America, discovery of.
Ferdinand Columbus was an illegitimate son of the great admiral by Doña
Beatrix Henriques; was born in
Cordova Aug. 15, 1488; became a page to Queen Isabella in 1498; accompanied his father on the fourth voyage, in 1502-4; passed the latter part of his life principally in literary pursuits and in accumulating a large library; and died in
Seville July 12, 1539.
Among his writings was a biography of his father, which was published in Italian, in
Venice, in 1571.
The original of this work, in Spanish, together with that of his history of the Indies, is lost, although a considerable portion of his collection of volumes in print and mannscript is still preserved in the
Seville Cathedral.
Because of the loss of the original manuscript of the biography, its authenticity has been called into question, and has formed the basis for quite a spirited controversy by historians, with the result that the general belief in the genuineness of the biography has not been seriously shaken.
If it did not settle the doubt, the controversy had the effect of calling a larger degree of attention to the biography than it would have had otherwise.
In this biography Ferdinand gave a narrative of the discovery of
America by his father, which is herewith reproduced:
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All the conditions which the admiral demanded being conceded by their Catholic majesties, he set out from
Granada on the 21st May 1492, for
Palos, where he was to fit out the ships for his intended expedition.
That town was bound to serve the crown for three months with two caravels, which were ordered to be given to
Columbus; and he fitted out these and a third vessel with all care and diligence.
The ship in which he personally embarked was called the
St. Mary; the second vessel named the
Pinta, was commanded by
Martin Alonzo Pinzon; and the third named the
Nina, which had square sails, was under the command of
Vincent Yanez Pinzon, the brother of Alonzo, both of whom were inhabitants of
Palos.
Being furnished with all necessaries, and having 90 men to navigate the three vessels,
Columbus set sail from
Palos on the 3d of August 1492, shaping his course directly for the Canaries.
During this voyage, and indeed in all the
four voyages which he made from
Spain to the
West Indies, the admiral was very careful to keep an exact journal of every occurrence which took place; always specifying what winds blew, how far he sailed with each particular wind, what currents were found.
and every thing that was seen by the way, whether birds, fishes, or any other thing.
Although to note all these particulars with a minute relation of every thing that happened, sewing what impressions and effects answered to the course and aspect of the stars, and the differences between the seas which he sailed and those of our countries, might all be useful; yet as I conceive that the relation of these particulars might now be tiresome to the reader, I shall only give an account of what appears to me necessary and convenient to be known.
On Saturday the 4th of August, the next day after sailing from
Palos, the rudder of the
Pinta broke loose.
The admiral strongly suspected that this was occasioned by the contrivance of the master on purpose to avoid proceeding on the voyage, which he had endeavored to do before they left
Spain, and he therefore ranged up along side of the disabled vessel to give every assistance in his power, but the wind blew so hard that he was unable to afford any aid.
Pinzon, however, being an experienced seaman, soon made a temporary repair by means of ropes, and they proceeded on their voyage.
But on the following
Tuesday, the weather becoming rough and boisterous, the fastenings gave way, and the squadron was obliged to lay to for some time to renew the repairs.
From this misfortune of twice breaking the rudder, a superstitious person might have foreboded the future disobedience of
Pinzon to the admiral; as through his malice the
Pinta twice separated from the squadron, as shall be afterwards related.
Having applied the best remedy they could to the disabled state of the rudder, the squadron continued its voyage, and came in sight of the Canaries at day-break of Thursday the 9th of August; but owing to contrary winds, they were unable to come to anchor at Gran Canaria until the 12th.
The admiral left
Pinzon at Gran Canaria to endeavour to procure another vessel instead of that which was disabled, and went himself with the
Nina on the same errand to
Gomera.
The admiral arrived at
Gomera on Sunday the 12th of August, and sent a boat on shore to inquire if any vessel could be procured there for his purpose.
The boat returned next morning, and brought intelligence that no vessel was then at that island, but that Dona
Beatrix de Bobadilla.
the propriatrix of the island, was then at Gran Canaria in a hired vessel of 40 tons belonging to one Gradeuna of
Seville, which would probably suit his purpose and might perhaps be got. He therefore determined to await the arrival of that vessel at
Gomera, believing that
Pinzon might have secured a vessel for himself at Gran Canaria, if he had not been able to repair his own. After waiting two days, he dispatched one of his people in a bark which was bound from
Gomera to Gran Canaria, to acquaint
Pinzon where he lay, and to assist him in repairing and fixing the rudder.
Having waited a considerable time for an answer to his letter, he sailed with the two vessels from
Gomera on the 23d of August for Gran Canaria, and fell in with the bark on the following day, which had been detained all that time on its voyage by contrary winds.
He now took his man from the bark, and sailing in the night past the island
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of
Teneriffe, the people were much astonished at observing flames bursting out of the lofty mountain called
El Pico, or the Peak of
Teneriffe.
On this occasion the admiral was at great pains to explain the nature of this phenomenon to the people, by instancing the example of Etna and several other known volcanoes.
Passing by
Teneriffe, they arrived at Gran Canaria on Saturday the 25th August: and found that
Pinzon had only got in there the day before.
From him the admiral was informed that Dona Beatrix had sailed for
Gomera on the 20th with the vessel which he was so anxious to obtain.
His officers were much troubled at the disappointment; but he, who always endeavoured to make the best of every occurrence, observed to them that since it had not pleased God that they should get this vessel it was perhaps better for them; as they might have encountered much opposition in pressing it into the service, and might have lost a great deal of time in shipping and unshipping the goods.
Wherefore, lest he might again miss it if he returned to
Gomera, he resolved to make a new rudder for the
Pinta at Gran Canaria, and ordered the square sails of the
Nina to be changed to
round ones, like those of the other two vessels, that she might be able to accompany them with less danger and agitation.
The vessels being all refitted, the admiral weighed anchor from Gran Canaria on Saturday the first of September, and arrived next day at
Gomera, where four days were employed in completing their stores of provisions and of wood and water.
On the morning of Thursday the sixth of September, 1492, the admiral took his departure from
Gomera, and commenced his great undertaking by standing directly westwards, but made very slow progress at first on account of calms.
On Sunday the ninth of September, about day-break, they were nine leagues west of the island of Ferro.
Now losing sight of land and stretching out into utterly unknown seas, many of the people expressed their anxiety and fear that it might be long before they should see land again: but the admiral used every endeavour to comfort them with the assurance of soon finding the land he was in search of, and raised their hopes of acquiring wealth and honour by the discovery.
To lessen the fear which they entertained of the length of way they had to sail, he gave out that they had only proceeded fifteen leagues that day, when the actual distance sailed was eighteen; and to induce the people to believe that they were not so far from
Spain as they really were, he resolved to keep considerably short in his reckoning during the whole voyage, though be carefully recorded the true reckoning every day in private.
On Wednesday the twelfth September, having got to about 150 leagues west of Ferro, they discovered a large trunk of a tree, sufficient to have been the mast of a vessel of 120 tons, and which seemed to have been a long time in the water.
At this distance from Ferro, and for somewhat farther on, the current was found to set strongly to the north-east.
Next day, when they had run fifty leagues farther westwards, the needle was observed to vary half a point to the eastward of north, and next morning the variation was a whole point east.
This variation of the compass had never been before observed, and therefore the admiral was much surprised at the phenomenon, and concluded that the needle did not actually point towards the polar star, but to some other fixed point.
Three days afterwards, when almost 100 leagues farther west, he was still more astonished at the irregularity of the variation; for having observed the needle to vary a whole point to the eastwards at night, it pointed directly northwards in the morning.
On the night of Saturday the fifteenth of September, being then almost 300 leagues west of Ferro, they saw a prodigious flash of light, or fire ball, drop from the sky into the sea, at four or five leagues distance from the ships towards the south-west.
The weather was then quite fair and serene like April, the sea perfectly calm, the wind favourable from the north-east, and the current setting to the north-east.
The people in the
Nina told the admiral that they had seen the day before a heron, and another bird which they called Rabo-de-junco. These were the first birds which had been seen during the voyage, and were considered as indications of approaching land.
But they were more agreeably surprised next day, Sunday sixteenth
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September, by seeing great abundance of yellowish green sea weeds, which appeared as if newly washed away from some rock or island.
Next day the sea weed was seen in much greater quantity, and a small live lobster was observed among the weeds: from this circumstance many affirmed that they were certainly near the land.
The sea water was afterwards noticed to be only half so salt as before; and great numbers of tunny fish were seen swimming about, some of which came so near the vessel, that one was killed by a bearded iron.
Being now 360 leagues west from Ferro, another of the birds called rabo-de-junco was seen.
On Tuesday the eighteenth September,
Martin Alonzo Pinzon, who had gone a-head of the admiral in the
Pinta, which was an excellent sailer, lay to for the admiral to come up, and told him that he had seen a great number of birds fly away westwards, for which reason he was in great hopes to see land that night;
Pinzon even thought that he saw land that night about fifteen leagues distant to the northwards, which appeared very black and covered with clouds.
All the people would have persuaded the admiral to try for land in that direction; but, being certainly assured that it was not land, and having not yet reached the distance at which he expected to find the land, he would not consent to lose time in altering his course in that direction.
But as the wind now freshened, he gave orders to take in the top-sails at night, having now sailed eleven days before the wind due westwards with all their sails up.
All the people in the squadron being utterly unacquainted with the seas they now traversed, fearful of their danger at such unusual distance from any relief, and seeing nothing around but sky and water, began to mutter among themselves, and anxiously observed every appearance.
On the nineteenth September, a kind of sea-gull called Alcatraz flew over the admiral's ship, and several others were seen in the afternoon of that day, and as the admiral conceived that these birds would not fly far from land, he entertained hopes of soon seeing what he was in quest of. He therefore ordered a line of 200 fathoms to be tried, but without finding any bottom.
The current was now found to set to the south-west.
On Thursday the twentieth of September, two alcatrazes came near the ship about two hours before noon, and soon afterwards a third.
On this day likewise they took a bird resembling a heron, of a black colour with a white tuft on its head, and having webbed feet like a duck.
Abundance of weeds were seen floating in the sea, and one small fish was taken.
About evening three land birds settled on the rigging of the ship and began to sing.
These flew away at day-break, which was considered a strong indication of approaching the land, as these little birds could not have come from any far distant country; whereas the other large fowls, being used to water, might much better go far from land.
The same day an alcatraz was seen.
Friday the twenty-first another alcatraz and a rabo-de-junco were seen, and vast quantities of weeds as far as
the eye could carry towards the north.
These appearances were sometimes a comfort to the people, giving them hopes of nearing the wished — for land; while at other times the weeds were so thick as in some measure to impede the progress of the vessels, and to occasion terror lest what is fabulously reported of St. Amaro in the frozen sea, might happen to them, that they might be so enveloped in the weeds as to be unable to move backwards or forwards; wherefore they steered away from those shoals of weeds as much as they could.
Next day, being Saturday the twenty-second( September, they saw a whale and several small birds.
The wind now veered to the south-west, sometimes more and sometimes less to the westwards; and though this was adverse to the direction of their proposed voyage, the admiral to comfort the people alleged that this was a favourable circumstance; because among other causes of fear, they had formerly said they should never have a wind to carry them back to
Spain, as it had always blown from the east ever since they left Ferro.
They still continued, however, to murmur, alleging that this southwest wind was by no means a settled one, and as it never blew strong enough to swell the sea, it would not serve to carry them
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back again through so great an extent of sea as they had now passed over.
In spite of every argument used by the admiral, assuring them that the alterations in the wind were occasioned by the vicinity of the land, by which likewise the waves were prevented from rising, to any height, they were still dissatisfied and terrified.
On Sunday the twenty-third of September, a brisk gale sprung up W. N. W. with a rolling sea, such as the people had wished for. Three hours before noon a turtle-dove was observed to fly over the ship; towards evening an alcatraz, a river fowl, and several white birds were seen flying about, and some crabs were observed among the weeds.
Next day another alcatraz was seen and several small birds which came from the west.
Numbers of small fishes were seen swimming about, some of which were struck with harpoons, as they would not bite at the look.
The more that the tokens mentioned above were observed, and found not to be followed by the so anxiously looked — for land, the more the people became fearful of the event, and entered into cabals against the admiral, who they said was desirous to make himself a great lord at the expence of their danger.
They represented that they had already sufficiently performed their duty in adventuring farther from land and all possibility of succour than had ever been done before, and that they ought not to proceed on the voyage to their manifest destruction.
If they did they would soon have reason to repent their temerity, as provisions would soon fall short, the ships were already faulty and would soon fail, and it would be extremely difficult to get back so far as they had already gone.
None could condemn them in their own opinion for now turning back, but all must consider them as brave men for having gone upon such an enterprize and venturing so far. That the admiral was a foreigner who had no favour at court; and as so many wise and learned men had already condemned his opinions; and enterprize as visionary and impossible.
there would be none to favour or defend him, and they were sure to find more credit if they accused him of ignorance and mismanagement than he would do, whatsoever he night now say for himself against them.
Some even proceeded so far as to propose, in case the admiral should refuse to acquiesce in their proposals, that they might make a short end of all disputes by throwing him overboard; after which they could give out that he had fallen over while making his observations, and no one would ever think of inquiring into the truth.
They thus went on day after day, muttering, complaining, and consulting together; and though the admiral was not fully aware of the extent of their cabals, he was not entirely without apprehensions of their inconstancy in the present trying situation, and of their evil intentions towards him. He therefore exerted himself to the utmost to quiet their apprehensions and to suppress their evil design, sometimes using fair words, and at other times fully resolved to expose his life rather than abandon the enterprize; he put them in mind of the due punishment they would subject themselves to if they obstructed the voyage.
To confirm their hopes, he recapitulated all the favourable signs and indications which had been lately observed, assuring them that they might soon expect to see the land.
But they, who were ever attentive to these tokens, thought every hour a year in their anxiety to see the wished — for land.
On Tuesday the twenty-fifth of September near sun-set, as the admiral was discoursing with
Pinzon, whose ship was then very near,
Pinzon suddenly called out, “Land!
Land, Sir!
Let not my good news miscarry:” and pointed out a large mass in the S. W. about twenty-five leagues distant, which seemed very like an island.
This was so pleasing to the people, that they returned thanks to God for the pleasing discovery; and, although the admiral was by no means satisfied of the truth of
Pinzon's observation, yet to please the men, and that they might not obstruct the voyage, he altered his course and stood in that direction a great part of the night.
Next morning, the twenty-sixth, they had the mortification to find the supposed land was only composed of clouds, which often put on the appearance of distant land; and, to their great dissatisfaction, the stems of the ships were again turned directly westwards, as they always were unless when hindered by the wind.
Continuing
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their course, and still attentively watching for signs of land, they saw this day an alcatraz, a rabo-de-junco, and other birds as formerly mentioned.
On Thursday the twenty-seventh of September, they saw another alcatraz coming from the westwards and living towards the east, and great numbers of fish were seen with gilt backs, one of which they struck with a harpoon.
A rabo-de-junco likewise flew past; the currents for some of the last days were not so regular as before, but changed with the tide, and the weeds were not nearly so abundant.
On Friday the twenty-eighth all the vessels took some of the fishes with gilt backs; and on Saturday the twenty-ninth they saw a rabo-de-junco, which, although a sea-fowl, never rests on the waves, but always flies in the air, pursuing the alcatrazes.
Many of these birds are said to frequent the
Cape de Verd islands.
They soon afterwards saw two other alcatrazes, and great numbers of flying-fishes.
These last are about a span long, and have two little membranous wings like those of a bat, by means of which they fly about a pike-length high from the water and a musket-shot in length, and sometimes drop upon the ships.
In the afternoon of this day they saw abundance of weeds lying in length north and south, and three alcatrazes pursued by a rabo-de-junco.
On the morning of Sunday the thirtieth of September four rabo-de-juncos came to the ship; and from so many of them coming together it was thought the land could not be far distant, especially as four alcatrazes followed soon afterwards.
Great quantities of weeds were seen in a line stretching from W. N. W. to E. N. E. and a great number of the fishes which are called Emperadores, which have a very bard skin and are not fit to eat. Though the admiral paid every attention to these indications, he never neglected those in the heavens, and carefully observed the course of the stars.
He was now greatly surprised to notice at this time that the Charles wain, or
Ursa Major constellation appeared at night in the west, and was N. E. in the morning: He thence concluded that their whole night's course was only nine hours, or so many parts in twenty-four of a great circle: and this he observed to be the case regularly every night.
It was likewise noticed that the compass varied a whole point to the N. W. at nightfall, and came due north every morning at day-break.
As this unheard — of circumstance confounded and perlplexed the pilots, who apprehended danger in these strange regions and at such an unusual distance from home, the admiral endeavoured to calm their fears by assigning a cause for this wonderful phenomenon: He alleged that it was occasioned by the polar star making a circuit round the pole, by which they were not a little satisfied.
Soon after sunrise on Monday the first of October, an alcatraz came to the ship, and two more about ten in the morning, and long streams of weeds floated from cast to west.
That morning the pilot of the admiral's ship sail that they were now 578 leagues west from the island of Ferro.
In his public account the admiral said they were 584 leagues to the west: but in his private journal he made the real distance 707 leagues, or 129 more than was reckoned by the pilot.
The other two ships differed much in their computation from each other and from the admiral's pilot.
The pilot of Nina in the afternoon of the Wednesday following said they had only sailed 540 leagues, and the pilot of the
Pinta reckoned 634.
Thus they were all much short of the truth ; but the admiral winked at the gross mistake, that the men, not thinking themselves so far front home, might be the less dejected.
The next day, being Tuesday the second of October, they saw abundance of fish, caught one small tunny, and saw a white bird with many other small birds, and the weeds appeared much withered and almost fallen to powder.
Next day, seeing no birds, they suspected that they had passed between some islands on both hands, and had slipped through without seeing them, as they guessed that the many birds which they had seen might have been passing from one island to another.
On this account they were very earnest to have the course altered one way or the other, in quest of these imaginary lands.
But the admiral, unwilling to lose the advantage of the fair wind which carried him due west, which he accounted his surest course, and afraid to lessen his reputation by deviating from course to course in search
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of land, which he always affirmed that he well knew where to find, refused his consent to any change.
On this the people were again ready to mutiny, and resumed their murmurs and cabals against him. But it pleased God to aid his authority by fresh indications of land.<
On Thursday the fourth of October, in the afternoon, above forty sparrows together and two alcatrazes flew so near the ship that a seaman killed one of them with a stone.
Several other birds were seen at this time, and many flying-fish fell into the ships.
Next day there came a rabo-de-junco and an alcatraz from the westwards, and many sparrows were seen.
About sunrise on Sunday the seventh of October, some signs of land appeared to the westwards, but being imperfect no person would mention the circumstance.
This was owing to fear of losing the reward of thirty crowns yearly for life which had been promised by their Catholic majesties to whoever should first discover land; and to prevent them from calling out land, land, at every turn without just cause, it was made a condition that whoever said he saw land should lose the reward if it were not made out in three days, even if he should afterwards actually prove the first discoverer.
All on board the admiral's ship being thus forewarned, were exceedingly careful not to cry out land upon uncertain tokens; but those in the
Nina, which sailed better and always kept ahead, believing that they certainly saw land, fired a gun and hung out their colours in token of the discovery; but the farther they sailed the more the joyful appearance lessened, till at last it vanished away.
But they soon afterwards derived much comfort by observing great flights of large fowl and others of small birds going from the west towards the south-west.
Being now at a vast distance from
Spain, and well assured that such small birds would not go far from land, the admiral now altered his course from due west which had been hitherto, and steered to the south-west.
He assigned as a reason for now changing his course, although deviating little from his original design, that he followed the example of the Portuguese, who had discovered most of their islands by attending to the flight of birds, and because these they now saw flew almost uniformly in one direction.
He said likewise that he had always expected to discover land about the situation in which they now were, having often told them that he must not look to find land until they should get 750 leagues to the westwards of the Canaries; about which distance he expected to fall in with
Hispaniola which he then called Cipango; and there is no doubt that he would have found this island by his direct course, if it had not been that it was reported to extend from north to south.
Owing therefore to his not having inclined more to the south he had missed that and others of the
Caribbee islands whither those birds were now bending their flight, and which had been for some time upon his larboard hand.
It was from being so near the land that they continually saw such great numbers of birds; and on Monday the eighth of October twelve singing birds of various colours came to the ship, and after flying round it for a short time held on their way. Many other birds were seen from the ship flying towards the south-west, and that same night great numbers of large fowl were seen, and flocks of small birds proceeding from the northwards, and all going to the south-west.
In the morning a jay was seen, with an alcatraz, several ducks, and many small birds, all flying the same way with the others, and the air was perceived to be fresh and odoriferous as it is at
Seville in the month of April.
But the people were now so cager to see land and had been so often disappointed, that they ceased to give faith to these continual indications; insomuch that on Wednesday the tenth, although abundance of birds were continually passing both by day and night, they never ceased to complain.
The admiral upraided their want of resolution, and declared that they must perish in their endeavours to discover the Indies, for which he and they had been sent out by their Catholic majesties.
It would have been impossible for the admiral to have much longer withstood the numbers which now opposed him; but it pleased God that, in the afternoon of Thursday the eleventh of October, such manifest tokens of being near the land appeared, that the men took courage and
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rejoiced at their good fortune as much as they had been before distressed.
From the admiral's ships a green rush was seen to float past, and one of those green fish which never go far from the rocks.
The people in the
Pinta saw a cane and a staff in the water, and took up another staff very curiously carved, and a small board, and great plenty of weeds were seen which seemed to have been recently torn from the rocks.
Those of the
Nina, besides similar signs of land, saw a branch of a thorn full of red berries, which seemed to have been newly torn from the tree.
From all these indications the admiral was convinced that he now drew near to the land, and after the evening prayers he made a speech to the men, in which he reminded them of the mercy of God in having brought them so long a voyage with such favourable weather, and in comforting them with so many tokens of a successful issue to their enterprize, which were now every day becoming plainer and less equivocal.
He besought them to be exceedingly watchful during the night, as they well knew that in the first article of the instructions which he had given to all the three ships before leaving the Canaries, they were enjoined, when they should have sailed 700 leagues west without discovering land, to lay to every night, from midnight till daybreak.
And, as he had very confident hopes of discovering land that night, he required every one to keep watch at their quarters; and, besides the gratuity of thirty crowns a-year for life, which had been graciously promised by their sovereigns to him that first saw the land, he engaged to give the fortunate discoverer a velvet doublet from himself.
After this, as the admiral was in the cabin about ten o'clock at night, he saw a light on the shore; but it was so unsteady that he could not certainly affirm that it came from land.
He called to one
Peter Gutierres and desired him to try if he could perceive the same light, who said he did; but one
Roderick Sanchez of
Segovia, on being desired to look the same way could not see it, because he was not up time enough, as neither the admiral nor Gutierres could see it again above once or twice for a short space, which made them judge it to proceed from a candle or torch belonging to some fisherman or traveller.
who lifted it up occasionally and lowered it again, or perhaps from people going from one house to another, Because it appeared and vanished again so suddenly.
Being now very much on their guard, they still held on their course until about two in the morning of Friday the twelfth of October, when the
Pinta which was always far a-head, owing to her superior sailing, made the signal of seeing land, which was first discovered by
Roderick de Triana at about two leagues from the ship.
But the thirty crowns a-year were afterwards granted to the admiral, who had seen the light in the midst of darkness, a type of the spiritual light which he was the happy means of spreading in these dark regions of error.
Being now so near land, all the ships lay to; every one thinking it long till daylight, that they might enjoy thee sight they had so long and anxiously desired.
When daylight appeared, the newly discovered land was perceived to consist of a flat island fifteen leagues in length, without any hills, all covered with trees, and having a great lake in the middle.
The island was inhabited by great abundance of people, who ran down to the shore filled with wonder and admiration at the sight of the ships, which they conceived to be some unknown animals.
The Christians were not less curious to know what kind of people they had fallen in with, and the curiosity on both sides was soon satisfied, as the ships soon came to anchor.
The admiral went on shore with his boat well armed, and having the royal standard of
Castile and
Leon displayed, accompanied by the commanders of the other two vessels, each in his own boat, carrying the particular colours which had been allotted for the enterprize, which were white with a green cross and the letter F. on one side and on the other the names of Ferdinand and Isabella crowned.
The whole company kneeled on the shore and kissed the ground for joy, returning God thanks for the great mercy they had experienced during their long voyage through seas hitherto unpassed, and their now happy discovery of an unknown land.
The admiral then stood up, and took formal possession in the usual words for their Catholic majesties of this island, to
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which he gave the name of St. Salvador.
All the Christians present admitted
Columbus to the authority and dignity of admiral and viceroy, pursuant to the commission which he had received to that effect, and all made oath to obey him as the legitimate representative of their Catholic majesties, with such expressions of joy and acknowledgement as became their mighty success; and they all implored his forgiveness of the many affronts he had received from them through their fears and want of confidence.
Numbers of the Indians or natives of the island were present at these ceremonies; and perceiving them to be peaceable, quiet, and simple people, the admiral distributed several presents among them.
To some he gave red caps, and to others strings of glass beads, which they hung about their necks, and various other things of small value, which they valued as if they had been jewels of high price.
After the ceremonies, the admiral went off in his boat, and the Indians followed him even to the ships, some by swimming and others in their canoes, carrying parrots, clews of spun
cotton yarn, javelins, and other such trifling articles, to barter for glass beads, bells, and other things of small value.
Like people in the original simplicity of nature, they were all naked, and even a woman who was among them was entirely destitute of clothing.
Most of them were young, seemingly not above thirty years of age; of a good stature, with very thick black lank hair, mostly cut short above their ears, though some had it down to their shoulders, tied up with a string about their head like women's tresses.
Their countenances were mild and agreeable and their features good; but their foreheads were too high, which gave them rather a wild appearance.
They were of a middle stature, plump, and well shaped, but of an olive complexion, like the inhabitants of the Canaries, or sunburnt peasants.
Some were painted with black, others with white, and others again with red; in some the whole body was painted, in others only the face, and some only the nose and eyes.
They had no weapons like those of
Europe, neither had they any knowledge of such; for when our people shewed them a naked sword, they ignorantly grasped it by the edge.
Neither had they any knowledge of iron; as their javelins were merely constructed of wood, having their points hardened in the fire, and armed with a piece of fish-bone.
Some of them had scars of wounds on different parts, and being asked by signs how these had been got, they answered by signs that people from other islands came to take them away, and that they had been wounded in their own defence.
They seemed ingenious and of a voluble tongue: as they readily repeated such words as they once heard.
There were no kind of animals among them excepting parrots, which they carried to barter with the Christians among the articles already mentioned, and in this trade they continued on board the ships till night, when they all returned to the shore.
In the morning of the next day, being the 13th of October, many of the natives returned on board the ships in their boats or canoes, which were all of one piece hollowed like a tray from the trunk of a tree; some of these were so large as to contain forty or forty-five men, while others were so small as only to hold one person, with many intermediate sizes between these extremes.
These they worked along with paddles formed like a baker's peel or the implement which is used in dressing hemp.
These oars or paddles were not fixed by pins to the sides of the canoes like ours; but were dipped into the water and pulled backwards as if digging.
Their canoes are so light and artfully constructed, that if overset they soon turn them right again by swimming; and they empty out the water by throwing them from side to side like a weaver's shuttle, and when half emptied they lade out the rest with dried calabashes cut in two, which they carry for that purpose.
This second day the natives, as said before, brought various articles to barter for such small things as they could procure in exchange.
Jewels or metals of any kind were not seen among them, except some small plates of gold which hung from their nostrils; and on being questioned from whence they procured the gold, they answered by signs that they had it from the south, where there was a king who possessed abundance of pieces and vessels of gold; and they made our people
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to understand that there were many other islands and large countries to the south and south-west.
They were very covetous to get possession of any thing which belonged to the Christians, and being themselves very poor, with nothing of value to give in exchange, as soon as they got on board, if they coull lay hold of any thing which struck their fancy, though it were only a piece of a broken glazed earthen dish or porringer, they leaped with it into the sea and swam on shore with their prize.
If they brought any thing on board they would barter it for any thing whatever belonging to our people, even for a piece of broken glass; insomuch that some gave sixteen large clews of well spun
cotton yarn, weighing twenty-five pounds, for three small pieces of Portuguese brass coin not worth a farthing.
Their liberality in dealing did not proceed from their putting any great value on the things themselves which they received from our people in return, but because they valued them as belonging to the Christians, whom they believed certainly to have come down from Heaven, and they therefore earnestly desired to have something from them as a memorial.
In this manner all this day was spent, and the islanders as before went all on shore at night.
