The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985-1503 Part 9

"To-day, at sunrise, I weighed the anchors from where I was with the s.h.i.+p, and anch.o.r.ed off the S.W. point of the island of Saometo, to which I gave the name of Cabo de la Laguna, and to the island Isabella. My intention was to navigate to the north-east and east from the south-east and south, where, I understood from the Indians I brought with me, was the village of the king. I found the sea so shallow that I could not enter nor navigate in it, and I saw that to follow a route by the south-east would be a great round. So I determined to return by the route that I had taken from the N.N.E. to the western part, and to sail round this island to [reconnoitre it].

"I had so little wind that I never could sail along the coast, except during the night. As it was dangerous to anchor off these islands except in the day, when one can see where to let the anchor, for the bottom is all in patches, some clear and some rocky, I lay to all this Sunday night. The caravels anch.o.r.ed because they found themselves near the sh.o.r.e, and they thought that, owing to the signals that they were in the habit of making, I would come to anchor, but I did not wish to do so."

_Sunday, 21st of October_

"At ten o'clock I arrived here, off this islet, and anch.o.r.ed, as well as the caravels. After breakfast I went on sh.o.r.e, and found only one house, in which there was no one, and I supposed they had fled from fear, because all their property was left in the house. I would not allow anything to be touched, but set out with the captains and people to explore the island. If the others already seen are very beautiful, green, and fertile, this is much more so, with large trees and very green. Here there are large lagoons with wonderful vegetation on their banks.

Throughout the island all is green, and the herbage like April in Andalusia. The songs of the birds were so pleasant that it seemed as if a man could never wish to leave the place. The flocks of parrots concealed the sun; and the birds were so numerous, and of so many different kinds, that it was wonderful. There are trees of a thousand sorts, and all have their several fruits; and I feel the most unhappy man in the world not to know them, for I am well a.s.sured that they are all valuable. I bring home specimens of them, and also of the land. Thus walking along round one of the lakes I saw a serpent, which we killed, and I bring home the skin for your Highnesses. As soon as it saw us it went into the lagoon, and we followed, as the water was not very deep, until we killed it with lances.

It is 7 spans long, and I believe that there are many like it in these lagoons.[125-1] Here I came upon some aloes, and I have determined to take ten quintals on board to-morrow, for they tell me that they are worth a good deal. Also, while in search of good water, we came to a village about half a league from our anchorage. The people, as soon as they heard us, all fled and left their houses, hiding their property in the wood. I would not allow a thing to be touched, even the value of a pin. Presently some men among them came to us, and one came quite close.

I gave him some bells and gla.s.s beads, which made him very content and happy. That our friends.h.i.+p might be further increased, I resolved to ask him for something; I requested him to get some water. After I had gone on board, the natives came to the beach with calabashes full of water, and they delighted much in giving it to us. I ordered another string of gla.s.s beads to be presented to them, and they said they would come again to-morrow. I wished to fill up all the s.h.i.+ps with water at this place, and, if there should be time, I intended to search the island until I had had speech with the king, and seen whether he had the gold of which I had heard. I shall then shape a course for another much larger island, which I believe to be c.i.p.ango, judging from the signs made by the Indians I bring with me. They call it Cuba, and they say that there are s.h.i.+ps and many skilful sailors there. Beyond this island there is another called Bosio,[126-1] which they also say is very large, and others we shall see as we pa.s.s, lying between. According as I obtain tidings of gold or spices I shall settle what should be done. I am still resolved to go to the mainland and the city of Guisay,[126-2] and to deliver the letters of your Highnesses to the Gran Can, requesting a reply and returning with it."

_Monday, 22nd of October_

"All last night and to-day I was here, waiting to see if the king or other person would bring gold or anything of value. Many of these people came, like those of the other islands, equally naked, and equally painted, some white, some red, some black, and others in many ways. They brought darts and skeins of cotton to barter, which they exchanged with the sailors for bits of gla.s.s, broken crockery, and pieces of earthenware. Some of them had pieces of gold fastened in their noses, which they willingly gave for a hawk's bell and gla.s.s beads. But there was so little that it counts for nothing. It is true that they looked upon any little thing that I gave them as a wonder, and they held our arrival to be a great marvel, believing that we came from heaven. We got water for the s.h.i.+ps from a lagoon which is near the Cabo del Isleo (Cape of the Islet), as we named it. In the said lagoon Martin Alonso Pinzon, captain of the _Pinta_, killed another serpent 7 _spans_ long, like the one we got yesterday. I made them gather here as much of the aloe as they could find."

_Tuesday, 23rd of October_

"I desired to set out to-day for the island of Cuba, which I think must be c.i.p.ango, according to the signs these people make, indicative of its size and riches, and I did not delay any more here nor [attempt to sail]

...[127-1] round this island to the residence of this king or lord, and have speech with him, as I had intended. This would cause me much delay, and I see that there is no gold mine here. To sail round would need several winds, for it does not blow here as men may wish. It is better to go where there is great entertainment, so I say that it is not reasonable to wait, but rather to continue the voyage and inspect much land, until some very profitable country is reached, my belief being that it will be rich in spices. That I have no personal knowledge of these products causes me the greatest sorrow in the world, for I see a thousand kinds of trees, each one with its own special fruit, all green now as in Spain during the months of May and June, as well as a thousand kinds of herbs with their flowers; yet I know none of them except this aloe, of which I ordered a quant.i.ty to be brought on board to bring to your Highnesses. I have not made sail for Cuba because there is no wind, but a dead calm with much rain. It rained a great deal yesterday without causing any cold. On the contrary, the days are hot and the nights cool, like May in Andalusia."

_Wednesday, 24th of October_

"At midnight I weighed the anchors and left the anchorage at Cabo del Isleo, in the island of Isabella.[128-1] From the northern side, where I was, I intended to go to the island of Cuba, where I heard of the people who were very great, and had gold, spices, merchandise, and large s.h.i.+ps.

They showed me that the course thither would be W.S.W., and so I hold.

For I believe that it is so, as all the Indians of these islands, as well as those I brought with me in the s.h.i.+ps, told me by signs. I cannot understand their language, but I believe that it is of the island of c.i.p.ango that they recount these wonders.[128-2] On the spheres I saw, and on the delineations of the map of the world,[128-3] c.i.p.ango is in this region. So I shaped a course W.S.W. until daylight, but at dawn it fell calm and began to rain, and went on nearly all night. I remained thus, with little wind, until the afternoon, when it began to blow fresh. I set all the sails in the s.h.i.+p, the mainsail with two bonnets, the foresail, spritsail, mizzen, main topsail, and the boat's sail on the p.o.o.p. So I proceeded until nightfall, when the Cabo Verde of the island of Fernandina, which is at the S.W. end, bore N.W. distant 7 leagues. As it was now blowing hard, and I did not know how far it was to this island of Cuba, I resolved not to go in search of it during the night; all these islands being very steep-to, with no bottom round them for a distance of two shots of a lombard. The bottom is all in patches, one bit of sand and another of rock, and for this reason it is not safe to anchor without inspection with the eye. So I determined to take in all the sails except the foresail, and to go on under that reduced canvas. Soon the wind increased, while the route was doubtful, and there was very thick weather, with rain. I ordered the foresail to be furled, and we did not make two leagues during that night."

_Thursday, 25th of October_

"I steered W.S.W. from after sunset until 9 o'clock, making 5 leagues.

Afterwards I altered course to west, and went 8 miles an hour until one in the afternoon; and from that time until three made good 44 miles. Then land was sighted, consisting of 7 or 8 islands, the group running north and south, distant from us 5 leagues."

_Friday, 26th of October_

"The s.h.i.+p was on the south side of the islands, which were all low, distant 5 or 6 leagues. I anch.o.r.ed there. The Indians[129-1] on board said that thence to Cuba was a voyage in their canoes of a day and a half; these being small dug-outs without a sail. Such are their canoes. I departed thence for Cuba, for by the signs the Indians made of its greatness, and of its gold and pearls, I thought that it must be c.i.p.ango."

_Sat.u.r.day, 27th of October_

"I weighed from these islands at sunrise, and gave them the name of Las Islas de Arena, owing to the little depth the sea had for a distance of 6 leagues to the southward of them. We went 8 miles an hour on a S.S.W.

course until one o'clock having made 40 miles. Until night we had run 28 miles on the same course, and before dark the land was sighted. At night there was much rain. The vessels, on Sat.u.r.day until sunset, made 17 leagues on a S.S.W. course."

_Sunday, 28th of October_

"I went thence in search of the island of Cuba on a S.S.W. course, making for the nearest point of it, and entered a very beautiful river without danger of sunken rocks or other impediments. All the coast was clear of dangers up to the sh.o.r.e. The mouth of the river was 12 _brazas_ across, and it is wide enough for a vessel to beat in.[130-1] I anch.o.r.ed about a lombard-shot inside." The Admiral says that "he never beheld such a beautiful place, with trees bordering the river, handsome, green, and different from ours, having fruits and flowers each one according to its nature. There are many birds, which sing very sweetly. There are a great number of palm trees of a different kind from those in Guinea and from ours, of a middling height, the trunks without that covering, and the leaves very large, with which they thatch their houses. The country is very level." The Admiral jumped into his boat and went on sh.o.r.e. He came to two houses, which he believed to belong to fishermen who had fled from fear. In one of them he found a kind of dog that never barks, and in both there were nets of palm-fibre and cordage, as well as horn fish-hooks, bone harpoons, and other apparatus "for fis.h.i.+ng, and several hearths. He believed that many people lived together in one house. He gave orders that nothing in the houses should be touched, and so it was done." The herbage was as thick as in Andalusia during April and May. He found much purslane and wild amaranth.[131-1] He returned to the boat and went up the river for some distance, and he says it was great pleasure to see the bright verdure, and the birds, which he could not leave to go back. He says that this island is the most beautiful that eyes have seen, full of good harbors and deep rivers, and the sea appeared as if it never rose; for the herbage on the beach nearly reached the waves, which does not happen where the sea is rough. (Up to that time they had not experienced a rough sea among all those islands.) He says that the island is full of very beautiful mountains, although they are not very extensive as regards length, but high; and all the country is high like Sicily. It is abundantly supplied with water, as they gathered from the Indians they had taken with them from the island of Guanahani. These said by signs that there are ten great rivers, and that they cannot go round the island in twenty days. When they came near land with the s.h.i.+ps, two canoes came out; and, when they saw the sailors get into a boat and row about to find the depth of the river where they could anchor, the canoes fled. The Indians say that in this island there are gold mines and pearls, and the Admiral saw a likely place for them and mussel-sh.e.l.ls, which are signs of them. He understood that large s.h.i.+ps of the Gran Can came here, and that from here to the mainland was a voyage of ten days.[131-2] The Admiral called this river and harbor San Salvador.[131-3]

_Monday, 29th of October_

The Admiral weighed anchor from this port and sailed to the westward, to go to the city, where, as it seemed, the Indians said that there was a king. They doubled a point six leagues to the N.W.,[132-1] and then another point,[132-2] then east ten leagues. After another league he saw a river with no very large entrance, to which he gave the name of Rio de la Luna.[132-3] He went on until the hour of vespers. He saw another river much larger than the others, as the Indians told him by signs, and near he saw goodly villages of houses. He called the river Rio de Mares.[132-4] He sent two boats on sh.o.r.e to a village to communicate, and one of the Indians he had brought with him, for now they understood a little, and show themselves content with Christians. All the men, women, and children fled, abandoning their houses with all they contained. The Admiral gave orders that nothing should be touched. The houses were better than those he had seen before, and he believed that the houses would improve as he approached the mainland. They were made like booths, very large, and looking like tents in a camp without regular streets, but one here and another there. Within they were clean and well swept, with the furniture well made. All are of palm branches beautifully constructed. They found many images in the shape of women, and many heads like masks,[132-5] very well carved. It was not known whether these were used as ornaments, or to be wors.h.i.+pped. They had dogs which never bark, and wild birds tamed in their houses. There was a wonderful supply of nets and other fis.h.i.+ng implements, but nothing was touched. He believed that all the people on the coast were fishermen, who took the fish inland, for this island is very large, and so beautiful, that he is never tired of praising it. He says that he found trees and fruits of very marvellous taste; and adds that they must have cows or other cattle, for he saw skulls which were like those of cows.[133-1] The songs of the birds and the chirping of crickets throughout the night lulled everyone to rest, while the air was soft and healthy, and the nights neither hot nor cold. On the voyage through the other islands there was great heat but here it is tempered like the month of May. He attributed the heat of the other islands to their flatness, and to the wind coming from the east, which is hot. The water of the rivers was salt at the mouth, and they did not know whence the natives got their drinking-water, though they have sweet water in their houses. s.h.i.+ps are able to turn in this river, both entering and coming out, and there are very good leading-marks. He says that all this sea appears to be constantly smooth, like the river at Seville, and the water suitable for the growth of pearls. He found large sh.e.l.ls unlike those of Spain. Remarking on the position of the river and port, to which he gave the name of San Salvador,[133-2] he describes its mountains as lofty and beautiful, like the Pena de las Enamoradas,[133-3] and one of them has another little hill on its summit, like a graceful mosque. The other river and port, in which he now was,[133-4] has two round mountains to the S.W., and a fine low cape running out to the W.S.W.

_Tuesday, 30th of October_

He left the Rio de Mares and steered N.W., seeing a cape covered with palm trees, to which he gave the name of Cabo de Palmas,[133-5] after having made good 15 leagues. The Indians on board the caravel _Pinta_ said that beyond that cape there was a river,[134-1] and that from the river to Cuba it was four days' journey. The captain of the _Pinta_ reported that he understood from that, that this Cuba was a city, and that the land was a great continent trending far to the north. The king of that country, he gathered, was at war with the Gran Can, whom they called Cami, and his land or city Fava, with many other names. The Admiral resolved to proceed to that river, and to send a present, with the letter of the Sovereigns,[134-2] to the king of that land. For this service there was a sailor who had been to Guinea, and some of the Indians of Guanahani wished to go with him, and afterwards to return to their homes. The Admiral calculated that he was forty-two degrees to the north of the equinoctial line (but the handwriting is here illegible).[134-3] He says that he must attempt to reach the Gran Can, who he thought was here or at the city of Cathay,[134-4] which belongs to him, and is very grand, as he was informed before leaving Spain. All this land, he adds, is low and beautiful, and the sea deep.

_Wednesday, 31st of October_

All Tuesday night he was beating to windward, and he saw a river, but could not enter it because the entrance was narrow. The Indians fancied that the s.h.i.+ps could enter wherever their canoes could go. Navigating onwards, he came to a cape running out very far, and surrounded by sunken rocks,[134-5] and he saw a bay where small vessels might take shelter.

He could not proceed because the wind had come round to the north, and all the coast runs N.W. and S.E. Another cape further on ran out still more.[135-1] For these reasons, and because the sky showed signs of a gale, he had to return to the Rio de Mares.

_Thursday, November the 1st_

At sunrise the Admiral sent the boats on sh.o.r.e to the houses that were there, and they found that all the people had fled. After some time a man made his appearance. The Admiral ordered that he should be left to himself, and the sailors returned to the boats. After dinner, one of the Indians on board was sent on sh.o.r.e. He called out from a distance that there was nothing to fear, because the strangers were good people and would do no harm to anyone, nor were they people of the Gran Can, but they had given away their things in many islands where they had been. The Indian then swam on sh.o.r.e, and two of the natives took him by the arms and brought him to a house, where they heard what he had to say. When they were certain that no harm would be done to them they were rea.s.sured, and presently more than sixteen canoes came to the s.h.i.+ps with cotton-thread and other trifles. The Admiral ordered that nothing should be taken from them, that they might understand that he sought for nothing but gold, which they call _nucay_.[135-2] Thus they went to and fro between the s.h.i.+ps and the sh.o.r.e all day, and they came to the Christians on sh.o.r.e with confidence. The Admiral saw no gold whatever among them, but he says that he saw one of them with a piece of worked silver fastened to his nose. They said, by signs, that within three days many merchants from inland would come to buy the things brought by the Christians, and would give information respecting the king of that land.

So far as could be understood from their signs, he resided at a distance of four days' journey. They had sent many messengers in all directions, with news of the arrival of the Admiral. "These people," says the Admiral, "are of the same appearance and have the same customs as those of the other islands, without any religion so far as I know, for up to this day I have never seen the Indians on board say any prayer; though they repeat the _Salve_ and _Ave Maria_ with their hands raised to heaven, and they make the sign of the cross. The language is also the same, and they are all friends; but I believe that all these islands are at war with the Gran Can, whom they called Cavila, and his province Bafan. They all go naked like the others." This is what the Admiral says.

"The river," he adds, "is very deep, and the s.h.i.+ps can enter the mouth, going close to the sh.o.r.e. The sweet water does not come within a league of the mouth. It is certain," says the Admiral, "that this is the mainland, and that I am in front of Zayto and Guinsay, a hundred leagues, a little more or less, distant the one from the other.[136-1] It is very clear that no one before has been so far as this by sea. Yesterday, with wind from the N.W., I found it cold."

_Friday, 2nd of November_

The Admiral decided upon sending two Spaniards, one named Rodrigo de Jerez, who lived in Ayamonte, and the other Luis de Torres, who had served in the household of the Adelantado of Murcia, and had been a Jew, knowing Hebrew, Chaldee, and even some Arabic. With these men he sent two Indians, one from among those he had brought from Guanahani and another a native of the houses by the river-side. He gave them strings of beads with which to buy food if they should be in need, and ordered them to return in six days. He gave them specimens of spices, to see if any were to be found. Their instructions were to ask for the king of that land, and they were told what to say on the part of the Sovereigns of Castile, how they had sent the Admiral with letters and a present, to inquire after his health and establish friends.h.i.+p, favoring him in what he might desire from them. They were to collect information respecting certain provinces, ports, and rivers of which the Admiral had notice, and to ascertain their distances from where he was.

This night the Admiral took an alt.i.tude with a quadrant, and found that the distance from the equinoctial line was 42 degrees.[137-1] He says that, by his reckoning, he finds that he has gone over 1142 leagues from the island of Hierro.[137-2] He still believes that he has reached the mainland.

_Sat.u.r.day, 3rd of November_

In the morning the Admiral got into the boat, and, as the river is like a great lake at the mouth, forming a very excellent port, very deep, and clear of rocks, with a good beach for careening s.h.i.+ps, and plenty of fuel, he explored it until he came to fresh water at a distance of two leagues from the mouth. He ascended a small mountain to obtain a view of the surrounding country, but could see nothing, owing to the dense foliage of the trees, which were very fresh and odoriferous, so that he felt no doubt that there were aromatic herbs among them. He said that all he saw was so beautiful that his eyes could never tire of gazing upon such loveliness, nor his ears of listening to the songs of birds. That day many canoes came to the s.h.i.+ps, to barter with cotton threads and with the nets in which they sleep, called _hamacas_.

_Sunday, 4th of November_

At sunrise the Admiral again went away in the boat, and landed to hunt the birds he had seen the day before. After a time, Martin Alonso Pinzon came to him with two pieces of cinnamon, and said that a Portuguese, who was one of his crew, had seen an Indian carrying two very large bundles of it; but he had not bartered for it, because of the penalty imposed by the Admiral on any one who bartered. He further said that this Indian carried some brown things like nutmegs. The master[138-1] of the _Pinta_ said that he had found the cinnamon trees. The Admiral went to the place, and found that they were not cinnamon trees. The Admiral showed the Indians some specimens of cinnamon and pepper he had brought from Castile, and they knew it, and said, by signs, that there was plenty in the vicinity, pointing to the S.E. He also showed them gold and pearls, on which certain old men said that there was an infinite quant.i.ty in a place called _Bohio_,[138-2] and that the people wore it on their necks, ears, arms, and legs, as well as pearls. He further understood them to say that there were great s.h.i.+ps and much merchandise, all to the S.E. He also understood that, far away, there were men with one eye, and others with dogs' noses[138-3] who were cannibals, and that when they captured an enemy, they beheaded him and drank his blood, and cut off his private parts.

The Admiral then determined to return to the s.h.i.+p and wait the return of the two men he had sent, intending to depart and seek for those lands, if his envoys brought some good news touching what he desired. The Admiral further says: "These people are very gentle and timid; they go naked, as I have said without arms and without law. The country is very fertile.

The people have plenty of _mames_ which are like carrots and have the flavor of chestnuts; and they have _faxones_ and beans of kinds very different from ours.[139-1] They also have much cotton, which they do not sow, as it is wild in the mountains, and I believe they collect it throughout the year, because I saw pods empty, others full, and flowers all on one tree. There are a thousand other kinds of fruits, which it is impossible for me to write about, and all must be profitable." All this the Admiral says.

_Monday, 5th of November_

This morning the Admiral ordered the s.h.i.+p to be careened, afterwards the other vessels, but not all at the same time. Two were always to be at the anchorage, as a precaution; although he says that these people were very safe, and that without fear all the vessels might have been careened at the same time. Things being in this state, the master[139-2] of the _Nina_ came to claim a reward from the Admiral because he had found mastic, but he did not bring the specimen, as he had dropped it. The Admiral promised him a reward, and sent Rodrigo Sanchez and master Diego to the trees. They collected some, which was kept to present to the Sovereigns, as well as the tree. The Admiral says that he knew it was mastic, though it ought to be gathered at the proper season. There is enough in that district for a yield of 1000 _quintals_ every year. The Admiral also found here a great deal of the plant called aloe. He further says that the _Puerto de Mares_ is the best in the world, with the finest climate and the most gentle people. As it has a high, rocky cape, a fortress might be built, so that, in the event of the place becoming rich and important, the merchants would be safe from any other nations. He adds: "The Lord, in whose hands are all victories, will ordain all things for his service. An Indian said by signs that the mastic was good for pains in the stomach."