70 HISTORY OF THE [BOOK. i. 



ral (the tears flowing copiously down his cheeks as he 

 spoke) all that he himself possessed, in reparation of 

 his loss.* 



This benevolence, unexampled in the history of ci? 

 vilized nations, was soon basely requited by the con-r 

 duct of a band of robbers, whom Columbus, unfor- 

 tunately, left in the island, on his departure for 

 Europe. Guacanahari, however, was covered w r ith 

 wounds in defending them from his injured country- 

 men ;f to whose just resentment the Spanish ruffians 

 at length fell a sacrifice ; but their anger was of short 

 duration. On Columbus's return, in his second 

 voyage, their fondness revived; and for a considerable 

 time the Spaniards lived among them in perfect secu- 

 rity, exploring the interior parts of the country, both 

 in companies and individually, not only without mo- 

 lestation, but invited thereto by the natives. When 

 any of the Spaniards came near to a village, the most 

 ancient and venerable of the Indians, or the Cacique 

 himself, if present, came out to meet them, gently 

 conducted them into their habitations, and seated 

 them on stools of ebony curiously ornamented. These 

 benches seem to have been seats of honour reserved 

 for their guests ; for the Indians threw themselves on 

 the ground, and kissing the hands and feet of the 

 Spaniards, offered them fruits and the choicest of 

 their viands; entreating them to prolong their stay, 

 with such solicitude and reverence, as demonstrated 



* Fer. Col. c. xxxii. Herrera, decad. i. lib. i. c. xviii. 

 f Herrera, decado i. lib. ii. c. ix. Fer. Col. c. xK 





