The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-10-16
CHAPTER VIII.
FURTHER coAsrINa OF CUBA.

While awaiting the return of his en-
bassadors the admiral ordered the ships
to be careened and repaired. and employ
ed himself III collecting information con-
cerning the country. On the day after
their departure he ascended the river in
boats for the distance of two leagues un-
til he came to fresh water. Here land
ing, he climbed hill to obtain view OF
the interior, His view, however; was
shut in by thick and lofty forests of wild
but beautiful luxuriance. Among the
trees were some which he considered
hnaloes; many were odoriferous, and
he doubted not possessed valuable aro-
matte qualities. There was a general
eagerness among the voyagers to find
the precious articles of commerce which
grow in the favored climes of the east,
and their imaginations were continually
deceived by their hopes.
For two or three days the admiral was
excited by reports of cinnamon trees and
nutmegs and rhubarb; but on examina-
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 necks, arms and an
kles. They repeatedly mentioned the
word Bohio, which Columbus supposed
to be the name of the place in question,
and that it 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-
hals-eutting the throats of their prison
ers and sucking their blood
AL these 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 he
was among the valuable eoasta and is
lands of the east. On making a fire to
heat the tar for careening the ships the
seamen found that the wood they burned
sent forth a powerful odor, and, ON ex-
amining it, declared that it was niastic.
The wood abounded in the peighholing
forests, ipsomuch that Columbus fatter-
ed himself thousand quintals of this
precious gum might be collected every
year, and more abundant supply pro-
cured than that furnished by Seips and
other islands OF the Archipelago In the
course of their researches in the vegetable
kingdom in quest of the luxuries of COM
merce, they met with the potato, hum
BILE root, little valued at the time, but a
more precious acquisition to man than
all the spices of the east.
On the 9th of November the two en-
bassadors 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 to village of tifty houses, built
similarly to those of the coast, but
larger, the whole village containing at
least a thonsanA iphabitants. The ma
Hves received them with great solem-
nifty. conducted them to the best house
and placed them in what appeared to be
intended for chairs of state, being
wrought out of single pieces of wood,
into forms of auadrupeds They then
offered them fruits and vegetables.
Having complied with the laws of saw
age courtesy and hospitality, they seated
themselves on the ground around their
Visitors, and waited TO bear what they
had to communicate.
The Israelite, Luis de Torres, found
bis Hebrew. Chaldaic and Arabic of no