Gives an account of what passed with some natives at an island.
Next day we arrived near the island which I said was to the westward
of that of San Marcos, and in all directions we saw columns of smoke
rising, and at night many fires. In the centre it is rather high, and
thence its slopes extend in all directions towards the sea, so that
its form is a massive round, with only the part towards the south a
little broken with ravines. It is a land of many palm trees, plantains,
verdure, abundant water, and thickly inhabited. The circumference is
about 50 leagues, though some gave it 100 leagues, and must support
about 200,000 inhabitants. Its latitude is 14° 30'. Owing to its
great beauty, it was given the name of "Virgen Maria." [100]
Four canoes with unarmed natives came to the Almiranta, and made
signs to offer to take him into port. Seeing that our people did not
wish it, they made presents of cocoa-nuts and other fruits. Having
received a good return, they went back to their island.
As the disposition of the natives seemed to be good, the Captain sent
a party in the launch and one boat, to examine the coast and find a
port. The party was under the command of Pedro Lopez de Sojo. They
found to the S. and S.E. clean bottom at 20 fathoms or less, where the
ships might well anchor if the weather to be expected was known. They
saw a great number of people on the island, who came out to see and
call to us. They followed the boat without passing certain boundaries,
and by this we supposed that there were partitions of property between
people not on good terms. Among them there were two colours. While
they were looking at each other and talking by signs, a man rushed
down from some rocks behind. He was well made, of a clear mulatto
colour, the hairs of his beard and head brown and crisp, and rather
long. He was robust and vigorous. With a jump he got into the boat,
and, according to the signs he made, he appeared to ask: "Where do you
come from? What do you want? What do you seek?" Assuming that these
were the questions, one of our people said "We come from the east, we
are Christians, we seek you, and we want you to be ours." He showed
himself to be so bold, that our people understood that he wanted to
make us believe that to him we were a small affair. He presently was
undeceived, for he was seized and brought to the ship, where he came
on board so fearlessly that we had to confess he was no coward. The
Captain embraced him, and asked about other land by signs, of which he
appeared to give extensive information. He pointed to several places
on the horizon, counted on his fingers several times, and ended by
saying, "Martin Cortal." [101] It was very pleasant to hear him, to
see how lively he was, how vigorous, how agreeable among our people;
having a bright look for all, including those who importuned him with
a desire for information.
The night having come on, the launch arrived, and the Pilot of her
told the Captain that they were bringing a native prisoner, secured
by a hatchway chain. But he broke it; and, taking part of it and the
padlock with him on one foot, he jumped overboard. The Captain heard
this with great regret, fearing that the man had been drowned. To make
sure of the other, he ordered him to be given his supper and to be
put in the stocks, but on a bed where he could sleep. He also ordered
that the ships should go in search of the one that had escaped. Going
in search at ten at night, the look-out man heard a voice from the
water, and made out the place where the native, being tired out, was
struggling with death. To the cries of the swimmer came answer from
the prisoner, in such doleful tones that it caused grief to all to see
the one and hear the other. The swimmer was got on board, to the joy
of himself and us, and to our surprise that he could have sustained
such a weight on his foot for four hours. The padlock and chain were
at once taken off, and he was given his supper, with wine to drink,
and then put in the stocks, that he might not try it on again. There
both remained all night, talking sadly and in confusion. At dawn,
the Captain, pretending that he quarreled with all for putting them
in the stocks, let them out. He then ordered the barber to shave off
their beards and hair, except one tuft on the side of their heads. He
also ordered their finger-nails and toe-nails to be cut with scissors,
the uses of which they admired. He caused them to be dressed in silk
of divers colours, gave them hats with plumes, tinsel, and other
ornaments, knives, and a mirror, into which they looked with caution.
This done, the Captain had them put into the boat, and told Sojo to
take them on shore, coasting along to the end of the island, to see
what there was beyond. The natives came, and, the fear being passed,
they sang their happy and unhoped-for fate. Arrived at the beach,
they were told to jump out, which they could hardly believe. Finally,
they jumped overboard, where there were many natives; among them
a woman with a child in her arms, who received the two with great
joy. It appeared that she was the wife of the first native, and
that he was a chief, for all respected and obeyed his orders. They
seemed to be contented, and gave each other many embraces, with gentle
murmurings. The Chief, pointing with his finger, seemed to be saying we
were a good people. Many came to where the boat was, and they showed
such confidence that, when one of our men asked the mother for her
baby, she gave it. Seeing that it was passed from one to another,
to be seen and embraced, the natives were well pleased. In fine,
a good understanding was established.
The swimmer ran away, and presently came back with a pig on his
shoulders, which he offered to us. The Chief gave us another,
and a bunch of curious plantains, their shape being like that of
moderate-sized egg-plants [102] without points, the pulp orange colour,
sweet and tender. The other natives emulously presented cocoa-nuts,
sweet canes, and other fruits, and water in joints of cane four palmos
long and one thick. Pointing to the ships, they seemed to say that
they should anchor here, that they might give them all they had in the
island. Our people took their leave and went on to the point, where
they saw the coast of the island trending north, and the other island
of Belen at a distance of 4 leagues to the N.W. Satisfied with their
view, they returned to the ship. The boatswain's mate of the Almiranta
was wounded in one cheek by an arrow: certain natives, being envious
of the friendship of the others, or being enraged because, when they
called to our people they did not care to stop and speak with them,
shot off arrows, and had an answer from muskets. This wound healed
quickly, by which we knew that the arrows were not poisoned. More
mischief would have been done if the swimmer had not come running,
shouting, and making signs for the boat to keep away--a great proof
of gratitude.