5o 



R 







Great difturbaiKS 

 HifpanioU, 





zA M E%1 C A. Chap. III. 



row out of a Bowe, (hoots towards the other Fifli, and then gathering the 

 Mouth of the Bag on his Head like a Purfe*net holds them fo fait, that he lets 

 not loofe till hal'd up out of the Water. 



Here the Spaniards having Din'd on delicate Fifh, went on ftill Weftward, 

 and came to an uninhabited Ifle, but well ftor'd with Gecfe, Pelicans, and ugly- 

 Dogs that could not bark. Here they came amongft fo many Shoals, that the 

 Keels of their Ships raked upon the Ground almoft forty Leagues together, 

 the Water thick and white like Milk. Laftly,they came again into deep Water, 

 and Landed at the Foot of a high Mountain, on the Ifland Cuba 5 where they 

 found two Springs of very fweet Water. A Mufqueteer going into the Woods 

 whilft the reft fill'd their VelTels with Water and cut Wood, he fpied a tali 

 Man in a Coat like a white Fryer's Frock 5 behind whom came two more, and 

 foon after thirty more follow'd, all alike Habited : the Mufqueteer running 

 away, they beckned him to ftay, but he march'd off 5 and informing Columbus 

 of his Adventure, he fenta Party well Arm'd to fee farther into the Countrey ; 

 but they neither faw nor heard any Men, oncly found on the other fide of the 

 Wood a great Plain, but fo overgrown with deep Grafs, that it was impoflible 

 to get through : The next day he fcnt out twenty five more, which found no- 

 thing elfe than the Prints of the Steps of great Beafts and Lyons, and alfo 

 abundance of large Grapes, which hung on the Branches of Vines, clafping 

 about the Bodies of the great Trees. 



Hence Qolumbm again putting to Sea, and Sailing Wefterly, found a Shore 

 overflow'd with Water, and abounding with Pearl-Mufsles, and after that the 

 whole Countrey full of Mountains, whofe tops fmoaked. By this time the 

 Fleet was much damnified by the Shole-water-, where, as wc mention'd before, 

 they often ftruck, and their Keels rak'd upon the Ground 5 fo that having 

 fprung feveral Leaks, and their Provisions growing mouldy with the Damp, 

 they were fore'd to return . ancTTacking about they ran againft Turtles,which 

 lay as thick in the Sea as if they had been fow'n. 



Columbus now on his return home, and Landing once more on Cuba, found 

 an ancient Man ftark naked, who fpeaking to him (Didacus interpreted, the 

 Language in fomepart agreeing with that of Hifpaniol a) to this effect,: 



You have to all admiration come to fee this Countrey from another World, my advice to 

 you is, That you hurt none • for the 'Souls of eyiUdoers go to dark places : fBut on the con* 

 trary, they frail enjoy the heighth of all fleafures that are Friends to Teace. 1 



Columbus reply'd, Tloat he came a Scourge for the cruel Cannibals; but a Shield to 

 protecl. the quiet and well-meaning Indians. 



After this, returning to Hifyaniola, much contrary td his expectation, he 

 found all things which he had fe tied there turn'd topfie-turvy : for firft the 

 Governors at Jfabella jangled, and were at private contentions amongft them- 

 felves, and the 'BemdiRine Monk Boilus and Peter Margarites were returned to 

 Spain, there to make their complaints at Court : and befides, the Spaniards had 

 dealt very inhumanely with the Natives,by their frequent Rapes, Thefts, and 

 Murders ; wherefore the Indians, not unjuftly incensed, deftroy'd all the Spani* 

 ards they found ftragling in any part without the Lines of their Fortification. 

 Catmabda alfo lay about the Fort St. ThomaZ, and clofely befieged Ho/W<* . but 

 receiving intelligence of Columbus's arrival, he broke up his Siege, and march'd 

 from thence, but foon after was taken Priloner by the Spaniards. Mean while 

 upon Defign (a Plot none of the wifeft) the Natives of HijpanioLi had neither 

 Tilled or Sow'd the Ground, or'us'd Agriculture the vear before, contriving 



by 



