The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-02-21
q and 1896, by ROBERT BosNER's soNs)

IN the exception OF tue aSeo
gle infants, bad turned out to re-
give him. These natives did not flee
at the sight of the white man, but they
welcomed him reverently and as a
messenger of the gods. Among the
Indians to this day it is common to
expect celestial visitants; and PEDRO
soon understood that there was ira
dition in this tribe of messenger from
heaven, who was to arrive in the per-
son of q young and lord-like man; end,
as his appearance exactly met their
expectations, he was at once accepted
as the visible deity for whom they had
waited. Pedro had all the lntellec-
tual acumen necessary to avail him.
self of the advantages placed IN his
way by such superstitions. .
''These natives we're handsome
people, especially the women. Their
language was the same as that spoken
by the other natives, and it also re-
sembled in a great degree that of the
inhabitants of all the other islands;
but it sounded more musical because
of the deep, clear voices OF the speak
ers and the delicate modulation OF
their tones. They were clothed also
and, although their costume was primi-
tive, it was evident that the females
took considerable pride in their
drapery of right-colored cotton cloth;
while every eye was fixed in admira-
ton on Pedro's scarlet mantle and fine
velvet doublet and silk hose-also
stolen from his commanders ward
robe. But what attracted and riveted
his attention was the profusion OF gold
ornaments worn as rings, as bracelets
and as anklets by the large majority of
Ornofay's subjects, while the king
himself and his daughter displayed all
such ornaments and others even more
magnificent, that Mendoza's practical
eye told him were jewels OF price,
with lavish carelessness that proved,
more than words could have done,
how freely these treasures abounded
in this charmed spot.
"The cacique Ornofay wore a tunic
Of dark-red cotton cloth and mantle
of the same in white. His breast
plate and coronet were of gold, studded
with precious stones. But the mag
nifcence in attire and ornament dis
played by his daughter Anacaona
plainly showed that she was the per-
son of most state and consequence on
the island. This barbaric princess was
of beauty, grace and natural dignity
that might have commanded admira-
tion in any civilized court. Much
taller than the Spanish women, with
whom Pedro involuntarily compared
her, greatly to her advantage, her
lorn would have served the ancient
Greek sculptors as a model for the
ideal Venus; and she wore her white
sunic and mantle with the ease and
dignity of Roman matron. All of
these Indians we're much lighter in
colcr than any yet seen by Che Span
tards. bat Anacaona was faircr than
anv of the others. Her featvres were
delicate and refined, her aeeth of
dazzling whiteness, and her large,
dark eyes OF soft and melting luster.
Her hair, which was straight end long
and black, likeathat Of the rest of her
tribe, hung loose about her shoulders,
and .a45ng its luxuriant tresses were
wound strings of pearls and natural
lowers. A golden coronet, studded
with gems, much richer t,l&n that
worn by Ornofay, crowned her head;
and above the eoronet, and valued far
more by the wearer, was a tuft of
brilliant end many-colored feathers.
"Near the Indian princess stood the
two young Indians whom Mendoza
had endeavored to prepare as inter
prefers, and as she came forward to
welcome the Spaniard, they strove to
render the meaning OF her words &C.
cording to their limited comprehen-
sion of the strangers language. Pedro
- responded with all the grandiloquence
of his native tongue, raising his arms
toward heaven and seeming to en-
brace all the blue and cloudless sky
, in his reply.
His Indians then translated, with
all that their wildly impressed fancy
could add; and the princess devoutly
crossed her arms upon her breast and
bent her head before him, while her
subjects knelt and touched their fore
heads to the earth, in token OF submis-
sion and reverence to the messenger
of the gods.
"By fortunate inspiration, Pedro
was moved to lay his hand on the
bowed head of the princess and to Ut
ter benediction such as the priests
of his own land would have bestowed;
whereupon Anacaona, with radiant
glance led him to her father, and
from that moment he was treated net
only as an honored guest and celestial
messenger but also as son of the
racique.
"lt was soon evident to Pedro that
he had only to express such wish to
become indeed the son of Ornofay; for
Anacaona was as madly in love with
aim as his own little Juanita in far off
Spain--Juanita who had become no
more than a figure in some half for
gotten dream, and the recollection of
whom, in the infrequent moments
when ho thought of her, would not
.or an instant stand in the way of q
marriage with this Indian girl. His
one thought now was to rivet his
power over this Indian tribe and be-
come pernan emily their guamiquina-
wcrd signifying great chief over
all He speedily learned why
Anacaona was regarded with special
reverence and why she occupied in
their regard place even higher than
that Of her father, the caciaue Orno-