After another cruise of several days the Admiral reached the mouth of a stream, came to anchor, and sent a boat’s crew ashore, but a multitude of armed natives resisted their landing. Over a hundred sprang waist deep into the water, threateningly brandished their lances, blew horns, beat a kind of drum, dashed water at the Spaniards, and spit at them as a sign of their contempt and aversion. The Spaniards had orders to maintain a friendly attitude toward them. They made no reply to the hostile actions of the natives but contented themselves with watching the spectacle at a safe distance until the leaders were weary of their useless operations, when, in place of a battle, communication was opened up with them, and an exchange of several little trifles was made for sixteen plates of gold, valued at one hundred and fifty ducats.
On the next day the natives changed their views of the peaceful attitude of the Spaniards toward them. They attributed it to cowardice and even went so far with their audacity as to hurl their spears at the approaching boats. Finding it necessary to give them a lesson they could understand, a cannon was fired and at the same time one of the savages was wounded by an arrow, which created a panic among them. The Spaniards availed themselves of the opportunity to land without inflicting further injury upon the fugitives. They made signals to them in the hope of inducing them to return. As the natives were now convinced that the white strangers would not harm them, they came back, laid down their arms, and exchanged their gold quietly and peacefully.
After learning the nature of the region and its products the Admiral continued his course along the coast, still hoping to find the straits. On this voyage he at last came to a gulf with a spacious and secure harbor. The natives there had built an apparently large town, which was densely populated and surrounded by well-cultivated land. Columbus named this place Porto Bello on account of its beautiful harbor. The natives were universally friendly and brought fine-spun cloths, besides all kinds of food, which they gladly exchanged for nails, needles, and bells, and other similar trifles. From there Columbus sailed eight miles farther to that region where now is the city of Nombre de Dios. As the stormy weather compelled him to remain there several days he spent the time in repairing his vessels, which had now become badly damaged. After this he resumed his voyage but bad weather forced him to run into a little harbor which he named the “Refuge.” The natives there were also very friendly at first but the insulting behavior of a sailor provoked them to hostility. Confiding in their numbers, they made a concerted attack and attempted to board the vessels. The Admiral tried to induce them to abandon their purpose but, as his good offices were of no avail, he had a cannon fired in hopes that its mere noise would intimidate them. He was mistaken, however. When the natives saw that no damage was done, they became even bolder and replied to the cannon with shouts of derision. Seeing that it was necessary to make some impression upon them and show them what the cannon could do, he had a large one heavily loaded and aimed at a hill where a multitude of the natives were collected. The ball flew through the crowd. They saw to their dismay that the thunder could also hit and they fled in consternation into the woods. These natives were the handsomest he had yet seen. They were slim, had well-shaped limbs, and none of them the protruding paunches which were common among the savages. The harbor was filled with large alligators which used to come down to the shore to sleep. These animals gave out an aroma which filled the air. Although they seemed to be timid, they would strive, when attacked, to seize and devour their assailant.
At last Columbus began to despair of finding the passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. As he was also threatened by furious storm winds he decided to turn back, and sailed to a spot which he called Veragua and in which, according to the natives, there were rich gold mines. A terrible storm, which lasted several days, and the rapid diminishing of his supplies made this short voyage one of his most troublesome and dangerous. The entire supply of food which remained, after being at sea eight months, consisted of some poor remnants of ship biscuit which had become so tainted by the hot, damp weather of the region that it was unfit to eat. Notwithstanding this, the disgusting stuff was eagerly devoured, but those eating it would go off into dark corners so as not to see what they were putting into their mouths. In this wretched plight they looked askance at the great number of sharks swimming around the vessels. The superstitious followers of Columbus regarded these monsters as signs of misfortune. But in spite of their superstitious fears and in spite of the disgust which Europeans have for such oily flesh, these famished people devoured shark meat with still greater zest because it tasted better than maggoty biscuit.
Chapter XVII
Columbus Abandons the Hope of Discovering a Passage to the Pacific and Returns to Jamaica, where his Vessels are Exposed to Great Danger—Two Boats are Sent to Haiti for Help
Before Columbus could reach the gold region of Veragua he was forced by a gale to come to anchor for a shorter or longer time at different places to weather the storms. At one of these places he beheld a curious sight. The natives did not live on the ground like other people but in houses in the air, built among the branches of trees. In reality it seemed as if they lived like the birds. They chose this mode of living to protect themselves from floods, wild animals, and their enemies. They reached their habitations by ladders and, once they were at home, drew them up, so that all access to them was cut off.
At last they reached Veragua, with expectations of rich booty, and came to anchor at the mouth of a river which Columbus named Belen. They shortly became acquainted with some of the natives and, learning from them that at the distance of a few days’ journey up the stream there was the city of a prince named Quibia, Columbus determined to sail up the river. Having done so, he sent his brother, Bartolomeo, ashore to give this Indian prince a fitting welcome. He had already been informed of the arrival of the whites, came to meet Bartolomeo, and they greeted one another with becoming friendliness. On the next day the prince visited the Admiral, who received him in a manner befitting his rank, and speedily made him his friend by a gift of some European trifles.
Bartolomeo in the meantime had made careful inquiries about the gold mines and, learning their whereabouts, went to them. When the Spaniards reached the spot they found some pure gold lying at the roots of a tree, which was considered a sure sign that there must be an abundance of the metal in the soil. After picking up the pieces lying about they returned, bringing the news of their fortunate discovery to the Admiral, who at once decided to establish a colony there and ordered the erection of houses at the mouth of the river Belen. Work was begun enthusiastically and in a short time wooden houses, covered with palm leaves, were built. Columbus selected eighty men for colonists and made his brother Bartolomeo their leader. They were provided with all the tools and materials necessary to make life comfortable and safe. He also left much fishing tackle with them as the waters in that region abounded in excellent fish. Among others there was a kind of anchovy, which the natives caught in a curious way. These fish when they were pursued by others would leap out of the water upon the dry land. The Indians would cover their canoes with a great quantity of palm leaves and row about the river splashing their oars, and the fish, mistaking the foliage on the canoes for land, would spring into them, where they were captured.
When all his arrangements had been completed and the Admiral was ready to make his return voyage to Spain, he learned to his great surprise that Prince Quibia, jealous at the settlement of Europeans in his country, had planned to fire the houses of the colonists. He counselled with his brother how to prevent this calamity, and both decided that it was absolutely necessary to get the start of him by seizing the Prince in person. Bartolomeo undertook to carry out their plan. Accompanied by a strong force, he marched directly to the city of Veragua, where the Prince’s dwelling stood upon a solitary eminence. When they had reached it Quibia requested Bartolomeo not to come to his house as he would come out to meet them. Bartolomeo took only five men with him and ordered the rest to follow at a little distance and, as soon as he gave the signal with a musket shot, to rush forward and seize the house and allow no one to escape. The Prince came forward but at the very instant he was about to receive his guest he found himself a prisoner. Thereupon the signal was given, the Spaniards surrounded the house, and all who were in it were taken prisoners without resistance. This deed was accomplished quickly, but a new succession of reverses began for Columbus, which lasted to the end of his life.
The Prince was taken to the vessel, bound hand and foot. It was night when the boat was pushed off. The prisoner, who was fastened to it by ropes, complained of severe pain in his hands because they were tied too tightly. His humane captors loosened the rope but kept hold of it. Waiting his opportunity the Prince suddenly jumped overboard. They attempted in vain to drag him out again. His dexterity in swimming and the darkness of the night enabled him to escape. Quibia at once laid his plans to take a terrible revenge. He attacked the colony before it was aware by stealing through the dense forests with his men. They rushed on with wild cries and poured a shower of burning arrows upon the palm leaf roofs of the new houses, hoping to pierce and burn them. The distance, however, was too great. Thereupon ensued a desperate struggle which would have resulted in the destruction of the colony if it had not been saved by the courage of Bartolomeo, who charged into the very midst of the enemy with a few men so furiously that at last they gave way after some had been killed and some wounded. Among the latter was Bartolomeo himself, who was wounded in the breast by an arrow, but not fatally. They hoped that the Prince would be deterred by this victory from further acts of hostility but they were disappointed. He sought revenge more furiously than ever and undoubtedly the colony would have been the victim of his wrath had not the colonists, who clearly saw the danger enveloping them, decided to trust themselves to the mercy of the waves on the worm-eaten, crazy vessels rather than expose themselves daily to the fury of the savages. The Admiral, when informed of their decision, realized that it was necessary, and took them on board his vessels in canoes lashed together.