The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-25

note the change. assured him that if gold
was any object to him he would direct him
TO a region where the very stones were
golden. This region he called Cibao, and
Columbus found it later, on his second
voyage, and thence drew millions of treas
ure.
After breakfast the cacique took the adj
miral ashore and spread a banquet, at
which several sub-chieis were present.
probably coming from the interior. each
one wearing . coronet of gold. Two of
them presented theirs to Columbus. and
confirmed the story of the abundance of
the precious metals IN the mountains of
the Cibao. Guacanagari also wore golden
crown, and nothing eise--save a shirt and
pair of gloves given him by Columbus. OF
which he was much prouder than OF his
coronet More than 900 Indians are said
TO have been present.
From the wrcckage of the Santa Maria,
from the strong timbers and planks. a fort
was constructed near the village of
Guarico, and in it garrison was left; the
Nina was not large enough to carry them
all, and many OF them desired to say.
The fort was built within ten days; 1t was
a tower. protected on every side by broad
and deep ditch. Thus was founded fort
ress of Navidad. the first structure raised
by Europeans in America.
Small cannon, called lombardS, were
mounted Oh its walls. the garrison of forty
men were supplied with biscuit for a year,
as we'll as wine, beside all the merchan-
disc that remained, that they might ex-
change il for gold. And Columbus wrote
TO Isabella that he trusted in Provid ence
that he should return here from CASTLE
and find AZ least a ton of gold collected, as
well as spices III great quantity. Then he
sailed away.
Where did Columbus flagship founder.
and where was the first fort built, have
been We xed questions with historians ever
since Columbus became an interesting
subject of study. and it was to attempt to
unravel the mystery surrounding those
important events that | was dispatched to
Haiti last year. IL was my good fortune
to unearth n chain of evidence that
brought 10 light many important facts and
placed In the possession OF our Columbus
exposition an invaluable relic of the Santa
Maria. q piece OF the Christmas wreckage.
In the geography of the present time,
the reef on which the flagship grounded
lies off the city OF Cape Haitien, in Haiti
a mile or so distant is Point Picolet. called
by Columbus Pupta Santa. Rounding
Point Picolet that memorable Christmas
eve, the Santa Maria was forced by the
current upon the fist of line of reefs
that stretches in front OF Cape Haitien,
from three TO five miles distant and little
farther from the Indian village. This In
dian settlement. Guerico. located at the
present bourg of Petit Anse, two miles
from Cape Haitien: it is now partly in
ruins and occupied by fisher-folk. There
is small chapel here rudeiy furnished,
ami a few small huts and houses. Beyond
and around lie sa!ines, or salt flats, and
the coast is bordered with mangrove
swamps.
I knew that everything pertaining to
the wrecked vessel was brought TO Qua
canagaris village and that the fort was
built near it. and I looked for its site not
far away. | found il on the summit OF
small hill in the salines, near the beach
with slopes so nearly perpe ndIcular as 10
appear artificial. / found no relic there.
hut its position. so near the ancient
Guarico, the only elevation within Two
miles and its strategic advantages over
every other situation marked il az the spot
where Columbus ounded Navidad.
Let us learn the fate of the Navdad
from Columbus own journal. In eleven
months the admiral returned from Spain
to Haiti, as he promised he would, with
large feet TO receive the ton or two OF gold
he confidently expected. They arrived in
front of the fort, but as IL was night, and
as he had lost the Santa Maria the wear
before on these same reefs. the ships lay to
till morning. The cannon was fired, but
there was no response from the shore,
when lay III iilG tti htitSS W ittApuI SlHu oi
light or life. Columbus felt great uneas-
mess all night, and early in the morning
he sent boat to land. The fort was
found, dismanted. and not one OF the gar
rison was encountered alive. 1t was
learned finally that q few had died of dis
ease. dozen had been killed in an expedi-
ton into the mountain region, and that all
the rest had been massacred by Caonaho,
the cacidue of the Golden mountains, who
had secretly marched down on the fortress
in the night. They learned this from
the Spaniaris found him re-
ciining in a cotton hammock, suffering
from a wound received in personal en-
counter with Caonabo himself.
The founding of Navdad is the most in
teresting incident of the first voyage OF
Columbus after the discovery of first land.
Anything throwing light upon that excit-
ing episode should he welcomed by the
world as an important contribution to the
stores of history. Such contributions |
have made, and IL is authenticity estab-
liShed beyond doubt.
Sent to the West Indies as special com
missioner OF the Columbian exposition, !