For Provisions, They Had Such
Roots And Grains As They Eat In Hispaniola, And A Sort Of Liquor Made Of
Maize Like English Beer.
They likewise had abundance of cacao nuts, which
serve as money in New Spain, and on which they seemed
To place great value;
for when these were brought on board along with their other goods, I
observed that when any of them fell, they all anxiously stooped to gather
them up as if they had been of great importance.
These poor creatures seemed to be in a manner out of their wits, on being
brought on board as prisoners among a people so strange and fierce as our
men seemed to them; but so prevalent is avarice in man, that we ought not
to wonder that it should so prevail over the apprehensions of these
Indians, as to make them so anxious about their cacao-nut money, even in
their present situation[8]. The modesty of their demeanour was admirable;
for in getting them from the canoe into the ship, it happened that some of
their clouts were removed, when they would clap their hands before them to
supply the deficiency; and the women wrapped themselves up like the Moors
of Granada, to avoid observation. The admiral restored their canoe, and
gave them some things in exchange for those of which they had been
deprived. And he only detained one old man named Giumbe, who seemed the
chief, and the most intelligent person among them, that from him something
might be learnt concerning the country, and that he might draw others of
the natives to converse and traffic with the Christians. This he did very
readily and faithfully all the while he sailed with us, where his language
was understood; and as a reward for his service, when we came to where a
different language was spoken, which was before we reached Cape Garcias a
Dios, the admiral gave him some things, and sent him home quite satisfied.
Though the admiral had heard so much from those in the canoe concerning
the great wealth, politeness, and ingenuity of the people westwards,
towards what is now called New Spain; yet, considering that as these
countries lay to leewards, he could sail thither whenever he might think
fit from Cuba, he would not go that way at this time, but persisted in his
design of endeavouring to discover a strait or passage across the
continent, by which he might clear a way into what we now call the South
Sea, in order to arrive at those countries which produce spice. He
therefore determined to sail eastwards towards Veragua and Nombre de Dios,
where he imagined that strait would be found, as in effect it was; yet
was he deceived in this matter, as instead of an isthmus, he expected to
discover a narrow gulf or inlet, communicating between the two seas. This
mistake might proceed from the similarity of the two names; for when the
natives said that the strait which he so anxiously desired to find was
towards Veragua and Nombre de Dios, it might be understood either of land
or water, and he understood it in the most usual sense, and that which he
most earnestly desired[9]. And though that strait is actually land, yet it
is the means of acquiring the dominion of both seas, and by which such
enormous riches have been discovered and conveyed to Spain; for it was
GODS will that this vast concern should be so found out, as from this
canoe the admiral received the first information respecting New Spain.
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