The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-10-30


from their fears they approached II
Spaniards. touched their bessrls and .,
amined their hands and faces. admirin
Their whiteneS& Columbus WINS please
with their x,sntleness aud confidinr ain
plicity. aud suffered their scrutiny wit
perfect acqn's~cence. winning them b
Ms penignity. They now supposed tina
the ships had sailed out OF the crysta
ornament which bounded their horizon
OF had descended from above on thei
ample wings. and that these marvelou
beings Were Inhabitants Of the skies
The natives Of the Island were no les,
objects 81 curiosity 70 the Spaniar,is. diff
fering. as they did. from any race Of mer
they had ever seen Their appearance
gave no promise Of either wealth or civ
hiza,ion. for they were entirely naked.
and painted with a variety At colors.
With some Il was confined merely 70 4
part Of the face. the nose or around the
eyes: with Others IL extended 10 the
whole body. and gave them a wild and
fantastic appearance Their complexion
was Of = tawny or copper hne. and they
were entirely destitute OF boards. Their
hair WAS not crisped. like the recently
discovered tribes Of the African coast.
under the same latitude, but straight
and coarse. partly cnt short above the
ears. brr some locks were left long behind
and falling upon their shoulders Their
features. though obscured and disfigured
by paint. We're agreeable; they had lofty
foreheads and remarkably fine eyes.
They wee 81 moderate stature and well
formed. most Of them appeared to be
under thirty years Of age: there was but
one female with them. quite young
naked like her companions. and beauti-
fully formed.
As Columbus supposed himself to have
landed on an island at the extremity
Of India. he called the natives BY the
general appellation Of Indians. which
was universally adopted before the true
nature Of his discovery was known. and
has since been extended to all the aborig-
inals Of the New World.
The islanders were friendly and gen
tie. Their only arms We're lances. hard
snei at the end BY fire. or pointed WITH
, flint. or the teeth or bone OF q fish.
There was no iron to be seen. nor did
they appear acquainted with its proper
hes; for. when = drawn sword was pre-
'ented 70 them. they unguardedly took
I by the edge.
Columbus distributed among them
'olored caps. glass beads, hawks bells
ind other trihes. such as the Portuguese
we're accustomed to trade with among
he nations Of the gold coast Of Africa
they received them eagerly. hung the
'eads round their necks. and were won
erfully pleased with their finery and
nth the sound Of the bells. The Span
ards remained all day on shore refresh
AZ themselves after their anxious vow
e amid the beautiful groves OF the
land. and returned on board late in the
Fening delighted with all they had seen.
On the following morning, at break Of
ay. the shore was thronged with the
stives; some swan OF to the shipA
hers came IN light barks which they
llled canoes, formed Of q single tree.
'llowed. and capable Of holding from
ie man 70 the number Of forty or fifty.
hese they managed dexterously with
lddles. and. If overturned. swan about
the water with perfect unconcern. as I
IN theirnatural element. righting their
noes with great facility. and bailing
EN- with calahashes
Iney We're eager 70 procure more TOYS {
q trinkets. not apparently from any
"a OF their intrinsic value. but because I
erything from the hands Of the strau- =
r. possessed supernatural virtue in
sir eyes. as having been brought from
aven: they even picked up fragments
glass and earthenware as valuable
lzes- They had but few objects to
er 10 return. except parrots. Of which :
.at numbers were d0mesticated among ~
IN. and cotton yarn. Of which thev NJ
J abundance. and would exchange ~
ge balls Of five and twenty pounds
ighr for the merest trife. ~
They brought also cakes OF q kind Of ~
'ad called cassava, which constituted M
rlncipal part Of their food, and was
erward an important article Of pro ~,
ions with the Spaniards. It was -
med from great root called yuca, IT.
ich thew cultivated In fields. This NJ
y cut into small morsels, which they n,
ted or scraped. and strained in 3 ~
>. making broad. thin cake. which M
; afterward dried hard and would AZ
p for long time. being stepped IN *
ter when eaten It was insipid, but
rishing. though the water strained ,io
ID IL In the preparation was q deadly 81
on There was another kind OF yuca re
tituteof this poisonous quality, which ia
eaten in the root. either boiled or ~
sted llIc
be avarice Of the discoveries was Ia
ky excited by the sight Of small or
nents Of gold worn by some or the
ives In their noses These the latter
ily exchanged for glass beads and ~. ~.
ks bells, and both parties exulted u.
he bargain, no doubt adrniring each h,
FRS simplicity. AS gold, however.
an object ~ royal monopoly in all \,
srprises of discovery. Columbus for M
9 any traffic in IL without his express W,
rtior; and be put the same prohibit NM,
on the traffic for cotton. reserving N,
he crown all trade for it. wherever L III
I'D be found in any quantity ~