Peter Parleys Tales About America and Australia | Page 4

land for
themselves.
After performing this ceremony, of which Columbus himself could not
foresee the consequences to the Indians, for he was very kind to them,
he made them presents of trinkets and other trifles, with which they
were greatly delighted, and brought him in return the fruits of their
fields and groves, and a sort of bread called cassada, made from the
root of the yuca; with whatever else their own simple mode of life
might afford.
Columbus then returned to his ship, accompanied by many of the
islanders in their boats, which they called canoes; these simple and
undiscerning children of nature having no foresight of the calamities
and desolation which awaited their country.
This island was called by the natives Guanahini, and by the Spaniards
St. Salvador: it is one of that cluster of West India Islands called the
Bahamas, and if you look on the map you will see that it is the very
first island that would present itself to a ship sailing direct from Spain.
Columbus did not continue his voyage for some days, as he wished to
give all his sailors an opportunity of landing and seeing the wonders of
the new-discovered world, and to take in a fresh supply of water, in
which they were cheerfully assisted by the natives, who took them to
the clearest springs and the sweetest and freshest streams, filling their
casks and rolling them to the boats, and seeking in every way to gratify
(as they believed) their celestial visitors.
Columbus having thus refreshed his crews, and supplied his ships with
water, proceeded on his voyage. After visiting several smaller islands
he discovered a large island which the natives called Cuba, and which
still retains that name. This was so large an island that he at first
thought it to be a new continent.
In proceeding along the coast, having observed that most of the people
whom he had seen wore small plates of gold by way of ornament in

their noses, he eagerly inquired, by signs, where they got that precious
metal.
The Indians, as much astonished at his eagerness in quest of gold as the
Europeans were at their ignorance and simplicity, pointed towards the
east, to an island which they called Hayti, in which this metal was more
abundant.
Columbus ordered his squadron to bend their course thither, but Martin
Alonzo Pinzon, impatient to be the first who should take possession of
the treasure which this country was supposed to contain, quitted his
companions with his ship, the Pinta, and though Columbus made
signals to slacken sail, he paid no regard to them.
When they came in sight of Hayti, which you will see was no great
distance, if you look on the map, Columbus having had no sleep the
night before, had gone to his cabin to lie down and rest himself, having
first given the charge of the vessel to an experienced sailor.
This careless man, (this lazy lubber, the sailors would call him,) instead
of performing his duty, and watching over the safety of the ship and the
lives of his companions, which were entrusted to him, deserted his post
and went to sleep, leaving the vessel to the management of a young and
thoughtless boy.
The rapid currents which prevail on that coast soon carried the vessel
on a shoal, and Columbus was roused from his sleep by the striking of
the ship and the cries of the terrified boy.
They first endeavoured, by taking out an anchor, to warp the vessel off,
but the strength of the current was more than a match for them, and the
vessel was driven farther and farther on the shoal; they then cut away
the mast and took out some of the stores to lighten her; but all their
efforts were vain.
Before sunset the next evening the vessel was a complete wreck.
Fortunately the Nina was close at hand, and the shipwrecked mariners
got on board of her; the inhabitants of the island came in their canoes

and assisted them in preserving part of their stores.
They found Hayti a very beautiful island, and were treated with the
greatest kindness by the inhabitants; but, though delighted with the
beauty of the scenes which everywhere presented themselves, and
amazed at the luxuriance and fertility of the soil, Columbus did not find
gold in such quantities as was sufficient to satisfy the avarice of his
followers; he was nevertheless anxious to prolong his voyage, and
explore those magnificent regions which seemed to invite them on
every hand.
But as the Pinta had never joined them again after parting from them,
he had no vessel now left but the Nina; he did not therefore think it
prudent to pursue his discoveries with one small vessel, and that