The Voyage Home - 6

The Voyage Home - 6

"And as soon as I arrived in the Indies, at the first island at which I touched, I captured

some of them, that we might learn from them and obtain intelligence of what there was in

those parts. And as soon as we understood each other they were of great service to us; but

yet, from frequent conversation which I had with them, they still believe we came from

the skies. These were the first to express that idea, and others ran from house to house,

and to the neighbouring villages, crying out, "Come and see the people from the skies."

And thus all of them, men and women, after satisfying themselves of their safety, came to

us without reserve, great and small, bringing us something to eat and drink, and which

they gave to us most affectionately.

"They have many canoes in those islands propelled by oars, some of them large and

others small, and many of them with eight or ten paddles of a side, not very wide, but all

of one trunk, and a boat cannot keep way with them by oars, for they are incredibly fast;

and with these they navigate all the islands, which are innumerable, and obtain their

articles of traffic. I have seen some of these canoes with sixty or eighty men in them, and

each with a paddle.

"Among the islands I did not find much diversity of formation in the people, nor in their

customs, nor their language. They all understand each other, which is remarkable; and I

trust Your Highnesses will determine on their being converted to our faith, for which they

are very well disposed.

"I have already said that I went 107 leagues along the coast of Juana, from east to west.

Thus, according to my track, it is larger than England and Scotland together, for, besides

these 107 leagues, there were further west two provinces to which I did not go, one of

which is called Cibau, the people of which are born with tails; which provinces must be

about fifty or sixty leagues long, according to what I can make out from the Indians I

have with me, who know all the islands. The other island (Espanola) is larger in circuit

than the whole of Spain, from the Straits of Gibralter (the Columns) to Fuentarabia in

Biscay, as I sailed 138 long leagues in a direct line from west to east. Once known it must

be desired, and once seen one desires never to leave it; and which, being taken possession

of for their Highnesses, and the people being at present in a condition lower than I can

possibly describe, the Sovereigns of Castile may dispose of it in any manner they please

in the most convenient places. In this Espanola, and in the best district, where are gold

mines, and, on the other side, from thence to terra firma, as well as from thence to the

Great Khan, where everything is on a splendid scale—I have taken possession of a large

town, to which I gave the name of La Navidad, and have built a fort in it, in every respect

complete. And I have left sufficient people in it to take care of it, with artillery and

provisions for more than a year; also a boat and coxswain with the equipments, in

complete friendship with the King of the islands, to that degree that he delighted to call

me and look on me as his brother. And should they fall out with these people, neither he

nor his subjects know anything of weapons, and go naked, as I have said, and they are the

most timorous people in the world. The few people left there are sufficient to conquer the

country, and the island would thus remain without danger to them, they keeping order

among themselves.

"In all these islands it appeared to me the men are contented with one wife, but to their

governor or king they allow twenty. The women seem to work more than the men. I have

not been able to discover whether they respect personal property, for it appeared to me

things were common to all, especially in the particular of provisions. Hitherto I have not

seen in any of these islands any monsters, as there were supposed to be; the people, on

the contrary, are generally well formed, nor are they black like those of the Guinea,

saving their hair, and they do not reside in places exposed to the sun's rays. It is true that

the sun is most powerful there, and it is only twenty-six degrees from the equator. In this

last winter those islands which were mountainous were cold, but they were accustomed to

it, with good food and plenty of spices and hot nutriment. Thus I have found no monsters

nor heard of any, except at an island which is the second in going to the Indies, and which

is inhabited by a people who are considered in all the islands as ferocious, and who

devour human flesh. These people have many canoes, which scour all the islands of

India, and plunder all they can. They are not worse formed than the others, but they wear

the hair long like women, and use bows and arrows of the same kind of cane, pointed

with a piece of hard wood instead of iron, of which they have none. They are fierce

compared with the other people, who are in general but sad cowards; but I do not

consider them in any other way superior to them. These are they who trade in women,

who inhabit the first island met with in going from Spain to the Indies, in which there are

no men whatever. They have no effeminate exercise, but bows and arrows, as before said,

of cane, with which they arm themselves, and use shields of copper, of which they have

plenty.

"There is another island, I am told, larger than Espanola, the natives of which have no

hair. In this there is gold without limit, and of this and the others I have Indians with me

to witness.

"In conclusion, referring only to what has been effected by this voyage, which was made

with so much haste, Your Highnesses may see that I shall find as much gold as desired

with the very little assistance afforded to me; there is as much spice and cotton as can be

wished for, and also gum, which hitherto has only been found in Greece, in the island of

Chios, and they may sell it as they please, and the mastich, as much as may be desired,

and slaves, also, who will be idolators. And I believe that I have rhubarb, and cinnamon,

and a thousand other things I shall find, which will be discovered by those whom I have

left behind, for I did not stop at any cape when the wind enabled me to navigate, except at

the town of Navidad, where I was very safe and well taken care of. And in truth much

more I should have done if the ships had served me as might have been expected. This is

certain, that the Eternal God our Lord gives all things to those who obey Him, and the

victory when it seems impossible, and this, evidently, is an instance of it, for although

people have talked of these lands, all was conjecture unless proved by seeing them, for

the greater part listened and judged more by hearsay than by anything else.