From thence anchoring in the River of _Cumana_, several naked Men came aboard, adorn’d with Golden Armlets, and Strings of Pearl, These inform’d him, that they gather’d their Gold from the Mountains and Rivers, and caught their Pearl-oysters in the adjacent Seas. Some of the _Spaniards_ were nobly entertain’d by the King and his Son, who leading them into their Palace, placed them on Benches of Ebony-wood, curiously wrought, and on a sudden several Servants came in with variety of Dainties, and well-tasted Wine. But because Provisions grew scarce amongst the Sea-men, and their Meat tainted, _Columbus_ thought it convenient to leave the Pearl-trade till some better opportunity. Then setting forward, the farther he went, the shallower he found the Sea, insomuch that his Ship scarce had Water enough to swim. This inconvenience was followed by a second; for the Sea being full of Weeds and Grass, scarce suffer’d any Passage. A River thirty Yards deep, and twenty Leagues broad, came rushing out betwixt two Shores into this Sea with such force, that the Waves went high like Mountains, which made _Columbus_ judge himself in the greatest danger imaginable, and withall Tack about; so that he came on the eight and twentieth of _August Anno 1498._ to an Anchor before _Hispaniola_, where all things were still in a sad confusion, as we before related. [Sidenote: _Roldanus Ximenes_ opposes _Columbus_.] [Sidenote: Strange _Indians_.] _Roldanus Ximenes_ refus’d to follow _Christopher Columbus_’s, order and writ Letters to the King of _Spain_, in which he exceedingly aspersed both the Admiral _Columbus_ and his Brother; who were not backward in giving an account quite contrary by their Letters, of the horrid Villanies perpetrated by this _Ximenes_, and desir’d aid, that so great an Offender might receive condign punishment. Mean while the _Ciquano_’s came marching down with six thousand Men, which _Bartholomew_ went to meet with eighty Foot and some few Horse: The _Indians_ which he was to encounter with, rather seeming like Furies than Men, for all of them were daub’d over with black smuts on their bare Skins from Head to Foot, and their hard Hair pleited in terrible, not in Lovelocks, hung playing, or dangling over their Shoulders. When the _Spaniards_ in their March drawing up to a River where it was best fordable, had no sooner left the Bank, and taken the Water, endeavoring to wade over, but the Salvages rush’d forth out of the Woods, and let flye a showre of Arrows, that had they not been provided with Shields and Targets, to keep off such a deadly Storm, so thick they flew, and so well aim’d, most of them had perish’d there: but having recover’d the opposite Bank, the Enemy play’d all hid, and in a thought shelter’d themselves under the protection of the Woods; where the Conqueror pursuing, found the Service very difficult and dangerous, for their Armes, especially their Shields, stopping and intangling them as in a Net, among the shrubby and twining