Columbus sails from Cadiz the 9th of May, 1502, in command of four
caravels--Reaches Martinico, and steers for San Domingo to change one of
his vessels finds Bobadilla about to sail--Refused admission to the
port--Warns the Governor of an impending hurricane--Keeps close in with
the land--Escapes--Bobadilla's ship founders--Only one with the treasure
of Columbus reaches Spain--Touching at Jamaica, stands across to Bonacca
off the coast of Honduras--Visited by a cacique in a large canoe laden
with numerous articles--Search for the supposed strait--Goes on shore on
the mainland--The natives bring presents--Sails along the coast--Stormy
weather continues--Columbus suffers from illness--Fine weather--Off the
Mosquito shore--Natives offended at their presents not being accepted--
Hostages brought--Frightened at seeing the notary write--Natives carried
off as guides--Ships anchor in the Bay of Caribaro--Large quantities of
gold seen among the natives--Reaches the coast of Veragua--Hostility of
natives--Frightened into friendship--Much gold obtained--Columbus quits
the gold region in search of the straits--Hears of the gold region of
Ciguere--Anchors in Puerto Bello--Passes Nombre de Dios--Anchors in
Cabinet Harbour--The seamen insult the natives, who attack the ships--
Put to flight by the guns--Columbus sails in search of the gold-mines of
Veragua.
Columbus had reached the age of sixty-eight years when he embarked upon
his fourth voyage. His squadron consisted of four caravels, the
smallest of fifty tons burden, the largest not exceeding seventy; the
crews amounted, in all, to one hundred and fifty men. He had with him
his faithful and intrepid brother, Don Bartholomew, and his younger son,
Fernando. The squadron sailed from Cadiz on the 9th of May, A.D. 1502,
and after touching at Ercilla, on the coast of Morocco, stood away for
the Canaries, where it arrived on the 25th of May, on the evening of
which day he took his departure for the New World. Without shifting a
sail it reached Martinico.
Though prohibited from touching at Hispaniola, one of his vessels was so
bad a sea boat that he ventured to steer for San Domingo, in order to
change her for another.
Arriving off the river on the 29th of June, he found a fleet with
Bobadilla on board, as well as a large amount of treasure and several
unhappy Indian captives.
The agent of Columbus had shipped four thousand pieces of gold, recently
collected or recovered from Bobadilla, on board one of the caravels.
Columbus immediately sent to ask permission of Ovando, who had assumed
the government, to enter the harbour, stating that the weather looked
threatening, and that he believed a hurricane was brewing.
Ovando most ungraciously refused the boon asked for by Columbus, who
then again sent on shore, entreating that, although shelter was denied
to him, the fleet about to sail might be detained in harbour until the
coming tempest had spent its fury.
This request was also refused, the Governor and his officers not
believing the warning. Columbus, therefore, steered along the coast,
keeping as close to the shore as possible, convinced that the storm
would blow from the north. The crews at once began to complain, having
lost their reliance on one who was subjected to such ill treatment.
Within two days his predictions were verified. A fearful hurricane
burst upon them, during which the ship carrying Bobadilla and an
unfortunate cacique foundered, together with an enormous mass of gold,--
the principal part of the treasure gained by the miseries of the
Indians. Many other ships were lost, some returning to San Domingo
sorely battered, while only one, the weakest of the fleet, with the
treasure of the Admiral on board, continued her voyage to Spain.
The squadron of Columbus, though having suffered much, safely reached
the port of Hermoso, at the west end of San Domingo. Here he remained
several days, and then, after touching at some small islands off Jamaica
swept by the current, he reached a group near the coast of Honduras, one
of which he called the Isla de Pinos, now known as Guanaja, or Bonacca.
The Adelantado, on landing on its beautiful and fertile shore, saw an
immense canoe approaching, eight feet wide, and of great length, though
formed of the trunk of a single tree. Under a canopy of palm-leaves sat
a cacique, with his wives and children, rowed by twenty-five Indians.
The canoe was filled with all kinds of articles of manufacture and
natural production. The Indians, without fear, came alongside the
Admiral's caravel. He was delighted to obtain, without trouble,
specimens of so many important articles of this part of the New World.
Among them were hatchets formed of copper, wooden swords with channels
on each side of the blade, in which sharp flints were firmly fixed by
cords formed of the intestines of fishes, such as were afterwards found
among the Mexicans. There were bells and other articles of copper, and
clay utensils; cotton shirts worked, and dyed with various colours;
great quantities of cacao, a fruit as yet unknown to the Spaniards, and
a beverage resembling beer, extracted from Indian corn. Their
provisions consisted of maize bread, and roots of various kinds. Many
of the articles they willingly exchanged for European trinkets. The
women were wrapped in mantles like the female Moors of Grenada, and the
men had cloths of cotton round their loins. From their being clothed,
and from the superiority of their manufactures, the Admiral believed
that he was approaching more civilised nations.
The natives stated that they had just arrived from a rich cultivated
country, with the wealth and magnificence of which they endeavoured to
impress him. His mind, however, being bent on the discovery of the
strait, and believing that he could easily visit them at some future
period, he determined to seek the mainland, and keep steadily on until
he reached the opening between it and Paria.
Had he followed the advice of his visitors he might have discovered
Mexico, and even the Southern Ocean might have been disclosed to him.
He was encouraged to persist in the course he had designed by hearing
from an old man, whom he had detained as pilot, that there were many
places farther on abounding in gold.
Reaching the mainland on Sunday, the 14th of August, he and his
officers, and many of the men, landed, and Mass was performed under the
trees. On the 17th the Adelantado went ashore near the mouth of a
river, and took possession of the country in the name of their Catholic
Majesties. At this place upwards of a hundred Indians appeared, laden
with bread, maize, fish, fowl, vegetables, and fruits.
These they laid down as presents, and then, without speaking a word,
drew back. The Adelantado distributed among them various trinkets,
which so pleased them that they came with still more abundant supplies.
These natives had higher foreheads than those of the islands. Some were
entirely naked and had their bodies tatooed, some wore coverings about
the loins, and others short cotton jerkins without sleeves. The
chieftains had coats of white or coloured cotton. The Indian guide
asserted that some of them were cannibals.
Day after day, exposed to storms, drenching rains, and currents,
Columbus made his way along the coast of Honduras, often gaining only a
league or two in the day. Though suffering from gout, he still attended
to his duty, having had a small cabin fitted on deck from which he could
keep a look-out. Often he was so ill that he thought his end was
approaching.
At length, after two months of continued gales, fine weather returned,
and he doubled the Cape, to which he gave the name of Gracias a Dios, or
Thanks to God. He next sailed along what is now called the Mosquito
shore, seeing many rivers in which grew enormous reeds, abounding with
fish, alligators, and turtles.
While the squadron was anchored near a river and the boats were on shore
to obtain wood and water, a bore, or swell of the sea, occurred, by
which one of them was swallowed up, and all on board perished. The
name, therefore, of El Rio del Desastro was given to the river.
The next place at which the ships dropped anchor was between a beautiful
island, which Columbus called La Huerta, or The Garden, and the
mainland, where some way up was a native village named Cariari. The
inhabitants, seeing the ships, quickly gathered on the shore, prepared
to defend their country; but when the Spaniards made no attempt to land,
their hostility ceased, and, waving their mantles, they invited the
strangers on shore. Swimming off, they brought mantles of cotton and
ornaments of guanin.
The Admiral, though he made them presents, would take nothing in
exchange, and the savages, supposing that their proffered gifts were
despised, retaliated, pretending indifference to the things offered
them, and, on returning on shore, tied all the European articles up and
left them on the beach.
The following day, while a boat cautiously approached the shore to
procure water, a venerable-looking Indian appeared, bearing a white
banner on the end of a staff, and leading a girl of fourteen, and
another of about eight years of age. These he made signs were to be
detained as hostages while the Spaniards were on shore. They were taken
on board, and being kept under the care of the Admiral, were clothed and
adorned with various ornaments, and on the following morning were
restored to their friends, who appeared grateful for the kind way in
which they had been treated, but returned all the presents they had
received.
On the Adelantado approaching the beach, two of the principal natives,
wading into the water, carried him ashore in their arms. Wishing to
collect information, he ordered the notary of the squadron to write down
their replies; but no sooner did they see the pen, ink, and paper than,
supposing he was working some necromantic spell, they fled in terror.
After some time they returned, scattering a fragrant powder in the air,
intended, apparently, to counteract it. The Spaniards, equally
ignorant, also fancied that the Indians were performing some magic rite;
indeed, Columbus asserts that they believed all the hardships and foul
winds they had experienced on the coast were owing to the witchcraft of
the natives.
On leaving this place, Columbus carried off two of the natives, to serve
as guides, promising that he would restore them, with ample
remuneration, on his return.
The squadron then sailed along the coast now known as Costa Rica, and
anchored in a large bay, full of islands, called Caribaro, the
neighbourhood of which, the natives of Cariari had asserted, abounded
with gold. The islands were covered with groves, which sent forth the
fragrance of fruits and flowers; and so deep and narrow were the
channels, that the spars of the vessels, as they passed on, brushed the
overhanging branches. The natives were at first afraid, but, encouraged
by the guides, advanced with confidence. They wore numerous ornaments
of pure gold, and one of them exchanged a plate of gold, valued at ten
ducats, for three hawks' bells.
The country on the mainland was hilly, the villages perched on the
heights. As the boats proceeded to the bottom of the bay, they met ten
canoes, the Indians in which had their heads decorated with garlands of
flowers, and coronets formed of the claws of beasts and the quills of
birds, while most of them wore plates of gold about their necks.
Although they refused to part with the gold, they told the Spaniards it
was to be had in abundance within the distance of two days' journey,
mentioning, among other places, Veragua.
Columbus, eager to discover the strait, cared, at this time, very little
for the gold, and sailing along the coast, now known as that of Veragua,
came off the mouth of a large river. Here the natives rushed into the
water, brandishing their weapons; but were quickly pacified, and
bartered away seventeen plates of gold, worth one hundred and fifty
ducats, for a few toys.
When the Spaniards next day went on shore, the natives exhibited a
hostile disposition, but a bolt from a crossbow wounding one of them,
and a cannon being fired, they fled with terror; and on being pursued,
threw down their weapons, and, gentle as lambs, brought three plates of
gold, meekly receiving the articles given in exchange. A similar scene
was enacted at the next place, and nineteen plates of pure gold were
obtained. Here, for the first time, Columbus met with signs of solid
architecture, which he believed indicated his approach to civilised
lands. As he ran along the coast, but was unable to land on account of
the heavy sea, the guides pointed out numerous towns where gold
abounded, one of them being Veragua, where they said the plates of gold
were fabricated, and near which were the rich mines.
Soon after this he arrived opposite a village, where he was told the
country of gold terminated, but still believing that he should discover
a strait, he pushed on. He understood from the Indians that there was a
magnificent country called Ciguare, situated at about ten days' journey
to the west, where the people wore crowns and bracelets and necklets of
gold, and used it for all domestic purposes; that they were armed like
the Spaniards, with swords, bucklers, and cuirasses. He also fancied
they said that the sea continued round to Ciguare, and that ten days
beyond it was the Ganges. Probably they were describing Mexico or Peru.
The country was everywhere beautiful and fertile in the extreme. On the
2nd of November the squadron anchored in a commodious harbour, to which
Columbus gave the name of Puerto Bello, which it still retains. They
were delayed here ten days by heavy rains and stormy weather, but the
painted natives brought off provisions, though few had ornaments of
gold.
Again sailing eastward, they passed the point now known as Nombre de
Dios, but being driven back, anchored in a harbour, which, from the
large fields of Indian corn, fruits, and vegetables, was called the Port
of Provision. They here remained until the 23rd, endeavouring to repair
their vessels, which were fearfully pierced by the teredo. Misled by
the seamen, always eager to get on shore, who went to sound it, he
entered a small harbour, which he called The Cabinet. It was infested
with alligators, which filled the air with a musky odour.
The natives gathered in large numbers, and at first treated their
visitors with hospitality; but the rough seamen soon committed excesses
which aroused their hosts to vengeance. In a short time the natives
were seen approaching to attack the vessels. Not until some shotted
guns were fired among them did they take to flight.
The seamen now began to murmur at the continuance of the tempestuous
weather, declaring that the looked-for straits would never be found.
Columbus might have begun to suspect the same, and, to the great joy of
his men, he expressed his intention of relinquishing his search for the
present. Sailing on the 5th of December from the Cabinet, he steered in
search of the gold-mines of Veragua.