Chap. III. 



A M E%^I C A. 



5i 



by want of Provifions (not confidering themfelves) to ftarve out the Spaniards - 

 but the mifchief fell upon the Contrivers ; for fo great a Famine hapned, that 

 fpreading over the whole Countrey, in a few Moneths fifty thoufand were 

 ftarv'd to death • but the Spaniards made a faving, though hard fhift with their 

 own ftore, then, though too late, the Iflanders repented of their folly, for they 

 faw the Spaniards making an advantage of their mifery, not onely built more 

 Houfes in their City IfabeBa, but prepared their Weather-beaten VciTels, with 

 which Sailing to the Gold Mountains of Cipangi on the Hill, whence lprung 

 feveral Fountains, they rais'd che Caftle of the Conception. Great benefit they 

 reap'd by this Fort, to which they carry 'd daily abundance of Amber, Brim- 

 ftone, mix'd Ore of Silver and Gold,and ®r4^ife-wood,befides great ftore of 

 Gold : and they might have gotten ten times more,had they not been fo much 

 inclhvd toflothfulnefs, and minding other vain pleafures : yet notwithftand- 

 ing all, the Fleet carry'd that year above one thoufand two hundred pound 

 weight of Gold to Spain. 



In the mean while the Natives complained to Columbus of the Spanijb Soldi- j*«r*Atyranufttfcrc;. 

 ers, which under pretence to feek for Gold, committed many infufferable Out- 

 rages ; therefore they defir'd that they might be retain'd in their Forts, and not 

 ftraggle Co much abroad, and they would willingly bring them every three 

 Moneths a certain weight of Cotton, Amber, ©r^r/e-wood, and Gold, more 

 than equivalent to what they fnatch'd ; but Columbus (whofe Soldiers, not- 

 withstanding his feverity, and ufirig Martial Law upon fome of them for 

 «their Crimes, and proud with their fuccefs) yet prevail'd at laft, that they 

 confented thereto - but the Inhabitants never perform'd their promife, who 

 being almoft famifh'd, had much to do to preferve themfelves alive, fpendin^ 

 their time in picking Sallads. 



Whilft the Bufinefs remained in this ill pofture, or rather confufion, Cibanus, 

 Brother to the imprifon'd Qaunaboa, rais'd an Army of five thoufand Men : 

 the Spaniards, divided into five Companies, rrurch'd to meet him ; and their 

 Enemies being naked, and having no other Arms than Bowes, Arrows, and 

 Clubs, after fome little refiftance, were foon diffipated and put to flight, but 

 overtaken by the SpaniJI? Horfe, many of them were taken Prifoners, and others 

 fore'd to skulk and hide themfelves on the tops of Mountains. 



Shortly after this Battel hapned a Huricane, mix'd with Thunder-claps, 

 renting great pieces from the Rocks, and the Wind blowing out of the Eaft, 

 threw down Houfes and Trees, fome of which were carry 'd a vaft heighth in- 

 to the Air j three Ships that rode in the Harbor, broke their new Cables, and 

 fplikagainft the Rocks. The Spaniards expected nought elfe, but that with this 

 exceffive Temped the Day of Judgment was at hand. And on the other fide, 

 the Iflanders afcribed this raging of Heavens to the Spaniards wickednefs. This 

 Storm paft,and the Air fctUd,Columbusgzvc order for th$ building of two new 

 Ships there, with which in March, Anno 1495. nc rcturn'd to Spain ; where in 

 ^Medina del Campo he gave an account at the Court about the difcover'd Coun- 

 treys ; where alfo Sentence was pafs'd on feveral Spaniards, and chiefly con- 

 cerning the (BcnediBine Monk Hoilus, who out of meer malice pafs'd by him at 

 Mafswith the Hoft, while he gave it to others, without any diftinftion.- 

 Then he gave a further account, that his Brother Bartholomew had found, fixty 

 Leagues beyond Ifabetta, feveral deep Pits, the uppermost Ground of which 

 Sifted, produced abundance pf Gold, Moreover, that he had built the Caftle 

 Anna there in three Monethstime with little trouble : but becaufe Provifions 



H i grew 



Their C01 queft. 



Horiblc Tempeft, 



A remarkable psffage 

 toiKerning gUrtMwiim 

 Co I ami us. 



