CUBA! At first he called it Juana, but we came afterwards still to use
the Indian name. Cuba! We saw it after three days, and it was little
enough like Isabella, Fernandina, Concepcion, San Salvador and the
islets the Admiral called Isles de Arena. It covered all our south, no
level, shining thing that masthead could see around, but a mighty coast
line, mountainous, with headlands and bays and river mouths. Now after
long years, I who outlive the Admiral, know it for an island, but
how could he or I or any know that in November fourteen hundred and
ninety-two? He never believed it an island.
He stood on deck watching. “Cuba--Cuba! Have you not read of Cublai
Khan? The sounds chime!”
“Cublai Khan. He lives in Quinsai.”
“Ay. His splendid, capital city. Buildings all wonderful, and gardens
like Mahound’s paradise!”
“But if it is Cipango?”
“Ay. It may be Cipango. We have no angel here to tell us which. I would
one would fly down and take us by the hand! Being men, we must make
guesses.”
Beautiful to us, splendid to us, was this coast of Cuba! We sailed by
headlands and deep, narrow-necked bays, river mouths and hanging forests
and bold cliffs. We sailed west and still headland followed headland,
and still the lookout cried, “It stretched forever like the main!”
We came to a river where ships might ride. Sounding, we found deep
water, entered river mouth and dropped anchor, then went ashore in the
boats. Palms and their water doubles, and in the grove a small abandoned
village. We had seen the people flee before us, and they were no more
nor other kind of people than had showed in Concepcion or Fernandina.
Yet were they a little wealthier. We found parrots on their perches,
and two dogs, small and wolf-like that never barked. In one hut lay a
harpoon tipped with bone, and a net for fishing. In another we found a
wrought block of wood which Fray Ignatio pronounced their idol.
We went back to our ships, and leaving river, sailed on in a bright blue
sea. The next day we doubled a cape and found a great haven, but silent
and sailless, with no maritime city thronging the shore. What was this
world, so huge, so sparely, rudely peopled?
We came to anchor close under shore in this haven. Again the marvelous
water, but now it laved a bold and great country! We landed. Canoes
fastened in a row, another village, most of the folk decamped, but a few
brave men and women tarrying to find out something about heaven and its
inmates. With toys again and pacific gestures we wiled them to us.
There was upon the _Santa Maria_ a young Indian who had chosen to come
with us from Fernandina. He had courage and intelligence, was willing
to receive instruction and baptism from Fray Ignatio, and first and last
followed the Admiral with devotion. The latter had him christened Diego
Colon. We taught him Spanish as fast and soundly as we might, and used
him as interpreter. The tongue of his island was not just the tongue of
Cuba, but near enough to serve. All these Indians have a gift of oratory
and dote to speak at length, with firm voice and great gestures. Now
we set Diego Colon to his narration. We of Castile had so much of the
tongue by now that we could in some wise follow.
Forth it poured! We were gods come from heaven. Yonder stood the chief
god that the others obeyed. He was very great, strong, good, wise, kind,
giving beautiful gifts! We were all kind--no one was going to be hurt.
We made magic with harac--which we called “gold.” In heaven was not
enough harac. So important is it to the best magic that a chief god
has come to earth to seek it. We also liked cotton and things to eat,
especially cassava cakes, and we liked a very few parrots. But it was
gold that in chief we wanted. The man who brought the gods gold might
go home with gifts so beautiful that there was never anything seen like
them! Especially is there something that the gods call “bells” that ring
and sound in your hand when you dance! Gold--do you know where to find
it? Another thing! They desire to find a god who dropped out of the sky
a long time ago, and has now a people and a great, marvelous village.
Thinking he might be here, they have dived down to our land, for they
dive in the sky as we dive in water! The name of the god they hunt is
Grand Khan or Cublai Khan, and his village is Quinsai. Have you heard
of him? They are very anxious to find him. The chief god with white hair
and wonderful clothes--It is what they call clothes; under it they are
as you and me, only the color is different--the chief god will give many
bells to any folk who can show him the way to Quinsai. Gold and Quinsai
where lives the god Grand Khan.
As might have been expected, this brought tidings. “Cubanacan!
Cubanacan!” Whatever that might mean, they said it with assurance,
pointing inland. Diego Colon interrupted their further speech. “There
is a river. Go up it three days and come to great village. Cacique there
wearing clothes. All men there have gold!”
Pedro Gutierrez spoke. “They’ll promise anything for a hawk bell!”
“What do they understand and what do they not understand? What do they
say and what do they not say?” That was Martin Pinzon. “Between them all
we are fooled!”
The Admiral, who was gazing inland after the dark pointing finger,
turned and spoke. “At the root of all things sit Patience and Make
Trial!
“Well, I know,” answered Pinzon, “that if these ships be not careened
and mended we shall have trouble! Weather changes. There will be storm!”
He was right as to ships and weather, and the Admiral knew it and said
as much. I never saw him grudge recognition to Martin Pinzon. It has
been said that he did, but I never saw it.
That night, on board the _Santa Maria_ there was held a great council.
At last it was settled that we should rest here a week and overhaul the
ships, and that while that was doing, there should be sent two or three
with Indian guides to find, if might be, this river and this town. And
there were chosen, and given a week to go and come, Juan Lepe, Luis
Torres and a seaman Roderigo Jerez, with Diego Colon, the Fernandina
youth. Likewise there would go two Indians of this village, blithe
enough to show their country to the gods and the gods to their country.
The next day being Sunday, Fray Ignatio preached a sermon to the
Indians. He assumed, and at this time I think the Admiral assumed, that
these folk had no religion. That was a mistake. I doubt if on earth can
be found a people without religion.
Men and women they watched and listened, still, attentive, knowing that
it had somehow to do with heaven. After sermon and after we had prayed
and sung, we fashioned and set up a great cross upon cliff brow. Again
the Indians watched and seemed to have some notion of what we did.
The remainder of the day we rested, and on Monday early Roderigo
Jerez, Luis Torres and Juan Lepe with Diego Colon and two Cuba men made
departure, We had a pack of presents and a letter from the Admiral. For
we might meet some administrator or commandant or other, from Quinsai
or Zaiton or we knew not where. This was the first of many--ah, so
many--expeditions, separations from main body and return, or not return,
as the case might be!