Ojeda made sail and touched at the island of Curaçao, which, according
to the accounts of Vespucci, was inhabited by a race of giants, "every
woman appearing a Penthesilia, and every man an Antei." As Vespucci
was a scholar, and as he supposed himself exploring the regions of
the extreme East, the ancient realm of fable, it is probable his
imagination deceived him, and construed the formidable accounts given
by the Indians of their cannibal neighbors of the islands into
something according with his recollections of classic fable. Certain
it is that the reports of subsequent voyagers proved the inhabitants
of the island to be of the ordinary size.
Proceeding along the coast, he arrived at a vast, deep gulf,
resembling a tranquil lake, entering which he beheld, on the eastern
side, a village, the construction of which struck him with surprise.
It consisted of twenty large houses, shaped like bells, and built on
piles driven into the bottom of the lake, which in this part was
limpid and of but little depth. Each house was provided with a
draw-bridge, and with canoes, by which the communication was carried
on. From these resemblances to the Italian city, Ojeda gave to the bay
the name of the Gulf of Venice, and it is called at the present day
Venezuela, or Little Venice. The Indian name was _Coquibacoa_. [In
this connection Irving quotes freely from Vespucci's account of the
Lake Dwellers, and also gives entire his description of the
Spaniards' entertainment by Indians of the interior.]
Continuing to explore this gulf, Ojeda penetrated to a port or harbor,
to which he gave the name of St. Bartholomew, supposed to be the same
at present known by the original Indian name of _Maracaibo_.... The
Spaniards brought away with them several of the beautiful and
hospitable females of this place, one of whom, named by them Isabel,
was much prized by Ojeda, and accompanied him on a subsequent voyage.
Leaving the friendly port of Coquibacoa, Ojeda continued along the
western shores of the Venezuelan gulf, and standing out to sea,
doubling Cape Maracaibo, he pursued his voyage from port to port, and
promontory to promontory, of this unknown continent, until he reached
that long stretching headland called Cape de la Vela, or Cape of the
Sail. There the state of his vessels--and perhaps the disappointment
of his hopes at not meeting with abundant sources of immediate
wealth--induced him to abandon all further voyaging along the coast,
and, changing his course, he stood across the Caribbean Sea for
Hispaniola. The tenor of his commission forbade his visiting that
island; but Ojeda was not a man to stand upon trifles when his
interests or inclinations prompted him to the contrary. He trusted to
excuse the infraction of his orders by the alleged necessity of
touching at the island to calk and refit his vessels and to procure
provisions; but his true object is supposed to have been to cut
dye-wood, which abounds in Hispaniola.
Columbus, at that time, held command of the island, and, hearing of
this unlicensed intrusion, despatched Francesco Roldan, the quondam
rebel, to call Ojeda to account. The contest of stratagem and
management that took place between these two adroit and daring
adventurers has already been detailed. Roldan was eventually
successful, and Ojeda, being obliged to leave Hispaniola, resumed his
rambling voyage. He at length arrived at Cadiz, in June, 1500, his
ships crowded with captives, whom he sold as slaves. So meagre,
however, was the result of this expedition that we are told [by
Vespucci] that when all the expenses were deducted but five hundred
ducats remained to be divided between fifty-five adventurers. What
made this result the more mortifying was that a petty armament, which
had sailed some time after that of Ojeda, had returned two months
before him rich with the spoils of the New World.
The successful armament alluded to was that of Pedro Niño, who had
sailed with Columbus on his first voyage and on his third. With a
caravel of only fifty tons, and a crew of thirty-three men, he sailed
from Palos in June, 1499, returning in April, 1500, with a richer
cargo of pearls than any other that had been brought from the new
country. He had steered directly for the Pearl Coast, and at or near
Cumana and Margarita, had amassed a fortune from the sea.
In this connection it should be mentioned, that the country adjacent
to the Pearl Coast, opposite Cumana, was known to the natives as
_Amaraca-pan_; that the name _Amaraca_ occurs frequently in this
region, as (_A_)_mar-aca-ibo_, the great gulf where the Lake-Dwellers
live. It is regarded only as a coincidence that a name so nearly like
that which was bestowed upon the continent by Europeans should be
found applied to portions of that continent by the aborigines; but
some enthusiasts have undertaken to show that it was from this native
appellation the cartographers and cosmographers derived the first
"America" placed upon the maps.
IX
CANNIBALS, GIANTS, AND PEARLS
1499-1500
Besides the letter written by Vespucci to Lorenzo de Medici, he sent
an account of the second voyage to his friend Soderini, in which are
some incidents not mentioned in the first, with very little repetition
of others. He wrote:
"We set out from the port of Cadiz, three ships in company,
on the 18th of May, and steered directly for the Cape de
Verdes, passing within sight of the Grand Canary, and soon
arriving at an island called De Fuego, or Fire Island,
whence, having taken wood and water, we proceeded on our
voyage to the southwest. In forty-four days we arrived at a
new land, which we judged to be a continent, and a
continuation of that mentioned in my former voyage. It was
situated within the torrid zone, south of the equinoctial
line, where the south pole is elevated five degrees and
distant from said island, bearing south, about five hundred
leagues. Here we found the days and nights equal on the
27th of June, when the sun is near the tropic of Cancer.
"We did not see any people here, and, having anchored our
ships and cast off our boats, we proceeded to the land,
which we found to be inundated by very large rivers. We
attempted to enter these at many points, but from the
immense quantity of water brought down by them we could find
no place, after hard toiling, that was not over-flowed. We
saw many signs of the country's being inhabited, but as we
were unable to enter it we concluded to return to the ships
and make the attempt on some other part of the coast. We
raised our anchors accordingly, and sailed along southeast
by east, continually coasting the land which ran in that
direction. We found the currents so strong on this part of
the coast that they actually obstructed our sailing, and
they all ran from the southeast to the northwest. Seeing our
navigation was attended with so many inconveniences, we
concluded to turn our course to the northwest; and having
sailed some time in this direction we arrived at a very
beautiful harbor, which was made by a large island at the
entrance, inside of which was a very large bay. While
sailing along parallel with the island with a view of
entering the harbor, we saw many people on shore, and, being
much cheered, we manoeuvred our ships for the purpose of
anchoring and landing where they appeared. We might have
been then about four leagues out at sea. While proceeding on
our course for this purpose, we saw a canoe quite out at
sea, in which were several natives, and made sail on our
ships in order to come up with and take possession of them,
steering so as not to run them down. We saw that they stood
with their oars raised--I think either through astonishment
at beholding our ships, or by way of giving us to understand
that they meant to wait for and resist us; but as we neared
them they dropped the oars and began to row towards the
land.
"Having in our fleet a small vessel of forty-five tons, a
very fast sailer, she took a favorable wind and bore down
for the canoe. When the people in it found themselves
embarrassed between the schooner and the boats we had
lowered for the purpose of pursuing them, they all jumped
into the sea, being about twenty men, and at the distance of
two leagues from the shore. We followed them the whole day
with our boats, and could only take two, which was for them
an extraordinary feat; all the rest escaped to the shore.
Four boys remained in the canoe who were not of their tribe,
but had been taken prisoners by them, and brought from
another country. We were much surprised at the gross
injuries they had inflicted upon these boys, and, having
been taken on board the ships, they told us they had been
captured in order to be eaten. Accordingly, we knew that
those people were cannibals, who eat human flesh.
"We proceeded with the ships, taking the canoe with us
astern, and following the course which they pursued,
anchored at half a league from the shore. As we saw many
people on the shore, we landed in the boats, carrying with
us the two men we had taken. When we reached the beach all
the people fled into the woods, and we sent one of the men
to negotiate with them, giving them several trifles as
tokens of friendship--such as little bells, buttons, and
looking-glasses--and telling them that we wished to be their
friends. He brought the people all back with him, of whom
there were about four hundred men and many women, who came
unarmed to the place where we lay with the boats. Having
established friendship with them, we surrendered the other
prisoner and sent to the ships for the canoe, which we
restored. This canoe was twenty-six yards long and six feet
wide, made out of a single tree and very well wrought. When
they had carried it into a river near by, and put it in a
secure place, they all fled, and would have nothing more to
do with us, which appeared to us a very barbarous act, and
we judged them to be a faithless and evil-disposed people.
We saw among them a little gold, which they wore in their
ears.
"Leaving this place, we sailed about eighty leagues along
the coast and entered a bay, where we found a surprising
number of people, with whom we formed a friendship. Many of
us went to their village, in great safety, and were received
with much courtesy and confidence. In this place we procured
a hundred and fifty pearls (as they sold them to us for a
trifle) and some little gold, which they gave us
gratuitously. We noticed that in this country they drank
wine made of their fruits and seeds, which looked like beer,
both white and red; the best was made from acorns, and was
very good. We ate a great many of these acorns and found
them a very good fruit, savory to the taste and healthy to
the body. The country abounded with means of nourishment,
and the people were well disposed and pacific.
"We remained at this port seventeen days, with great
pleasure, and every day some new tribe of people came to see
us from inland parts of the country, who were greatly
surprised at our figures, at the whiteness of our skins, at
our clothes, at our arms, and the form and size of our
ships. We were informed by them of the existence of another
tribe, still farther west, who were their enemies, and that
they had great quantities of pearls. They said that those
which they had in their possession were some they had taken
from this other tribe in war. They told us how they fished
for pearls, and in what manner they grew, and we found that
they told us the truth--as your excellency shall hear.
"Sailing along the coast again, and finding an island about
fifteen leagues from it at sea, we resolved to see if it
were inhabited. We found on this island the most bestial and
filthy people that were ever seen, but at the same time
extremely pacific, so that I am able to describe their
habits and customs. Their manners and their faces were
filthy, and they all had their cheeks stuffed full of a
green herb which they were continually chewing, as beasts
chew the cud, so that they were scarcely able to speak. Each
one of them wore, hanging at the neck, two dried
gourd-shells, one of which was filled with the same kind of
herb they had in their mouths, and the other with a white
meal, which appeared to be chalk-dust. They also carried
with them a small stick, which they wetted in their mouths
from time to time and then put in the meal, afterwards
putting it into the herb with which both cheeks were filled,
and mixing the meal with it. We were surprised at their
conduct, and could not understand for what purpose they
indulged in the strange practice.
"As soon as these people saw us, they came to us with as
much familiarity as if we had been old friends. Walking with
them along the shore, and wishing to find some fresh water
to drink, they made us to understand by signs that they had
none, and offered us some of their herbs and meal; hence we
concluded that water was very scarce in this island, and
that they kept these herbs in their mouth in order to allay
their thirst. We walked about the island a day and a half
without finding any living water, and noticed that all they
had to drink was the dew which fell in the night upon
certain leaves that looked like asses' ears. These leaves
being filled with dew-water the islanders use it for their
drink, and most excellent water it was; but there were many
places where the leaves were not to be found.
"They had no victuals or roots, such as we found on the
main-land, but lived on fish, which they caught in the sea,
of which there was an abundance, and they were very expert
fishermen. They presented us with many turtles, and many
large and very good fish. The women did not chew the herb as
the men did, but carried a gourd with water in it, of which
they drank. They had no villages, houses, or cottages,
except some arbors which defended them from the sun, but not
from the rain; this appearing needless, for I think it very
seldom rained on that island. When they were fishing out at
sea, they each wore on the head a very large leaf, so broad
that they were covered by its shade. They fixed these leaves
also in the ground on shore, and as the sun moved turned
them about, so as to keep within the shadow. The island
contained many animals of various kinds, all of which drank
the muddy water of the marshes.
"Seeing there was no gain in staying there, we left and went
to another island, which we found inhabited by people of
very large stature. Going into the country in search of
fresh water, without thinking the island inhabited (as we
saw no people), as we were passing along the shore we
remarked very large footprints on the sands. We concluded
that if the other members corresponded with the feet they
must be very large men. While occupied with these
conjectures, we struck a path which led us inland, and after
we had gone about a league we saw in a valley five huts or
cottages which appeared to be inhabited. On going to them we
found only five women, two quite old, and three girls, all
so tall in stature that we regarded them with astonishment.
When they saw us they became so frightened that they had not
even courage to flee, and the two old women began to invite
us into the huts, and to bring us many things to eat, with
many signs of friendship. They were taller than a tall man,
and as large-bodied as Francisco of Albizzi, but better
proportioned than we are. While we were consulting as to the
expediency of taking the three girls by force and bringing
them to Castile to exhibit as wonders, there entered the
door of the hut thirty-six men, much larger than the women,
and so well made that it was a pleasure to look at them.
They put us in such perturbation, however, that we would
much rather have been in the ships than have found ourselves
with such people. They carried immense bows and arrows, and
large-headed clubs, and talked among themselves in a tone
which led us to think they were deliberating about attacking
us.
"Seeing we were in such danger, we formed various opinions
on the subject. Some were for falling upon them in the hut,
others thought it would be better to attack them in the
field, and others that we should not commence the strife
until we saw what they wished to do. We agreed, at length,
to go out of the hut and take our way quietly to the ships.
As soon as we did this they followed at a stone's-throw
behind us, talking earnestly among themselves, and I think
no less afraid of us than we were of them; for whenever we
stopped they did the same, never coming nearer to us. In
this way we at length arrived at the shore, where the boats
were waiting for us. We entered them, and as we were going
off in the distance they leaped forward and shot many arrows
after us; but we had little fear of them now. We discharged
two arquebuses at them, but more to frighten them than
injure, and on hearing the report they all fled to the
mountain. Thus we parted from them, and it appeared to us
that we had escaped a perilous day's work. These people were
quite naked, like the others we had seen, and on account of
their large stature I called this island the Island of
Giants. We proceeded onward in a direction parallel with the
main-land, on which it happened that we were frequently
obliged to fight with the people, who were not willing to
let us take anything away.
"When we had been at sea about a year, our minds were fully
prepared for returning to Castile, as we had then but little
provision left, and that little damaged, in consequence of
the great heat through which we had passed. From the time we
left Cape de Verde until then we had been sailing
continually in the torrid zone, having twice crossed the
equinoctial line (as before stated), having been five
degrees beyond it to the south, and then fifteen degrees
north of it. Being thus disposed for our return, it pleased
the Holy Spirit to give us some repose from our great
labors.
"Going in search of a harbor, in order to repair our ships,
we fell in with a people who received us with friendship,
and we found that they had a great quantity of Oriental
pearls, which were very good. We remained with them
forty-seven days and procured from them one hundred and
nineteen marks of pearls, in exchange for mere trifles of
our merchandise, which I think did not cost us the value of
forty ducats. We gave them nothing whatever but bells,
looking-glasses, beads, and brass plates; for a bell one
would give all he had.
"We learned from them how and where they fished for these
pearls, and they gave us many oysters in which they grew. We
procured one oyster in which a hundred and thirty pearls
were growing, but in others there were less number. The one
with the hundred and thirty the queen took from me, but the
others I kept to myself, that she might not see them. Your
excellency must know that if the pearls are not ripe and
loose in the shell they do not last, because they are soon
spoiled. Of this I have seen many examples. When they are
ripe they are loose in the oyster, mingled with the flesh,
and then are good. Even the bad ones which they had, which
for the most part were rough, were nevertheless worth a
considerable sum.
"At the end of forty-seven days we left these people, in
great friendship with us, and from the want of provisions
went to the island of Antilla [meaning Hispaniola], which
was discovered some years before by Christopher Columbus.
Here we obtained many supplies and stayed two months and
seventeen days. We passed through many dangers and troubles
with the Christians, who were settled in this island with
Columbus (I think through their envy), the relation of
which, in order not to be tedious, I omit. We left there on
the 22d of April, and, after sailing a month and a half,
entered the port of Cadiz, where we were received with much
honor on the 8th day of June. Thus terminated, by the favor
of God, my second voyage."
X
FAMOUS FELLOW-VOYAGERS
1497-1500
Though Amerigo Vespucci was on occasions intimately associated with
Christopher Columbus, conversed with him, corresponded, and had much
to do with the outfitting of his ships, it cannot be shown that the
two ever went on a voyage together. Some have asserted that the
Florentine accompanied the Genoese on his second voyage, in 1493, but
such is not the case. From the friendship that existed between the
two, it would doubtless have been gratifying to both could they have
explored the New World in company, for each was a complement of the
other, and much might have resulted from their conjoined efforts.
Still, while the great Admiral himself was not favored by the presence
of Vespucci on any of his voyages, it chanced that several of those
who were with him at different times afterwards accompanied his
rival, either as captains or pilots of his expeditions. Notable among
these was Vicente Yañez Pinzon, one of the noble family that came to
the rescue of Columbus when in straits at Palos, and furnished the
funds with which the impecunious navigator provided and equipped the
vessel he had promised his sovereigns to contribute. The Pinzons
actually provided and manned this vessel, the _Niña_, though Columbus
had the credit of it, and Vicente Yañez was its captain throughout the
first voyage to America, in 1492-1493.
The eldest of the three brothers, who "risked their lives and fortunes
with Columbus in his doubtful enterprise," the first voyage to the
unknown hemisphere, was Martin Alonzo, who commanded the _Pinta_. He
ran counter to the commands of Columbus when off the coast of Cuba,
and as a result fell into disgrace with the Spanish sovereigns, and
died of chagrin soon after the first voyage was over. Columbus seemed
to consider himself released from any obligations to the Pinzons,
owing to the defection of Martin Alonzo, and they never received a
single maravedi for their assistance at the most critical juncture of
the Admiral's fortunes. As captain of the _Niña_, Vicente Yañez, the
younger brother, stood by Columbus loyally, all through the voyage,
and after the wreck of the flag-ship, off the north coast of Haiti,
took his commander aboard the little caravel and brought him safely
back to Spain.
He seems to have received no recognition from Columbus, either for his
pecuniary aid or loyal support to him in time of disaster, and after
the voyage was accomplished he sank out of sight for a while, to
emerge again in 1494 or 1495. About that time, says a learned
historian, "Ferdinand and Isabella began to feel somewhat disappointed
at the meagre results obtained by Columbus. The wealth of Cathay and
Cipango had not been found; the colonists who had expected to meet
with pearls and gold growing on bushes were sick and angry; Friar
Boyle was preaching that the Admiral was a humbug, and the expensive
work of discovery was going on at a snail's pace. Meanwhile, Vicente
Yañez Pinzon and other bold spirits were grumbling at the monopoly
granted to Columbus, and begging to be allowed to make ventures
themselves.
"Now, in this connection, several documents preserved in the archives
of the Indies at Seville are very significant. On April 9, 1495, the
sovereigns issued their letter of credentials to Juan Aguado, whom
they were about sending to Hispaniola to inquire into the charges
against Columbus. On that very day they signed the contract with
Berardi [Vespucci's partner], whereby the latter bound himself to
furnish twelve vessels, four to be ready at once, four in June, and
four in September. On the next day they issued the decree throwing
open the navigation to the Indies and granting to all native
Spaniards, on certain prescribed conditions, the privilege of making
voyages to the newly found coasts.