The Cacique Of Another Town, On Seeing
These Chiefs Carried Away Prisoners, Went Along With Them To Isabella,
Believing He Might Be Able To Procure Their Pardon From The Admiral, As He
Had Always Been Friendly To The Spaniards.
"As soon as they arrived, the
admiral ordered their heads to be cut off in the market-place, a
Crier
proclaiming the offences for which they were to suffer this condign
punishment; but for the sake of the friendly cacique he forgave them[1]."
About this time a horseman came to Isabella from the fort, who reported
that the inhabitants of the town belonging to the cacique who was their
prisoner had beset five Spaniards with intention to put them to death; but
that he and his horse had rescued them from above 400 of the natives, who
all fled before him out of fear for his horse, and that he had wounded
several of them with his lance.
Having pacified the threatened commotions to all appearance for the
present, the admiral determined to prosecute his maritime discoveries as
he had been directed by their Catholic majesties, and because his
disposition was averse from idleness, and much inclined to explore the
country which he had discovered. For the better government of the colony
during his absence, he appointed a council, of which his brother Don James
Columbus was constituted president; the other members were, Friar Boyle,
Peter Fernandez Coronel, the chief alguazil or judge, Alonso Sanchez de
Carvajal, and John de Luxon. Don Peter Margarite was ordered to continue
marching up and down the country with the military force, being above 400
men; and the admiral left such instructions for the good management of the
colony in his absence as he deemed convenient and necessary.
[1] The words marked with inverted commas, however equivocal in their
meaning, are expressed so in Churchill's Collection, from which this
article is adopted. The meaning of Herrera probably is, "That having
ordered the nature of their crime, and the sentence which it merited
to be proclaimed, he pardoned them at the desire of the friendly
cacique." - E.
SECTION XIII.
Columbus proceeds to explore the Coast of Cuba, discovers the Island of
Jamaica, and returns to Isabella in Hispaniola.
Leaving two vessels in the harbour of Isabella to serve the colony in any
case of emergency, the admiral set sail on Thursday the 24th of April 1494,
with one large ship and two caravels. Taking his course to the westwards,
he proceeded to Monte Christo and the harbour of Nativity, where he
inquired for Guacanagari, who happened to be absent; and although his
people said he would be soon back, the admiral was unwilling to delay his
voyage. He then advanced to the isle of Tortuga, but was forced back by
contrary winds, and came to anchor in a river which he named Guadalquivir.
On the 29th of April he reached Port St Nicholas, whence he discovered the
eastern point of the island of Cuba, called Bayatiquiri by the natives,
but which he named Cape Alpha and Omega[1]. Crossing the strait between
Hispaniola and Cuba, which is eighteen leagues broad, he began to explore
the southern coast of Cuba, where he discovered a large bay, which he
named Puerto Grande[2], or Great Harbour, the mouth of which is an
hundred and fifty paces wide.
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