Columbus now continued his voyage, and, on the 27th, cast anchor about a league from the spot on which he had built the fort of La Navidad, and where he had left a party of Spaniards, as we have related, to await his return.
CHAPTER VI.
What took place in the new world.
Columbus, as I said, arrived off the fort of La Navidad on the 27th of November, 1493. It was in the evening when the fleet cast anchor. The fort could not be distinguished, but many an eye was turned that way, hoping to discover some light. But nothing was seen. Columbus now directed some cannon to be fired, to give the people in the fort notice of their arrival.
No sooner were the guns fired, than all on board listened for an answer, and looked for a signal in return; but they looked and listened in vain. All was dark and solitary. What could this mean? No one was prepared to answer; but all secretly, and some even aloud, prophesied that some dreadful disaster had befallen the people of the fort. Nothing, however, could be certainly known until the morning. This was, therefore, waited for with no little anxiety and impatience.
About midnight, however, several Indians, from the island, came on board. They were persons whom Columbus had seen before. One was a relation of Guacanagari, the chief of the Indians in that part of the island.
These Indians informed Columbus of the sad fate of the Spaniards. They were almost all dead. Some had fallen sick and perished; some had quarrelled among themselves; some had separated from the rest; and the few, who he believed to survive, were in another part of the island. They also told Columbus how Coanabo, a mighty chief, had, during his absence, come from the mountains of Cibao, and had nearly ruined Guacanagari and his people; that their chief had been wounded in battle, and was still confined.
The following day, a party from the fleet went on shore, and visited the fort. It was a heap of ruins. Suspicions were now entertained that all was not right on the part of Guacanagari and his people. Several circumstances seemed to indicate that they had been concerned in the murder of the Spaniards. One fact, that excited the suspicions of Columbus more than all others, was that none of the Indians came near him. A few were seen lurking about, but they were shy. The country looked desolate and deserted.
After a time, however, the truth came out. The Spaniards had wrought their own ruin. They had quarrelled; they had abused Guacanagari and his people; they had separated from one another. Some had died through their own indulgences; and a party, who had wandered into the dominions of Coanabo, had been seized by him and put to death. After their death, Coanabo had raised an army, had invaded the territories of Guacanagari, had routed his people, wounded him, and burnt his village.
This was sad intelligence for Columbus, and cast a gloom not only over his mind, but over the minds of all on board the fleet. Columbus, however, lost no time in searching for a suitable spot on which to commence a settlement. One was, at length, found, about thirty miles from La Navidad; and here was commenced the building of a city, which Columbus named Isabella, after the queen of Spain.