Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-30
How Columbus and His Men Spent
the Day at Guarico.
WARMLY WELCOMED BY THE INDIANS
Many Dishes on the Menu That
Were New to the Explorers.
AFTER DINNER SMOKING

Written tor The Evening Star.
If we were to search through history for
the very first New Year day with which
America had any connection. since the very
beginning of this world we should find it
led us back to Spain. For it was within
the precincts ri the glorious Alhambra, in
Grenada, the LIST of January, 1892, that
Christopher Columbus met his sovereigns,
Ferdinand and Isabella, and concluded with
them formal "capitulation" for the voy-
age that resulted in the discovery of the
western hemisphere.
The vexatious delays that followed upon
this great triumph of persistence and diplo-
macy detained the fleet that was prepared
at Palos until August and it was not until
October that land was first sighted in the
new world. From San Salvador (Which has,
We know. been identified with an island in
the mid-BahamasD the little fleet, consist
ing of the flagship Santa Maria, the cara
Veis Pinta and Nina. sailed southwesterly
and finally reached the north coast of Gu
pa, somewhere about the present port of
Gihara. Thence, after exploring the bays
and rivers. and after sending an expedition
inland to treat with the Grand Khan whom
columbus. supposing he was on an outly-
ing island of Asia, coniectured to dwell
there. the vessels cOaSted along until they
arrived at he harbor of Baracoa to which
they were attracted and guided by the pic
tuie Siuc mountain mass OF the Y unQue.
HOspitnbIe Welcome.
Leaving the eastern tip of Cuba at Cape
Maisi. they crossed the channel between
that island and Haiti, and entered the fine
harbor of San Nicolas the first week in De-
cember. The weather was superb, the
country, revealed to view as the Spanish
sailors coasted it's shores, the most beau
uful they ever beheld, and the people re-
SONG here, who came swimming out to
them or padding in primitive canoes, the
most gracious and hospitable that ever
welcomed Seaworn mariners to the delights
of a sunkissed and fruitful land
so they sailed carelessly along waited by
IaVor1ng winds and caressed by gentle
zephyrs' amid such glorious scenes, and
favored with such evidences of bounteous
nature. that Columbus himself wrote to his
sovereigns that it seemed indeed as if they
had penetrated to the very heart of ter
Testrial paradise. Cnclothed but courteous
Indians entreated them to stay and share
with them the productions of their country
oner1ng them all they possessed If thew
would only tarry: but ahead of the mariners
was the land of gold, where, according to
the saVageS, all the streams ran over an
riferous sands; and this golden lure led the
Spaniards to disaster.
Wreck of the Santa Maria.
Just ten weeks after land had been sight
ed at San Salvador, in the dead of night
the flagship Santa Maria was borne bv
treacherous sea currents upon reef at the
entrance to the harpor of Cape Haitian.
mere she stuck, despite all the andeayors
OF the crew to get her off. and at daylight
next morning it was seen that she must
become total loss. BY that time the IN
dlans ashore had been made aware of the
disaster, and one of the chiefs dwelling ON
the east side of the bay, sent out a hundred
canoes TO the assistance of the Standards
But for them the contents of the hapsbfn
hTl1,
remaining caravel on hand at that time
was unable to render much assistance and
mad not room enough to hold the additional
crew so suddenly thrust upon her-lat alo,a
their effects and the lading of the ship
But the Indians saved all the wreckage of
every description: all the spars boats
ropes and even the bolts and nails which
they carried ashore and piled IN AT thar
village of Guarico, where also thew fol,
the shipwrecked sailors and entertained
them Hospitality. The chief himself made
a great feast, and did all he could to divert
the lucklesS mariners from their tronhfas
even sending out for all the gold in bis
treasury. which, in the shape of grains
1akes and nuggets, he laid at the feet of
Coiumbls IN such great quantity that he
afterWard toll, Ferdinand and Isabella he
did not doubt the men he left behind could
easily collect more than toni That thew
dld not do so was owing mainly to the fact
that they preferred making love to the fair
lhQidn malqenS, rather than to sea rich for
gold, which was yet all about them seam
ing the rocks and stones and scatterad
throughout the beds of streams In elittar
ing particles.
New Year Mt Guarfco
Now, the stranding of the flagship took
place on the night before Christmas 14a2.
the Spaniards were landed at Guarico early
on Christmas morning, and remained there
until the 4th day of January, 1893. So.
whether we consider that the New Year"
OF that period was celebrated on the day of
the nativity, or actually the first day of |
the year, matters not, for the auspfcious |
event surely fell within the ten DAYS the |
Spaniards were guests of the Indians at
Guarico.
1t is not claimed that there was anv for
NAL celebration. for doubtless Columbus |
and his companions were too much occu-
pied with tn exisencies of the ncra sion IN |
pay great heed to ceremony. Rnt there |
were great preparations going on, lust the |
same. for the Indian chief, Guacanagari I
set banquet table every day at which !
the astOnished Spaniards were regaIed with
the best the land afforded and served NV
comely Indian girls who made up for their
lack of raiment by a most becoming mod
esty.
More Valuable Than Gold
1t was at these continued feasts that CO.
lumbus and the other Europeans became
first acquainted with several native pro-
ducts they had not known before There,
the golden kernels Of which, taken back on
this first voyage. were displayed before the
soVereigns of Spain. 1t was not considered
SO valuable is the golden grains they found
IN the rivers; but in reality has been nfin-
itely more remunerative to the descendants
of those who discovered 1t than all the gold
OF all the Indies carried back to Spain by
Spanish galleons.
One of the strange tubers the Spaniards
first saw at this New Year feast was the
"manioc," or cassava, from which, as well
as from the maize, the aboriginal bread
was made. Then they were introduced to
strange dish called "cassareep," a sort of
"ollo podrida." all sorts. which was
made by throwing bits of meat of every de-
scription into an earthen pot, where 1t was
preserved Indefinitely by the antseptic
properties of the manioc juice. This juice,
In its natural state a deadly poison, loses
its toxic qualities by evaporation and be-
comes the basis of the cassareep or West
Indian pepper pot" so highly esteemed
by gourmands, and always in favor with
those who have tried it once.
First After Dinner Smoking.
1t is local tradition that Columbus was
50 carried away by this new contribution
to European gaStronomy that he begged