Gloucester County Democrat., 1891-09-24

and which he called Cbao, was in fact
mountainous region afterward found
to contain valuable mines; but Colurn-
bus still confounded the name with that
of Cipango.
Guacanagari dined on board of the
caraYel with the admiral, after which he
invited him to visit his residence. Here
he had prepared collation., as choice
and abundant as his simple means af
torded, consisting Of utias, OF conys,
hsh, roots and various fruits He ala
everything in his power to honor his
guest and cheer him under his misfor.
tune, showing a warmth of sympathy
yet delicaey Of attention, which could
not have been expected from his savage
state. Indeed, there was degree Of IN
nate dignity and refinement displayed in
his manners that often surprised the
Spaniards He was remarkably mics
and decorous in his mode of eating,
which was slow and vita moderation.
washing his hands when he had finished
and rubbing them with sweet and odor.
ferrous herbs, which Columbus supposed
was done to preserve their delicacy and
softness. He was served with great
Difference by his subjects, and conducted
himself toward them with a gracious
and princelil1e majesty His whole de-
pertinent, in the enthusiastic ewes ol
Columbus, betokened the inborn grace
and dignity Of lofty lineage.
In fact, thesovereignty among the peo.
pie of this island was hereditary, and
they had simple but sagacious mode OF
maintaining, in some degree, the verify
of descent. On the death Of a cacique
without children his authority passed
to those OF his sisters, in preference tc
those of his brothers, being considered
most likely to be Of his blood, for thew
observed that brothers reputed chill
dren may by accident have no consan-
guinity with their uncle; but those oF
his sister must certainly be the children
Of their mother. The form of govern
ment was completely despotic; the ca
ciques had entire control over the lives,
the property and even the religion of
their subjects They had few laws, and
ruled according to their Judgment and
their will; but they ruled mildly, and
were implicitly and cheerfuIly obeyed
Throughout the course Of the disastrous
history of these islanders after their dis
coyery by the Europeans there are con
tinual proofs of their affectionate and
devoted fidelity to their caciques
After the collation. Guacanagari con
Quoted Columbus to the beautiful groves
which surrounded his residence. They
were attended by upward Of Thousand I
Of the natives, all perfectly naked. who
performed several national games and
dances, which Guacanagari had ordered
to amuse the melancholy of his guest
When the Indians had finished their
games Columbus gave them an enter
tainment in return, calculated at the
same time to impress them with a for
midable idea Of the military power Of
the Spaniards. He sent on board the
carayel for d Moorish bow and quiver
Of arrows, and a Castilian who had
served in the wars of Granada and was
skillful inthe use Of them. When the
.cacique beheld the accuracy with which
this man used his weapons, he was great
ly surprised, being himself Or an unwar-
like character and little accustomed to
the use of arms. He told the admiral
that the Caribs, who often made de-
scents upon his territory and carried off
his subjects, were likewise armed with
bows and arrows Columbus assured
him of the protection Of the Castilian
monarchs, who would destroy the Ca
ribs, for he let him know that he had
weapons far more tremendous, against
which there was no defense. La proof
OF this he ordered Lombard or heavy
cannon, and an arquebus, to be dis
charged.
On hearing the report the Indians fell
to the ground as though they had been
struck by a thunderholt, and when they
saw the effect of the ball, rending and
shivering the trees like stroke of light
ming, they were filed with dismay Be-
ing told, however, that the Spaniards
would defend them with these arms
against their dreaded enemies the Caribs.
their alarm was changed into exultation. |
considering themselves under the pro
lection Of the sons of heaven, who had
come from the skies armed with thunder
and lightning
The cacique now presented Columbus
with mask carved of wood, with the
eyes. ears and various other parts Of gold !
He hung plates of the same metal around
his neck, and placed kind of golden
coronet upon his head He dispensed
presents also among the followers Of the
admiral. acquitting himself in all things
with a munifcence that would have
done honor to an accomplished prince in
civilized life.
Whatever trihes Columbus gave in re-
turn were regarded with reverence as
celestial gifts The Indians, in admir-
ing the articles Of European unanufac-
ture, continually repeated the word tu-
rey, which in their language signifies
heaven. They pretended to distinguish
the different qualities of gold by the
smell. In the same way, when any arti-
Gle Of tin, Of silver or other white metal
was given them, to which they were un-
accustomed, they smelled it and declared
it ''turey," Of excellent quality, giyingin
exchange pieces of the finest gold. Ey-
erything in fact from the hands Of the
Spaniards, even a rusty piece Of iron. an
end of strap or head of a nail, had
an occult and supernatural value and
smelled Of turey. Hawks bells, how
ever, were sought by them with mania
only equaled by that Of the Spaniards
for gold. They could not contain their
rcstasies at the sound, dancing and play
ing thousand antics On one occasion
an Indian gave half handful Of gold
dust in exchange for one Of these toys,
and no sooner was he i'll possession Of it
than be bounded away to the woods,
looking often behind him, fearing the
Spaniards might repent Of having parted
so cheaply with such an inesti1nabls
jewel
The extreme Kindness OF the cacique.
the gentleness of his people, the quanti-
ries OF gold which were daily brought to
oe exchanged for the veriest triHes, and
the information continually received OF
sources of wealth in the interior of this
island, all contributed to console the adj
nnral for his misfortune
The shipwrsckel crew also became
fascinated with their easy and idle mode
Of life Exempted hy their simplicity
from the cares ami tolls which civilized
man inHicts upon himself by his many
artificial wants, the existence Of these
icIa,,dere rosrnol NJ, fbn Cf,aniar,Is Ike