Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-09-17

TO accompany them imagining they
were about to return to the skies They
took with them. however, only one Of the
principal men, with his son. who were
attended by a domestic.
On their way back they for the first
time witnessed the use Of a weed, which
the ingenious caprice OF man has since
converted into a universal luxury in
defiance Of the opposition Of the senses.
They beheld several of the natives going
about with frebrands in their hands and
certain dried herbs which they rolled up
in leaf, and lighting one end put the
other in their mouths and continued ex-
haling and putting out the smoke. A
roll Of this kind they called a tobacco, a
name since transferred to the plant of
which the rolls were made. The Spar
iards, although prepared to meet with
wonders, were struck with astonishment
at this singular and apparently nauseous
indulgence.
On their return to the ships they
gave favorable accounts Of the beauty
and fertility Of the country. They had
met with many hamlets Of four or five
houses, well peopled. embowered among
trees laden with unknown fruits Of
tempting hue and delightful flavor.
Around them were fields cultivated with
the agi or sweet pepper, potatoes, maize
or Indian corn, species Of lupin or pulse,
and yuca, whereof they made their cas-
sava bread. These, with the fruits of
the groves, formed their principal food.
There were vast quantities OF cotton,
some just sown, some in full growth.
There was great store Of it also in their
houses, some wrought into yarn, or into
nets, Of which they made their ham
mooks They had seen many birds Of
rare plumage but unknown species;
many ducks; several small partridges;
and they heard the song of bird which
they had mistaken for the nightingale
AL that they had seen, however, betok-
ened 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 harbaric prince and his capital.
He was cruising, however, in a region Of
enchantment, in which pleasing chimeras
started up at every step, exercising by
turns a power over his Imagination.
During the absence of the emissaries the
Indians had informed him, by signs, of a
place to the eastward, where the people
collected gold along the river banks by
torchlight and afterward wrought it
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 the coast Of terra firma, called
also by them Caritaba. 1t is also said
that Bohio means a 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 more general name Of Hayti, which
means high land. and occasionally Quis-
4ueya, ise,, the whole, On account OF sts
extent.
The misapprehension Of these and
other words was source Of perpetual
error to Columbus. Sometimes lie sup
posed Babeque and Bohio to signify the
same island; sometimes to be different
4 places or islands; and Quisqueya be sup
posed to mean Quisai or Quinsai, j. e.,
the celestial city, mentioned by Marco
Polo
His great object was % arrive at some
opulent and civilized country Of the
east, with which be might establish
commercial relations, and whence he
might carry home q quantity of oriental
merchandise as 4 rich trophy Of his dis
eovery. 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
nizing, 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
4 had given the name Of Rio de Mares, he
took several Of the natives to 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 were. always more
contented on the voyage and service
4 able ON their return when accompanied
by females. With the religious feeling
of the day, he anticipated great tri-
unphs to the faith and glory to the
crown from the conversion of these
savage nations, through the means Of
the natives thus instructed He i'm
agined that the Indians had no system.
Of religion, but disposition 70 receive
4 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 future state, but linn
4 tied and confused. 'sThey confess the
soul to be immortal, says Peter Mar
tyr, ''and having put off che bodily
clothing, they imagine it goes forth te
the woods and the mountains. and that
it hveth 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 tie 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 discovered
among them, from their gentle nature;
and their ignorance Of all warlike arts
/ he pronounces it an easy matter to make
them devout members of the church
and loyal subjects Of the crown. Hs
concludes his speculations upon the ad
vantages to be derived from the COLOMBIA
ton of these parts by anticipating ;
/ great trade for gold, which must abound
in the interior; for pearls and precious
stones. Of which. though he had seer
none, he had received frequent accounts
/ for gums ard spices, of which he though
he had found indubitable traces. and fol
the cotton which grew wild in vas
I quantities Many Of these articles, ht
observes, would probably find a nearer
4