Voyage along the Mosquito Coast, and Transactions at Cariari.
[1503.]
After doubling Cape Gracias a Dios, Columbus sailed directly south, along
what is at present called the Mosquito shore. The land was of varied
character, sometimes rugged, with craggy promontories and points
stretching into the sea, at other places verdant and fertile, and watered
by abundant streams. In the rivers grew immense reeds, sometimes of the
thickness of a man's thigh: they abounded with fish and tortoises, and
alligators basked on the banks. At one place Columbus passed a cluster of
twelve small islands, on which grew a fruit resembling the lemon, on which
account he called them the Limonares. [134]
After sailing about sixty-two leagues along this coast, being greatly in
want of wood and water, the squadron anchored on the 16th of September,
near a copious river, up which the boats were sent to procure the
requisite supplies. As they were returning to their ships, a sudden
swelling of the sea, rushing in and encountering the rapid current of the
river, caused a violent commotion, in which one of the boats was swallowed
up, and all on board perished. This melancholy event had a gloomy effect
upon the crews, already dispirited and care-worn from the hardships they
had endured, and Columbus, sharing their dejection, gave the stream the
sinister name of _El rio del Desastre_, or the River of Disaster.
[135]
Leaving this unlucky neighborhood, they continued for several days along
the coast, until, finding both his ships and his people nearly disabled by
the buffetings of the tempests, Columbus, on the 25th of September, cast
anchor between a small island and the main-land, in what appeared a
commodious and delightful situation. The island was covered with groves of
palm-trees, cocoanut-trees, bananas, and a delicate and fragrant fruit,
which the admiral continually mistook for the mirabolane of the East
Indies. The fruits and flowers and odoriferous shrubs of the island sent
forth grateful perfumes, so that Columbus gave it the name of La Huerta,
or the Garden. It was called by the natives Quiribiri. Immediately
opposite, at a short league's distance, was an Indian village, named
Cariari, situated on the bank of a beautiful river. The country around was
fresh and verdant, finely diversified by noble hills and forests, with
trees of such height, that Las Casas says they appeared to reach the
skies.
When the inhabitants beheld the ships, they gathered together on the
coast, armed with bows and arrows, war-clubs, and lances, and prepared to
defend their shores. The Spaniards, however, made no attempt to land
during that or the succeeding day, but remained quietly on board repairing
the ships, airing and drying the damaged provisions, or reposing from the
fatigues of the voyage. When the savages perceived that these wonderful
beings, who had arrived in this strange manner on their coast, were
perfectly pacific, and made no movement to molest them, their hostility
ceased, and curiosity predominated. They made various pacific signals,
waving their mantles like banners, and inviting the Spaniards to land.
Growing still more bold, they swam to the ships, bringing off mantles and
tunics of cotton, and ornaments of the inferior sort of gold called
guanin, which they wore about their necks. These they offered to the
Spaniards. The admiral, however, forbade all traffic, making them
presents, but taking nothing in exchange, wishing to impress them with a
favorable idea of the liberality and disinterestedness of the white men.
The pride of the savages was touched at the refusal of their proffered
gifts, and this supposed contempt for their manufactures and productions.
They endeavored to retaliate, by pretending like indifference. On
returning to shore, they tied together all the European articles which had
been given them, without retaining the least trifle, and left them lying
on the strand, where the Spaniards found them on a subsequent day.
Finding the strangers still declined to come on shore, the natives tried
in every way to gain their confidence, and dispel the distrust which their
hostile demonstrations might have caused. A boat approaching the shore
cautiously one day, in quest of some safe place to procure water, an
ancient Indian, of venerable demeanor, issued from among the trees,
bearing a white banner on the end of a staff, and leading two girls, one
about fourteen years of age, the other about eight, having jewels of
guanin about their necks. These he brought to the boat and delivered to
the Spaniards, making signs that they were to be detained as hostages
while the strangers should be on shore. Upon this the Spaniards sallied
forth with confidence and filled their water-casks, the Indians remaining
at a distance, and observing the strictest care, neither by word nor
movement to cause any new distrust. When the boats were about to return to
the ships, the old Indian made signs that the young girls should be taken
on board, nor would he admit of any denial. On entering the ships the
girls showed no signs of grief nor alarm, though surrounded by what to
them must have been uncouth and formidable beings. Columbus was careful
that the confidence thus placed in him should not be abused. After
feasting the young females, and ordering them to be clothed and adorned
with various ornaments, he sent them on shore. The night, however, had
fallen, and the coast was deserted. They had to return to the ship, where
they remained all night under the careful protection of the admiral. The
next morning he restored them to their friends. The old Indian received
them with joy, and manifested a grateful sense of the kind treatment they
had experienced. In the evening, however, when the boats went on shore,
the young girls appeared, accompanied by a multitude of their friends, and
returned all the presents they had received, nor could they be prevailed
upon to retain any of them, although they must have been precious in their
eyes; so greatly was the pride of these savages piqued at having their
gifts refused.
On the following day, as the Adelantado approached the shore, two of the
principal inhabitants, entering the water, took him out of the boat in
their arms, and carrying him to land, seated him with great ceremony on a
grassy bank. Don Bartholomew endeavored to collect information from them
respecting the country, and ordered the notary of the squadron to write
down their replies. The latter immediately prepared pen, ink, and paper,
and proceeded to write; but no sooner did the Indians behold this strange
and mysterious process, than, mistaking it for some necromantic spell,
intended to be wrought upon them, they fled with terror. After some time
they returned, cautiously scattering a fragrant powder in the air, and
burning some of it in such a direction that the smoke should be borne
towards the Spaniards by the wind. This was apparently intended to
counteract any baleful spell, for they regarded the strangers as beings of
a mysterious and supernatural order.
The sailors looked upon these counter-charms of the Indians with equal
distrust, and apprehended something of magic; nay, Fernando Columbus, who
was present, and records the scene, appears to doubt whether these Indiana
were not versed in sorcery, and thus led to suspect it in others.
[136]
Indeed, not to conceal a foible, which was more characteristic of the
superstition of the age than of the man, Columbus himself entertained an
idea of the kind, and assures the sovereigns, in his letter from Jamaica,
that the people of Cariari and its vicinity are great enchanters, and he
intimates, that the two Indian girls who had visited his ship had magic
powder concealed about their persons. He adds, that the sailors attributed
all the delays and hardships experienced on that coast to their being
under the influence of some evil spell, worked by the witchcraft of the
natives, and that they still remained in that belief. [137]
[138]
For several days the squadron remained at this place, during which time
the ships were examined and repaired, and the crews enjoyed repose and the
recreation of the land. The Adelantado, with a band of armed men, made
excursions on shore to collect information. There was no pure gold to be
met with here, all their ornaments were of guanin; but the natives assured
the Adelantado, that, in proceeding along the coast, the ships would soon
arrive at a country where gold was in great abundance.
In examining one of the villages, the Adelantado found, in a large house,
several sepulchres. One contained a human body embalmed; in another, there
were two bodies wrapped in cotton, and so preserved as to be free from any
disagreeable odor. They were adorned with the ornaments most precious to
them when living; and the sepulchres were decorated with rude carvings and
paintings representing various animals, and, sometimes, what appeared to
be intended for portraits of the deceased. [139] Throughout most of the
savage tribes, there appears to have been great veneration for the dead,
and an anxiety to preserve their remains undisturbed.
When about to sail, Columbus seized seven of the people, two of whom,
apparently the most intelligent, he selected to serve as guides; the rest
he suffered to depart. His late guide he had dismissed with presents at
Cape Gracias a Dios. The inhabitants of Cariari manifested unusual
sensibility at this seizure of their countrymen. They thronged the shore,
and sent off four of their principal men with presents to the ships,
imploring the release of the prisoners.
The admiral assured them that he only took their companions as guides, for
a short distance along the coast, and would restore them soon in safety to
their homes. He ordered various presents to be given to the ambassadors;
but neither his promises nor gifts could soothe the grief and apprehension
of the natives at beholding their friends carried away by beings of whom
they had such mysterious apprehensions. [140]