Taken from The Log of Columbus (Part 4)
Friday, 21 December 1492
I sent six sailors to explore the village, and the people showed them all the honor they knew how to show and gave them whatever they had, utterly convinced that I and all my people came from Heaven. The Indians I had brought from the other islands also believed this, even though what they ought to believe in this respect had already been explained to them. After my six men had returned, some canoes came carrying people who begged me on the part of their Chief,* to go to his village when I left here.
Since the Chief’s village was situated on a point of land right on the way, and since he was waiting for me with many of his people, I went there. But before I started, so many men, women, and children came to the shore that it was alarming. They were all crying loudly that I must not leave. But the Chief’s messengers who had come to invite me were waiting in their canoes, so I went to see him.
When I arrived where the Chief was waiting for me, he ordered all his people to be seated. They brought us many things to eat and took food to our boats. After they saw that I had received what they had brought, most of them ran back to the village, which must have been near, in order to get more food, which they offered, along with parrots and other things, with such generosity that it was amazing. I gave them glass beads, brass rings, and hawk’s bells, not because they had asked for anything but because it seemed to me to be the right thing to do and, above all, because I already consider them to be Christians and subjects of the Sovereigns of Castile. They belong to the Sovereigns even more than do the people of Castile. Nothing is lacking except knowledge of their language in order to give them commands because they do whatever they are told, without contradiction. When I departed for the ships all the men, women, and children cried out for us to remain. And even as we were departing, canoes filled with Indians followed us to the ships. I treated them with every courtesy and gave them things to eat and other items I had with me. Another Chief had come previously from the west, and many people even came swimming out to us, though the ship was more than a mile from land.
The Chief that I mentioned had departed, and I sent a few men to see him and question him about these islands. He received my men very well, taking them to his village and giving them some large pieces of gold. They came to a large river that the Indians swam across, but my men were not able to do so and came back.
*Literally, "Senor," i.e., "Lord," or "Chief" in this context.
No comments:
Post a Comment