The Martyrdom of two Dominican Friars on the coast of Venezuela, through the Avarice of the Spaniards.
There happened about this time a very singular and melancholy event, which I find recorded in many Spanish historians, which shews to what a height corruption had grown in so short a time among the Spanish settlements in the West Indies. Reports had reached Spain of the harsh and cruel manner in which the natives were treated by the Spaniards, being distributed among the proprietors of land as if they had been cattle. This moved some religious men of the Dominican order to go over to the new world, to try what progress they could make in converting the Indians by spiritual means only. Three of these fathers landed in the island of Porto Rico, where one of them fell sick and was unable to proceed. The other two procured a vessel to carry them over to the main, where they were landed at no great distance from the Indian town which Hojeda and Vespucius had seen in their first voyage, standing in the water, and which therefore they had named Venezuela or little Venice. The fathers found the natives at this place very docile and tractable, and were in a fair way of making them converts to the Christian religion; when unluckily a Spanish pirate, whose only employment was to steal Indians to sell them as slaves to the colonists, anchored on the coast. The poor natives, confident of being well treated by Christians, went freely on board along with their cacique, and the pirate immediately weighed anchor, and made all sail for Hispaniola, carrying them all away into slavery. This naturally raised a great ferment among the remaining natives, who were on the point of sacrificing the two Dominicans to their resentment, when another Spanish ship arrived in the harbour, commanded by a man of honour. He pacified the Indians for the present as well as he possibly could, and receiving letters from the Dominicans with a true statement of the transaction, he promised to send back their cacique and the rest of their countrymen in four months. As he really intended to perform his promise, he immediately made application to the supreme tribunal at St Domingo, called the royal audience, setting forth the particulars of the case, and the imminent danger to which the two fathers were exposed, unless these Indians were sent back in due time. But it so happened that these very people had been purchased as slaves by some of the members of the royal audience, and these members of the supreme tribunal were not so much in love with justice as to release them. The consequence of this was, that at the end of the four months, the Indians murdered the two Dominicans, Francisco de Cordova and Juan Garcias, in revenge for the loss of their prince and relations.
SECTION XI.
Discoveries on the Continent of America by command of Velasquez, under the conduct of Francis Hernandez de Cordova.
After James de Velasquez had reduced the greatest part of the island of Cuba, and had settled colonies of Spaniards in many districts of the island, he became desirous of shaking off the authority of the Admiral James Columbus, by whom he was appointed to the command, and setting up for himself. By this time the admiral had been recalled into Spain, and opposed this project of Velasquez to the utmost of his power; but his credit was now so low; that he could not fully succeed; as, though Velasquez was still ordered to give an account to Columbus of the exercise of his authority, the admiral was not allowed to recal him from the government of Cuba, unless with the concurrence of the crown. This so far answered the purpose of Velasquez, that he resolved to fit out ships for discovery. This project was no sooner made known, than numbers of rich Spanish planters embraced the proposal, and offered to contribute large sums for carrying it into execution. Among those who distinguished themselves on this occasion, was Francis Hernandez de Cordova, a rich and brave man who had Indians of his own, and offered to go as captain on this expedition. Having received a commission from Velasquez, he fitted out two ships and a brigantine, with all necessary stores, and listed 110 soldiers[1]. He sailed from St Domingo, in Cuba, to the Havanna, and left Havanna on the 8th of February 1517. On the 12th, they doubled cape St. Antonio, holding their course to the westwards, as Antony de Alaminos, their pilot, said that the first admiral always inclined in that way, having sailed with him when a boy. They encountered a great storm which lasted two days, during which they expected to have perished. After being twenty-one days at sea, laying to always at night, they got sight of land, and could perceive a large town about two leagues from the coast. As they drew nigh the shore, two canoes full of men came off to the ships, from which thirty Indians went on board Cordova's ship, having jackets without sleeves, and pieces of cloth wrapped about them instead of breeches. The Spaniards gave them meat and wine, and a few strings of beads; and the Indians before going away, made them understand by signs, having no interpreter, that they would return next day with more canoes to carry all the Spaniards on shore. These Indians expressed great admiration at the Spaniards, their ships, beards, arms, and every thing which they had not seen before. They returned next day with twelve canoes, and their cacique continually called out conez cotoche, that is Come to my house, for which reason this place was called Cape Cotoche. After the Spaniards had consulted together, they hoisted out their boats, and went on shore with their arms, where a prodigious multitude of people waited to see them. The cacique still pressed them to go to his house, and having received so many tokens of peace and friendship, they resolved to comply, in order to take a view of the country. On coming to a wood, the cacique called out to a great number of armed men who lay in ambush; when there immediately appeared a great number of men in armour of quilted cotton, with targets, wooden swords edged with flints, large clubs, spears, bows and arrows, and slings. These warriors had their faces painted of many colours, and were all adorned with plumes of feathers. They gave a hideous shout, pouring in at the same time such a shower of stones and arrows, that they wounded fifteen Spaniards at the first onset; after which they fell on sword in hand, and fought with great resolution. The Spaniards had only twenty-five cross-bows and muskets, which were well plied; but when the Indians felt the sharpness of the Spanish swords, they soon fled, having seventeen killed and many wounded. Two youths were taken in this action, who afterwards became Christians by the names of Julian and Melchior. The Spaniards returned to their ships, well pleased at having discovered a more civilized people than any which had been hitherto seen at Darien, or in any of the islands; more especially as they had houses of stone and lime, which had not till then been seen in the West Indies.
[1] We shall afterwards have occasion to give an account of this and other Spanish Expeditions of Discovery and Conquest, written by Bernal Diaz del Castillo, who was actually engaged in all those which he described.--E.
They held their course along the coast for fifteen days, always laying to at night, when they came to a large town with a bay, which they believed to be a river in which they might find water, of which they were now in great need. They landed, and hearing the Indians call the place Quimpeche, it ever afterwards was called Campechy. Being come to a well of excellent water, of which the natives used to drink, and having taken what they needed, they were about to return to the ships, when fifty Indians clad in jackets and large cotton cloth cloaks came up, asking by signs what they wanted, whether they came from the east, and finally invited them to their town. When they had seriously considered this, and put themselves into a good posture of defence, lest they should be treacherously used as they had already been at Cotoche, they accompanied the Indians to certain temples or places of worship, built of stone and lime, where there were many idols of very ugly shapes, with fresh signs of blood, and several painted crosses, at which last they were much amazed. Great numbers of men, women, and children, flocked to look at them, shewing signs of great amazement, though some of them smiled. Soon afterwards, two parties of armed men appeared in good order, clothed and armed like those they had seen at Cotoche. In the next place, ten men in very long white mantles came from one of the temples, having their long black hair twisted up in rolls behind. In their hands these men held little earthen fire-pans, into which they cast gum anime, which they call copal, with which they perfumed the Spaniards, ordering them to depart from the country on pain of death. They then began to beat upon small kettle drums, and to sound their horns, trumpets, and pipes. The Spaniards, who were rather weak, as two of the men wounded at Cotoche had died, and the rest were not yet quite recovered, thought it prudent to retire to the shore, which they did in good order, followed by the armed Indians, and embarked without any conflict. After sailing six days longer, the wind came round to the north, blowing with such violence on the coast that they thought to have been cast away. When the storm abated, they endeavoured to approach the shore for water, as the casks had become leaky, and soon ran out. They landed accordingly in a bay near an Indian town, and about a league from the town of Pontonchan, and filled their casks at a well near certain places of worship, which were built of stone and lime like those they had seen formerly. When ready to return to the ships, they perceived a party of armed men advancing towards them, who asked whether they had come from where the sun rises? On being answered in the affirmative, the Indians drew back to some houses not far off, and the Spaniards, because night was coming on, resolved to remain on shore. A great noise was heard soon afterwards among the Indians, and the Spaniards became divided in opinion; some being clear for getting on board immediately, while others thought it would be dangerous to retreat in the dark, as there seemed 300 Indians to every one of their small party.
When day broke next morning, it appeared that the Indians had been joined by many others during the night, and they all surrounded the Spaniards, pouring in a great shower of arrows, stones, and darts, by which eighty of the Spaniards were wounded at the first onset. After this they closed in with the Christians, using their swords and spears; and though the Spaniards were not idle with their fire-arms, cross-bows, and swords, the Indians distressed them greatly. On experiencing the sharpness of the Spanish swords, the Indians drew farther off, continuing to ply their arrows with a good aim, crying out calachani! calachani! which in the language of Yucutan, signifies cacique or captain, meaning that they should aim especially at the commander Cordova. In this they succeeded, as he received twelve arrow wounds, as he exposed himself foremost in every encounter, when he ought rather to have directed his men than fought personally. Finding himself sorely wounded, and that the courage of his men was unable to overcome so great a multitude, which was continually increasing, he made a furious onset, and broke through the Indians, who still pursued the Spaniards on their way to the boats. On getting to the boats, they had nearly sunk them all by the hurry of so many men crowding to embark; but they at length put off from the shore, the Indians still plying them with missile weapons, and many of them advancing into the water to wound the Spaniards with their spears.
In this unfortunate rencontre, forty-seven Spaniards were killed, and many wounded, five of whom died on board. The wounded men endured excruciating pain while in the boats, in consequence of their wounds being wet with sea water, which caused them to swell much. All the people cursed the pilot Alaminos for bringing them to this place, who still persisted that this country was an island. They called this place Bahia de Mala Prelea, or the Bay of Evil Battle, on account of the misfortune they had here encountered. On arriving at the ships, the Spaniards gave thanks to God for their deliverance from danger; and being all wounded except one, they came to the resolution of returning to Cuba, and set fire to one of their ships which had become leaky, as they had not now able hands enough to manage the sails of both, and to work the pumps. Being much distressed for water, as they had been constrained to abandon their casks at Pontonchan, some of the soundest of the men went on shore at a creek which they called De los Logartos, on account of the numbers of alligators found there. Finding no water here but what was brackish, Alaminos, and the other pilots, recommended to stand over to the coast of Florida, where they arrived in four days. Alaminos went on shore in search of water, with twenty of the stoutest soldiers, armed with cross-bows and muskets, the Captain Hernandez begging them to bring him some water as speedily as possible, as he was perishing of thirst. On landing near a creek, Alaminos said he knew the place, having been here before with Ponce de Leon, and advised them to be on their guard against the natives, and they accordingly posted centinels to give the alarm. They dug pits along an open shore, where they found good water, with which they quenched their thirst; and while employed in washing some linen for the wounded men, and almost ready to reimbark, one of their centinels came running towards them, calling out to put to sea without delay, as warlike Indians were coming towards them. Soon after they saw many canoes with Indians coming down the creek. The Indians were armed with long bows and arrows, and spears and swords after their manner, and being large men clothed in deer skins, they had a very formidable appearance. At the first discharge of their arrows, the Indians wounded six of the Spaniards; but finding the effects of the Spanish arms, they drew off again to their canoes, and seized the Spanish boat. On this the Spaniards closed with them, being obliged to wade up to their middles in the water, but succeeded in rescuing the boat and putting the Indians to flight, Alaminos being wounded in the throat during the fight. When the Indians retreated and the Spaniards were all ready to embark, the centinel who gave the alarm was asked what had become of his companion? He answered, that he had stepped aside towards the creek by which the Indians came down, on purpose to cut down a palmito; and that hearing him soon afterwards cry out, he had run away to give the alarm. A party was sent in search of him, following the track of the Indians, who found the palmito he had begun to cut down, and near it the grass was much trodden down, which made them conclude he had been carried away alive, as they could not find him after an hours search. That unfortunate soldier was the only one who had escaped unwounded from Pontonchan.
The boat now returned to the ship with the water which they had procured; and many of the people on board were so eager to drink, that one of the soldiers leaped into the boat immediately on its getting along-side, and drank so greedily that he swelled and died in two days after. Leaving this place, they came in two days sail to the Martyres, where the greatest depth of water is only two fathoms, interspersed with many rocks, on one of which the ships touched and became very leaky. Yet it pleased God, after so many sufferings, that they arrived at the port of Carenas, now called the Havanna; whence Hernandez de Cordova sent an account of his voyage to James Velasquez, the governor of Cuba, and died in ten days after. Three of his soldiers died also at the Havanna, making fifty-six in all lost during the expedition out of an hundred and ten men. The rest of the soldiers dispersed themselves over the island of Cuba, and the ships returned to the city of St Jago, by which the fame of this voyage spread over the whole island.