THE BAHAMAS. 439 



vessels to tread the maze of the Bahamas in search of the miraculous fountain. His 

 weary search was in vain, and v.'hen his successor, Perez de Ortubia, at last 

 reached the long-sought islet, one of the Bernini reefs on the east side of Florida 

 Passage, the thin thread of water springing from the rock was found to possess 

 no efficacy. 



These pioneers, who fancied themselves predestined to recover the Garden of 

 Eden, must have formed strange notions regarding the abode of bliss, for they 

 began their work by enslaving and destroying the natives. They formed no 

 settlements on these flat Bahaman rocks, but they endeavoured to " exploit " the 

 inhabitants by transporting them to the plantations and mines of the other 

 Antilles. In 1509 King Ferdinand authorised the sale of the Lucayans, and 

 forthwith the unhappy victims of Spanish greed were hunted like game, and 

 even tracked with bloodhounds ; in this way a few years sufficed to depopulate the 

 whole archipelago. 



Attempts were especially made to utilise the marvellous diving powers which 

 the islanders shared with the inhabitants of Micronesia. The molluscs visible on 

 the marine bed through the depths of the clear waters supplied the Lucayans with 

 much of their daily food. For every meal they had but to dive amid the corals 

 and algoo of the marine bed, and bring up a fresh supply. Accordingly, a high 

 price was set on these skilful divers by the Spanish owners of the Cumana pearl- 

 fisheries on the South American coast. As much as 150 ducats was paid for a 

 single adult ; but in a few years not one remained, and at present but few traces 

 can be found of their former existence.* 



On reaching the Caicos group the first English settlers are said to have picked 

 up a few Indian skulls in a cave ; they also found various objects of the old 

 industries, especially earthenware, as well as a stone hatchet on which had been 

 carved a dolphin's head. In Crooked Island other stone weapons have been met 

 in large numbers, all wrought from a silicious stone not occurring in the Lucayas 

 themselves. Hence they must have been obtained by trading with the other 

 Antilles or the neighbouring mainland, which necessarily supposes a certain 

 degree of civilisation on the part of the islanders. 



After the disappearance of the natives the archipelago was deserted for over 

 a century, though still regaixled as belonging to Spain. But when the coast of 

 Carolina was occupied by English settlers, the Bahamas were regarded as a 

 natural dependency of the new colony, and the labyrinth of reefs and islets 

 seemed admirably placed for surprising passing Spanish vessels laden with 

 merchandise and the precious metals. Adventurers of all sorts lurked in ambush 

 about the straits, and the trade of the " wreckers and r.ikers " had as the centre 

 of its operations the port of New Providence, which was "providentially" 

 situated at the converging line of two oceanic routes. 



From time to time the Spaniards of Cuba sent expeditions to destroy this nest 

 of pirates ; but after their departure the " trade " was always revived by fresh 

 comers. At last the isLinds were permanently occupied by British troops in 1718, 



* MacKinnen, A Tour through the British West Indies. 



