from the footsteps of the white men, leaving their villages deserted. In their huts, which were neat and comfortable, the Spaniards found various ingenious implements, and to secure the good-will of the fugitives, bound hawk's-bells and other trinkets upon the children, which, in their hasty flight, had been left behind. The visitors, however, ere long, were horrified at discovering numerous human remains, such as skulls converted into drinking vessels and other domestic utensils. "Our men," says a contemporary, "found in their houses all kinds of earthen vessels, not much vnlike unto ours. They found also in their kytchens, mans flesh, duckes flesh, & goose desh, all in one pot, and other on the spits ready to be layd to the fire. Entring into their inner lodginges, they found faggottes of the bones of mens armes and legges, which they reserue to make heades for their arrowes, because they lack iron, the other bones they cast away when they have eaten the flesh. They found likewise the head of a yong man fastened to a post, and yet bleeding." These people were the Caribs, a fierce race of cannibals, of whom the Spaniards had heard on the former voyage, and from whom the islands and the adjacent sea still take their name. The accounts of their enormities were received with lively interest in Europe, as confirming the reality of cannibalism, which by many had been supposed a mere figment of poetry, engendered in the lively imaginations of the ancient Greek writers. At this island the fleet was detained for several days, awaiting the return of nine mariners, who had straggled into the woods, and did not regain the ships until half starved. Weighing anchor on the 10th, the admiral stood for Hispaniola, discovering numerous islands on the way. At Santa Cruz, some of his people became engaged in a fight with a party of Caribs, who, in a canoe, defended themselves with the utmost desperation, killing one of their assailants. The chief person was an Indian queen, of extraordinary courage and fierceness, who, with her son, ("a young man strongly made, of a terrible and frowning countenance, and a Lion's face,") was finally made prisoner. "When they were brought into the admirall's shippe," proceeds the old narrative, "they did no more put off their fiercenes and cruell countenances than do the Lions of Lybia when they perceiue themselues to bee bound in chaynes. There is no man able to behold them, but he shall feele his bowells grate with a certayne horrour, nature hath endued them with so terrible menacing and cruell aspect." CHAPTER V. ARRIVAL OF THE FLEET AT HAYTI. THE DESTRUCTION OF LA NAVIDAD.-CITY OF ISABELLA FOUNDED. EXPEDITIONS SUFFERINGS AND DISCONTENT OF THE COLONISTS.-EXPEDITION OF COLUMBUS TO THE WEST. TO THE INTERIOR. -DISCOVERY OF JAMAICA.- -INTERCOURSE WITH THE STILL keeping north-west, the fleet discovered and touched at the beautiful island of Boriquen or Porto Rico, and after making further discoveries, by the 22d arrived at the eastern extremity of Hayti. The Indians came off to the ships with their accustomed confidence and friendliness; but terrible misgivings were soon awakened by the discovery of several bodies decaying on the shore, one of which, from its beard, was evidently that of a Spaniard. On the 27th, in the evening, the voyagers arrived off La Navidad, and fired cannon as a signal to their friends on shore. No salute was given in reply, and all on board remained in a state of grievous suspense, until the arrival of messengers from Guacanagari, during the night, confirmed their worst apprehensions. After the departure of Columbus, it would appear, the turbulent and mutinous spirits, whom he had left behind, soon abandoned all restraint, quarrelled with each other, and maltreated the Indians. Eleven of them, athirst for the possession of treasure, had set out for the golden region of Cibao, a region ruled by the fierce Carib Caonabo, who had obtained the sovereignty of that province, and was an object of terror to all the surrounding chieftains. Jealous of the intrusion, he had massacred the adventurers, and then, joining his forces to those of a neighbouring cacique, had stealthily marched to the attack of the fortress. The garrison, surprised in the dead of night, after a vain resistance, were slaughtered to a man; and the village of Guacanagari, who faithfully stood by his guests, was burned to the ground. These disastrous tidings were confirmed by the scene, which the morning light revealed to the eyes of the Spaniards. The fortress lay in ruins, and the Indian village in ashes. Guacanagari was found suffering from a wound received in the contest, and shed tears over the misfortunes of his allies and his people. Several of the latter were wounded, evidently by Indian weapons. Despite these confirmatory circumstances, many of the Spaniards doubted the truth of the tale, and insisted that Guacanagari himself had shared in the destruction of his visitors. Father Boyl, the chief of the friars, advised his immediate execution. But Columbus, believing him innocent, exchanged presents with their accustomed friendliness and invited him aboard ship. The chieftain and his people were again filled with amazement at the new and marvellous productions of the old world, or, as they still supposed, of the distant realms of heaven; and gazed with especial wonder on the horses, now for the first time beheld by Indian eyes. But he saw that to many he was an object of suspicion and hostility, and by refusing to wear the cross, he increased the ill-will of the more fanatical. Soon afterwards, he retreated into the mountains, taking with him some Indian women, whom the Spaniards had captured on their way, and whom he succeeded in enticing from the ships. Leaving this ill-omened neighbourhood, on the 7th of December, the governor weighed anchor, and proceeded in quest of a more favourable location for his settlement. About ten leagues east of the lofty promontory which he named Monte Christi, adverse winds compelled him to put into a harbor. The place presented great natural advantages, as well for building as fortification. Two rivers flowed into it, and the golden mountains of Cibao lay but a moderate distance in the interior. Here, therefore, he determined to lay the foundations of a city, and, in honour of his magnanimous patroness, to name it Isabella. All hands, accordingly, were speedily busied in the work of disembarking stores and materials for building; streets and squares were laid out; a church, a public magazine, and a house for the governor, were constructed of stone; and numerous wooden buildings, for the shelter of the settlers, were speedily erected. But the change of climate and unaccustomed toil soon wrought their work on the frames of this over-sanguine multitude. Columbus himself was prostrated with illness; but in some measure to satisfy the disappointed expectants of immediate wealth, resolved to despatch an expedition to the interior, to survey its resources, and to lay open the way to the anticipated region of treasure. Alonzo de Ojeda, a young cavalier distinguished for daring and activity, was put in command of a small force, well armed and resolute, with which, early in January, 1494, he set forth for the interior The task of exploration proved difficult from the forests and mountains through which their course lay; but they were received, as usual, with much kindness at the Indian villages, and were elated at finding in the sands of the mountain torrents glittering particles of the coveted ore. Having been absent for a number of days, they returned with encouraging reports. Reassured by these favourable tidings, Columbus now dispatched to Spain twelve of his vessels, with specimens of the gold and the natural productions of the island, and a number of Caribs whom he had captured in his cruise among the Cannibal Islands. These pagans, he requested, might be instructed in Spanish and Christianity, and thus become useful as missionaries and interpreters among their anthropophagan brethren. Further to promote the work of conver sion, he proposed to establish a regular trade with the mother-country, by which live stock might be furnished to the colony in exchange for a regular supply of cannibals, duly to be caught and sent home for their spiritual good and the merely incidental value of their services as slaves. This notable scheme, (by which, it was believed, "a vast number of souls would be snatched from perdition and carried as it were by main force to heaven,") fell through, from the benevolent disapprobation of the queen. Hardly had the vessels taken their departure, when the impatient colonists, dispirited by work and sickness, and disappointed in their golden hopes, began to exhibit signs of mutiny and a desire to aban don the settlement. A scheme for seizing the ships was detected by the vigilance of the governor. A slanderous memorial against him was found concealed in one of the buoys. The chief ringleader was sent home to Spain, and others were moderately punished; but enmities and resentments were awakened against the admiral, readily obnoxious as a foreigner, which were destined greatly to thwart and embarrass his future undertakings. On recovering from his illness, his energetic spirit at once found employment in the task of explora tion. Leaving his brother Diego in command of the town, he set forth, on the 12th of March, with four hundred men, well armed and equipped, for the interior. Crossing the beautiful Vega Real, or Royal Plain, and every where received with wondering curiosity and unbounded hospitality by the Indians, the expedition finally entered the rugged passes of Cibao, or the "Region of Stones," through which the heavy armed soldiers toiled with difficulty, though con |