Preparations for another voyage rapidly made--Foneseca appointed to
superintend the expedition--Indians brought home baptised--Fleet sails
from Bay of Cadiz on the 25th of September, 1493--Steers for the
Canaries--Ordered to rendezvous at Navidad--Fine passage across the
Atlantic--On Sunday, 3rd of November, a lofty island seen, and therefore
called Dominica--The Antilles--Lands near a Carib village--Pineapples
first seen--Supposed cannibals--Diego Marques and eight men missing--
Ojeda goes in search of them--The missing party returns--Land at Santa
Cruz--Caribs in a canoe fiercely attack the Spaniards--Fleet comes off
Porto Rico--A neat village visited--Fleet reaches Hispamola--Invitations
from a cacique to remain--A supposed Indian convert escapes--Two dead
bodies of white men discovered--Painful suspicions aroused--Fleet
arrives off La Navidad at night--Canoe comes off, and Columbus hears of
the destruction of the settlement--Sails from La Navidad and founds the
town of Isabella--Expedition of Ojeda to the Golden Mountains--Ships
sent home--Proposal to exchange Caribs for cattle--A mutiny suppressed--
Diaz imprisoned--Columbus makes an expedition into the interior--Forts
built--Columbus proceeds on a voyage of discovery--Surveys south coast
of Cuba--Friendly meeting with natives--Enters the harbour of Jago de
Cuba--First sight of Jamaica, called by Columbus Santiago--Hostility of
the natives--Attacked by the Spaniards--Bloodhounds first used--Canoes
formed of enormous trees.
We must briefly follow the adventures of Columbus to their termination.
In spite of the efforts of Don John, King of Portugal, to reap advantage
from the discovery of Columbus, Ferdinand and Isabella obtained from the
Pope a bull, making over the newly-discovered lands and all such others
as might be discovered to the crown of Castile. The utmost exertions
were at once made to fit out a second expedition. The affairs of the
New World were placed under the superintendence of Juan Rodrigues de
Foneseca, Archdeacon of Seville, who was finally appointed Patriarch of
the Indies. He was a worldly man, malignant and vindictive. He not
only wronged the early discoverers, but frequently impeded the progress
of their enterprises. Other men of similar character were associated
with him.
A royal order was issued that all ships in the ports of Andalusia, with
their captains, pilots, and crews, should be held in readiness to serve
in the expedition. Columbus and Foneseca were authorised to freight or
purchase any of those vessels they might think proper, and overcome them
by force if refused.
To provide for the expenses of the expedition, a royal revenue arising
from Church tithes was placed at the disposal of the treasurer Pincello,
and further funds were derived from the jewels and other valuables, the
sequestrated property of the unfortunate Jews, banished from the kingdom
according to the bigoted edict of the preceding year. As the conversion
of the heathen was professed to be the grand object of this expedition,
twelve zealous and able ecclesiastics were directed to accompany it. At
their head was Bernado Boyle, one of those subtle politicians of the
cloister who in those days glided into all temporal concerns.
The Indians Columbus had brought to Barcelona were baptised, the King,
Queen, and Prince Juan officiating as sponsors; and great hopes were
entertained that on their return to their native country they would
facilitate the introduction of Christianity among their countrymen. One
of them, who remained in the household of Prince John, died not long
afterwards, the first of his nation who entered heaven, according to the
notion of a Spanish historian.
The Spanish monarchs were anxious for the speedy departure of the
expedition, on account of the proceedings of King John of Portugal, who
had prepared a large armament for the avowed object of an expedition to
Africa, its real destination being to seize upon the newly-discovered
countries. Before, however, the Portuguese vessels sailed, the King was
compelled to sign a treaty by which the Papal line of partition was
moved to three hundred and seventy leagues west of the Cape de Verde
Islands. The Spaniards might appropriate all countries to the west of
the line, the Portuguese to the east. But no one appears to have
reflected that they must ultimately meet at the antipodes.
The Spanish fleet, consisting of three large ships of heavy burden, and
fourteen caravels, large and small, was rapidly got ready. The number
of persons permitted to embark had been limited to a thousand, but so
many volunteers applied, that the number was increased to twelve
hundred, among whom were numerous cavaliers of the best families, eager
to acquire honour or obtain the gold supposed to abound in the Indies.
The best pilots of Spain, husbandmen, miners, carpenters, and other
mechanics, were engaged for the projected colony; horses, mules,
domestic animals of all kinds were shipped, as well as grain, seeds,
vines, sugar-canes, and saplings, and vast quantities of merchandise,
consisting of trinkets, beads, hawks' bells, and looking-glasses.
At dawn on the 25th of September the fleet set sail from the Bay of
Cadiz, and keeping wide of the coast of Portugal, stood south-west for
the Canaries, where it arrived on the ist of October. After touching at
the Grand Canary, Columbus anchored on the 5th at Gomera, where he
obtained a supply of water, and also purchased calves, goats, sheep,
eight hogs, and a number of domestic fowls, these latter the progenitors
of those now found in abundance in the New World. By sealed
instructions the commanders were ordered in case of separation to
rendezvous in the harbour of La Navidad, the residence of the cacique
Guacanagari.
After leaving Gomera Columbus steered considerably more to the southward
than in his first voyage, hoping to fall in with the islands of the
Caribs.
Being in the region of the trade winds, the breeze continued fair and
steady, while the sea was perfectly smooth. As October drew on, they
were visited by showers and a storm, lasting, however, only four hours.
They were cheered during it by observing the lights of Saint Elmo, which
the ignorant mariners believed to be the body of the saint himself
holding lighted tapers as an assurance of safety.
How different was this voyage to the former! Then tears and wailing
accompanied the unwilling seamen on board, and often and often, their
hearts failing them, they desired to turn back. Now one and all pressed
on, eager to witness the wonders of the New World. On the evening of
Saturday, the 2nd of November, Columbus was convinced, by the colour of
the sea and other signs, that he was drawing near the land, and
accordingly ordered a vigilant watch to be kept during the night.
On Sunday, at dawn, a lofty island was seen to the west, and as the
ships glided on, others rose to sight covered with forests, while
flights of parrots and other tropical birds passed from one to the
other. To the first island seen, on account of the day on which it was
discovered, Columbus gave the name of Dominica, or Sunday Island. On
the whole group the appellation of The Antilles was bestowed, because a
group so-called was supposed to exist off the coast of Asia, and
Columbus now fully believed that he had arrived at it, and that the
mainland was to be found at no great distance farther west.
Six beautiful islands were seen during the day, to one of which he gave
the name of Marigalante, the name of his ship. It was overspread with
trees, some in full bloom, others laden with unknown fruits.
Sailing on to a larger island with a volcanic peak in the centre, they
saw a cataract, of prodigious height, descending from the mountain-side.
The Admiral called this island Guadaloupe, in fulfilment of a promise
to the monks of the convent of Guadaloupe in Estremadura to call some
newly-discovered place after it.
Landing here, the Spaniards visited a village, the inhabitants of which
fled, some leaving their children behind. These were soothed by binding
hawks' bells and trinkets round their arms. The huts were formed with
the trunks of trees, interwoven with twigs and branches, and thatched
with palm-leaves. They were square, and each had its portico, one of
which was decorated with images of serpents tolerably well carved in
wood. Hammocks of cotton netting were hung up, and their utensils were
formed of calabashes or earthenware. There were great quantities of
cotton and many bows and arrows, as also domestic geese and large
parrots of blue, green, white, and scarlet plumage.
Here the Spaniards first met with the anana, or pineapple, with the
fragrance and flavour of which they were delighted. In another house
was the sternpost of a vessel, probably part of a wreck driven across
from the coast of Africa. The voyagers, however, were struck with
horror at the sight of what they took to be human bones and skulls,
convincing them that the island was inhabited by Caribs, supposed to be
cannibals.
Leaving this spot, Columbus sailed some miles along the coast. The boat
landing succeeded in taking and bringing off a boy and several women.
From them he understood that this was one of the islands of the Caribs,
and that it was their custom to make descents on the neighbouring
islands, in order to carry off the youngest and best-looking women, and
to murder and eat the men.
He had just gained this information when it was reported to him that
Diego Marques, the captain of one of the caravels, and eight men were
missing. They had landed in the morning, and strayed into the woods.
The night passed away, and they did not appear. The next morning
parties were sent in quest of them, each with a trumpeter to sound
calls, and guns were fired from the ships.
The searching parties found, as they supposed, human limbs suspended
from the beams of houses, and some declared that they saw the head of a
young man recently killed, while parts of his body were roasting before
a fire.
The natives were seen on shore, looking with wonder at the ships. When
the boats approached, they fled to the woods. Several women, however,
came off, and some were captured. Columbus ordered that they should be
decorated with hawks' bells and other baubles, and sent on shore to
entice off the men. They soon, however, returned to the boats stripped
of their ornaments, imploring to be taken on board again. The greater
portion of the male inhabitants were, they informed the Spaniards, on a
cruise in search of prisoners and booty.
Anxious to continue his course to Hispaniola, Columbus was much annoyed
at the absence of the wanderers. At length Alonzo de Ojeda, a brave
young cavalier, offered to go in search of them. Ojeda and his party
had great difficulty in making their way through the tangled forest. In
vain they sounded their trumpets and shot off their arquebuses. No
reply was received, and they returned on board without tidings of the
stragglers.
Several days passed, and the fleet was about to sail, when the missing
ones appeared on the beach, their haggard looks showing how much they
had suffered.
They had been lost in the trackless forest, too dense to allow them to
see any distance ahead, until they had reached the sea-shore, keeping
along which they had made their way to the ships.
Leaving Guadaloupe on the 10th, Columbus passed Mont Serrat and Antigua,
and, the weather becoming boisterous, anchored off an island, to which
he gave the name of Santa Cruz. Here a boat was sent on shore, and the
crew visited a village, deserted by the men, but secured a few women and
boys, most of them captives from other islands. On returning they saw a
canoe, the people in which--two of whom were women--were so entranced at
the sight of the ships that the boat got close up before they perceived
it. The Indians now attempted to escape, but, finding their retreat cut
off, they plied their bows and arrows so rapidly that two Spaniards were
wounded, the women fighting as fiercely as the men. Though the canoe
was upset, the savages still, while swimming, discharged their arrows at
their foes. They were, however, captured and brought on board, some of
them wounded.
One of them was evidently their Queen. She was accompanied by her son,
a young man strongly made, with a frowning brow and a lion's face. The
hair of these savages was long and coarse, and their eyes were encircled
with paint, so as to give them a hideous expression.
Though captives in chains, they still retained their defiant air. They
were afterwards carried prisoners to Spain. One of the Spaniards died
of a wound from a poisoned arrow shot by one of the women.
After this Columbus reached a group of upwards of fifty small islands,
to which the name of Saint Ursula and the Eleven Thousand Virgins was
given. Continuing his course, he came off a beautiful island, covered
with forests and indented with fine havens. It is now known by the name
of Porto Rico. This was the island from which most of the captives who
had fled to the ships had been taken by the Caribs.
After running for a whole day along this beautiful coast, the squadron
anchored in a bay at the west end, abounding in fish.
On landing they found an Indian village constructed round a common
square like a market-place, with one large and well-built house in it.
A wide road led thence to the sea-shore, fenced on either side.
The whole place had an air of great neatness. Not a human being,
however, was to be seen, the natives having concealed themselves.
After remaining here two days Columbus stood for Hispaniola. This ended
his cruise among the Caribbean Islands, the inhabitants of which he
described as cannibals, and the most warlike people hitherto met with.
On the 22nd of November the squadron came off the eastern end of
Hispaniola, or Hayti, and the sailor who had died of his wound was here
sent on shore to be buried.
Several natives came off with a message from the cacique of the
neighbourhood inviting Columbus to land, and promising great quantities
of gold, but, anxious to reach La Navidad, he continued his course. The
next place he put into was Las Flechas, where he landed one of the young
Indians, who it was supposed had been converted to Christianity,
handsomely apparelled and loaded with trinkets. But the youth either
forgot his promises or was murdered on account of his finery, as nothing
more was heard of him.
Only one young Indian, who had been sent by Guacanagari, and who, having
been to Spain, had been baptised and named after the Admiral's brother,
Diego Colon, remained on board, and he continued always devoted to the
Spaniards.
On the 25th Columbus anchored in the harbour of Monte Cristo, wishing to
form a settlement in the neighbourhood of the stream to which he had
before given the name of the Golden River.
Near this, on the green banks of a rivulet, the bodies of a man and boy
were found, the former with a cord of Spanish grass about his neck, his
arms extended and tied by the wrists to a stake in the form of a cross.
It was impossible, from the state of decay in which they were found, to
ascertain whether they were European or Indians. Painful doubts,
however, were raised, and the following day two other bodies were
discovered, one of which was evidently the corpse of a white man.
Gloomy forebodings were now raised as to the fate which might have
befallen Arana and his garrison. The frank and fearless conduct,
however, of the natives who came off to the ships somewhat allayed the
suspicions of Columbus. He sailed on, hoping to find the greater part
of the garrison alive, until he arrived off the harbour of La Navidad,
late on the evening of the 27th. Two guns were fired, but no reply was
received. While waiting in dismal suspense for the morning, about
midnight a canoe approached the fleet; but the people in it would not
come on board until they perceived the Admiral standing on the deck of
his ship, when they came up the side without hesitation. One of them
was a cousin of the cacique Guacanagari. He brought a present of two
masks ornamented with gold.
To the inquiries of Columbus as to what had become of the garrison, the
Indians replied that several had died of sickness, others had fallen in
a quarrel among themselves, and others had removed to different parts of
the island, where they had married native wives. He added that
Guacanagari had been attacked by the fierce cacique of the Golden
Mountains of Cibao, who had wounded him in battle and burnt his village,
and that he still remained ill of his wound in a neighbouring hamlet.
Columbus was greatly relieved on finding that the cacique and his people
still remained faithful, and he hoped that some of the Spaniards
scattered about the country, on hearing of his arrival, would quickly
hasten on board.
In the morning, however, not a canoe was to be seen. The inhabitants,
too, kept out of the way. A boat was therefore sent on shore. On
landing, the crew hastened to the fortress. It was a ruin. The
palisades were beaten down, and the whole presented the appearance of
having been sacked, burnt, and destroyed.
Columbus, on visiting the ruins the next morning, discovered no dead
bodies, but broken utensils and torn vestments were found scattered here
and there among the grass.
In vain cannon and arquebuses were fired. Proceeding along the coast in
a boat for about a league, Columbus came to a hamlet, the inhabitants of
which had fled with their goods. In their houses, however, were found
European articles, such as stockings, pieces of cloth, and a Moorish
robe. While he was absent the bodies of eleven Europeans were
discovered buried in different places, evidently some time dead, as
grass had grown over their graves.
At length the Indians, recovering from their alarm, came up to the
Spaniards, and from them the fate of the garrison was in some measure
ascertained.
With the exception of Arana and two or three others, the people left
behind had disobeyed all the orders given by Columbus. The simple
natives soon discovered that the beings they had at first worshipped as
gods were gross sensualists, who carried off their wives and daughters,
and possessed themselves of their gold and property by fraud and
violence.
In vain Arana interposed his authority. His lieutenants deserted him
and set off on an expedition to the mines of Cibao, where they were
captured by Caonabo and put to death. Others, abandoning the fortress,
lived carelessly about the neighbourhood, and Caonabo burst upon the
fortress while the residue of the garrison were asleep, and, setting it
on fire, massacred some, while others fled to the sea and were drowned.
Guacanagari and his people had fought faithfully in defence of their
guests, but were easily routed, and the cacique being wounded, his
village was burnt to the ground.
Columbus afterwards visited the unfortunate Guacanagari, who received
him in the same friendly spirit as before; but Father Boyle and others
declared their belief that he was acting a treacherous part, and
advised, when he afterwards returned the Admiral's visit, that he should
be detained. Columbus, however, rejected the counsel of his followers
as contrary to sound policy and honourable faith. The cacique, seeing
that he was mistrusted, took his departure, and for long kept out of the
way of the Spaniards.
Finding that this was not a suitable place for a settlement, Columbus
weighed anchor on the 7th of December, but in consequence of adverse
weather he put into a harbour about ten leagues east of Monte Cristo.
He was here struck by the advantages of its spacious harbour, there
being also two rivers watering a green and beautiful plain, while the
soil appeared to be fertile, and excellent fish were found. It was also
at no great distance from the mountains of Cibao.
It being considered, therefore, that no situation more favourable for
the projected colony could be found, the troops and labourers were
landed with their provisions, articles for traffic, guns, ammunition,
and live stock of all sorts, and an encampment was formed round a sheet
of water.
Streets and squares were projected; a church, public storehouse, and a
residence for the Admiral were commenced. These were built of stone.
The other houses were constructed of wood, plaster, and reeds; and for a
short time every one exerted himself with the utmost zeal.
To the first Christian city in the New World thus founded Columbus gave
the name of Isabella, in honour of his royal patroness. Sickness,
however, soon broke out among the colonists, several died, and even
Columbus was confined for many weeks to his bed.
Notwithstanding his illness, he continued to give directions,
superintending the building of the city and the management of the fleet.
His mind, however, was oppressed with the thought that, in consequence
of the destruction of the fortress, he should be compelled to send back
the ships empty, instead of laden with gold and spices, to the great
disappointment of the sovereigns. Before dispatching them, therefore,
he sent Ojeda, at the head of an expedition, to the Golden Mountains, to
try and obtain some of the precious metal. Another young cavalier was
also sent away on a similar expedition, and both returned with
favourable reports as to the inexhaustible wealth of the district.
Thus, with more satisfaction than he had expected, Columbus was able to
send back the ships to Spain. He recommended various persons to the
notice of the sovereigns, to whom he sent a petition for provisions,
wine, medicine, clothing, arms, horses, to be dispatched to the colony
with all speed. He sent also the men, women, and children taken in the
Caribbean Islands, recommending that they should be carefully instructed
in the Spanish language and the Christian faith. In his ignorant zeal
for promulgating that faith, he proposed to establish an exchange of the
cannibal pagans as slaves, against live stock to be furnished to the
colony, fancying that these slaves would be thus converted to the
Catholic faith.
The sovereigns, however, did not agree with his ideas, but ordered that
the Caribs should be converted like the rest of the islanders.
The city of Isabella having made considerable progress, the church being
open for service, Columbus prepared to lead an expedition to the
mountains of Cibao.
Jealousy of Columbus' superior merits and the rewards he had received
had been for some time rankling in the hearts of some of his officers.
As he was about to set off on his expedition, a mutiny was designed, but
discovered before it broke out, and the leader, Bernal Diaz, was
confined on board one of the ships, to be sent to Spain for trial.
Columbus now commenced the proposed expedition, leaving his brother Don
Diego in command of the city and the ships. He was well received by the
natives wherever he went, and was fully satisfied that the region was
prolific in gold. To secure it he built a fortress called Saint Thomas,
to the command of which he appointed Pedro Margarite, and garrisoned it
with fifty-six men.
Delighted with all he had seen, Columbus returned to Isabella on the
29th of March. Great progress had been made, and many of the seeds had
already sprung up, bearing fruit. Unfortunately, however, bread had
become scarce, and there was no means of grinding wheat. Disease also
had attacked the settlers, and many persons of all ranks had died. He
was, however, anxious to proceed on his voyage of discovery, and
supposing that he could trust his subordinates, he left ample
instructions for their conduct. He directed Margarite, with a strong
force, to explore the province of Cibao, while Ojeda was to assume the
command of Saint Thomas. One of the objects of the expedition was to
secure the persons of any chiefs who had exhibited hostile feelings
towards the Spaniards. Several were thus captured and sent in chains to
Isabella. At length Columbus, satisfied that the colony would go on
well, set sail, intending to visit the coast of Cuba at the point where
he had abandoned it, and thence to explore it on the south side. He, it
must be remembered, supposed it to be the extreme end of Asia, and that
by following its shores he must at length arrive at Cathay, and those
other rich countries described by Mandeville and Marco Polo.
Having visited La Navidad, where Guacanagari kept out of the way, he
continued his course westward, until he reached the port of Saint
Nicholas, whence he beheld the extreme point of Cuba. Having crossed
the channel, he sailed along the southern coast of that island for a
distance of twenty leagues, until he entered a harbour, which from its
size he called Puerto Grande. Going on shore, he arrived at some
cottages, where, although the inhabitants had fled, great quantities of
fish, utias, and iguanas were found, some hung up, others roasting
before the fires. The Spaniards, who had long been fasting, satisfied
their appetites on the food, and then set out to explore the country.
On their way they saw a party of Indians, collected on the top of a
rock, looking down upon them with astonishment.
Though most of the natives ran off, one remained, whose apprehensions
were quickly dispelled by the friendly way the young Lucayan interpreter
spoke to him. Going after his companions, he soon brought them back.
They assured Columbus that he was welcome to the food which had been
consumed; but he, with his usual liberality, directed that ample
compensation should be made to them.
The next harbour in which he brought up he called Saint Jago de Cuba.
Here he was treated with the usual simple hospitality of the natives.
Wherever he went he inquired for gold, and the natives invariably
pointed to the south, intimating that the country abounded with gold in
that direction.
He therefore, without delay, steered in search of this reported island.
He had not sailed many leagues before the summits of lofty mountains
were seen rising above the horizon. As he approached the island he was
struck with the beauty of its scenery, the majesty of its forests, the
fertility of its valleys, and the number of its villages.
In a short time seventy canoes filled with savages, gaily-painted, and
decorated with feathers, paddled off a league from the shore, uttering
loud yells, and brandishing lances of pointed wood. They were quickly
soothed, however, by the interpreter, and a few gifts bestowed upon
them, so that they did not molest the ship.
Coasting westward, Columbus, finding a sheltered harbour, made
preparations for careening the ship, which leaked. As he was entering,
the boats sounding ahead, two canoes came up, filled with Indians, who
hurled their darts; but wishing to avoid any act of hostility, he
ordered the boats to return and, standing on, came to an anchor.
Directly afterwards the whole beach was covered with savages, painted
chiefly with black, and all wearing coronets of feathers. They showed
their hostile intentions by hurling their javelins towards the ship,
making the shores ring with their war-whoops.
As further forbearance might have been mistaken for cowardice, the
Admiral sent a boat on shore full of well-armed men, who let fly a
volley of arrows from their crossbows, wounding several Indians, and
throwing the rest into confusion. They then sprang on shore and let
loose a dog, who pursued them with sanguinary fury. This was the first
time bloodhounds had been used against the natives, afterwards to be
employed with such cruel effect by the Spaniards in their Indian wars.
Columbus then landed and took formal possession of the island, which he
called Santiago, but it has retained its original Indian name of
Jamaica.
Notwithstanding this unpleasant commencement, the natives soon entered
into a friendly intercourse with their visitors. Columbus was struck
with the appearance of their canoes, which were carved and painted, many
of them being of large size, formed of the trunk of a single tree. He
measured one, which was ninety-six feet long and eight broad, hollowed
out of a species of mahogany-tree.
He now coasted along the northern shore of Jamaica, the natives
everywhere coming off and trading without fear. At the last place where
he touched in Jamaica a young Indian came off and begged the Spaniards
to take him to their country. Notwithstanding the tears and
supplications of his friends, he persisted in his request, and Columbus
ordered that he should be received on board and treated with kindness.
As the wind at the western end of Jamaica was found to be contrary,
Columbus resolved to return to Cuba, and not to leave it until he had
explored its coast sufficiently to determine whether it was _terra
firma_ or an island.