The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-12-10
PERILOUS ENTERPRISE.

e.
The COLBY which Columbus established, ON
his second Voyage, at Hispauiola was greatly
annoyed by Sme of the hostile natives. Caon.
abo, chiefan inhabitng the wild and noun
famous part IF the island was known to medi.
tate deep revenge upon the Europeans for iniu-
RES recelvedfr from them by him and his people
While Columbus was perplexed as TO the meas
ures he shouH adopt to. release himself from so
dangerous an enemy, Alonzo de Oiede, bold
! and cbvalrols Spaniard, offered himselfto take
the Carib chefiain by stratagem, and deliver
him alive to Columbus. The following account
of Ojeda's adventure, is from Irving's Life of
Columbus j -TduntOn Reporter
Choosing ten bold and hardy followers,
well armed ard well mounted, and invok-
ing the protection of his pltroness the vir-
! gin, whose image as usual he bore with
him as safeguard, Ojeda plunged into
J the forest and made his way above sixty
leagues at the iIraI-~r he 9aliau,ere. into
the wild territories of Caonabo, where he
found the cacique in one of his most pop
| ulous towns. OjeGa approached Caonabo
with great Difference and respect, treating
him as sovereign prince. He informed
him that he had come on friendly embassy
| from the admiral, who was Guamiquina or
chief of the Spaniards, and who had sent
him an invaluable present.
CaOnabo had tried Oieda in battle he had
witnessed his fiery proves, and had con-
ceived warriors admiration of him. He
received him with degree of chiyalrous
courtesy, if such phrase may apply to the
savage state and rude hospitality of wild
warrior of the forest. The free, fearless
department, the great personal strength,
and the surprising agility and adroitness of
! in oil MI IL
of all kinds of weapons, were calculated to
delight a savage, and he soon became a
great favorite with Caonabo.
Oieda now used all his influence to pre-
vail upon the cacique to repair to isabella,
for the purpose of making treaty with Co.
lunbus, and becoming the ally and friend
! of the Spaniards. 1t is said that he offered
! him, as lure, the bell of the chapel of Isa-
bella. This bell was the wonder of the ISL
and. When the Indians heard its melody
sounding through the forests as it rung for
mass ard beheld Spaniards fastening to-
wards the chapel, they imagined that it
talked, and that the white men obeyed it.
With that feeling ofsuperstition with which
they regarded all things connected with the
Spaniards, they looked upon this bell as
something supernatural, and in their usual
phrase, said it come from Turey, or the
skies. Caonabo had heard this wonderful
instrument at distance, in the course OF
his prowlings about the settlement, and had
longed to see it but when it was proffered
to him as present of peace, he found it
impossible to resist the temptation.
The cacique agreed, thel efore, to set out
for Isabella; but when the time came to
depart, Oieda beheld with surprise pow
erful force Of warriors assembled, and ready
to march. He asked the meaning of taking
such an army on mere friendly visit, to
which the cacique proudly replied, that il
was not BETTING a great prince, like him.
to go forth scantiy attended Ojeda felt
little satisfied with this reply he knew the
| warlike character of Caonabo, and his deer
subtility, which is the soul Of Indian war
fare he feared some sinister design, and
that the chieftain might mediate some sur.
prise of the fortress of Isabella, or some
attempt upon the person of the admiral. He
! knew also that it was the wish of Columbus
either to make peace with the cacique, Of
to get possession of his person without the
alternative of open warfare. He had re
course to a stratagem, therefore, which ha,
an air of fable and romance, but which i.
recorded by all the contemporary hiStoIi
ans, with trivial variations, and which La
Casas assures us was in current circulation
in the island when he arrived there, abou
six years after the event. 1t accords, too
with the adventurous and extravagant char
acter Of the man, and with the wild strata
gems and vaultng exploits incident to Indi
an warfare. In the course of their march
having halted near the river Yagui, Ojed
one day produced set of manacles of pol
ished steel, so highly FURNISHED that the