gold, not one of which, we are told, is more than twenty or twenty-five
leagues off: the Indians say that some of them are in Niti, in the
possession of Caonabó, who killed the Christians; the others are in
another place called Cibao, which, if it please God, we shall see with
our eyes before many days are over; indeed we should go there at once,
but that we have so many things to provide that we are not equal to it at
present. One third of our people have fallen sick within the last four
or five days, which I think has principally arisen from the toil and
privations of the journey; another cause has been the variableness of
the climate; but I hope in our Lord that all will be restored to health.
My idea of this people is, that if we could converse with them, they
would all become converted, for they do whatever they see us do, making
genuflections to the altars, and at the Ave Maria and the other parts of
the devotional service, and making the sign of the cross. They all say
that they wish to be Christians, although in truth they are idolaters,
for in their houses they have many kinds of figures: when asked what such
a figure was, they would reply it is a thing of _Turey_, by which they
meant “of Heaven.” I made a pretence of throwing them on the fire, which
grieved them so that they began to weep: they believe that everything
we bring comes from heaven, and therefore call it _Turey_, which, as I
have already said, means heaven in their language. The first day that I
went on shore to sleep, was the Lord’s day. The little time that we have
spent on land, has been so much occupied in seeking for a fitting spot
for the settlement, and in providing necessaries, that we have had little
opportunity of becoming acquainted with the productions of the soil, yet
although the time has been so short, many marvellous things have been
seen. We have met with trees bearing wool, of a sufficiently fine quality
(according to the opinion of those who are acquainted with the art) to
be woven into good cloth; there are so many of these trees that we might
load the caravels with wool, although it is troublesome to collect, for
the trees are very thorny,[144] but some means may be easily found of
overcoming this difficulty. There are also cotton trees as large as peach
trees, which produce cotton in the greatest abundance. We found trees
producing wax as good both in colour and smell as bees-wax and equally
useful for burning, indeed there is no great difference between them.
There are vast numbers of trees which yield surprisingly fine turpentine,
and a great abundance of tragacanth, also very good. We found other
trees which I think bear nutmegs, because the bark tastes and smells
like that spice, but at present there is no fruit on them;[145] I saw
one root of ginger, which an Indian wore hanging round his neck. There
were also aloes; not like those which we have hitherto seen in Spain, but
no doubt they are of the same kind as those used by our doctors.[146] A
sort of cinnamon also has been found; but, to speak the truth, it is not
so fine as that with which we are already acquainted in Spain. I do not
know whether this arises from ignorance of the proper season to gather
it, or whether the soil does not produce better. We have also seen some
yellow mirabolans; at this season they are all lying under the trees, and
have a bitter flavour, arising, I think, from the rottenness occasioned
by the moisture of the ground; but the taste of such parts as have
remained sound, is that of the genuine mirabolan. There is also very
good mastic. None of the natives of these islands, as far as we have yet
seen, possess any iron; they have, however, many tools, such as hatchets
and axes, made of stone, which are so handsome and well finished, that
it is wonderful how they contrive to make them without the use of iron.
Their food consists of bread, made of the roots of a vegetable which
is between a tree and a vegetable, and the _age_, which I have already
described as being like the turnip, and very good food; they use, to
season it, a spice called _agi_, which they also eat with fish and such
birds as they can catch of the many kinds which abound in the island.
They have, besides, a kind of grain like hazel-nuts, very good to eat.
They eat all the snakes, and lizards, and spiders, and worms, that they
find upon the ground; so that, to my fancy, their bestiality is greater
than that of any beast upon the face of the earth. The admiral had at
one time determined to leave the search for the mines until he had first
dispatched the ships which were to return to Spain[147] on account of
the great sickness which had prevailed among the men, but afterwards
he resolved upon sending two bands under the command of two captains,
the one to Cibao,[148] and the other to Niti, where, as I have already
said, Caonabó lived. These parties went, one of them returning on the
twentieth, and the other on the twenty-first of January. The party that
went to Cibao saw gold in so many places that one scarcely dares state
the fact, for in truth they found it in more than fifty streamlets and
rivers, as well as upon their banks; so that, the captain said they had
only to seek throughout that province, and they would find as much as
they wished. He brought specimens from the different parts, that is, from
the sand of the rivers and small springs. It is thought, that by digging
as we know how, it will be found in greater pieces, for the Indians
neither know how to dig nor have the means of digging more than a hand’s
depth. The other captain who went to Niti, returned also with news of
a great quantity of gold in three or four places; of which he likewise
brought specimens.
Thus, surely, their Highnesses the King and Queen may henceforth regard
themselves as the most prosperous and wealthy Sovereigns in the world;
never yet, since the creation, has such a thing been seen or read of;
for on the return of the ships from their next voyage, they will be able
to carry back such a quantity of gold as will fill with amazement all
who hear of it. Here I think I shall do well to break off my narrative.
I think those who do not know me who hear these things may consider me
prolix, and somewhat an exaggerator, but God is my witness, that I have
not exceeded, by one tittle, the bounds of truth.
The preceding is the translation of that part of Doctor Chanca’s letter,
which refers to intelligence respecting the Indies.[149] The remainder
of the letter does not bear upon the subject, but treats of private
matters, in which Doctor Chanca requests the interference and support
of the Chapter of Seville (of which city he was a native), in behalf of
his family and property, which he had left in the said city. This letter
reached Seville in the month of [150] in the year fourteen hundred and
ninety-three.
SEGUNDA VIAGE DE COLON.
_La Carta del Doctor Chanca, que escribió a la Ciudad de Sevilla._