EARLY COLLECTION OF GOLD CHAP. XVII. 



coverers that hawks' bells were eagerly sought for, 

 and the golden ornaments readily given in ex- 

 change for them. It appears that an Indian gave 

 half a handful of gold dust for one hawk's bell *. 

 Although there is mention made of coronets of 

 gold 2 , they were only in the possession of the 

 caciques, and no intimations are given of their 

 weight ; and it may be inferred that they were 

 very light, from Peter Martyr having recorded as 

 an extraordinary fact that one person had obtained 

 a lump of gold weighing nine ounces 3 . It is 

 clear that whatever gold had been collected by 

 the natives had been procured by washing the 

 sands in the beds of the rivers ; and as that re- 

 quires a degree of labour, such as the wants of 

 the Indians could not induce them to apply with 

 energy and perseverance, it is scarcely possible it 

 should have been of a large amount. Neither the 

 first nor second vessels that returned from America 

 brought any gold except a few trinkets. The 

 expenses of the expedition and the small fruits of 

 the discovery were a constant subject of complaint 

 among the ministers of Ferdinand, and with dif- 

 ficulty surmounted by the persevering spirit of 

 Isabella. 



After twelve years' occupation of Hispaniola 

 and the subjugation of its inhabitants, attempts 



Washington living's History of Columbus, vol. i. p. 330. 

 2 Idem, vol. i. p. 346. 3 Idem, vol. ii. p. 78. 



