Chap, n I. Christopher Columbus. 43 
the Boats went afliore, where meeting ten Canoes full of 
People, and they refufing to barter their Gold-Plates, two 
of the chief of them were taken, that the Admiral might 
learn fomething of them by the Affiltance of two Inter- 
preters. The Gold Plate one of them wore weighed four- 
teen Ducats, and the other’s Eagle, twenty-two. Thefe 
faid, that a Day or two’s Journey up the Country there 
was abundance of Gold in fome Places, which they nara-' 
ed. In the Bay vaft Qiiantities of Fifli were taken, and 
afhore abundance of irefh Provifions, alfo great Plenty 
of Roots, Grains, and Fruit. The Men, who were paint- 
ed all over, of feveral Colours, as red, black, and white, 
went naked, only covered their Privities with a narrow 
Cotton Cloth. 
From this Bay of Caravaro they went to another clofe 
by it, called Aburena, which in fome Meafure is like the 
other. On the i yth they put out to Sea to continue their 
Voyage: And being come to Guaiga^ a River twelve 
Leagues from Ahiirena^ the Admiral commanded the 
Boats to go afliore which v/hen they were doing, they 
fav/ above one hundred Indians on the Strand, who af- 
fauked them very furioufly, running up to the Middle in 
Water, brandifning their Spears, blowing Horns, and 
beating a Drum in a warlike manner to defend their Coun- 
try, throwing the Salt Water towards the Chriftians, 
.chewing Herbs, and fpurting the Juice towards them. 
The S;panic}rds without ftirring, endeavoured to appeafe 
them, as they did, for at laft they drew near to exchange 
the Gold-Plates they had about their Necks, fome for 
two, and fome for three Hawks-Bells, by which Means 
they got fixteen Gold-Plates, worth one hundred and fifty 
Ducats, for a few Baubles 
On the 19th of OBober the Boats went to Land again *, 
yet before any Chriftians went afliore, they called to fome 
Indians who were under Huts they had built that Night 
to defend their Country ■, but none of them would come, 
nor would the Chriftians land without knowing firft 
what Mind they were in ; for, as afterw'ards appeared, 
they waited in or'der to fall on them as foon as they had 
landed. But perceiving they came not out of the Boats, 
they blew their Horns, beat their Drums, and, making 
a great Noife, ran into tlie Water as they had done the 
Day before, till they came almoft to the Boats, making 
Signs as if they would caft their Javelins if they did 
not return to the Ships. The Chriftians, offended at this 
Proceeding, that they might not be fo bold and defpife 
them, wounded one with an Arrow in the Arm, and 
fired a Cannon •, at which they were fo frighted, that all 
ran away. Then four Chriftians landed, and calling 
them back, they came very peaceably, leaving their 
Arms, and exchanged three Gold-Plates, declaring they 
bad no more, becaufe they came not to trade, but to fight. 
All the Admiral looked for in this Voyage, was to ob- 
tain Specimens of what thofe Parts afforded *, and there- 
fore, without further Delay, he proceeded to Calibay and 
caft anchor in the Mouth of a great River. 
The People of the Country were feen to aflemble, and 
afterwards fent a Canoe, with two Men in it, to the Ships, 
who having talked with the Indians that were taken at Ca~ 
riariy prefently came aboard the Admiral without any 
Apprehenfions ; and, by the Advice of thofe Indians, 
gave him freely two Plates of Gold they had about 
their Necks *, and he in return gave them fome Baubles. 
When thefe were gone, there came another Canoe with 
three Men, who did as the firft had done. The Men, 
going afliore, found abundance of People with their King j 
and, to give his Subjects an Example, exchanged a Plate, 
and bid them barter for theirs j which in all were nine- 
teen of pure Gold. 
He then fleered Eaftwards, and came to Cahravo ; 
the People of which Place lye near the Rivers of that 
Coaft j and becaufe none came down, and the Winds 
blew frefli, he held on his Courfe, and went on to five 
Towns of great Trade *, among which was Veragua, 
where the Indians faid the Gold was gathered, and the 
Plates made that they wore about their Necks. The 
next Day he came to a Town called Cubija ; for here 
the Indians of Cariari faid the Trading Country end- 
ed, which began at Caravaro, and ran as far as Cubija, 
for fifty Leagues along the Coaft. The Admiral pro- 
ceeded till he put into Porto Bello, giving it that Name 
becaufe it was large, beautiful, wtII peopled, and en- 
compafTed by a well-cultivated Country; He entred this 
Place on the 2d of November, paffing between two fmall 
Iflands, within which the Ships may lie clofe to the 
Shore, and turn out if they have Occafion. 
6. The Adnniral the 9th of November failed out of 
Porto Bello eight Leagues to the Eaftward, but the next 
Day v/as forced back four Leagues by Strefs of Weather, 
and put in among the Iflands, where afterwards flood the 
Town of Ncmhre de Dios ; and becaufe all thefe fmali 
Iflands were full of Grain, he called it Puerto de Bajl'i- 
mentos, or the Port of Provifions. Tliere a Boat well- 
manned purfuing a Canoe, the Indians imagining the 
Men would do them harm, and perceiving the Boat was 
within lefs than a Stone’s-throw of them, they all threw 
themfelves into the Water to fwim away, as they did, 
for though the Boat rowed hard, it could not in half a 
League overtake any of them. Here they continued till 
the 23d of November refitting the Ships, and that Day 
failed Eaftward to the Place called Guaiga. The Boars 
going afliore here found above three hundred Perfons 
ready to trade for fuch Provifions as they had, and fome 
fmall Ornaments of Gold they" wore at their Ears and 
in their Nofes. 
But, without making any Stay here, on the 24th they 
put into a fmall Port, which was called Retrete, or the 
Retired Place, becaufe it could not contain above five 
or fix Ships together, and tlie Mouth of it was not above 
fifteen or twenty Paces over, and on both Sides of it Rocks 
appearing above Water, and the Channel betv/een ijiem 
was fo deep that they found no Bottom, though if the 
Ships inclined to either Side the Men might leap afliore, 
which hazarded the Sliips in that narrow Place, through 
the Fault of thofe who went in the Boats to view it, be- 
ing covetous to deal with the Indians, and perceiving the 
Ships would lie there conveniently for it, run clofe to 
the Shore. At firft the Indians carhe very familiarly to 
trade for fuch things as they had ; but when they faw the 
Chriftians fteal privately out of their Ships, they retired 
to their Houfes ; becaufe the Seamen, like covetous, 
diffolute Men, committed a thoufand Infolencies, info- 
much that they provoked the Indians to break the Peace, 
and fome Skirmifhes happened between them. 
The Indians, encreafing daily, took Courage to come 
up to the Ships, which lay with their Sides clofe to the 
Shore, thinking to do fome Mifchief, which had turned 
to their own Detriment, had not the Admiral always en- 
deavoured to gain them by Patience and Civilities ; But 
at laft, perceiving their Infolence, to ftrike a Terror into 
them he caufed fome Pieces of Cannon to be fired ; 
which they anfwered with Shouts, thralhing the Trees 
with Staves, and by threatening Signs fhewed they did 
not fear the Noife*, for they thought it had been only a 
Thundering made to terrify them. : Therefore to abate 
their Pride, and make them fear the Chriftians, the Ad- 
miral caufed a Shot to be made at a Company of them 
upon a Hillock, and the Ball falling in the midft of 
them, made them fenfible there was a Thunderbolt as 
well as Thunder ; fo that for the future they durft not 
appear, even on the Mountains. The People of this 
Country were the moft likely they had yet feen among 
the Indians, for they were tall and Ipare, without great 
Bellies, and well-countenanced. 
The Country was all plain, bearing little Grafs, and few 
Trees ; and in the Harbour there were vaft Alligators, 
which went out to fleep afliore, and difflifed as ftrong 
a Scent as if all the Mufie in the World were together, 
but they are fo ravenous and cruel, that if they find a 
Man fleeping, they drag him to the Water to devour 
him, though they are tearful and cowardly when at- 
tacked. Thefe Alligators are found in many other Parts 
of the Continent, and fome affirm that they are the very 
fame as the Crocodiles of the Nile. 
7. The Admiral, perceiving the violent Eaft and 
North-eaft Winds did not ceafe, and that there was no 
trading with thefe People, refolved to go back, to be 
fatisfied in what the Indians faid of the Mines of Veragua \ , 
and 
