Christopher Columbus (1440-1506) : $b the first American citizen (by adoption)Alden, W. L. (William Livingston)
History
Christopher Columbus (1440-1506) : $b the first American citizen (by adoption)
Alden, W. L. (William Livingston)
Columbus, Christopher, 1451-1506
When Martin Alonzo Pinzon, on board the _Pinta_, which was in the
advance, saw the Admiral’s signal of recall, he promptly and with
great energy paid no attention to it. He astutely observed that as
there might not be gold and cannibals enough in Babeque for the
whole fleet, it would save trouble if he were to take in privately
a full cargo, and thus avoid the hard feelings which might result
from an attempt to divide with the crews of the other vessels. Pinzon
therefore kept the _Pinta_ on her course, and the next morning she
was out of sight of the flag-ship. Columbus, not understanding the
excellent intentions of his subordinate, was greatly vexed, and feared
that Pinzon would sail back to Spain and claim the whole credit of
discovering the New World. However, pursuit was out of the question,
the _Pinta_ being the fastest vessel of the fleet; and the Admiral
therefore sailed back to Cuba, and while awaiting a change of wind
renewed his exploration of the coast.
On the 5th of December, the weather having improved, Columbus started
for the third time in search of Babeque. He soon sighted a large and
beautiful island, at which his Cubans besought him not to land, since
it was inhabited by one-eyed cannibals who made it a point to eat all
visitors, either from motives of hunger or as a mark of respect. The
Cubans admitted that the island contained gold as well as cannibals,
but maintained that it was not Babeque, but Bohio.
Of course Columbus disregarded their advice, and, after anchoring for
a night in a convenient harbor, proceeded to sail along the coast,
landing from time to time. He found that it was a very respectable
island, but the natives refused to have anything to do with him, and
fled into the forest as soon as his boats touched the shore. One day,
however, his men succeeded in capturing a young woman--with the usual
amount of eyes, and fashionably dressed in a gold nose-ring--whom they
carried before the Admiral. The latter, putting on a pair of thick
blue goggles in the interests of propriety, spoke kindly to the young
person, and gave her some clothes. It may be doubted whether the
Admiral’s old coats and trousers were particularly becoming to the
fair prisoner; but as they were novelties in dress, she was greatly
pleased with them, and agreed to accompany a party of middle-aged and
discreet sailors to her father’s village. Thus friendly relations were
at last established with the natives, and Columbus, seeing the effect
of clothing on the female mind, was so closely reminded of the women of
Spain that he named the new island Hispaniola.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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