[295-6] See Journal, [October 21]. and [note].
[296-1] Of this voyage of exploration there seems to be no record. Our natural sources, the Historie and Las Casas, are silent. Columbus suspended his writing in his Journal from December 11, 1493, till March 12, 1494. Antonio de Torres sailed for Spain February 2, 1494, when Dr. Chanca sent off his letter. Probably this exploration was begun about December 20.
[296-2] Unos gosques grandes. The French translation has gros carlins, “large pug-dogs.” Bernaldez calls these dogs, gozcos pequeños, “small curs.” “Cur” is the common meaning for gozque or gosque. See Oviedo, lib. XII., cap. V., for a description of these native dogs which soon became extinct.
[296-3] Bernaldez, II. 34, supplies the native name, Utia. Oviedo, lib. XII., cap. I., describes the hutia. When he wrote it had become so scarce as to be seen only on rare occasions. It was extinct in Du Tertre’s time, a century later. Of the four allied species described by Oviedo, the hutia, the quemi, the mohuy, and the cori (agouti), only the last has survived to the present day.
[296-4] Cabra, or Goat Island, between Puerto de Plata and Cas Rouge Point. (Major.)
[297-1] Apparently the cayman or South American alligator.
[298-1] The river Yaque.
[298-2] It is only seven leagues. (Navarrete.)
[298-3] This chief’s name is Guacanagari in Las Casas, Historia de las Indias, and in the Historie of Ferdinand Columbus, Goathanari in the Syllacio-Coma letter, Guacanari in Bernaldez and Guaccanarillus in Peter Martyr’s De Rebus Oceanicis.
[298-4] The admiral anchored at the entrance of the harbor of Navidad, on Wednesday, the 27th of November, towards midnight. Las Casas, II. 11.