Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-10-02

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 his next visit
1t appeared to be about five leagues dis
lance, 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, as the
navigation was difficult and dangerous
among these unknown islands, and he
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 Q6th) they went on shore, and
Columbus took solemn possession, CIV
ing the island the name of Santa Maria
do la Conception. The same scene oc-
Cured with the inhabitants as with
those Of San Salvador. They manifested
the same astonishment and awe; the
same gentleness and simplicity, and the
same nalledness and absence OF wealth.
Columbus looked in vain for bracelets
and anklets of gold. or for any other
precious articles; they had been either
tictions 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 sea and swam to
q large canoe filed with natives. The
boat OF tho car2vel put off in pursuit,
but the Indians managed in their light
bark with too much velocity to be over
taken, and, reaching the land, fed to the
woods, The sailors took the canoe as a
prize, and returned on board the caravel.
Shortly afterward a small canoe ap-
preached one Of the ships, from Diff
ferent part OF the island, with a single
Indian on board, who came to offer a
ball of cotton in exchange for hawks
bells. AS 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
TO him. He came trembling with fear
and humbly offered his ball Of cotton as
a gift. The admiral received him with
the utmost benignity, and declining his
offering put colored cap upon his head,
strings Of green beads around his arms,
and hawks bells in his ears, then order
ing him and his ball Of cotton to be re-
placed in the canoe, dismissed him, as
tonished and overjoyed. He ordered
that the canoe also, which had been
seized and was fastened to the Nina,
should be cast loose, to be regained by
its proprietors. 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 precau-
tions continually taken by Columbus to
impress the natives favorably. Another
instance of the kind occurred after leav-
ing the island of Conception, when the
caravels stood for the larger island, Sow
eral leagues to the west Midway be-
tween the two islands they overlook a
single Indian in canoe. He had n mere
morsel Of cassava bread and calabash
of water for sea stores, and little red
paint like dragons blood, for personal
decoration when he should land. A
string of glass beads, such as had been
given to the natives of San Salvador
showed that he had come thence aud
was probably passing from island TO
island, to give notice of the ships. Co.
lumbus admired the hardihood Of this
simple navigator, making such an extern
siye voyage in so frail bark AS the
island was still distant, he ordered that
both the Indian and his canoe should I've
taken on board, where he treated him
with the greatest kindness, giving him
bread and honey to eat and wine to
drink. Tho weather being very calm,
they did not reach the island until too
dark to anchor, through fear of cutting
their cables with rocks. The sea about
these islands was SO transparent that in
the DAYTIME they could see the bottom
and choose their ground, and so deep
that at two gunshOt distance there was
no anchorage. Hosting out the canoe
Of their Indian vOyager, therefore, aad
restoring to him all his effects, they sent
him joyfully ashore, to prepare the ma
tives for their arrival, while the ships
lay to until morning.
This kindness had the desired effect
The natives surrounded the ships in
their canoes during the night, bringing
fruits and roots and the pure water of
their springs Columbus distributed
trihing presents among them, and to
those who came on board he gave sugar
and honey.
Landing the next morning he gave TO
this island the name OF Fernandina in
honor Of the king; it is the same at
present called Exuma, The inhabitants
We're similar in every respect to those OF
tho preceding islands, excepting that
they appeared more ingenious and in
telligent. Some Of the women wore
nantes and aprons Of cotton, but for the