The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-11-06

On leaving San Salvador Columbus
was at loss which way to direct his
course A great number Of islands,
green and level and fertile. invited him
In different directions. The Indians on
board Of his vessel intimated by signs
that they were innumerable. well peo-
pied and at war with one another They
mentioned the names Of above q hun
dred. Columbus now had no longer =
doubt that he was among the islands
described by Marco Polo rs studding the
vast sea Of Chin or China. and lying at
. great distance from the mainland
These. according to the Venetian,
amounted to between seven and eight
thousand and abounded with drugs and
spices and odoriferous trees. together
with gold and silver and many other
precious objects OF commerce.
Animated BY the idea Of exploring
this opulent archipelago. he selected the
largest island in sight for bis next visit.
1t appeared to be about i've leagues dis
tance, and he understood from his In
dams that the natives were richer than
those OF San Salvador, wearing bracelets
and anklets and other ornaments OF mas
sive gold.
The night coming on, Columbus or
dered that the ships should lie to. a. the
navigation was difficult and dangerous
among these unknown islands. and be
feared to venture upon strange coast IN
the dark. In the morning they again
made sail. but meeting with counter
currents it was not until sunset that
they anchored at the island The next
morning fl6th) they went on shore. and
Columbus took solemn possession, Civ
ing the island the name OF Santa Maria
de Ia Conception. The same scene oc-
CURED with the inhabitants IS with
those Of San Salvador. They manifested
the same establishment and awe: the
same gentleness and simplicity, and the
same nakedness and absence Of wealth.
Columbus looked in vain for bracelets
and anklets Of gold, or for any other
precious articles; they had been either
fictions Of his Indian guides or his own
neutrality-suspicious.
Returning on board. he prepared to
make sail. when one Of the Indians OF
San Salvador. who was on board Of the
Nina. plunged into the sen aud SWAN to
c large canoe filled with natives The
boat Of the caravel put of in pursuit,
but the Indians managed In their light
bark with too much velocity to be over
taken. and, reaching the land. fied to the
woods The sailors took the canoe - .
prize. and returned on board the caravel
tnortly arrerwara srnali canos sp-
preached one OF the ships. from . diff
ferent part OF the island. with single
Indian on board. who came TO offer
ball OF cotton in exchange for hawks
bells. A. he paused when close to the
vessel. and feared to enter. several sail
ors threw themselves into the sea and
took him prisoner.
Columbus having seen all that passed
from his station on the high poop Of the
vessel. ordered the captive TO be brought
20 him. He came trembling with fear
and humbly offered his ball Of cotton n
gift The admiral received him with
the utmost benignity, and declining his
offering put acolored cap upon his head.
strings Of green beads around his arms.
and hawks bells in his ears, then order
ing him aud his ball o. cotton to be 70
placed In the canoe. dismissed him. M
tonished and oyerjoyed. He ordered
that the canoe. also. which had been
seized and was fastened 70 the Nina
should be cast loose. 70 be regained by
its prvprietors. When the Indian reached
the shore. his countrymen thronged
around him, examining and admiring his
finery, and listening to his account Of
the kind treatment he experienced.
Such were the gentle and sage prccau-
tions continually taken BY Columbus to
impress the natives favorahly. Another
instance ~ the kind occurred after leav-
ing the island Of Conception. when the
caravels stood for the larger island. sew.
eral leagues " the west Midway be-
tween the two islands they overlook
single Indian In a canoe. He had a mere
morsel Of casSava bread and q caIabash
Of water for sen stores. and little rcd
paint. like dragons blood. for personal
decoration when he should land A