Chapter X.
How the natives came to see the ships; how they found another better port; of the guazabra that the natives gave; and what happened until the settlement was formed.
Having anchored in the place already mentioned, many natives came to see the ships and our people. Most of them had red flowers in their hair and in their nostrils, and some of them were persuaded by our people to come on board the ships, leaving their arms in the canoes. Among them there came a man of fine presence and tawny-coloured skin, with plumes on his head of blue, yellow, and red, and in his hand a bow, with arrows pointed with carved bone. On either side of him were two natives, with more authority than the rest. We understood this man to be a personage, both because he appeared to be greater than the others, and because of the respect with which he was treated. Presently he came forward, and asked by signs who was our chief. The Adelantado received him with much love, and, taking him by the hand, let him know who he was. He said that his name was Malope, and the Adelantado said that his was Mendaña. Malope understood, and said that henceforward his name should be Mendaña, and that Mendaña’s name should be Malope. When this exchange of names had been effected, he showed that he put great value on it, and when anyone called him Malope he said no, that his name was Mendaña; and pointing with his finger to the Adelantado, he said that was Malope.
He also said that he was called Jauriqui: that name appearing to mean chief or captain. The Adelantado dressed him in a shirt, and gave him a few trifles of little value. To other natives the soldiers gave feathers, little bells, glass beads, bits of cloth and cotton, and even playing-cards, all which they put round their necks. They taught the natives to say “friends,” and to make a cross with two fingers, embracing them in token of peace, all which they did learn and constantly practised. They showed them looking-glasses, and with razors they shaved their heads and chins, and with scissors they cut their finger and toe-nails, at all which they rejoiced and were astonished; but they begged hard for the razors and scissors. They also found out what was under the men’s clothes, and, being undeceived, they played monkey tricks, such as those used by the natives of the first islands.
This continued for four days, and they came and went, and brought what food they had. One day Malope came, for he was the one whose visits were most frequent, and who showed most friendship, the ships being anchored near his village. The natives assembled with fifty canoes, in which they had their arms concealed, all waiting for Malope, who was on board the Capitana. They all fled because they saw a soldier take up an arquebus, and made for the shore, our people following them. On the beach there was another crowd of people, who received them with joy, and they had a great consultation. The soldiers were disappointed at such signs of peace, and would have preferred that they should have given occasion to break the peace and make war.
On that same afternoon the natives took all they possessed in the nearest houses, and retreated to the village of Malope. On the following night there were great fires on the other side of the bay, lasting nearly until morning, which seemed to be a signal for war; and this was confirmed when canoes were seen going in great haste from one village to another, as if they were warning or giving notice of something.
Next morning a boat was sent from the galeot to take in water at an adjacent stream. While they were thus employed, some concealed natives shouted and fired off arrows, which wounded three of our men. They followed down to the boat, where they were repulsed by the arquebusiers. The wounded were attended to, and the Adelantado at once ordered the Camp Master to land with thirty men, and to do all the harm they could with fire and sword. The natives stood their ground, when five were killed, and the rest fled. Our people retreated, and, embarking, came back to the ships, having cut down palm trees and burnt some huts and canoes. They brought away three pigs, which they killed.
On the same day the Adelantado sent the Captain, Don Lorenzo, in the frigate, with twenty soldiers and seamen, to seek for the Almiranta, with instructions to examine all the coast that was in sight, and to return to the place where they anchored on the first night of seeing the land. Thence he was to steer W. and N.W., which was the direction the Almiranta might have taken, beyond the route taken by the Capitana, and he was to see whether anything could be found in that direction.
He also ordered the Camp Master to rise early, and go quickly with forty soldiers to some huts which were near a hill, to punish the natives for having hit our men with arrows, in order that, by means of the chastisement inflicted on them, it might have the effect of preventing greater evils. He arrived without alarming the natives, occupied the paths, surrounded the houses, and set them on fire. Seven natives who were inside, seeing the fire and the people, defended themselves like brave men, and attacked our soldiers without regard for their own lives. Six were killed, and the other escaped by running, but was badly wounded. The Camp Master came back to the ship with seven wounded men and five dead pigs.