The Earthly Paradise Revisited - 4

The Earthly Paradise Revisited - 4

 ["Since the land is such, it must be managed that the greatest possible quantity of all

things shall be sown, and Don Juan de Fonseca is to be written to send continually all that

is necessary for this purpose.]

"Item. You will say that, inasmuch as much of the wine which the fleet brought was

wasted on this journey, and this, according to what the greater number say, was because

of the bad workmanship which the coopers did in Seville, the greatest necessity we feel

here at the present time is for wines, and it is what we desire most to have and although

we may have biscuit as well as wheat sufficient for a longer time, nevertheless it is

necessary that a reasonable quantity should also be sent, because the journey is long and

provision cannot be made each day and in the same manner some salted meat, I say

bacon, and other salt meat better than that we brought on this journey. It is necessary that

each time a caravel comes here, fresh meat shall be sent, and even more than that, lambs

and little ewe lambs, more females than males, and some little yearling calves, male and

female, and some he-asses and she-asses and some mares for labour and breeding, as

there are none of these animals here of any value or which can be made use of by man.

And because I apprehend that their Highnesses may not be, in Seville, and that the

officials or ministers will not provide these things without their express order, and as it is

necessary they should come at the first opportunity, and as in consultation and reply the

time for the departure of the vessels-which must be here during all of Maywill be past:

you will say to their Highnesses that I charged and commanded you to pledge the gold

you are carrying yonder and place it in possession of some merchant in Seville, who will

furnish therefor the necessary maravedis to load two caravels with wine and wheat and

the other things of which you are taking a memorandum; which merchant will carry or

send the said gold to their Highnesses that they may see it and receive it, and cause what

shall have been expended for fitting out and loading of the said two caravels to be paid:

and in order to comfort and strengthen these people remaining here, the utmost efforts

must be made for the return of these caravels for all the month of May, that the people

before commencing the summer may see and have some refreshment from these things,

especially the invalids: the things of which we are already in great need here are such as

raisins, sugar, almonds, honey and rice, which should have been sent in large quantities

and very little was sent, and that which came is already used and consumed, and even the

greater part of the medicines which were brought from there, on account of the multitude

of sick people. You are carrying memoranda signed by my hand, as has been said, of

things for the people in good health as well as for the sick. You will provide these things

fully if the money is sufficient, or at least the things which it is most necessary to send at

once, in order that the said two vessels can bring them, and you can arrange with their

Highnesses, to have the remaining things sent by other vessels as quickly as possible.

["Their Highnesses sent an order to Don Juan de Fonseca to obtain at once information

about the persons who committed the fraud of the casks, and to cause all the damage to

the wine to be recovered from them, with the costs: and he must see that the canes which

are sent are of good quality, and that the other things mentioned here are provided at

once.]

"Item. You will say to their Highnesses that as there is no language here by means of

which these people can be made to understand our Holy Faith, as your Highnesses and

also we who are here desire, although we will do all we can towards it—I am sending

some of the cannibals in the vessels, men and women and male and female children,

whom their Highnesses can order placed with persons from whom they can better learn

the language, making use of them in service, and ordering that little by little more pains

be taken with them than with other slaves, that they may learn one from the other: if they

do not see or speak with each other until some time has passed, they will learn more

quickly there than here, and will be better interpreters—although we will not cease to do

as much as possible here. It is true that as there is little intercourse between these people

from one island to another, there is some difference in their language, according to how

far distant they are from each other. And as, of the other islands, those of the cannibals

are very large and very well populated, it would appear best to take some of their men

and women and send them yonder to Castile, because by taking them away, it may cause

them to abandon at once that inhuman custom which they have of eating men: and by

learning the language there in Castile, they will receive baptism much more quickly, and

provide for the safety of their souls. Even among the peoples who are not cannibals we

shall gain great credit, by their seeing that we can seize and take captive those from

whom they are accustomed to receive injuries, and of whom they are in such terror that

they are frightened by one man alone. You will certify to their Highnesses that the arrival

here and sight of such a fine fleet all together has inspired very great authority here and

assured very great security for future things: because all the people on this great island

and in the other islands, seeing the good treatment which those who well behave receive,

and the bad treatment given to those who behave ill, will very quickly render obedience,

so that they can be considered as vassals of their Highnesses. And as now they not only

do willingly whatever is required of them by our people, but further, they voluntarily

undertake everything which they understand may please us, their Highnesses may also be

certain that in many respects, as much for the present as for the future, the coming of this

fleet has given them a great reputation, and not less yonder among the Christian princes:

which their Highnesses will be better able to consider and understand than I can tell them.

["That he is to be told what has befallen the cannibals who came here. That it is very well

and must be done in this manner, but that he must try there as much as possible to bring

them to our Holy Catholic faith and do the same with the inhabitants of the islands where

he is.]

"Item. You will say to their Highnesses that the safety of the souls of the said cannibals,

and further of those here, has inspired the thought that the more there are taken yonder,

the better it will be, and their Highnesses can be served by it in this manner: having seen

how necessary the flocks and beasts of burden are here, for the sustenance of the people

who must be here, and even of all these islands, their Highnesses can give licence and

permission to a sufficient number of caravels to come here each year, and bring the said

flocks and other supplies and things to settle the country and make use of the land: and

this at reasonable prices at the expense of those who bring them: and these things can be

paid for in slaves from among these cannibals, a very proud and comely people, well

proportioned and of good intelligence, who having been freed from that inhumanity, we

believe will be better than any other slaves. They will be freed from this cruelty as soon

as they are outside their country, and many of them can be taken with the row-boats

which it is known how to build here: it being understood, however, that a trustworthy

person shall be placed on each one of the caravels coming here, who shall forbid the said

caravels to stop at any other place or island than this place, where the loading and

unloading of all the merchandise must be done. And further, their Highnesses will be able

to establish their rights over these slaves which are taken from here yonder to Spain. And

you will bring or send a reply to this, in order that the necessary preparations may be

made here with more confidence if it appears well to their Highnesses.

["This project must be held in abeyance for the present until another method is suggested

from there, and the Admiral may write what he thinks in regard to it.]

"Item. Also you will say to their Highnesses that it is more profitable and costs less to

hire the vessels as the merchants hire them for Flanders, by tons, rather than in any other

manner: therefore I charged you to hire the two caravels which you are to send here, in

this manner: and all the others which their Highnesses send here can be hired thus, if they

consider it for their service but I do not intend to say this of those vessels which are to

come here with their licence, for the slave trade.

["Their Highnesses order Don Juan de Fonseca to hire the caravels in this manner if it can

be done.]

"Item. You will say to their Highnesses, that to avoid any further cost, I bought these

caravels of which you are taking a memorandum in order to retain them here with these

two ships: that is to say the Gallega and that other, the Capitana, of which I likewise

purchased the three-eighths from the master of it, for the price given in the said

memorandum which you are taking, signed by my hand. These ships not only will give

authority and great security to the people who are obliged to remain inland and make

arrangements with the Indians to gather the gold, but they will also be of service in any

other dangerous matter which may arise with a strange people; besides the caravels are

necessary for the discovery of the mainland and the other islands which lie between here

and there: and you will entreat their Highnesses to order the maravedis which these ships

cost, paid at the times which they have been promised, because without doubt they will

soon receive what they cost, according to what I believe and hope in the mercy of God.

["The Admiral has done well, and to tell him that the sum has been paid here to the one

who sold the ship, and Don Juan de Fonseca has been ordered to pay for the two caravels

which the Admiral bought.]

"Item. You will say to their Highnesses, and will supplicate on my part as humbly as

possible, that it may please them to reflect on what they will learn most fully from the

letters and other writings in regard to the peace and tranquillity and concord of those who

are here: and that for the service of their Highnesses such persons may be selected as

shall not be suspected, and who will give more attention to the matters for which they are

sent than to their own interests: and since you saw and knew everything in regard to this

matter, you will speak and will tell their Highnesses the truth about all the things as you

understood them, and you will endeavour that the provision which their Highnesses make

in regard to it shall come with the first ships if possible, in order that there may be no

scandals here in a matter of so much importance in the service of their Highnesses.