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tastic appearance. Their natural complexion was of a tawny or copper hue, and they were entirely destitute of beards. Their hair was not crisped, like the recently discovered tribes of Africa, under the same latitude, but straight and coarse, partly cut above the ears, but some locks behind left long, and falling upon their shoulders. Their features, though disfigured by paint, were agreeable; they had lofty foreheads, and remarkably fine eyes. They were of moderate stature, and well shaped; most of them appeared to be under thirty years of age. There was but one female with them, quite young, naked like her companions, and beautifully formed. They appeared to be a simple and artless people, and of gentle and friendly dispositions. Their only arms were lances, hardened at the end by fire, or pointed with a flint or the bone of a fish. There was no iron to be seen among them, nor did they know its properties; for when a drawn sword was presented to them, they unguardedly took it by the edge. Columbus distributed among them coloured caps, glass beads, hawk's bells, and other trifles, which they received as inestimable gifts, and, decorating themselves with them, were wonderfully delighted with their finery.

As Columbus supposed himself to have landed on an island at the extremity of India, he called the natives by the general appellation of Indians, which was universally adopted before the nature of his discovery was known, and has since been extended to all the aboriginals of the new world. The Spaniards remained all day on shore, refreshing themselves, after their anxious voyage, amidst the beautiful groves of the island; and they returned to their

ships late in the evening, delighted with all they had seen.

The island where Columbus had thus, for the first time, set his foot upon the new world, is one of the Lucayos, or Bahama Islands, and was called by the natives Guanahanì: it still retains the name of San Salvador, which he gave it, though called by the English, Cat Island. The light which he had seen the evening previous to his making land may have been on Watling's Island, which lies a few leagues to the east.

On the following morning, at daybreak, some of the natives came swimming off to the ships, and others came in light barks, which they called canoes, formed of a single tree, hollowed, and capable of holding from one man to the number of forty or fifty. The Spaniards soon discovered that they were destitute of wealth, and had little to offer, in return for trinkets, except balls of cotton yarn, and domesticated parrots. They brought cakes of a kind of bread called cassava, made from the yuca root, which constituted a principal part of their food.

The avarice of the discoverers was awakened by perceiving small ornaments of gold in the noses of some of the natives. On being asked where this precious metal was procured, they answered by signs, pointing to the south; and Columbus understood them to say, that a king resided in that quarter, of such wealth that he was served in great vessels of gold. He interpreted all their imperfect communications according to his previous ideas and his cherished wishes. They spoke of a warlike people, who often invaded their islands from the north-west, and carried off the inhabitants. These

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he concluded to be the people of the main land of Asia, subjects to the Grand Khan, who, according to Marco Polo, were accustomed to make war upon the islands, and make slaves of the natives. The rich country to the south could be no other than the island of Cipango; and the king who was served out of golden vessels must be the monarch whose magnificent palace was said to be covered with plates of gold.

Having explored the island of Guanahanì, and taken in a supply of wood and water, Columbus set sail in quest of the opulent country to the south, taking seven of the natives with him, to acquire the Spanish language, and serve as interpreters and guides.

He now beheld a number of beautiful islands, green, level, and fertile, and the Indians intimated by signs, that they were innumerable: he supposed them to be a part of the great archipelago described by Marco Polo as stretching along the coast of Asia, and abounding with spices and odoriferous trees. He visited three of them, to which he gave the names of Santa Maria de la Concepcion, Fernandina, and Isabella. The inhabitants gave the same proofs as those of San Salvador of being totally unaccustomed to the sight of civilized man. They regarded the Spaniards as superhuman beings, approached them with propitiatory offerings, of whatever their poverty, or rather their simple and natural mode of life, afforded; the fruits of their fields and groves, their cotton yarn, and their domesticated parrots. When the Spaniards landed in search of water, they took them to the coolest springs, the sweetest and freshest runs, filling their casks, rolling

them to the boats, and seeking in every way to gratify their celestial visiters.

Columbus was enchanted by the lovely scenery of some of these islands. "I know not," says he, "where first to go, nor are my eyes ever weary of gazing on the beautiful verdure. The singing of the birds is such, that it seems as if one would never desire to depart hence. There are flocks of parrots that obscure the sun, and other birds of many kinds, large and small, entirely different from ours. Trees, also, of a thousand species, each having its particular fruit, and all of marvellous flavour. I believe there are many herbs and trees which would be of great value in Spain for tinctures, medicines, and spices, but I know nothing of them, which gives me great vexation."

The fish, which abounded in these seas, partook of the novelty which characterized most of the objects in this new world. They rivalled the birds in the tropical brilliancy of their colours, the scales of some of them glanced back the rays of light like precious stones, and as they sported about the ships, they flashed gleams of gold and silver through the crystal

waves.

Columbus was disappointed in his hopes of finding any gold or spices in these islands; but the natives continued to point to the south as the region of wealth, and began to speak of an island in that direction, called Cuba, which, the Spaniards understood them to say, abounded in gold, pearls, and spices, and carried on an extensive commerce, and that large merchant-ships came to trade with the inhabitants. Columbus concluded this to be the desired Cipango, and the merchant-ships to be those

of the Grand Khan. He set sail in search of it, and after being delayed for several days, by contrary winds and calms, among the small islands of the Bahama bank and channel, he arrived in sight of it on the 28th of October.

As he approached this noble island, he was struck with its magnitude, the grandeur of its mountains, its fertile valleys and long sweeping plains, covered by stately forests, and watered by noble rivers. He anchored in a beautiful river to the west of Nuevitas del Principe, and taking formal possession of the island, gave it the name of Juana, in honour of Prince Juan, and to the river the name of San Salvador.

Columbus spent several days coasting this part of the island, and exploring the fine harbours and rivers with which it abounds. From his continual remarks in his journal on the beauty of the scenery, and from the pleasure which he evidently derived from rural sounds and objects, he appears to have been extremely open to those delicious influences exercised over some spirits by the graces and wonders of nature. He was, in fact, in a mood to see every thing through a fond and favouring medium, for he was enjoying the fulfilment of his hopes, the hardearned but glorious reward of his toils and perils ; and it is difficult to conceive the rapturous state of his feelings, while thus exploring the charms of a virgin world, won by his enterprise and valour.

In the sweet smell of the woods, and the odour of the flowers, he fancied he perceived the fragrance of oriental spices, and along the shores he found shells of the oyster which produces pearls. He frequently deceived himself, in fancying that he

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