THE HOME OF THE INDIAN WEED 33 



sixteen days later, October 28, sighted the island of Cuba, 

 to which Columbus gave the name of Juana, in honour of 

 Prince Juan. In his selected letters, translated by R.H. 

 Major, F.S.A., Columbus says : ' I followed the coast west- 

 ward, and found it so large that I thought it must be the 

 mainland, the province of Cathay, China.' Continuing his 

 narrative he says, ' And as I found neither towns nor villages 

 on the coast, but only a few hamlets with the natives of 

 which I could not hold conversation because they immedi- 

 ately fled, I kept on the same route, thinking I could not 

 fail to light upon some large cities and towns. . . . Re- 

 turning to the harbour I had remarked, I sent two men 

 ashore to ascertain whether there was any king or large 

 cities in that part.' 



Cruising in this region of enchantment, Cuba had fallen 

 upon his enraptured gaze like a vision of Eden. Soft and 

 gentle breezes, an azure sunlight sky, a rich luxuriant land- 

 scape, the carolling of birds, exercised a powerful influence 

 over his imagination. He exclaims : 'It is the most 

 beautiful island the eyes ever beheld. I am told that the 

 trees never lose their foliage, and I can well understand it, 

 for I observed they were all as green and luxuriant as in 

 Spain in the month of May. Some were in blossom and 

 others bearing fruit, others otherwise, according to their 

 nature. The nightingale was singing as well as other 

 birds of a thousand different kinds, and that in November, 

 the month in which I myself was roaming amongst them.' 



After an absence of three days, the two men whom 

 Columbus had sent to explore returned. They had found 

 no king nor large city, but had come upon many small 

 hamlets with numberless inhabitants ; yet nothing could be 

 seen that in any way corresponded to their ideas of settled 

 government. On their way back they for the first time 



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