The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-11-20
IRvINC'S COLUMBUS.
The Great DISCOVERIES First
Voyage TO America
A Far More Wonderful Story Than
shc Most brilliant Imagination Has
Hes ConJured. Told 10 the words
of One % tho Masters Of Litera-
turn.
Washington Irving,

FURTHER ooAsTNo on crnA.


rURTHER coAsTISo or cuBA.
While awaiting the return Of his en-
tassaiors the admiral ordered the ships
g be careened and repaired. and employ
"a himself ~ collecting information con-
corning the country. On the day after
their departure he assembled the river in
boats for the distance Of two leagues m
Ill be came TO fresh water Here land
ing. he climbed a hill to obtain view Of
the interior. His view. however, was
shut 10 by thick and lofty forests Of wild
bnf beautiful luxuriance. Among the
trees We're some which he considered
ilnaioes; many were odoriferous, and
he doubted not possessed valuable arc
ma.1c qualities. There was a general
eagerness among the voyagers to find
the rrecions articles Of commerce which
grow in the favored climes Of the east,
and their inaginations were continually
deceived by their hopes.
For two or three days the admiral was
excited BY reports Of cinnamon trees and
nutrnegs and rhubarb: but on examine
ton they all proved fallacious. He
showed the natives specimens OF those
and various other spices and drugs, and
understood from them that those arti-
cles abounded to the southeast. He
showed them gold and pearls. also. and
several old Indians spoke OF country
where the natives wore ornaments Of
them round their necls, arms and an
kles- They repeatedly mentioned the
word Bohio. which Columbus supposed
to be the name Of the place In question,
and that il was some rich district or
island They mingled, however. great
extravagancies with their imperfect ac-
counts, describing nations at distance
who had but one eye; others who had
the heads Of dogs and who were canni-
bals-cntting the threats Of their prison
ers and smoking their blood.
All there reports Of gold and pearls
and spices. many Of which were prob
ably fabrications to please the admiral.
tended to keep up the persuasion that be
was among the valuable coasts and Is
lands Of the east On making fire to
heat the tar for careening the ships the
seamen found that the wood they burned
sent forth powerful odor, and, on a.
aiming il. declared that it was mastic.
The wood abounded in the neighboring
forests, iusomuch that Columbus aatter-
ed himself n thousand Quintals OF this
precious gum might be collected every
year. and more abundant supply pro
cured than that furnished by Scios and
other islands Of the Archipelago In the
course oftheir researches in the vegetable
kingdom in quest Of the Injuries OF COM
MERGE. they met with the potato. hum
bic root, little valued at the time. but q
more precious acquisition to man than
all the spices Of the east.
On the 9Th Of November the two en-
bassados returned. and every one
crowded to hear tidings Of the interior
Of the country, and Of the prince TO
whose capital they had been sent. After
penetrating twelve leagues they had
come 70 village Of fifty houses, built
similarly 10 those Of the coast, but
larger, the whole village containing at
least q thousand inhabitants The ma
tives received them with great solerl-
nifty. conducted them to tie best house
and placed them in what ppeared to be
intended for chairs Of state. being |
wrought out Of single pieces Of wood. |
into forms Of quadrupeds. They th,n
offered them fruits and vegetables.
Having complied with the laws Of saw !
aye courtesy and hospitality, they seated |
themselves on the ground around their |
visitors. and waited to hear what they
had 70 communicate.
The israelite, Luis de- Torres, found
his Hebrew. Cha -aic and Arabic Of no |
avail. and the Lucayen interpreter had
10 be the orator he made regular
speech after the Indian manner. in which I
he extolled the power. the wealth and |
munihcence Of the white man. When
he had finished, the Indians crowded |
ronnd these wonderful beings, whom. a.
usual. they considered more than human
Some Touched them. examining their
skin and rsaiinent. others kissed their
hands and feet in token 81 submission or
alteration. Ia little while the men \
Withdrew and were succeeded BY the \
women. and the same ceremonies were
repeated Some Of the women had
slight covering Of Melted cotton around /
the middle. bnt in general both sexes
were entirely naked. There seemed TO
h. ranks and orders Of society among
them. and chieftain of some authority, |
whereas among all the natives they had 4
previously met with complete equality I
seemed to prevail
There was no appearance Of gold or
other precious articles, and when they
showed specimens Of cinnamon. pepper
and other spices, the inhabitants told !
them they were not to be found in that |
neigh borhood, but far of to the south
west.
The ENJOYS determined, therefore. % |
return 70 the ships. The natives would |
fain have induced them TO remain Tor
several days; but seeing them bent on
departing great number were anxious
70 accompany them. imagining they
were about 10 return to the skies. They /
took with them, however. only one OF the
principal men, with his son, who were
attended by domestic
On their WAY lack they fov fho f,r.k