Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-10-02

1
mocks. They had seen many birds of
rare plumage but unknown species;
many ducksj several small partridges;
and they heard the song Of bird which
they had mistaken for the nightingale
All that they had seen, however, betok-
ened q primitive and simple state Of So
ciety. The wonder with which they
had been regarded showed clearly that
the people were strangers to civilized
man, nor could they hear of any inland
city superior to the one they had visited.
The report OF the ENJOYS put an end to
many splendid fancies of Columbus
about the barbaric prince and his capital
He was cruising, however, in region Of
enchantment, in which pleasing chimeras
started up at every step, exercising by
turns n power over his imagination.
During the absence Of the enissaries the
Indians had informed him, by signs, of Il
place to the eastward, where the people
collected gold along the river banks by
torchlight and afterward wrought 1t
into bars with hammers. In speaking Of
this place they again used the words Ba-
beque and Bohio, which he, as usual,
supposed to be the proper names of is
lands or countries. The true meaning Of
these words has been variously explained.
| 1t is said that they were applied by the
Indians to tho coast Of terra firma, called
also by them Caritaba. 1t is also said
that Bohio means house, and was often
used by the Indians to signify the popu-
lousness of an island. Hence it was fire.
| quently applied to Hispaniola, as well as
the moro general name Of Hayti, which
means high land, and occasionally Quis-
| queya, i. e., the whole, on account Of its
| extent,
The misapprehension Of these and
other words was source of perpetual
error to Columbus Sometimes he sup
posed Babeque and Bohio to signify the
same island; sometimes to be different
places or islands; and Quisqueya he sup
posed to mean Quisai or Quinsai, /. e..
the celestial city, mentioned by Marco
Polo.
His great object was to arrive at some
opulent and civilized country Of the
east, with which he might establish
commercial relations, and whence he
might carry home quantity Of oriental
merchandise as rich trophy of his dis
covery. The season was advancing; the
cool nights gave hints of approaching
winter; he resolved, therefore, not to
proceed farther to the north, nor to lin
ger about uncivilized places, which, at
present, he had not the means of colo
MIXING, but to return to the east-south-
east in quest of Babeque, which he trust
ed might prove some rich and civilized
island on the coast Of Asia.
Before leaving the river, to which he
had given the name of Rio de Mares. he
took several of the natives 70 carry with
him to Spain, for the purpose Of teach
ing them the language, that in future
voyages they might serve as interpre.
ters. He took them of both sexes, hav
Ing learned from the Portuguese discoy-
erers that the men We're always more
contented on the voyage and service
able on their return when accompanied
by females. With the religious feeling
OF the day, he anticipated great tn
umphs to the faith and glory to the
crown from the conversion Of these
savage nations, through the means OF
the natives TINS instructed. He i'm
OF religion, put a disposition to receive
its impressions, as they regarded with |
great reverence and attention the re-
ligious ceremonies Of the Spaniards, soon |
repeating by rote any PRAYER taught |
them, and making the sign of the cross !
with the most edifying devotion. They |
had an idea of a future state but linn |
tied and confused. "They confess the |
foul to be immortal" says Peter Mar. |
tyr land having put off the bodily |
clothing, they imagine it goes forth t
the woods and the mountains, and that
it liveth there perpetually in caves; nor
do they exempt it from eating and drink
ing, but that it should be fed there The
answering voices heard from caves and |
hollows, which the Latines call echoes
they suppose to be the souls of the de-
parted, wandering through those places
From the natural tendency to devotion
which Columbus thought he discoverel |
among them, from their gentle nature
and their ignorance of all warlike arts
he pronounces 1t an easy matter to maxi |
them devout members of the churcl |
and loyal subjects of tho crown. He
concludes his speculations upon the ad-
vantages to be derived from the colonial
ton Of these parts by anticipating
great trade for gold, which must abound
in the interior; for pearls and preciou,
stones, of which, though he had seen
none, he had received frequent accounts
for gums and spices, of which be though
he had found indubitable traces and e.
the cotton, which grew wild in Va
quantities. Many OF these articles, l.
observes, would probably find near
market than Spain, in the ports a..
cities of the great khan, at which lie na.
no doubt of soon arriving
Continued in acut supplement)