The Earthly Paradise Revisited - 3

The Earthly Paradise Revisited - 3

 "What you, Antonio de Torres, captain of the ship Marigalante and Alcalde of the City of

Isabella, are to say and supplicate on my part to the King and Queen, our Lords, is as

follows:—

"First. Having delivered the letters of credence which you carry from me for their

Highnesses, you will kiss for me their Royal feet and hands and will recommend me to

their Highnesses as to a King and Queen, my natural Lords, in whose service I desire to

end my days: as you will be able to say this more fully to their Highnesses, according to

what you have seen and known of me.

["Their Highnesses hold him in their favour.]

"Item. Although by the letters I write to their Highnesses, and also the father Friar Buil

and the Treasurer, they will be able to understand all that has been done here since our

arrival, and this very minutely and extensively: nevertheless, you will say to their

Highnesses on my part, that it has pleased God to give me such favour in their service,

that up to the present time. I do not find less, nor has less been found in anything than

what I wrote and said and affirmed to their Highnesses in the past: but rather, by the

Grace of God, I hope that it will appear, by works much more clearly and very soon,

because such signs and indications of spices have been found on the shores of the sea

alone, without having gone inland, that there is reason that very much better results may

be hoped for: and this also may be hoped for in the mines of gold, because by two

persons only who went to investigate, each one on his own part, without remaining there

because there was not many people, so many rivers have been discovered so filled with

gold, that all who saw it and gathered specimens of it with the hands alone, came away so

pleased and say such things in regard to its abundance, that I am timid about telling it and

writing it to their Highnesses: but because Gorbalan, who was one of the discoverers, is

going yonder, he will tell what he saw, although another named Hojeda remains here, a

servant of the Duke of Medinaceli, a very discreet youth and very prudent, who without

doubt and without comparison even, discovered much more according to the

memorandum which he brought of the rivers, saying that there is an incredible quantity in

each one of them for this their Highnesses may give thanks to God, since He has been so

favourable to them in all their affairs.

["Their Highnesses give many thanks to God for this, and consider as a very signal

service all that the Admiral has done in this matter and is doing: because they know that

after God they are indebted to him for all they have had, and will have in this affair: and

as they are writing him more fully about this, they refer him to their letter.]

"Item. You will say to their Highnesses, although I already have written it to them, that I

desired greatly to be able to send them a larger quantity of gold in this fleet, from that

which it is hoped may be gathered here, but the greater part of our people who are here,

have fallen suddenly ill: besides, this fleet cannot remain here longer, both on account of

the great expense it occasions and because this time is suitable for those persons who are

to bring the things which are greatly needed here, to go and be able to return: as, if they

delay going away from here, those who are to return will not be able to do so by May:

and besides this, if I wished to undertake to go to the mines or rivers now, with the well

people who are here, both on the sea and in the settlement on land, I would have many

difficulties and even dangers, because in order to go twenty-three or twenty-four leagues

from here where there are harbours and rivers to cross, and in order to cover such a long

route and reach there at the time which would be necessary to gather the gold, a large

quantity of provisions would have to be carried, which cannot be carried on the

shoulders, nor are there beasts of burden here which could be used for this purpose: nor

are the roads and passes sufficiently prepared, although I have commenced to get them in

readiness so as to be passable: and also it was very inconvenient to leave the sick here in

an open place, in huts, with the provisions and supplies which are on land: for although

these Indians may have shown themselves to the discoverers and show themselves every

day, to be very simple and not malicious nevertheless, as they come here among us each

day, it did not appear that it would be a good idea to risk losing these people and the

supplies. This loss an Indian with a piece of burning wood would be able to cause by

setting fire to the huts, because they are always going and coming by night and by day:

on their account, we have guards in the camp, while the settlement is open and

defenceless.

["That he did well.]

"Moreover, as we have seen among those who went by land to make discoveries that the

greater part fell sick after returning, and some of them even were obliged to turn back on

the road, it was also reasonable to fear that the same thing would happen to those who are

well, who would now go, and as a consequence they would run the risk of two dangers:

the one, that of falling sick yonder, in the same work, where there is no house nor any

defence against that cacique who is called Caonabb, who is a very bad man according to

all accounts, and much more audacious and who, seeing us there, sick and in such

disorder, would be able to undertake what he would not dare if we were well: and with

this difficulty there is another—that of bringing here what gold we might obtain, because

we must either bring a small quantity and go and come each day and undergo the risk of

sickness, or it must be sent with some part of the people, incurring the same danger of

losing it.

["He did well.]

"So that, you will say to their Highnesses, that these are the causes why the fleet has not

been at present detained, and why more gold than the specimens has not been sent them:

but confiding in the mercy of God, who in everything and for everything has guided us as

far as here, these people will quickly become convalescent, as they are already doing,

because only certain places in the country suit them and they then recover; and it is

certain that if they had some fresh meat in order to convalesce, all with the aid of God

would very quickly be on foot, and even the greater part would already be convalescent at

this time: nevertheless they will be re-established. With the few healthy ones who remain

here, each day work is done toward enclosing the settlement and placing it in a state of

some defence and the supplies in safety, which will be accomplished in a short time,

because it is to be only a small dry wall. For the Indians are not a people to undertake

anything unless they should find us sleeping, even though they might have thought of it

in the manner in which they served the others who remained here. Only on account of

their (the Spaniards') lack of caution—they being so few—and the great opportunities

they gave the Indians to have and do what they did, they would never have dared to

undertake to injure them if they had seen that they were cautious. And this work being

finished, I will then undertake to go to the said rivers, either starting upon the road from

here and seeking the best possible expedients, or going around the island by sea as far as

that place from which it is said it cannot be more than six or seven leagues to the said

rivers. In such a manner that the gold can be gathered and placed in security in some

fortress or tower which can then be constructed there, in order to keep it securely until the

time when the two caravels return here, and in order that then, with the first suitable

weather for sailing this course, it may be sent to a place of safety.

["That this is well and must be done in this manner.]

"Item. You will say to their Highnesses, as has been said, that the cause of the general

sicknesses common to all is the change of water and air, because we see that it extends to

all conditions and few are in danger: consequently, for the preservation of health, after

God, it is necessary that these people be provided with the provisions to which they are

accustomed in Spain, because neither they, nor others who may come anew, will be able

to serve their Highnesses if they are not well: and this provision must continue until a

supply is accumulated here from what shall be sowed and planted here. I say wheat and

barley, and vines, of which little has been done this year because a site for the town could

not be selected before, and then when it was selected the few labourers who were here

became sick, and they, even though they had been well, had so few and such lean and

meagre beasts of burden, that they were able to do but little: nevertheless, they have sown

something, more in order to try the soil which appears very wonderful, so that from it

some relief may be hoped in our necessities. We are very sure, as the result makes it

apparent to us, that in this country wheat as well as the vine will grow very well: but the

fruit must be waited for, which, if it corresponds to the quickness with which the wheat

grows and of some few vine-shoots which were planted, certainly will not cause regret

here for the productions of Andalusia or Sicily: neither is it different with the sugar-canes

according to the manner in which some few that were planted have grown. For it is

certain that the sight of the land of these islands, as well of the mountains and sierras and

waters as of the plains where there are rich rivers, is so beautiful, that no other land on

which the sun shines can appear better or as beautiful.