192 Field Columbian Museum. 



wood instead of iron, of which they have none. They are fierce 

 compared with the other people, who are in general but sad cow- 

 ards ; but I do not consider them in any other way superior to them. 

 These are they who trade in women, who inhabit the first island 

 met with in going- from Spain to the Indies, in which there are no 

 men whatever. They have no effeminate exercise, but bows and 

 arrows, as before said, of cane, with which they arm themselves, and 

 use shields of copper, of which they have plenty. 



There is another island, I am told, larger than Espaiiola, the 

 natives of which have no hair. In this there is gold without limit, 

 and of this and the others I have Indians with me to witness. 



In conclusion, referring only to what has been effected by this 

 voyage, which was made with so much haste. Your Highnesses may 

 see that I shall find as miich gold as desired with the very little 

 assistance afforded to me; there is as much spice and cotton as can 

 be wished for, and also gum, which hitherto has only been found in 

 Greece, in the island of Chios, and they may sell it as they please, 

 and the mastich, as much as may be desired, and slaves, also, who 

 will be idolators. And I believe that I have rhubarb, and cmna- 

 mon, and a thousand other things I shall find, which will be dis- 

 covered by those whom I have left behind, for I did not stop at 

 any cape when the wind enabled me to navigate, except at the town 

 of Navidad, where I was very safe and well taken care of. And in 

 truth much more I should have done if the ships had served me as 

 might have been expected. This is certain, that the Eternal God 

 our Lord gives all things to those who obey Him, and the victory 

 when it seems impossible, and this, evidentlyj is an instance of it, 

 for although people have talked of these lands, all was conjecture 

 unless proved by seeing them, for the greater part listened and 

 judged more by hearsay than by anything else. 



Since, then, our Redeemer has given this victory to our illus- 

 trious King and Queen and celebrated thoir reigns by such a great 

 thing, all Christendom should rejoice and make great festivals, and 

 give solemn thanks to the Blessed Trinity, with solemn praises for 

 the exaltation of so much people to our holy faith ; and next for the 

 temporal blessings which not only Spain but they will enjoy in becom- 

 ing Christians, and which last may shortly be accomplished. 



Written in the caravel off the Canary Islands, on the fifteenth 

 of February, ninety-three. 



The following is introduced into the letter after being closed : 

 "After writing the above, being in the Castilian Sea (off the 

 coast of Castile), I experienced so severe a wind from south and 

 southeast that I have been obliged to run today into this port of Lis- 

 bon, and only by a miracle got safely in, from whence I intended to 

 write to Your Highnesses. In all parts of the Indies I have found 

 the weather like that of May, where I went in ninety-three days, and 

 returned in seventy-eight, saving these thirteen days of bad weather 

 that I have been detained beating about in this sea. Every seaman 

 here says that never was so severe a winter, nor such loss of ships. 



