
fluity than scarceness, so that they seem
to live in the golden world without toil,
living in open gardens, not intrenched
with dikes, divided with hedges or de?
fended with walls. They deal truly one
with "another, without laws, without
books and without judges. They take
him for an evil and mischievous man
who taketh pleasure in doing hurt to an
other.and albeit they delight not in super?
fluities, yet they make provision for the
increase of such roots whereof they
make their bread, contented with such
simple diet whereby health is preserved
and disease avoided."
Much of this picture may be overcol
ored by the imagination, but it is gener
erally confirmed by contemporary his?
torians. They all concur in representing
the life of these islanders as approach?
ing to the golden state of poetical felici?
ty; living under the absolute but patri?
archal and easy rule of their caciques,
free from pride, with few wants, an
abundant country, a happily tempered
climate and a natural disposition to care?
less and indolent enjoyment
CHAPTER XL
COASTING OF HISPANIOLA.
When the weather became favorable
Columbus made another attempt on the
the 14th of December to find the island
of Babeque, but was again baffled by
adverse winds. In the course of this
attempt he visited an island lying oppo?
site to the harbor of Conception, to
which, from its abounding in turtle, he
gave the name of Tortugas. The na?
tives had fled to the rocks and forests,
and alarm fires blazed along the heights.
The country was so beautiful that he
gave to one of the valleys the name of
Valle de Para?so, or the Vale of Para?
dise, and called a fine stream the Guad
alquiver, after that renowned river
which flows through some of the fairest
provinces of Spain.
Setting sail on the 16th of December
at midnight, Columbus steered again
for Hispaniola. When half way across
the gulf which separates the islands, he
perceived a canoe navigated by a single
Indian, and. as on a former occasion,
was astonished at his hardihood in ven?
turing so far from land in so frail a bark
and at his adroitness in keeping it above
water, as the wind was fresh and there
was some sea running. He ordered both
him and his canoe to be taken on board;
and having anchored near a village on
the coast of Hispaniola, at present known
as Puerto de Paz. he sent him on shore
well regaled and enriched with varions
presents.
In the early intercourse with these
people, kindness never seems to have
failed in its effect The favorable ac?
counts given by this Indian, and by those
with whom the Spaniards had communi?
cated in their previous landings, dis?
pelled the fears of the islanders. A
friendly intercourse soon took place, and
the ships were visited by a cacique of
the neighborhood. From this chieftain
and his counselors Columbus had fur?
ther information of the island of B.i
beque, which was described as lying at
no great distance.
No mention is afterward made of thn
island, nor does it appear that he unule
any further attempt to seek it. No such
island exists in the ancient charts, a? d
it is probable that this was one of tie
numerous misinterpretations of Indura
words which led the first discoverers
into so many fruitless researches. The
people of Hispaniola appeared hand?
somer to Columbus than any he had }*et
met with, and of a gentle and peaceable
disposition. Some of them had orna?
ments of gold, which they readily gave
away or exchanged for any trifle. The
country was finely diversified with lofty
mountains and green valleys, which
stretched away inland as far as the eye
could reach. The mountains were of
such easy ascent that the highest of
them might be plowed with oxen, and
the luxuriant growth of the forests man?
ifested the fertility of the soil. The val?
leys were watered by numerous clear
and beautiful streams; they appeared to
be cultivated in many places, and to be
fitted for grain, for orchards and pas?
turage.
While detained at this harbor by con
trary winds Columbus was visited by a
young cacique, who came borne by four
men on a sort of litter and attended by
200 of his subjects. The admiral being
at dinner when he arrived, the young
chieftain ordered his followers to remain
without, and entering the cabin took his
seat beside Columbus, not permitting
him to rise or use any ceremony. Only
two old men entered with hi'*:, who ap?
peared to be his counselors, and who
seated themselves at his feet If any?
thing were given him to eat or drink he
merely tasted it and sent it to his fol?
lowers, maintaining an air of great grav?
ity and dignity. He spoke but little,
his two counselors watching his lips and
catching and communicating his ideas.
After dinner he presented the admiral
with a belt curiously wrought and two '
pieces of gold.
Columbus gave him a piece of cloth,
several amber beads, colored shoes and
a flask of orange flower water; he showed
him a Spanish coin on which were the
likenesses of the king and queen, and
endeavored to explain to him the power j
and grandeur of those sovereigns: he i
displayed, also, the royal banners and !
the standard of the cross, but it was all ;
in vain to attempt to convey any clear j
idea by these symbols. The cacique
could not l>e made to believe that there j
was a region on the earth which pro
dnced these wonderful i>eople and won- j
derful things. Ile joined in the com- I
mon idea that the Spaniards were moro
than mortal, and that the country and
I avvcici^iia tnuj ui.iJi.eu Ul uiu&fa CAlbt
somewhere in the skies?
In the evening ile cacique was sent on
shore in the boat with great ceremony,
and a salute fired in honor of him. He
departed in the state in which he had
come, carried on a litter, accompanied
by a great concourse of his subjects; not
far behind him was his son. borne and
escorted in like manner, and his brother
on foot, supported by two attendants.
The presents which he had received from
the admiral were carried triumphantly
before him
They procured but little gold in this
place, though whatever ornaments the
natives possessed they readily gave
away. The region of promise lay still
further on, and one of the old counselors
of the cacique told Columbus that he
would soon arrive at islands rich in the
precious ore. Before leaving this place,
the admiral caused a large cross to be
erected in the center of the village, and
from the readiness with which the In?
dians assisted, and their implicit imita?
tions of the Spaniards in their acts of
devotion, he inferred that it would be an
easy matter to convert them all to Chris?
tianity.
On the 19th of December they made
sail before daylight, but with an un?
favorable wind, and on the evening of
the 20th they anchored in a fine harbor,
to which Columbus gave the name of St.
Thomas, supposed to be what at present
is called the Bay of Acul. It was sur?
rounded by a beautiful and well peopled
country. The inhabitauts came off, some
in canoes, some swimming, bringing
fruits of various unknown kinds, of great
fragance and flavor. These they gave
freely with whatever else they possessed,
especially their golden ornaments, which
they saw were particularly coveted by
the strangers. There was a remarkable
frankness and generosity about these
people; they had no idea of traffic, but
gave away every thing with spontaneous
liberality. Columbus would not permit
his people, however, to take advantage
of this free disposition, but ordered that
something should always be given in ex?
change. Several of the neighboring ca?
ciques visited the ships, bringing pres?
ents and inviting the Spaniards to their
villages, where, on going to land, they
were most hospitably entertained.
On the 22d of December, a large canoe
filled with natives came on a mission
from a grand cacique named Gnacana
gari, who commanded all that part of
the island. A principal servant of the
chieftain came in the canoe, bringing
the admiral a present of a broad belt,
wrought ingeniously with colored beads
and bones, and a wooden mask, the eyes,
nose and tongue of which were of gold.
He delivered also a message from the
cacique, begging that the ships might
come opposite to his residence, which
was on a part of the coast a little further
to the eastward. The wind preventing
an immediate compliance with this in?
vitation the admiral sent the notary of
the squadron, with several of the crew,
to visit the cacique. He resided in a
town, situated on a river, at what they
called Punta Santa, at present Grande
Riviere. It was the largest and best
built town they had yet seen. The cacique
received them in a kind of public square,
which had Oeen swept and prepared for
the occasion, and treated them with
great honor, giving to each a dress of
cotton. The inhabitants crowded around
them, bringing provisions and refresh?
ments of various kinds. The seamen
were received into their houses as distin?
guished guests; they gave them gar?
ments of cotton and whatever else ap
I neared to have value in their eyes, ask?
ing nothing in return, but if anything
were given appearing to treasure it up
as a sacred relic.
The cacique would have detained them
all night, but their orders obliged them
to return. On parting with them, he
gave them presents of parrots and pieces
of gold for the admiral, and they were
attended to their boats by a crowd of
j the natives, carrying the presents for
them, and vying with each other in ren?
dering them service.
Daring their absence, the admiral had
beeu visited by a great number of canoes
and several inferior caciques; all as?
sured him that the island abounded with
wealth: they talked especially of Cibao,
a region in the interior, farther to the
east, the cacique of which, as far as they
could be understood, had banners of
wrought gold. Columbus, deceiving
himself as usual, fancied that this name
Ci'^ao must be a corruption of Ci pango,
and that this chieftain with golden ban?
ners must be identical with the magnifi?
cent prince of that island mentioned by
Marco Pola
CHAPTER XIL
SHIPWRECK.
On the morning of the 24th of De?
cember Columbus set sail from Port St.
Thomas before sunrise and steered to
the eastward, with an intention of an?
choring at the harbor of the cacique
Guacanagari. The wind was from the
land, but so light as scarcely to fill the
sails, and the ships made but little prog?
ress. At ll o'clock at night, being
Christmas eve, they were within a
league or a league and a half of the resi?
dence of the cacique, and Co'umbus, who
had hitherto kept watch, finding the sea
calm and smooth and the ship almost
motionless, retired to rest, not having
slept the preceding night. He was, in
general, extremely wakeful on his coast?
ing voyages, passing whole nights upon
deck in all weathers, never trusting to
the watchfulness of others where there ,
was any difficulty or danger to be pro?
vided against. In the present instance .
he felt perfectly secure, not merely on
account of the profound calm, but be?
cause the boats on the preceding day in !
their visit to the cacique had reconnoi- ;
tered the coast and had reported that
there were neither rocks nor shoals in <
their course. <
No sooner had he retired than the !
steersman gave the helm in charge to one j
of the ship boys and went to sleep. This
was in direct violation of an invariable (
order of the admiral that the helm
should never be intrusted to the boys.
The rest of the mariners who had the !
watch took like advantage of the ab- ,
sence of Columbus, and in a little while <
the whole crew was buried in sleep. In i
the meantime the treacherous currents, 1
whi. nm swiftly along this co;ist. car
^'e. he V' >>sel quietly, but with force,
ii a sai ibauk. The heedless boy had ?
uot noticed the breakers, although they j (
made a rearing that might have been j i
heard a league. No sooner, however, j J
did he feel the rudder strike, and hear j \?
the tumult of the rushing sea, than he j
began to cry for aid. Columbus, whose
careful thoughts never permitted him
to sleep profoundly, was the first on .
deck. The master of the ship, whose i tl
duty it was to have been on watch, next [ l
made his appearance, followed by others I
of the crew, half awake. The admiral *
ordered them to take the boat and carry *
out an anchor astern, to warp the vessel i
off. The master and the sailors sprang <
into the boat, but, confused, as men are n
apt to be when suddenly awakened by J
au alarm, instead of obeying the com
uicuiua ul vuiuuuiuus lucy rcrwcw wu. IA.
the other caravel, about half a league tc
windward.
In the meantime the master had
reached the caravel and made known1
the perilous state in which he had left
the vessel. He w;is reproached with his
pusillanimous desertion. The com"
mander of the caravel manned his boat
and hastened to the relief of the admiral
followed by the recreant master covered
with shame and confusion.
It was too late to save the ship, the
emrrent having set her more upon the
bank. The admiral, seeing that hi* ljoaf
had deserted him, that the ship had"
swung across the stream, and that the
water was continually gaining upon her,
ordered the mast to be cut away in the
hope of lightening her sufficiently tc
float her off. Every effort w:is in vain.
The keel was firmly bedded in the sand*
The shock had opened several seams1,
while the swell of the breakers, striking
her broadside, left her each moment
more and moreagrouud until she fell
over on one side. Fortunately the
weather continued calm. Otherwise th<?
ship must have gone to pieces, and the
whole crew might have perished amid
the currents and breakers.
The admiral and his men took sefuge
on board the caravel. Diego de Arana,
chief judge of the armament, and Pedro
Gutierrez, the king's bntler, were imme?
diately sent on shore as envoys to the
cacique Gnacanagari, to inform him of
the intended visit of the admiral and ol
his disastrous shipwreck. In the mean?
time, as a light wind had sprung np
from shore and the admiral was ignorant
cf Lis situation and of the rocks and
banks that might l>e lurking around
him, he lay to until daylight
The habitation of the cacique was
about a league and a half from the
wreck. When he heard of the misfor?
tune of his guest he manifested the ut?
most affliction and even shed tears. He
immediately sent all his people, with all
the canoes, large and small, that could
be mustered: and so active were they in
their assistance that in a little while the
vessel was unloaded. The cacique him?
self and his brothers and relatives ren?
dered all the aid in their power, both on
sea and land, keeping vigilant guard
that everything should be conducted
with order and the property secured
from injury or theft. From time to time
he sent some one of his family or some
principal person of his attendants to con?
sole and cheer the admiral, assuring him
that everything he possessed should be
at his disposal.
Never, in a civilized country, were the
vaunted rites of hospitality more scrupu?
lously observed than by this unculti?
vated savage. All the effects landed
from the ships were deposited near his
dwelling, and an armed guard surround?
ed them all night until houses could be
prepared in which to store them. There
seemed, however, even among the com?
mon people, no disposition to take ad?
vantage of the misfortune of the stranger.
Although they beheld what must in their
eyes have been inestimable treasures,
cast, as it were, upon their ? shores and
open to depredation, yet there was not
the least attempt to pilfer, nor, in trans?
porting the effects from the ships, had
they appropriated the most trifling ar?
ticle. On the contrary a general sym?
pathy was visible in their countenances
and actions, and to have witnessed their
concern one would have supposed the
misfortune to have happened to them?
selves.
"So loving, so tractable, so peaceable
are these people,*' says Columbus in his
journal, "that I swear to your majesties
there is not in the world a better narien
nor a better land. They love their
neighbors as themselves, and their dis?
course is ever sweet and gentle and ac?
companied with a smile; and though
it is true that they are miked, yet
their manners are d?corons and praise?
worthy."
[TO BE CONTI NIT3D-]
maw *??? mm*
New York's Millionaires.
Here is an estimate list of New
York's millionaires:
Jobo D. Rockefeller $140,000,000
W. B Astor 125.000.000
Cornelius Vanderbilt 110.000,000
Jay Gould 90.000,000
W. K. Vanderbilt 80.000.000
0. P. Huntington 50,000,000
Russell Sage 45,00u.000
William Rockefeller 35,000,000
J. Pierpont Morgan 25,000,000
$700,000,000
Fenianism Redivivus.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 16 -A secret
?ircular has been issued by the
CJlan-na-Gael to ?the different camps in
United States,calling upon the Irishmen,
nasmuch as parlinientary agitation has
:>eeu unsuccessful, to return physical
'orce.
An officer of the Clan na Gael here
?aid yesterday : "Our organization ia
he strongest Irish organization in
izistence. We have 20,000 men ready
o strike a blow for Ireland as soon as
in opportunity presents itself."
- II- -mwmm~
Against Free Fasses.
The South Carolina Legislature has
)assed a bill, and the Governor will
loubtle8S sign it, prohibiting legislators,
udges and other officials from accepting
ree passes om railroad companies.
Such w should be found on the
statute book of every State in the Unioc.
ind it should be enforced.
Why are free passes given to public
?fficers if some favor or advantage is not
xpected in return ? Why should not
)ublic officers as well as private citizens
)ay their fare ?
The whole business U an abuse that
lUght to be suppressed-N Y Herald.
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