The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-12-04

" - NWAWM40 IW
preston which the report given BY tn
woman must produce. the admiral OF
the following day dispatched nine stou
hearted. well armed men 70 seek thI
village. accompanied by . native d
Cuba rs ~ Interpreter. They found Il
about four and q half leagues 20 IA.
southeast. IN a line valley. on the bank
Of a beautiful river. 10 contained l.O0(
houses. but the inhabitants fied - The,
approached.
The interpreter overlook them and -
sured them Of the goodness Of thess
strangers who had descended from the
skies and went about the world making
precious and beautiful presents. Thus
assured. the natives ventured back 10
the number OF 1000. They ap-
preached the Spaniards with slow and
trembling steps. often pausing and
putting their hands upon their heads,
In token Of profound reverence and
submission. They were . well formed
race, fairer and handsomer than the
natives OF the other islands. While
the Spaniards were converting with
them by means Of their Interpreter, an.
other multitude approached. headed By
the husband Of the female captive
They brought her in triumph on their
shoulders. and the husband was profuse
In his gratitude for the kindness with
which she had been treated, and the
magnificent presents which had been b.
slowed upon her.
The Indians now conducted the Span.
iards to their houses. and sst before
them cassava bread, 6sh. roots and fruits
Of various kinds. They brought also
great numbers Of domesticated parrots,
and indeed offered freely Whatever they
possessed. The great river flowing
through this valley VA bordered with
noble forests, among which were palms,
bananas. and many trees covered with
fruit and flowers. The air wa mild =
In April; the birds sang all day long,
and some were W heard In the night
The Spaniards had not learned = yet %
account for the difference u seasons IN
this opposite part Of tho globe; they
were astonished 70 hear the voice Of this
supposed nightingale singing IN the
midst Of December, and considered Il
proof that there was no winter IN this
happy climate. They returned to the
ships e~nraptured with the beauty Of the
country. surprising, = they said, even
the luxuriant plains Of Cordova. All
that they complained Of Wa that they
saw no signs Of riches among the natives.
And here It IL impossible 20 refrain
from dwelling on the picture given BY
the first discoveries Of the state Of man.
ners in this eventful Island before the
arrival Of the white mem According 70
their accounts the people Of Hayti ex.
listed in that state Of primitive and saw.
age simplicity which some philosophers
have fondly pictured - the most envi-
able on earth. surrounded by natural
blessings, without sven . knowledge Of
artificial wants. The fertile earth pro
duced the chief part Of their food almost
without culture; their rivers and sea-
coast abounded with fsh, and they
caught the utia, the guiana, and . vari-
ETY. Of birds. This, TO beings Of their
and temperate hsbits. was great
abundance. and what nature furnished
thus spontaneously they willingly shared
all the world
Hospitality. We arc told. was with
them : law of nature universally OBJ
'erved; there was no need Of being
known to receive it, succors; every
house was as open to the stranger a. his
'wn. Columbus. too. In : letter to Luis
le st. Angel. observes: True Il IL that
Ifter they felt confidence and lost their
ear OF rs, they were % liberal with
What they possessed that It would not
70 believed by those who had not seen
t II anything WA asked Of them they
lever said no, but rather gave IL cheer
lilly, and showed a. much amity a II
hey gave their very hearts; and whether
he thing were Of value or Of little price
hey were content with whatever wa
In return. In all these islands &
ppears to me that the men are al con-
emit with M wife, but they give twenty
0 their chieftain or king. The women
eem 70 work more than the men, and
not been able to understand wheth-
: they possess individual property. but
Ather think that whatever one has III \
be rest share, especially in al articles
{ provisional
One Of the most pleasing descriptions |,
( the inhabitants Of this island u given
y old Peter Martyr, who gathered II, -
. says, from the conversations Of the
dmiral himself. 1T d certain" : y
.. THAT the Land among these people u
> common q the sun and water, and
hat mine and thine the seeds Of al
have no place with them.
hey are content with 20 little that In %
lrge : country they have rather super
uity than scarceness, % that they seem 4
, live in the golden world without toll,
wing In open gardens, not intrenched
nth dikes, divided with hedges OF de-
ended with walls. They deal truly q
nth another, without laws, without
ooks and without judges. They take
i'm for an evil and mischievous man
tho taketh pleasure IN doing hurt to an
ther and albeit they delight not in super.
yet they make provision for the
icrease Of such roots whereof they
rake their bread, contented with such
diet whereby health 3 preserved
nd disease avoided
Much Of this picture may b ovorcol-